Mabsuli Blood || txt

Three: Newcomers

By the time they had to go up for dinner, Beomgyu had managed to summon a flickering barrier. It wasn't the best, but Yoongi told him it was excellent progress.

You know what's also excellent? Turning into a fucking slip 'n slide.

Beomgyu was sweating buckets, his legs shaky and weak. His clothes seemed to be attached to his skin, drenched and darkened in his own perspiration (which was gross to say the least). "I thought..." Beomgyu wheezed, "barriers... were the easiest... defense spell...?"

"They are," Yoongi said. "But it's still a defense spell, remember?" Beomgyu groaned as he collapsed on the ground.

"I feel like someone doused me in sewage water before stuffing me in a barrel and rolling me down a mountain. Five times."

"Well suck it up, Barrel Roller," Yoongi said, throwing him a towel and fresh clothes. "Dry yourself and change. We can't keep them waiting."

"Yoongiiiii," Beomgyu whined as he turned and began marching up the stairs back to his office. "I'm weaaaak..."

"If you can breathe, you're fine."

"Ahhhhhh, I can't feel my legs..."

"Not my problem."

"I can't move, my sweat is gluing me to the floor..."

"Mister, I'll make a man out of you."

Beomgyu's eyes widened and he shot up. "That was another Disney reference!"

"There, you're up. Now change." Beomgyu looked down at himself, realized he was standing, and groaned.

"Screw you!" he yelled, and he thought he could hear the faintest sound of Yoongi laughing before the bookcase shut.

Now alone in the practice room, Beomgyu pulled off his sweaty clothes and threw them into a smelly pile in the corner for Yoongi to pick up later. He was now dressed in a silk orange long-sleeved v-neck and black slacks, his dress shoes causing the thin layer of dirt and pebbles on the steps to crunch as he walked into Yoongi's office and closed the bookcase.

"Ow!" he yelped as a book hit him in the face. He glared at Yoongi, who had just yanked his glowing right hand back and caused the book to come flying back to him.

"What did we say about coming up?" he asked sternly. Beomgyu sighed.

"Always stop and activate Sense to make sure no one's in here..."

"Exactly. How else is it supposed to get stronger if you don't practice?"

But I do practice. It's when I'm sneaking into the kitchen at 3 am for a snack and I need to make sure the cooks aren't around.

He didn't dare mention this to Yoongi as he led him out the office and towards the dining hall, where Yoongi knocked on the dark oak doors. "Come in!" the king yelled from inside, and Beomgyu had to push down the shiver that ran down his spine. His hands twitched at his sides as Yoongi opened the door and stepped aside, allowing him to enter first. He shot him a reassuring smile as he walked past, and Beomgyu tried to smile back.

But something happened when he crossed the doorway.

He felt as if he'd just walked through a thick sheet of dust, and he stumbled to a stop. His eyes watered, lungs constricted, and he hunched over as he began to violently cough. His vision blurred, but he could make out Yoongi beside him, having quickly darted to his side the moment he hunched over. But stepping through the doorway seemed to have an effect on him as well. He didn't start coughing, but his eyes watered and he stiffened, cheeks beginning to flush red.

Still, he tried to hold Beomgyu up as he coughed, eventually being held up by Hoseok as Seokjin checked on Yoongi. But the coughing was quick to cease, and Beomgyu let out a shaky sigh. "You okay?" Hoseok asked as he helped Beomgyu stand. He nodded, feeling lightheaded but trying not to let it show.

"Yeah," he said before chuckling in embarrassment. "I don't know what that was."

"You scared us, little bro!" Soobin exclaimed from the table. He was sat beside Hoseok's empty seat on the right side of the king, who was sat at the head of the table. Soobin was dressed in a similar silk shirt to Beomgyu's minus the v-neck. "We thought you were about to die or something!"

"Don't worry," Yeonjun said, turning around in his seat on the left side of the king beside the queen, also in an orange silk shirt, but with a neatly folded collar. "I had a similar reaction coming in here. Eyes got all watery."

"Must be a dust spot," Queen Choi said.

"My apologies, sirs," King Choi said to people sat further down the table. "My sons didn't mean to cause such a fuss." His eyes flitted over to Beomgyu, who repressed a shudder. Typical for him to blame his allergy attack on him.

That's what it was, right? Like Mother said, it's just dusty. It felt like dust. But since when was Yeonjun, Yoongi, and I allergic to dust? It doesn't matter, I shouldn't make a bigger fool of myself.

Beomgyu frowned. That last thought was so loud, like someone was shouting it in his ear. Was that—?

It doesn't matter. I should focus on this dinner with these newcomers.

The "newcomers" laughed and shook their heads. "It's no problem," one with blonde hair and crescent eyes said. "Can't always trust the cleaning staff, can ya?"

King Choi sighed. "Unfortunately you can't trust most people these days."

"True," the other said, this one with black hair and a mole on the tip of his nose. "But there's no need to worry about that here."

"Of course not," King Choi agreed immediately. Beomgyu's frown deepened. The king was never one to agree with someone so quickly, so why—?

It doesn't matter. I should focus on this dinner with these newcomers.

There goes that thought again. That same recycled thought that made his fists curl on instinct. What was wrong—?

It doesn't matter. I should focus on this dinner with these newcomers. Goddamn, this is getting old fast. Faster than Let It Go got old.

"Hoseok. Seokjin. You two can sit back down now. I think they're okay," Queen Choi said softly, though she still looked between Beomgyu and Yoongi with worried eyes. Both gave her soft smiles and subtle nods, and she visibly relaxed.

"You sure you're okay?" Hoseok asked Beomgyu again. He quickly broke into a bright smile and nodded.

"I'm okay!"

Ew, I sound all chirpy. Because that's how I feel. How can I be feeling "chirpy?" I'm not a damn bird.

Seeming content, Hoseok shot him a smile and walked back to his seat beside the king. Seokjin plopped back down beside Yeonjun, who was staring at his empty plate. Beomgyu glanced over at Yoongi, whose brow was furrowed as he glanced back at him. They both knew something was—

It doesn't matter. I should focus on this dinner with these newcomers. Can't my brain just shut the fuck up?!

"Allow me to introduce my youngest son, Beomgyu, and his attendant, Min Yoongi," King Choi declared, gesturing to the two boys without looking in their direction. The two bowed to the newcomers, who stood and bowed back.

"Pleased to meet you," the blonde chirped. "I'm Park Jimin, and this is Kim Taehyung from Verdelnia."

Verdelnia? Where was that? He'd never heard of—

I forgot about Verdelnia's existence since they're so reserved. How embarrassing as royalty. Is this how the Sultan felt under Jafar's spell? Don't be ridiculous. Verdel bloods don't have magic. I can't even make Disney references in peace anymore.

"The pleasure is all ours," Beomgyu said, only because he felt the king's piercing gaze on him. Yoongi only nodded.

"Well, sit down, boys," Queen Choi said. "Let's get started with this dinner, shall we?"