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Beomgyu stared at his reflection in the mirror. His robes were lifted up over his stomach and he was staring back at the smooth skin. While his stomach was usually flat, unless he had just eaten a large meal, it was round now. The bump was small, but still noticeable. Beomgyu placed his hand on it, his thumb stroking over the soft skin. He knew what it was, but his mind still didn’t want to fully accept it.
His monthly bleed was late. Nausea haunted him at every hour. He was weak and tired and… the bump. It was impossible to ignore. Beomgyu squeezed his eyes shut as he let his robe fall, hiding his body once more.
He was pregnant. There was no way that he could go to a doctor about this. The list of questions that would follow would be too incriminating. He wouldn’t be able to stay silent. The doctors would let his mother and Byungwoo know and they would start an investigation throughout the entire palace. Soobin would be found out. He would be arrested and possibly even… executed.
Beomgyu took in a shuddering breath as he shook his head. He needed a good plan.
There was a soft knock on his bedroom door and then it slid open to reveal the person who was always on his mind. Soobin had been on his mind even more than usual lately. He entered the room and shut the door behind him before going to Beomgyu.
“Daegam,” Soobin said with a smile. “I’ve missed you.”
His smile was soft and endeared and so perfect. Beomgyu would never get tired of looking at him. He almost didn’t want to tell Soobin the truth. Beomgyu wanted to do everything in his power to keep that smile as perfect as it was now.
“How can you have missed me?” Beomgyu asked as Soobin came closer and then settled his hands on Beomgyu’s waist. “You spend every second of the day by my side, guarding me.”
“You know what I mean,” Soobin said. “I’m sure you’ve missed me in the same way.”
“Maybe I have,” Beomgyu said.
He definitely had. Soobin was always by his side, but so were Migyong and the rest of his servants and guards. Beomgyu wasn’t able to joke around with Soobin or smile at him like he wanted to and he definitely couldn’t be touched by him. It was the sweetest form of torture, having Soobin so close to him at all times and yet still so far away.
Soobin leaned down, taking Beomgyu’s lips in a kiss. They had kissed so many times before and yet Beomgyu knew that he would never tire of it. He thought about sharing his future with Soobin. Beomgyu knew that he had to marry a nobleman, but what if his mother and brother didn’t mind him marrying a commoner? If they saw how wonderful Soobin was, and how well he treated Beomgyu, then maybe their minds would change.
Beomgyu scoffed, the air escaping from his mouth fanning across Soobin’s lips. That was impossible. They would never approve.
“What was that for?” Soobin asked.
“What was what for?” Beomgyu echoed.
Soobin stepped away from him. He moved his hands from Beomgyu’s waist to his face. There was concern on his soft features, but Beomgyu shifted his eyes to the side so that he wouldn’t have to see it.
“What’s wrong?” Soobin asked.
“Nothing,” Beomgyu said quickly and then he winced. He had to tell Soobin the truth. It was what he deserved. “Actually… let’s sit down.”
They sat down on the floor, on the cushions that they always sat on together. Other nights, Beomgyu would take out his gayageum and play for Soobin. Or they would instantly start to kiss and touch each other until talking was the last thing on their minds.
Tonight was a night for talking though. Beomgyu took Soobin’s hands in his and continued to look everywhere but his face.
“Tell me,” Soobin said. “What is it? You’re worrying me.”
Beomgyu wanted to tell him that there was nothing to worry about, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. He finally stopped avoiding Soobin’s eyes. Beomgyu looked at him and felt the air leave his lungs. Soobin was so worried. If he was like this before Beomgyu could tell him the truth, then how would he react once Beomgyu told him?
His hands went to his stomach and dread started to fill him. Thousands of scenarios flashed through Beomgyu’s mind as he tried to predict Soobin’s reaction. This wouldn’t be a joyful moment. Soobin wasn’t going to smile and burst into happy tears before kissing him. They weren’t going to talk about how excited they were to start a family together.
“I’m…” Beomgyu took a deep breath. Speaking only one word already had his heart pounding at twice its usual speed. “I don’t know how to say this.”
He stood up, completely abandoning the plan to calmly tell Soobin the truth while they were sitting. That would be the peaceful way to do things, but Beomgyu had a way of making things more difficult than they had to be.
“Daegam,” Soobin said. He got to his feet as well and took Beomgyu’s hands in his. Beomgyu pulled his hands away though and started to pace. He didn’t want to stay still. “You’re worrying me.”
Beomgyu couldn’t even tell Soobin that there was nothing to be worried about, because there definitely was something to be worried about. His hands were holding on to his stomach. They had been going there a lot more frequently these days. Beomgyu would instinctively touch his stomach whenever he was worried or nervous or overwhelmed. It grounded him for a moment, but then it reminded him of his reality and only stressed him out more.
He needed to tell Soobin the truth. But the sooner he said it, the sooner that life as they knew it would end. There would be no secret meetings in his room at night. They wouldn’t climb the old tree and jump over the stone wall for their walks anymore.
“I’m with child,” Beomgyu said.
The words came out of him without any resistance, despite his endless panicking.
Soobin didn’t respond right away. His mouth opened and then closed again. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words weren’t coming to him. Beomgyu watched as his face cycled through several different emotions. Confusion, then shock, then something that might have been joy before it was quickly replaced with the same dread that Beomgyu had been carrying.
“You’re…” Soobin’s voice was barely a whisper. “Are you certain?”
“Yes,” Beomgyu said. “I’m certain.”
His hands were still on his stomach and he realized that he was trembling. Soobin must have noticed as well because he crossed the room in three long strides and pulled Beomgyu into his arms. The embrace was tight, almost desperate, and Beomgyu felt tears sting at his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Soobin said into Beomgyu’s hair. “I’m so sorry. This is my fault. I should have been more careful. I should have–”
“Don’t,” Beomgyu said, cutting him off. “Don’t apologize. We were both there. We both made this choice.”
“A choice that could get us killed,” Soobin said. He pulled back just enough to look at Beomgyu’s face. His eyes were red and wet with unshed tears. “If your brother finds out, if anyone finds out, they’ll think I forced you or took advantage of my position. They’ll execute me and then they’ll–” He couldn’t finish the sentence.
“They won’t find out,” Beomgyu said, even though he had no idea how he could possibly keep this a secret. “We won’t let them.”
“How?” Soobin asked. “You can’t hide a pregnancy forever. Eventually, people will notice.”
Beomgyu stepped away from Soobin’s embrace. He needed space to think, to pace, to do something other than stand still and accept defeat. His mind was racing through possibilities, each one more impossible than the last.
“We could say that I was attacked,” Beomgyu said. “That someone broke into the palace and–”
“No,” Soobin said immediately. “They would launch an investigation and question everyone in the palace. Someone would be blamed and executed for a crime they didn’t commit.”
“Then what?” Beomgyu asked. His voice was rising now, panic creeping in. “What are we supposed to do? I can’t just tell my mother that I’m pregnant. I can’t tell Byungwoo. You know what he would do.”
Soobin was quiet for a long moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was steady but sad.
“There’s a drug,” Soobin said. “I’ve only heard about it from a few of the other guards. If you take the drug, the pregnancy will… end.”
“No,” Beomgyu said.
He knew he was being ridiculous. It was a safe, logical plan and the only one that made sense. Beomgyu would end his pregnancy and the tiny thing growing inside of him would cease to exist. Their problems would be gone. They would have to be smart about getting the drug, but that was all.
It was a solution that Beomgyu couldn’t approve of though. He wanted to have a child with Soobin. Beomgyu wanted a future with the man he loved, and this baby felt like a sign that that future was possible for them.
“Then what do you have in mind, Daegam?” Soobin asked.
“We have to leave,” Beomgyu said.
“Leave?” Soobin repeated.
“Leave the palace,” Beomgyu said. “Leave the capital. We could go somewhere far away where no one knows who we are. We could start a new life together.”
The suggestion was so absurd, even to Beomgyu’s ears. He couldn’t believe he had just brought it up. They both knew that a plan like that was just a fantasy.
“Daegam,” Soobin said. “That could–”
“It’s impossible,” Beomgyu said. “I’m a prince. I can’t just disappear. They would search for me. There’s no way they wouldn’t find us.”
He turned away from Soobin and started to bite at his thumbnail. The drug was their only choice. Beomgyu should have just accepted it from the start.
“It’s not entirely impossible,” Soobin said. He went to Beomgyu and turned him around so that they were facing again. “We’ve snuck out of the palace together countless times. What’s one more time? We’ll pack bags. You can take your jewelry and we can sell it for money. We’ll go over the wall like we always do. We could find a village far away and settle down.”
“And what would we do if we made it out?” Beomgyu asked. “How would we survive? I don’t know how to do anything except play the gayageum and compose music. You’re a soldier. What kind of work could you find in a small village?”
“I don’t know,” Soobin said. “But we would figure it out. We have to.”
Beomgyu wanted to argue. He wanted to tell Soobin that this plan was reckless and foolish and would never work. But what other option did they have? Stay here and wait to be discovered? Wait for Byungwoo to find out and do something terrible? Or end the pregnancy and accept defeat?
“My mother,” Beomgyu said. “I can’t leave without saying goodbye to her.”
“You can’t tell her the truth,” Soobin said. “If she knows, she’ll try to stop us. Or worse, she’ll tell the king.”
“She wouldn’t,” Beomgyu said.
The words left his mouth and he was instantly unsure of them. His mother loved him, but she also loved Byungwoo. She was loyal to the crown above all else.
“We don’t have much time,” Soobin said. “The longer we wait, the more obvious it will become. We need to leave soon. Within the next few days, if possible.”
Beomgyu felt like the walls were closing in around him. Everything was happening too fast. Just a few minutes ago, his biggest concern had been how to tell Soobin about the pregnancy. Now they were planning to run away together, to abandon everything they’d ever known.
“I’m scared,” Beomgyu said quietly.
Soobin pulled him close again, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
“I’m scared too,” he said. “But I promise you, Daegam, I will protect you and our child. No matter what happens, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Beomgyu wanted to believe him. He wanted to believe that love would be enough, that they could build a life together somewhere far from the palace. But he also knew the world they lived in. He knew how ruthless Byungwoo could be when he felt betrayed.
“When should we leave?” Beomgyu asked.
“I’ll need a few days to prepare,” Soobin said. “I need to gather supplies, find us a place to go, figure out the safest route. Can you wait that long?”
“I’ve waited this long to tell you,” Beomgyu said. “I can wait a few more days.”
They stood together in silence for a moment, holding each other as if they could somehow make the rest of the world disappear. Beomgyu closed his eyes and tried to imagine their future. They would find a small house in a quiet village. Soobin working during the day while Beomgyu tended to their home. And they would be joined by a child running through a field of flowers.
It was a beautiful dream. He just hoped it wouldn’t remain only a dream.
“We should be careful,” Soobin said. “We can’t act any differently than usual. If anyone suspects something is wrong, they might start asking questions.”
“I know,” Beomgyu said. “I’ll be careful.”
Soobin kissed him then, soft and gentle and full of promises that Beomgyu desperately wanted to believe. When they pulled apart, Soobin’s hands went to Beomgyu’s stomach, resting there carefully.
“Our child,” he said with wonder in his voice.
“Our child,” Beomgyu said.
For just a moment, the fear faded away and Beomgyu let himself feel the joy that should have come with this news. He was going to have a baby. Soobin’s baby. They were going to be a family.
The moment didn’t last long though. Reality came crashing back down, reminding him of all the obstacles that stood in their way.
“You should go,” Beomgyu said. “If someone finds you here at this hour, they’ll be suspicious.”
“No one has ever caught me before,” Soobin said.
“I know,” Beomgyu said. “Tonight could be the first night though. I don’t want to risk anything anymore. Not until we leave. We can’t give anyone a reason to question us.”
Soobin nodded reluctantly. He kissed Beomgyu one more time before heading toward the door.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” Beomgyu said.
Then Soobin was gone, and Beomgyu was alone again. He sat back down on his cushion, his hands returning to his stomach. The bump was barely visible under his robes, but it was there. The child was evidence of his love for Soobin, but also evidence of their crime.
☾*✲⋆.
Beomgyu felt someone shaking his shoulder. His head dropped suddenly and then he was awake, blinking his eyes. He had been dreaming… but he couldn’t remember what his dream had been about.
“Are you really sleeping?” Yeonjun asked. “Right now?”
After waking up a bit more, Beomgyu looked around the room and recognized the backseat of Yeonjun’s car. Soobin was driving while Yeonjun looked back at him from the passenger seat. Beomgyu rubbed his eyes and say up straighter.
“I was just resting my eyes,” Beomgyu said.
“I thought you were bored of us,” Yeonjun said.
“I could never be bored of you two,” Beomgyu said.
The events of today slowly came back to Beomgyu as he became more awake. They had been at his mother’s house all day. Their mating ceremony had taken place in her backyard. It had been a simple ceremony with only their closest family and friends.
“How long was I asleep?” Beomgyu asked.
“About twenty minutes,” Soobin said, glancing at him in the rearview mirror. “We’re almost home.”
A spark of anticipation lit in Beomgyu’s stomach. They had decided to complete their bond at home, in their penthouse that was so familiar to them all now. Legally, three people couldn’t marry each other, but mating was possible between multiple people.
“Are you nervous?” Yeonjun asked.
“Maybe a little,” Beomgyu said. “Are you?”
“Terrified,” Yeonjun said with a grin that didn’t match his words. “What if we’re terrible at this?”
“At what?” Beomgyu asked. “Being mated? I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of it already, we just hadn’t made it official.”
“We haven’t sealed the bond with a mating bite,” Soobin said.
Beomgyu’s hand went to his neck. The mating bite was the part that made it real. He had thought about it so many times over the past few weeks, wondering what it would feel like. Beomgyu had wondered if it would hurt or if it would be pleasurable. He had done research, of course, but he knew that nothing would be able to fully prepare him for the real thing.
“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” Beomgyu said.
“Having second thoughts?” Yeonjun asked.
There was no real concern in his voice. He knew Beomgyu too well.
“Not even a little bit,” Beomgyu said. “I just... I keep thinking about how different my life could have been. If I hadn’t had those dreams and hadn’t met you two.”
“But you did,” Soobin said, “and now you’re stuck with us.”
“Forever,” Yeonjun added with a smile.
Beomgyu liked the sound of that.
They pulled into the parking garage of their building, and suddenly Beomgyu’s heart was racing. This was it. They were going home to complete their mating bond and make their relationship official in the most primal, permanent way possible.
“Ready?” Soobin asked once he had parked the car.
Beomgyu nodded, not trusting his voice. They got out of the car together, and Beomgyu was grateful when both of his alphas took his hands, one on each side. Their hands stayed connected as they walked to the elevator.
The ride up to their floor was quiet. Beomgyu could feel the tension building, anticipation coiling tight in his stomach. Yeonjun’s thumb was stroking across his knuckles in a soothing rhythm. Soobin kept glancing over at him, as if checking to make sure he was still there, still real.
When they finally reached their apartment door, Soobin fumbled with the code. His hands were shaking slightly.
“Let me,” Yeonjun said, punching in the code quickly.
The first thing that greeted them when they entered was a loud, indignant meow. Yuseong the Cat came trotting over, her tail held high in the air. She wound between Beomgyu’s legs, meowing continuously.
“I know, I know,” Beomgyu said, bending down to pet her. “We abandoned you for a whole day. How dare we.”
“She’s been fed,” Soobin said. “I left her enough food for breakfast and dinner before we left.”
“She’s not complaining about food,” Beomgyu said as Yuseong butted her head against his hand demandingly. “She’s complaining about the lack of attention.”
He scooped her up into his arms, and she immediately started purring, kneading her paws against his chest. Beomgyu carried her over to the couch and sat down, letting her settle in his lap.
“Are you really going to cuddle the cat right now?” Yeonjun asked.
“She missed us,” Beomgyu said. “Besides, I’m nervous. Petting her helps.”
Soobin sat down on one side of Beomgyu while Yeonjun sat on the other. They were close enough that their thighs were touching, and Beomgyu could feel the heat radiating from both of them. Yuseong didn’t seem to mind the crowding. She just kept purring, her eyes half-closed in contentment.
“We don’t have to do anything tonight,” Soobin said. “If you’re not ready.”
“I’m ready,” Beomgyu said. “I’ve been ready. I just... needed a moment.”
“Take all the time you need,” Yeonjun said.
They sat like that for a few minutes, just being together. Yuseong eventually got tired of the attention and jumped down from Beomgyu’s lap, wandering off toward her food bowl.
“I have something,” Beomgyu said suddenly. “Something I want to wear. For tonight.”
Both alphas turned to look at him, interest clear on their faces.
“What kind of something?” Yeonjun asked, his voice dropping lower.
“A surprise,” Beomgyu said. He stood up, his hands twisting together nervously. “I bought it a few weeks ago. I’ve been waiting for the right moment.”
“Go put it on,” Soobin said. His eyes were already darkening, his scent getting stronger. “We’ll wait here.”
Beomgyu nodded and headed to their bedroom. Once inside, he closed the door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears.
He went to his dresser and pulled out the package he had hidden in the back of his underwear drawer. The lingerie was wrapped in delicate tissue paper, and Beomgyu carefully unwrapped it. It was a set he had found at an upscale boutique. The fabric was soft blue silk with delicate lace trim along the edges. There was a bralette and matching panties, both designed to accentuate rather than conceal.
Beomgyu stripped out of his clothes from the ceremony. He hadn’t worn a dress or formal hanbok, like Yeonjun desperately wanted him to. The outfit he had chosen was simple, but timeless and comfortable. Beomgyu hoped the lingerie would make up for his safe ceremony clothes.
He pulled on the lingerie, adjusting it until it sat perfectly on his body. Beomgyu looked at himself in the mirror and felt a flush spread across his cheeks. The silk clung to his skin, the lace highlighting the curves of his body. He looked... good. Better than good.
Beomgyu grabbed a robe from the closet and wrapped it around himself. He wanted to make an entrance.
When he returned to the living room, Soobin and Yeonjun were right where he had left them on the couch. They both looked up immediately when they heard him approach.
“Close your eyes,” Beomgyu said.
“What?” Yeonjun asked.
“Close your eyes,” Beomgyu repeated. “Both of you.”
They exchanged a glance but obeyed. Beomgyu waited until he was sure their eyes were fully closed before letting the robe slip from his shoulders. It pooled at his feet, leaving him standing there in just the lingerie.
“Okay,” Beomgyu said softly. “You can look now.”
Soobin opened his eyes first. The sound he made was somewhere between a groan and a whimper. Yeonjun’s eyes flew open a second later, and his mouth literally fell open.
“Beomgyu,” Yeonjun said. “You look...”
“Beautiful,” Soobin finished. He stood up slowly, his eyes roaming over every inch of Beomgyu’s body. “You look absolutely beautiful.”
Beomgyu felt exposed under their gazes. He could see the desire in their eyes, could smell the way their scents were thickening with arousal.
“Do you like it?” Beomgyu asked, even though the answer was obvious from the way they were looking at him.
“Like it?” Yeonjun said. He stood up too, moving toward Beomgyu like he was in a trance. “Beomgyu, I... fuck. You’re perfect.”
Yeonjun reached out and ran his fingers along the lace trim of the bralette, barely touching Beomgyu’s skin. The light touch sent shivers down Beomgyu’s spine.
“Should we move to the bedroom?” Soobin asked. His voice was rough, deeper than usual. “Please.”
“Yes,” Beomgyu said.
Soobin swept him up into his arms without warning, making Beomgyu yelp in surprise. Yeonjun laughed and followed them as Soobin carried Beomgyu to their bedroom.
Once inside, Soobin set Beomgyu down gently on the bed. The mattress dipped as both alphas climbed on with him, one on each side. Beomgyu lay back against the pillows, his heart racing as they both leaned over him.
“You’re sure about this?” Yeonjun asked one more time. “Once we bite you, that’s it. It’s permanent.”
“I’m sure,” Beomgyu said. “I want this. I want you both so much. How could I not, after everything we’ve been through?”
“Who do you want to bite you first?” Soobin asked.
Beomgyu hadn’t thought about that. He looked between them, at these two alphas who meant everything to him. How could he possibly choose?
“Both of you,” Beomgyu said. “At the same time.”
“That’s going to be intense,” Yeonjun said. “Taking two mating bites at once...”
“I can handle it,” Beomgyu said. “I want to feel both of you claiming me.”
Soobin and Yeonjun exchanged a look, some silent communication passing between them. Then they both nodded.
“Okay,” Soobin said. “But we’re going to take this slow. Make sure you’re ready.”
They started by kissing him. Yeonjun kissed his mouth while Soobin kissed along his jaw, his neck, his collarbones. Their hands roamed over his body, sliding under the silk and lace, mapping every inch of skin.
Beomgyu arched into their touches, his breath coming faster. He could feel their scents wrapping around him, mixing with his own. The room was getting thick with pheromones, the air heavy with desire.
“The lingerie is beautiful,” Yeonjun murmured against Beomgyu’s lips. “But I think it’s time to take it off.”
Beomgyu nodded, and Yeonjun carefully removed the bralette, tossing it aside. Soobin hooked his fingers in the waistband of the panties and slowly dragged them down Beomgyu’s legs.
Now he was completely bare between them, exposed and vulnerable and wanting.
“You’re so beautiful,” Soobin said reverently. “I can’t believe you’re ours.”
“Show me,” Beomgyu said. “Show me I’m yours.”
They didn’t need to be told twice. Yeonjun and Soobin stripped out of their own clothes quickly, and then they were back on the bed, surrounding Beomgyu with their warmth.
Soobin’s fingers circled Beomgyu’s clit, rubbing in slow, deliberate strokes while Yeonjun’s hand slipped between Beomgyu’s thighs, teasing the slick folds of his cunt. Beomgyu moaned, his head dropping back against the pillows, hips arching up into their touch.
“That’s it,” Yeonjun murmured, his voice low and encouraging. “Let us hear those sounds.”
They opened him up gradually, fingers sliding through the growing slick, pressing inside his cunt to stretch and prepare him. Beomgyu’s breaths came in short gasps, his body trembling with anticipation. When Yeonjun finally aligned his thick cock and thrust in deep, Beomgyu whimpered, clenching around the intrusion.
Soobin captured his lips in a fierce kiss, tongue plunging in as Yeonjun began a steady rhythm, each snap of hips driving his cock deeper into Beomgyu’s slick cunt. The stretch burned sweetly, building heat that coiled tight in Beomgyu’s core.
“Ready for the bite?” Soobin pulled back just enough to ask, his eyes dark with hunger.
“Yes,” Beomgyu gasped, nodding frantically. “Please, I need you both. Claim me.”
Soobin shifted to Beomgyu’s right, his own knotted cock hard and leaking against Beomgyu’s thigh, while Yeonjun kept thrusting into his cunt. They both lowered their heads to his neck, hot breaths ghosting over the vulnerable skin.
“On three,” Yeonjun grunted, teeth grazing. “One...”
“Two...” Soobin echoed, lips brushing the other side of his throat. “Three.”
Their teeth sunk into Beomgyu’s neck at the same time.
The sharp sting of the bites ripped through Beomgyu, but it melted into a flood of ecstasy, the mating bond locking into place. He felt them, Soobin’s steady protectiveness, Yeonjun’s fierce possession, twining with his own emotions, binding them as one.
Beomgyu’s cunt tightened around Yeonjun’s cock as he came hard, slick gushing out while waves of pleasure crashed over him. Yeonjun growled against his neck, his knot swelling at the base of his cock, catching inside Beomgyu’s tight entrance. He thrust erratically, then buried deep, coming in Beomgyu’s cunt, the knot pulsing as it sealed them together.
Soobin released the bite first, licking the mark to soothe it, then pulled Beomgyu into another kiss while Yeonjun stayed locked in place. Once the initial haze cleared and Yeonjun’s knot went down, Soobin eased Yeonjun out carefully, cum and slick dripping from Beomgyu’s stretched cunt. Soobin took his turn then, flipping Beomgyu onto his side and sliding his thick cock into the messy heat.
“Fuck, you’re so wet,” Soobin groaned, gripping Beomgyu’s hip as he started thrusting, his knot teasing the rim of Beomgyu’s cunt with each push. Yeonjun watched, stroking his softening cock, before leaning in to bite down on Beomgyu’s shoulder this time, reinforcing the bond.
Beomgyu keened, overwhelmed by the dual sensations. Soobin’s cock filled him relentlessly while Yeonjun’s teeth marked his skin. The bond thrummed stronger, pulling their desires into sharp focus. Soobin’s pace quickened, hips slamming forward until his knot popped inside, stretching Beomgyu impossibly full.
They rode out the aftershocks together, Beomgyu’s body limp and sated between them. Soobin and Yeonjun lapped at the fresh bites, blood and saliva mingling as the wounds began to heal into permanent scars.
“How do you feel?” Yeonjun asked, nuzzling Beomgyu’s neck.
“Complete,” Beomgyu said, the truth settling deep in his chest. He could sense their contentment echoing his own through the bond. “Like I belong to you both.”
“You do,” Soobin said, pressing a soft kiss to Beomgyu’s temple as his knot finally deflated enough to slip free, more cum leaking from Beomgyu’s cunt. “And we can feel you too. Every bit of it.”
Yeonjun hummed in agreement, his hand trailing down Soobin’s back possessively. The air still hummed with their shared arousal, the bond urging them closer. Beomgyu shifted, propping himself up on an elbow to watch as Yeonjun pulled Soobin toward him, their mouths crashing together in a hungry kiss.
Soobin’s cock hardened again quickly under Yeonjun’s touch, and Beomgyu bit his lip, eyes fixed on the way Yeonjun pushed Soobin onto his back. Yeonjun straddled him, using the slick and cum from his cock to reach behind himself. After a few quick movements of his wrist, Yeonjun sank down slowly, taking Soobin’s thick length inch by inch, groaning at the stretch.
“So big, Binnie,” Yeonjun panted, rolling his hips to adjust, his ass clenching around Soobin’s cock.
Beomgyu watched, mesmerized, as Soobin’s hands gripped Yeonjun’s thighs, guiding him up and down in a building rhythm. Beomgyu’s slick from earlier eased the slide, making wet sounds fill the room.
Yeonjun rode him hard, chasing his pleasure, while Soobin thrust up to meet him, knot swelling with each deep plunge. Beomgyu reached out, fingers brushing Yeonjun’s cock. He stroked his own clit lightly, cunt still throbbing from the claiming, as he absorbed the sight.
Soobin’s breaths grew ragged, his knot catching at Yeonjun’s rim before forcing its way in on the next thrust. Yeonjun cried out and Soobin came with a groan.
Afterwards, they lied there for a long time, just holding each other and basking in the new bond. Beomgyu could feel the love that both of them had for him and for each other. It was almost too much.
They managed to get out of bed and clean themselves eventually. Soobin ran a warm bath and they all crowded into the tub together, washing away the sweat and other evidence of their lovemaking. Beomgyu leaned back against Yeonjun’s chest while Soobin washed his hair, gentle and careful around the fresh mating marks.
“I love you,” Beomgyu said.
He didn’t specify who he was talking to because he didn’t need to. The bond carried his words to both of them.
“We love you too,” they replied, almost in unison.
After the bath, they dressed in pajamas and returned to the living room. Yuseong was asleep on the couch, curled up in a perfect circle. She didn’t even wake up when they sat down next to her.
“So,” Yeonjun said. “We’re officially mated now.”
“Officially,” Soobin agreed.
“How does it feel?” Yeonjun asked Beomgyu.
Beomgyu thought about the question. How did it feel to be mated to two alphas? To have their marks on his neck and to be connected to them in such a profound way?
“It feels right,” he said finally. “Like this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
“Good,” Soobin said, pulling Beomgyu closer. “Because you’re stuck with us now.”
“Forever,” Yeonjun added.
Beomgyu smiled, his fingers tracing over the fresh marks on his neck. They would scar eventually, permanent reminders of this moment, of this bond. And he couldn’t wait.
He thought briefly about the prince in his dreams, about that Beomgyu who had never gotten this moment. Who had loved and lost and never completed his mating bond with anyone, as far as Beomgyu knew. Beomgyu sent a silent wish to him across time and space. He wished that somehow, somewhere, that version of himself had found peace too.
☾*✲⋆.
Beomgyu sat in the doorway of his small house, watching as Yuseong played in the field of lavender across the road. She was chasing butterflies, her laughter carrying on the warm summer breeze. She had Soobin’s laugh, bright and unrestrained. Years had passed since Soobin’s death, and sometimes Beomgyu could go hours without thinking about him. Other times, the grief was so strong that he struggled to get out of bed.
Today was one of the better days.
“Eomma!” Yuseong called out, holding up a purple flower. “Look what I found!”
“It’s beautiful!” Beomgyu called back. “Bring it here!”
She ran toward him, her small legs pumping as fast as they could. When she reached the porch, she thrust the lavender stem into his hands.
“We can put it in water,” she said.
“We can,” Beomgyu said. “Go inside and get the little vase from the kitchen.”
Yuseong scampered inside, leaving Beomgyu alone with his thoughts. He twirled the lavender between his fingers, breathing in its sweet scent. This place had become home in a way the palace never had. He was free here. The people of the village saw him as just another omega raising a child on his own.
Beomgyu heard the sound of footsteps approaching and looked up to see a familiar figure walking down the road toward his house. Yeonjun was carrying a basket, probably filled with whatever he had managed to find at the market that morning.
“You’re later than usual,” Beomgyu said as Yeonjun reached the porch.
“The fabric merchant had just received a new shipment,” Yeonjun said, his eyes lighting up the way they always did when he talked about textiles. “I couldn’t leave without looking through everything. I found the most beautiful silk. It’s deep green, like the forest after rain. I think it would look stunning on you.”
“You think everything would look stunning on me,” Beomgyu said.
“Because everything does look stunning on you,” Yeonjun said.
He set the basket down and sat next to Beomgyu on the porch, their shoulders almost touching. This had become their routine over the past few months. Yeonjun would visit every few days, always bringing food or supplies or some little gift he had found. He never stayed too long, never pushed for more than Beomgyu was ready to give. Yeonjun was patient in a way that Beomgyu both appreciated and found frustrating.
“Where’s Yuseong?” Yeonjun asked.
“Inside, getting a vase for her flower,” Beomgyu said.
As if summoned by her name, Yuseong came running back out, the blue vase clutched carefully in her small hands. She stopped short when she saw Yeonjun.
“Samchon!” she said, her face breaking into a huge grin.
“Yuseong-ah,” Yeonjun said. “What do you have there?”
“Lavender for Eomma,” she said. “I picked it myself.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you,” Yeonjun said. He reached into his basket and pulled out a small package wrapped in cloth. “I brought something for you too.”
Yuseong’s eyes went wide. She looked at Beomgyu for permission, and when he nodded, she carefully took the package from Yeonjun. Inside was a small wooden toy. It was a horse with a flowing mane, painted in bright colors.
“It’s perfect!” Yuseong said.
She immediately sat down on the porch and began making the horse gallop through an imaginary field. Beomgyu watched his daughter play, and then looked at Yeonjun. He was looking at Yuseong so tenderly, as if she were his own.
“You didn’t have to bring her anything,” Beomgyu said.
“I wanted to,” Yeonjun said. “Is that all right?”
“Yes,” Beomgyu said.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching Yuseong play. The sun was warm on Beomgyu’s face, and the lavender scent filled the air. It was peaceful. More peaceful than Beomgyu had ever imagined his life could be.
“I’ve been thinking,” Yeonjun said eventually. “About what you said last week.”
Beomgyu tensed slightly. Last week, Yeonjun had asked if he could court Beomgyu properly. Beomgyu had said he needed time to think about it.
“And?” Beomgyu said.
“I want you to know that I’m not trying to replace him,” Yeonjun said. His voice was gentle but firm. “I know that Yuseong’s father was important to you. I know that you loved him. I’m not asking you to forget that or pretend it didn’t happen.”
Beomgyu looked down at his hands. He had been playing with the lavender stem, and now it was bent and crushed.
“Then what are you asking?” he said.
“I’m asking for a chance,” Yeonjun said. “Not to be him. Just to be... someone to you. Someone you could maybe, eventually, love too.”
Beomgyu’s throat tightened. He wanted to say yes. Part of him had wanted to say yes from the first time Yeonjun had asked. But it felt like a betrayal somehow. Like if he let himself love again, he would be admitting that Soobin was truly gone.
“I’m scared,” Beomgyu admitted. It was the first time he had said it out loud.
“Of what?” Yeonjun asked.
“Of losing someone again,” Beomgyu said. “Of letting Yuseong get attached to someone who might leave. I’m scared… of being happy when I have no right to be.”
“You have every right to be happy,” Yeonjun said. “Beomgyu, you have your whole life ahead of you. You shouldn’t spend it mourning.”
“I don’t know how to stop,” Beomgyu said.
Yeonjun reached out and took Beomgyu’s hand. His palm was warm and calloused from his work as a tailor.
“You don’t have to stop,” Yeonjun said. “You just have to make room for something else too.”
Beomgyu looked at their joined hands. Yeonjun’s hand was different from Soobin’s. It was smaller, more delicate. But it felt right nonetheless.
“I don’t know if I can love you the way you deserve,” Beomgyu said.
“I don’t need you to love me any particular way,” Yeonjun said. “I just need you to try.”
Yuseong had abandoned her horse and was now weaving a crown out of lavender stems. She was completely absorbed in her task, her little tongue poking out in concentration. Yuseong looked so much like Soobin in that moment that Beomgyu’s heart ached.
“He would have wanted this for you,” Yeonjun said softly, as if reading Beomgyu’s thoughts. “If he loved you the way I think he did, he would have wanted you to be happy.”
“You didn’t know him,” Beomgyu said, but there was no heat in the words.
“I know you,” Yeonjun said. “And I know that anyone who loved you would want you to have a good life.”
Beomgyu closed his eyes. He thought about Soobin, about their last moments together in that horrible cell. Soobin had told him to be happy. He had made Beomgyu promise.
“All right,” Beomgyu said.
“Really?” Yeonjun repeated, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.
“Yes, you can court me,” Beomgyu said, opening his eyes to look at Yeonjun. “But I need you to understand that it might take me a long time. I might never love you the way I loved him. I can’t promise you anything.”
“I’m not asking for promises,” Yeonjun said. His smile was radiant. “I’m just asking for a chance.”
“Eomma!” Yuseong called out. “Look! I made you a crown!”
She came running over with the lavender crown, placing it ceremoniously on Beomgyu’s head. It was crooked and some of the flowers were already wilting, but Beomgyu thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
“Thank you,” he said, pulling her into his lap. “It’s perfect.”
“You’re a prince now,” Yuseong said.
Beomgyu and Yeonjun exchanged a look. If only she knew.
“Make one for Yeonjun-ssi too,” Beomgyu said.
Yuseong’s eyes lit up and she scampered away to gather more lavender. As soon as she was out of earshot, Yeonjun squeezed Beomgyu’s hand.
“Thank you,” he said. “For trusting me.”
“Don’t make me regret it,” Beomgyu said, but he was smiling.
“I’ll try my best not to,” Yeonjun said.
Over the following months, Yeonjun’s visits became more frequent. He would come for dinner and help Beomgyu clean up afterward. He would bring fabric scraps for Yuseong to play with, teaching her how to sew simple stitches. He would sit with Beomgyu in the evenings, listening as Beomgyu played his gayageum.
Slowly, carefully, Beomgyu let his guard down. He told Yeonjun stories about his childhood in the palace, and about Taehyun and his mother. Beomgyu missed them both desperately, but he knew he could never see them again.
And sometimes, late at night when Yuseong was asleep, he would tell Yeonjun about Soobin. About how they had met, how they had fallen in love, how it had all ended in tragedy. Yeonjun would listen without judgment, holding Beomgyu when the memories became too painful.
“I used to climb trees with him,” Beomgyu said one night. They were sitting on the porch, watching the stars. “There was this old tree in the palace gardens. We would climb to the top and jump over the wall.”
“That sounds dangerous,” Yeonjun said.
“It was,” Beomgyu said. “But it was also the only time I felt free. The only time I felt like myself instead of just... a prince.”
Yeonjun was quiet for a moment.
“Do you ever regret it?” he asked. “Running away? Leaving that life behind?”
Beomgyu thought about the question. He looked at his small house, at the lavender field across the road, at the door where Yuseong slept peacefully. Beomgyu thought about the freedom he had now, the ability to make his own choices.
“No,” he said. “I don’t regret it. Even with everything that happened, even losing Soobin... I don’t regret choosing to live my own life.”
“Good,” Yeonjun said. “You shouldn’t.”
As winter approached, Yeonjun’s visits became even more frequent. He started staying later, helping Beomgyu put Yuseong to bed, sitting by the fire as they talked. One night, he didn’t leave at all. A storm had come up suddenly, and the roads were too dangerous to travel.
“You can stay,” Beomgyu said, trying to keep his voice casual. “We have extra blankets. You can sleep in the sitting room.”
“Thank you,” Yeonjun said.
Beomgyu gathered the extra blankets from the chest in his room, his hands moving slowly as he folded and refolded them unnecessarily. He brought them to Yeonjun along with one of the softer pillows, arranging them carefully on the floor cushions. Their fingers brushed when Yeonjun took the pillow from him, and Beomgyu pulled his hand back.
But later, after they had both retired to their separate spaces, Beomgyu found himself unable to sleep. He lied on his back, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom, listening to the storm outside and the creaking of the house. He kept thinking about Yeonjun in the next room, about how natural it had felt to have him there.
Before he could talk himself out of it, Beomgyu got up and went to the sitting room. His bare feet were silent on the wooden floor. The fire had burned down to embers, casting everything in a soft orange glow. Yeonjun was awake too, lying on his makeshift bed but staring up at the ceiling, his hands folded on his chest.
“Can’t sleep?” Beomgyu asked.
Yeonjun’s head turned toward him, and he sat up slowly, the blanket falling to his waist.
“No,” Yeonjun said. “You?”
“Me neither,” Beomgyu said.
They looked at each other in the dim firelight. Beomgyu’s heart was pounding so hard he was certain Yeonjun could hear it. He wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly aware of how thin his sleeping robe was and how vulnerable he felt standing there.
“I think I’m ready,” he said.
“Ready for what?” Yeonjun asked, though Beomgyu suspected he already knew.
“To try,” Beomgyu said. “Really try. With you.”
Yeonjun stood up slowly, pushing the blanket aside completely. He crossed the room until he was standing in front of Beomgyu, close enough that Beomgyu could feel the warmth radiating from his body. He reached out, his movements careful and deliberate, and cupped Beomgyu’s face gently with both hands. His thumbs stroked across Beomgyu’s cheekbones.
“Are you sure?” he asked, his eyes searching Beomgyu’s face.
“I’m sure,” Beomgyu said. He let his own hands come up to rest on Yeonjun’s wrists, anchoring himself. “Really, hyung, I am.”
Yeonjun kissed him then, soft and tentative and nothing like the desperate kisses he used to share with Soobin. This was gentler, more questioning, as if Yeonjun was afraid Beomgyu might disappear if he pressed too hard. Beomgyu’s eyes fluttered closed and he leaned into it, his fingers tightening around Yeonjun’s wrists. When they pulled apart, Yeonjun rested his forehead against Beomgyu’s, their breath mingling in the small space between them.
“I love you,” Yeonjun said. “I need you to know that.”
“I know,” Beomgyu said. His voice was barely a whisper. “I... I’m not there yet. But I think I could be. Eventually.”
“That’s enough for me,” Yeonjun said.
They stood there for a long moment, just holding each other. Yeonjun’s hands slid from Beomgyu’s face to his shoulders, then down to his waist, pulling him closer. Beomgyu let his head rest against Yeonjun’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Outside, the storm raged on, wind howling and rain lashing against the windows, but inside, wrapped in Yeonjun’s arms, Beomgyu felt warm and safe.
☾*✲⋆.
Beomgyu woke to the sound of giggling and the smell of something burning.
He sat up in bed, his hair sticking up in every direction, and tried to process what was happening. The giggling was definitely coming from Yuseong, and the burning smell was probably coming from the kitchen. Which meant Yeonjun was attempting to make breakfast again.
“I should go save them,” Beomgyu muttered to himself.
Beomgyu didn’t move right away. Instead, he took a moment to look around their bedroom. Their bed was unmade, blankets tangled from where he and Yeonjun had fallen asleep the night before. Yeonjun’s side was already empty. He was probably in the kitchen supervising Soobin’s cooking disaster.
On the nightstand was a photo of the three of them with baby Yuseong, taken just days after she was born. Beomgyu picked it up, studying the exhausted but happy faces looking back at him. It had been six months since then. Six months of sleepless nights and endless feedings and more joy than Beomgyu had ever thought possible.
He pulled on a robe and padded barefoot to the kitchen. The scene that greeted him was exactly what he had expected. Soobin was standing at the stove with a spatula, looking helplessly at a pan of what might have once been pancakes but were now definitely charcoal. Yeonjun was sitting at the table with Yuseong in his lap, both of them watching Soobin’s culinary disaster.
“Don’t say it,” Soobin said when he saw Beomgyu.
“I wasn’t going to say anything,” Beomgyu said, crossing the kitchen to kiss Soobin’s cheek. “But maybe we should order breakfast instead.”
“These could be salvaged,” Soobin said, poking at the burned pancakes.
“Binnie,” Yeonjun said. “Just let it go.”
“Fine,” Soobin said with a sigh. He turned off the stove. “But I was really trying this time.”
“We know you were,” Beomgyu said. He took the spatula from Soobin’s hand and set it aside, then pulled his alpha into a hug. “Your effort is appreciated even if the results are... questionable.”
“I’m never cooking again,” Soobin said.
“You say that every time,” Yeonjun said.
Beomgyu went to the table and took Yuseong from Yeonjun’s lap. She was wide awake and babbling happily, her small hands reaching for Beomgyu’s face. He kissed her tiny nose and she squealed with delight.
“How did you sleep, little one?” Beomgyu asked her, even though he knew she couldn’t answer.
Yuseong smiled at him, and Beomgyu’s heart melted. Every single time he looked at her, he fell in love all over again. She had Soobin’s eyes and Beomgyu’s nose, though it was still too early to tell. Her personality was all her own though. She was curious and active and absolutely refused to sleep through the night.
“She was up at five,” Yeonjun said, answering for her. “I changed her and gave her a bottle. She’s been happy ever since.”
“Unlike some people who are permanently grumpy in the morning,” Soobin said, opening the fridge to see what they could eat for breakfast that didn’t require cooking.
“I’m not grumpy,” Beomgyu said. “I’m just not a morning person.”
“You growled at me yesterday when I tried to wake you up,” Yeonjun said.
“That was a very reasonable response to being woken up at six AM on a Saturday,” Beomgyu said.
Soobin emerged from the fridge with yogurt, fruit, and milk. He grabbed cereal from the pantry as well.
“How about we have a nice, un-burnable breakfast?” he asked. “I can heat up the leftover doenjang-jjigae, if anyone wants that.”
“Cereal is fine with me,” Beomgyu said.
They settled around the table together, Yuseong propped up in her bouncer between them. Beomgyu ate his cereal while watching his family. Soobin was telling some story about a video game he had been playing, gesturing wildly with his spoon. Yeonjun was listening with the patient smile he always wore when Soobin got excited about something. Yuseong was watching them all, her eyes tracking from face to face.
This was happiness, Beomgyu thought. This mundane, ordinary, perfect morning was perfect. He never thought he would be so satisfied by eating breakfast with the people he loved the most.
“What are we doing today?” Yeonjun asked once Soobin had finished his gaming story.
“Taehyun wants us to come over,” Beomgyu said. “He and Kai are working on the nursery and he wants our opinion on paint colors.”
“They’re not even pregnant yet,” Soobin said.
“You know how Taehyun is,” Beomgyu said. “He likes to plan ahead.”
“By about five years,” Yeonjun muttered.
After breakfast, they got ready to go. Getting ready with a six month-old turned out to be a complicated process involving multiple outfit changes (for Yuseong, who kept spitting up), a minor meltdown (from Yeonjun, who couldn’t find his favorite jacket), and a long debate about whether they needed to bring the portable playpen (they did, according to Soobin, who had somehow become the most cautious parent).
By the time they finally made it out the door, they were running thirty minutes late. Taehyun texted to ask if they had gotten lost, and Beomgyu sent back a picture of Yuseong covered in spit-up as a response.
The drive to Taehyun and Kai’s house was peaceful. Yuseong fell asleep in her car seat almost immediately, worn out from her busy morning of eating and being cute. Beomgyu sat in the back with her while Yeonjun drove and Soobin controlled the music.
“Remember when we used to be able to listen to music with swear words?” Beomgyu said wistfully as a children’s song about counting to ten played through the speakers.
“I don’t think Yuseong cares about swear words yet,” Yeonjun said.
“It’s about setting a good example,” Soobin said.
“You literally called the coffee maker a ‘fucking piece of shit’ this morning,” Beomgyu said.
“That was different,” Soobin said. “Yuseong wasn’t in the room.”
“She was in the bouncer right next to you.”
“She wasn’t paying attention.”
Beomgyu laughed and reached forward to ruffle Soobin’s hair. Soobin caught his hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss to Beomgyu’s knuckles.
They arrived at Taehyun’s house to find him and Kai standing in what would eventually be a nursery, surrounded by paint samples.
“I’m so happy you’re finally here,” Taehyun said. “We’ve been arguing about this for an hour.”
“You’ve been arguing,” Kai corrected. “I said I like them all.”
“That’s not helpful, Kai,” Taehyun said.
Beomgyu carefully transferred Yuseong to Yeonjun’s arms and went to examine the paint samples. They all looked like slightly different shades of pale yellow to him.
“This one,” he said, pointing randomly.
“Really?” Taehyun asked. “That’s the one I liked! See, Kai? Beomgyu-hyung agrees with me.”
“He just picked randomly,” Kai said.
While Taehyun showed Yeonjun and Soobin the rest of the house and his plans for the nursery, Beomgyu sat in the living room with Kai and Yuseong. He watched Kai make silly faces at Yuseong, making her smile.
“Are you and Taehyun really ready for this?” Beomgyu asked. “It’s a lot of work.”
“We’re as ready as we’ll ever be,” Kai said. “Besides, we’ve got you guys to help us when we inevitably mess everything up.”
“You’ll definitely mess up,” Beomgyu said. “Parenthood is just controlled chaos.”
They spent a few hours at Taehyun and Kai’s house, eating lunch and talking about everything and nothing. At one point, Beomgyu found himself in the future nursery with Taehyun while Yeonjun, Soobin, and Kai were in the living room, taking turns rocking Yuseong to prepare her for her nap.
“Are you happy?” Taehyun asked suddenly.
Beomgyu looked at his best friend, surprised by the question. “Of course I am. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know,” Taehyun said. He was fiddling with one of the paint sample cards. “Sometimes I think about everything you went through. The dreams, the pregnancy, giving birth. It was a lot.”
“It was a lot,” Beomgyu said. “But I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.”
“What about the dreams?” Taehyun asked. “Are they still happening?”
Beomgyu was quiet for a moment, thinking about the question. He never fully remembered his dreams anymore. There were times when he would wake up and swear that he had been in the past, living in the small house by the lavender field. Other nights, he would dream of a palace. But the dreams were fuzzier now, slowly fading away.
“Sometimes,” Beomgyu said. “But they don’t bother me anymore. They’re just... part of who I am now.”
“Do you think they’ll ever stop completely?” Taehyun asked.
“Maybe,” Beomgyu said. “Or maybe they’ll always be there, just in the background. Either way, I’m okay with it.”
When they finally headed home that evening, Yuseong was fussy and tired. She had napped for only 30 minutes at Taehyun and Kai’s home before waking up in a fit. Yuseong cried most of the drive, and by the time they pulled into their parking spot, all three adults were frazzled.
“Bath time,” Yeonjun said. “Then bed.”
They worked together to bathe Yuseong, which was always an adventure. She loved splashing, which meant that by the time they finished, the bathroom floor was soaked and all three of them were wet.
“We should just get in the bath with her next time,” Soobin suggested, wringing out his shirt.
“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Beomgyu said.
After Yuseong was clean and dressed in her pajamas, Beomgyu settled into the rocking chair in her nursery to feed her. Yeonjun and Soobin lingered in the doorway, watching.
“We should let you have some quiet time,” Yeonjun said, but neither of them moved.
“You can stay,” Beomgyu said.
So they did. Soobin sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. Yeonjun sat cross-legged next to him, their hands linked. And Beomgyu rocked slowly back and forth, watching his daughter’s eyes get heavy.
The nursery was dimly lit, just a small lamp in the corner casting a warm glow. On the wall was a framed photo. It was a print of the painting from the museum, the one of the omega and the child. Beomgyu had ordered a print of it shortly after Yuseong was born. He couldn’t explain why, but he wanted it here, wanted this connection to the past to be part of his daughter’s present.
“Should we play her some music?” Soobin asked.
“That’s a good idea,” Beomgyu said.
Yeonjun pulled out his phone and after scrolling for a moment, soft music began to play. It was a gayageum melody, gentle and soothing. Beomgyu recognized it immediately. It was “Dreaming,” the song he had composed in both lifetimes.
Yuseong’s eyes finally closed, her small body relaxing completely in Beomgyu’s arms. He stood carefully and placed her in her crib, tucking her blanket around her. She made a small sound but didn’t wake up.
The three of them stood there for a moment, watching her sleep. Beomgyu felt Yeonjun’s arm slide around his waist and felt Soobin’s hand on his shoulder. They stood like that, connected, complete.
“I love you both so much,” Beomgyu whispered.
Both of them whispered it back to him. Beomgyu bent down to press the softest kiss to Yuseong’s forehead. They turned on the sound machine and the monitor before tiptoeing toward the nursery door. They left Yuseong’s room quietly, closing the door so that Yuseong the Cat wouldn’t disrupt her sleep.
In their own bedroom, they got ready for bed with the easy synchronization of people who had done this a thousand times. Beomgyu finished first, sitting on the edge of the bed as he watched the two get changed into their pajamas. Yuseong the Cat had let herself into their room and jumped onto Beomgyu’s lap. He scratched behind her ears.
“Did you see Yuseong’s face when Kai picked her up?” Yeonjun asked as he pulled his shirt over his head. “I thought she was going to cry.”
“She didn’t cry though,” Soobin pointed out. “She just gave him a very judgemental look. Which is very impressive for a six month-old. I’m sure she’s in the higher percentile of… something.”
“She gets the judgemental look from Beomgyu,” Yeonjun said.
“I do not have a judgmental look,” Beomgyu said.
“You absolutely do,” Yeonjun said.
“It’s one of your most endearing qualities,” Soobin added, coming over to kiss the top of Beomgyu’s head.
The three of them got into bed and turned off the lights. Beomgyu settled in the middle like always, feeling safe and warm between his alphas.
He thought about the prince in his dreams, about that life of tragedy and loss. Beomgyu thought about how that version of himself had tried to run away and failed. How he had lost everything and had to slowly build himself back up.
That story wasn’t his own though. Beomgyu could finally put distance between himself and the prince. He had found not one, but two people to love. Beomgyu had a daughter who would never know the constraints of a palace or the weight of a title. He had freedom and happiness and a future full of possibilities.
Outside, the world continued on. But here, in this small apartment with his mates and his daughter, Beomgyu had everything he needed. He closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep. For once, he didn’t dream of the past. He didn’t dream of palaces or princes or tragedy.
Beomgyu just slept, peaceful and content, secure in the knowledge that he was exactly where he was meant to be. When morning came, he would wake up to the sound of his daughter crying and his alphas arguing about who had to change her diaper and the coffee maker that still didn’t work properly. And Beomgyu was looking forward to that morning more than he ever could have imagined.
The End
☾*✲⋆.