The palace grounds were quiet, bathed in the soft glow of lanterns and the cool shimmer of moonlight. The only sound was the gentle trickle of water from the grand marble fountain, its surface rippling under the stars. 

Jungkook and Taehyung sat on the fountain's edge, shoulders nearly touching, the warmth between them more noticeable in the evening chill. The bake-off had ended in absolute chaos, but now, in this rare moment of peace, all they could do was laugh about it. 

Jungkook tossed his head back, giggling. "Did you see the red-haired judge? He looked like he was about to pass out." 

Taehyung chuckled, resting his chin on his palm as he watched Jungkook, utterly transfixed. Jungkook's eyes crinkled when he laughed, his nose scrunching just slightly. His hair, still dusted with a few stray flecks of glitter from earlier, caught the golden light, and his lips—soft, pink, and just barely swollen from biting them all evening—parted as he tried to catch his breath. 

Taehyung had seen beauty before. But nothing like this.

Before he could think—before logic could remind him of titles, consequences, or the rules of fate—he leaned in. 

And kissed him. 

It was soft at first, hesitant. A question more than a demand. His lips brushed Jungkook's, warm and feather-light, and for a split second, Jungkook didn't move. His breath hitched. His entire body froze. 

Oh. Oh.

Taehyung's hands found their way into Jungkook's hair, fingers threading through soft silk as he tilted his head slightly, deepening the kiss just enough to steal his breath. Jungkook felt like the world had tipped sideways. His heart pounded so loud he swore Taehyung could hear it. 

WHAAT. WHAAAAAAAT.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Jungkook was the villain. He was supposed to be killed by the emperor. Not kissed by him. Not held like he was something precious. 

And yet— 

When Taehyung pulled away, just barely, and Jungkook looked up, wide-eyed, lips red and breath uneven, Taehyung only smiled. 

"You're so beautiful, darling."

Jungkook felt his entire body heat up, warmth flooding from the tips of his ears down to his toes. He wanted to hide. He wanted to disappear. But before he could, Taehyung just wrapped him up in his arms, pulling him close, pressing him against his chest like he was afraid Jungkook would slip away. 

"You're so beautiful, Jungkook. Please, don't leave me. Ever."

The words were barely above a whisper, but they settled deep into Jungkook's bones, deeper than anything he'd ever been told before. 

He didn't know what to say. 

He had spent so long thinking he knew how this story was supposed to go. And yet, somehow, in the emperor's arms, fate had rewritten itself. 

So for now, just for tonight, Jungkook let himself get lost in Taehyung's warmth, breathing in the scent of spiced vanilla and something undeniably Taehyung, closing his eyes as the fountain water trickled behind them, and the stars bore witness to something that was never supposed to happen— 

And yet, somehow, felt inevitable.