Paint you Brown

09.

Taehyung spend that night in the study and the night after that and the night that came after,painting from his memory.Painting the curves of hips,the lines of shoulder,the blade of jaw but the eyes remained untouched.Taehyung couldn't bring himself to give it life so he put his heart out to everything else.He hadn't properly slept for days now and Byul had complained that the Prince doesn't go to his chambers and feared that the king might find the Prince in the study and chaos might erupt like the last time.It is then he was physically dragged back by Yoongi to his quarters,he had commanded the gaurds to stand infront of his chambers restraining him from going out.Thus Taehyung fell asleep.Taehyung wasn't sure that he was capable of falling asleep at all but he finally did at some late hour close to twilight after running the image of his beloved's fragile body in the midst of huge blankets.He slept well into the day,no maid or gaurd woke him up.Taehyung didn't know if it was the courtesy of his father who might have let him have the well deserved slumber or if it was of Yoongi since he had seen Taehyung's spirits low.

When he woke up,it was some time in noon.He sat upright thinking what he needed to do for the day.
"Oh! You're awake",Namjoon said,breaking his thoughts as he shuffled through the threshold.Taehyung mumbled a greeting back.
"I was growing concerned.Court ladies were wondering whether you fell sick when Prince of Andeora is back in health"
"Jimin has recovered?", Taehyung's heart raced at the mere mention of the Andeoarian prince.

"Yes,Still looks a bit beat down but yes,He made it to breakfast today",Namjoon said and Taehyung unknowingly heaved a breath of relief.Namjoon looked at his brother for few seconds before speaking again,"I came to ask for the keys to your study.I need to retrieve my books that I left"
Taehyung sleepily directed Namjoon to his dresser where he kept the keys and rubbed his eyes a bit too agressively to get rid of the sleep that housed there.Namjoon asked him to come down to the halls before leaving.
Taehyung fell back and sighed.He was glad to hear that Jimin was back in good health but dreaded seeing him.He wanted to be civil to him if not friends.Taehyung decided he was saving both their hearts by not giving into his desires and for now, Jimin's portrait is enough to keep his thoughts at bay.

"The portrait!!", Taehyung almost screamed as he jolted out of the bed and ran down the corridors to his study.The parchment with Jimin's portrait still stood in the middle of the study and only a fool would not notice it and Taehyung prayed to Gods of all lands that Namjoon miss it somehow but when he pushed open the door,his heart fell.Namjoon was standing right infront of the portrait,his eyes widened.
"Taehyung!!",He said a bit too fearful at what he was seeing.Taehyung hung his head and Namjoon dropped his books to strut fastily across the room to close the door.

"This is Prince Jimin's portrait!!",Namjoon stated stupidly and Taehyung avoided his eyes,"It's just a portrait,hyung"
"It is not!! Prince Jimin is half naked here",Namjoon waved towards the easel,"Taehyung,there's a lot to unravel here and you must tell me the truth"
"Hyung-"
"You don't paint portraits!!"
"Hyung, do not scream..Jimin just walked in here and saw your and Hayeon's painting that I did and asked to paint him"
"It was not something we posed for, Taehyung.You painted us when we were in the gardens ,we didn't know but this..this is something else.This is him coming in here and standing infront of you...like that!! Do you know what happens if someone finds it?"
"I don't understand what's so surprising about this.He just asked-"
"Taehyung,I know you..I have grown up with you and this is not you..I have read you through your eyes,words and actions ...through your paintings and Taehyung,I can read this painting too..the innuendos would hardly go amiss"
"Hyung,Please do not make it into a big argument", Taehyung resigned,moving forward to remove the painting off the easel but Namjoon put a hand infront of him.
"I need you to explain!! I need to know"

And Taehyung grew frustrated,he pushed off Namjoon's hands to reach the painting but Namjoon again obstructed.
"Brother!! Let me-"
"No, Taehyung.You should-"
"I am in love with him", Taehyung cut him off and Namjoon's hand stilled.Taehyung spoke through the silence,"With utmost devotion and affection,I am in love with him and he reciprocates"
"Taehyung -"
"But he doesn't know that I do so ..so please forget this.He doesn't know and noone else has to know either..there,there is your explanation", Taehyung said as he pulled the painting apart from the base and tucked it in between his older works.When Taehyung turned around to leave,Namjoon pulled him for a hug.Giving himself the time,Taehyung hugged his brother back.
"I.."
"Don't say anything...Hyung understands,Hyung knows",Namjoon ran a comforting hand on Taehyung's back,"Forgive me...I am very sorry,Taehyungah"

..

"Mother", Taehyung addressed,bowing as he reached the queen.
"Dear Taehyung,I was afraid you wouldn't come to the ball,Sorry I had to send for you",The queen said before reaching over to caress Taehyung's cheeks and Taehyung smiled.
"I was intending to come, mother.Forgive me for worrying you", Taehyung said before sending his eyes around the large ballroom.
"Where's Namjoon hyung?",He asked non chalantly as the queen hooked her hands through Taehyung's.
"Lord Hyun's daughter dragged poor Namjoonie to dance and he had stepped on her feet a few multiple times that they had to stop and nurse her legs.He is going to drive every suitor away",The queen shook her head in dismay and Taehyung giggled,"Please,dear mother.Someone might fall in love with his wit and wisdom,there's no other men so wise for his age like hyung"
"I can't agree more,I am so proud of who he is now.Someone will fall in love with him for who he is",Queen's lips twisted to the sweetest smile,much like something Taehyung carried.She turned to look at Taehyung,"And someone will fall in love with you too for who you are ..Like our Hayeon",She patted lightly on Taehyung's arms and directed her gaze at the dance floor.Taehyung followed her gaze to land on his sister and the prince.

Most of the crowd had stopped dancing to admire them as Hayeon twirled gracefully between Jimin's hands,pulling and pulling until they were flush against each other,feet chasing over the marbles and eyes never leaving each other.Jimin was handsome,heartbreakingly beautiful.His hair was slicked back to expose his forehead and the golden hems of his coat shone onto his face.He looked as alluring as ever.Taehyung watched as Jimin tucked a strand of hair behind Hayeon's ear as the song ended and he bowed.Jimin's eyes fell onto Taehyung and he wasn't expecting it, caught in the red light and off gaurd.Jimin gave him a smile and Taehyung failed to return it.He wanted to but his heart was too broken to guide his actions.So he excused himself from his mother and slipped out of the hall into the garden.

A/n: Thoughts?