"Your majesty, the rumours. . ." Hyeongseon said, whining a little as he tilted his head.
"Rumours?" Lee Hwon asked, raising an eyebrow as he met his attendant's eyes.
"You- You know how the palace is, the court ladies, the servants. . ." Hyeongseon said, glancing back at the door and shuffling a little closer to Lee Hwon's desk. "Every night they hear . . . things, coming from your rooms, and every night you . . . have kept Woon with you when you send everyone else away. . ."
Lee Hwon's other eyebrow rose. Those rumours again.
"Woon is my personal guard." Lee Hwon said smoothly. "Of course, if I require someone to remain by my side, it should be him. Why should this have anything to do with . . . rumours in my palace?" he asked. He ignored the sounds overheard - he was not always quiet, coming awake from his nightmares or suffering through them, but he could do nothing about that.
"Please, just . . . let Woon rest and allow your other guards, from the most admirable and loyal ranks of the royal guard, to stand watch over your rooms in the night. Outside. For a while, at least?" Hyeongseon pleaded. "The palace talks, and as you insist on keeping Woon and only Woon at your side, your majesty. . ."
"Woon?" Lee Hwon asked, turning his attention to his near-constant companion.
Woon met his eyes, and Lee Hwon gestured for his opinion. Woon bowed, his lips curved ever so slightly. "My place is at my king's side." he murmured, his eyes flicking to Hyeongseon for a moment and then back to Lee Hwon's own.
"There, you see? Woon belongs at my side, and he shall remain." Lee Hwon said, his tone clearly indicating that the matter was now closed.
"Your majesty. . ." Hyeongseon protested, and Lee Hwon narrowed his eyes. Hyeongseon sighed and bowed his head, looking miserable, and shuffled off. He paused at the door to give Lee Hwon a deeply reproachful look, which went unanswered, then left him alone with Woon once more.
Lee Hwon's lips quirked slightly with amusement at the sound of Hyeongseon muttering to himself on the other side of the doors, even as he moved away.
"He worries too much." Lee Hwon said, shaking his head. "The whole palace should know by now that your place is by my side, and I will keep you there. Why they continue to express surprise. . ."
He looked up at Woon once more, finding his companion's expression, as expected, nearly blank. "Do the rumours bother you, Woon?" he asked. He had never particularly thought they might - certainly Woon seemed unmoved by them generally - but if they did. . . "Hearing what the palace gossip makes of us?"
Woon looked mildly surprised, but answered quickly enough all the same. "Why should I be troubled by such things?"
Lee Hwon smiled slightly, the tension that had crept into his shoulders easing quickly once more. He rose to his feet, watching Woon and moving closer.
"As long as such words pose no harm to you, and do not cause any doubt in my loyalty to you, my ability to fulfil my duties, I care not what anyone says of me." Woon continued dismissively. "I know they are false, little else matters, does it n-"
Lee Hwon touched his fingers to the underside of Woon's jaw, startling him into silence.
Perhaps it was unwise, but Lee Hwon leaned closer, pressing his lips to Woon's firmly. Woon made a soft sound, curiosity and surprise, eyes widening, and Lee Hwon closed his own.
Woon shifted warily, but Lee Hwon's free hand brushing his arm stilled him. His mouth firmed, very, very slowly under Lee Hwon's, and he carefully began to return the gentle kiss. Lee Hwon's heart pounded in his chest. Woon raised one hand, then quickly dropped it before he made contact. Lee Hwon didn't wish to at all, but he pulled back, his hands falling away from Woon as their lips parted.
Lee Hwon indulged himself, letting his fingers pet along the sharp line of Woon's jaw before fully breaking contact. Woon's eyes were soft, though still lit with surprise, as Lee Hwon met his gaze again.
Lee Hwon took a shallow breath and licked his lips - fancying for a moment he could taste Woon on them; something warm and spicy - before he spoke. "Perhaps . . . it is not mere rumour, but truth, when they speculate on my devotion to you, Woon, though they know it not." he said, his throat tightening as he bared a fraction of the truth to his companion.
Surprising Woon with a kiss had been much less nerve-wracking, though it was likely not the best way to begin this, Lee Hwon admitted to himself now that it was done.
"To me?" Woon repeated, his eyes widening once more. He pressed his lips together, then slid his tongue over them. Lee Hwon was momentarily distracted by the sweep of it across Woon's full lips, the thoughtful look in his companion's eyes.
". . .yes." Lee Hwon said, and realised he had not the slightest idea how Woon would react to this. He knew Woon better than most, knew that he wasn't cold, but only sometimes shy, that what was often mistaken as an aloof attitude was merely polite reserve, that once someone or something had claimed Woon's loyalty nothing would cause him to defy that, even if it tore him in two.
All of this, Lee Hwon knew. He knew that Woon never seemed bothered when his reputation - for either his cool manner or the viciousness he could show in defence of his king - kept people at a distance, and that sometimes when they approached him he seemed not to know how to speak to them regardless. Perhaps he had grown too used to the sharper, quicker manner of Yeom, Yangmyeung, and Lee Hwon himself.
He knew that Woon had kissed him back, surprised as he had been.
"Why did you. . ?" Woon trailed off, but it was clear what he meant.
Lee Hwon contemplated his possible answers, all that he could lay out for Woon, but. . . "Because I wanted to. Because I want to do it again." he answered simply instead, eyes flicking from Woon's eyes to his mouth and back. "Because I have wanted to for a long time."
Woon looked thoughtful, and Lee Hwon curled his fingers tightly into the fabric at his sides as he waited for a reaction. Woon had asked calmly, so Lee Hwon doubted there would be much of one, but . . . more questions, at the very least, wanting to know his reasons better.
Woon's sharp eyes ticked down to one of his hands, and Lee Hwon winced, then cleared his expression with a quiet cough, forcing himself to relax. He clasped his hands behind his back instead, and one corner of Woon's mouth twitched upwards.
"Would you?" Woon asked softly, and Lee Hwon blinked, startled. He opened his mouth, but no response quite came to him. "If I wanted you to?" Woon continued, stepping forwards, coming closer, reaching out to him with an open hand.
Woon paused, and Lee Hwon lifted his jaw, trying to make his invitation as clear as he could without voicing it - yes, you can touch me, yes, please, do - and Woon's tiny smile returned. He drew his knuckles along the line of Lee Hwon's jaw, and stepped even closer, meeting Lee Hwon's eyes and waiting.
Lee Hwon took a shallow, wavery breath and swallowed, startling slightly as Woon wrapped an arm around him - Woon's hand reaching his own, clasped tightly enough to make his fingers tingle unpleasantly. Lee Hwon's grip relaxed beneath the light touch, and then he leaned forwards, letting out a soft sound of surprise as Woon brushed the small of his back with one hand, pulling him closer.
Lee Hwon took a step forwards under the encouraging touch, bringing him into contact with Woon and startling him into a sharp intake of breath. Woon's eyes slowly crept up from his mouth to meet his own, and Woon opened his mouth to speak.
Whatever he had been about to voice, Lee Hwon didn't let him, fitting their lips together with a slight tilt of his head and cupping Woon's cheek with one hand. Woon hummed, clasping Lee Hwon's other hand, his arm resting lightly against Lee Hwon's waist, and tilted his head, making the kiss a tiny bit . . . easier.
Lee Hwon slowly drew his hand down from Woon's cheek over his jaw to stroke his neck, instinct and curiosity to touch more of Woon if he could driving the gesture. Woon tilted his head a little more, briefly, tendons pulling beneath Lee Hwon's hand, and then his tongue flicked lightly against Lee Hwon's lip, coaxing. Lee Hwon's breath caught.
He murmured Woon's name, breathless and slightly uncertain, and Woon petted his back lightly, pulling away from Lee Hwon's mouth. Lee Hwon made a soft sound of protest and wrapped his hand around the nape of Woon's neck, preventing him from retreating. He pressed their lips together again.
Woon smiled, teasing Lee Hwon with several quick, light kisses, distracting him with a squeeze to his hand, before giving another warm stroke to his lower lip. This time Lee Hwon remained still, waiting, and allowed Woon to coax him into opening to more kisses. Woon deepened them with a light touch, making his head spin and something warm drop into the pit of his stomach.
Woon drew away after a few - too few - long moments, with a last light kiss to the corner of his mouth. His withdrawal left Lee Hwon to gather his rattled thoughts, realising his heart was racing and his fingers curled tightly into the fabric at Woon's shoulder.
"You want this?" Lee Hwon asked. It was the very simplest question, leaving out everything else that should factor into this decision, but Lee Hwon didn't care. If Woon wanted him in return then everything else . . . could be dealt with.
Woon smiled and shifted slightly, resting his brow against Lee Hwon's. He didn't speak to offer an answer, but his hands settled at Lee Hwon's waist, clasping him close, and he responded with a low purring sound when Lee Hwon offered a hesitant kiss.
Lee Hwon sighed, confidence easing his movements as he put a little more into the kiss, one hand sneaking up to wind into Woon's hair. Woon's hair distracted him terribly at times, hiding away half of Woon's already subtle expressions, but then also falling temptingly free over Woon's collar and practically inviting Lee Hwon's fingers to sink into its softness.
He tugged at it lightly, and Woon made a low sound in his throat that brought a smile to Lee Hwon's lips, even as he pulled away, slowly and reluctantly. Woon tilted his head curiously, and Lee Hwon sighed. "Then I want you." he said simply, smiling.
Woon smiled back, bowing his head in acknowledgement. His eyes flicked to the doors. "It won't be simple." he said, voice low and gentle.
"You aren't simple. Nothing in this palace is simple." Lee Hwon snorted. "I will figure it out." he added firmly, unable to fully keep the defensiveness out of his voice. He pulled in on himself a bit, though he didn't retreat from Woon's arms, which tightened around his waist and made him startle. So comfortable in Woon's embrace, he'd barely registered it winding more snugly around him.
"It won't be so very difficult, either." Woon said, tipping his head. "I do keep your side constantly, as has been noted by so many," he quirked a brow, "that need not change, and will surprise no one. And, my king. . . We will figure it out." he added gently.
Lee Hwon blinked, then smiled, nodding his acceptance. He shouldn't be surprised at this response from Woon, who always shared Lee Hwon's burdens when he could. "We will." he agreed, leaning into Woon just a little more.