Stone Prince

"Hello, roses."

Jimin kicked his gray boots at the edge of the garden path, small plumes of dirt advancing his steps. One hour had passed since he woke up with the other two princes in bed. One hour had passed since Taehyung's dirty dream had flustered the ravenette to the shade of a tomato. The thought made him smile.

The roses in the courtyard watched him smile, offering him their undisturbed, graceful gaze in return. Roses were his favorite--always had been--because they reminded him of himself.

"Okay, roses...I have to go back to the Laurel Prince's room. Take care." Jimin exited the garden, wandering back into the Oak Castle. Jungkook might be done with helping the blonde by now, so it was safe for him to go in.

On the way there, thoughts about the current state of the kingdom wormed their way into his head. 

Sungwoo, the new commander of the Laurel Army, left earlier in the day to ride north to the Stone Castle. If he did the job right, Jimin's Stone Castle would still be standing by the time Jimin woke up on the morrow. Jungkook, Taehyung, and himself would have to wait for the result of the battle and hope Jihoon would either give up or retreat.

I can only hope so.

Jimin quietly climbed the stairs to Taehyung's room. He paused at the top while a wave of pain rushed to pummel his head. Grabbing the railing for support, Jimin's face contorted before he forced it back into a pleasant expression. Jimin was determined not to put his pain on display for those who needed him to be strong.  A servant passed by staring, but suspected nothing.

But the pain...well, that wasn't ending anytime soon. And Jimin thought he knew why. 

Ever since he was a child, he never developed many close friendships. His parents never expressed affection towards him, and he never really loved anyone. Maybe there was a reason. Maybe it all meant something. 

Sure, Jimin had liked certain people in his castle or members of his court...but he never liked them enough to call them his true friend. His father's coldness must have rubbed off on him, and he always saw interpersonal relationships in a gray, tasteless light. People were people and interaction wasn't necessary unless he wanted something. At least, that's how he used to view the world. 

Until he met Taehyung and Jungkook. Until he let down his stone shield. 

After meeting his counterparts, he realized that as he allowed himself to feel again his head hurt more. It was as if sickness had gripped his body to punish him for the release of his emotions...a bad sickness that would act up randomly. Thinking about his father's behavior, it made sense that the Stone Family tried to distance themselves from others or foster purely fake friendships. Did feeling emotion make them sick?

Was that why his family adopted the banner of Stone? It was cold, gray, and isolated.

But that wouldn't make sense...right?

When Jimin's head pained him earlier, being in contact with the other princes he liked eased the pain he was feeling. So how could the things causing him pain--cure his pain? 

Jimin didn't know whether he should bring this up to the other two. Regardless if his theory was correct or not, Jimin had to deal with the random bursts of stabbing that wracked his head. Some attacks were worse than others, registering him useless physically. Other attacks were pains that were bearable, similar to the pounding of common headaches. 

It made him sad to think about it too much, but he wasn't going to run from his problems anymore. He was sick of it. He would just have to push through the pain and move on. 

When he reached the Laurel Prince's room, he didn't bother knocking. Instead, he turned the door handle quietly and slinked through the threshold. He walked into a flustered Jungkook laughing as he attempted to pull a white shirt down over Taehyung's blonde hair. Jimin didn't miss how Taehyung's abdominal muscles stretched as he wiggled the shirt on. He also got a good view of the scar running down Taehyung's body. 

"Stop moving Taehyung!" The ravenette whined while Taehyung's face smashed against the fabric of the shirt. "I can't put this stupi-"

Jimin made himself visible in the room then, which earned a jump from Jungkook who wasn't expecting the gray-haired male. Jimin's presence also triggered a 'What's wrong, Kook?' and an 'Are you okay Jungkookie?' out of the blonde, whose face was muffled by a shirt. 

"Yes Taehyung, I'm okay." Jungkook paused with the shirt to catch his breath. "But holy shit Jimin! Why'd you sneak in on us like that? I nearly had a heart attack..."

Jimin smiled at his two fellow prince. He felt partial disbelief that Taehyung still wasn't ready for the day. "Well, you two sure like to take your sweet time getting ready."

Taehyung's head finally popped out of the shirt and turned towards Jimin. "Hey, don't blame me. This guy was too embarrassed to help me take a bath without a dumb blindfold on." Taehyung twitched his head in Jungkook's direction. Jungkook rolled his eyes and continued to pull Taehyung's casts through the sleeves of the shirt. 

"Well maybe if you didn't move around so much I would be able to dress you faster-"

"Guys." Jimin walked over to help Jungkook pull the other cast through the sleeve. "You bicker like an old couple." 

Taehyung smiled at the comment. Jungkook bit his lip.

"Anyway." Jimin proceeded. "Aren't you guys starving? We should all eat something for lunch."

Taehyung groaned. "Ughhh actually I have to visit that annoying medic first thing. I was supposed to see him in the morning but uh..." Taehyung flipped his bangs out of his eyes. "That didn't work out." 

Jungkook got the last bandage out with a yank of the hand and let his shoulders relax. "Jimin, if you want to, I can have servants prepare lunch for the rooftop and Taehyung can join us after he's done. Sound good?"

The other two males in the room answered in unison. "Yeah."

"Great." Jungkook brushed off Taehyung's shoulders and straightened the collar on the blonde's white dress shirt. "Anything else you need before we go out?"

Taehyung glanced at Jimin and back at Jungkook with a playful look. "Wellll, I slept on my back wrong last night and it hurts...could one of you-"

"On it." Jimin rushed to Taehyung's backside and wrapped his arms around specific areas of Taehyung's back. He then lifted the male up and twisted sharply to the side, resulting in a chain of cracks and pops from the blonde's back. Taehyung let out a sound of surprise at the sudden release of his joints, then sighed. When Jimin set him carefully back down, Taehyung slunk onto the bed stomach down, groaning from the lingering feeling that Jimin's move left on him.  

"Owwwww..." Taehyung breathed, his arms sprawled at his sides and his face flat on the sheets. 

Jungkook looked over at Jimin with a question in his eyes. "How did you just do that?"

"I know how to do a lot of things...I can teach you sometime." Jimin winked at the ravenette, allowing his flirty side to show. Without worrying about his stone wall, Jimin realized that he had many sides to his personality that he was still exploring. Experimenting with different sides of him was fun, he discovered. 

Jungkook turned away and muffled a laugh into his fist. Taehyung rolled onto his back and held his arms up for help. Both Jungkook and Jimin grabbed a white sleeve and hoisted Taehyung to a sitting position on the bed. 

"My b-back...feels so great...thanks!" Taehyung's face expressed both pain and relief, which made Jimin smile. 

"Anytime, Taehyung. Now let's go." Jimin took Jungkook's hand and led him towards the door, knowing that the action would force Taehyung out of bed to follow them. If I hold Jungkook's hand, he can't pass up the chance-

"Jiminie! Why are you...ugh. Of course my hands are bandaged..." Taehyung whined as he followed the two out of the door.

Oak Prince

By the time Jungkook and Jimin had reached the rooftop and Taehyung had gone his separate way to the infirmary for his bandages, Jimin was still holding Jungkook's hand. 

The Oak Prince was surprised at Jimin's shameless behavior. He concluded that perhaps Jimin was just opening up to the other two and finally expressing himself. On a personal level, Jungkook didn't mind. He actually preferred a less serious Jimin around him; it put less pressure on the younger one to please Jimin's normally cold stare with wise words all the time. 

Only when they found their way to the table the servants had set out did Jimin release Jungkook from his grip. Jimin smiled at the flustered ravenette with his eyes and took a seat on the wooden chair, crossing his legs. Jungkook did the same. 

"So, is your head feeling better?" Jungkook inquired as some servants poured them a drink. 

Jimin looked away and seemed to consider something. "Well...yes and no..." Jimin rolled one of his rings around on his finger. "My head feels a lot better than yesterday, but small pains continue to randomly come."

Jungkook blinked at Jimin. A worried look tinged his cheeks while sipping his drink. "That's...not good. Do you know why it's happening? Do you have any health condition that would cause the head pain?"

"No." Jimin suddenly said and his eyes left Jungkook's. "No...I don't."

Jungkook sighed. "Well...we'll just have to monitor it the best we can..." His doe eyes scanned Jimin's face for any sign of reaction but saw nothing. Jimin was so difficult for him to read. 

"Anyway, Jungkook...I noticed you and Taehyung are pretty close."

Jungkook bit his lip and nodded, eyes drifting up to meet a bird flying by. 

Why is Jimin mentioning Taehyung so suddenly?

Jimin sat there in silence, waiting for him to elaborate on the subject of the Laurel Prince. However, Jungkook turned the subject back to Jimin. "I'm close with you too."

Jimin half-smiled at him but Jungkook could tell he was a bit...disappointed? Jealous?

Jungkook felt guilt eating away at his heart. Originally, he only liked Jimin as a friend, and  Taehyung was the one who was always on his mind...

When he first met Jimin, the older male was so cold and untrustworthy that Jungkook tried to distance himself. However, now Jimin was different. Changed. Affecting Jungkook in a new way. And it completely confused him. 

Jimin drank the rest of the water in his glass and set it down on the table a little hard. "Yeah. We're pretty close too." His tone was flat.

The servant came back with a tray of gourmet sandwiches for the two, setting the plate down on the small table. The man bowed and walked away swiftly. 

Neither prince touched their sandwich. They continued to sit in awkward silence, looking beyond the castle walls to the sea in the distance. Watching as the waves lapped the shore and the seagulls cawed out to the fish swimming under the endless depths. A light breeze tousled their hair.  

Jungkook couldn't stand it anymore. Maybe Jimin thought he was forgotten or he was the least important prince there, but he wasn't. Not at all. Jungkook wanted to tell Jimin that he liked him too, that Jimin was someone who amazed him with all of his talents and his special personality. So, he cleared his throat and began to speak. 

"Listen, Jimin. I really like-"

"You don't have to lie to me, Jungkook." Jimin interrupted, staring at Jungkook with slightly irked eyes. 

"I'm not-"

Jimin held up his hand, silencing the younger. "I feel flattered that you like me as an acquaintance, okay? I don't need you to make up anything more."

Jungkook's eyebrows furrowed in consternation. Jimin picked up a sandwich and brought it up to his lips, taking a small bite. He placed it back down on the plate and chewed slowly, not looking up at Jungkook. 

Jungkook scratched the back of his neck. "Jimin, let me exp-"

Jimin sighed loudly in exasperation and rubbed at his temples with his eyes closed. "Seriously Jungkook, stop. You're not helping me." The gray-haired male closed his eyes. His skillful fingers massaged his temples. 

Jungkook couldn't let Jimin ignore him any longer. 

He stood up and walked over to Jimin's seat, grabbing onto Jimin's arm and pulling him out of the stiff chair. The Stone Prince opened his eyes and moved quickly in response. 

Before Jungkook knew it, Jimin had spun the ravenette around and was holding him hostage style, arms pinned behind his back in way that made Jungkook gasp in pain. 

"Hhhhuh..." Jungkook winced in the awkward posture. "J-Jimin what are you doing?"

Almost immediately, Jimin released Jungkook from his grasp. Jungkook rolled his sore shoulders and gave the silver-haired male an accusational glare. 

"Sorry Jungkook, it's just a reflex. I'm not used to people grabbing me like that."

"Oh." Jungkook realized that he probably shouldn't have used force on Jimin of all people. The man was a born fighter and would likely react savagely to anyone who acted up against him. He exhaled. "I'm sorry for grabbing you like that. It's just..." Jungkook started biting his lip. "You wouldn't listen to me when I tried to tell you..." His words tapered off. 

"Tell me what?" Jimin stood there waiting, arms folded in impatience.

"Well now I can't really...ugh, it's just..." Jungkook looked at his fingers. "The mood is off now."

Jimin scoffed and turned to sit back down. As the gray-haired male was about to take a seat, Jungkook did something he didn't think he had the courage to do. He took a small step forward and leaned in to the Stone Prince's face, placing a small kiss on Jimin's cheek. Then he turned around and faced the other direction, not wanting to witness a bad reaction if there was one. 

Because the thing was, Jungkook really liked the Stone Prince. And not just as a friend. 

Only, he felt wrong for liking both of the princes that way...it made him confused. Why both? Why do both have to be so goddamn alluring?  He shook his head, trying to push those thoughts out of his mind so he could finally turn to face Jimin.

After several seconds, Jungkook slowly peeked over his shoulder. What he saw brought a smile to his lips. Jimin was still standing there facing him, one hand on his cheek-

And a blush spreading across his features. 

When Jimin caught sight of Jungkook staring at him, he brought his hand down. The gray-haired male coughed and quietly took a seat in his chair. Jungkook felt a little hesitant to say anything in that moment, so he also took a seat, blush lighting up his face. 

Then, Jimin opened his mouth to speak. "Oh."

To which Jungkook replied with. "Yeah." 

As if their awkward exchange summoned the social butterfly himself, Kim Taehyung burst through the door to the rooftop. The revived blonde waltzed over to the other two princes with fresh bandages on. He appeared giddy to eat and plopped down in the third chair around the small table, not even bothering to glance at the other two princes at first. 

"Heyyyy guys. I just got fresh bandages from that little rat of a medic and-" When Taehyung realized the other two weren't saying or eating anything, he looked up to see two tomatoes seated opposite from one another. "...Oh, uh...is the food that bad?"

Jungkook forced himself to smile and pick up a sandwich off of the table. "No no, these are good. So, go on, how was your check up?" Jimin eyed Jungkook from across the table as he took a small bite of the sandwich. 

Throughout Taehyung's drawn out story of his second time with the medic, a strange tension fell over the two other princes who sat there listening. Jungkook did his best to avoid eye contact with the gray male, limiting his vision to Taehyung and the table. After the story was done, Jungkook suggested that Jimin help Taehyung eat since he'd already tasked himself earlier in the day with feeding the blonde. Jimin agreed without argument. 

Jungkook watched as Jimin carefully fed the blonde. Taehyung spoke through mouthfuls about the random things he was thinking about and other small stories from the parties he used to host. Jimin smiled and laughed at a few of the things Taehyung said, and Jungkook thought he saw Jimin flirting a bit too. 

So...

Did Jungkook read the situation wrong before? Did Jimin actually like Taehyung? Was that why the gray-haired male acted jealous...not because he liked Jungkook, but because his eyes were set on Taehyung?

The thought made Jungkook upset...and embarrassed that he had just kissed Jimin's cheek. What if he doesn't like me back? Fuck, why is this so complicated?

After about 30 minutes of Taehyung blabbing happily while eating his sandwich, the three princes decided they needed to each take care of their own affairs. After all, they were still co-running Noirwood. Responsibilities such as monitoring the kingdom, establishing updated legislature, and listening to the concerns of countrymen were still pertinent. Before each prince left the table, Jimin tapped on Jungkook's shoulder. 

"Talk with me later. My room." Was all Jimin said before he walked off. Taehyung said nothing to the two but shrugged and called out a happy 'bye Jungkookieee, bye Jiminieeee!' before exiting the rooftop. 

Jungkook felt vague fear build up in his gut. He didn't know whether Jimin wanted to talk with him about the situation that the kingdom was in, or...

Or...that. His crush.

Jungkook was pretty sure it was the latter. 

Stone Prince

Hours passed. Tasks were completed. The Stone Prince had many things running through his mind the entire while...ever since the Oak Prince decided to kiss him earlier that day. 

And soon Jungkook would come to his room.

Jimin felt a lot of things following the incident...and he hoped Jungkook would be understanding of the things he wanted to share. He hoped the younger would be open-minded.

Knock, knock.

Jimin jumped, climbing out of his chair towards the entrance of his abode. The door was open in seconds. 

A tired Jungkook stood in front of him. "Well, that was fa-"

"Come in." Jimin was in no mood for small talk. He grabbed Jungkook's hand and ushered the younger male in. They walked to the bed and Jungkook sat down. 

"Listen, Jungkook. I have one question for you that I need an answer to. Please answer honestly. I can tell if you lie." Jimin's voice was steady but his heart wasn't. The pain in his head was bearable, yet the nervousness he felt made the throbbing worse. Jungkook gave him a concerned look and dipped his chin in agreement.

"Okay...um..." Jimin took a deep breath. "Do you like Taehyung...uh, more than a friend?"

The room fell silent. Jungkook bit his lip, eyes frozen to Jimin's.

Jungkook sighed defeatedly. He closed his eyes, bringing his hands up to cover his face before answering.

"Yes."

I knew it.

Jimin said nothing, only nodded. Jungkook removed his hands from his face and locked eyes with Jimin. Something odd passed across his face, something like tormented courageousness.

"But...I um...like you...too. More than a friend." The last four words streamed out in a sudden rush and Jungkook turned his pink face to the floor. When Jimin continued to say nothing, Jungkook started to whisper to nobody in particular. "Why do I have like both? It's too hard..." 

Jungkook's hands angrily rubbed his cheeks, head shaking in a perpetual block. The stress on the younger's drawn face made Jimin move. Made him act, shoving his stone side out the window.

"I like you too, Jungkook."

Jungkook slowly removed his hands from his face as he glanced up at Jimin. Jimin had a small smile on his face that looked so calm despite the problem of three. "B-but, aren't you mad that I l-like Tae-"

"I don't mind."

Jimin sat next to Jungkook on the bed and took Jungkook's hand in his own. He brought Jungkook's hand up to his lips and kissed the Oak ring that Jungkook wore. 

"Because I like Taehyung too."

Jungkook blushed madly, not only at Jimin's actions but at the sudden declaration that Jimin had just admitted. Jimin began to trail kisses down Jungkook's hand in a princely manner until he arrived at Jungkook's sleeve. 

"Ji-Ji..." Jungkook was too in shock for anything logical to come out.

At that point, Jimin didn't care. He didn't care that Jungkook liked both males. He didn't care that he liked both males. It wasn't a problem for him, unless...Taehyung didn't like both of them back. Which might be a problem. I know he likes Jungkook...but does he like me?

"It's not a big deal, Jungkook. I'm okay with it...I think we should all be. It's useless to deny it."

Jungkook regained his senses then, responding to Jimin's kisses by pulling the gray-haired onto his lap, straddling him. Jungkook then devoured Jimin into a deep kiss. Jimin's thick lips enveloped Jungkook's smaller ones, tasting sugar on the other's lips. 

Kook must have had something sweet to eat...

Jungkook began panting as Jimin's tongue entered his mouth. Jimin wrapped his hands around the younger's waist, rubbing his back fervently as their lips twisted delicately. Jimin tangled his hands in black locks of hair and started rocking back and forth. 

Jungkook broke the kiss for a second, their foreheads touching, both breathing heavily. "Jimin, if you don't stop moving..." 

Jimin was about to made a sassy comeback to the younger's statement when a frantic knock sounded at the door. The males pulled away to look each other in the eyes, confusion in both of their expressions. 

"Taehyung?" Jungkook called out.

"NO SIR, I HAVE NEWS FOR PRINCE PARK AND IT'S URGENT!" A servant's wavering voice yelled from outside the room. 

Jimin's face dropped. He rose off of the younger, rushing towards the door. He swung open the wood to see a panting messenger standing there, eyes wide and face pale. 

"S-sir..." The servant looked as if he were going to pass out. 

"Let it out! What is it?" Jimin snapped.

"The...the...Stone Castle." The servant paused.

"It's...destroyed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR'S NOTE

AaAaAaAaAaAHhHHHHhh

That was fun to write. Anyone here heavily against polyamorous relationships? Whoops. Well anyhow it's fictional. 

Have a beautiful day and don't forget to wash your hands! Hygiene is key to a great day...I think...LMAO. :)

izzy.