#and i wish i had motivation to make gifs for skz? :'))

[mostlycompetentwriter]

You Can STAY - Part 9

F/M Main Pairing: Y/N x Lee Felix (Side Pairing: Y/N x Stray Kids)

Genre: Fantasy AU; Scarlet Heart AU; OT8 SKZ

Word Count: 3.5K

Warnings: Language; some mentions of mature content (insert wink face); violence; mentions of blood; minor character death

Summary: Changbin’s reign as King begins.

Tag List: @angelphantomlove @moonlightracha @jjabbur @pinkchcn @straykidbaby @moonnstars90 @dru-shadow @skzooyeet @xiaojunssmile​

Dear Hyunjin,

This letter comes to you with the burden of uncertainty, and I’ve encountered enough of that to last a lifetime.

According to our spies, you escaped the Castle’s insurrection and traveled with that group of refugees somewhere South. But your whereabouts are still difficult to attain, and I can only hope that only your eyes will see these words. Because I would not write to you unless I considered it completely necessary, especially when Changbin has his personal legion of guards monitoring our every movement. 

But here it is: for your sake, and for the preservation of the King’s lineage, I implore you to stay in the Southern territories until it is safe to return home. Perhaps that was your intention all along, but Jisung seems to think that it was fortuitous that you decided to leave with that girl you admired, to make something better of their struggles down south.

If that’s the case, then remain hidden. I can only assume that Changbin will endeavor to find you as he has already made it clear that Seungmin and Jisung are his next targets. Thankfully, they both found a place to keep their heads low for the time being, but there’s something desperate surrounding Changbin. And I think it makes him volatile, certainly unstable when it comes to his newfound duties as King.

Even if he attained the title illegitimately, 

Please don’t write back to me unless you feel something horrible will happen if you ignore your concerns. It’s impossible to bring anything inside the Castle without Changbin’s notice.

I wish you all the best and pray for your continued safety.

Yours truly,

Y/N.

“Good morning.”

It was Felix’s rough voice that roused me from sleep, one of the very few things that brought me any semblance of happiness during these uncertain times.

“Morning,” I replied, opening my eyes to see him looking down over me with a fond expression, hair messy and disheveled. “How long have you been awake?”

“I don’t know,” Felix said, and he smiled as he wormed his way closer to share my body warmth, drawing me into his arms so that I could feel his heart beating.

“Were you just watching me?” I teased him, and he chuckled in that deep rumble that I felt from my position next to him.

“It’s the only time when you look peaceful,” Felix said, and I heard the sadness in his tone, the same kind that I could feel in my heart.

“There aren’t many reasons to be anything but troubled,” I replied.

“But I don’t want you to feel like there’s no hope,” Felix said. “You know that our position in the Castle is secure.”

“For how long?” I asked him. “Changbin is dangerous. He could change his mind on a whim’s notice.”

“But he’s smart,” Felix said. “He needs my connections with the North.”

“Does he?” I snorted. “Why? He doesn’t care about the people.”

“It might be true, but he does care about staying on the throne, and he understands that you must appease the people to remain in power.”

“And that means satisfying the North?”

“If he wants to avoid war,” Felix said. “Which I think he would considering that his reign is still tainted by a premature rebellion.”

I shivered at the reminder, remembering the unforgettable image of Minho’s lifeless eyes. The betrayal that one must feel to watch a member of their own blood turn against them. “I guess you were right when you said that politics aren’t suited for us.”

“Hmmm,” Felix acknowledged. “I’m rarely wrong about these things.”

“But what about Jisung and Seungmin?” I asked. “They’re still on the run, hiding somewhere in the Kingdom, and Changbin will want to deal with them.”

“He hasn’t mentioned anything,” Felix said. 

“That doesn’t mean he won’t,” I pointed out. “I suppose we have the advantage since Chan knows where Jisung is hiding.”

Felix growled at the mention of his older brother, but we both knew we needed Chan on our side.

It had been nearly a week since Changbin’s rise to the throne, and I only managed to return to the Castle after Felix convinced Changbin of my worth. The same justification for Chan’s return; although, Changbin remained highly suspicious of his oldest brother.

“Seungmin won’t be far,” Felix said. “I can only assume he’s with his mother.”

“I hope they’re well,” I said, recalling the close encounter that the queens had endured when Changbin kicked them out, restoring his own mother to her place above the rest. 

Once exiled, but returned once more.

“Hyunjin remains in the South,” Felix continued, except the problem was that Hyunjin’s whereabouts remained justified by a minor report from the Kingdom’s spies who claimed to have seen him.

It was still a touchy subject, and I could only hope that my letter made it to him.

“Everything is fine for now,” I said. “But it could all change very suddenly.”

“But I’ll be ready,” Felix said, and he sighed when he sat up in bed. “I should go meet with Changbin.”

I reached for his arm, pulling him back down into a desperate kiss. “Be careful with your brother,” I whispered.

“I can handle him,” Felix reassured me, but it was an empty promise when we both lived in a new world under an oppressive order where fear and uncertainly reigned along with the Kingdom’s illegitimate head.

“You don’t have to do this,” Felix whispered to me as we stood outside of the throne room.

“I want to,” I insisted, but I could tell that he wanted to challenge me. To question the motivations compelling me to stand with him, and the loud stubbornness when it involved listening to Changbin as he discussed what he planned to do about Jisung and Seungmin. “I need this,” I said, and Felix sighed, pushing aside the door and allowing me to enter first.

Immediately upon my entrance, my eyes were drawn to Changbin, sitting on his throne as he watched us with narrowed eyes, wearing a regal black robe and the golden crown amongst his tresses. 

It was obvious that he didn’t appreciate my presence in the Castle, but I had no intentions of going anywhere. “We can begin,” he said, and I followed his gaze as he found Chan in the crowd. “Well?”

“There have been no signs of Jisung and Seungmin,” Chan said, and I tried to keep my expression neutral when his eyes met mine. “They’ve run off, your grace.”

Changbin smirked. “Do you really expect me to believe that?”

Chan frowned. “There’s no other explanation? They have no intention of interfering with your rule.”

“You can’t possibly know that,” Changbin scoffed. “Unless you’ve spoken to one of them yourself?”

Chan stiffened, the truth obvious in the disconcerting way his eyes flickered with unease, but Changbin was too overcome with his own egoism to notice.

“We have a problem,” Changbin continued, drumming his fingers against the throne. “I must address the issue of our youngest brothers.”

I swallowed hard at the mention of them, glancing at Felix from the corner of my eye. “What about our brothers?” Felix asked, stepping forward to make his presence known. “What else can we do?”

“I need loyalty,” Changbin growled. “Which is why I’ve decided to give you both a chance to prove yourselves.”

“What do you mean?” Felix grumbled, but I already feared the answer before Changbin spoke his next words.

“They must die,” he said - like it was just another regular command with no lasting consequences. “To ensure that the two of you are on my side, you will be the ones to do it, and I will have Felix dispose of Seungmin and Chan dispose of Jisung.”

“Dispose!” I muttered under my breath, ensuring that Changbin wouldn’t hear the blatant disapproval, but expressing my hatred and revulsion towards such a proclamation. One that left Chan and Felix, and admittedly myself, in the worse kind of predicament.

It was cold in the Castle that night, and I found myself curling even closer to Felix, unable to fall asleep.

“You knew Changbin when he was younger,” I said, startling us both from our collective reprieve. “Was he this cruel?”

“No,” Felix replied, and then he sighed. “When we were all younger, we didn’t think anything of growing up and taking over the kingdom. Things were a lot better between us.”

“What happened?” I asked - a question that I knew was far too weighted.

And I could practically hear Felix thinking, trying to figure out how to best answer something that wasn’t simple. “The lineage,” Felix eventually replied. “The Kingdom must have a King, and our father managed to teach us that lesson.”

“He divided his sons,” I remarked.

“To him, it wouldn’t be that cruel,” Felix said. “After all, it is tradition in the Castle.”

“Well, then I’m sorry for all of you,” I said. “Even Changbin.”

“Only you could allow such sympathy for someone who threatens your life,” Felix said, and I couldn’t help but allow a little smile at his tone.

“Felix,” I whispered, turning over onto my side, grabbing his hand and leading it somewhere lower beneath the bed sheets. “I don’t want to think about those things anymore.”

“You make it seem like a punishment,” Felix growled, and he rolled over top of me with an unnatural grace, trapping my lips in a fierce kiss, making quick work of my clothes before adjusting himself between my thighs.

The next morning, I was walking the grounds with Felix when the unexpected happened.

“Pssst,” a whispered hush passed through the holly bushes.

“Did you hear that?” I asked, forcing us both to a complete stop as I walked closer to the source, completely unprepared to meet a pair of brown eyes from the shadows of the leaves. “Seungmin?!”

“Y/N,” Seungmin grinned, emerging from his hiding spot like it wasn’t a big deal. Like his older brother wasn’t plotting his demise. “I’m glad to see you...we both are,” he continued, reaching back to take Rose’s hand before leading his wife out into the open.

Exposed for the taking.

“Are you insane?” Felix growled, pushing them both into a more concealed area of the gardens.

“We have nowhere to go,” Seungmin insisted, and I paused for a moment to notice that they were both fifthly - clothes disheveled and expressions distraught.

“Where were you?” I asked, ignoring Felix’s interrogation as I stepped closer. “Do you not realize what’s happened?”

“Of course we do,” Seungmin huffed, and it would be amusing under any other circumstances to see him so harried.

“Then you shouldn’t be here,” Felix said, and I could see him searching our surroundings, waiting for the wrong pair of guards to walk by us.

“What’s Changbin got against me, huh?” Seungmin demanded. “The Castle is my home!”

“He’s asking for your head,” Felix snapped, and I could tell that he was losing patience, trying to formulate a solution to this unexpected problem. 

And even though he had every right to be upset with Seungmin, I also realized that this was a young prince in need, and I could see the fear in his gaze as he sought familiarity with the place he group up in - from his own flesh and blood. “We’ll try to house you somewhere discreet in the Castle,” I decided, disregarding Felix’s glare.

The inherent warning.

“Thank you,” Seungmin said, and it was nice to see even a ghost of his former smile.

“This is dangerous,” Felix muttered. 

“We have no choice,” I reminded him, and Felix begrudgingly allowed the comment, turning around to look back at the Castle. “Maybe somewhere in one of the Queens former bedrooms?”

“It’s smart,” I said, nodding my agreement. “Changbin banished the other queens, so there’s no reason for him to look there.”

“But you’ll still have to be careful,” Felix cautioned his younger brother, and Seungmin nodded - desperate for our help. 

“I promise!”

Felix sighed, looking back and forth between me and Seungmin. “Then, let’s go.”

We were using the utmost degree of caution to navigate the Castle, but the close-calls with the guards was starting to weigh on my nerves.

“When does Changbin expect you to kill me?” Seungmin asked, having been caught up on everything that had happened after we explained it to him. 

“It doesn’t matter because we’ll delay it,” Felix said. “Changbin doesn’t have to know that we’re doing it on purpose.”

“Technically, if we insist that we can’t find you,” I said, peaking around the corner to check that the corridor was clear. “We can’t do anything else.”

“He’ll accept it for now,” Felix added. “But we’ll need to figure out something else.”

Seungmin nodded, exchanging a quick look with his wife as they hurried behind us.

Thankfully, high noon was an especially busy time for Changbin’s guards as they escorted him through the surrounding villages where he insisted on garnering support for his reign. 

We didn’t have much difficulty finding the Queens tower, and after ensuring that both rooms were empty, Felix and I stood guard before attempting to plan our next move. “Don’t leave no matter what you might hear,” Felix said, and I watched as he pulled his brother into a hug - a display of affection that I had never witnessed before. 

“Okay,” Seungmin said, and there were tears in his eyes when he reluctantly stood back. 

“I’m sorry this happened,” Felix continued, and I reached out to squeeze Rose’s hand in reassurance. 

“Felix,” Seungmin sniffled. “I just want you to know something-”

But anything he had left to confess was forgotten. 

It was the worst sort of timing, and I noticed it first when Seungmin realized that someone else had infringed upon our meeting.

“Well isn’t this sweet?” a low-timbered voice purred - an welcomed interruption that proved to be fatal when Changbin stepped forward into the light.

Immediately, Felix pushed Seungmin and Rose behind him, but it was too late to protect any of our lives.

“Brother,” Changbin said, intentionally looking around Felix for Seungmin. “I’m glad to see you come home.”

“C-Changbin...” Seungmin stuttered, but the words wouldn’t come out, and Changbin scoffed and flicked his wrist.

“Bring Felix to me.”

I stifled my protest when a burly guard snatched Felix’s arm, dragging the younger prince next to Changbin as ordered. “What are you doing?” Felix hissed, eyes wide with rage.

“Testing you,” Changbin replied, holding out his hand for the weapon that another guard held for him - a bow and a sliver of arrows.

“No,” I whispered, finding myself unable to move as two more guards took positions on either side of me.

“I’ve given my orders,” Changbin said, and he crushed the bow and arrows against Felix’s chest. “Take this and kill them.”

I shivered at his cold tone, closing my eyes against Rose’s cries and Seungmin’s pleas for Changbin to forgive him - for whatever he had done - but what Seungmin didn’t realize was that he was dealing with a version of his brother that couldn’t be reached through normal means. 

Felix sighed at the heavy tension - the weight of this immense execution he was expected to commit - holding out the bow and notching one of the arrows, aiming it at Seungmin’s chest with a shaky hold. 

It was a gut-wrenching sight - Seungmin was crying openly, pushing away Rose and holding out his hands in an attempt to pacify Felix, but it wasn’t his outcasted brother who wanted to see his blood. And despite all those rumors about Felix - the ones that painted him a ruthless killer - I only saw a man whose weaknesses were becoming more and more apparent.

“No,” Felix eventually said to break the long spell of tension, shaking his head as he lowered the bow. “I can’t do it.”

“Then let me show you how,” Changbin growled, and he shouldered Felix aside with brutal strength, sending his estranged brother to the floor.

And the next several moments proceeded with an unusual imitation of time - something that was slow and fast in the same instance - the kind of rare moment where you have no time to react, but all the time in the world to witness the horrors unveiling in front of you.

I flinched as the arrows whizzed through the air, hitting Seungmin first who fell to the concrete floor without realizing that another quickly followed for his wife.

Seungmin’s lips opened around a silent scream, and then he dropped down to his knees, cradling the arrow in his chest.

Even though I could only focus on him, I detected a slew of arrows zipping above his head, chasing after Rose as she tried to escape.

But it was in vain, for there was no escape from this nightmare.

Still, it didn’t stop me from reacting - foolishly, as I’m sure Felix would tell me - but it was instinct alone that drove me to the floor next to Seungmin’s crumpled form. “Seungmin!” I cried, supporting his head against my lap while making futile attempts to stop the bleeding pouring from the wound in his chest.

“Rose-” Seungmin gargled, and I swallowed hard at the sight of a trickle of red falling down from the corner of his lips.

“She’s fine,” I interrupted him, lying to protect the dying boy in my arms, even though I could see that Rose had not moved since she fell after the arrow pierced her heart.

“Y/N,” Seungmin whispered, and I could see the effects of death’s cruel touch - the blue color of his lips and the dark shadows beneath his eyes. “I’m scared.”

“There’s no reason to be afraid,” I tried to reassure him, holding him closer and trailing my fingers through his hair. “Just let go, Seungmin. You don’t deserve to suffer anymore.”

He was gone after that with his eyes wide open - reflecting a permanent horror of his body’s last moments on this Earth.

Chan

There was nothing but anger storming away in Chan’s heart as he stumbled along the path leading to the shelter where he had hidden Jisung shortly after Changbin’s insurrection,

He slammed open the door, startling his younger brother who had been tending to one of the ailing queens. “Chan?” Jisung asked, and he smiled at the sight of his brother, rushing to meet him as quickly as possible. “Is something wrong?”

“Changbin killed Seungmin,” Chan said, and Jisung gasped as he stumbled back against the wall, smile vanishing in an instant.

“Changbin did that?” Jisung cried, and Chan frowned, wondering how Jisung could still believe in his brother’s goodness after everything that had happened; after all, hadn’t he already proven himself capable of killing a sibling?

“I’ve had enough of his schemes,” Chan growled, and Jisung backed off when he realized that his brother was nearing his breaking point.

“What are you going to do?” Jisung asked, and he was only surprised even further when Chan looked back outside and beckoned someone forward. “Jeongin?!”

“Hi, Sungie,” Jeongin whispered, and Jisung was surprised by how weak his youngest brother appeared.

“Changbin can’t lead any longer,” Chan insisted, and he pulled Jeongin next to his side. “It’s time for us to intervene.”

Jisung swallowed hard, looking between his brothers with unease. “Do you have a plan?”

Chan smiled, something cruel and wicked. “Changbin still trusts two people,” Chan said. “He trusts Felix, and....”

“He trusts me,” Jeongin interrupted, taking a step forward. “He invited me back into the Castle.”

“So?” Jisung asked, frowning as he wondered why Jeongin would ever think he could rely on Changbin’s trust.

It could disappear without explanation.

“Jeongin will act as a spy for us,” Chan said. “Because everyone has a weakness, and he’ll find Changbin’s for us.”

“And then?” Jisung questioned, feeling almost feverish as his desperation grew even stronger.

“And then we kill him.”

Dear Y/N,

Changbin is the least of my concerns, but I appreciate your worries for my well-being.

Actually, I am quite content down in the south, and it seems the people here are grateful for my intervention. 

If Changbin was as cunning as you say he is, then he would leave me to my own devices. I’m planning to marry that girl you briefly met with the other refugees, and it seems like there will be a new alliance between the South and the Cle Kingdom. Changbin would be both foolish and reckless to mess with such a political advantage.

I don’t care if Changbin sees this because he and everyone else in the Castle should know that the Southern territories do not approve of his reign.

Bad things are coming.

- Hyunjin