the day ended quickly for them as they had enjoyed their time being there. it wasn't that hard for donghyuck to fit in, jaemin's mother found him too cute to handle and not to mention dozens of compliments given to him as the pudu helped her in the kitchen. unlike mark though, the lion still had to watch out and be careful of what he'd do there or the axe that jaemin's father kept on holding would immediately go through him.

that thought alone made him shiver in fear. although, the bunny's parents aren't that bad. mark got the whole afternoon with jaemin's father talking to him and lecturing him about marriage life and he didn't even know he needed it so bad.

❝you're leaving so soon?❞ mark frowned as he stood by the front door, watching jaemin outside as he fumbled his pockets for the keys.

the bunny nodded his head with a smile, finally finding the keys to the truck. ❝don't wanna leave everything behind there.❞

jaemin may have not specified it but mark knew what or who the bunny meant. ❝you'll come back, right?❞

tapping his chin with his index finger as if he was thinking deeply, jaemin passed the lion a small smile. ❝of course.❞ he told him, ❝would you want me to bring something here aside from your clothes and donghyuck's?❞

mark hummed, rubbing his nape as he looked down. ❝in m-my room..❞ he didn't know what got him so shy all of a sudden. well, it's probably because of the fact that not everyone knows about him owning a plushie. ❝there's a lion plushie somewhere in my bed.❞

widening his eyes, the bunny didn't even know that the king had a soft spot and a plushie kept inside his room. ❝but your highness, am i allowed to go there?❞

❝take it as an order from me.❞ mark told him. the lion then quickly clasped his hands as if he was begging, ❝please don't tell anyone about my plushie. only you and renjun knows about this since he's the one assigned to clean my room.❞

jaemin then held back the urge to chuckle, ❝then, should i let renjun get the plushie for you—❞

❝no!❞ the bunny flinched when the lion suddenly shouted, earning a silent apology after. ❝if you don't want to get nagged at, no. he'd surely force you to convince me to go back to the palace. i know how he is against this plan of mine.❞

if he was really against it then he wouldn't have help. jaemin smiled at how renjun still lent a helping hand despite of him not favoring the king's idea of running away. ❝i'll get it on my own then.❞

❝yes, thank you jaemin.❞ the lion sighed in relief. ❝by the way, i heard from jeno that you gave him a daisy.❞

the bunny was then frozen at the sudden topic the lion brought up. mustering up a nervous chuckle, jaemin tried to pull off a smile. ❝w-well.. it's for h-his boyfriend.❞

even though he knew very well that jeno didn't give it to his beloved meerkat.

mark tilted his head to the side with a teasing smirk, ❝he took care of the daisy though.❞ it even shocked mark when jeno told him that. of all the years he had known the eagle, he never knew he liked flowers.

it's probably because it's jaemin who gave it to him.

❝your highness, please don't push this topic any further.❞ jaemin looked down as he played with his fingers, also holding the key as not to drop it with his now shaky hands. ❝jeno already has a boyfriend.❞

❝yeah, and you ate his boyfriend's face so—❞

❝have a wonderful evening, mark!❞ jaemin took a low bow as he started to walk away with awkward steps, face burning red as he remembered the kiss he had with the meerkat. it would be easier to handle if it was just a peck but no, they just had to move their lips in a sensual way during that kiss.

mark giggled as he waved his hand at the bunny that's starting to walk away. ❝don't get caught when you get back!❞

yeah, jaemin hoped that he'd go back with this truck still in one piece and without getting caught by any eagle as he goes and sneaks inside the palace and off to his quarters.

after making sure that jaemin gets to start the truck, the lion gave the bunny one last wave before mumbling his goodbyes and getting inside the house, not forgetting to close and lock the front door as it was already night time and everyone was asleep.

just when mark was about to take a step forward, he almost jumped from his place when he saw a ghost— no it's just jaemin's father pointing an antique kerosene lamp to his face.

placing a hand on his chest to calm his heartbeat down, mark let out a relieving sigh to see that it's just a bunny. ❝goodness, you scared me mr. na.❞

with furrowed brows, jaemin's father walked up to him. ❝are you having an affair!?❞

his voice was quite loud considering that everyone was asleep at this late time but the way the bunny accused him caught mark's attention, ❝pardon?❞

❝are you cheating with your boyfriend for my son!?❞ the father bunny scoffed in disbelief, moving the lit up kerosene lamp close to the lion and almost burned him.

mark raised two of his hands and shook it aggressively. ❝listen, mr. na, you're getting it wrong—❞

❝kid,❞ jaemin's father then pinched the bridge of his nose and he shut his eyes tight, looking like he was processing what is happening. ❝i know a wife, or a husband in your side, can be a handful sometimes but having an affair should never even be an option!❞

❝i'm not—❞

❝look at me,❞ the antique kerosene lamp was then pointed at his own self, ❝my wife is like a gun when she complains and scolds me for everything i do but you don't see me finding any other bunny other than her, do you?❞

the lion didn't know that it was another session about married life with jaemin's father. that made mark smile softly though, finding out how much he really loves his wife. jaemin is quite fortunate to have them as his parents. also, they were lucky to have jaemin as their son. ❝mr. na, i'm not having an affair. i was just sending jaemin off and wishing for him to take care.❞

having an affair? that didn't even cross in mark's mind. he knew that donghyuck was the only one for him and he wouldn't want to change it in any way.

squinting his eyes, the father was still having a hard time believing it but he let mark off just this time since he didn't want to stress the lion out. he knows that the early stages of marriage can be tiring. ❝even if you were having an affair, i still won't accept you as my son-in-law.❞

the lion managed to let out a chuckle. ❝why is that so, mr. na?❞

❝that meerkat, my son keeps on talking about, sounds more suitable for him.❞ he stated guiding mark back to his son's room with the lit up kerosene lamp lighting the way.

the lion held back a snort. wait till jaemin's father finds out about the eagle that kept a daisy inside his room. ❝oh, you don't know how much he enjoyed eating his face.❞ mark mumbled as he finally reached to jaemin's room.

raising a brow, the father turn to mark with confusion written on his face. ❝did you say anything?❞

mark quickly found a way out from exposing the bunny to his own father. ❝have a good sleep, mr. na.❞

he actually found the liom suspicious but since mark hadn't done any harm, he's not going to make a move just yet. ❝yeah, same goes for you kid.❞ turning around to join his wife to their shared room, the father didn't forget to remind the lion. ❝if you're going to do it tonight, jaemin hides the protection at the very last drawer in his cabinet.❞

the lion was standing there with his jaw dropped at how the father just told him that so casually. another thing, why would jaemin have that inside his cabinet? and how did his father know about it?

with the door of jaemin's parents' room was shut, that was when mark was snapped back to his senses and shook all the questions inside his head. he didn't want to think too much about it but he still made a mental note to ask jaemin these questions next time.

getting inside the room silently, mark made sure to close the door carefully with just making a quiet creaking sound before he turned around and was greeted by a pudu that's sitting down by the bed while staring out of the window.

❝sunshine?❞ the lion walked over to the pudu and got up from the bed, wrapping his arms around the pudu's waist as he stared out of the window together with him. ❝why are you still awake?❞

❝i was waiting for you.❞ donghyuck snuggled closed to the lion's warmth and placed his hands over mark's that's now resting on his tummy. ❝did jaemin leave already?❞

placing his chin down on the pudu's shoulder, mark hummed a yes. ❝it's a beautiful night, don't you think.❞

a small smile went to the pudu's lips. ❝it really is.❞

❝so are you.❞ mark continued, tilting his head enough to get a glimpse of the pudu's beauty shining down under the moonlight. ❝you're beautiful like the night sky.❞

donghyuck then puffed his cheeks. ❝last time i remember, i'm the sun and not the moon.❞

it then made donghyuck remember the honey badger back at the palace, his taeil hyung.

shaking his head, donghyuck didn't want  to think of anything that could ruin the night. he then decided to enjoy watching the night sky while being protected in his lion's arms.

🦁

morning came quickly as he spent the night with the lion just simply watching the beautiful night sky with small talks here and there. the next thing he knew, he had his eyes closed and finally drove to his dreamland.

yawning and stretching his arms, the pudu noticed that mark wasn't laying right next to him anymore. he then slowly sat up while rubbing his eyes and scanned the room in hopes to find any mark lee. putting his feet down, donghyuck pushed himself up from the bed and made his way to the door.

he went out and he could smell a delicious scent of their breakfast. instead of finding where his simba was, food was still his top priority and so his feet dragged him towards the kitchen only to see jaemin's mother cooking so happily.

❝good morning.❞ donghyuck greeted, taking a polite bow before approaching her.

❝oh? you're awake.❞ the mother giggled. ❝donghyuck, you wouldn't mind helping me, would you?❞

❝not at all.❞

she then washed her hands before turning to the pudu and giving him a bright smile. ❝i have a basket placed on the table. kindly get some strawberries? they are located behind the house, you would see them the moment you'd step foot there.❞

nodding his head like an obedient baby pudu, donghyuck hopped his way towards the dining table and took the basket with him as he made his way out of the house.

it was just then he could see the lion he was looking for the moment he woke up. mark was with jaemin's father as they planted the crops together. donghyuck held back a laugh as he could see how much mark was struggling. he'd slip here and there and almost stumbled down twice. jaemin's father would only shake his head before teaching him on how to walk without falling down.

standing there for a good minute, donghyuck decided to go on with his task and waddled his way behind the house while humming to a song. he was finding as to where was the strawberries that jaemin's mother was talking about. he frowned when he couldn't see it in sight but after getting closer a closer look, he could finally see a figure that formed somewhere close to a strawberry.

❝there it is!❞ happily walking towards it, donghyuck placed the basket down and crouched on his knees.

he wasn't aware of the pair of eyes looking straight at him behind the bushes.

❝should i get all of them?❞ the pudu frowned, not remembering if the mother said a specific amount. ❝oh, well.❞

in the middle of picking the strawberries out from the stem attached to them, donghyuck's small deer-like ears twitched once he heard a rustling sound coming from the bush. he stared at it for a couple of seconds before shaking his head as he thought of his imagination making something up.

he went back to picking up strawberries until he heard the rustling sounds once again.

❝who's there?!❞ donghyuck gathered the courage to shout out, moving away from the nearest bush.

the pudu grabbed the basket with him that's still lacking of strawberries but he still had to care for his life that's on the line. jaemin didn't mention about having any wild predators nearby so what could be the cause of the rustling sounds?

donghyuck then gasped as he saw a pair of eyes widening behind the bushes and the next moment he was suddenly pounced at what he thought a wild predator.

❝roar!❞ the one that had suddenly pounced at the pudu then froze as he realized something wrong with his greeting. ❝wait, does cheetahs even roar?❞

or maybe.. not?

⚊ t b c ⚊