king & lionheart iv/iv
When Jongin bursts into the weapons room, Yunho starts and nearly runs him through with a sword. If it weren't for his years of training and natural instinct, Jongin would have died. As it is, he's able to move out of the way, avoiding the end of the sword and using his boot to kick it aside. Yunho glares at him, lowering the sword and setting it on the table.
"What was that for? You know better than to come barging in here." Yunho nods, looking disapprovingly down at Jongin.
"I'm sorry, but I really need to talk to you," Jongin says, pulling up a chair and practically forcing the older male to sit.
Yunho doesn't say anything, just leans back in his chair and waits for Jongin to speak. But now that Jongin has his attention, he doesn't know what to say. His revelation had given him the sudden urge to run and talk to the only father figure he's ever had, but now his mind is too much of a mess to even know where to start.
Everyone has been on edge since the king's departure, and Jongin had been feeling more and more conflicted ever since. He had seen how Sehun was handling the absence of his father and the sudden pressure on him to act as a king. Jongin could tell that Sehun was beginning to crack, the stress and worry visible in his face whenever Jongin caught even a glimpse of him. It was pulling at something in his gut, and his head had been trying to point him in the right direction to what it was. It wasn't until two nights ago that he figured it out.
"I'm in love with Prince Sehun."
Jongin collapses into a chair across from the older male then, and studies him carefully. After the initial shock had flitted across Yunho's face, a look of deep thought settled in its place. Silence stretched between them, and the longer it lasted the more sick that Jongin felt to his stomach. What if it had been a bad idea to come here and admit to this?
"You know this is very, very wrong for your ranks, Jongin," Yunho says, leaning forward and holding Jongin's gaze. "But if you truly love him, you must protect him with everything you have. These are bad times, and I don't want to see you regret any decisions you might make."
Silence reigns again after Yunho speaks, Jongin trying to process what just happened. He's touched that despite the fact that what he feels is utterly forbidden, Yunho is supportive anyway. It means a lot to him, and he has to swallow thickly around the lump in his throat. Jongin knows that things aren't going to ever be easy, that he's probably going to have to live with pretending his feelings don't exist. But the fact that Yunho cares and will be there to support him makes dealing with this so much easier than he could have ever hoped for.
"I'll do everything in my power to protect the prince. Not just because it's my duty, but because I love him, too," Jongin says firmly then, proud of the fact that he was able to keep his voice steady.
Yunho smiles, reaching forward to pat Jongin's knee. "I know that you will, Jongin. You're the best at what you do, and you're a strong kid. You'll be just fine."
"Thank you, Yunho," Jongin allows his voice to break at that, standing and bowing deeply to the man he respects the most.
He leaves the room then, not wanting to get tangled up and lost in the emotion that's suddenly welling his chest from the encounter. There's only one more thing he has to do now that he has someone's blessing, and it's not something that he's looking forward to.
But he saddles up Ivory anyway and rides into town.
Sooyeon must have seen him in the distance on his horse, because when he climbs down Soojung is standing outside the shop waiting for him. There's no smile on her face, but she looks lovely anyway. It hurts Jongin to know what he has to do, but it's for the best.
"Soojung, I have something important to talk to you about." He grabs her hand, gently steering her into the empty alley next to her family's shop. It's not the most ideal spot, but he wants to get this over with as soon as possible. "You know my rank in the castle, that I'm soon to be the lionheart for the prince, officially. There are rules, and I can't break them anymore. I'm so sorry."
She takes his explanation in stride, only a hint of sadness tainting her eyes as she nods, voice soft when she speaks. "I always knew it would come to this. Especially now, since the king has left." There's a pause before she follows up her words, quieter than ever. "You don't… regret this, do you?"
"Never. I would never regret what we had," Jongin says, reaching out to pull Soojung into an embrace. She trembles in his arms, and he feels horrible for what he's doing. But it's for Sehun, and that's what gives him the strength to finally pull away and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I hope you'll be happy, Soojung. Take care of yourself."
Jongin turns and leaves the alley then, climbing back onto his horse and taking the long way back to the castle. And if his eyes are red and puffy when he comes back, he can always pretend that it was the wind stinging into them that caused it.
There's a clanging of swords, and the feeling that something is wrong. Everything is a mess of action and shouting, and he wants to scream but he can't. There's too much going on and he can't figure out which way is up and which is down. Confusion seeps into his mind and causes everything to become gritty and twisting. A black figure looms over him then, and he catches a glimpse of a crown glinting in the daylight and smirk twitching on lips before a flash of silver crosses his vision, and everything goes black.
Sehun awakes with a start, body soaked with sweat and chest heaving from the terrified adrenaline pumping through his body. What he saw only makes an inkling of sense, and he's too scared to delve deeper into finding out what it is. A sense of foreboding sweeps over him, twists his gut into knots and he falls back into a fitful sleep.
Of course, the news reaches the castle the next afternoon that the king was killed in battle.
It's a bigger shock than he had expected, and Sehun does his best not to break down in front of the court. Everything is crashing down on him; his mother has been gone for years, and now his father was suddenly and harshly ripped from his life. The absence of them hurts, it hurts so much but there’s nothing he can about it. He doesn’t even have Jongin to lean on for support. The only thing he has is his own grief.
But grief comes second to duty, and he's rushed into preparations for his very imminent rise to the throne. The war is going worse than expected, and now they have to scramble to do what they can to save their home. It's now Sehun's job to make the decisions, and he isn't given even a moment to himself to mourn the loss of his father. All kinds of decisions need to be made, Sehun floundering through them all and relying heavily on his advisors to know what’s best. He’s afraid that his emotions will keep him from making the right choices.
He sleeps late and awakens early every day, his muddled mind barely able to make out what's going on around him. Arrangements need to be made for when he's crowned, and word needs to get out that Prince Sehun will rise to their new leader in a few days’ time. Everyone is stressed and harried, too busy to notice the deteriorating state of their young prince. There's a constant flurry and buzz of activity around him, and it strains on him until he can't take it anymore.
The day before he's to be crowned, Sehun breaks down. He's in the middle of a lesson that's teaching him for what feels like the hundredth time how he's supposed to stand once he has the crown on, when the tears spring to his eyes. The thought of wondering if this is what his father had to go through floats to the forefront of his mind, and he can't hold back the sob that escapes his throat after he imagines his father.
Everyone halts in what they're doing, and Sehun actually misses his father so much that it hurts. He's so overwhelmed, so stressed, that he can't control his actions or emotions any longer. The lack of time to grieve and mourn has finally taken its toll, and he loses it right there in the middle of a room full of tutors and advisors.
A hush falls then, the only noise is the sound of Sehun's sobs and choked gasps. No one seems to know what to do with him, all at a loss to know how to deal with a boy who’s just lost everything. There are footsteps then, and a comforting arm is wrapped around his shoulders. A familiar scent of soap and bread reaches his senses and Sehun curls into the warmth of his childhood caretaker.
No one protests when she takes him from the room, his sobs dwindling down to quiet sniffles and the occasional hiccup. Everyone stares as she leads Sehun back to his rooms, pitying gazes on the bloodshot eyes of the prince and the sadness so apparent in every move he makes. When they reach his rooms, she helps Sehun into his sleep clothes before tucking him into his bed.
Fingers stroke through his hair, and the gentle motion lulls him into as calm a state as he can manage. The grief is still there, still heavily lingering in his mind, but it's more manageable now. Sehun knows that he can almost deal with it, but there's one thing he's missing that he desperately needs.
"Can you send in Lionheart Jongin?" he asks, voice hoarse from his crying.
She hums an affirmative, and the pressure at the side of his bed is gone, followed by the sound of a door opening and closing. Sehun burrows into his covers, trying to keep his mind off of everything, to remain numb. And it works, because before he knows it, Jongin is in the room.
The light in the room slowly lessens until only the lamp next to his bedside is lit. Sehun can hear the sound of Jongin taking off his boots, and he clears his throat before speaking up. "Please stay with me, I don't think that I can get to sleep tonight. I would like your company."
There's silence except for the rustling of clothes, and Jongin wordlessly slides into the bed. Sehun is pulled into Jongin's warm arms, and he presses his face against a bare chest. It's been so long since they've done this, lie in the same bed and share body heat. Sehun's missed it so much, and he nearly starts crying again from the utter relief he feels to know that Jongin is still there for him when he needs it.
Fingers are rubbed soothingly into his back, and Sehun slowly relaxes and calms down under the touch. It feels like the most natural thing to do to lean up and press his lips against Jongin's. There's no hesitancy in Jongin's reaction, and he falls into kissing Sehun back right away. It's as if they had never stopped this, never stopped being intimate in this way. Everything feels right, like they're simply picking up where they left off. And in a way, that's what happened.
The two of them may have drifted apart, and bad situations may have slipped in between their friendship, but it was nothing that they couldn't sweep away again. Years upon years of a bond stronger than words swells between them, and Sehun easily and gratefully gets lost in it.
Each kiss of Jongin's lips and each drag of his fingertips feels like it strips away the unwanted memories of the past. The closer they get to being pressed skin to skin is another moment of their childhood innocence being lost and pushed away. It's terrifying and amazing all at once. Sehun would never want this moment to be with anyone else but Jongin.
Everything blurs, and Sehun finds himself on his back, legs spread as Jongin coats his fingers in the oils that Sehun keeps on his bedside table. Lips press to his own, and a finger slides carefully into him. He can't hold back the whimper that escapes his lips, and each time another finger is added they increase in volume.
Jongin greedily swallows down each of Sehun's noises, fingers moving rhythmically and Sehun doesn't know if he wants more of it he wants this to stop. The overwhelming emotion swirling in his veins pushes at him to breathe out needy whines of more, and Jongin is only too happy to oblige.
A hand rubs soothingly along his thigh, and Sehun gasps when Jongin's cock is pushed into him. He can't help the tears that slip from his eyes, but Jongin, panting lightly, leans down and kisses them off his cheeks. The same hand that was on his thigh moves to wrap around his own cock, and begins to stroke over him lazily.
Before long Sehun's whining for more, the first slide of Jongin's hips pulling a groan from his throat. He reaches up and clutches onto a shoulder, fingers digging into tanned skin. The rocking of their bodies starts off slow, but gradually increases until they're both gasping and moaning, Jongin's fingers pressing bruises into Sehun's hipbones.
Sweat clings to them, and Sehun looks up to watch the way that pleasure transforms Jongin's face. He looks even better like this, hair clinging to his forehead and face scrunched up in a type of concentration that Sehun has never seen on his face before.
Jongin's fingers are on his cock again, hips steadily rocking into a spot that has him crying out and begging for something, anything. He gets it only a few moments later, body spasming and tensing up as he sees white, a steady chorus of Jongin's name falling from his lips as he rides out the waves of pleasure.
Vaguely he can feel and hear Jongin reaching his own high, before dropping down onto Sehun's body. Sehun wraps his arms around the older boy's neck, holding him close as fingers dance along sweaty skin. There's an emotion bubbling just under the surface, threatening to spill past his lips the closer he holds Jongin, heart beating against his own.
He knows that it's useless to say it, though. Jongin moves off him then, a whimpering spilling past each of their lips from the sudden loss of contact between them. It doesn't last long, not when Jongin is immediately pulling Sehun into his arms and nuzzling him close, breath slowly evening out to a regular rhythm.
Sehun waits until he knows that Jongin is fully asleep until whispering his I love you into his ear.
The next day is an even bigger flurry of movement than the past weeks had been. Jongin had cleaned them up the best he could, then left Sehun to his attendants. Despite the dull ache in his lower back, Sehun had been forced into multiple baths, every inch of his body scrubbed and polished to the cleanest he’s ever been, not a hair left untouched as he mutters a half-hearted excuse about bumping into a table to account for the faint bruises.
The ceremonial robe is heavy on his shoulders, the fabric and intricate designs weaved into it are more uncomfortable than he wants to admit. But, Sehun thinks that the silver and faint hints of gold set off his pale skin and features nicely. He looks like a man, a man set to be king and finally leave his childhood behind. It’s his time to grow up, and for once in his life, Sehun feels ready for it.
He’s swept into the main courtyard, where he so recently saw his father for the last time. Pain throbs in his chest at the memory, but he sweeps it aside because this is not the time or place for it. There is no longer any time for grieving, and Sehun swears that once he has that crown, he won’t let it bother him anymore.
There are people everywhere, and even though the main gates are closed, he can hear the crowd that waits just outside. It’s thrilling and terrifying all at once, Sehun’s nerves tingle with the excitement of it. Jongin appears in his line of vision then, scrubbed and just as clean as himself. The clothes Jongin has to wear are so much more subtle than Sehun’s own. Dark browns and gold are what make up the simple, but functional outfit that he’s in. A sword is strapped to his waist, and he shoots Sehun a small smile when he catches him looking.
Sehun returns it with one of his own, the gates opening at that moment. A cheer goes up and Sehun has to smooth his face back into the mask of a calm leader, tearing his gaze away from Jongin to the people that he’s soon to rule.
The master of ceremonies steps forward and raises his arms, the crowd falling into silence at the gesture. Sehun is too overwhelmed to hear much of anything that’s being said, too lost in his own thoughts that the noise just buzzes into background noise in his head. It’s only when he gets a slight nudge from Jongin that he realizes it’s time for him to step forward.
His steps falter, and a shooting pain moves over his spine, causing a limp to his walk and he shoots Jongin a glare. The older boy bites down on his bottom lip, trying to hide a grin as he whispers an I apologize, my king to Sehun. He waves it off, planning to get Jongin back later, ignoring the pain that’s quickly subsiding into a dull ache that he can handle, and steps forward.
The noise of the crowd begins to grow at the sight of Sehun, in excitement and joy over the knowledge of what’s to happen next. Sehun lowers himself to one knee, kneeling facing the crowd, while slowly, and so terribly quickly, a crown is placed onto his head. He waits a few moments before getting to his feet, head held high and Sehun has never felt more like a royal in his life.
“I present to you, King Sehun, the rightful ruler of Joseon!” the master of ceremonies announces, and the crowd erupts in cheers.
It’s deafening, the noise coming from the people of the town and the inhabitants of the castle surrounds him and fills up everything he is. Jongin’s presence is at his side then, a small band of gold atop his head to symbolize his rank as the king’s lionheart. The cheers increase in volume then, everyone thrilled to meet their new king and his lionheart. It’s a moment of festivity and celebration, and Sehun finds a wide smile stretching across his face.
He is terribly glad that he’s not required to make any sort of speech at this time, because he’s sure that the words would not be able to escape past the lump in his throat. Sehun is full of every emotion he can think of as he’s lead back into the castle, mind and emotions a swirling mess. The moment he’s been preparing for his whole life has finally arrived. Finally, after all these years; after all the losses he’s suffered and events that have shaped who he is today, Sehun is king. He can only hope that this new era in his life will last and he can live on in the peace that he deserves.
It’s nearing dawn when Sehun is roused from his sleep. He blinks blearily up at who woke him, and finds Jongin standing there in his full battle gear. Pieces of armor adorn his chest and wrists, shins covered with a similar metal and he has a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to his back, along with the sword at his waist. He has the lionheart circlet atop his head, where it glints in the flickering light from the lamps. Sehun is so confused, he’s never seen Jongin like this and wonders why he’s like that in Sehun’s rooms in the middle of the night like this.
He doesn’t have to wonder for long, because the next moment he’s urgently explaining the situation. “Sehun, King Yifan’s forces have reached the border of the city. They’re making their way through the town; we can only hold them back for so long. It’s only a matter of time before they reach the castle.”
That has Sehun flying out of his bed, rushing to pull on clothes. His fingers tremble from the sudden fear rushing through him, and Jongin steps closer and helps him to slide into the garments he’s fumbling with. The crown is placed onto his head, and the only thing he can think is that this can’t be happening; the war couldn’t have deteriorated so badly. It was just a week ago when one of Sehun’s military generals had reported they were making progress in pushing the Zhanguo forces back. How did they get to the city? He can’t wrap his head around it, can’t accept that the end of his life as he knows it is rapidly closing in on him.
Jongin leads Sehun out of his rooms, stopping at his own to grab a sword and strap it around Sehun’s waist. “You remember everything I’ve taught you, right? I’ll do everything it takes to protect you, Sehun, but I want you to be prepared. Don’t go down without a fight.”
Sehun nods, tongue swiping across his dry lips nervously. He can’t process everything that’s going on, not with the packed hallways full of terrified and determined activity. The guards are rushing to reinforce the front gates, and archers are rushing up to the battlements to try and hold the enemy back. Jongin begins to follow the archers, but Sehun stops him in the stairwell and pulls him back.
“Jongin, this is the end, isn’t it?” he asks, voice steady and soft in the midst of all the noise of the attack.
Jongin’s expression hardens into a steely resolve, and he shakes his head before pulling Sehun into his arms, voice quiet and breath hot in his ear. “It won’t be the end, I won’t let it be. I’ll do anything and everything possible to keep you safe.”
He pulls back then, pressing a hard kiss to Sehun’s lips, determination blazing in his eyes when he moves away. A strong hand clasps his wrist, and Sehun is moving back up the stairs again. When they emerge on the battlements, the noise of the attack is louder in his ears than he had anticipated.
Fires blaze here and there, Sehun’s heart breaking for the city that’s been his home. The enemy troops are quickly advancing, easily overtaking anyone who tries to stand in their way. They have been trained to be efficient and ruthless, Sehun can see now that his kingdom has never stood a chance against them.
Jongin pushes Sehun behind him, against the back wall of the battlements so he won’t be in danger of a stray arrow flying his way and landing on its target. He thinks that his glinting crown was a horrible idea, it makes him easier to see and mark him as someone important and necessary to kill. But he also wants to die a king, so he resists the urge to yank it off and throw it aside.
He watches as Jongin grabs his bow and notches an arrow, letting it fly into the troops below where it knocks a man off his horse. Faster than Sehun knew he could do, Jongin notches arrows and shoots them into the enemy, rarely failing to miss a target. If he weren’t so terrified and full of adrenaline, he would have been impressed by how much Jongin has improved over the years.
There’s no time for that though, because despite everyone’s best efforts and Jongin’s skill, the troops are getting closer. Soon enough the front gate will be breached, the enemy will spill into the courtyard and it will be a bloodbath. He can hear a loud curse from Jongin before his wrist is being grabbed again, and he’s yanked back down the stairs they had so recently ran up.
“We’ll get trapped up there if we stay, like a mouse with a cat. To keep you safe we’re going to have to go through the courtyard and back into the castle. Find a safe way out,” Jongin explains, slinging his bow over his shoulder and unsheathing his sword.
Sehun is too numb to say anything, the chaos of everything that’s happening crowding in his mind, causing him to be incapable of speech. The only thing he can do is follow Jongin, and he wouldn’t have done anything else, anyway. There’s no one he trusts more with his life than the older boy, no one he would want by his side right now than Jongin.
Just as they step into the courtyard, a horrible clanging and clashing is heard, the cries of the wounded reaching his ears as the gates are forced open. The enemy is spilling inside and Sehun looks on in horror as the fight breaks out.
There's a tug on his wrists again that causes Sehun to stumble forward, following blindly in Jongin's wake as he pushes through the crowd, sword swinging and flashing through the air. A couple of bodies fall in their wake, Sehun's eyes unable to look away when he rushes past, the blood flowing and pooling under his feet. He wants to be sick, to stop and have time to empty the contents of his stomach, but they can't stop. They have to keep moving, have to get out of the castle and away from the fighting.
Once they manage to reach a relatively empty corner of the courtyard, Sehun stops Jongin. His chest is heaving, he doesn't think that he can move any farther at the moment. Jongin looks angry, scared, and frustrated, but obliges to Sehun's wishes when he sees the look on his face. The death grip on his wrist is gone, the pressure suddenly making him feel light and empty. Before the feeling of being alone can crawl its way up his spine he reaches out, grabbing Jongin's hand tightly and entwining their fingers together. Jongin doesn't question it, just squeezes Sehun's hand and he's glad for that small bit of support.
He sees the image of the enemy king riding into the courtyard, King Yifan of Zhanguo sitting proud and tall atop his white horse, crown gleaming in the light of the torches along the walls. The looming presence of a figure clad in black is on a horse behind him, sword drawn and catlike eyes locking on where Sehun stands with Jongin.
It's as if everything moves slower, the sound of the battle dimming in his ears until he can't hear anything except the pounding of his heart. Jongin moves to stand in front of him, sword in front of him and teeth bared in anger. The black clad male leaps off his horse in one smooth motion, sword swinging through the air and clashing against Jongin's own. They parry back and forth, the speed of their moves dazing Sehun and he can't follow their movements at all.
And then it's over. The hilt of the other's sword rams into Jongin's temple, causing him to immediately go down. Sehun looks on in horror as the same sword is raised, blade gleaming before lowering down quick as a flash into Jongin's chest. The scream that's lodged in his throat doesn't come out, not even when that same blade, blood dripping down off it, is turned on him. The boy lunges forward, the last thing Sehun getting a glimpse of is the triumphant smirk of the other king.
Sehun blinks once, twice, three times. The battle goes on around him, Jongin's hand still clasped in his own. Dizziness makes his vision swim, and he shakes his head to steady himself. A sudden clarity is in his mind, and the only thing he knows at that moment is that no matter what, Jongin is right beside him.
He tightens his grip on Jongin’s hand, and the latter looks over at him, confusion evident in his expression at their halt. “You’ll be at my side even at the end, right, Jongin?” Sehun questions, voice just barely loud enough for Jongin to hear over the clamor of ongoing fights. “Promise me, Jongin. You'll always be with me, in this life and the next."
There's a sense of despair and finality in Sehun’s voice that causes Jongin to tighten the grip on his hand in return until it feels like they're clinging onto each other for life, fingers never letting go once. They stand there in silence, cut off from everything around them at that moment, all traces of fear gone from their minds. Jongin's lips curl into a soft, sad smile before he nods.
"I promise."
a/n:
first off, i'd like to dedicate this fic to my best friend myunsoo who helped me throughout the whole process of this and is probably the biggest sekai shipper i've ever met (and the biggest enabler, how did you drag me into this fandom and onto this ship cries)
this fic was very much inspired by the song king and lionheart by of monsters and men
took me about a month and a half to write, but i've been sitting on the idea since october or so orz
so pls leave nice comments and tell me if you enjoyed the fic or not!!!!
also come say hi to me on tumblr if you want!
thanks for reading!!!