The Arrow's Flight 16/16
Title: The Arrow's Flight 16/16
Pairing: Changmin/Junsu (Jaejoong/fc, Yunho/Heechul, Yoochun/Yoohwan [incest], Junho/fc)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Here is another world that I wish existed in a place other than my mind, but it doesn't and I don't own them and I can only place them into this delusion.
Summary: Greed and corruption rule two neighboring kingdoms: The Kingdom of Mountains and the Kingdom of Trees. Two princes are planning a coup. Their success or failure depends on the shadow in the woods, the rogue of the forests, the arrow in the sky.
A/N: Totally inspired by Robin Hood. Can you blame me?
All archery terms are taken from TradeBow.
Warning: het
Part 16:
The Feather
A whole feather, or one of its sections used on an arrow for guidance.
Changmin lay back in his bed, still not quite recovered from the adrenaline rush of his task and the subsequent maze of caves afterwards. He’d thought for a long time that he’d gotten lost. He’d been too eager to get out, made a wrong turn, somewhere, but he was lucky that Yoohwan had made him memorize more than one route out of those caverns.
Everyone else in the compound still had no idea what had happened. Just as it should be. No one but the seven of them knew exactly who had shot the King of Mountains. They all thought he was just sick and mostly left him alone.
Heechul doted on him, though. For three days, letting Changmin rest and calm himself down before facing the rest of the rabble. Heechul brought him food and a stolen bottle of mountain whiskey.
”Stolen is such a bad word,” Heechul had said. “I prefer reappropriated.”
Changmin drank most of it the night before.
And suffered through the headache that morning. Still he only emerged from his room when he had to. One of those times was to check on the Park Brothers. Yoohwan was awake, still a bit drowsy, but on his way to a full recovery. Yoochun was still a bit depressed, and Changmin knew he would be until Yoohwan could smile and laugh and kiss him again.
The sun was setting, bathing the trees in gold and tossing yellow and orange light around the wooden floor and walls of Changmin’s room. A whistle sounded nearby and then there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Changmin said, recognizing Heechul’s whistle.
“Changminnie,” Heechul said with a wide grin as he entered, “there’s someone here to see you.”
Changmin sighed and propped up with his hands on the bed behind him.
Heechul blocked the door for a moment, and then moved to the side. A cloaked figure walked into his room, and then the cowl was lowered, and Changmin’s heart twisted in his chest, and his vision went blurry.
Junsu. His Junsu. His face and skin looked better than they had four days ago, flush with color and warmth. And then he smiled, and Changmin opened his mouth to say something and couldn’t, and then he licked his lips.
“Enjoy yourself, Changminnie,” Heechul said. “I know I will.”
Changmin realized then that a third person was there. He had just a moment to see that it was Taemin before Heechul was pulling the other away from his door. He heard, “Gonna press myself between you and Yunho’s cocks all night long,” and they were alone.
Junsu shut the door and smiled. “Hi.”
Changmin cleared his throat. “Hi.” He was surprised he managed even that. The way the sun shone against his hair and his skin was breathtaking. Just having him here. It was ... impossible.
Junsu pulled something from inside his cloak. “I thought you might want your arrow back.”
Changmin watched the arrow spiral down, and the metal clattered to the floor. The feathers were no longer white, dyed a deep red from blood.
“Nice shot,” Junsu said, removing the cloak and hanging it up on a nearby chair.
“I’m glad I did not miss.”
“Me too. I doubted you for a while. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I doubted myself too.”
Junsu wore tight clothes, nothing like the flashy things he’d first traveled in the woods in. His pants were a deep green, the tunic a pattern of browns and greens. They showed off his strong arms and legs, and Changmin licked his lips.
“Junho’s official coronation is next week. We’d like you to be there.”
“My face is still spread around on wanted posters throughout the city. Probably not a good idea.”
“True. But we still want you to be there.”
Changmin smiled. “I also heard word that Seohyun has given birth to a baby boy, Jaejoong’s father is practically dead, and his uncle has been arrested for attempted murder of the prince, princess and their children.”
“Good,” Junsu said with a grin. “But not important.”
Changmin chuckled. “Not important?”
“No.”
“What is important?”
“Am I invited closer?”
Changmin gulped, heart speeding up again. He’d never been so nervous. Not even three days ago when he had to take the most important shot of his life.
He held out his hand. “Yes, but if you get closer, I may never let you go.”
Junsu smiled and then laughed as he finally moved within reach. Wrapping his arms around Junsu’s body, he buried his face in Junsu’s stomach and tried not to cry. Relief. Fear. Something. Love, definitely.
Junsu’s breath hitched. “Sorry. I’m still a little sore.”
“You should have waited to come see me.”
“It would have been weeks. I need to be back in a few days to help with the coronation.”
Changmin frowned. “I may tie you up and keep you.”
Junsu leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I really want to be kept.”
Changmin reached up, tangled his hands in Junsu’s hair and deepened the kiss. He stayed, curled over Changmin, their lips together, for long minutes. Silently, they broke apart and Changmin moved back up on the bed, making room for Junsu to climb in with him.
Junsu pressed in close, head against his chest, and Changmin wrapped his arms around him. They lay in silence, just breathing, for a long time. And then Junsu’s arms moved, and he trailed his fingers up Changmin’s chest. The sun was almost gone, the shadows of Junsu’s fingers and arm were long and dark.
Changmin caught his fingers and brought them up to his mouth to kiss. Junsu smiled and then laughed and moved, propping himself up on an elbow, their faces close and aligned. Changmin pressed up, Junsu leaned down, and they kissed again. Junsu’s fingers continued their path and then went lower, to his stomach. He tugged on the tunic and hit skin. Changmin sucked in a surprised breath at the light touch and was quick to do the same, moving his hands from the back of Junsu to under his tunic, sliding up over the bandage on his body to warm skin.
“We should really talk first,” Junsu whispered.
Changmin groaned. “Why?”
Junsu laughed. “Because.”
“Don’t want to. Talk after.”
“After what?”
Changmin swallowed roughly. “Stop talking. I’ll show you.”
Junsu laughed again. “Fine, Mister Rebel.”
Changmin sat up, but did not let Junsu pull away. Their mouths stayed together, only parting for the brief moments it took to remove their tunics. Changmin frowned at the thick bandage around his waist.
“I’m fine,” Junsu whispered and touched their lips again. “The doctor only wants this around my waist for support, that’s all. The wound has mostly healed and I’m regaining my strength.”
“It’s not that,” Changmin said. “I mean, that’s good to hear, but I can’t tease your stomach this way.”
Junsu laughed. “Then I guess you’ll have to save that for the next time.”
Changmin liked the sound of next time. Their lips met again, and Changmin supported Junsu carefully, arms around his body, while they resettled against the mattress, this time with Junsu’s head on the pillows and Changmin leaning over him. He kissed Junsu in all the ways had had done so in his dreams: slow and deep, quick and light, passionate, desperate. His body rocked against Junsu’s thigh. His moans were no longer alone, but accompanied by Junsu’s gasps and whimpers.
He tangled their fingers together, squeezing tight, holding him close, almost too close. Against his body, in his heart, skin to skin. He loved the touch of fingers on his back, hands digging into his muscles, fingernails blunt against his skin.
Changmin did not want to rush anything, but it was hard to be patient. Even harder not to just rip clothes off. Instead, he pushed his impatience to his mouth and into Junsu’s skin. He broke from his lips and moved over his body instead. Down his neck and chest, against his nipples and shoulders, all the way to the top of the bandage. And then below it, pulling at his pants to get to the skin below his belly button.
Junsu squirmed with each kiss, each bite, and he pulled Changmin’s hair with desperation. He gasped Changmin’s name and other obscenities indecent for a prince.
When Changmin finally succumbed to Junsu’s pleadings, he let himself be moved to the side, let himself lay on his back, and let Junsu do the same to him. Lips, fingers, tongue ... and kisses. So many kisses.
As darkness fell, so did their clothes, over the edge of the bed, allowing more skin and pleasure to be explored, letting Changmin worship his prince and twist desire through their bodies. Slick with sweat and desperate, Changmin stopped only long enough to grab the small pot of oil from his dresser.
On the way back to the bed, he slowed, soaking in the sight of Junsu’s skin bathed with moonlight, glimmering with sweat as Junsu pleasured himself for the few moments Changmin was gone. He made a promise to memorize every single inch of his skin in the daylight next time before climbing back onto the bed.
Changmin kissed Junsu while his fingers worked him open. Junsu’s legs tightened around his back, body arching up off the bed. Never silent, Junsu begged for more, begged for a release, begged for Changmin.
Changmin vowed to give Junsu everything he wished for.
With their bodies together, Changmin remembered the arrow, the flight of it as the white feathers had spun. Even with his knees firmly planted, their lips together, their bodies in sync, Changmin felt like that snowflake in a gale, felt like the arrow in the wind, spiraling toward a destination, a specific target. Vulnerable. Like a feather. Beautiful and free, but fragile.
Changmin moved one hand from where it was pressed into the bed next to Junsu’s head. He took his hand, pulling it to his chest. Their entwined fingers pressed in tight over Junsu’s heart. Changmin breath stuttered through words that sounded like Junsu’s name, maybe. Endearments. Whispers of love. He felt wetness on his face that was not sweat, and his throat closed. Everything was perfect, so perfect.
And then it was Junsu’s name, clear and loud, echoing in the dark as Changmin panted and raced for completion.
He heard his own name, counter to Junsu’s, and then a demand for a kiss, and Changmin fell over his lover, pressed their lips together as their bodies shuddered, as their pleasure peaked. The kiss slowed, guiding the tempo of everything else.
“Not bad, Max,” Junsu said with a grin. “Not bad for a thief.”
Changmin grunted. “Not so bad yourself. For a prince.” He pulled his hips away, but kept the rest of himself close, curling up against Junsu’s chest.
“You need new bandages,” Changmin said.
Junsu laughed. “You might need new bedding.”
“Yeah, and if we both need these new things anyway, might as well make them really dirty.”
Junsu pulled his face back for another kiss and hummed his agreement into Changmin’s mouth.
<|---------<<<
Junsu woke up slowly, annoyed at being disturbed. His eyes opened and then shut. A sliver of bright sunlight shined right into his eyes. He moaned and buried his face against Changmin’s shoulder, attempting to pull the blanket up over his head.
Changmin shifted, his arm curling over Junsu’s waist and his warm breath touched his neck. “Awake?” he murmured.
Junsu grunted. “Sort of.”
With a small laugh, Changmin pulled away enough to press a kiss to his lips. “I love you.”
Junsu smiled. He fought it, really he did, but his entire soul sored and his heart clenched, throat going tight. “I love you,” he gasped and blinked tears.
The next kiss was deeper, leading to something more than a moment before Changmin pulled away with a heavy breath. “We should get up.”
“Soon,” Junsu said, tilting his head back as Changmin moved his mouth to Junsu’s neck. “I do have an ulterior motive,” he said, voice breathy. He tightened his grip on Changmin’s shoulders.
“Besides getting me into bed?”
“Well, I guess that was the ulterior motive. Technically, I’m here to beg for safe passage for travelers. We want to reinstate the trade routes between us, but we can’t do that if Marauding Max is always marauding.”
Changmin grunted, lapping at Junsu’s nipple. “Yeah, whatever, business talk later.”
Junsu chuckled and tangled his hand in Changmin’s hair. “Fine later. Now, a bath. Isn’t there a river nearby where we won’t be disturbed.”
Changmin pressed his chin into Junsu’s stomach, just above the bandage. He pouted. “But then we’d have to get up. And get dressed.”
“I have two more entire days to spend with you,” Junsu said, trailing his finger down Changmin’s jaw and then to his lips where it was sucked on lightly. “I need some coffee and breakfast. Or lunch. Whatever time it is. And then we’ll disappear again, okay?”
Changmin sighed, but he nodded. “Yeah. You’re right. But I’m not obeying you just because you’re a prince.”
Junsu laughed. “I know that.”
“It’s because I love you.”
Junsu smiled and pulled Changmin up for another deep kiss, this one lasting much later than either of them expected and only ending when Heechul barged in to demand to know how their night went.
“Perfect,” Changmin said, smiling down at Junsu. “Absolutely perfect.”
“And orgasmic,” Junsu added. “Absolutely orgasmic.”
“With only two of you?” Heechul said with a waggle of eyebrows. “Impossible.”
“Dare I ask?” Junsu said, finally rolling away from Changmin and to the edge of the bed. His body was sore. A long soak in the river sounded wonderful.
“Well, Taeminnie isn’t the only one that escorted you here,” Heechul said.
Junsu groaned. “Minho and Jonghyun, too?”
“Of course. You brought me so many pretty toys to play with.”
Changmin laughed. “Maybe now you’ll stop groping me every chance you get.”
“Not likely,” Yunho said, coming into the room. “Heechul, come on. Leave them alone.”
“We’re going to go soak in the river,” Changmin said. “Tomorrow we need to have a meeting.”
“About what?” Yunho asked.
“Safe passage for travelers through the forest.”
Yunho frowned.
Changmin nodded. He stood up and moved to where he’d thrown his breeches. Junsu’s were nearby and he tossed them over him. Junsu did not get up naked, but pulled the pants on under the covers. He had no desire to flash his body to the other two.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Changmin said to Yunho, pointing at him with the hilt of a knife before putting it on his belt, “but you also remember when there was a safe route between the kingdoms through these trees. When we were younger.”
“Both Junho and Jaejoong want to reopen a trade route,” Junsu said. “We can’t do that without your cooperation.”
Yunho did nothing, his body a firm pillar of disagreement.
Changmin sigh and nodded. “I am not just blindly agreeing to it, no matter how beautiful Junsu looks with my cock buried inside him. I stand by what I said before. My loyalty is to us, to these people, to you. It always has been.”
Junsu huffed, but Changmin ignored him. They could do nothing if Max’s band of thieves refused to cooperate.
“We’ll talk tomorrow, okay,” Changmin said. “You and Yoochun come up with a list of demands.”
“There won’t be any. Yoochun and Yoohwan are going to disappear. And you said we wouldn’t be displaced here.”
“I know,” Changmin said and ran his hands roughly through his hair. “We won’t. We ... just ...”
Junsu touched his shoulder, frowning just a little bit. “It’s okay, Min,” he whispered. Louder, he said to Yunho, “Junho said to mention it and see what your reaction is. We don’t want to piss you off or piss off your followers. We’re willing to include you in any trades, but we also understand that it is really soon. I mean, Junho and Jaejoong haven’t even met yet to sign a treaty, so don’t worry about it right now, okay?”
Yunho narrowed his eyes and said, “You’re so lucky you’re even alive, pretty boy.”
He ignored Changmin’s harsh reprimand and left the cabin. Heechul winked and said, “He’s right, you know?”
“Yeah, I know,” Changmin whispered.
After Heechul left, Junsu turned to Changmin, an eyebrow raised in question.
Changmin shrugged. “I’ve stopped my men from killing you since we first started meeting in the woods. This last time, with your guards, I just could not rationalize not killing them anymore. They were starting to ask questions, and I told them to only kill two of them. I did not want to.”
“I guess it’s a good thing,” Junsu said. “I barely survived three of them attacking me. Any more of them and I would be dead.”
“I’m still so sorry.”
Junsu moved up against him and smiled. “I know. But it’s over now. And now we can start anew. I’ve loved you from afar for too many years, it feels like. I want to stay and get to know you, talk to you, walk around the woods with you. Hunt and fish with you. Just be together. I love you. I know I do, but I want to really really love you.”
Changmin smiled and kissed him. “Same. No matter what happens.”
“Promise me.”
“Promise you what?”
“Promise me that you’ll be yourself, you’ll act like you, not Max, not a thief or a mercenary. Just Changmin. Just you, the boy I remember from the castle, okay?”
“You too,” Changmin said with a nod. “You’ll be yourself. Not a prince, not the heir, not the king’s messenger. Just Junsu.”
“I promise.”
“Me too. A promise. To start anew.”
Junsu laughed, a happy noise that echoed around them. He pulled Changmin down and wrapped his arms around his body for a long, heavy kiss, a kiss that had hands involved, clothes falling back to the wooden floor, and bodies pushing down onto the bed.
<|---------<<<
A/N: This doesn't feel exactly finished, but I'm not sure how to write all the rest except like this, so here you go. A Mini-Epilogue.
A few years later, everything is okay and good. There is a treaty between the two kingdoms, the villagers are no longer oppressed, and as promised, Changmin has not abandoned the people in his hideout. Agreements were reached and Marauding Max's Men are given money to protect travelers to keep them from stealing it. Also, as promised, the Park Brothers disappeared together. And Yunho would be very upset about everything but Heechul has his ways to make him agreeable. And finally, Junho quite forcefully told his brother that Changmin needed him more than Junho did, so he kicked him out, and now Junsu lives with Changmin in the trees. The End!
Part 15: The Quiver
Part 14: The Archer
Part 13: The Ascham
Part 12: The Barb
Part 11: The Nocking Point
Part 10: The Target Panic
Part 9: The Fishtailing
Part 8: The Sight Window
Part 7: The Aim
Part 6: The Bracer
Part 5: The Fletching
Part 4: The Limbs
Part 3: The Anchor
Part 2: The Grip
Part 1: The Shaft
.
Pairing: Changmin/Junsu (Jaejoong/fc, Yunho/Heechul, Yoochun/Yoohwan [incest], Junho/fc)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Here is another world that I wish existed in a place other than my mind, but it doesn't and I don't own them and I can only place them into this delusion.
Summary: Greed and corruption rule two neighboring kingdoms: The Kingdom of Mountains and the Kingdom of Trees. Two princes are planning a coup. Their success or failure depends on the shadow in the woods, the rogue of the forests, the arrow in the sky.
A/N: Totally inspired by Robin Hood. Can you blame me?
All archery terms are taken from TradeBow.
Warning: het
Part 16:
The Feather
A whole feather, or one of its sections used on an arrow for guidance.
Changmin lay back in his bed, still not quite recovered from the adrenaline rush of his task and the subsequent maze of caves afterwards. He’d thought for a long time that he’d gotten lost. He’d been too eager to get out, made a wrong turn, somewhere, but he was lucky that Yoohwan had made him memorize more than one route out of those caverns.
Everyone else in the compound still had no idea what had happened. Just as it should be. No one but the seven of them knew exactly who had shot the King of Mountains. They all thought he was just sick and mostly left him alone.
Heechul doted on him, though. For three days, letting Changmin rest and calm himself down before facing the rest of the rabble. Heechul brought him food and a stolen bottle of mountain whiskey.
”Stolen is such a bad word,” Heechul had said. “I prefer reappropriated.”
Changmin drank most of it the night before.
And suffered through the headache that morning. Still he only emerged from his room when he had to. One of those times was to check on the Park Brothers. Yoohwan was awake, still a bit drowsy, but on his way to a full recovery. Yoochun was still a bit depressed, and Changmin knew he would be until Yoohwan could smile and laugh and kiss him again.
The sun was setting, bathing the trees in gold and tossing yellow and orange light around the wooden floor and walls of Changmin’s room. A whistle sounded nearby and then there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Changmin said, recognizing Heechul’s whistle.
“Changminnie,” Heechul said with a wide grin as he entered, “there’s someone here to see you.”
Changmin sighed and propped up with his hands on the bed behind him.
Heechul blocked the door for a moment, and then moved to the side. A cloaked figure walked into his room, and then the cowl was lowered, and Changmin’s heart twisted in his chest, and his vision went blurry.
Junsu. His Junsu. His face and skin looked better than they had four days ago, flush with color and warmth. And then he smiled, and Changmin opened his mouth to say something and couldn’t, and then he licked his lips.
“Enjoy yourself, Changminnie,” Heechul said. “I know I will.”
Changmin realized then that a third person was there. He had just a moment to see that it was Taemin before Heechul was pulling the other away from his door. He heard, “Gonna press myself between you and Yunho’s cocks all night long,” and they were alone.
Junsu shut the door and smiled. “Hi.”
Changmin cleared his throat. “Hi.” He was surprised he managed even that. The way the sun shone against his hair and his skin was breathtaking. Just having him here. It was ... impossible.
Junsu pulled something from inside his cloak. “I thought you might want your arrow back.”
Changmin watched the arrow spiral down, and the metal clattered to the floor. The feathers were no longer white, dyed a deep red from blood.
“Nice shot,” Junsu said, removing the cloak and hanging it up on a nearby chair.
“I’m glad I did not miss.”
“Me too. I doubted you for a while. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I doubted myself too.”
Junsu wore tight clothes, nothing like the flashy things he’d first traveled in the woods in. His pants were a deep green, the tunic a pattern of browns and greens. They showed off his strong arms and legs, and Changmin licked his lips.
“Junho’s official coronation is next week. We’d like you to be there.”
“My face is still spread around on wanted posters throughout the city. Probably not a good idea.”
“True. But we still want you to be there.”
Changmin smiled. “I also heard word that Seohyun has given birth to a baby boy, Jaejoong’s father is practically dead, and his uncle has been arrested for attempted murder of the prince, princess and their children.”
“Good,” Junsu said with a grin. “But not important.”
Changmin chuckled. “Not important?”
“No.”
“What is important?”
“Am I invited closer?”
Changmin gulped, heart speeding up again. He’d never been so nervous. Not even three days ago when he had to take the most important shot of his life.
He held out his hand. “Yes, but if you get closer, I may never let you go.”
Junsu smiled and then laughed as he finally moved within reach. Wrapping his arms around Junsu’s body, he buried his face in Junsu’s stomach and tried not to cry. Relief. Fear. Something. Love, definitely.
Junsu’s breath hitched. “Sorry. I’m still a little sore.”
“You should have waited to come see me.”
“It would have been weeks. I need to be back in a few days to help with the coronation.”
Changmin frowned. “I may tie you up and keep you.”
Junsu leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I really want to be kept.”
Changmin reached up, tangled his hands in Junsu’s hair and deepened the kiss. He stayed, curled over Changmin, their lips together, for long minutes. Silently, they broke apart and Changmin moved back up on the bed, making room for Junsu to climb in with him.
Junsu pressed in close, head against his chest, and Changmin wrapped his arms around him. They lay in silence, just breathing, for a long time. And then Junsu’s arms moved, and he trailed his fingers up Changmin’s chest. The sun was almost gone, the shadows of Junsu’s fingers and arm were long and dark.
Changmin caught his fingers and brought them up to his mouth to kiss. Junsu smiled and then laughed and moved, propping himself up on an elbow, their faces close and aligned. Changmin pressed up, Junsu leaned down, and they kissed again. Junsu’s fingers continued their path and then went lower, to his stomach. He tugged on the tunic and hit skin. Changmin sucked in a surprised breath at the light touch and was quick to do the same, moving his hands from the back of Junsu to under his tunic, sliding up over the bandage on his body to warm skin.
“We should really talk first,” Junsu whispered.
Changmin groaned. “Why?”
Junsu laughed. “Because.”
“Don’t want to. Talk after.”
“After what?”
Changmin swallowed roughly. “Stop talking. I’ll show you.”
Junsu laughed again. “Fine, Mister Rebel.”
Changmin sat up, but did not let Junsu pull away. Their mouths stayed together, only parting for the brief moments it took to remove their tunics. Changmin frowned at the thick bandage around his waist.
“I’m fine,” Junsu whispered and touched their lips again. “The doctor only wants this around my waist for support, that’s all. The wound has mostly healed and I’m regaining my strength.”
“It’s not that,” Changmin said. “I mean, that’s good to hear, but I can’t tease your stomach this way.”
Junsu laughed. “Then I guess you’ll have to save that for the next time.”
Changmin liked the sound of next time. Their lips met again, and Changmin supported Junsu carefully, arms around his body, while they resettled against the mattress, this time with Junsu’s head on the pillows and Changmin leaning over him. He kissed Junsu in all the ways had had done so in his dreams: slow and deep, quick and light, passionate, desperate. His body rocked against Junsu’s thigh. His moans were no longer alone, but accompanied by Junsu’s gasps and whimpers.
He tangled their fingers together, squeezing tight, holding him close, almost too close. Against his body, in his heart, skin to skin. He loved the touch of fingers on his back, hands digging into his muscles, fingernails blunt against his skin.
Changmin did not want to rush anything, but it was hard to be patient. Even harder not to just rip clothes off. Instead, he pushed his impatience to his mouth and into Junsu’s skin. He broke from his lips and moved over his body instead. Down his neck and chest, against his nipples and shoulders, all the way to the top of the bandage. And then below it, pulling at his pants to get to the skin below his belly button.
Junsu squirmed with each kiss, each bite, and he pulled Changmin’s hair with desperation. He gasped Changmin’s name and other obscenities indecent for a prince.
When Changmin finally succumbed to Junsu’s pleadings, he let himself be moved to the side, let himself lay on his back, and let Junsu do the same to him. Lips, fingers, tongue ... and kisses. So many kisses.
As darkness fell, so did their clothes, over the edge of the bed, allowing more skin and pleasure to be explored, letting Changmin worship his prince and twist desire through their bodies. Slick with sweat and desperate, Changmin stopped only long enough to grab the small pot of oil from his dresser.
On the way back to the bed, he slowed, soaking in the sight of Junsu’s skin bathed with moonlight, glimmering with sweat as Junsu pleasured himself for the few moments Changmin was gone. He made a promise to memorize every single inch of his skin in the daylight next time before climbing back onto the bed.
Changmin kissed Junsu while his fingers worked him open. Junsu’s legs tightened around his back, body arching up off the bed. Never silent, Junsu begged for more, begged for a release, begged for Changmin.
Changmin vowed to give Junsu everything he wished for.
With their bodies together, Changmin remembered the arrow, the flight of it as the white feathers had spun. Even with his knees firmly planted, their lips together, their bodies in sync, Changmin felt like that snowflake in a gale, felt like the arrow in the wind, spiraling toward a destination, a specific target. Vulnerable. Like a feather. Beautiful and free, but fragile.
Changmin moved one hand from where it was pressed into the bed next to Junsu’s head. He took his hand, pulling it to his chest. Their entwined fingers pressed in tight over Junsu’s heart. Changmin breath stuttered through words that sounded like Junsu’s name, maybe. Endearments. Whispers of love. He felt wetness on his face that was not sweat, and his throat closed. Everything was perfect, so perfect.
And then it was Junsu’s name, clear and loud, echoing in the dark as Changmin panted and raced for completion.
He heard his own name, counter to Junsu’s, and then a demand for a kiss, and Changmin fell over his lover, pressed their lips together as their bodies shuddered, as their pleasure peaked. The kiss slowed, guiding the tempo of everything else.
“Not bad, Max,” Junsu said with a grin. “Not bad for a thief.”
Changmin grunted. “Not so bad yourself. For a prince.” He pulled his hips away, but kept the rest of himself close, curling up against Junsu’s chest.
“You need new bandages,” Changmin said.
Junsu laughed. “You might need new bedding.”
“Yeah, and if we both need these new things anyway, might as well make them really dirty.”
Junsu pulled his face back for another kiss and hummed his agreement into Changmin’s mouth.
<|---------<<<
Junsu woke up slowly, annoyed at being disturbed. His eyes opened and then shut. A sliver of bright sunlight shined right into his eyes. He moaned and buried his face against Changmin’s shoulder, attempting to pull the blanket up over his head.
Changmin shifted, his arm curling over Junsu’s waist and his warm breath touched his neck. “Awake?” he murmured.
Junsu grunted. “Sort of.”
With a small laugh, Changmin pulled away enough to press a kiss to his lips. “I love you.”
Junsu smiled. He fought it, really he did, but his entire soul sored and his heart clenched, throat going tight. “I love you,” he gasped and blinked tears.
The next kiss was deeper, leading to something more than a moment before Changmin pulled away with a heavy breath. “We should get up.”
“Soon,” Junsu said, tilting his head back as Changmin moved his mouth to Junsu’s neck. “I do have an ulterior motive,” he said, voice breathy. He tightened his grip on Changmin’s shoulders.
“Besides getting me into bed?”
“Well, I guess that was the ulterior motive. Technically, I’m here to beg for safe passage for travelers. We want to reinstate the trade routes between us, but we can’t do that if Marauding Max is always marauding.”
Changmin grunted, lapping at Junsu’s nipple. “Yeah, whatever, business talk later.”
Junsu chuckled and tangled his hand in Changmin’s hair. “Fine later. Now, a bath. Isn’t there a river nearby where we won’t be disturbed.”
Changmin pressed his chin into Junsu’s stomach, just above the bandage. He pouted. “But then we’d have to get up. And get dressed.”
“I have two more entire days to spend with you,” Junsu said, trailing his finger down Changmin’s jaw and then to his lips where it was sucked on lightly. “I need some coffee and breakfast. Or lunch. Whatever time it is. And then we’ll disappear again, okay?”
Changmin sighed, but he nodded. “Yeah. You’re right. But I’m not obeying you just because you’re a prince.”
Junsu laughed. “I know that.”
“It’s because I love you.”
Junsu smiled and pulled Changmin up for another deep kiss, this one lasting much later than either of them expected and only ending when Heechul barged in to demand to know how their night went.
“Perfect,” Changmin said, smiling down at Junsu. “Absolutely perfect.”
“And orgasmic,” Junsu added. “Absolutely orgasmic.”
“With only two of you?” Heechul said with a waggle of eyebrows. “Impossible.”
“Dare I ask?” Junsu said, finally rolling away from Changmin and to the edge of the bed. His body was sore. A long soak in the river sounded wonderful.
“Well, Taeminnie isn’t the only one that escorted you here,” Heechul said.
Junsu groaned. “Minho and Jonghyun, too?”
“Of course. You brought me so many pretty toys to play with.”
Changmin laughed. “Maybe now you’ll stop groping me every chance you get.”
“Not likely,” Yunho said, coming into the room. “Heechul, come on. Leave them alone.”
“We’re going to go soak in the river,” Changmin said. “Tomorrow we need to have a meeting.”
“About what?” Yunho asked.
“Safe passage for travelers through the forest.”
Yunho frowned.
Changmin nodded. He stood up and moved to where he’d thrown his breeches. Junsu’s were nearby and he tossed them over him. Junsu did not get up naked, but pulled the pants on under the covers. He had no desire to flash his body to the other two.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Changmin said to Yunho, pointing at him with the hilt of a knife before putting it on his belt, “but you also remember when there was a safe route between the kingdoms through these trees. When we were younger.”
“Both Junho and Jaejoong want to reopen a trade route,” Junsu said. “We can’t do that without your cooperation.”
Yunho did nothing, his body a firm pillar of disagreement.
Changmin sigh and nodded. “I am not just blindly agreeing to it, no matter how beautiful Junsu looks with my cock buried inside him. I stand by what I said before. My loyalty is to us, to these people, to you. It always has been.”
Junsu huffed, but Changmin ignored him. They could do nothing if Max’s band of thieves refused to cooperate.
“We’ll talk tomorrow, okay,” Changmin said. “You and Yoochun come up with a list of demands.”
“There won’t be any. Yoochun and Yoohwan are going to disappear. And you said we wouldn’t be displaced here.”
“I know,” Changmin said and ran his hands roughly through his hair. “We won’t. We ... just ...”
Junsu touched his shoulder, frowning just a little bit. “It’s okay, Min,” he whispered. Louder, he said to Yunho, “Junho said to mention it and see what your reaction is. We don’t want to piss you off or piss off your followers. We’re willing to include you in any trades, but we also understand that it is really soon. I mean, Junho and Jaejoong haven’t even met yet to sign a treaty, so don’t worry about it right now, okay?”
Yunho narrowed his eyes and said, “You’re so lucky you’re even alive, pretty boy.”
He ignored Changmin’s harsh reprimand and left the cabin. Heechul winked and said, “He’s right, you know?”
“Yeah, I know,” Changmin whispered.
After Heechul left, Junsu turned to Changmin, an eyebrow raised in question.
Changmin shrugged. “I’ve stopped my men from killing you since we first started meeting in the woods. This last time, with your guards, I just could not rationalize not killing them anymore. They were starting to ask questions, and I told them to only kill two of them. I did not want to.”
“I guess it’s a good thing,” Junsu said. “I barely survived three of them attacking me. Any more of them and I would be dead.”
“I’m still so sorry.”
Junsu moved up against him and smiled. “I know. But it’s over now. And now we can start anew. I’ve loved you from afar for too many years, it feels like. I want to stay and get to know you, talk to you, walk around the woods with you. Hunt and fish with you. Just be together. I love you. I know I do, but I want to really really love you.”
Changmin smiled and kissed him. “Same. No matter what happens.”
“Promise me.”
“Promise you what?”
“Promise me that you’ll be yourself, you’ll act like you, not Max, not a thief or a mercenary. Just Changmin. Just you, the boy I remember from the castle, okay?”
“You too,” Changmin said with a nod. “You’ll be yourself. Not a prince, not the heir, not the king’s messenger. Just Junsu.”
“I promise.”
“Me too. A promise. To start anew.”
Junsu laughed, a happy noise that echoed around them. He pulled Changmin down and wrapped his arms around his body for a long, heavy kiss, a kiss that had hands involved, clothes falling back to the wooden floor, and bodies pushing down onto the bed.
<|---------<<<
A/N: This doesn't feel exactly finished, but I'm not sure how to write all the rest except like this, so here you go. A Mini-Epilogue.
A few years later, everything is okay and good. There is a treaty between the two kingdoms, the villagers are no longer oppressed, and as promised, Changmin has not abandoned the people in his hideout. Agreements were reached and Marauding Max's Men are given money to protect travelers to keep them from stealing it. Also, as promised, the Park Brothers disappeared together. And Yunho would be very upset about everything but Heechul has his ways to make him agreeable. And finally, Junho quite forcefully told his brother that Changmin needed him more than Junho did, so he kicked him out, and now Junsu lives with Changmin in the trees. The End!
Part 15: The Quiver
Part 14: The Archer
Part 13: The Ascham
Part 12: The Barb
Part 11: The Nocking Point
Part 10: The Target Panic
Part 9: The Fishtailing
Part 8: The Sight Window
Part 7: The Aim
Part 6: The Bracer
Part 5: The Fletching
Part 4: The Limbs
Part 3: The Anchor
Part 2: The Grip
Part 1: The Shaft
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