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originalwinnercheesecake · 3 years

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Chain of Iron theories: Who is the Killer

Its coming up on a week since last made a COI theory post. I said that I was going to try to post all my theories on COI BEFORE it comes out next month, so this posed a problem. So mow I am going to give my input on one of the biggest Mystery’s for COI, Who is the Killer? So in COI Belial will have a new minion who will target the shadowhunters, manages to kill 5 of them (same number Tatiana needed for the ritual) and is difficult for them to apprehend because they are somehow able to disappear. CC has left some hints that the killer is actually another Shadowhunter that Belial has somehow managed taken Possession of, despite protection rituals that should have been placed on this individual at birth ( My theory on that is that since this book is called “Chain of Iron” we will learn that Belial controls all his pawns with “chains of iron”. All hidden on their persons and glamored to look like ordinary accessories.) Our synapse for the book says that James Herondale has been having strange nightmares and fears he may actually be the killer. In COI he will start to tie himself up to sleep at night. We all know its not James right? In mysteries like this you always throw out your first guess/ the obvious guess. I have seen a lot of posts theorizing on who the true identity could be. I have seen some theories do not make much sense to me and some that were really good.

One theory that seems off to me is the idea that the killer is actually multiple killers, more specifically a collection of the survivors of Belial’s illness. If you support this theory I get your reasoning:Belial was able to briefly posses these people before, and the illness may have left biological changes in them. But here’s where I am confused, the killer is implied to be a massive threat wielding enhanced dark magic. At the end of COA there are 30something cured shadowhunters released from Silent City. CC says that the killers body count will be 5. If Belial has 30something new pawns that he can posses, gift his terrible powers to, and send out to prey on shadowhunters, I feel like there should be a lot more than 5 victims. I know Beial is not yet at full strength from battling Cortana, but he should at least be stronger than that. I have also heard theories that it is one of the Blackthorns. This also does not make much sense to me, given that for one thing none of them have training, Tatiana and Grace already have established rolls in Belial’s plans, and while I know Jesse is a part of Belial’s plan I believe his part will be save for COT after he has been resurrected. IF Belial were using Jesse’s empty body to walk the earth, then wouldn’t he also need to stop anyone from trying to resurrect Jesse?

I have heard many theories on Elias Carstairs being the killer. Many of them just want to make Elias out to be CC’s newest and most horrible monster parent, and absolve Alastair of any responsibility or need to apologize for the cruelty he has shown to our mains. If this is your reasoning for believing Elias is the killer than let me stop you right there. CC has written multiple series and her skills have evolved beyond the need to rely on such easy black and white tricks. But I also saw some people posting about how Elias goes home so late and stopped writing to his family. Some are theorizing that the real Elias Carstairs was intercepted and killed on his way back home and that the being that arrives in COI is actually an eidolon demon pretending to be Elias. This theory is AMAZING. It makes a lot of scenes, would give Belial another spy in a key place, and could potentially explain why Cortana starts acting so weird. I love this theory I do. I am just putting it t the side right now because I need the real Elias alive for other Carstairs family theories, and again have been working with the theory that the killer is a real shadowhunter whom Belial is controlling with another “chain of iron”. My theories are below.

1.) Lucie Herondale is the Killer

I am working with he theory that all Belial’s pawns have “chains of Iron” on them, which means all three blackthorns have them. In old art CC released of Grace she is seen wearing a pearl necklace that I was convinced had to be her’s. Tatiana’s (who probably consented to wearing hers) could be anything, maybe that stupid, creepy bird, she wears in her hat. Jesse... is mentioned several times to wear a locket.... that we know is connected to Belial.... and was weakened when he took it off to give to Lucie... who is wearing it now. Do you people see where I am going with this? It can also be noted that one of the parts of Lucie’s arc is that she is frequently overlooked in favor of James and how that is a mistake on peoples parts. Everybody knows that James has powers, he has had 4-5 years of people helping him figure out what they are and how to control them. Nobody but ghosts know that Lucie has powers, she has no training, and is only starting to understand what they mean. James is vulnerable but so is Lucie. I do not want her to be the killer. Lucie is such a fun character, and I was so happy to finally have a female Herondale play a role that was close in size to her male relative’s. I truly feel that Lucie deserves better than to be just a tragic character in the story. I want her to be that plus a hero, but I cannot deny that she is a possibility.

2.) Charles Fairchild is the Killer

I have seen Charles name appear on multiple lists of theory’s on the killer’s identity. People never really give reasons as to why they believe he is the killer. They are just mad at him for choosing to put his career higher on his list of priorities than his relationship with Alastair, or him being the killer would hurt less because he is not written to be a fan favorite. If you are someone who wants the killer to be Charles, but are unsure how likely it is your in luck. Because I can give you a whole list of reasons it is likely

Charles is already acting strange. We know he made some kinda screw up in Paris and had to come home. Apparently Charlotte is sending Tessa and Will to Paris to Start the fix up and Charles will go back afterwards. Well based on what we have gotten on Charles making a mistake like that is unlike him. Casting Long Shadow’s reveals that Charles has been working as a politician since he was 13 and is normally known for being very dependable and reliable. That’s part of the reason he is considered such a shoe-in for Counselor once his mother retires.??? I have theories on Charles mental state (which I will address in a later theory post that will be centered around the Fairchild’s) and do consider the possibility that he was sett off by fear over the outbreak or grief over losing Alastair... But this sudden change could be from other things as well

As of COG2 Charles is engaged to Grace Blackthorn, who controls him like a puppet. Grace herself is the puppet of Tatiana Blackthorn, who is the puppet of Belial. So Charles is now part of a very dangerous carnival. Charles decade of study and knowledge of clave politics at the top could be very useful to Belial in taking them down. Also previous short stories say that Charles spends most of his time in Idris for work and when in London usually stays at home going through law books and records. So I could easily believe he does not completely know his way around London and (like the killer is hinted to) would need to use a map to get around.

Now on to my biggest reason for theorizing Charles for the killer. Charles and Matthew’s relationship with each other. Charles and Matthew do not get along, like at all. They did once, but that was a real long time ago. A lot of the reasons they don’t get along is dumb sibling stuff: Charles calling Matthew an immature child, kicking him and his friends out of rooms in their house, and lording his increased age over Matthew. Matthew making more noise to annoy Charles, telling everyone Charles embarrassing middle name, and regularly sneaking into Charles room to steal his cologne instead of just buying his own. We are not hear to discuss any of that. All of that has me laughing because it is peak sibling rivalry. Rivalry aside Charles and Matthew model the old dynasty trope for Ssons with Charles being “the Heir” and Matthew being “the Spare”. The Heir’s life is decided for them as soon as they are born, they will succeed their parent and continue their legacy. The Spare is just that, a back up plan kept around should the heir die, become disabled, never marry, or turn out to be infertile (happens way more than people like to think about). Charles struggles with the weight of his parents expectations. Matthew is more or less the Black sheep of his family, living his life day by day with no grand plan. Because of this he is cut off from them in a way, and goes through a lot of loneliness and isolation in his own house. Neither brother see’s the others hard time; the other has what they themselves want: Charles has attention, Matthew freedom, so they wrongly assume the other must be doing fine. This is a lot like Matthew and James relationship in Dust and Shadows. Matthew and James talked things over with each other and were good after. Matthew and Charles stay apart and ignore each other when they cannot. They will not just talk and be good after. So maybe if put on different sides they will fight out their issues with each other? On the subject of Matthew having to fight Charles, lets say hypothetically Charles is the killer and is possessed. We know from previous books that clave protocol is to place a kill order on possessed members. If that becomes the case do you think Matthew would be able to follow through with those orders? Be able to hunt, fight, and kill his older brother? No. No matter how rough their relationship I doubt Matthew would ever be able to do that. It would be to much for him, to similar to his “sin”. He would want to catch Charles, then try to find a way to free him from possession. Maybe if Mathew could successfully accomplish this then maybe he could forgive himself for his “sin”. If Matthew tries to save him and fails than at least this time other people would know and could potentially get him some help.

3.) Filomena DI Angelo is the Killer.

Ahh our upcoming new arrival from Italy. Why are you coming to London girl? Haven’t you heard about all the crazy things that happens there last fall? What possible role could you play in the story that couldn’t be filled by one of our many already existing characters from COG2? (Do you even know your way around?) How suspicious that Filomena should show up around the same time as this killer? Wouldn’t it be great for the story if the killer came from a different country? Wouldn’t that do wonders for showing how powerful a threat Belial is? His dark influence stretching across country lines, maybe even across oceans! We have already been told that TLH characters will need to travel to other countries. How the villain is less one person and more a force. Filomena could start that. She could provide reason to search countries besides London for Belial’s influence. Proof of it being so wide spread would definitely make Belial feel more like a force. Oh but wait, cheesecake wait. Filomena cannot be the killer! That would make her evil, and CC said she was a nice girl! Oh I am sure Filomena is a nice girl, but people tend to change when under demon control. But she is a girl and the killer is hinted to be a male shadow hunter! Are we sure the killer isn’t presented as male because Belial is presented as male? Is it impossible that while on the hunt as the killer Filomena DI Angelo dress in men’s cloths in order to more safely move through the streets? I feel like we have saw that trick once before in TID.

All we really know about Filomena is that she came to London, will interact with some of our established characters, and she will get a crush on someone we know, thus presenting herself as a possible love interest. Matthew was my first guess, hey he was every bodies first guess. CC shut that down, Filomena is not being brought in to fix the love triangle between James, Cordeila, and Matthew. Matthew is one of the only ones to not have at a least semi-confirmed endgame ship. So this means that Filomena will probably not be endgame with her crush. Why? My next guess was her crush was on Anna. Ariadne is shown to be relentless in her attempts to “win Anna back” and Anna is not having it. Tweets time and time again depict her basically telling Ariadne “Its not going to happen. Give up and leave me alone”, but falling on deaf ears. So maybe Anna will try to get a new girlfriends and keep her around until she is ready to forgive/ go back to Ariadne. Well Anna is more a secondary character, a loving big sister figure to our mains. She gets less page time because of this. We already know she will spend time with Cordelia, Lucie, Ariadne, Eugenia, Thomas... not much page time left for Filomena. After further analyses I have theorized that Filomena must have a crush on Thomas.

A quick google search on the name Filomena shows that it is an Italian name that means “loving friend” “strong friend” and “lover of music” all these sound kinda like Thomas. (Filomena is also the name of a character in the 14th century Italian collection of short stories called the Decameron, who liked to make stories up about plagues... or so some digging around google told me ). This could fit quite nicely into Thomas’s story. First of all to everybody who has been calling Thomas “gay” please wait a moment to be sure. Thomas does not yet publicly or self identify as gay. He clearly has an attraction to one man, but CC says that he has not yet realized his sexuality and will spend TLH figuring out. He might be gay, but he could just as easily turn out to be bi or pan. For the sake of this theory lets assume Thomas is Bi. Thomstair is definitely endgame. We know Alastair is gay, and CC usually likes to pair gay characters up with bi characters in queer ships, see Malec and Heline. Should Thomas be bi, should he start to become close and develop feelings for Filomena, it will have to go wrong. More wrong than he considers his feelings for Alastair at the end of COG2 (Filomena do not hurt this boy, he has been through enough). We got a tweet that suggests Thomas is interested in the killer, and a hint that he is planing something big. We got a kinda frightening picture that suggests the Killer may be very interested in Thomas.

If Lucie is the killer she will somehow be freed from Belial’s control,. I can 100% guarantee it, Charles I feel will have a 50/50 chance, Filomena will die from it. It would be a herculean task to free her, and she is not important enough to the mains for them to actively try and do anything more than give her a merciful death. Should she and Thomas become close than it will break his heart. But if Alastair is there for him afterwards, able to emphasizes and offer him comfort that will go along way to redeeming Alastair to Thomas. The whole experience could be love is hard, both men and women have the ability to hurt you. but the right person will make it up to you and it is good to forgive them when they do. I personally think that would be a pretty cool direction for Thomas’s arc to take.

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moodring89 · 6 years

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CH.4 Down the Rabbit Hole

Pairing: Jeongguk x Reader / Side Yoonseok Chapter Rated: M / NC-17 Genre: Fantasy, Hybrid AU (Prince Bunkook. Sue me.), Royal AU, Cinderella / Labyrinth feels Summary: Yoongi’s sister buys two tickets to the Autumn ball held at the Meadows, a notorious city known for its hybrid inhabitants, where she hopes to meet a certain bunny princeling.

A/N: Hello! First of all, sorry this took so long to finish. Like, seriously, so much happened in the middle of me writing this story. I lost someone, I was sick, I had to write two difficult parts. Lost my damn house. I’m needing emergency teeth work done. Sounds like excuses, but we’re here now, right? And there was so much to squeeze into this chapter. It’s so…extended. Not sorry though. The longest process was the editing, though. About the update chapter deletion: I did not realize that by deleting chapter 4’s update, that it would delete the comments you guys wrote. I still have what you guys said, but everyone who I replied to, probably didn’t get my responses. I’m not sure why I thought it wouldn’t delete the comments. Goddamn. A/N/N: I tried to wrap this up neatly. I’m not sure if I did or not and if I didn’t, I do have a CC account that you can feel free to ask your questions at...I hope to high hell that this story is not sappy af. I tried not to be sappy, but I cannot be objective about my own work. I can only hope that you guys enjoy it. Thank you to Melissa for looking over my story. I do believe that I’ve taken up enough of your time. Please enjoy!

Inspiration log #4 - Sweeter than sweet

04: Down the Rabbit Hole (Happily Ever After)

Weeks would pass, until she saw the prince again.

A fairy’s vision brought her this new life, but she didn’t know whether to be grateful for it or not. She’d decided to stay for now, although the option of leaving had never come up in conversation, unless it was with Yoongi. Her pocket-sized brother, with his too large a mouth, and rude quips, so much like her inner self. He wouldn’t want to leave, either. The Meadows was a beautiful place for them to live. High up from her lavish room inside the castle, she watched as the sun started to descend over the kingdom.

At six, she would be summoned for dinner.

It was part of her new daily, royal routine. She’d been forced to change her sleep schedule to accommodate its hellish timeline. Breakfast was at six in the morning, but due to her extensive, yet ridiculous wardrobe, she had to be up at five, so that the Queen’s ladies in waiting could assist her with getting dressed, and styling her hair. She’d never cared to go beyond looking presentable, she still didn’t – until she caught a glimpse of the king’s court.

The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass her in-laws, who just so happened to rule over an entire fucking kingdom. Hybrid royals, dressed in their best fashion. Young, beautiful rabbit hybrids who would have been better suited for the prince.

“Stop,” Jimin scolded her, able to hear her thoughts, as well as feel all of her budding doubts from his spot beside her. His wings fluttered opened and closed as quick as a blink, a sign of his unnerve, like he was ready to up and take flight. “You’re wrong and I can say that definitively.”

“Sorry,” she sighed, pulling herself away from the balcony. “Where’s Tae?”

“Slaving over your wedding present. These days, he even forgets to eat and fights me on rest.” Jimin scrunched his nose at her genuine look of worry, calming her, “I’ve been doing well with reminding him to take breaks and my wolf knows his place, so he doesn’t sass me as much as he does with others. You’re gonna love it, by the way, the present.”

The wedding present that Jimin could already see in his mind, but wouldn’t divulge. For the wedding that the Queen doesn’t stop gushing about, especially during dinner, like it was her only topic material for conversation. Bonus, she’d spent enough time with the King and Queen to do a basic comparison. Jeongguk’s outward behavior was much like his father, strong and masculine, making his presence goddamn imposing. She’d tried to find traces of his mother’s softness, but had come up short. Instead, she’d found most of their likeness in their shared bouts of shamelessness – delicate features, and simmering tempers.

The dinner bell chimed throughout the palace and she inwardly groaned at the thought of sitting through another long wedding discussion that she couldn’t even weigh in on. The Queen seemed to be in favor of seeing to all of the arrangements herself and wasn’t interested in any outside input, not even from the bride. Perhaps it was a recreation of the wedding the Queen wished she’d had in the first place and she was now living vicariously through her son’s marriage.

Jimin helped her into her heels, offering his hand to steady her. The first few steps were always shaky, so he kept a hold of her.

Curious was an understatement, as the next question had bubbled on the tip of her tongue for days. She didn’t want to succumb to this level of care, but, “How is his highness?”

“This is the first time that you’ve inquired,” Jimin noted with the amusement there in his tone, as they stepped out into the hallway, walking the familiar route to the dining hall. His wings fanned, contentedly, “To answer your question, the prince is doing what he does best. He’s engaged in competition, one of which he doesn’t much care to lose. I should mention that I’ve never seen the prince in an outright state of defeat. Even when he loses, Jeongguk makes sure he gains.”

She’d imagined that the prince enjoyed a variety of sports, given his physique. None of the articles had been specific about his hobbies in the past and it was something she wished to learn, even now. She readied herself, “So, like, fencing? Chess?”

“You.”

Clearly, she hadn’t been prepared for the answer.

“Oh.” ‘kay then.

The dining hall was a considerably smaller, more intimate room inside the castle. It was easily to tell that it’d been meant for family and not an entire kingdom. Therefore, it was probably one of her favorite rooms, apart from her own, and the ballroom. It would have been better if Jeongguk would come to dinner. During the first week of her stay, she’d been too anxious to eat to her contentment. Jimin was the one sending food to her room each night, before the kitchen closed. However, she’d learned not to expect the prince by now.

The girl took her usual spot between the King and Queen, greeting them cheerfully out of habit, and as a legitimate attempt at easing the awkwardness. The neat, empty plate setting across from her own did not affect her anymore.

“Your father has been enjoying the royal gardens,” the king said, breaking the silence with a start at friendly conversation, which she appreciated – truly. It was probably for her sake and for that, she’d been grateful. “I gifted him with his choice of camera, so that he may capture the palace flowers in full bloom. Journalists would kill to have access to our land. Your father’s photographs will be considered a rarity, therefore of value.”

If she knew her father, he would use this opportunity to upload as much photography as possible, so that he could also promote their family’s florist shop, despite the agricultural differences between the Meadows and human kingdoms being practically endless. He would find a way to use their new circumstances for his own selfish gain. It seemed like the Jeon family already knew of this fact, thus they further enabled him to do so, assisting him with his questionable endeavors, but on their terms.

Were they trying to take caring of her father or family’s future by doing this? What an oddly warm concept for royals.

“My mother was a botanist and after she passed away, my father took over her business, and he became rather passionate about the study of flowers.” Oh, holy shit – she hadn’t said that to anyone, ever. It was seldom that she brought up her mother. What would be next? Her father’s cacti collection? There was never a proper discussion between herself and her brother, not even with her father, and yet it had come out so easily just then.

“I’m sure she was a lovely woman,” the Queen offered with a smile that radiated comfort and warmth. It’s been so wholesome and kind in its delivery, which only made the girl feel more vulnerable.

“She was.”

Jeongguk’s father looked around the table, perhaps taking notice of how empty it was suddenly. He looked to the empty seat beside her, “Your brother has been skipping meals, as well. I heard that he spends most of his time at the library as of late.” He looked to his queen, pulling her into the conversation. “The boy told me that he wanted to be reacquainted with the grand piano, so I allowed him to do just that, but he played it so beautifully, it was as though they’d never departed in the first place.”

“My brother,” the girl said with a start, fully prepared to tell them all about Yoongi’s passion for hip-hop and synthesizing. How he’d poured himself into his music, but it didn’t feel like it was her place. She let it drop. “He loves music. I hope he can play something for us soon.”

The Queen turned to one of her maids, “Can you kindly ask that Hoseok call upon Yoongi for us? Thank you, dear.” She was smiling so sweetly that the girl had to wonder if the queen knew, like really knew about her brother, and the head of her royal guard – if she had, perhaps sent the fox hybrid to get Yoongi on purpose. “Now, let’s discuss cake. I was thinking of vanilla spice or sweet potato. I, myself, had a simple carrot cake for my wedding. It was stereotypical…”

The King sighed, heavily. “It’s my favorite. Why are you still upset about this? You’re going to ruin the flavor for me.”

Dinner was always in three courses, a large salad that she could never even hope to finish, followed by a protein. Hybrids were half human, so they required a healthy meat intake. It wasn’t wildly surprising and she’d been grateful, but it was obvious that they’d paid more attention to greens. Even the beverages were limited to vegetable and fruit cocktails.

She recalled the pinched look of complete and utter disgust upon Yoongi’s face, when he’d tried a lemon-ginger sparkler. The liquid fell from his slackened lips, pouring it directly back into the glass from his mouth. His face was so comically soured, as he asked Taehyung, ‘Did I just drink piss? Is this piss?’

The wolf hybrid raised a quizzical brow, ‘And how do you know what piss tastes like, hyung?’

Dessert was always interesting and was probably her favorite course. It could range anywhere from between creamy, spring blossom pudding to ironic bunny top cupcakes.

As the food was being served, the Queen settled her napkin onto her lap, and peered over at the girl, “I’ve already requested that Mimzy come at once, so that she can get started on your dress. Have you thought of what you’d like?”

This was new. “Well, I –”

“Of course you haven’t, dear,” she said, cutting the human off abruptly. “I’ve been positively obsessed with fishtail gowns as of late. A nice, lovely pink color would look best on you, I think. Standing next to our Jeonggukie with all the candles and the tulips, and oh, I just can’t stop thinking about how lovely it’s going to be.”

Right, yes, of course. How stupid of her to believe that the Queen was actually interested in her input, what with that, ‘Mother knows best’ attitude she had going for her. How did Jeongguk ever survive for this long?

“Son,” the King greeted, as a typical fondness spread over the rabbit hybrid’s features, pleasantly surprised. Meanwhile, that single word was enough to make the girl freeze on the spot, too afraid to so much as glance in Jeongguk’s general direction. It had been nearly two weeks later that her fiancé decided to suddenly show up now, out of the blue, as though time hadn’t passed between them.

Jeongguk’s formally bowed, before he’d addressed both his parents. He was speaking to them in a tone that was lighter than she remembered, softer somehow. In her all the memories she’d kept replaying, the hybrid’s voice was breathy and low, calling her perfect, demanding that she beg for him. Yeah, there was no way in fuck she was going to look at him. Not now. There was a hand gripping the back of her chair, the familiar spice of the Prince’s cologne hitting her senses when he’d closed her in. She inclined her head towards him, eyes focused on the carpet. The warmth of his breath hit her cheek he was so close, when he’d murmured a simple, “Princess.”

Despite it coming off as simplistic, she could hear the underlying heat practically dripping from the single word, intimate in the nature of which he’d said it, although sharing the same likeness to that of an insult. She ignored the shiver that’d run up her spine at that, resolving that her body was just a goddamn traitor. He circled the table towards his seat, where trays of food were already being set down before him. Still – she could not bear to cast her eyes at him, even while he was seated directly across from her with nothing but mere inches of table separating them.

“Forgive me for my long absence,” Jeongguk said, doing his best to sound so sweetly apologetic. Even the bow of his head had seemed like a sincere gesture from out of her peripheral, but she knew better. He continued, “The wedding occupies my thoughts regularly. Seeing the princess is but a bitter reminder of how I must wait to have her, even whilst she is within arm’s reach.”

She could feel the weight of his eyes on her then, as though burning metaphorical holes into her skin. It was a habit, a stupid habit all the same, when her eyes finally flickered to his, unprepared to be met with the dark, doe-eyed stare that awaited her. He looked thoroughly unsettled, not quite nearly as satisfied with just staring at her – the hybrid was a visual wreck, haplessly in ruins by his own self-restraint. And yet, there was beauty to be admired, brown hair parted to perfection, sun golden skin contrasting against the rich black cotton he was wearing, coupled with a choker made of silk that was fitted around his neck.

She felt trapped, then, “I’m sorry to be the obvious cause to your displeasure, your highness.”

He wetted his plush lips with the point of his tongue, catching her attention. “Those are just pretty, ineffective words in the end. I prefer action.”

Right in front of his parents, too, that’s nice.

She tried not to roll her eyes at him, fully aware of how rude it would be in the presence at a time such as this one. If they’d been alone, however, she would have let him have it. Changing the subject, she smiled with faux innocence, “Surely seeing each other more often would quell your sorrows. Please come to dinner from now on, my prince.”

The King clasped his hands together, the smack resounding in the quiet space. “How can my son possibly refuse such an offer? She’s so delightful.”

If only Yoongi were here to throw in some dry humor, perhaps try his hand at easing the tension growing in the room. Hell, she’d settled for anything. He could say something vaguely crass towards the Queen – anything, anything but this – this moment. Which reminded her, Hoseok was sure taking his sweet ass time.

Good.

Yoongi removed the book from his face, having used it to block out the light in the royal library, while he took his evening nap. It was Seokjin’s fault that he practically lived there now, waking up to the smell of hardcover, and taking in as much hybrid literature as one human could possibly withstand. The doctor casually dropped that there were books on hybrids of all breeds, but there was such little on foxes. The small bits and pieces he found were sacred to him, mentally bookmarked, and cataloged. He’d spent so much time reading, while successfully avoiding Hoseok in the process, knowing that he’d only suffer otherwise. The fox was terrifying, well and truly. So, instead of taking his inquiries directly to Hoseok himself, he’d spent long afternoons engaged in conversation with the Queen about the fox hybrid. What does the head of the Queen’s guard do? How did Hoseok come to fall into such a position? What drastic measures had Hoseok taken in order to protect her? Yoongi was entertained by these thoughts, in his own obvious interest that was being cradled safely inside the Queen’s palm, as she answered his every question. She wasn’t lacking in detail, either, as she described close calls, as well as candid examples of Hoseok’s many acts of heroism. Now that Yoongi knew more, he could safely admit to himself that it wasn’t enough. Somehow he knew that it would never be enough and it was with that knowledge in mind that, he decided that touching Hoseok wouldn’t be in his best interest. Thusly, he’d chose to ignore the redheaded enigma, practically diving out of the hybrid’s line of sight, as though one look would strike him down – hell, it probably would. He had that level of faith and confidence in Jung Hoseok. The blonde sat up from his spot on the table with a tired yawn, ruffling his hair out of his face. He’d heard the dinner bell when it had gone off, but he’d been too lazy to move at the time. Actually, he’d been too damn lazy to do much of anything recently. The last productive thing he could recall doing was locking the door to the ballroom, so that he could bend his fingers across the keys of the grand piano without being interrupted. Again. He placed the book down and made to hop down, when a loose thread of his sweater caught onto a piece of splintered wood. The tables in the library were ancient, despite appearing so finely polished, and in mint condition. He pulled on the hem of his shirt, watching as the stitching continued to unravel with every unwise tug. “Oh, for the love of Luna,” Yoongi cursed, as he wrapped the string around his finger, intending to pull it free, when a hand suddenly closed around his wrist, both startling and stopping him. He hadn’t even heard the doors being opened, let alone any steps advancing towards him. What the fuck? “I wouldn’t,” warned an amused voice, or the voice, rather. Yoongi immediately knew its source, whom it belonged to, and that it was Hoseok standing there next to him, being close, too fucking close in Yoongi’s opinion, skin to skin in a gentle touch that could do just as much to light him aflame. The fox’s tail curled slightly, as he concentrated on the thread going from the table to bottom of Yoongi’s sweater. “Hold still for me, hyung.” Hold still, when Yoongi couldn’t even breathe properly. The hybrid drew a thin, delicate throwing dagger from one of the leather satchels on his belt – steadying Yoongi’s wrist, as he carefully sliced through the thread from beneath where it was cutting into the blonde’s finger. The hybrid then casually tucked the weapon away, before tying the string still attached to the blonde’s sweater as close as he could get it to the stitching, knotting it firmly. “It’ll probably be ruined next wash,” Hoseok said, tsking at the damage. The hybrid stared down at the elder, dark eyes cutting. “What?” “The Queen said that you’re even better with a bow.” And why the hell did that just pour from his mouth? He blinked away at the shock, trying to recover himself. “I mean, she’d said in passing that you sometimes represent her in the Archery Leagues, and that you win too often.” ‘Too often’ was supposed to elicit some kind of reaction from Hoseok, perhaps a laugh, a smile – even a modest reply would have done nicely, but all Yoongi was met with was an eerie quiet. The tip of Hoseok’s tongue wet the surface of his bottom lip, “Interesting conversation that you’ve scored with me. A better conversation would be why you’ve hidden yourself from my sight, avoiding me as though you’re good at it, hyung.” Yoongi wasn’t very good at lying, but he liked exercising his rights, “I haven’t been.” “Oh, but you have, and I have theories,” Hoseok said, using his nearness to press Yoongi against the table, the wood digging into the back of the elder’s thighs. “All of this reading up on fox hybrids…” He tapped his finger down on the book Yoongi had been rifling through for the emphasis. “And you’ve learned nothing, have you, hyung? Well, allow me clue you in, then. All of my senses are heightened and sensitive. So, I can smell you, before I even see you.” The blonde swallowed hard at the implication that Hoseok had known of his whereabouts the entire time, which would mean all of his efforts had been in vain. Yoongi’s heart was racing at a speed that he was not used to dealing with, willing himself to calm down. There was no such luck with the way Hoseok was closing him in, the fox’s hands flat against the table at the sides of Yoongi’s waist. He’d felt helplessly trapped, but in a way that he preferred to be, wanting Hoseok, yet fearing him all at once. “Apart from smelling you, I can also hear you, hyung.” Yoongi closed his eyes against the low, dark tone the fox had taken on, shuddering pleasantly, because fuck – he wanted to be devoured, right here and now. The only thing stopping him from sitting on the table, all open and willing, was because he wanted Hoseok to be the one to place him there. “I had to dismiss my guards from your door the other night to give you privacy. You were being so very loud and you smelled so fucking good…” The other night, when the Queen had given Yoongi his fill of information, satisfying his every curiosity with the promise of more the following day. He’d been three fingers deep, envisioning Hoseok fucking into him ruthlessly with his wrists pinned to his back, as the other went to the front of his throat. Because when Yoongi thought of Hoseok, all he could think of was predator. “My theory, hyung, is that you want me. You want me so badly that you’re fisting your cock every night, whining into your pillow, pretending that it’s me. I heard you say it…” Hoseok’s hips met his own, allowing the blonde to feel his arousal, already so hard through the layers of their clothing. “You said my name. You said, ‘Hoseok, please fuck me…’ and it was the loveliest, yet the filthiest thing I’d ever heard, and I want to hear it again.” Hoseok was chasing him, crowding the human, angling his face with every overwhelmed turn of Yoongi’s, inching closer still. The blonde had no other choice but to be honest then, the guilt evident and thick in his voice, “I’m fucking obsessed with you.” The slow forming smirk that grew upon Hoseok’s face was goddamn indecent then and it took everything in Yoongi not to – ah, fuck it. He drew the hybrid in closer to his height, fingers digging into the back of Hoseok’s neck, desperate almost. Yoongi expelled the air from his lungs in a long, shaky exhale. He was trembling, so ready to break beneath the younger, should the fox deem it necessary. One look was all Hoseok needed in order to know, to truly understand that the human was too far gone – that they made a mess of one another with such minimal contact, that avoiding it for too much longer would only make it worse. He brought his hands to the small of Yoongi’s waist, placing him on top of the table. It was automatic, the way his legs so readily parted around Hoseok’s hips, pulling him in closer. The hand on the back of Hoseok’s neck grew more insistent, blunt nails digging into soft golden skin. Yoongi needed – his lips falling open, waiting with bated breath. “If I kiss you, I won’t be able to stop. I already know it,” Hoseok confessed, touching the tips of his fingers to the curve of Yoongi’s jawline, angling the elder’s face up to meet his own. The hybrid’s eyes darkened, “Instinct tells me to claim you, hyung.” He wore a mask of complete calm, as though the blood housed within his veins wasn’t boiling or itching to finally leave marks across Yoongi’s smooth, pale skin. “It says to fuck you and breed you like you’re one of my own, but I don’t want to chance hurting you.” “But that’s what I want,” Yoongi said, bringing his other hand to Hoseok’s wrist, guiding the hybrid’s fingers down to the slender line of his throat. “Humans aren’t fragile, Hoseok – most especially, me. I want it to hurt, need it to hurt. I wanna be able to feel you – for days, weeks. I want it to last.” In the next moment, Yoongi had willingly dug his own grave, hammered each nail into his coffin, using the same breathy tone as the night before, saying the lovely filthy line to rile the hybrid up, “Please, Hoseok-ah, fuck me.” The redhead could feel Yoongi’s pulse within his hand, the way his breathing hitched when he’d applied more pressure. His fox ear twitched, picking up on guards changing shifts just outside the library doors. The situation wasn’t ideal and despite Hoseok’s better judgment, he’d found himself leaning down to taste Yoongi’s lips, groaning into him the moment they’d made contact, confirming his belief that no – he wouldn’t be able to stop. Yoongi was deliciously receptive to him, mouth eagerly parting around Hoseok’s tongue. And honestly, it shouldn’t have felt this fucking good. The fox could almost concede that each kiss and every touch was like fire, slowly burning him through, searing him in ways that would surely leave a scar. He could feel Yoongi’s length with every slight rock of his hips, seeking friction against Hoseok solid frame. This really wasn’t the right place to be stripping Yoongi down, yet Hoseok found himself twisting the button free on the elder’s dark slacks. The zipper fell on its own when he’d dug his fingers beneath the waistband of Yoongi’s briefs. It really wasn’t the right place at all. And it was difficult for Hoseok to use his heightened senses, while he was being thoroughly distracted by his human. The hybrid sucked in a sharp breath, as a pleasurable chill ran down his spine, feeling the soft pads of Yoongi’s thumbs caressing the sensitive skin of each fox ear. He rebutted by wrapping his long fingers around the blonde’s leaking cock, tugging at Yoongi’s mouth with his sharp teeth, receiving a broken whimper in response. It was apparent that the human enjoyed the sting of pain and Hoseok was more than willing to give it, as he stroked Yoongi dry within his palm – leaning down to leave bruises against the elder’s skin. The firm, strong swirls over Yoongi’s pulse had him moaning aloud, too loudly – Hoseok determined, as he withdrew long enough to remove the sweater from Yoongi’s body. He wore a simple thin, black t-shirt beneath it. The dark shade complimented how pale he was, delicate veins standing out against skin so translucent. Hoseok enjoyed the way he flushed so easily for him, panting heavily in the quiet of the library, already so affected. He slowly released Yoongi from his grasp, trailing his fingers teasingly across his cock to grab the hem of his shirt and connected it at the collar, pulling them tightly together. Hoseok’s eyes gleamed mischievously, when he touched the fabric to Yoongi’s mouth. The blonde raised a brow in question, but allowed Hoseok to ease the material past his lips, and found that it only aroused him further – he fisted at the front of Hoseok’s uniform, bringing him as close as possible. “You look so pretty like this, hyung, but you sound even prettier,” Hoseok said, roaming his hands down the front of Yoongi’s bare chest, repeatedly skimming his thumbs over the erect, pink buds there. “But the castle is guarded by hybrids. We all have sensitive hearing. Truthfully, even with the gag, they’ll still be able to hear you. They’ll hear me, too…” He leaned in, taking Yoongi’s sensitive skin into the heat of his mouth, trapping a nipple between his teeth. The reaction was instantaneous, a jerk of Yoongi’s small hips, a muffled cry into the rough fabric of his shirt. Hoseok resumed in his torture, pressing a slow trail of wet kisses lower, “…sucking on your cute human dick, until you come.” The fuck… Yoongi groaned at the hot mixture of the hybrid’s actions and words, flushing deeply, wondering what the hell made Hoseok’s dick so fucking special. He wanted to know, but he was currently more invested in the direction of Hoseok’s hungry mouth. No – he wanted to fuck up into the fox’s mouth, wanted to feel Hoseok choke on his ‘cute human dick’. He wanted to smear his cum right across the hybrid’s stupid, grinning face after he was finished with using him. Instead, he slipped his hands away from Hoseok to grab at the edge of the table, knuckles turning bone white when he’d felt the first flick of the fox’s tongue over his heated skin. Hoseok’s movements were fast, when his hands were suddenly placed on top of Yoongi’s, pinning the elder there, while he darted the point of his tongue against the slit of his swollen cock, quick to taste the pearly precum that threatened to drip down. The hybrid was practiced, as he swallowed Yoongi’s length down in one go, humming appreciatively around him, “Mmm…” The deep sound reverberated, causing the blonde to shudder with chills. Hoseok enjoyed the familiar stretch of his mouth, breathing in and out through his nose to take his human even further to the back of his throat, before starting up a rhythm, determined to get the elder off as fast as he could, since he’d been tasked to fetch Yoongi, not to completely #wreck him. If Yoongi had been able to form a complete sentence, he’d tell Hoseok to slow the fuck down, but the more selfish part of him was all too pleased with the steady pace, the continuous lave of Hoseok’s hot tongue, how he’d paid extra attention to the head of Yoongi’s cock, swirling, and slurping lewdly. From beneath his dark lashes, Hoseok watched the elder get lost in a state of blissful enrapt, pulling off just to show Yoongi the sticky webs of saliva and precum hanging from between his cock and the fox’s swollen mouth. The redhead smirked at him, “I can’t wait to eat you up.” The way Hoseok said it, fuck – if this wasn’t eating Yoongi whole, then, what else would it be? Oh. The blonde felt a tremor rip throughout his body, the muscles in abdomen clenching. Oh. Once the fox was certain that the image had been painted all nice and vivid in the human’s mind, of Hoseok fucking him open with his sharp tongue, he wrapped his slender fingers around Yoongi’s length, and brought him back inside the warm suction of his mouth. Yoongi leaned his head back, having no other choice but to feel as his orgasm climbed way too fast. It was purposeful on the hybrid’s part and out of his control. This was what Hoseok wanted, sloppy and quick – no grace to be salvaged, when Yoongi’s eyes squeezed shut for all but a moment, reaching for the hybrid’s crimped fire red hair, more in warning than anything – Hoseok pinned his hands back down to the table, holding him. Fuck. Yoongi felt as the familiar rush swarmed him, crying out when he released into Hoseok’s mouth. Hoseok continued stroking him through each wave of pleasure, milking Yoongi of every last drop he had to offer onto his tongue. And humans, they were different. They smelled different, tasted different. Yoongi was like vanilla and spiced cinnamon, but with a human bitterness that he’d come to know and crave. He flicked his tongue across the head of Yoongi’s spent cock, before flashing him a grin. Yoongi was delicious and well worth the wait. Jimin had told the hybrid that it would be his year, his month – his forever. Hoseok was a very patient fox, but he was also voracious, and known for having an appetite. The hybrid could only hope that his cat-like human would be able to keep up with it. He helped Yoongi back inside his boxers, buttoning, and zipping up his slacks. Then he gently and slowly, unraveled the bunched up shirt from his mouth, dark eyes staring down at the elder’s too pink lips. “The Queen sent me to come get you.” Hoseok’s dick was pulsing beneath his jeans, having yet to be relieved, aching as he watched Yoongi’s pretty mouth naturally pout at him. “We have to go now, hyung.” Yoongi wasn’t entirely convinced that Hoseok had meant the last part. With a voice like gravel, the human returned to his typically shrewd behavior, “We don’t have to go anywhere. I don’t have to do anything, especially since we just – I finally get to have you. I’d take a small nap first if I wasn’t so certain that I needed more from you right now.” “And I’m going to let you have it,” Hoseok promised, as he grabbed at the side of Yoongi’s face with enough force to pull him from off the table right to his mouth. Any kiss was dangerous at this point, steadily testing the fox’s resolve, but Hoseok wanted what Yoongi needed – he practically yearned for it. The hybrid would do anything, anything to help ease the ache, but orders come first. “You’re also mine, hyung, and I’m going to make sure that you won’t forget that fact,” he murmured, drawing lazy circles over one of the many growing bruises along the side of Yoongi’s neck with his thumb. “You might want to quickly change into something high collared...” Even if hybrids wouldn’t be able to see the marks that Hoseok left, they’d be able to smell the fox’s claim. Yoongi had done enough reading to know.

Jeongguk started attending dinner, but anyone in the room could tell that his attentions were solely fixated on her, making eating difficult, even long after his presence had become ritual. It was as though he were the one starving, despite having consumed a full three course meal without stopping to so much as take a breath. She wondered how often hybrids needed to scent their mates, if it was part of his apparent duress, met with the twitch and flicker of his fingers, or a long, bent rabbit ear. Perhaps Jeongguk would be the one to beg her in the end? It was still relatively early in the evening, when Jimin escorted the girl to Mimzy’s workroom. He’d been tasked with helping her find her way around the castle, watching as silks, and frills were being fitted to her body. Not that he minded all that much, since he was in good company. They’d agreed that the Queen’s fishtail idea was to be scrapped, indefinitely. The royal seamstress was all too pleased upon hearing the declaration. “The only time I design fishtail gowns is for nautical weddings. Not saying that you wouldn’t look beautiful, because you would,” Mimzy said, as she focused on pinning a piece fabric into place. “But you’re not a fish’s bride. Don’t get me wrong, they’re totally cute, but you’re a rabbit’s bride. The two styles are much, much different, that I can assure you.” Whatever the hell that obvious statement was meant for. Jimin looked over the final sketches of her gown, closing his eyes to recall the wedding day in his mind, confirming that this would be the one. Sometimes the power of his gift still amazed him. However, not all of fae’s visions were of the good kind, especially when he was unable to prevent catastrophes from happening. Meddling too much with fate could one day strip him of his sight. There’d been plenty of times where he’d been tempted to risk it. Like last winter, where he’d been forced to act oblivious, knowing that Taehyung was but moments away from fracturing his wrist. The wolf’s supernatural healing ability or not, it still sucked. ‘Fuck – did you know?’ Taehyung hissed out, his inner wolf dripping from his voice, as he cradled his injured wrist to his chest, sinking his teeth into his bottom lip to keep from crying out in pain. He snapped, angrily, ‘Jimin! I said did you know that this was going to happen?’ The fairy gave a slow nod, somewhat pitifully, the glow of his skin dimming. ‘I-I wanted to stop it, but I…’ ‘It must’ve been hard for you,’ Taehyung gasped, trying to calm his breathing when Seokjin finally administered him a painkiller, the effects almost immediate. He’d waited until the doctor was gone to look over at Jimin, voice thick with relief, and tension. Taehyung’s eyes were wet, tears falling from his bottom lashes, ‘You can’t ever interfere, you know that, right? Don’t ever sacrifice your sight for me.’ Jimin knew the day would come where he’d be faced with that decision, trapped in a moment where freeing himself would mean disregarding Taehyung’s plea, in order to do what felt right. Unless the King’s admiral decided to retire the wolf hybrid, but that was highly unlikely. Taehyung was a crucial part of the kingdom’s defense unit. “All set,” Mimzy said, as she started helping the girl out of her many layers, comically hefting the heavy garments over towards the sewing mannequin. “I’ll be sure to have it finished by next week. That way, it’ll be too late for the Queen to object to the changes.” The fairy agreed, “That’s a wonderful idea.” He then placed down the sketches to assist the princess with her complicated attire. There were too many buttons, laces, and zippers for her to figure out. He could tell that she still wasn’t used to the clothing yet. The girl hadn’t bothered to startle, comfortable with Jimin at this point. He asked her, “Will you be alright from here? I have to go make sure Taehyung remembered to eat something.” “I’m sure that I can find my way around,” she said, before bowing her goodbyes to Mimzy, and parting ways. There were a number of times she’d been left to her own devices – most of that time had been spent alone in her room, staring out the balcony at the Meadows. She yearned to see the rest of the city, to walk among the crowds, and put her newly acquired golden card to good use, aka eating everything in sight. She enjoyed traipsing past the art leading into the Queen’s quarters, imagining seven year old Taehyung focusing intently with a paintbrush, squinting at his work. He was currently slaving over a piece to present to her at the wedding and the thought alone was enough to make her feel full with overwhelming happiness. She’d never received a handmade gift, not even from her own mother. Not on purpose, but rather she’d never learned how to paint or knit. Instead, what her mother had given to her consisted of love and knowledge. On the opposite end of the castle, away from what she’d been used to, were the King’s quarters. The Prince’s chambers were probably at the far end. She’d never so much as glimpsed in the general direction. Was she even allowed to go there? The décor changed the further she explored, purple turning into a deep red. The art on the wall was decidedly unimpressive in comparison to Taehyung’s, not that her biased opinion mattered on the topic. She’d come across her first set of guards, testing her boundaries. Neither hybrid so much as flinched when she passed them, thus green lighting the rest of her steps. It wasn’t until the cat hybrid appeared, Namjoon, Seokjin’s genius husband, stepped out into the hallway that she’d been stopped in her tracks. “Princess,” he greeted, as he closed the door behind him. He’d kept his hand on the knob and was slow to release it, puzzled by her sudden appearance. “It’s unusual seeing you here. Are you lost?” “No, Admiral,” she declined with a shake of her head, looking away. Namjoon was intimidating, dimples, or not. “I was wondering if Prince Jeongguk was in his chambers?” “He’s not, however if you’d like to wait for him, that would be fine as well.” He extended his arm out, pointing down the corridor. “His room is at the very end of the hall, the white door.” She nodded, meekly, “Very good. Thank you...” “You should inform us next time, so that we are able to make adequate arrangements on your behest. A formal visit would ensure that the prince be wherever you’re looking.” And with that, the hybrid was sauntering off, whistling a jaunty tune. What the fuck? Well, she hadn’t known that she could request such a thing. Honestly, she didn’t even think she’d be able to enter Jeongguk’s room without his permission, but you learn something new every day at the palace. She proceeded down the hallway, the white door standing out against rows of black. She stepped inside like it was the most natural thing to do, unprepared for the strong waft of floral that struck her senses. The room was covered in Bell’snaps, which was a delicate mix between snapdragons and roses, known for its unique bulbs. They were more commonly referred to as the Heaven and Hell flower, since they tended to grow along the border separating the two kingdoms. She’d learned a great deal about them, not because her parents were florists, but because she’d been presented with them year after year on her birthday without fail, since she was fifteen. Perhaps it would be premature to assume, but her heart had already confirmed it for her, that Jeongguk had been the one sending them to her, knowing who she was, that she was to be his someday, frustrated that he was unable to reveal himself. The hybrid still found a way. She gently touched a finger to one of the white petals. Of course he found a way. The rest of Jeongguk’s room was dark, almost in spite of the white glow of the Bell’snaps. The walls were painted the color of onyx, the furniture reminding her of storm clouds, or the surface of the moon – dark and bright all at once. His belongings sat atop of mirrors, cologne bottles, and silver jewelry scattered across them haphazardly. Hanging above his dresser was a selection of silk chokers, a look that he clearly took seriously. It was rude to touch without asking, but she found herself reaching for one of them. It was light pink, a color that seemed too soft for Jeongguk. She brought it around her neck and secured the ends. The cologne from Star’s End had come in an expensive bottle, not that it needed such a flashy appearance to sell its quality. The brand usually spoke for itself. Testing the fragrance out on her wrist, she’d decided that it smelled better when it was mixed with Jeongguk’s chemistry – a scent that was practically made to only be worn by him. There was framed art hanging up on the wall, one of which resembled that of Taehyung’s work. It was a depiction of what she’d imagined the Fae Realm to look like. She then wondered if Jimin had taken his wolf there, if he’d allowed Taehyung to see the fairy nests hidden within the forest – if he’d returned to the palace covered in glitter and paint. She attempted to sit on top of Jeongguk’s bed, the frills of her gown rejecting the movement. It was too high up, proving that the climb would be a task, which was simply ridiculous. Growing annoyed, she opened the door to his closet and went in search of something more ideal to wear. There was no shortage of plain button ups, so she grabbed one – a white top that was probably never worn. Beneath her dress, she wore a feeble pair of britches to combat the cold temperatures of autumn, so there was no need to steal a pair of his slacks. She huffed with each pull of her dress, untying the lace of her corset, cursing with every awkward bend of her fingers, as she tried her damndest to tear everything off. She’d have to see about more casual style clothing, something tasteful, yet less. So much less. She glared at the heap of clothing on the floor. Maybe she needed her maids more than she initially thought, as they tended to make fast work of the removal process. Jeongguk’s shirt was massive on her, the bottom of his shirt reaching mid-thigh, like a tunic. The sleeves could almost fold to her elbow. She climbed onto his bed without a problem this time, as she flopped herself onto his soft pillows, and was pleasantly assaulted by another hit of his cologne. This time it smelled more like him, diluted with his natural scent. And that was it, the pinnacle of comfort, as good as it was going to get for now: a place of belonging. With Bell’snaps at every corner of the room, the long mystery was finally over, curiosities settled. Yoongi would be happy to hear it, no longer burdened to play the role of Sherlock. She closed her eyes and pulled at the hybrid’s bed sheets, slipping beneath them, and tucking herself further into the pillows. How long had Jeongguk waited? When did he find out her name or her birthday? Why would someone as beautiful as Jeongguk even…? Why would he ever… …love someone so small…? The bed dipped beneath her – a firm tug of the sheets, soft warmth enclosing her within its arms, lights puffs of air hitting her skin. The familiar spice of Jeongguk’s cologne was stronger then, easing her into what was sure to be oblivion, but even while in her cozy, sleep induced mind, she knew that she wasn’t alone anymore. As though to solidify her belief, insistent hands were pulling her closer still. Jeon Jeongguk, a rabbit princeling with control issues. She curled herself against the wall of his chest, the movement instinctual, as their arms and legs tangled for much needed contact. “Princess,” he sighed, the lilt of his tone somewhat airy, and gentle. She swallowed hard against the feel of his fingertips teasing beneath the silk that was covering her throat. It was his choker to be exact. “It isn’t that I’m not pleased to find you in my chambers, asleep in my bed, in my clothes, but why are you here?” With sleep still muddling her thoughts, the conversation had come easily. “I was waiting for you.” “Well, that much is obvious. I have been waiting, as well.” Here it comes, the resume button being pressed from their last close encounter. Apparently, the hybrid wasn’t willing to let it go. She knew it and yet she’d expected more from him, to forget about his childish demands to enjoy the moment. He was still playing with the silk, pulling at it until it grew tight against her skin. “Do you have words for me?” “The magic words?” she asked, stalling. ‘Beg for your prince’. She’d never begged for anything. It wasn’t in her nature to do so, ask any of the Min’s. “Why must I?” “So that I know that I’m not the only one behaving so desperately. Marrying you won’t be enough to satisfy what has felt like a lifetime of my wanting you.” He pulled back far enough to look at her, dark eyes unintentionally cold. “It’s selfish of me, I know this all too well, but I need you begging for me.” She laughed, incredulously, “I’m the one who is desperate here. You reduce me down to ash beneath the burn of your gaze, as though you mean to consume me. Your presence is so great that it drowns out my own and yet–” The hybrid cut her off. “Then beg.” She bit at the side of her lip, holding back from cursing him. Submitting to him would call for setting aside her dignity. In the prince’s mind, he’d already given himself over to her forever ago, suspended in a state of longing, that she would never truly be able to understand. He wanted the same courtesy, and although it made sense on some messed up level, it was still difficult. “I’ve been curious since the first mention of there being a hybrid prince. I followed the papers, clinging to every written word, fantasizing. I even crossed kingdoms just to see you.” She had no idea as to why she was divulging all of these intimate details again. The night of the Meadow Ball, he’d known how deep her devotion for him had run. “The white Bell’snaps was your doing, wasn’t it? You gifted a flower that represented our two kingdoms, before I even knew of your existence. If anything, I’d been the one to suffer in ignorance.” He shoved his tongue against the inside of his cheek, growing impatient, “Just the same, princess.” “Please,” she whispered, the words barely audible. By the way the hybrid’s ears twitched, it was clear that he’d heard it. And yet, “What was that?” She closed her eyes, trying again, but this time louder. “Please, Jeongguk. I’m…” “You’re begging,” He informed her, gently, “…and you do it so well for me.” It would have been soothing, if not for the current situation. It was not at all a real appraisal, but condescension in its purest form. Jeongguk had the nerve to smile at her, as he demanded, “Again.” Was he joking? “You’re pushing it.” “Oh, am I?” There was sarcasm laced heavily within his tone, as he slipped his fingers into her hair, carefully pulling at the pins holding each strand into place. “I don’t really think so.” She was almost ashamed at how easy it was the second time around. “Please.” The last bobby pin was tossed to the floor. With her hair down, he combed his long fingers through it freely, comfortingly, before he closed his grip – the action abrupt, as he brought her face inches away from his own. The sharp gasp that escaped was enough to send a pleasant shiver down his spine, quite enjoying the way she sounded, eager to hear more. The hybrid stared at her lips, before he’d pressed their mouths together firmly. It was pressure on pressure at first, wanting to feel her and needing to be felt. She said it one last time between aggressive pulls of his lips, “Please.” Uncertain of how much begging would be sufficient enough to satisfy the prince, hoping that it was enough to reflect her own desperation. She roamed her hands along his back, feeling the muscles flex beneath her fingertips when she’d held on. Instinct told her to reach for his ears, intentions becoming apparent when she skimmed the nape of his neck, into his soft dark hair. It the hybrid pause, body as still as stone. He was suddenly staring down at her, eyes narrowed into slits, both dark and accusatory. If looks could kill, she’d already be dead. The white fur slipped from her hand, intrigued by how a single touch could so easily unravel him. “Your ears are just so soft,” she said, as though it would somehow justify her impulse to grab at them. The word ‘soft’ seemed to have struck a nerve, when the hybrid took hold of her wrists, and pinned them to the mattress. It was much like how their first encounter had originally went, with Jeongguk’s hips falling between her thighs with little effort. It felt like an eternity, until he spoke again. “Keep your arms down.” She nodded, wrists staying where he’d placed them, when he started to unbutton the shirt she’d borrowed from his closet, exposing new inches of skin. Wearing a bra wasn’t necessary with her gowns, an observation the hybrid had made as he worked further down. He allowed the shirt to remain shut, affording her brief moments of modesty. “I’ve wanted you for so long. I couldn’t wait to have you like this, all to myself…” How to articulate that she wanted him more than that? The bedside lamp cast a dim light over them, but it was enough to make out the hard lines of Jeongguk’s chest when he removed his shirt from off of his broad shoulders. The hybrid’s physique was a result of his time on the battlefield, a trained soldier within the Admiral’s squadron. Delicately sculpted muscles, miles of golden skin – Jeongguk was a whole meal that’d left her salivating, and starved for a taste, until she remembered herself. Touching him would mean breaking his command. He stared back, shamelessly, taking in the way she was openly admiring his body. “I was always worried that you’d find someone else. A nice, human boy,” Jeongguk confessed, a bitter smirk reaching the curve of his glossed lips. “There were tells about you, though, obvious tells of your inexperience, and that you’re untouched. You have no one to compare me to, princess.” “How fortunate for you, then, should you perform inadequately,” she teased back, her breath hitching in her throat when his eyes flashed darkly. He’d felt challenged by her. She continued to press him, enticed by the thrill of it, “You must be brimming with confidence…” Jeongguk grew quiet then, as he idly traced his fingers beneath the silk choker she was wearing, before tearing it from her neck – breaking the clasp in the process. It’d been weeks since he’d last scented her. Weeks that she’d paraded around the royal court, mingling with other hybrids, being ushered from room to room by his fae, who was usually in the presence of Taehyung. Even if she’d currently smelled like his cologne, it was not of him – not truly. Mating her would be the simplest long term way of making sure that he remained on her skin. Jeongguk wanted every hybrid within the kingdom to be aware of the fact that she’d been properly marked and not to be sought after, if anyone so bold existed. He parted the shirt covering her breasts, drinking in all of her insecurities with one greedy look – the newly exposed inches of skin calling to be claimed, for Jeongguk to take what had always belonged to him. The hybrid pressed his palms into the mattress, hovering over her, “Your heart is racing. I can hear it…” He lowered his mouth to where her pulse was fluttering against the side of her neck, swirling his tongue over the same spot with slow repetition. It was when she’d felt the sharp pinch of his teeth, that she’d arched her hips up into his own, and could feel how hard he already was for her. Their chests met once he’d settled his full weight atop of her, allowing her to feel more of him each time rocked forward, seeking friction. She’d learned that the prince was all about slow, thorough consumption – languid strokes of his tongue and rough, seemingly practiced touches. He knew just how to hold her, splaying his fingers across the opposite side of her neck, keeping her skin to his teeth. “Jeongguk, please…” This time she’d truly meant it, able to feel an acute ache in the deepest pit of her stomach. The slick of her arousal was wet against her inner thighs, already such a mess. “I want to touch you, too.” It would only be fair, not that fairness seemed to be of high importance to the prince. He trailed the back of his unoccupied hand down the underside of her arm, teasing past the curve of her breast. “Touch me, then,” was the husky response, voice breathy and thick against her throat, before he resumed his torture, drawing his thumb back and forth over her peaked flesh – making her tremble beneath him. “Before I change my mind, princess…” She uncurled her fingers at the warning, bringing a hand to the nape of his neck, as the other clung to his back. The rabbit ears were off limits for now, as she decided to tread carefully in mapping him out. She sucked in a breath when he slid his large hand to the slope of her stomach, the hybrid’s cool fingers slipping beneath her tights. The hold she had on his back moved to the arm that was currently at work, gasping when she’d felt three of his fingers cupping her through the silk of her panties. It was impossible for her to not want to hide, so very aware of how wet she was, but not wanting him to stop. As though able to read her thoughts, he laughed humorlessly, “You’re completely drenched for me, princess.” Oh, well, fuck – he was out to kill her. The hybrid felt along the tender flesh of her inner thighs, fingers coated with her slick. There was a lack of genuine remorse to his tone, as he continued, “You’re practically dripping all over me, begging me to stuff you full with my cock. Should I?” Jeongguk stared back with eyes as black as charcoal, the smirk touching his lips downright predatory. She wondered if he’d truly expected an answer, her skin burning the longer he searched her face for, every bit of the pleasantness wiped from his expression, and replaced with something hungry. Why the hell was she allowing him to get away with it? “Your highness…” He was quick to silence her with the firm press of his mouth, tongue parting her lips with ease. She hummed at the distraction, melting into the kiss. The hybrid moaned into her, pleased with how she fit inside his palm – his middle and index fingers bent, as he rubbed her through the silk material, easily slipping between the folds of her soaked flesh, and over her clit. It had become obvious to her that Jeongguk controlled every aspect of their coupling, like a wave that kept crashing down on her in a show of dominance, leaving her fighting for air, until the last moment when he allowed her to fill her lungs. He took slow, languid drags of her mouth, distracted by the slick warmth between his fingers. The mess had grown when he’d removed the remaining garment – webs of clear, sticky arousal hanging from between the material of her panties and her skin. He watched her through heavy lids, dark eyes having narrowed when he brought his middle finger to the center of his tongue, and made a show of licking it clean. Oh… The situation was foreign to her, intimidating – so much more than she could ever imagine, and yet she’d wanted more of it. The hand she’d placed on his arm steadily pulled him forward, encouraging him to continue. She whispered, unable to find her voice, “Please, Jeongguk. I need…” Please, please, please…Listening to herself beg was unbearable, even if it had come naturally by this point. “You’re such a good girl for me,” he cooed, lowering his mouth back to hers, their lips parting into shaky gasps, when he curved a long finger into her. She whimpered softly at the warm pressure filling her with every thrust. His tone was almost accusatory, “You’re so perfect and all mine. All. Mine.” He pushed in slow, shallow at first, allowing her time to adjust to it, before adding a second finger. The prince continued to taunt, enjoying the way her skin flushed red, “Will you be able to handle me, princess? You might be too small for my cock.” Her walls clung onto him tightly, as though to keep him in, welcoming the stretch of each intrusion, the strokes of his long, delicate fingers exactly where she needed it. “Listen…” The loud, wet sounds of his fingers moving inside her warmth made her want to die. “So, you’re into humiliation,” she breathed, shuddering when he teased his mouth over her breasts, meticulous in his onslaught of rabbit teeth and tongue, leaving behind a trail of purple and pink marks. “I am into…” He said, placing a firm kiss just her below her navel, “…the sound your body makes while I’m fucking you with my fingers.” More kisses, this time hot and lingering – from one side of her hips to the other. The hybrid held her eyes, lips twitching, “The desperate little moans and gasps that you make whenever you hold in your breath for too long, too afraid of what I might think, when all I want is more.” She jumped at the soft touch of his ears, velvet making contact with the sensitive skin of her lower stomach, as he brought one of her legs to rest on top of his shoulder – spreading her wide and pulling her closer all in the same process. Long before they’d started, he’d been able to smell her arousal, both heady and thick, clouding his thoughts, but at this proximity, it was damn near intoxicating. He nuzzled into her thigh, flicking his tongue out to taste her sticky skin with the flat of his tongue, humming contentedly at the sweet bitterness that he practically starved for. The hybrid met her eyes, critical of the way she suffered through her bouts desperation without verbalizing it, when she’d gasped another plea, her body trembling – hips arching to get closer to the awaiting warmth of his mouth. Fuck this. Her fingers reached for the ears that were tickling her skin, tugging on them gently, and felt as his breath stuttered upon her skin. The shiver that tore through the hybrid was satisfying for her to watch, pleased that he’d yet to pull back to reprimand her. Instead, he withdrew his fingers very slowly, dark eyes fixed on the way her walls clenched tightly around nothing, slick glistening against raw skin – Jeongguk’s hunger persisted, almost stealing the rest of his patience. He wasted no time in opening her with his thumbs, exposing her nice and wide for him, before lashing his tongue out over her clit, growling low and appreciatively – the sound reverberating against her, and gaining her chills. It was becoming too much, too soon, even for him, as he pressed his hips firmly to the mattress in an attempt to relieve himself, however slight. The touch of her fingers on his ears left him aware of the fact that she wanted to affect him just as badly, to have even a modicum of control over the situation – his precious little human. She’d have nothing, but this, this, this. He licked a long stripe from her entrance to the swollen hood of her clit, the hand holding her leg in place tightening when she’d jolted. All it took was the next reaction, a choked sob that sounded so raw and lovely to his sensitive ears, and Jeongguk was gone. The hybrid devoured her like she was a meal, trapping her within the tight suction of his mouth, as he darted his tongue over her in a myriad of quick, unmerciful motions. The higher she climbed, the more he wanted her to fall – as he grabbed at her hips, hard enough to leave bruises, and firmly guided her against his mouth. “A-Ah, Jeongguk…” She cried out, tugging at the white fur of his ears like it was a lifeline. “I’m c-close, I’m so close…I’m…” He licked at his swollen lips when he’d pulled off, “You’re going to come for me.” The hybrid was so confident with her end, rubbing fast circles into her clit with his nose pressed into her, delving his tongue past her entrance in deep, controlled thrusts. She felt her orgasm drawing closer, until the heat unfurled at her center. He drank her in the moment she let go, sucking greedily, as he pinned her hips back down to the mattress. “Oh, my fuck…” she gasped, limbs weightless, and mind freed. The high of her release was familiar, but more intense, both mentally and physically this time. She covered her face with a hand, laughing breathlessly, “That was amazing.” She was still playing with one of his ears, soft velvet brushing between her fingers. “Tell me how to please you. I’ll do anything.” “I know you will,” he said, while he once again settled between her legs. The material of his slacks felt rough against her sensitive skin, letting her feel the hard outline of his cock with each slow grind of his hips. “Now let me show you.” Jeongguk brought her hand against his abdomen, inching her fingers down lower beneath his own, where his skin hot, and toned. He bit at his plush bottom lip, letting go of her hand when she reached the button of his pants. She pulled it free and trailed the zipper down. The serious look of concentration on her face was endearing to him. The hybrid chuckled, “You get to expose me now, princess. Are you secretly enjoying it?” She smiled, nervously, unable to meet the weight of his stare, “I would enjoy making you feel good, too.” “An easy task for my sweet human...” The first touch of her fingers against the heated skin of cock was enough to leave him winded – throbbing and leaking within her small hand when she’d pulled from his briefs. He leaned onto the mattress, rocking forward into her closed fist, enjoying the view between their bodies. It was when she’d begun moving her wrist in tandem with him, strokes wet, and tight, he’d hissed between clenched teeth, “Yes, princess. Just like that…” She used the hand on his hybrid ear to pull him into a kiss, before sliding down to the back of his neck. He parted her lips with his tongue, licking into her mouth somewhat lazily, faltering from her touch. It was erotic, how innocent she was and how lecherous he felt, wanting to take it all away. He felt the exploration of her hand ending at the base of his spine, too close – when her fingers skimmed the pure white fluff of his tail, sending ripples of pleasure throughout his body. The kiss broke with his harsh breaths, warning her, “You must stop.” It was disarming, how beautiful the hybrid could look when he was being wrecked. She tested her limits, brushing her fingers through the fur of his tail, before giving it a hard tug at the ends. The guttural sound that followed after was almost worth the risk of continuing, finding their reversal empowering – another adventure, for another time. She’d stopped as he’d instructed, releasing him to instead lower his slacks and briefs down over his ass. It was fact that hybrids tended to mate from behind. That bit of information had been learned unwillingly, when she’d made the mistake of taking interest in whatever her brother was reading at the time, lost in the royal library. However, Jeongguk didn’t appear to be going with ritual at the present. No change in position. The hybrid took hold of his cock and started coating himself with her arousal, using the swollen head of his length to rub up and down against her. Dark eyes measured her, carefully, “It’s going to hurt at first and you won’t be able to have it back. It’ll be mine…” He pressed himself against her entrance, the fit snug – the pressure slight, but it was enough to make her tense up with anticipation. “The whole kingdom will be able to smell my claim on you after this. They’ll know I’ve properly marked and bedded you. This is what it means to give everything to me.” And with that, he slowly eased the tip into her, pausing the moment he was met with a barrier. The discomfort was evident on her face, her skin flushed with her thighs trembling at his waist. He steadily withdrew, before snapping his hips forward – breaching past the tight resistance, as he buried himself in deeply. It was the only way in his mind, since he knew that inch by inch would have been worse for the both of them. The hybrid was quick to bring his arms up to cradle her, chest aching when he’d felt her fingers curl into his back. They were trapped in a state of perpetual overwhelm. “You feel so good…” It took every ounce of Jeongguk’s self-restraint not to lose control, to remain still, and behave – fuck if it wasn’t difficult. “So tight and perfect for me, isn’t that right?” She nudged at him with her nose, needing him, needing more, their lips brushing between shallow breaths. He grabbed at the side of her face, sighing into her, eager to take – slipping his tongue into her mouth in hot, warm strokes. A brave nip of her teeth drew a soft moan at the back of his throat. “Fuck,” he cursed, allowing her to kiss along the prominent curve of his jawline. The burn of being so full one moment, and then empty the next was unpleasant, when he pulled back his hips, stopping until only the head of his cock was still inside her, before he rocked forward – beginning a slow pace at first, allowing them time to adjust. Another small bite was placed at the hollow of his throat, which prompted the hybrid to act on impulse when he pinned her head down to the pillow by her hair. There was no need for words with the way he stared at her then, eyes impossibly black – the muscle in his jaw twitching. No female hybrid would ever dare and perhaps that was why he loved, rather than loathed her species. He slowly loosened his grip on the strands, his point having been made, “Show me how well you touch yourself. I want to see how you’ve done it, time and time again, while thinking of me fucking you just like this…” She winced when the encouragement made her walls clench around him, nearly killing them both. He resisted the urge to start pounding into her, gritting his teeth, “You liked that, huh, baby? Come on.” She reached down between her legs, pressing her pointer and middle finger in circles over her clit – giving a startled gasp when he brought her knees to her chest to get a better view of how she was touching herself, stretched so tight around his thick length with the mess of their arousal making it easier to drive into her. The hybrid was determined to hold off for her, slowing his hips, so that he focus on leaving marks across her skin. He wanted to devour her whole, taking in the way her nipples stood erect, sensitive against his hot tongue, her eyes brimming with tears when she stared at him. It only made him want to ruin her more. The moment he could, was the moment when pain turned into pleasure – her walls gripping around him like a pulse. Spurred on by the her small cries, the hybrid gave her more, the sensual grind of his hips turning into hard, quick thrusts – hard and deep enough to feel it within her bones, the slick sounds of their sweat covered skin meeting loud in the quiet room. The muscles in his abdomen tensed, when he moaned out, “You’re going to make me come.” He was noisier than she was, sighing and gasping at a higher frequency as her desperate, needy sounds. “W-Wait, wait,” she cried, eyes closing tightly when he hit a spot, as though touching at her very core, exactly where she needed it, and how she needed it – leaving her breathless, lungs on fire from the suffocating tension. She threw an arm over her mouth to keep herself from screaming, trembling. “Let me turn over…” The suggestion was enough to have him slow to a stop, edging them both when he withdrew. She’d felt so very empty again, left red and raw and clenching around nothing. It was on shaky limbs that she moved onto her stomach, feeling a large hand slide down the length of her spine. He paused between her shoulder blades on his way back up, pushing her chest down to the mattress. Her hips remained poised, ass in the air with her thighs pressed tightly together. “You spoil me, princess,” the hybrid murmured, voice reverent almost when he took in the sight of her. “I thought hybrid ways would be too impersonal for our first time, especially when considering the sensitivity of humans. Overtime perhaps, but look at you behaving so well for your prince. It’s like you already know your place…” He moved his hand between her legs, two fingers trapping her clit, as he pushed his thumb into her. She whimpered, grabbing at the bedding, and holding it tightly. He smirked, dark and meaningful, “Your body is positively sinful.” He slowly withdrew his fingers, when he eased his cock back into her, watching the way she swallowed him up so greedily – the new angle allowing him to go deeper – deep enough to bottom out each time he slammed into her, hybrid instinct taking over him. It was her act of submission that had finally made him snap, dominant by nature. He grabbed hold of her hips where bruises had started to form, sending her forward with each powerful thrust. A whimper had the hybrid leaning far into her, the wall of his chest against her back to press apologetic kisses along her shoulders – skimming his fingers low across her stomach, down between her thighs, as he started rubbing her in time with his thrusts. Jeongguk was shameless, whispering filthy promises into her skin, moaning out her name – something that was now far more intimate than the usual, ‘princess’. The cool air reached the back of her neck when he scooped her hair up into a fist, drawing her head back, so that he could speak into the sensitive shell of her ear, “I want to feel as you come around my cock.” Thick tears were clinging to her bottom lashes, the pleasure overwhelming, as he continued striking over her chord, bringing her dangerously close to the edge. “Are you going to cry for me? I told you to give me everything.” She spiraled so fast – coming in spasms of heat and bliss, the tears flowing freely. The feeling was emotionally and physically intense, making her feel whole, sated and high, with her heartbeat racing. The hybrid continued pounding into her through her orgasm – teeth sinking into his bottom lip, when he released inside her, spilling so deeply without fear of consequences, knowing that there was no current risk. He brought a hand to her stomach, keeping her still as he filled her – possessive in the way he marked her thoroughly, inside and out. The hybrid waited for the erratic pace of his heart to slow in rhythm with hers, before pulling away to situate himself beside her. They’d claimed each other’s first time, before the wedding even. He wanted to laugh at the prospect. Although, he would have had her the first night he’d formally met her, if only she’d begged for it. They stared at one another in the dim lighting, the fire waning within the oil lamps, and drawing shadows along the walls. The silence was one of contentment, where actions held more meaning, than spoken words. Damp skin, rising and falling chests. Jeongguk leaned over, capturing a tear in its path down her cheek with his mouth. The kiss was lingering, when he slipped his fingers into her hair, and pulled her so that she was settled on top of him. This high up with her wet and slick skin touching his lower stomach, she felt utterly embarrassed, and dirty. “The white Bell’snaps,” she said, returning to the topic in hopes of distracting herself from feeling so vulnerable. He hadn't clarified earlier, even if it was obvious. She wanted his explanation. “Why?" “I really couldn’t leave you be, even while I was advised that I could risk losing you.” Jeongguk shook his head, as though finding it just as absurd now, as he did back then. “I associated the Bell’snaps with you, because it symbolized our two kingdoms, and our union. They brought me great comfort, especially during times where I’d felt frustrated, willing to cross the line, and disrupt fate just for a glimpse of you. I used to command Jimin to give me descriptions, while Taehyung attempted to put them down on canvas.” “I’m sorry,” she whispered somewhat guiltily, unable to imagine how lonely that must’ve have been. He brushed his fingers over a mark on her thigh, voice wistful, “You’re here now, princess…” Jeongguk paused to stare up at her then, time caught between them. Dark lashes against equally dark eyes, lips too pink, drawing her attention. “…and you’re all mine, finally.” She wanted to challenge him and be defiant just for the sake of seeing him get riled up, but there was no truer statement. Instead, she placed the flat of her palms against his chest and teased, “If we are to speak as though people are possessions, then you’re the prettiest trinket that I own, your highness.” “That fucking mouth,” he murmured, before forcibly pulling her down for a slow kiss, unhurried, and thorough – a kiss that was filled with heat, stirring, as they took turns sucking, and nipping at each other’s lips. “…drives me mad.” The hybrid’s breathing was harsh between each word, when he lifted her hips, so that he could push into her warmth, still slick with their mingled cum, easily sheathing his entire length inside of her. If this was the consequence of speaking smartly to the prince, then Luna help them both, because she won’t be able to keep her mouth shut.

On the day of the wedding, the streets of Meadow were lined with human and hybrid kind. Even though the girl hardly had any chances to meet with the kingdom, they’d embraced her all the same, celebrating, and leaving their gifts at the gates. The ceremony itself would be smaller and held within the heart of the castle. Garland made up of Bell’snaps decorated each room, even the hallways. It was the flower that spoke for itself. A bouquet was tied neatly with gold string, awaiting its bride. Yoongi was acting calmly, despite the circumstances. He’d always been protective over his sister, but the situation hadn’t caused him any alarm. From what he could tell, Jeongguk was woefully enslaved, even while the rabbit hybrid tried demonstrating otherwise, he’d always failed. The few, intimate conversations he’d had alone with Jeongguk were tense, for sure, but the boy hadn’t cracked under the pressure, nor had he fought against Yoongi’s shitty attitude, which made the blonde respect him all the more. “What time is the reception?” Yoongi asked, growing impatient. Hoseok was currently on security detail, ensuring the Queen’s safety – being sexy? What the fuck. Their father was there, playing the role of anxiety personified, and was flustered about it. He took out his handkerchief to timidly clean away at his glasses for the umpteenth time, “Well, son. That usually comes after the wedding ceremony. That eager to dance, are you?” “Oh, yeah,” Yoongi snorted, lacking any real enthusiasm. “That’s totally it.” “I feel ridiculous,” she said, stepping away from the mirror. Her mother’s pearls were pale, which matched perfectly with the dress. It was one of the requests she’d handed over to Mimzy, who’d added more beads to her gown. The makeup was applied lightly to go with her usual natural and soft preference, despite the Queen’s critiques. She had her hair pinned into place, save for a couple choice strands. Yoongi tilted his head at her, “But you look beautiful. When do we sacrifice you to King Kong?” “Better question, how do we give you away?” her father asked, placing his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He stepped next to her, “Your mother made a beautiful bride. Seeing you now, you make a beautiful princess.” “Damn it,” she cursed, trying her best not to cry. She fanned at her face, as if it would blow the feels away. She wasn’t, but, “I’m ready.” “Like there was any doubt,” Yoongi said, as he helped lower the netting of her veil. “I need to go be with the groom party. I’ll see you out there.” She nodded, somewhat dazedly, “Yeah.” He quickly reached in to grab her arm, leaning towards her, “Blink twice if you wanna Christian ‘Bale’ on this thing, we’ll make like fucking Batman and Robin, grapple our way out a window…” “I don’t want to bail, ever. What the…out, Yoongi. Get out.” Admittedly, Yoongi felt ready to belong to a bigger family. He knew that his sister was ready for it, as well. His father was a broken man prior to the palace life, without humor – doomed to wilt. The Meadow was a blessing for Yoongi, since it housed a certain fox hybrid. A shiver of excitement made the blonde pause for a moment, realizing that his lethargic behavior had gone away since living in the castle. Now his heart raced whenever he so much as thought about Jung Hoseok. He entered the wedding hall, making his way down the white carpet. The strong scent of Bell’snaps filled the air, and made his nose itch. The prince was at the end of the aisle with Taehyung and Jimin at his side. The wolf hybrid raised an expectant brow. “Well?” Yoongi smirked, “She’s on her way.” Jeongguk folded his gloved hands at the mention, standing tall in his dark royal attire. The hybrid exuded arrogance in Yoongi’s opinion, even if he wasn’t – hair parted with his pure white ears looking especially fluffy, and soft. Jimin was in what was considered formal garb for the fae kind, where a majority of his back was exposed with his wings on full display. A soft sheen of glitter highlighted his golden skin – not smudged with handprints for once, which was a sign that the wolf was behaving himself, but from the way Taehyung’s fingers were curled down at his sides, Yoongi could tell that it wasn’t without effort. “Would touching me make you feel better?” Yoongi teased, as he fell into formation with his hands folded neatly. Taehyung inclined his head, “Touching you could cost us our lives, human.” He rolled his eyes at that, “You think I’m scared of Ferngully over there?” “No, not at all,” Taehyung mused with a wry smile. “The fox, however…” He turned so that he was now facing the blonde, dark eyes gleaming with interest. “I can smell him all over you, you know. Hybrids can detect when someone is spoken for and you are most definitely off-limits. And receiving, Yoongi? I didn’t peg you as the type.” Jimin leaned over, careful not to touch anything, as he murmured softly, aware of the fact the wolf doesn’t like to be scolded, “You’re embarrassing him, my love, and before you say it, I know you don’t care, but try for today.” Taehyung hated being wrong. The wolf in him practically growled, “Of course.” Yoongi snickered when the hybrid’s tail stopped wagging, “Heel boy.” ‘I’m going to crush you,’ Taehyung thought, as he stared down into the fae’s eyes, where there was no mercy to be had, not that the wolf expected there to be any. No – Jimin’s eyes were sparkling prettily – pretty enough to cause the hybrid physical pain. A pain he’d always answer to with just as much aggression, ‘The moment I get my hands on you, I won’t let go. Not until you feel broken by me. Not until you beg me to stop.’ “Until then,” Jimin said, breathily, skin flushed by the stream of thoughts coming from Taehyung, overcome by the tension building between them. “You’re going to behave and just like Yoongi said, you will heel.” The music started, which caused all the guests to stand up from their seats. The soft melody being played was not the Wedding March, but rather something that had been composed and gifted from the fae realm. Yoongi had to choose whether he wanted to perform or be a groomsman. The moment she stepped onto the carpet, he knew that he’d made the right choice. The double doors parted for her, their father’s arm linked within her own. From beside him, he swore that he could hear Jeongguk’s audible pull for breath. It only solidified Yoongi’s theory, that the hybrid was so clearly spellbound, and taken with her. Jeongguk met them a few stairs down, taking her hand away from her father’s, and pulling her to him in a fashion that was perhaps, not according to tradition. The ceremony itself was straightforward, the same procedure for every royal marriage prior, vows to be repeated with listening – lots of listening. When the time had come for it, he was more than happy to finally unveil her, watching how she’d immediately looked away from him, as a deep blush flooded her cheeks. Despite all that they’ve done, how every single night since their first coupling, they’d been inseparable – unable to sleep without one another or keep their hands to themselves. She had the nerve to act shy and to look so pure, then. As though he’d never had his way with her, countless of times, in so many ways, in so many rooms – it was disarming, leaving the hybrid with every intention of ruining her all over again. He tucked his finger under her chin, lifting her face to meet his own. The look she received was severe and full of promise. He made no plans to release her, holding her with beneath his heavy gaze, until the priest told them to kiss. He brought his fingers from her jawline, slowly brushing her lips apart, before he claimed them in a bruising kiss, unwilling to let the current audience sway him. When the prince had finally pulled back, they were left panting. The royal official was proud to announce them for the first time as, “Prince and Princess of the Meadows.” The room doesn’t explode like it typically does in the movies. There was no rice being thrown or loud, celebratory cheering. A royal wedding was quiet and so, so very still like a picture, save for her side of the family, who looked so out of place, yet eager to express their excitement through facial expression. Yoongi too was smiling so wide, gums and all. Her father was a blubbering mess, snapping away on his camera. A long blog post would await her in the morning. Jeongguk walked her back down the aisle, bringing her out into the hallway where the King’s Admiral was prepared to escort them to the reception hall. “Admiral,” she greeted, less intimidated by Namjoon at this point. “Princess.” It was now a title that she could not so easily refuse, if ever again. “We’ll receive the gifts first,” Jeongguk informed her, holding her hand around his arm. They were walking at their own leisure, basking in the aftermath of the legalities. “Then there will be toasts, followed by lots of food, and then dancing. We’ll be the first to leave the hall. No one is allowed to go before we do, so we must be mindful of the time.” She nodded, “So, no partying ‘til the break of dawn? How droll.” He smirked down at her, “Your night has already been booked in advance, princess. Oh, how I intend to exhaust you.” “You’ve seen and had it all,” she said, trying not to die right there on the spot from the anticipation. “What more could you possibly want from me?” “If you haven’t noticed by now, I am insatiable.” He lowered his voice, speaking quietly despite the fact that he didn’t need to, “I’ve been thinking. Our children will be the perfect combination of bratty and stubborn. Do ask that Seokjin stops with your injections.” She flushed anew, as the heat steadily consumed her. “That’s a bit too soon, so I think the fuck not, your highness. I’ll take my nope salad with the fat-free dressing on the side.” “A discussion for later, when I have you coming undone beneath me,” the hybrid muttered with an air of nonchalance. Her ladies in waiting made quick work of removing the long extension of her dress, along with the veil, leaving her crown in place. Jeongguk helped her into her seat at the table, given her still too many layers. It was only once they were comfortably situated, that the guests were allowed to pool in. The night had proceeded exactly how Jeongguk said it would, with the presents first: There were bars of gold, precious gems, miles of land, rare silks, and exotic pets, save for the black and brown furred Pomeranian that caught Taehyung’s eye. Jimin covered his mouth, eyes scrunched up when he’d smiled big, “Our little Yeontan is here. This is him.” “Well, there was no way we were getting through this without re-gifting something,” the prince said, noticing her sad expression. He pulled her hand into his lap. “Besides, the dog’s eyebrows were very angry. Were you not satisfied with the snow leopard that we received? Let’s not be greedy.” It took two of the Queen’s guards to haul in Taehyung’s gift, setting the massive painting down on its easel. The frame was covered in a dark cloth, but she could already tell by its size that it would dominate whichever wall it would be hung up on. The wolf tugged at the cover, slowly revealing the art to the couple, eyes intense as he focused on their reaction. Taehyung was about making others happy – he lived for their expressions, to know that he’d been the one to bestow that happiness upon them. The moment he’d chose to capture, the image that he was unable to remove from his mind, was the night of the Ball, where the prince had finally met his princess. She was clumsy, yes, unbearably so, and even though he’d been engaged in conversation with Yoongi, seconds away from having to excuse himself – he saw art, and took a mental picture. It painting showed when the prince had brought her onto her toes, their faces mere inches from touching. The rabbit hybrid was in his masquerade mask, holding her against his frame. The colors that Taehyung used were bold and exaggerated, but in a way that appeared necessary with each stroke being so precise. It was breathtaking, more than what she’d been expecting, and for a long while she’d sat there with her mouth parted, intending to speak, but nothing would come out. Jeongguk smiled at the room, “For once, the princess is speechless.” He leaned forward with her hand still held captive within his grasp. The prince nodded to the wolf hybrid, his oldest friend, “It’s a beautiful piece, Taehyung. Thank you.” “Yes, thank you,” she beamed, snapping out of her reverie. “I love it.” Seokjin was not one for long, meaningful speeches. He didn’t like to give them, not even while they were in the form of medical lectures, but those days were far behind him. Sitting through wedding toasts was just the same, bothersome, and uninteresting. Watching Namjoon struggle, however, was one of his favorite pastimes. His husband was intelligent, surprisingly good with his words, except for at this very moment, where he had to explain his poetry and metaphors to a table of confused royals. Always overdoing it… When he was finished, Namjoon took a seat next to his husband, slightly defeated. He could feel Seokjin staring at him and if he looked, he knew that there would be a smug expression waiting for him. So, he didn’t. “So smooth, my love,” Seokjin practically cooed at him, but the condescending tone was there, to which Namjoon smiled at him sweetly, dimples on display. “My humiliation is your pleasure, is it not? Just as your enjoyment, is mine.” He extended his hand out when the music filled the room. “We haven’t shared a dance in ages.” “Because you have two left feet,” Seokjin murmured, as he took the admiral’s fingers into his own, and walked with him across the floor. He winked, “It was how I tripped and fell for you in the first place.” “Your jokes,” Namjoon mused, the good mood causing his cat ears to perk. He rested a firm hand against the canine hybrid’s waist, bringing them closer together. “Really get me going.” Hoseok entered the hall during his shift change to find Yoongi sulking at a table next his father, nodding somewhat numbly to whatever was being said to him. It was adorable, because the hybrid knew, he knew where his human’s mind was, utterly lost to the foxes, drowning in loneliness. And it took no time at all, for Hoseok to close the distance, watching the way that Yoongi tensed suddenly, as if he’d realized the hybrid was there without any certain, or direct recognition. Hopeful was a look that appeared so soft upon Yoongi’s otherwise miserable face, lips turning into a deep pout, so small within that moment. That was when Hoseok knew that a fox was in love with a kitten, unable to help himself, and he didn’t particularly want to, either. He’d never felt this way, with his heart in a constant state of duress, all because of this human. “Congratulations to your household,” Hoseok said, bowing in a manner that superseded ‘polite’. The action was so easily elegant and measured. With the fox’s posture, it probably wasn’t even intentional, but natural. It still kind of pissed Yoongi off, how Hoseok tended to handle everything with perfection, and that it always seemed to come so effortlessly. Whatever stupor Yoongi had fallen into prior to Hoseok’s presence vanished almost immediately, as he quietly surveyed the hybrid’s every move. “How kind of you,” he said, icily, before his father could toss around the same words, give or take a few nervous giggles. Yoongi challenged the hybrid, somewhat miffed that he’d been left to himself the entire night, “Is that all you wanted to say, then, guard?” Oh. Hoseok arched an eyebrow at him, narrowing his eyes darkly at the blonde, “No. I have plenty more to say to you. Will you excuse us?” The redhead’s usual cheery smile was in place then, not even bothering to wait for Yoongi to get up from his seat, when he’d started walking away briskly. He knew that his human would follow after him. Once it felt as though the hybrid might snap beneath his anger, Hoseok turned sharply on his heel, coming face to face with Yoongi. The blonde was biting at his lip, anticipating the hybrid’s retaliation. The difference in their height had never seemed so daunting, as it did then. There were couples dancing around them, the two of them paused at the center of the ballroom floor. Covering, Hoseok took the human by his hands, and pulled him in. “I don’t dance,” Yoongi said, stiffly. Hoseok chuckled humorlessly at that, “Well, I’m usually not talked down to, but we all have our firsts, don’t we?” He pressed a hand to Yoongi’s back, a small whimper escaping. This was what he’d wanted, this meager bit of contact. The hybrid leaned in so that he could speak against Yoongi’s ear, “You’re trembling, baby. It’s almost as if you ran your mouth without thinking that there would be consequences.” The elder swallowed thickly, as the tension practically seeped through his skin, “And what are the consequences?” Despite not being able to dance, Hoseok knew exactly how to guide him. Each firm touch was another burn against his skin. “Of pissing me off? Oh,” Hoseok said, while purposefully brushing his mouth over the pale skin of Yoongi’s neck. “You’ll come to know them. Intimately.” Dear Satan, I should have known it was you all along. Signed, Min Yoongi “Princess,” Jeongguk said, as he turned the girl about with ease. “I must inquire about the improvement in your steps.” She brought a hand to his shoulder, when he’d pressed himself closer, “A certain fae was offering dance lessons for free.” “And you allowed him to touch you like this?” The rabbit hybrid made a show of teasing his fingers across her skin. It was suggestive – the type of behavior that would have their parents unsettled. She quickly stole a kiss, gasping when his hands turn rough, pulling her more firmly against his chest. “Couldn’t help but notice that you have yet to deny it.” She couldn’t pass up the opportunity, “How else was I to ensure our honeymoon to the fae realm?” “Actually, I was wondering about something,” Jeongguk said, the change in his demeanor visible, growing serious. “I wanted to know if you’d like to come with me to the Isles of Lunar? I intend on making the trip regardless, but I want you there with me, since you were the one to help me realize my mistake. The night we’d formally met, when I’d revealed my truths to you, the truth about Lunar bothered me the most.” She smiled, overwhelmed by the sentiment, “Yes. I’ll go with you.” He leaned down for a kiss, but didn’t touch, waiting, until she leaned up the rest of the way to briefly seal their lips. “Also, Jimin didn’t touch me. Taehyung did.” “That wolf…” Jeongguk grumbled, pulling back far enough to stare down at her. “…is the handsiest bastard in the kingdom.” She laughed, enjoying the way he turned petulant and jealous over it, “Trust me, I know.”

- EPILOGUE -

Jimin startled from his vision with a sharp gasp, chest heaving with each painful intake of fresh air – beads of sweat collecting along his brow, orange hair damp in his eyes. Taehyung was there beside him, the young hybrid holding onto his hand, as the other picked up the book that had fallen from the fairy's loose fingers.

The hybrid’s ears fell back, as he swished his tail from one side to another, growing impatient with worry, “Where’d you go?”

“I went ahead,” Jimin murmured, voice soft as he stared into the wolf’s curious eyes, full of new knowledge, knowing what they would eventually become. It was difficult, seeing Taehyung grown in his vision to how young he was now, a mere boy. The things that Taehyung would eventually say and do to him were enough to make his skin burn.

The hybrid placed the book down on the bench in favor of examining the odd tint to the fairy’s complexion, speaking in awe, “You’re glowing.” The fae’s cheek was soft and warm beneath his paint covered fingertips, flecks of glitter falling to the grass with the brush of his hand.

“It happens whenever a fairy is at their happiest,” Jimin said, educating him, all the while remaining very, very still – not even his wings dared to flutter.

The words could have meant anything, but Taehyung took them in the way they were meant to be received, that he was the cause of it. He was already so smart and clever for his young age, mature. The wolf in him practically salivated whenever the fae was near, flooding the boy with impulses that left him feeling needy, and unreasonably possessive.

He wished Jimin didn’t belong to the prince.

He wished…

Taehyung continued tracing his thumb over the fairy’s cheek, watching the glitter smudge, and crack away like dust catching in the sunlight. He then leaned towards the opposite side of Jimin’s face, pressing his trembling lips to the fae’s bright skin, lingering in that position for what felt like an eternity, but couldn’t have been longer than a few seconds. The heart within the wolf’s chest was pounding so loud in his ears, he was certain any hybrid within radius would be able to hear it.

The fae’s hand twitched within the boy’s hold. He was hundreds of years older than Taehyung, but he couldn’t contain the warmth he felt for him, wings resuming to fan softly. He could tell that the boy was reluctant to release him, the evidence of his kiss in specks of glitter across his mouth, and all over his hands.

“Come with me? I need to tell the prince of what I have just seen,” Jimin offered, watching the way the wolf turned from curious to excited.

Taehyung’s tail was going a mile a minute, whacking himself on the leg, “What did you see?”

“His princess.”

THE END

Questions?

#jeon jungkook #jungkook smut #bts fan fiction #bts au #jungkook x reader #bts hybrid au #jungkook scenario #bts scenarios #down the rabbit hole #noonanet

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