Chapter Text
Soobin couldn’t believe it was this easy.
Empty halls and unlocked doors on a house with a hostage? Things were going better than he expected, so why did he feel like it was going to be so much worse... Taehyun’s steps were as silent behind him as always, the thick soles of his boots not making a single squeak against the polish wood. Soobin sighed into the cold early morning air, taking in the eerie white walls around him. It was perfectly clean, probably because it looked like no one even lived here. What were the kidnappers in a hotel across the street or something?
It was all wrong.
The intel that they bought off that ship hand at the dock was starting to smell awfully rotten, and Soobin would not be caught in some fools errand. They hadn’t made it past the entryway, simply looking into the living room at a distance. He knew Taehyun would speak if he had an objection or insight, but for now he seemed to be simply waiting for Soobin’s signal. Taehyun had a bright mind and wicked instincts, but more than anything he held a deeply loyal heart. If there was one thing that would kill him one day, it would probably be love.
But Soobin would never let that happen as long as he still breathed in this world. So he held back, double checking the door behind them, the windows in front, even the ceiling above them. Finally he took one step onwards, the bottom of his bow clutched in his grip and eyes as sharp as the steel tip of a knife. There didn’t seem to be any more movement, and the pair creeped in slowly. Ears open to hear the drop of a pin, both boys were wound like coils and slid through the air like serpents. Maybe it was okay, even if it was bad info it was still safe, maybe-
{CRASH}
Soobin sprung back as a flash of black and pink smashed through the window and sprawled into the room straight onto the one chair, both tumbling to the ground with a hearty thump. While his entrance was less than graceful, Soobin had to admit the speed and agility in which the man rolled and flickered back up was impressive. And dangerous.
Soobin had his bow out and loaded just as the man’s lazy eyes flipped their way, Soobin’s arrow tip gleaming in the low light as it pointed straight to the man’s heart. He paused for a second, then just turned away. He leaned out the splintered window in blatant disregard, arms crossed like a school teacher about to give a lecture.
“BEOMGYU YOU IDIOT! I TOLD YOU YOU HADN”T PERFECTED THE LEVITATING SPELL YET YOU BRAT!”
“IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU’RE HEAVY HYUNG!”
“HEAVY?? YOU THREW ME WAY TOO FAR, HOW IS THAT ABOUT ME BEING HEAVY?”
“THAN IT MUST BE YOUR OLD DENSE BONES!”
“JUST SHUT UP AND GET UP HERE, AND MIND YOUR MANNERS TOO! WE HAVE COMPANY AND THEY LOOK SNOBBY AS FUCK!”
Finally the man looked back at the other two still frozen in their fighting stance, Taehyun’s face placid while Soobin gave away his look of complete disbelief. The man with untamed chin length hair just gave them a grin that was closer to a smirk, and held out his gloved hand.
“Interesting situation we seem to have found ourselves in huh fellas. My names Yeonjun by the way, the dumb one outside is Beomgyu.”
Soobin let several long blinks go by until the second hand embarrassment began to kill him, and he decided speaking was less painful.
“We didn’t ask. And I think we understood who Beomgyu-sii was by the screaming.”
Yeonjun pulled up his pants and pouted a little, big lips reaching new proportions. He looked a bit like a sulking child. His feline eyes that still dazzled with mirth told a different story however.
“Well geez no need for the attitude. Just trying to make some quick introductions! Now then, how about we talk about why we are all here huh.”
Before Soobin could respond a boy dressed mainly in white came barging in, feet pounding and hands firmly on his hips. This boy took one look at the scene before him, taking in Soobin’s cocked arrow and Yeonjun’s smirk, and rolled his large eyes.
“Of course I would find you here being threatened. They probably took one look at your ‘oh so black and mysterious’ get up and decided you were up to no good right there and then. That’s why we should go for white! I’ve been telling you hyung- no one suspects the person who looks like an angel!”
Yeonjun pinched the bridge of his nose, mouth going into a flat line that boxed in at the edges.
“I doubt it was my outfit that set them off when I came crashing through the fucking window Beom. Also anyone who hears you speak will rule out the angel idea real quick, so I doubt that will be any help.”
At this point Soobin felt like he was interrupting some domestic squabble, like it was him who crashed into this house and intruded. Well they did intrude he supposed, but it wasn’t as if it was these men's house either, even if they were acting like it. Unless…
“Do either of you belong to the group that is holding the crown prince hostage? If so I demand that you return him to us at once!”
Soobin’s voice could come out in a boom if he forced it, years of barking advice at new recruits finally wearing down his gentle nature. It certainly caught the attention of the younger one, but the man in black just raised a dyed eyebrow. Who went as far as to color their face hair?
“Nope. We both just arrived at this house at the same time as you, probably got tipped off by the same guy too. Was it Jimmy at the docks with the bad mole and a mouth so chatty it’ll get him killed some day?”
Soobin said nothing but something in his face must have given it away, because Yeonjun just snorted and nodded his head like he was vindicated. Suddenly his aura shifted a little, his torso tilted forward and his mouth and eyes narrowed.
“And I’ll bet, pretty little knight, that we are after the same thing too.”
Soobin was not little, in fact he was surely taller than anyone else in the room, but it wasn’t the first time his looks had made someone look down at him. He was told there was elven blood somewhere up the family tree, and while he used to curse it, he now used it like another weapon. If this man wanted to hand him a dagger, he would be happy to take it. But for now he simply needed more information.
“That is probably true. After all we are here for the prince, as are you no?”
“Hmm right and what comes with it, you know, the… “
“Honor and gratitude.” “Loads of money.”
Soobin and Yeonjun’s voices overlapped but it was still clear what both had said. Beomgyu was the first to react, bursting out into a body shaking laugh. Yeonjun let out a few chuckles of his own, while Soobin just scrunched his face in disgust. Taehyun, moving for the first time since they arrived, gave a pointed roll of his eyes.
“ I see. Well, it looks like we are at a bit of a crossroads then, Yeonjun-sii?”
Soobin and Taehyun suck further into their stance, and while Beomgyu tensed in kind, Yeonjun stood loose, looking at the men in front of him in detail.
“Maybe so, maybe not. Say Soobin-sii, if you’re really in it for the glory and thanks, then how about we team up and we take the money and you get the credit?”
It was a taunt as much as an offer, a bit of a test to Soobin’s noble statement. Soobin felt his jaw tick but didn’t bat an eye, careful of every emotion shown.
“I would but that seems like an awful amount of trust to put in some black cloaked stranger who only wants for money.”
Yeonjun straightened to look him fully in the eye, brazenly ignoring the whiny “I told you about the black” from his side.
“Not really when you think of the alternative. Our other option is to fight- and I promise no matter what it won’t be easy even if you did win. I know a seasoned opponent when I see one and I’m sure you do too. When you think of it like that, joining up seems downright pleasant doesn’t it?”
It seemed despite Yeonjun’s playful nature he was no fool, and Soobin knew just by his perfectly balanced weight on each foot that this man would put up one hell of a challenge. Taehyun was still healing from their last engagement with a pack of three headed wolves, and they had been on the road for more than 2 months at this point. Conditions weren’t ideal, and as long as he kept his distance from these men, the worst that could happen was that they had to battle each other later. Taehyun was always cautious, so he would be no problem.
“I see your point. I suppose a very loose connection would not be totally objectionable.”
Yeonjun moved forward in a flash, ignoring the knife that now connected his throat to Taehyun’s hand. He held his grin steady and his palm out expectantly. Soobin lingered for a moment, hoping the man would just give up, but caved quickly once he reflected on Yeonjun’s persistent nature. They still had a prince to save after all.
By his grip strength and well calloused hand, Yeonjun seemed to have earned his cocky attitude, and Soobin felt a flash of relief that he had chosen diplomacy this time. When Yeonjun didn’t move even after the shake, Soobin caught on to what he was looking after.
“My name is Choi Soobin, a knight in his majesty’s Black Clover guard. This is my fellow knight Kang Taehyun.”
Taehyun nodded and relaxed his posture, although he did not resheath his knife purposefully. Beomgyu’s nose scrunched up, and in a loud whisper he gestured from Taehyun to Yeonjun.
“Hyung is this weird guy ever gonna speak ya think? I hope he’s not deaf cause we both massively cheated our way through sign language class.”
Yeonjun grunted a ‘shut up’ and smacked a hand onto Beomgyu’s thigh, enough to sting but certainly not enough for the following reaction. Beomgyu was down like he was shot, practically screaming in “pain” and holding onto his leg like it was about to fall off.
Yeonjun just deadpanned a look to the other boys in the room, and picked Beomgyu up by the scruff of his neck. Beomgyu struggled like a naughty kitten in their parent’s grip, and Yeonjun simply dragged him near the door that led to parts of the house still unknown.
“Well, should we get going then?”
Soobin nodded at Taehyun and they followed close behind the loud pair, even if they were seemingly keeping their bickering to a “whisper”.
Soobin was tired already.
...
They had checked each room in the house, well all but one.
Why didn’t they just start with the basement again?
Maybe Soobin was just a bit irritated by having to be constantly wary, not wanting to let any of his weak points show to two strangers. Something which clearly those two did not fear. Oh no, instead they’ve been arguing over who needs the softer pillow they had stolen from the bedroom for a whole ten minutes, Yeonjun apparently winning when he mentioned the “winter when they first met” although Beomgyu was still grumbling something about cheating. Needless to say, the contrast rubbed.
Nevertheless they were here eventually, with nowhere else to turn. If the prince wasn’t here, then he wasn’t anywhere either of them knew about. Yeonjun was of course first to turn the knob and open the door, this time at least carefully peering around. There was nothing to see however, just stairs that faded into black. Looking back he nodded in their direction, and then started down the first step. Beomgyu was quick to follow, and with a reluctant look between them, Taehyun then Soobin also descended.
Soobin listened carefully for any movement but there was utter silence, even the two idiots ahead knowing how to sneak apparently. He really needed to remember not underestimate them- they may act a bit foolish but he has a feeling they would not have survived this long if they weren’t strong enough to back themselves up.
There was a distinct musty smell in the room, like sheets that hadn’t been changed in too long. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the room was still dark, and he sensed Yeonjun moving toward something. A flashlight suddenly flickered on, and Soobin tensed for what might be coming next. However nothing could have quite prepared him for the sight ahead.
There was a boy there, and just a boy indeed. Couldn’t be older than 16 Soobin was sure, and couldn’t weigh more than 120 pounds. Thin wrists and wide eyes and a face that was known nationwide. It was their prince alright, but more than that it was a frightened child. One who clearly had not been properly cared for in a while. While Soobin was still staring in stiff distress Yeonjun had already moved forward, voice as soft as velvet.
“Hey, your name’s Huening Kai right?”
The boy just shook, eyes unfocused and mind clearly scattered. And who could blame the poor traumatized thing? Soobin held his heart in his throat as he cautiously approached the raggedy bed. He kneeled down on the other side of Huening Kai, trying to make his broad height as inconspicuous as he could. Before he could stop him, Yeonjun reached out a tentative hand on the boy’s shoulder, causing a full body flinch and quivering eyes to finally look the intruders in the face.
“Are you here to finally kill me?”
Yeonjun’s frown deepened and Soobin swallowed back a swarm of emotions. Yeonjun’s voice was firm but at ease, and Soobin thought Huening Kai could use that calm now.
“No, I promise we are not. Your daddy made a big reward for your return don’t ya know?”
At this Huening Kai’s eyes grew impossibly wider, his head tilting to the right just slightly.
“H-he did?”
Soobin wasn’t sure what to make of the sheer disbelief in this boy's voice, and by the looks of it Yeonjun didn’t either.
“Yeah! The plan is to get you back to the palace safe and sound, starting from today. So listen kid, if you trust nothing else at least know that you are worth more to us alive than dead.”
Soobin whacked Yeonjun’s closest shoulder, ignoring that normally he would never touch a stranger. What a thing to say to a child on the verge of permanent damage! Soobin offered Kai a hand, trying to engage with the boy but not overwhelm him. The way he peered up at Soobin through his long lashes made every protective instinct in him flair up, and he just knew he would not let the world crush this boy if he could help it.
Kai took his hand, slowly slipping his weak grasp into Soobin’s large palm. Soobin gave a big smile at that, and pulled gently to try and help the kid stand. As soon as Huening Kai seemed to get his feet under him however he almost collapsed again, legs long since functioned. Yeonjun scooped him up long before he hit the ground, and swung the boy’s body back around onto his back in one swift motion.
“Hang on with your arms kid, it won’t be hard to get up those stairs if we do it this way.”
It was too dark to make out Kai’s expression from here, but Soobin hoped his face wasn’t crumpled in terror. Soobin looked back at Taehyun and Beomgyu where they stood still 6 feet apart, clearly having left this task up to the older two. Soobin nodded at Taehyun, and this time they led the path back up to the light.
Getting out of that house felt refreshing, especially as the day had finally warmed up into something tolerable. Squinting against the sunlight, Soobin looked back at the door until Yeonjun and Kai emerged, immediately approaching the duo. He glanced past Yeonjun and focused on Kai, who was very good at the “hold on tight” instruction. Seeing the boy in the full day was something else. His clothes were a mix of white and a greasy gray, with spots of rusted red.
But despite the obvious disarray the boy still shined, his eyes innocent and his looks soft but striking. He was going to grow up handsome that's for sure. And there tucked along the sides of his hair was his telling mark- a small patch of white feathers just above his ear. Every person in the royal bloodline had some kind of “natural crown” that grew on their head. For the last king it was small flowers that grew around her hairline, for their current ruler it was ice that formed along the base of his neck. Feathers- how fitting for a little angel huh?
Soobin smiled at the thought, blissfully unaware of what a pain in the ass this boy would be.