#im daydreaming of being a monarch | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lveclouds · 2 years ago

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↬ pairing/characters: prince hoseok x princess reader x prince yoongi, other members will be mentioned/make appearances

↬ genre/aus: heavy angst, sad/bittersweet ending (yeah im so sorry), unrequited love (yeah this one’s going to hurt), there’s like zero fluff in this, royal au, slight arranged marriage au (sort of), childhood friends au

↬ summary: in which hoseok watches as the love of his life gets swept off their feet by his former best friend.

↬ rating(s): m, 18+ (see warnings)

↬ tw: heavy swearing, sad ending, unrequited love, heartbreak, heavy alcohol consumption/intoxication (hoseok gets a bit drunk in this fic, but it’s briefly mentioned), mentions of someone being drunk (brief) hoseok deserves a huge hug in this fic, confrontation (hoseok and yoongi talk things out), mentions of a falling out, mentions of a deceased family member (brief, due to sickness)

↬ wc: 5.5k

↬ note: this fic is part of the one direction x bts collab, hosted by @sunshinejunghoseokie <3 the idea for this collab came about whike we were talking in a little discord chat we have with @joonlery <3 as a former one direction stan, i am so excited to write a fic based off their songs <3 as always, shoutout to cam and honour for always being the sweetest ppl ever and for all the love + support i adore y’all so much:(((( + this fic is based off the song ‘moments’ by one direction, which is still one of my favorite songs of theirs to this day <3 also shoutout to cam for reading through this and helping me with warnings <3

the bright sun shone in through the massive windows of the castle, casting golden beams of light across the stone floors. hoseok could hear the faint chirping birds as they flew over the rafters, and allowed himself a small smile. he always loved the mornings, those quiet moments before the rest of the world woke, bathing in the tranquility and stillness.

the rest of the castle was still asleep, leaving hoseok to his own devices for a few hours, which he always took full advantage of. while having a warm breakfast prepared each morning was a perk, hoseok always felt a little guilty that his servants felt as if they had to attend to him at all times.

thus, hoseok tried to make sure to rise as early as he could to dress and possibly sneak down to the castle kitchen to see if there were any leftover cookies or pastries from the previous day’s breakfast. after grabbing a pastry or two, hoseok headed towards the royal gardens, where he loved to spend most of his time daydreaming and abandoning his royal duties, for they were awfully boring.

the early morning air was cool and crisp, and a gentle breeze washed over hoseok as he strolled through the garden, admiring the colorful flowers and foliage that decorated the space. each plant and flower was well-tended to, and the royal gardener, namjoon, saw to that.

hoseok let out a content sigh, settling onto a stone bench that he’d put there ages ago, wanting to be surrounded by the sweet smell of roses and the refreshing scent of pine. he let his mind wander, briefly forgetting about the responsibilities that he’d have to attend to later in the day, humming softly to himself.

being the sole heir to a well-established kingdom is something that could scare the wits out of anyone, for the idea of leading an entire nation made hoseok’s stomach curl with dread. nonetheless, in the end, it didn’t matter if hoseok had no desire to rule, it was his duty to carry out, being the only son of two of the most powerful monarchs in the land of esmeralda.

though, hoseok supposed, the pressure of being a good king was bearable, at least, with you in his life. he’d met you, the princess of genovia, when he was just the tender of age of eight, and you’d just turned ten, at yet another party that his parents had forced him to attend.

hoseok couldn’t remember who the celebration had been for, only that the royal garb that his mother had insisted he wear was itchy and uncomfortable, and he’d wanted to do nothing more than to run back to his bedchambers and change into his comfiest nightclothes. your family had also been invited to the grand celebration, being one of the most prominent royal families.

hoseok had sat by his mother all night, fidgeting ever so slightly in his chair, trying to keep a neutral expression on his face. she must’ve noticed that he was getting a bit restless, for when the nobles she’d been talking to turned away for a moment, she leaned down and whispered to him to go and play somewhere.

immediately, hoseok had ran as fast as his small legs could take him, far away from the ballroom full of obnoxious laughter and the dizzying scent of alcohol, to the garden, where he was alone with the flowers and the tall trees.

the night air was cool and crisp, and it’d rained earlier in the evening, so the faint smell of petrichor still lingered. hoseok had just settled onto the stone bench in the center of the garden when he heard a faint rustling a few feet away. he turned his head to see a girl possibly two years older than him, clutching nervously at her skirts, the dainty silver necklace dangling at her throat glowing softly in the pale moonlight.

“h-hello, i’m hoseok, what’s your name?” he’d said, keeping his voice as polite and friendly as possible, as not to scare the girl off. she hesitated, then mumbled in a soft, quiet voice, “i’m y/n.” hoseok had smiled for the first time that evening, and asked if you wanted to sit beside him and watch the stars. from then, an unlikely friendship had formed between you, and hoseok treasured every moment.

of course, his parents were delighted that their son had made a friend out of the princess of a powerful kingdom, and made a point of inviting you over constantly and showering you in gifts. you accepted all of them graciously, but then hoseok would helped you sneak out of the castle to give to the poor people in the nearby village.

hoseok admired how brave and courageous and selfless you were, insisting that while the gifts from his parents were appreciated, you had no use for them, and that it was better if they went to people that would make good use of the gifts. for the first time, he’d met someone who went against the norms of being a royal, and used your power for the greater good and to benefit others.

his relationship with you was nothing more than a close friendship, that is, until hoseok found himself falling in love. often times, he’d find himself staring at the soft curve of your mouth, and the way your lashes brushed against your brow bone every time you blinked. hoseok felt his pulse quicken at your charming and gentle smiles, and the tender look in your dark eyes when you saw a child light up when you’d hand them a picnic basket laden with homemade food.

people in the village adored you, amazed that someone of a such a position in the kingdom could be so humble and kind as to spend most of their time with the poor instead of nobles. you’d told hoseok as such one night, under the soft glow of the moon, resting your head against his shoulder.

the action was nothing new, as hoseok had grown accustomed to it over the course of your friendship, but it still made his heartbeat quicken all the same. “i know you must think i’m silly for wanting to give everything i have to those people, but it’s something i’ve always wanted to do. we’re royals, and i understand that we have a certain reputation to uphold, but must we ignore the needs of those who are crying out for help? they too deserve to be happy.”

it was right then and there that hoseok knew that he was in love with you. he loved how passionate you were about helping others, even if others might scorn you for it. you’d never cared about what others thought of you, especially the countless nobles that whispered about you, calling you ridiculous and strange.

“don’t mind them, hoseok, they’re only jealous that they can’t bring themselves to help others. the selfish bastards that they are.” word of your kind and generous nature did not go unheard by neighboring kingdoms, and thus began the countless visits from suitors.

hoseok hated seeing the gifts of jewelry and dresses and gold from the pompous princes that visited your castle, in hopes of courting you. it was absolute torture to simply watch as countless princes vyed for your hand, taking your hand in theirs and pressing a kiss to the back of it.

however, you seemed not the least bit interested, for you threw out or donated all the gifts your suitors gave you, much to your parents’ dismay, insisting that you “had no use for such frivolous things”, and that all the suitors were obnoxious and self-centered. hoseok couldn’t help but feel relieved that you weren’t the least bit deterred by the countless advances.

hoseok also struggled to decide if he should confess to you, not wanting to ruin the close bond that you had. then, when he’d finally mustered the courage to do so, his world came crashing down around him. it’d been a sunny day, of all things, and hoseok was making his daily visit to your kingdom, which was not too far from his own.

he was with you in the palace gardens, listening to you rant about the latest suitor you’d driven off, who, apparently, was insistent that he had a strong alcohol tolerance, and was determined to show off. and, in the middle of the lunch that the kitchen staff had prepared, he proceeded to drink at least three cups of wine before promptly passing out.

“it was embarrassing, i mean, if he just wanted to get drunk off his ass, he could’ve just gone to the local tavern.” you were saying, gesturing exuberantly with your hands. “honestly, you should’ve seen him, he looked like an absolute fool, stumbling over himself.”

hoseok had felt the corner of his mouth curve into an amused smile. “wish i could’ve been there then. a-also, i-i have something to confess to you.” a look of concern immediately flashed across your face. “of course, anything. you’re my dearest friend, hoseok.” friend. the word felt like a punch to the gut.

and, as hoseok was about to confess, your parents came rushing in, your mother practically beaming from ear to ear. “mother? what’s going on? why do you look so pleased?” “we just received word from the min kingdom. they’ve agreed that a union between our two kingdoms would be best to maintain peaceful relations.”

“what sort of relations?” “marriage, of course.” your mother had declared, and hoseok’s heart felt as if it were going to shatter into a million fragments. “your mother is right, this alliance is one that cannot be overlooked. besides, i’ve heard that the prince of the min kingdom is quite the charmer.” your father had said, with a pleased smile on his face. the look of defiance on your face did little to deter them from dragging you to the throne room hours later, where the mins were waiting.

hoseok could only give you a sympathetic smile as you moved to stand next to your parents, mouth twisted in a deep scowl. then, the mins came forward, bowing their heads. their son looked to be his age, with wavy dark hair that fell over sharp cheekbones, and hoseok couldn’t quite make out his face at first.

then, when the son lifted his head, a pale, thin hand brushing away a stray strand of hair that’d fallen across his forehead, hoseok immediately froze, feeling his heart drop into his stomach. it was min yoongi, the very person he once regarded as a dear friend.

they’d had a brutal falling out years ago, and hoseok hadn’t spoken to him since, and if he was being honest, didn’t exactly remember what had happened. yoongi was still as pale as ever, but his shoulders seemed broader than before, and his hair was longer, and more wavy.

his eyes were as still dark and unreadable as hoseok remembered, and the expression on his face gave nothing away. hoseok winced and shifted his gaze towards the front of the throne room, where you were sitting with your parents. the scowl on your face seemed to have disappeared, now replaced with a look of awe, as if you were mezmerized by yoongi.

hoseok had blinked back tears, refusing to let anyone, especially yoongi, see him cry. “your majesty, your highness, i’m honored that you are allowing me to court your daughter.” he said, bowing his head slightly, and to his surprise, your mother waved off his formalities with a dismissive hand.

“no need to be so formal, yoongi, after all, you’re marrying into our family.” your mother had said, dark eyes twinkling, and the aforementioned male’s pale cheeks flushed pink. “as you wish.” “now, why don’t you and y/n get acquainted?” yoongi’s mother suggested, cerulean eyes bright with joy. “that’s a wonderful idea!”

hoseok had felt his vision blur and his face grow hot, and fresh tears slid down his cheeks as you stepped down from your throne, offering your hand to yoongi, who gently took it in his and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.

he’d seen this exact gesture so many times, from many suitors, but this time, you didn’t curl your lip in disgust or roll your eyes like you normally did. hoseok saw a faint blush settle across your cheekbones as you looped your arm through yoongi’s, allowing him to guide you out of the throne room.

hoseok had had enough. unable to bear the anguish any longer, he dashed out of the throne room, grateful that he’d thought to hide behind the tall columns that surrounded the space, so that no one could see him cry. he ran all the way to the garden, grateful that yoongi hadn’t thought of taking you there, and collapsed onto the soft grass, not caring his clothes got stained. hot tears streamed down his face, body wracking with soft sobs, and hoseok clutched at his heart, curling his fingers in the soft fabric of his jacket.

it hurt, everything hurt, and now hoseok knew that there was no way that you’d ever reciprocate his feelings. he’d started to laugh bitterly, tears spilling from his eyes, for he was a fool for ever thinking that you’d love him back, that you’d see him as more than just a dear friend.

a friend. that’s all i’ll ever be to you, nothing more. love? how pointless. hoseok had never known true heartbreak, true anguish, but if this was what it’d felt like to have his heart broken, he wished he’d never fallen for you in the first place.

falling for you was my first and last mistake. hoseok had cried his eyes out for what seemed like an eternity, and later, as he sat numbly in a carriage on his way back home, eyes puffy and red-rimmed, he vowed to never love again.

“penny for your thoughts?” a voice said, and hoseok snapped out of his mini trance to see namjoon standing a few feet away, tending to some newly bloomed roses. he shook his head. “it’s nothing, i just spaced out, started to think about some tragic events that happened years ago.” this caused the taller male to frown. “tragic events?” he echoed, eyebrows furrowing with confusion.

“it was a complicated matter, but it’s over now.” it’d been three years since you’d gotten married to yoongi, and hoseok still wrote to you every now and then, but rarely saw you anymore. then, understanding dawned over namjoon’s face, and his dark green eyes softened. “is this about y/n? were you thinking about her again?”

hoseok mentally winced, hating that namjoon could read him like a book. “i was, my mind was wandering, and i guess i started to think about her and the day her parents married her off to yoongi.” a bitter chuckle spilled from his lips. “i must seem quite pathetic to you right now.”

namjoon shook his head. “not at all. grieving over your first love is not a strange thing, it’s normal.” hoseok sighed, carding his fingers through his now silver hair, which he’d dyed on a whim months ago. “i’m not sure why i’m still hung up about her. i mean, shouldn’t i have moved on by now?”

namjoon’s dark green eyes flashed with sympathy as he gently removed the leather gloves he was wearing, stuffing them into the pocket of the loose pants he was wearing. he sat down next to hoseok on the stone bench, stretching his long legs out in front of him.

“it’s understandable, why you haven’t moved on from her.” namjoon began, and hoseok mentally braced himself for whatever the taller male was about to say. over the years, hoseok had struck up an unlikely friendship with namjoon, who was kind and clumsy and very wise, despite his young age, and he found himself going to the taller male for advice on occasion. hoseok even told him about how you had broken his heart and gotten bethrothed to yoongi, who was once one of the people he held dear.

“she’s your first love, isn’t she?” hoseok managed a small nod. “and since she’s your first love and broke your heart, that makes the unrequited love that much more painful. besides, it’s only been three years, hoseok. it takes time to heal. if it takes you four or five years, then that’s perfectly fine. heartbreak and grief affect everyone differently, and everyone deals with it in their own ways. i suppose what i’m trying to say is that it’s okay to let yourself cry and grieve over her, it’s okay to feel the way that you do.”

hoseok blinked back tears, and gave his friend a grateful smile. “thank you, joon, you’ve always been a good friend to me.” the latter waved away his thanks with a lazy hand. “no need to thank me, that’s what friends are for, no? we’re supposed to cry and lean on each other, it’s sort of an unspoken agreement.”

“wait, joon, before you go, can i tell you something?” a gentle smile tugged at the corners of namjoon’s lips. “of course, anything.” he said easily, and hoseok felt his heart swell with gratitude. he exhaled slowly, clearing this throat, and began to tell namjoon what had had happened between him and yoongi on the day of the royal wedding.

hoseok had been staring at his reflection in the mirror for what’d seemed like hours, dressing himself in a daze. today was the day that the love of his life was getting married. to his former best friend, of all things. he hadn’t seen you since the day yoongi had come to visit, being too preoccupied with wedding preparations.

hoseok’s eyes drifted towards the neat stack of papers on his desk, and felt his heart ache. he’d kept every single letter you’d written him over the months, gushing about how amazing yoongi was, and that you were thrilled to be bethrothed to him. you also told him how much you missed him, and that you hoped to see him at the official ceremony.

of course, when the invitation had arrived via the royal messenger, hoseok hadn’t hesitated to accept it. he’d told the messenger to tell you that he would be in attendance, no matter what. after weeks of crying his eyes out and sulking in his bedchambers, hoseok had decided that enough was enough. he needed to get his act together.

so, he threw himself into his royal duties, attending every meeting his father required him to without complaint, and oversaw the building of the new armory in the east wing of the castle himself, no matter if he was exhausted from his history lessons with seokjin, the royal tutor.

and all of that led him to this day, this moment, waking before the sun rose on the horizon, heart aching impossibly in his chest. he’d gotten dressed in a dazed state, not bothering to summon any servants for assistance. hoseok shook his head, snapping himself out of his mini trance.

there was no time to space out and wallow in his own self pity. hoseok was going to be late to his best friend’s wedding if he didn’t hurry downstairs. after making sure that his jacket wasn’t wrinkled and that not a strand of hair on his head was out of place, hoseok raced out of his room.

the wedding ceremony was grand, as hoseok had anticipated, and the castle was filled with nobility from all over genovea, light chatter and loud laughter filling the air. you were beautiful as always in a long, lace dress with flowers embossed in the soft white fabric. the dress fit you like a glove, and your long, dark hair had been styled to perfection, falling in waves down your back.

yoongi had been in traditional wedding garb, which consisted of a dark jacket and pants, which were all tailored to fit his lithe figure. hoseok had decided to sit next to taehyung, jungkook, and jimin, the only princes he was truly close with, having met them at countless banquets and balls.

they also knew about how he felt about you, having confessed to them when he’d had one too many glasses of wine, and had given him sympathetic looks as you’d leaned in to kiss yoongi after the priest had declared you husband and wife. hoseok had torn his eyes away, not wanting to see yoongi reciprocate the kiss.

hoseok had spent the majority of the wedding standing by the large table laden with pastries, tiny cakes, and a plethora of other dishes that he couldn’t quite recall what they were. he’d been quietly sipping his champagne flute, watching as you glided across the ballroom floor, laughing as you were twirled and dipped, the dainty silver earrings you were wearing twinkling faintly in the dim lights of the room.

you were so breathtakingly beautiful, it nearly hurt to look at you. hoseok’s heart ached impossibly at the twinkle in your eyes, and how your eyes crinkled at the corners as you laughed and talked with the wedding guests. and, as yoongi twirled and dipped you, his hand wrapping around your waist, hoseok quickly blinked back tears.

hoseok felt a bit pathetic, for crying over someone who’d never know how much they meant to him, but in the moment, he couldn’t help it. you were his first love and the one person who always treated him not as prince hoseok, sole heir to the kingdom of esmeralda, but as jung hoseok, who was sensitive and was a romantic at heart.

despite himself, hoseok couldn’t help but feel happy for you, happy that you’d gotten the fairy-tale like ending you’d always wanted. he allowed himself a small smile, taking a long sip of champagne, the liquid burning his throat. then, an all-too familiar figure sidled up next to him, and hoseok immediately felt his entire body tense.

“hoseok, it’s been a while.” yoongi said in lieu of greeting, a strand of dark hair falling across his forehead, which he hastily brushed away. “it has.” hoseok muttered, tapping his fingers lightly on the rim of his champagne glass. an uncomfortable silence settled between them, and hoseok wracked his mind for an excuse to slip away.

much to his dismay, yoongi broke the silence first, clearing his throat awkwardly. “how have you been?” “i’ve been better.” hoseok said tightly, hoping that the former would get the hint and leave him the fuck alone. unfortunately, yoongi did no such thing. “i know things ended quite badly between us back then, and i wanted to apologize.”

hoseok pursed his lips together tightly, forcing a smile on his face. “what’s there to say? you made it very clear all those years ago that you wanted absolutely nothing to do with me and that i could, er, what was it you said? rot in hell?” his tone was pleasant, but there was a hint of malice hidden underneath.

yoongi winced imperceptibly, a sign he was uncomfortable. good, hoseok thought bitterly. “i said some awful things back then, mostly out of anger. i guess i was pissed that you thought i’d gone and courted princess jiwoo without your knowledge.” hoseok tensed at the mention of his deceased older sister.

“don’t you fucking dare say her name. you have no fucking right.” hoseok hissed, unable to maintain his calm composure any longer. “i’m sorry, it just slipped out. i know i have no right to utter her name, for i was the one who broke her heart.” hoseok thought he saw red as he dropped the champagne glass he was holding, glass shattering on the floor, and lunged towards yoongi, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket.

“you absolute bastard.” hoseok growled, tightening his grip on yoongi’s jacket. he saw nothing but guilt in the latter’s eyes, and yet, somehow, that made him even angrier. “broke her heart? you didn’t just do that, oh no, you ruined her fucking life. she loved you more than anything, and you tossed her aside as if she were nothing more than a piece of paper.”

“you think i wanted to hurt like her i did? to act as if she meant nothing to me?” “you certainly acted like you did.” hoseok spat, not bothering to hide the malice in his voice. yoongi’s dark eyes flashed with regret. “it was the only way to keep her safe.” “what the hell are you talking about?”

“there was threats of a war, hoseok. bandits from another kingdom were invading and stealing from numerous villages. there were rumors that they were even stealing women and children, taking them from their loved ones. i didn’t think much of it at first, but when reports started to come in that the same thing was happening in the villages surrounding my family’s kingdom, i got scared that jiwoo would be a victim. so, i decided the only way was to cut ties with her. permanently.”

hoseok blanched, grip loosening on the dark haired male’s jacket a bit. “breaking her heart was for her protection? i fail to see how this is justifiable.” yoongi sighed, the sound more exhausted than anything. “because there was a price on her head, and those bandits knew that she was connected to another powerful royal family, there’d be hell to pay.”

hoseok’s mind was whirling, mostly with shock and confusion and many, many, questions. he let go of yoongi, who simply smoothed out the wrinkles in his jacket, expression schooling itself into neutrality. “i think i need some air.” hoseok mumbled, voice barely audible over the hubbub happening around them.

yoongi gave a brief nod. “ok, well, lucky for you, i know the perfect place.” hoseok decided to follow after him, for there was no way he was not getting answers for what he’d just been told.

outside, the air was cool and crisp and refreshing against hoseok’s skin, and he exhaled softly, breathing in the faint scent of flowers and evergreen.

they were in the courtyard, hoseok noticed, which was littered with colorful flowers and the grass was green and lush, almost silver in the glow of the pale moonlight. “there was a price on jiwoo’s head? why didn’t you tell me?” hoseok blurted, and yoongi’s shoulders slumped, as if in defeat. “because i knew you would probably do something reckless, like go after the bandits yourself.” “i-i just don’t understand. why would you keep this from me? why would you leave me in the dark? you know how important jiwoo was to me, she was my sister.”

his voice broke at the end, and hoseok could no longer hold back the choked sob that spilled from his lips, and yoongi only watched with sad, dark eyes. hoseok was certain he looked an absolute wreck, with eyes puffy and red-rimmed, and his usually neat black curls askew.

“i guess it’s just hard to wrap my head around, but i guess i’m glad to know that you were at least trying to protect my sister, in your own way.” a sad smile tugged at the corners of yoongi’s mouth.

“i suppose. i also really do regret hurting her and you like i did. i hope that we can maybe become friends again one day. that is, if you’re up for it.”hoseok smiled for the first time that night. “i’d like that.”

“i’m honestly speechless. that’s quite the story, hoseok.” namjoon breathed, a bit stunned, and hoseok let out a soft chuckle. “yes, it is, isn’t it?” “have you spoken to him since then?”

“a few times. we send other letters every once in a while. we’re not exactly at the level of closeness we were before, but we’re getting there.” namjoon grinned, dimples indenting in his cheeks.

“progress is progress, no matter how little is made.” for the first time in a while, hoseok had never felt so light, and his heart bloomed with happiness, swelling impossibly in his chest, and couldn’t help but return namjoon’s grin with one of his own.

hoseok had a come a long way since that fateful day, when he felt as if happiness was no longer possible for him, no without you in this life, that is. he supposed namjoon was to thank for forcing him to stop sulking in his chambers all the time and go outside to get fresh air.

there were also those rougher days where hoseok would have one too many glasses wine, in a futile attempt to forget about the utter anguish and pain he’d endured. luckily, namjoon was there to take care of him the morning after, when his head was throbbing with a dull ache and his mind felt fuzzy.

taehyung, jimin, and jungkook also made a point to stop by esmeralda every now and then, dragging hoseok to the festivals, which were always full of laughter and pure, unadulterated joy, the smell of sweet candies and other delicacies lingering in the air. then, there was seokjin, who, instead of tutoring him over the ancient history of esmeralda, as his job entailed, amused hoseok by telling him the worst jokes he’d ever heard but still managed to make him laugh anyway.

then, there were the letters. the letters that you and yoongi had written to him, and hoseok kept all of them, for the thought of throwing them away felt cruel. hoseok read each one that came his way, smiling softly at the way you’d describe how happy you were, and that you missed him dearly and wished that he would come and visit sometime.

the letters to yoongi were a bit harder to read, hoseok would admit, for they came from the one person he thought he’d never talk to ever again. yoongi’s letters were short and simple, usually asking how he was doing and miscellaneous things, such as that he saw an adorable cat cross his path, or that he’d bought a huge crate of tangerines from the village farmer.

nonetheless, the letters were always welcome, and hoseok loved reading them word for word, longing for the day when he and yoongi would become friends again, and when he could see you. even though yoongi had wounded him so badly, hoseok secretly didn’t want their friendship to become a thing of the past.

though hoseok had initially resented yoongi for breaking his beloved sister’s heart, he thought deep down that the latter probably had had a reason for doing so. he was glad that yoongi had taken the initiative to repair their friendship, though things had gotten a bit out of hand at first.

all of that led him to this day, this moment, sitting with his closest friend in the royal garden, basking in the warm sun and inhaling the sweet scent of roses. hoseok wasn’t sure how long it’d take him to heal from the pain of the heartbreak you’d caused him, but with namjoon and his friends by his side, he was sure that the process wouldn’t be all the unbearable.

“are you alright? you spaced out for a bit.” namjoon asked, eyebrows furrowing with concern, snapping hoseok out of his mini trance. he shook his head. “i’m fine, just thinking. now, shall we go bother seokjin hyung until he tells us to fuck off?” namjoon grinned. “i’d love nothing more.”

a/n: hi my loves! so this was my first fic for the 1d x bangtan collab <3! i hope you all enjoyed this as much as i did writing it hehe and tysm to honour and cam for being the sweetest people ever and for reading every snippet i sent in our discord groupchat haha anyways i will see you with the joon fic next <3 also, i am still planning on releasing the last two fics of my ‘footnote’ series (i promise i haven’t forgotten about them) and, as always, feedback is always appreciated, and tysm to everyone who has read/liked my stories <3

tagging: @svt1117 , @blushingkoo , @taeyo95 , @jimilter , @aquagustd , @playmetheclassics , @sketchguk, @wonception , @raplinesmoon-main , @yoon2k , @baljinciaga , @codeinebelle, + anyone else who wants to be tagged <3

#mine #fic: dancing alone #btshoneyhive #btscarnivalnet #bangtanbathhouse #also yes idk how this turned out to be 5k but here we are haha

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cindersnightmare · 4 years ago

Text

slow dancing in the dark (kaider au)

part ten

summary: cinder is the palace mechanic and kai is the prince of the eastern commonwealth. even though they could never be together, they start a secret relationship.

(sorry this took 20 million years to write sdjmgfnsjdfk)

***

the following week after the emperor’s death, the palace was chaos. a funeral had passed, preparations for the upcoming coronation and ball were being worked on at every moment, and the search for a cure was in more demand than ever. no one wanted to see another beloved leader die to the horrible disease.

the city was a mix of grief, worry, and excitement. as much as the commonwealth loved kai, they worried he wouldn’t be a good leader at such a young age, and they didn’t want to see him crack under the pressure. they were hoping the ball would be a break from the darkness. they wanted a night of fun to forget all of the tragedy that their country had been through.

kai was a nervous wreck, of course, and was terrified of the upcoming events. all he wanted to do was lay in bed for days and block out any responsibilities. unfortunately, that was a luxury he couldn’t have. he was going to be emperor in the next few days, whether he was ready or not, and nothing could change that.

while everyone was planning the coronation and ball, kai was coming up with a secret plan. he had to make sure cinder would be able to come to the palace without getting caught by her retched family, and that would require some help. so he ended up telling torin he wanted to bring his “friend” to the ball for his healing and comfort. although his advisor was weary of letting an employee be the special guest, he allowed it once he saw kai’s puppy eyes.

he had his stylist get cinder’s outfit and store it in his bedroom. he hoped she would like it, but he knew she would pick cargo pants over a dress any day. cinder was going to have to tell adri that she was needed at the palace late so she could stay and get ready. everything was coming together, and kai really hoped it would work. it was the one thing he was looking forward to. if everything went well, then they had a chance to really being together, and he wanted that more than anything.

***

after another day of dreadful meetings, kai was drained. all he could think about was how he was somehow on the same level as these older, powerful leaders, and he would be discussing serious topics and problems with them continuously now. it was weird thinking about how just years go, he was a curious kid, trying to listen and sit it on his dad’s meetings with the same people.

it was getting late, and he didn’t want to feel sad anymore, so he threw on a hoodie and snuck out of the palace. even though he got a stern yelling from torin last time he did this, he didn’t really care, he needed to see cinder.

as excited as he was, he was still filled with dread at seeing the phoenix tower apartments. he hated cinder living there. the image of her sad bedroom and the stories of adri’s abuse haunted him, and his patience was the only thing keeping him from taking her away from all of it.

kai sent a comm to cinder before walking into the lobby, not wanting to freak her out this time. he also didn’t want to risk waking the step monster.

hey, i’m outside your building. can you sneak down here?

a few moments went by before his portscreen chimed with a response.

you’re clinically insane...i’m coming down.

her message made him laugh as he waited by the front doors. he saw cinder in the lobby, wearing his hoodie and a pair of sweatpants. kai smiled at the sight. she opened the door and waved him inside, ushering for him to move quickly. he walked towards her and glanced around, seeing the office man sleeping at the front desk again.

“are you crazy?” cinder whispered. grabbing his hand and leading him to the back staircase.

“according to your comm, yes.” he laughed, not even questioning where she was taking him as they stepped down into a dark room. she flicked on a small light and the metal of tools and work tables dimly gleamed back at them. “is this your secret hideout?”

cinder shrugged, “you could say that.” after she spoke, they faced each other, their smiles softening. it had been a while since they saw each other in person. the past week had been a mess, and they had both been missing each other like crazy, hoping for an opportunity to communicate without using their portscreens. “what brings you here at two in the morning?”

kai thought of where he was an hour ago, alone in his bed, feeling something missing. his heart ached and he wanted to bring it home. “i just needed you, that’s all.” he spoke with a gentle smile.

she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into an embrace. a sigh of content left his lips, and while he felt lighter already, nothing could stop the weight of grief and uncertainty sitting on his chest. “you’ve got me, kai. always.” cinder whispered.

his fingers wove themselves into her hair, holding her close. he started to think of the ball, of dancing with her in front of everyone, all eyes on them. an idea popped in his head and he began to grin. “cinder?”

“hm?”

“do you know how to dance?”

cinder’s face fell, looking scared and embarrassed in an instant. “oh my stars, i don’t know how to dance.” her eyes were wide with panic as she spoke.

kai laughed and put one hand on her waist, the other grabbing hers and holding it. “it’s okay, i’ll teach you.” he almost laughed at her expression, but he refrained, instead focusing on getting her in the correct position. “you don’t have to be nervous.” he teased.

“i’m worried i’ll crush your foot with my metal one.” she frowned, looking at the floor.

kai let out a little laugh. “you won’t. now come on, dance with me.”

he started to guide her, stepping back and forth, taking it slow. it was proving difficult to dance in a crowded, dim basement but they were making it work. she stumbled a little and he helped her get back into it. she still seemed nervous, like she was sure she wasn’t good enough. but as they kept going, she eased into it, starting to memorize the steps and follow kai smoothly.

“see? it’s not so bad.” kai whispered as he brought her body closer to his.

“because you’re doing most of the work.” she giggled, resting her head on his chest, listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeat. she wondered how many times kai had to dress up, pick a dancing partner, and waltz across the palace floor all night. probably hundreds, and he would do it a thousand times more in his reign. she hoped everything would work out and he wouldn’t have to pick another partner ever again.

he rested his head on hers, trying to get as close as possible without messing up their progress. he knew they wouldn’t be able to dance like this at the ball, it would be far too inappropriate, so he took advantage of the moment. as he held her, his heart rushed with warmth, replacing the dark emotions that burdened him all week. “cinder?”

“yeah?” she picked her head up and looked at him. her beautiful brown eyes met his, that small yet alluring smile appearing, and he swore he saw heaven.

his breath caught in his throat, the words resting on the tip of his tongue. every time he looked at her, he knew, but he didn’t say it. before everything started changing, he was afraid that he would lose her, that saying what he felt would make it all too difficult. but now they had this great scheme to stay together forever, to eventually walk down the aisle, to rule a country together. he allowed himself to be truthful and certain now.

“i love you.”

the words filled the silent air as cinder’s eyes widened. he wondered if she ever heard that sentence before. the dancing stopped and she froze, looking shocked. kai hoped he didn’t scare her, knowing he had done enough of that with his marriage and ball proposals.

slowly, she seemed to come back to earth, and that smile reappeared. “i love you, too.”

her voice captured him and he brought her back to him, kissing her passionately. it was like their bond had intensified, like a string that couldn’t break, something that would be with them for the rest of their lives.

once they separated and let air slip between them, cinder laughed. “what?” kai asked.

she shook her head, “we’re crazy. absolutely insane.”

he nodded, “yeah, you’re right, but we’re gonna make it work.”

***

get it...? they slow danced in the dark!!! :))))

next part is going to be the ball!

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