Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

King Jongseong always looked forward to the change of season after winter every year. It pleased him greatly to see the snow melt under the warm sunshine and the bright, blooming buds that signified the arrival of spring.

He loved waking to the sound of birds chirping and the warm glow of sunlight streaming in through his gossamer curtains. Today, he laid in bed and enjoyed his peaceful morning until Jaeyun slapped his arm and complained that everything was too bright.

Jaeyun, the king’s most trusted advisor, hated the end of winter. As a northern wolf, he thrived in the cold, and could spend the entire day frolicking in the snow in his wolf form. Thanks to his naturally high body temperature, Jaeyun warmed Jongseong’s bed in more than one way during the cold season.

But now it was spring and the heat emanating from him would soon become unbearable between the silk sheets of the king’s bedroom. Jaeyun was making the most of his last few nights in Jongseong’s bed until next winter and the king was too soft to ask him to sleep in his own room until the wolf decided to leave by himself.

“Close the curtains,” he grumbled.

“They are closed,” Jongseong said.

“Then get thicker curtains,” Jaeyun kicked his shin.

“How many years in the dungeons would a normal person get for kicking the king?” Jongseong asked.

“Hnn,” Jaeyun groaned. “At least make those infernal birds quiet down.”

“You mean the sweet baby birds in the nest on my balcony waiting for their hard working mother to bring them back some food?” Jongseong asked.

“The very same,” Jaeyun replied. “They are too loud.”

“We were privy to the great miracle of reproduction!” Jongseong exclaimed. “That mother bird chose my balcony as a safe space to lay her eggs and we watched those baby birds fight their way into this world and all you can think about when you hear them chirping is ‘they are too loud’?”

“Jay, it is too fucking early for you to be having a meltdown about the miracle of life,” Jaeyun raised his head slightly, eyes puffy from sleep. “Maybe if you refrained from mentioning it every quarter of an hour, Riki would show more interest.”

Jongseong groaned and slumped back against his pillows.

“My concern is valid,” the king insisted. “I am not getting any younger. Riki will soon have to ascend the throne and life as a new king is busy. He will hardly have time to find love and have a family. He needs to get a move on or he will be lonely.”

“And you will have no grandchildren,” Jaeyun taunted.

“And I will have no grandchildren!” Jongseong echoed mournfully. “The spring taunts me, Jaeyun! Everywhere I look, I see fawns and chicks and calves. There are baby birds on my balcony for goodness sake!”

“You know that he is a late bloomer,” Jaeyun tried to comfort him. “Remember how he did not grow an inch for three years in a row then shot up a full two heads taller than us in a single summer? If we were quiet around him we could probably hear his bones lengthening.”

“It just does not make sense,” Jongseong said. “What type of young man, as handsome and sought after as he is, rejects every offer of affection and pleasure?”

“Maybe it’s the lack of a challenge that puts him off,” Jaeyun replied, rolling over onto his back, having long given up on his slumber.

“You think so?” Jongseong mused.

“Who knows?” Jaeyun asked. “He is at that age where one discovers many things about themselves. Perhaps he is still deciding what he likes.”

“Will you speak to him?” Jongseong asked pleadingly.

“No, I will most certainly not,” Jaeyun laughed. “I cannot lose my good standing with him by prying into his personal life.”

“You are right,” Jongseong crossed his arms. “We both know who I should be asking.”

“Yes, go bother him and let me sleep,” Jaeyun said.

“I will,” Jongseong said petulantly. “At least he will not make my bed feel like a furnace every morning.”

“You did not complain about it when you were tucked into my side all winter,” Jaeyun grinned.

The king flushed and ripped the covers off his advisor before exiting the room and trudging barefoot down the hallway. He was off to visit Sunghoon and hear what he had to say about the whole matter.

Sunghoon was Jongseong’s least trusted advisor, not because he was unreliable, but because his methods and execution were ethically questionable. He also shared Jongseong’s private chambers on occasion, though it was mostly in the summer.

His cold, dead vampire skin was a great way to battle the swampy, humid night air and his morally bankrupt personality was exactly what Jongseong needed to take a peek into his son's life and figure out what was going on with him.

Sunghoon was grumpy when Jongseong shook him awake. He had only just gone to sleep and hated being interrupted from his precious slumber. Jongseong decided to give him a treat for his troubles while he explained the situation.

“I do not care who he takes as a partner,” Jongseong said. “He can even have multiple! I just cannot stand seeing him alone all the time. Who will he share his burdens with? Who will give him encouragement and love? Who - “

“Who will bear your grandchildren?” Sunghoon detached his claws from the king’s neck and looked up, a single drop of blood spilling down his chin.

“Exactly!” Jongseong huffed. “Time marches on, Sunghoon.”

“Why do you insist on grandchildren?” Sunghoon asked. “Fucking a grandfather is not appealing.”

“You are seven hundred years old,” Jongseong said dryly. “You quite literally ruined my innocence.”

“I do not remember you to be very innocent,” Sunghoon grinned, diving down for another taste.

Jongseong stopped him with a palm to his face.

“Will you help me or not?” he asked.

Sunghoon sighed heavily.

“You fret over nothing,” Sunghoon insisted.

“I just want to settle my mind,” Jongseong said softly. “I will die one day and I do not want my son to be alone.”

Sunghoon’s grip on his wait tightened.

“I will speak to him.”

“What a fine evening it is!”

Riki groaned out loud when he heard Sunghoon’s booming voice at the entrance of the stable. He was brushing his horse and was clearly hoping for a quiet, peaceful night to himself. Sunghoon’s arrival must have assured him of the exact opposite.

“He must be getting desperate if he sent you,” Riki said bitterly.

“Come now, is that any way to greet your father’s lover?” Sunghoon asked, marching toward him.

Riki feigned gagging.

“Oh, grow up,” Sunghoon smacked the back of his head lightly. “This is why your father is concerned. Normal adults do not act so immaturely at the mention of love and sex.”

“Is Jaeyun a child then?” Riki asked.

“Yes, he is just a pup in my eyes,” Sunghoon confirmed.

“But you fuck him?” Riki asked. “I do not think you are the best person to take life advice from.”

“Now, now,” Sunghoon laughed. “Just let him know that you intend on finding a partner someday and put him out of his misery,”

“If I do that then he will have nobles lining up around the castle walls to take turns at trying to catch my attention,” Riki said. “At least now he gives me space. If I give him an inch he takes the whole damn rope.”

“Hmm, he has been talking about grandchildren a lot,” Sunghoon said.

“Why is he so concerned?” Riki asked with a sigh. “Are you and Jaeyun not keeping him busy enough?”

Sunghoon chuckled good-naturedly.

“You are in a good mood,” Riki remarked.

“Sometimes I forget just how young you are,” Sunghoon said. “Only a child would ask why his father is concerned about him. He loves you, fool.”

“I know that,” Riki said stiffly, his cheeks pink. “I have plenty of time. He does not have to worry about me so much.”

“Your father already had you when he was your age,” Sunghoon pointed out. “Why are you stalling anyway? You are of marriageable age. Do not tell me you have never got your dick wet even once.”

“You cannot tell me you have nothing better to do than question me about this,” Riki retorted. “I understand my father but why do you care?”

“Would you believe me if I said that it’s for the same reason as your father?” Sunghoon asked.

He felt rather put out when Riki only rolled his eyes.

“How about this?” Riki propositioned. “I will tell you but you have to promise to keep my father at bay for me.”

“Interesting,” Sunghoon sat on a barrel and stroked his chin. “Satisfy my curiosity but subject myself to Jongseong’s badgering. I do like when he pays more attention to me. Jaeyun gets jealous and the tension is deliciously thick - “

“Will you help me or not?” Riki asked.

“Okay, it is a deal,” Sunghoon agreed. “Tell me what is wrong.”

“I do not know how to initiate,” Riki admitted.

“Go on,” Sunghoon raised his eyebrow.

“When I try to talk to people I find interesting or attractive my throat seizes and my palms sweat and I - “ Riki took a deep breath. “I usually end up running away.”

Sunghoon laughed so loudly that he startled the horse. Riki threw his brush at him.

“What do you mean my son is a virgin?” Jongseong demanded from his position between Sunghoon’s legs.

The vampire, thoroughly sated and slightly dazed, looked down with a grin.

“He is afraid,” Sunghoon laughed.

“Oh, my poor boy,” Jongseong lamented. “Denying himself the pleasures of the flesh. I must have been too difficult on him over the years. To think that my son has never sunk into a warm hole or been bent over a table - I do not know which he prefers - oh, I will never forgive myself!”

Jaeyun, who just entered the room, looked between the king, slouching on the bed and Sunghoon, still in orgasmic bliss and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“Riki is a virgin,” Sunghoon repeated.

“Oh?” Jaeyun flopped onto the bed beside Sunghoon and shook his hair, spraying water droplets everywhere. “What happened to that general he was pining after?”

Jongseong’s head shot up.

“What general? Tell me his name! Maybe we can set them up?”

“You mean the one who is three times his age that trained him in combat?” Sunghoon asked. “Probably living a happy life with his family so I do not think we can pay him to leave them and seduce your son.”

“Well, then you think of something, Sunghoon,” Jongseong complained. “Why did you tell me if you were not going to help!”

“You sucked the secret out of me!” Sunghoon argued. “I gave Riki my word so you will not pull any tricks. Leave this to me. I will deal with this discreetly.”

“What is your plan?” Jaeyun asked curiously.

“I have a friend that might be able to help,” Sunghoon said. “I will visit him tomorrow. Tonight, I have other matters to attend to.”

“Other matters?” Jongseong asked.

Sunghoon laid back on the bedframe, head resting against his crossed arms.

“How about you give me a show, Jongsaeng?” he said teasingly. “For all my hard work today?”

Riki stomped down the hallway, his irritation levels high. It had been three days since his conversation with Sunghoon in the stables and he could not seem to shake off the encounter.

He developed a strong dislike for the vampire ever since he once dreamwalked into Riki’s mind and saw the erotic dreams he had about the vampire. Sunghoon still teased him about it four years later, much to Riki’s humiliation.

He was sixteen for heaven's sake! Sunghoon had no business creeping around in his dreams and his father had no business asking him to do so, even if he was worried that his had son joined a religious cult - a completely asinine and baseless suspicion.

Jongseong was a good father. He was loving and nurturing. He taught Riki how to shoot a bow and doted on him but he was also suffocating and controlling. His current fixation was Riki’s love life and he often dropped hints about Riki finding a partner and settling down.

It seems like his subtlety had reached its limits and he decided to once again employ one of his evil minions to do his bidding for him. Sunghoon and Jaeyun, fearsome creatures though they were, were both weak to his father’s demands.

It was for that very reason that Riki found it necessary to ward himself against them. His multiple silver piercings weakened Jaeyun and ensured that he could never use his pheromones to drop Riki’s guard. Tattooed wardings on his chest and side prevented Sunghoon’s compulsive speech and dreamwalking.

Riki learned the hard way that his father would go to any lengths to keep an eye on him and his partners would gladly do his dirty work for him.

He did not hate him for it, he knew that his father worried about him twice as much ever since Riki’s mother died. He tried hard to fill the role of both parents and never once let his son feel like he lacked love and support.

Still, he wished that he would back off sometimes and let him be. It was difficult being a prince, with so many expectations and duties to fulfil all while keeping up a pristine public image. The last thing he needed was the additional, gargantuan task of finding a partner.

Especially when he was so…painfully inept at approaching people.

He sighed, staring at the ground as he placed one foot in front of the other on his way to the training grounds. Riki knew that he was lacking and his father wasn’t entirely wrong in his concern.

It was the perfect time to find a partner. He was of age, youthful and handsome. The country was experiencing a period of peace. Crops flourished, the weather was brilliant and the people were thriving and happy.

It wasn’t as though he was introverted either. Riki had plenty of friends and got along well with the townsfolk. He spoke in council meetings and addressed crowds easily but his tongue tied in his mouth every time he tried to talk to a pretty boy. His throat seized up and his legs felt like lead.

At most, all he was able to do was stutter out a weak greeting, which was not usually well received.

As a prince and a strong and highly respected and accomplished warrior for his nation, most people expected Riki to be suave and commanding. They wanted a smooth talking flirt not a boy who blushed like a virgin - which he was - and stumbled through his words.

Riki was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t bother looking up as he rounded a corner and walked straight into a person.

“I am so sorry,” the man said, smiling apologetically and rubbing the back of his head.

“It is my fault!” Riki insisted. “I must apologize for not paying attention to my surroundings. I am afraid I do not recognize you…?”

“Jungwon,” the man said. “Yang Jungwon. I am a friend of Sunghoon’s. He invited me here to see Jongseong.”

Riki narrowed his eyes. He did not trust any friend of Sunghoon, especially not one that so casually spoke the king’s name.

Before he could make further inquiries, Riki noticed another person standing behind Jungwon, wearing a full length black cloak with a hood pulled low over his face.

What on earth was his father up to this time?

He looked back at Jungwon. He was attractive, boyishly handsome with captivating eyes. If his father kept Jaeyun around for the cold winters and Sunghoon around to cool him down during the summer, maybe Jungwon repelled pollen or something equally as ridiculous.

“You must be for spring,” Riki muttered to himself.

“Pardon?” Jungwon only smiled wider.

“His meeting room is right down this hallway,” Riki gestured to the side. “I will not keep you any longer.”

Jungwon nodded in acknowledgement and waved goodbye merrily as he disappeared around the corner. The hooded man remained still for a few seconds, then followed him, turning his face slightly to Riki as he passed him.

Riki froze, the scent of honey and flowers flooding his senses as the stranger’s robe brushed against him.

He stared at the corner that Jungwon and the stranger disappeared around. What an enticing scent.

“Riki! My son whom I love with all my heart,” Jongseong greeted Riki warmly when he entered the dining room.

Suspicions flaring, Riki glanced around but to his surprise, both Jaeyun and Sunghoon were nowhere to be seen.

“Father,” he said. “Are we eating alone tonight?”

“Yes, son,” Jongseong said. “Sunghoon and Jaeyun are entertaining a friend who stopped by to visit, so it is just us.”

Riki took a seat and slowly picked up his utensils. Grilled squid and clams. It was never a good sign when his father had Riki’s favorite dishes prepared.

“How was your day?” the king asked.

Riki’s heart clenched when he noticed the crows' feet around his father’s eyes. He was so accustomed to seeing Jaeyun and Sunghoon’s youthful faces that he sometimes forgot that his father was human and aged like everyone else.

Riki felt bad for being suspicious. His father was excited to dine with his only child, even going as far as to make sure the squid was grilled exactly the way Riki liked. Maybe he was becoming paranoid.

Tonight, he would just enjoy his company.

“It was good, father,” Riki said, chewing happily. “I bested Heeseung with a broadsword!”

“That’s my boy!” Jongseong said proudly.

Dinner was a pleasant affair and they spoke easily about their duties for the day. Riki noticed that his father failed to mention anything further about Jungwon, but decided not to interrogate him in the spirit of having a peaceful evening.

Jongseong, unfortunately, did not share this desire.

“So, Riki,” he cleared his throat. “You have been working hard for a long time now. I notice your dedication to this country and all the hard work you put into your lessons.”

Riki paused mid-chew.

“I know you will make a fine king one day,” Jongseong smiled at him softly.

“Are you dying?” Riki demanded, heart pounding in his chest.

“What? No!” Jongseong laughed. “You are so dramatic, Riki.”

Right, he was the dramatic one.

“What are you building up to?” Riki asked suspiciously.

“Can a father not simply compliment his son?”

Riki remained silent, stabbing a piece of meat with his chopstick, already dreading whatever nefarious scheme his father had cooked up.

“Okay, fine,” the king clapped his hands together once, eyes shining. “When you get back to your room tonight, there will be a special gift waiting for you!” He held up his hand when Riki opened his mouth. “Now, I know you might be tempted to send him away but - “

“Him?”

Jongseong froze, mouth still open slightly. He laughed nervously.

“My gift is a person?” Riki asked angrily, standing suddenly, causing his chair to fall back.

“Now Riki, you must understand, this is for your own good!” Jongseong stood and tried to stop him from leaving. “He will build your confidence! At least take good care of him! I was told that he’s fragile and expensive!”

Riki stormed out of the room, furious. He never should have trusted Sunghoon. He didn’t know what came over him at that moment. Maybe he was swayed when Sunghoon hinted that he cared for him like a son. He was nothing but a sellout. He hurried to his room, cheeks burning.

Him?

Did his father actually buy him a whore because Riki was too pathetic to make a move? Could anything more humiliating happen to a person?

He took a deep breath outside the door of his bedroom. However much he was upset, it did not give him the right to take it out on the whore. The poor man probably didn’t have a say in his fate. Riki would have a word with him and send him off with a large sum of money.

He pushed the door open and walked in, only to be hit with a familiar smell. A sweet, floral scent permeated every inch of his room, settling like a heavy fog.

“Finally,” a soft voice said, drawing Riki’s gaze to his bed, where a man lay on his bed, clad only in scanty slips of silk, his face covered with a lace veil. “I have been waiting for you.”

Riki, still fueled by his rage, opened his mouth to ask him to leave but was cut off when the man lifted the veil and exposed his face.

He was breathtakingly beautiful.

Porcelain, flawless skin and pink lips. Pale, blonde hair that looked soft to the touch. Long eyelashes that fluttered every time he blinked and hazel eyes that Riki had to force himself to look away from.

His heart hammered in his chest. The man’s broad shoulders were on full display and the hollow of his throat made Riki feel hot and sweaty in his tunic. The silk clung to the man like a second skin, showing off all his dips and curves, exposing large areas of soft, supple skin.

“I am Sunoo,” the man said. “Your new pet.”

Riki couldn’t ask him to leave even if he wanted to, there was no way he could ever exercise his authority over someone as decadent as Sunoo.

“My what?” Riki finally managed to say.

Sunoo was certain that this new job Jungwon offered him was an easy cash grab. As an incubus, especially one as unique as him, seducing a young virgin, regardless of their gender, was light work. Or so he thought.

Nishimura Riki was not like any person he ever met before. Usually, the virgins who employed his services were eager to get on with it and he would be done and counting his pay in as short a time as five minutes.

Granted, Riki did not hire him directly and there was some talk about his reluctance at the meeting with his father earlier, but Sunoo could never imagine it would be to this extent.

Despite Sunoo presenting himself on the young prince’s bed like a prime cut of meat and using his best come-hither voice to charm him, he somehow failed to bed the man.

Their conversation was short. Sunoo explained that he was to be Riki’s pet and that the prince was to care for him and be responsible for his maintenance, a cover story concocted by Jungwon and Jongseong, who were quite terrifying when they plotted together.

Riki frowned as he listened, eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly. Sunoo, unaccustomed to any resistance, felt himself losing confidence and his voice faltered. Luckily, Riki did not voice his displeasure, and nodded stiffly.

He walked to his closet and pulled out straw mats and bedding. Sunoo’s heart sank. He had heard many good things about this kingdom and he never imagined he would be asked to sleep on the floor, even if he was parading as a pet.

Riki asked Sunoo if he ate or if he needed anything and Sunoo assured him that all he wanted was to talk to him. He noticed that Riki’s hands shook as he made up the floor bed, haphazardly tossing the sheet over the mat.

To his surprise, Riki blew out the candles in the room and laid down on the mat himself, promising that they would talk tomorrow.

The prince stayed silent, even though he was clearly wide awake, his body rigid and his breathing too even and heavy for him to be asleep. Realising there was really nothing else he could do for now, Sunoo slipped under the covers, sighing softly at the luxury of silk sheets and down feather pillows.

Oh well, he might as well make the most out of where he was while he could.

When Sunoo awoke, Riki was gone and the bedding and mats were neatly folded in a corner of the room. He was determined to make progress today. The money was just too good to pass up on and if he was being honest, Riki had piqued his interest.

In Sunoo’s wealth of experience, he learned that the more repressed someone was, the more sexual energy existed for him to feed on. Money wasn’t the only reason Sunoo chose this line of work.

He needed to have sex regularly. Sexual energy was his life force and even when he was off duty he always kept an eye out for meals. Riki had the potential to be a feast. Sunoo just needed to figure him out.

He stretched his limbs out, lounging for a moment on the enormous bed, huffing in laughter at the ridiculously large size. Royals and their excessive, lavish lifestyles. Sunoo was beyond jealous.

Jungwon had fucked him good on the carriage ride to the kingdom so his energy reserves should last him a long time. Sunoo was glad for that, he needed to be at full strength to take down a stubborn ox like Riki.

He strolled the castle hallways leisurely, drawing attention and whispers everywhere he went. Sunoo didn’t mind. He thrived on being talk of the town, loved it when people lusted over him and burned in envy because he was everything they wished they were.

But he grew bored of it quickly, too excited about his new prospects to settle for simple flirtation. Jongseong told him that Riki trained daily in the castle grounds with his fellow soldiers and that was where he could be found most of the time.

Sure enough, Sunoo spotted the prince instantly when he entered the grounds, Riki’s piercings glinting in the bright sunlight.

To Sunoo’s great delight, Riki was shirtless, exposing a few secrets that intrigued him.

The first thing he noticed was the large swirls of ink on his chest and side. He squinted to make out the exact markings and chuckled when he realised that they were vampire wardings.

The next revelation, and a much more exciting one in Sunoo’s opinion, was the fact that both of Riki’s nipples were pierced, two shiny silver barbells sitting pretty on his small, dusky peaks.

A shiver of excitement ran through Sunoo’s spine.

He had instantly found Riki to be objectively attractive. Sunoo liked his dark hair and piercing eyes. He liked Riki’s lean build and slender proportions. The large bulge in his trousers that bobbed as he swung his sword was like a gift waiting for Sunoo to unwrap and enjoy.

He had to have him.

Word of Sunoo’s presence spread quickly, and for obvious reasons. It wasn’t every day a creature as gorgeous as himself visited the soldiers training grounds, wearing next to nothing and flashing sultry smiles at any man who looked at him.

Someone whispered in Riki’s ear and he looked up, eyes wide when he caught sight of Sunoo, who waved at him. Riki sped toward him, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the gardens.

Sunoo was not expecting this type of bravado, but allowed himself to be tugged along. Riki stopped suddenly when they reached a pergola, threaded with thick vines that draped over the sides like a curtain.

“Why are you wearing your bedclothes outside?” Riki asked.

He pulled off a sash that was tucked into his trousers and wrapped it around Sunoo’s shoulders.

“These men are good soldiers,” Riki said, taking a big step back and staring at the ground. “But they are also swines who will pursue you relentlessly.”

Stunned, Sunoo felt the material of the sash between his fingers. Riki broke out of his shell to…preserve Sunoo’s modesty. He worried that the lustful gazes of lustful men would make Sunoo, the incubus uncomfortable.

Sunoo wanted to laugh, but he was also endeared. It was time to begin his scheming.

“You are displeased with me,” Sunoo wobbled his lower lip, belly stirring in excitement when Riki’s mouth fell open, revealing his panic.

“No!” he exclaimed.

“I am sorry,” Sunoo lowered his head. “I did not come here with many clothes. I did not know what to wear. I am sorry I upset you, my prince.”

“N-no, it’s okay!” Riki rushed to say, waving his hands frantically. “It was my fault! I said we would talk but I had to leave for my duties. I should have told you that you could wear my clothes before I left.”

“Really?” Sunoo batted his eyelashes. “You will keep me? I thought you were upset last night because you did not brush my hair or pet me. I thought you did not like my appearance and you would send me away so I tried hard to appeal to you more today. But you do not like what I wear…”

Riki was openly gaping at him, his cheeks and ears bright red.

“P-pet you?” he whispered to himself before shaking his head slightly and addressing Sunoo. “I am sorry if I have offended you. You are wonderful and none of this is your fault. My father - he - he did not consult me before acquiring you so I had no say in the matter. I have never had a pet like you before. I am sorry for not taking care of you properly.”

Gosh, just how sickeningly sweet is this child?

“I can teach you if you want,” Sunoo said, pretending to be bashful and tucking a strand of hair behind his ear.

“Teach me?” Riki asked.

“How to take care of me!” Sunoo beamed up at him. “You have to take care of me right or my hair will become dull and my skin will dry and I will not be pretty anymore!”

“Oh,” Riki choked out. “We cannot have that happening. Maybe tonight? I have to return to my duties - “

Sunoo let out a heart wrenching wail and buried his face in his hands.

“I knew it,” he sobbed. “You hate me and think I am ugly. You want a prettier pet and that is why you want to get rid of me!”

“Oh my fucking god,” he heard Riki mumble before he felt his large hands grip his forearms softly. “I promise that is not true. Please do not cry, Sunoo. Here, come sit with me. I will stay with you and learn everything now. Come on, follow me to the bench.”

Sunoo wiped away his crocodile tears with the sash and followed Riki to the bench on the other side of the pergola. Here, the vines were more sparse and light streamed in. Anyone who was walking past could easily look in and see them.

Sunoo had to bite back a smirk. The perfect setting to introduce thrill to the young man. It was a powerful tool in his arsenal and the drug of choice for many men, especially the powerful ones.

Riki gave him a weak smile and patted the bench beside him, indicating that Sunoo should sit beside him. Sunoo sniffled and placed himself sideways on Riki’s lap, with his back to the armrest and his legs over the empty seat.

Riki froze under him, staring straight ahead with wide eyes. Sensing a golden opportunity, Sunoo circled his arms around Riki’s neck and nuzzled his face into his bare chest.

He wanted Riki to remain flustered and make him bend to his will, but once Sunoo inhaled the strong musky scent of a hard morning’s training session, he purred and grew loose-limbed.

Riki cleared his throat, the vibrations from his throat reverberating through Sunoo’s body like a shiver. Sunoo snapped out of his reverie. Right, back to work.

“Pets like me need a lot of attention,” Sunoo said, palming up and down Riki’s firm chest, brushing over his nipples.

“Wha-what kind of attention?” Riki asked, still staring straight ahead unblinkingly.

“Like this,” Sunoo said, smiling into his neck when he laid his hand over his heart and felt it thumping erratically.

Sunoo could taste tendrils of desire spilling into the air and they were delicious. Rich and sweet and tinged with Riki’s personal taste. It was like an appetiser and Sunoo knew it was only a matter of time before he was ravenous.

His thumb found one of Riki’s nipple piercings and he rubbed the stiff peak side to side until Riki groaned softly.

“What are these?” Sunoo asked innocently.

“They are silver piercings,” Riki answered through gritted teeth. “So that my father’s wolf cannot control me with his pheromones."

Sunoo giggled.

“This little bit of silver will not deter a wolf,” Sunoo said.

“I have more,” Riki admitted, unconsciously relaxing under Sunoo’s hands while they spoke.

Sunoo, genuinely curious, pulled back to examine him. He spotted more of his facial piercings - a lip ring, a tongue ring, two eyebrow rings, a nose ring and multiple ear piercings. He could see the nipple piercings but he couldn’t find any more.

“Show me,” Sunoo demanded.

“I - I can’t right now,” Riki said apologetically.

Sunoo pouted.

“I mean - I had a belly ring but…it was embarrassing,” Riki said. “And my other ones…uhm…”

Riki looked at him imploringly, as if he was begging hoping Sunoo would telepathically gain the knowledge of the other piercing's location without him having to say it out loud.

They were close, faces just a few inches apart and Sunoo let himself take in just how handsome the prince really was. He had bold, striking features, a sharp jaw and pillowy lips that looked so, so soft -

Oh.

Something thick and heavy was throbbing under Sunoo’s thigh.

He knew exactly where Riki’s other piercings were and he was itching to see them.