kingdom come [&] writing storage & brainstorming

[Hayato]

[align=center][div style="width:500px;text-align:justify;margin-top:10px;color:#000;font-family:georgia;font-size:10px;line-height:120%"]what you have for the east is really cute (//ω//)

edit: accidentally posted with changxiu's subaccount lol.

[Seliane]

[align=center][div style="width:490px;text-align:justify;margin-top:10px;color:#000;font-family:georgia;font-size:10px;line-height:120%"]LOL an excerpt from a little personal project i'm working on~

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Duke Jongin is annoyingly sun-kissed and impeccable despite the obviously rushed ride to the castle and he has the audacity to smile as Luhan enters the garden side parlor. Zitao and Junmyeon are hovering behind him as if he might break into two and it sends sharp, hot spikes of irritation up his spine. Feeling suffocated, Luhan strides forward and takes a seat across from the Duke and Yixing and his consort.

Hesitating as his eyes meet Minseok's, Luhan clears his throat and musters up an impersonal smile.

"I hope the carriage I sent was to your liking," he says and the Duke's smile seems to sour at the edges and Luhan can't figure out why.

"It was perfectly accommodating, thank you."

Minseok keeps wringing his hands together in his lap and then abruptly stands up. Luhan follows him with his eyes as Minseok moves to sit next to him and then starts up some mundane, memory-lane conversation. Yixing swoops in - ever the protective knight - and carries the conversation, distracting the Duke from the uncomfortable seating switch.

Luhan doesn't take his eyes off of Minseok the whole time, watching him lick his lips nervously even as he smiles when it's appropriate.


He wonders how Minseok can sit right next to him and still feel miles away.



They retire late - caught up in the Duke's arrival - and Luhan feels exhausted as he changes into sleepwear. He can't help but overanalyze every move Jongin makes. Because, really, the last time they met, the Duke had wanted to do nothing more than gouge his eyes out. And, now, he's sitting in Luhan's parlor, across from the fiancé he lost, and he's smiling. Luhan has a habit of never underestimating anyone and the Duke, in his eyes, is seeming more and more like a chameleon.

He's put on the exact face he needs to in order to slip back into Minseok's life. It's subtle and it's clever. And, it's going to get him killed.

Luhan is startled when he hears Minseok come into the chambers, already changed and wearing a sleepy smile. He'd really expected Jongin's arrival to put a damper in their truce, but Minseok doesn't falter in his stride as he walks right up to Luhan, curls his arms around his neck, and presses a hard kiss against his lips.

Having his consort in his arms immediately loosens the tension in his shoulders but does nothing to quell his fear. He tries not to squeeze too hard as he wraps his own arms around Minseok's waist and he does his best to smile when Minseok looks at him.

"Thank you," he whispers between their lips, looking almost afraid.

"Whatever for, love?"

"For bringing him here when you didn't have to," he admits softly.

Luhan is reminded of a distraught Minseok, all those months ago at the ball when the Duke had snuck into the castle. And, how flushed Minseok had looked begging for Jongin's life, stubbornly sure of Luhan's love for him and unknowingly manipulating him with it. Even then - before Luhan had the nerve to admit it.

He sighs and swipes gentle fingers across Minseok's bangs - saying, "But, I did. I always told you I'll give you anything you want."

Minseok buries his face into Luhan's neck.



The true flaw in his attempt to please Minseok comes the next day as they sit down for breakfast. Jongin is seated next to Minseok and has effortlessly monopolized him before Luhan even enters the room. He hesitates at the threshold, drinking in the sight of Minseok's sweet smile and the way it's different from the ones Luhan gets, and then walks in to sit at the head of the table.

His irritation is quelled slightly as Minseok politely pardons himself from Jongin to turn to Luhan and wish him a good morning. He explains he'd risen earlier and decided to let Luhan catch his sleep. His hand is a warm, comforting weight as it rests on Luhan's forearm.

Luhan twists his arm and moves it enough to catch Minseok's hand in his own - raising it to press a quick peck on it before letting go.

The pink flush on Minseok's cheek is absolutely darling and Luhan twirls his knife and fork as the Duke drinks it all in as if it's just for him.

Because, perhaps he can delude himself into thinking Minseok loves him - truly and wholly - but he can't control what the Duke feels. He can't stop him from having any number of thoughts and dreams and nightmares featuring Minseok. He can't stop him from wanting. He can only watch as Jongin worms his way back into Minseok's heart through sheer will and a blatant sort of love.

He cuts into his breakfast, the knife making a horrible noise against the plate as Minseok laughs at something Jongin said.


It's like this.


No one in Luhan's life has ever cared to stay. He's seen his mother, his father, and his siblings give in to the war. He's seen his friends give in to greed. And, he's seen men become monsters too often to have an optimistic outlook on life.

He's safely guarded the few survivors of the war, the greed, and the poison of life. He's stubbornly kept Junmyeon and Zitao at his side despite the many warnings fate has given him. And, he's been as selfish as to keep Minseok, too - despite fate and despite his own wishes. He's tied invisible strings around them all, fragile and thin and winding. And, he's hoped desperately for them to stay.

Against all odds and the general trajectory of Luhan's luck, they have. And, something horribly monstrous is threatening to seize him at the thought of losing one of them.


It's like this.


If Duke Jongin thinks Luhan is going to provide a bed, food, and clothes for his quest to Minseok's heart, he's never met a Luhan who's at war.

[Arielle]

[align=center][div style="width:500px;text-align:justify;margin-top:10px;color:#000;line-height:120%"]Omg that was beautiful... I see you took some of my pointers; I'm glad they worked out for you! I really can't wait to read the finished work - everything was so wonderfully constructed! ;^)