This was my first K-Drama, 3+ years ago now, and I adored it (still do). I love the canon main pair, too - but I find it impossible not to 'ship the King and his loyal bodyguard, at least a little (at the very least in that eight years when Woon was almost all Lee Hwon had).
"Woon."
Woon tipped his head up a little more. He was already facing his king where he lay. He made a quiet sound to acknowledge that his name had been called.
"Come here."
Woon hesitated, as he so rarely did, looking through the dim room at his king.
"Come here, Woon."
Woon rose from his place near the corner, where he had been kneeling since before Hyeongseon had left for the night, and moved silently closer. He crouched beside his king, tipping his head to one side.
"Good. I was beginning to wonder if you had fallen asleep at your duty, Woon." his king said, laughing softly. Woon narrowed his eyes slightly at the tease, but said nothing. "Come lie with me." he continued, his voice a little thinner.
Woon shook his head, and his king shifted and sat up beside him. "I shouldn't." Woon denied, voice low, beginning to inch away only to still when a hand wrapped around his wrist.
"You should, because I wish for you to do so." his king said, mock severe, and Woon's lips quirked. If ever there was a duty that his king would not press upon him as an order, it would be this.
"You need to rest. The hearings tomorrow." Woon reminded gently, though he knew his majesty would never forget his duties. "Not to mention. . ." He fell silent, gesturing towards the doors.
The king's 'ill health' had become worse of late, as his grandmother pressed for a consummation date yet again, and his attendants hovered closer even than usual out of concern for him. Honest or feigned.
"None of them listen for me anywhere so closely as you." his king pointed out.
"Of course not." Woon said instantly. No one paid so close attention to his king as he did, not ever. Not even Hyeongseon, who had cared for him dedicatedly even before Woon had known him.
"Then come and lie with me."
Woon sighed and shifted, sitting properly and stretching his legs out alongside the yo. He knew he had lost this - he had known it, truly, the moment his king had called his name.
And he knew it, too, laughing softly and lying back down, sliding over to make room. Woon set his bonguk geom neatly aside and followed the tug of his king's fingers curling into his sleeve, easing himself down. Woon couldn't help a smile as one of those familiar hands slid over his chest through the layers of his clothes, and the warmth of his king pressed up against his side.
He might have resisted this, but not because he didn't wish to be here - even if he couldn't stay for long. Long enough, perhaps, to see his king back to sleep - a peaceful one this time, hopefully.
A small shift in the slender body beside him, and the ibul floated down across them both.
"Now will you rest?" Woon asked as it settled over them, warm and thick, only for his breath to catch as clever fingers slid up beneath his clothes, tickling over his stomach. ". . .no, then." he added even more softly, his voice going thicker in his throat.
"Will you deny me?" his king asked, pausing.
Woon slid an arm around his waist, hand splaying over his back as he leaned over Woon and met his eyes in the shadowy light. He only shook his head, his other hand reaching up, fingertips sliding lightly over his king's jaw.
He asked the question so seriously, as though there was any way Woon ever could.
Heart throbbing, Woon accepted his king's kiss, his lover's kiss, and smiled, one hand curling around the nape of his neck, keeping him close. Woon stretched beneath his lover, the ibul sliding away as his majesty straddled Woon's hips and sat up fully.
Woon lay obediently still as his lover's hands wandered, pulling free silky ties without having to look for them, quick hands unwinding layers of fine, heavy silk, each garment slipping away easily, baring Woon to his hands and eyes. Woon leaned up enough to shed the soft fabric entirely, pushing them off the yo and onto the floor, and reached for his lover only to have his hands brushed away.
He frowned, but let his hands come to rest at his sides, palm up, all the same. His lover favoured him with a soft smile - so rarely seen, lately, that gentler expression - for his compliance, hands exploring his chest and stomach, making Woon shiver and hum softly with pleasure.
His lover's hands slid down his arms, and then lost contact with his skin. Woon raised his own hands once more, pausing for a bare moment as he found the ties before he loosed them and began to strip his lover's clothes away, quickly and efficiently.
Lee Hwon shivered as the first layer of fabric fell from his shoulders with a flick of Woon's fingers.
"My king." Woon murmured, cupping his lover's jaw and bringing him down for a soft kiss as he shifted astride Woon.
"Woon. . ." his lover said softly, nuzzling his jaw and kissing his cheek, hands sliding over his stomach again. "My own, my heart." he breathed, and Woon's heart fluttered and sped as his chest tightened.
This time when Woon raised his hands to undress his lover, there was no hesitation and no interruption, only a soft sigh as the inner layers were removed and set aside. Woon shifted away enough to slip out of the rest of his clothes, but returned quickly. No protest came from his lover as he reversed their positions, stretching his own body out over the softer figure tucked beneath him.
Woon hummed quietly with pleasure as he felt the warmth of Lee Hwon against him, hands on his hips, then sliding up his sides and onto his back. "Come here." Lee Hwon coaxed, hands drawing him closer, and Woon smiled slightly and obeyed, bowing his head and pressing his lips to his lover's, his body moving slowly.
Skin slid against skin, and heat built between them, Woon's breath coming quicker as he lavished attention down Lee Hwon's neck and across his shoulder - though he was careful with his kisses, leaving no marks. He smiled against the soft skin as Lee Hwon's hands tightened on him, gripping his waist, and he moved closer, then pulled away with an almost lazy shift.
"Woon. . ." his lover moaned, and Woon bit his lip, a hot shiver sliding down his spine as he moved to align their bodies more fully. One slow, purposeful stroke, each movement precise, and Woon kissed his lover more deeply again to smother a louder moan.
Lee Hwon's left hand slid into Woon's hair, pulling free the tail some of it had been bound into, and wound his fingers through the loose strands, keeping Woon's head bowed to his. Woon purred, bracing one knee beside Lee Hwon's thigh, giving himself more stability and more freedom to move.
His lover's grip tightened at his waist as he quieted a cry with another kiss, and Woon groaned into the contact. Lee Hwon was holding on to him fiercely, and Woon could feel the slight ache that betokened a bruise forming beneath his lover's fingers, just above his hip. It almost made him smile.
Woon lifted his head slightly, catching his lover's eyes, dark and hot, and a quiet, rough moan was pulled from his own lips. He nuzzled Lee Hwon's cheek, freeing one hand, keeping his weight braced on his other elbow, to trail his fingers down his lover's chest and side as they moved together.
Lee Hwon pulled him back into a kiss, biting at his lip, and Woon shuddered and had to put his hand back down to support himself as pleasure like a swirl of fiery-sharp flared through his body. Woon continued to move, quick and sure, but every tiny shift was guided by his lover's - his king's - hands, Woon's passion answering his call.
Woon moaned, dropping his head and pressing his mouth to Lee Hwon's shoulder once more, his body arching as a strong hand slid over his spine, pressing him down. "My king." Woon breathed, shuddering, trailing soft kisses up Lee Hwon's throat, making him moan and shiver, pulling Woon to move faster.
Woon obeyed the pull of his lover's hands eagerly, meeting Lee Hwon's mouth in a fiercer kiss this time, slipping just enough not to so easily hold back when they both wanted so much. His lover clearly didn't mind the force, moaning for him and arching up into him. Woon purred with pleasure, pressing the length of his body against his lover's.
Lee Hwon shuddered and his body bowed up, though he barely moved before the curve of his body was arrested by the tight cage of Woon's stretched over him and not giving way. Lee Hwon let out a broken sound, and Woon pressed him into a deeper kiss once more, swallowing it as his lover shuddered beneath him, overcome.
Lee Hwon's teeth dug into his lip, muffling a cry, and Woon twitched, following after his lover with a low, rumbling sound of his own. His body pulsing, Woon trembled, leaning heavily against his lover, breathing deeply and still a little too fast with his nose buried alongside Lee Hwon's ear.
Lee Hwon nearly crooned into his ear, stroking his back and sides. Woon nuzzled his lover's cheek and jaw affectionately, even as he pulled away, settling beside his lover rather than on top of him - though Woon made no move to leave the yo.
He had no desire to rise just yet, even if he thought that his lover would have allowed him to pull so far away so soon.
Woon smiled, closing his eyes, as he felt a gentle hand creeping back over him, his lover sliding closer to him, a warm presence against his side. He stretched out an arm and wrapped it around Lee Hwon's shoulders, cradling him comfortably close against Woon's body.
Woon twisted onto his side, curling himself around Lee Hwon, nose brushing the curve of his lover's ear again. He only let himself bask in the contact - full skin against skin, warm and safe, here in the near-dark, his lover wrapped in his arms - for a short time, however. Then he sighed, reluctantly pulling away with a last lingering kiss. Responsibility reasserted itself.
It was quick enough work to clean them both up, but when Woon moved to retreat, his hand stretched out for his clothes, his lover's hand wrapped around his wrist. He looked at his lover as Lee Hwon sat up, pulling at him, the pleading in his lover's eyes clear even in the shelter of the shadows filling the room.
Woon sighed. It wasn't as though he wanted to remove himself. . . He hesitated.
There was a cough and a quiet scold for the sound from outside his majesty's rooms - barely audible, even to Woon's sharp ears, but a reminder all the same.
"I will be here, my king." Woon reminded gently. "Always. I am always at your side, and will forever remain here." he swore, as he had so many times before, showing to his lover, his king, the chains he had so willingly donned, so long ago.
Despite their moment, the bonds his vow placed upon him sat lightly, no regret or wish for anything else disturbing Woon's heart, but they kept him tightly fettered always to his majesty's side.
Where Woon would happily remain until the set of his Sun.
Lee Hwon closed his eyes and nodded, accepting what they both knew, and why. He didn't release Woon entirely, however, instead helping him to slide back into his clothes. Delicate pulls from clever fingers laced silky ties neatly into place, and loving hands stroked the fine fabric down smoothly over his chest, sides, and hips.
Woon stopped him, as he made to tie the final knot fixing Woon's uniform back into place, and cupped his face, drawing him in for a brief, soft kiss. He pressed his cheek to Lee Hwon's for a long few moments before pulling away, retrieving his majesty's sleeping clothes and efficiently helping him back into them.
His king moved only enough to make the process easier, watching him with fond eyes. Woon smiled slightly in return and allowed his hands to wander freely over every bit of bared skin as he hid it away again. It made his lover sigh softly, pleased, and lean into his little touches.
Woon could read the tiredness in every line of his lover's body, even before he started to sway, leaning against Woon's shoulder for support. Woon held him, nuzzling behind his ear, but only for a moment before kneeling once more, manoeuvring his king back into the centre of the yo.
He paused, then drew the ibul up over his king, lips curving fondly as his majesty stretched and sighed, settling comfortably. Woon bowed and brushed a feathery kiss to his king's lips, allowing himself to be caught by one elegant hand and held for a longer caress, their lips brushing, their gazes caught with one another's.
"Sleep, my king." Woon breathed as he lifted his head, his hair brushing low over his neck with the movement. "I will be here."
"Always." his king murmured, pleased, and closed his eyes briefly, savouring the vow he was promised.
Woon bowed his head in acceptance, and folded his legs neatly beneath himself, kneeling properly to watch over his majesty. He did not retreat to the corner where he belonged for these nights, however, and he smiled slightly as he watched his king's expression brighten, registering the change.
His majesty's hand stretched out, and Woon let his own be taken, curling his fingers around his king's, offering that much comfort. He knew not how long it would be before it would once more be safe - as safe as it ever was - for him to lie at his king's side, as they both wished, for the span of the night, but it was little risk to allow the comfort of his touch, at least.
"You always know." his king said, voice tender, and kissed Woon's slightly battered hand, cradling it as though it was something fragile. "What I need. Thank you." he murmured, allowing the endearment that would follow it to go unspoken.
"I am yours, my king. I could do no less." Woon replied simply, bowing his head, his heart fluttering warmly in his chest.
This story was written (the first draft, in any case) as part of a Music Shuffle challenge, for the song Body to Body (Miami Sound Machine).