Of French Customs and Old Times. Part 8
Title: Of French Customs and Old Times.
Status: Part 8 of ?
Author: xxqod
Pairings: Jonghyun/Taemin/Minho, Jinki/Kibum
Rating: PG-15
A/N: For bopeep_achu who requested this, it takes place in France of the 18th Century. Incorrect use of the French language XD lol, I only had basic French. It's not historically correct and I used their Korean names, cause I can't bring myself to change them. (Don't bash me for it! >.< )
~There's a wordlist at the end of each part, stating the French words and their translation.~
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"Taemin?" Minho's deep voice fills the room. He makes his way over to the bed where Taemin lies under the blankets. His eyes drift to the dress in a mess on the floor with the panniers laying beside it. He also notices the cloths Taemin uses to fill the front of his dress, giving himself a more female appearance. He raises an eyebrow. Couldn't Taemin hang it back in the closet?
"Are you alright? I didn't see you at the ball anymore." Minho sounds concerned and it is foreign to Taemin, who thinks about how they lived a different life for so many years. He coughs a little, feigning a cold or something he hopes Minho will take as him not feeling well.
The bed dips under the extra weight and Taemin flinches hoping Minho doesn't notice Jonghyun who's hiding under the bed. A hand tugs back the covers and Taemin is happy he lies with his back to Minho, because his red lips would be way too noticeable. The hand touches his forehead and Taemin feels elated, how long has it been since Minho just touched him like this?
"You are a little warm, but I don't think you have a fever, ma chérie." Since when Minho sounded like he cared for him again? Taemin is confused. But he doesn't have the time to be, because Minho is hovering over him, pressing their foreheads together and he presses their mouths together. How Taemin hopes he didn't notice the state of his lips.
"Can't we go back to the cheerful times we had?" It's a shock to Taemin, if the silence is anything to go by. Why now all of a sudden? He opens his mouth to say something back, but closes it again, not knowing what to say.
"Je t'aime, Taemin. I really do." And with that Minho captures Taemin in a sweet kiss and presses Taemin further into the mattress.
Jonghyun who could barely hide in time under the bed, is trapped in his spot because of the extra weight and to top it off he has to listen to the sickening sweet, loving things Minho says to Taemin, his Taemin. His heart falls when he hears Taemin's soft moan and the bed creaks dangerously above him. He blocks his ears with his hands and shut his eyes tight as if it can stop the happenings from happening.
A moan containing Minho's name and a soft 'I love you too' fill the air and Taemin feels drowsy from their intimate time together. He has all forgotten about Jonghyun still hiding in his room. But when Minho is out of the room for a few seconds and Jonghyun comes from his hiding place with a tear-streaked face, reality comes crashing down hard on Taemin. His breath is caught in his throat while he waits for something to happen. Maybe even waits for Jonghyun to hit him, scream at him or even kill him, but nothing comes.
His breathing is heavy but he tries his best, silently waiting for Taemin but nothing happens. And he doesn't know if he could say anything in this situation so he stays still, waiting for an opportunity to speak without having his voice fail him. The silence allows in to take in Taemin, his lack of clothing and messed up hair. He smiles without the happiness reaching his eyes.
"I'm fighting a lost battle, aren't I? I'm already defeated and I still try to conquer your heart, even if it's already taken by someone else. Just say so and I will leave." He turns to the door, grabbing his tricorne and puts it back on his head. He's stopped by two small arms around his torso and a naked Taemin pressed into his back.
"You aren't. But you have to win me over. I'm going to risk my life and that of Kibum by doing this. You can try. Make me yours when the time is right." It ends in a whisper but Jonghyun hears it all. He wants to turn around but Taemin doesn't let him, instead he pushes Jonghyun out the door, closing it behind him.
His steps are heavy in the hallway, but at least he knows he still has a chance. He hears a thud and looks bewildered around him, trying to find out where the sound came from. Another thud seconds later, but this time also a voice. A voice he knows too well. Jinki. He walks closer, pressing his ear against the wood and frowns.
"Ah.. Kibum…" Kibum? Does he hear it right? He pulls the door open, something he shouldn't have done, because it gets him scarred for life. He stutters and gapes at the sight and the two subjects of his embarrassment are practically merged together into one being.
Jonghyun closes the door at the moment Kibum opens his mouth to say something and sinks against the wall. Why can everyone find happiness? Do those two even know each other?
It is only a few minutes later when the door opens and Jinki comes stumbling out, fully dressed this time and Kibum behind him, holding his hand so he doesn't fall. He throws a glance at them and proceeds to stare at the opposite wall, tracing the patterns with his eyes. A kick against his shin reverts him back and he curses loudly, glaring at Kibum who looks unimpressed. Jinki flails and apologizes for Kibum's behaviour which makes Jonghyun only more annoyed.
"Why do you even take his side?" He snaps at Jinki, who stops flailing around. He can't really understand any of this and he massages his temples, willing the feeling of strangling the two servants away.
"It's fate?" Jinki tries and fails, because Jonghyun gives him a look like he is retarded and Kibum slaps him on the shoulder, before face palming himself.
"You. Shush. Jonghyun. Come here." Kibum grabs Jonghyun wrist and pulls him on his feet, dragging both boys back in his room.
"You still should show some respect." Jonghyun huffs while he lets Kibum handle him.
"Oh I'm sorry, Seigneur." Kibum mocks back, clearly not the angel he is when in Taemin's presence.
"You're going to tell me exactly what happened in that room." Kibum pushes Jonghyun down on his bed and Jinki blushes. Replaying what happened before with him and that bed and… Kibum. He shivers, memories make his body react, but he is fast in denying the favourable replay. As if on cue Kibum shoots him a glance that says 'Don't you dare' and Jinki is glad his self-control is a little more than zero.
Jonghyun begins telling how he cornered Taemin and how they kissed, how they cried, how they almost made love if it wasn't for the interruption in the form of Minho. How Jonghyun could hide just in time and how he was trapped under the bed listening to Taemin and Minho having sex. How Taemin confessed to Minho he still loved him and how Taemin totally had forgotten about him being in the same room.
"He said I still have a chance to win him over. Conquer his heart. But I don't think I can…" Jonghyun ends, earning himself a smack on the arm from Kibum.
"Of course you can, môme! Don't be so stupid!" Kibum scolds him and Jonghyun looks with a raised eyebrow at Jinki when he heard that. Kibum watches the exchange of gazes with surprise.
"What's this?" He asks, getting a fierce glare from Jonghyun in return.
"Don't want to hear that nice nick name anymore?" Kibum ignores Jinki's hand signs telling him to please not say anything more and proceeds.
"Jinki told me everything about you and your life. And I'm surprised you didn't go after your goal any time sooner. Not being let into this castle is not an excuse. Taemin is most of his time in the gardens and you still have access to the gardens, or have you not?" Jonghyun looks confused and Kibum wants to seriously hurt that oblivious fool.
"Don't tell me you never noticed… Ah! I can't believe it!" His hands tug on his hair and Jinki tries to rub his back to calm Kibum down, but the aura coming from his love (can you even call it love?) makes him stay in his place.
"We, I, never let you in the castle, but to come to the front door you have to walk through the gardens. Not that it matters anymore, you know now, so make use of it. Taemin is always near the rose garden, Minho hates the smell there. So you won't have anyone disturb you. Only make sure he doesn't notice you. And now you take your leave." He pushes Jonghyun off his bed and Jinki follows them out, Kibum waving them off outside the port, but not before telling Jinki to come by once in a while.
"Jinki, I'm going to Versailles. You're coming with me?" Jinki looks up, seeing Jonghyun in a brown cloak and normal pale green clothes. He nods eagerly, looking at his own clothes to find nothing flashy there, before he grabs his own cloak and follows Jonghyun to the stalls.
"You ride Foudre." Jonghyun tells Jinki, more like orders him, but Jinki doesn't mind since he knows Jonghyun is clearly set on meeting Taemin and Jinki actually really likes Foudre. The horse has been in his care since he was designated to be Jonghyun's personal servant and they have a good bond.
They ride all the way to the castle, but when they get near Jonghyun motions Jinki to put on his hood. Recognition by random people on the streets would be the worst thing. The news of his arrival would then alarm Minho. Outside the port he asks the guard for permission to enter, which is granted when he says he's here to pay the loan. A white lie, but he doesn’t want anyone to know he's here. Jinki follows him like always, and they sneak their way around the gardens, searching for the roses Kibum mentioned.
Jinki pulls Jonghyun's sleeve as he spots red and white roses a good hundred meters from where they standing. Indeed it's the rose garden when they hear the distinct voice of Kibum and the laughter of Taemin, which makes Jonghyun have butterflies in his tummy. The noise of blades crossing also sounds through the air and Jonghyun pauses a while, but then he hears Kibum yelling instructions at Taemin and he understands it's practice.
They settle behind a particular large bush waiting for an opportunity to show themselves, until Jinki falls back. Jonghyun quickly hauls him back in their hiding place, but Jinki knows Kibum saw him.
"Taemin, let's rest a bit. I have a surprise for you." They hear Kibum say. Then he suddenly stands before them smirking at their crouching forms, before he pulls on Jinki's collar, taking him away and leaving Jonghyun behind with a wink. Jonghyun knows he doesn't has time to loose as he hears Taemin call for Key. Holding his hood on, he makes his way to Taemin, but the sword coming in his direction wasn't something he had expected.
"Who are you?" Taemin looks him up and down, but clearly doesn't recognize him as Jonghyun, which makes Jonghyun kind of happy at his disguise, but not with Taemin's sword pointed at him. He takes out his own sword and blocks Taemin's second attack. Jonghyun swings his sword down and effectively disarms Taemin and backs him up against the iron frame of a rose gate. With the sword still between them and dangerously close to their necks, Jonghyun presses his body against the smaller frame and gives Taemin an open-mouthed kiss. His hood is yanked back and he smiles goofily at Taemin.
"Jonghyun? What are you doing here? Where's Kibum?" Taemin's eyes frantically seek for any sign of the other, but nothing.
"Can you please put your sword down? You're almost slicing my neck!" Taemin says and Jonghyun drops the sword and pins Taemin again, this time with his bare hands.
"I'm coming here to make you mine. Kibum is somewhere with Jinki and my sword is already out of the way, so it can't even slice your neck anymore." Jonghyun almost whispers the words and his eyes are half-lidded, which makes Taemin uncomfortable.
"Don't worry, we'll talk." Jonghyun let go of Taemin but holds his hand instead running with him through the maze of roses, so tall, they can't see over them. Jonghyun spots a bench and tugs Taemin onto his lap when he sits down. Taemin blushes ferociously and Jonghyun smirks in victory.
"So… How was your life all this time? Did you still think about me?" Jonghyun asks and Taemin knows, rather hears in his voice, Jonghyun is trying to be happy.
"I did think about you… but not all the time. I'm sorry." He adds as Jonghyun's face becomes gloomy. He didn't really want to know, but he doesn't know what else to ask.
"Can I just hold you?" Jonghyun tightens his grip on Taemin's waist when the younger boy nods shyly, shifting to find a little more comfortable position in Jonghyun's lap. They watch the white clouds drift by and the silence is soothing, they're not intending to break it.
A butterfly freefalls through the air, taken away by a gush of wind and flutters again towards them when the wind stills. It first sits on a red rose on Taemin's left before it lands on Taemin's nose. Taemin shrieks and promptly falls on the ground bringing Jonghyun, who is still holding his waist, down with him.
Taemin turns his face so his nose isn't buried in the dirt and grass and Jonghyun's face is there, eyes smiling and lips touchable if Taemin leans in just a little more. His heart races and Taemin likes this feeling, guilt immediately pangs through his chest when he thinks of Minho. Minho who shows interest in him again after three years of living practically without him.
His arms move and push him off the ground. Taemin dusts his clothes a little and yelps when Jonghyun pulls him down again.
"Let me kiss you?" Jonghyun's eyes are big and questioning. Much like a little puppy who wants to play. Taemin knows it's dangerous to give in, but Jonghyun's presence doesn’t let him think straight and he timidly nods. He is rolled on his back and the sun is blocked when Jonghyun is on top and closing in on him. Lips brush and Taemin jolts at the sensational feeling. Hands lock around waists and necks, fingers find their way into short hair and under shirts. Taemin's long hair lays sprawled out like a paper fan in beautiful light waves. Jonghyun brushes the younger boy's bangs out of his way and caresses Taemin's cheek.
"I want you to love me." He breathes in Taemin's ear, his voice is heavy with emotion and he hopes Taemin will understand. Jonghyun locks eyes with him and Taemin's eyes are brimming over with tears.
"Don't…Don't ask…" Jonghyun kisses the tears away, tasting the salt and he feels only he can witness this true side of Taemin.
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A/N: I'M SO SOOOORRRYYY!!! *pulls hair out* I'm SO LATE! >.< I hope you'll still enjoyed it! But school's going to take up most of my time again… Will try to update as much as possible! Comments are loved! <3 ~~
List of French words with translation:
- mon chéri - sweetie
- ma chérie - female version of 'mon chéri'
- je t'aime - I love you
- Seigneur - Lord
- Tonnerre - Thunder
- Foudre - Lightning