#023 - crescent-moon night
Title: crescent-moon night
Author: galaxytaos
Fandom/Characters/Pairing: Seventeen; Jeonghan/Jun ; imaginary sister of Jeonghan's
Rating/Warnings: G; mentions of death
Challenge # & Prompt: #023 - starting tonight, people will die
Word Count: 603w
It's nearing midnight. A crescent moon, a sliver of pale white, hangs in the dark, inky sky.
The death knell is ringing.
In his bedroom, high up in one of the castle turrets, Junhui starts the count in his head. He wonders who has passed away; it must have been someone important. "One, two, three..."
He reaches ten when a frantic knocking comes at his door. "Junhui, Junhui, it's me!"
The door opens to reveal Prince Jeonghan, usually immaculate hair disheveled and wind-blown, dressed in a cloak the same shade as the night outside. He shuts the door quickly behind him and takes two steps towards Junhui, raising his left hand to cup his cheek.
"You have to go," Jeonghan whispers, eyelashes wet and warm, brown eyes glistening with tears. His other hand reaches towards Junhui's right one, squeezing tightly. "My sister's lover is dead."
Junhui feels cold, colder than the midnight chill is making him. Queen Jeongah has never liked him. "How?" he asks, quietly, just as the fifteenth toll rings.
An owl hoots. "Assassin, in the night," Jeonghan answers him, biting his lip and furrowing his eyebrows. Junhui has never seen him so anxious before. "They caught him and killed him. It was a Chinese man, Junhui - and she won't stop until she finds out who ordered this."
"I've been here the whole night," Junhui begins, a little confused, but Jeonghan interrupts. "She doesn't care," he hisses, yanking Junhui's hand sharply and touches it to his cheek. "My sister hates you - she'll think you did it."
As much as Junhui hates to agree, Jeonghan is right. Queen Jeongah is known for her beauty, but also for her cruelty. "What will happen to you?"
Jeonghan shakes his head, looking away and refusing to look Junhui in the eye. "You have to go," he repeats, this time a little more desperately. "Before she finds out I told you. Before she finds you."
Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three.
Jeonghan tugs off his cloak in one swift motion and drapes it around Junhui's shoulders. "Please. I cannot bear to see something happen to you," he begs, trembling. "You need to be safe."
Junhui is still confused, but he nods anyway. Anything for Jeonghan. "Will I see you again?"
For a second, Jeonghan hesitates. "Yes," he answers, voice strong yet fragile, firm yet shaky, as if his positive answer did nothing to affirm it. "There's a horse waiting for you just outside the gates." He pauses again, before reaching up on his tiptoes to press a kiss to Junhui's cheek. "Until we meet again, my love."
This time Junhui snakes an arm around Jeonghan's waist and tugs him closer for a proper kiss. "Until we meet again."
-
Jeonghan feels uncomfortable in front of large crowds, but especially so right now. His mourning clothes are all black and his collar is choking. He spent the last day feigning innocence and facing his sister hurling scream after scream and insult after insult at both himself and Junhui, hopefully somewhere safe, far far away, and he does not want to think about this ever again.
"Two nights ago your prince consort was murdered," Queen Jeongah begins as a hush falls over the crowd. "The culprit was apprehended and killed, but we are - I am - sure that there is someone behind all this."
Nobody dares object.
"This is high treason," she continues. Her voice is soft and spellbinding, but still merciless as ever. "I will stop at nothing to find out who it is."
Jeonghan discreetly glances over to her. The queen's eyes are cold, hard, glittering. "Starting tonight, people will die."
Author: galaxytaos
Fandom/Characters/Pairing: Seventeen; Jeonghan/Jun ; imaginary sister of Jeonghan's
Rating/Warnings: G; mentions of death
Challenge # & Prompt: #023 - starting tonight, people will die
Word Count: 603w
It's nearing midnight. A crescent moon, a sliver of pale white, hangs in the dark, inky sky.
The death knell is ringing.
In his bedroom, high up in one of the castle turrets, Junhui starts the count in his head. He wonders who has passed away; it must have been someone important. "One, two, three..."
He reaches ten when a frantic knocking comes at his door. "Junhui, Junhui, it's me!"
The door opens to reveal Prince Jeonghan, usually immaculate hair disheveled and wind-blown, dressed in a cloak the same shade as the night outside. He shuts the door quickly behind him and takes two steps towards Junhui, raising his left hand to cup his cheek.
"You have to go," Jeonghan whispers, eyelashes wet and warm, brown eyes glistening with tears. His other hand reaches towards Junhui's right one, squeezing tightly. "My sister's lover is dead."
Junhui feels cold, colder than the midnight chill is making him. Queen Jeongah has never liked him. "How?" he asks, quietly, just as the fifteenth toll rings.
An owl hoots. "Assassin, in the night," Jeonghan answers him, biting his lip and furrowing his eyebrows. Junhui has never seen him so anxious before. "They caught him and killed him. It was a Chinese man, Junhui - and she won't stop until she finds out who ordered this."
"I've been here the whole night," Junhui begins, a little confused, but Jeonghan interrupts. "She doesn't care," he hisses, yanking Junhui's hand sharply and touches it to his cheek. "My sister hates you - she'll think you did it."
As much as Junhui hates to agree, Jeonghan is right. Queen Jeongah is known for her beauty, but also for her cruelty. "What will happen to you?"
Jeonghan shakes his head, looking away and refusing to look Junhui in the eye. "You have to go," he repeats, this time a little more desperately. "Before she finds out I told you. Before she finds you."
Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three.
Jeonghan tugs off his cloak in one swift motion and drapes it around Junhui's shoulders. "Please. I cannot bear to see something happen to you," he begs, trembling. "You need to be safe."
Junhui is still confused, but he nods anyway. Anything for Jeonghan. "Will I see you again?"
For a second, Jeonghan hesitates. "Yes," he answers, voice strong yet fragile, firm yet shaky, as if his positive answer did nothing to affirm it. "There's a horse waiting for you just outside the gates." He pauses again, before reaching up on his tiptoes to press a kiss to Junhui's cheek. "Until we meet again, my love."
This time Junhui snakes an arm around Jeonghan's waist and tugs him closer for a proper kiss. "Until we meet again."
-
Jeonghan feels uncomfortable in front of large crowds, but especially so right now. His mourning clothes are all black and his collar is choking. He spent the last day feigning innocence and facing his sister hurling scream after scream and insult after insult at both himself and Junhui, hopefully somewhere safe, far far away, and he does not want to think about this ever again.
"Two nights ago your prince consort was murdered," Queen Jeongah begins as a hush falls over the crowd. "The culprit was apprehended and killed, but we are - I am - sure that there is someone behind all this."
Nobody dares object.
"This is high treason," she continues. Her voice is soft and spellbinding, but still merciless as ever. "I will stop at nothing to find out who it is."
Jeonghan discreetly glances over to her. The queen's eyes are cold, hard, glittering. "Starting tonight, people will die."