Ever After| k.th ✔

SEVENTEEN| Survival

"And now I, the handsome prince, will kiss the princess and save her from sleeping forever!"

You giggled while closing your eyes tighter. Eight year old Taehyung brought his lips towards your face before kissing the air; pulling back with a grin.

After he did so, you opened your eyes in confusion and sat up straight. Taehyung noticed the look in your eyes and grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry... but friends can't kiss for real (Y/N)."

"Oh?" You questioned, not knowing this fact. "Why not? Don't we love each other? Mom and dad love each other and kiss."

Taehyung placed his wooden sword back in its holder before grabbing your little hands to help you up.

"Of course we love each other! But the moment you kiss is the moment you're more than friends. Everyone knows that."

~~~

"Kiss me."

For a moment there was silence.  You could only look at him as Taehyung remained frozen, blinking in disbelief. Cold wind slightly blew past the clearing as the stars twinkled ominously in the sky. 

Surely he hadn't heard it. You hadn't said it... you would never... He laughed awkwardly for a moment, figuring he needed to clean his ears.

"S-Sorry, what?"

"Please Tae..." You whimpered, a tear falling down your ever hardening cheeks as you choked and felt your throat closing up; the wood reaching areas you needed to breathe and speak. A few seconds more and you would be completely turned into wood. The perfect kindling for the fire. "Kiss..." Your throat moved past the point of being able to form words after attempting to ask... and request... this of him. You lightly clutched onto the fabric of his shirt with your stiffening fingers and sobbed. 

You never wanted to cry like his in front of him. That was something you had wanted to avoid at all costs no matter how deep in desperation you were. He looked at you wide eyed for a moment before looking down at his wrist. It was dark so he couldn't see the word, or the fact that your complete bottom half had been turned to wood, but he remembered it vividly.

You were right. He was clearly meant to kiss you. There was no one else around, and looking back... almost every word on your wrists had led the two of you to each other. So...

He listened to your crying for a moment before it seemed as if something snapped within him. He was supposed to kiss you. You were asking him to.

He wanted to.

You were crying though. Maybe you really did dislike him this much that you were conflicted between wanting to switch chapters and kissing him. His heart sank when he realized just how broken you must have felt when he had allowed you to slip away from his life.

Taehyung lightly pulled you closer, almost wondering if he was in a dream as you gasped lightly. He felt your fingers tremble against the cloth of his shirt.

"O-OK... If you won't kill me then..." He finally replied in a breathy whisper, staring at your close up crying face for a moment as if to search for your lips; you unable to respond or even feel what should have been your heart beating when he cupped your hardening skin in his hands. The touch surprised him at first; he slowly placing his hands against your wet and wooded cheeks.

Without knowing exactly what was happening, he slightly tilted your head towards his and leaned forward.

You felt your whole body collapsing. The pain was unbearable, but you couldn't scream. You couldn't breathe. It was torture, but upon the sight of Taehyung closing in, his eyelashes falling like shadows against his cheeks, you closed your eyes as well; suddenly completely trusting him with your life. Your eyelids felt heavy as if they would permanently be closed in that position as you began the final stages of the curse...