Chapter Text
When the horse stops sharply, her hooves kick up sand and grass.
She bucks, and lets out a loud neigh, but her rider is undeterred. He waits until she's settled, then jumps from her back with an ease that would surprise even the most experienced cowboy. Chewing on a piece of wheat, he pats the horse once on the back of her neck.
"Heel, girl." He says. She is soothed.
He turns to the village with a small, self assured smile.
The horse rider is Choi Beomgyu. He is here for a specific purpose.
He turns to the village, and pulls his now relaxed horse with him by a rope. As he walks, his boots sink into golden, hot sand, and he tilts his hat to shield his face from the burning sun. His large black jacket and knee high boots make him unbearably hot, not to mention the added exertion of riding his horse for hundreds of miles, but Choi Beomgyu is not the type of person to show weakness. He walks with ease.
The small village he has found himself in is almost completely deserted. There are a few thatched houses here and there, as well as a saloon, a town hall, a store and what appears to be a doctor's office, but otherwise it's nothing impressive. Beomgyu looks around at the rolling tumbleweeds and faded footprints in the sand.
He steps inside of the saloon, and is immediately greeted with the strong smell of ale. It's a pervasive musk, warm and heavy, and he's glad for it. Here, Beomgyu can eat and drink and rest for a moment. Saloons are the closest thing to home he's ever found.
"Hey, stranger." The man behind the Saloon counter greets. Beomgyu tips his hat in greeting and slides onto a wooden bar stool. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm looking for the Sheriff of this joint."
The bartender raises his eyebrows. His face is youthful. He has a spark in his eye and a huge, toothy smile.
"You must be Beomgyu! Sheriff Choi is just over in the corner there." The man points to a shadowed corner of the room, where a shadowed figure is drinking alone. "Before you go, have a beer. On the house."
"That won't be necessary-"
"Please. I'm a big fan of your work. And I, for one, will be happy when that damned thief is stopped once and for all." The bartender insists, sliding an empty glass along the faded wooden counter. He fills it with warm ale, and Beomgyu can do nothing but accept it. The ale tastes good, strong as it gets and surprisingly well blended. "Good, right?"
"Yeah." Beomgyu's smile widens. "It's got a kick to it."
"There's a secret ingredient." The man winks. "I'm Yeonjun, by the way. This is my saloon. I make the best ale for five hundred miles."
"Glad to meet you." Beomgyu returns the greeting. "I'm Choi Beomgyu-"
"Bounty hunter extraordinare." Yeonjun interrupts. "I know all about you. You're a savior to people like us."
Beomgyu is aware that he's recently earned a reputation for himself. In the past few years small towns like these have relied on him to stop criminals and rogues. But despite his confidence, he's adverse to all of the attention, and he often resents his newfound fame.
"Well, I sure hope I don't disappoint." Beomgyu raises his glass in a cheers, but his smile has faded. He quickly slips from the bar stool. "If you'll excuse me...?"
"Yes, yes, sorry, I wouldn't want to keep you from your work. I'll see you around?"
Beomgyu doesn't reply. He takes his beer, turns from the counter and steps through the shadows to the table in the corner.
As he gets closer, Sheriff Choi comes into focus. In the darkness the gold star pinned to his uniform glints, reflecting like his eyes in the warm candlelight. He's young for a sheriff, and his smile is surprisingly calm. Beomgyu has met all sorts of sheriffs, most of them worn by time and fuelled by defensive rage, but this one... this one is different, Beomgyu thinks.
Beomgyu notices another man at the small round table. His left arm is wrapped in a tight bandage, and there are fresh, deep cuts on his face. He holds himself stiffly, but his eyes are crinkled and his laugh is loud as he speaks with the Sheriff.
"Choi Beomgyu, I assume." The Sheriff greets, when Beomgyu pulls up a chair wordlessly. "Your reputation precedes you."
"So I'm told." Beomgyu says. He holds out a hand, and the Sheriff takes it. Though his hands are soft, his grip is surprisingly strong. "Sheriff Choi?"
"That's me." The Sheriff's smile turns embarrassed. "But please, call me Soobin."
Beomgyu offers the sheriff a smile, and then his eyes flicker curiously to the other guest at the table.
"Choi Beomgyu." He greets, his eyes lingering on the stranger. "I wasn't aware there would be a third party here today, Sheriff."
"Oh, this is Hueningkai. He's the man who tried to stop the thief."
"The cowboy?" Beomgyu blinks, surprised. "But you wrote in your first letter that he was trying to kill you. He wanted to become this town's Sherrif. He was the reason I was originally meant to travel here."
"Well, plans change." Soobin smiles.
"The thief left me in a bad way. Soobin patched me up, saved my life." Hueningkai shrugs. "So I decided to move on. I'll be out of town once I'm healed, bounty hunter. You don't have to worry about me."
"Yeah, right." Beomgyu scoffs at the young cowboy, but it's good natured. "You're just going to cause trouble somewhere else. And I'll be left to pick up the pieces."
"Whatever." Hueningkai takes a swig of ale. Beomgyu rolls his eyes, and turns back to Soobin.
"It's exactly as he says. After the thief stole the jewel, Hueningkai confronted him, but he was overpowered. The thief left him for dead." Soobin gestures to the cowboy's injuries. "And he also left with the town's only prized possession. That's when I wrote the second letter."
"And now here I am." Beomgyu pulls off his leather gloves, and sets them on the small round table. He means business. "So tell me everything there is to know."
"The jewel is a large red ruby that has been in my family for centuries. At this point in time, it can be sold for hundreds, but we were planning to hold it for much longer until its value was close to thousand, maybe even hundreds of thousands.." Soobin says. "Up until recently it was kept in a chest at my home. I kept the key on me at all times."
Beomgyu nods, listening intently.
"A week ago a stranger came to town claiming to be a doctor. The day before Heuningkai had challenged me to a duel for the role of Sheriff, and because I was distracted I just... I assumed this stranger was trustworthy. He had this way of smiling, you know? You just wanted to say yes to him." Soobin shakes his head. "I let the town down. Somehow, the damned thief stole my key and unlocked the safe. As he was riding out of town with the ruby, Hueningkai managed to catch up with him, and they fought."
Beomgyu raises an eyebrow, his eyes flickering over Hueningkai's injuries.
"He was a damned good fighter. I've never seen anything like it." Hueningkai shakes his head. "I had a gun. He didn't."
"He put up a good fight." Beomgyu says, a note of admiration in his voice. Most thieves lurk in the shadows and avoid confrontation. The thief's boldness is pleasantly surprising. "He certainly got the better of you."
"Yeah. He left me bleeding on the sand. I thought I was a goner until the Sheriff saved me."
"Any details about the thief you can remember? Height, stature, manner of dress?"
"He was small, young." Soobin recalls. "He smiled a lot."
"Oh, and I did manage to hit him! In the leg." Hueningkai pipes up. "He'll still have a limp from the bullet wound."
Beomgyu nods, a small smile rising on his face. The more he listens, the more intrigued he becomes.
"That's a pretty distinctive injury. Do you remember which leg?"
"Nah. I was bleeding out by this point. The memories are still a little fuzzy."
"That's alright. What did he fight with?"
"A dagger. It looked expensive." Hueningkai stops, thinking for a moment. "There were letters engraved into the hilt. K.T. "
"That's helpful, thanks." Beomgyu considers the case, rolling the facts over in his mind. "I think I can help. I know these parts well, and considering he's wounded, I don't think he could've travelled very far..."
"So you'll catch him?" Soobin asks hopefully. Beomgyu turns to him with a warm smile.
"I'll catch him."
"You will?" Soobin exclaims. He grins, leaning over the table to shake Beomgyu's hand again. "Thank you, thank you! I'll make sure to pay you in full-"
"For now, let's just worry about the thief." Beomgyu says, patting the back of Soobin's hand.
"You really think you can do it, bounty hunter?" Hueningkai asks. "He's unlike any thief I've ever met before, and believe me, I've known a few."
Beomgyu takes a swig of ale, and sets it down on the table with a heavy thunk. His smile is wide as he turns to the two men - he has a feeling this is going to be a fantastic adventure.
"He might be good, but I'm better." Beomgyu says. His voice burns with conviction. "Don't you worry, Sheriff. Soon enough you'll have your ruby back. I guarantee it."
Kang Taehyun hisses as he peels a bandage away from his wounded leg.
It sticks painfully to the wound, thick and warm with blood, but Taehyun closes his eyes and bears the pain. He pulls away the fabric and sets it on the small wooden table beside the inn bed. With a wince, Taehyun pours a little of his bottle of whiskey onto the open wound.
He took out the bullet with a pair of scissors a few days ago, but the injury is still far from healed. Taehyun knows it'll be a long time before he can walk easily again, nevermind run or sneak around in the shadows, so he's laying low for now. It isn't safe, but then, Taehyun is used to danger. It comes with the job.
The ruby is hidden in one of his boots. Taehyun dislikes carrying his treasure with him - there are highwaymen and violent outlaws that could ambush him and take it - but it will have to do until he can hide it somewhere more secure.
He has another concern, too. He's been sloppy lately. The last hunt had been almost disastrous. He'd been shot by a cowboy. A cowboy. If he isn't careful, Taehyun thinks, dressing his wound with a fresh bandage, then there'll soon be a bounty on his head.
Taehyun wraps the bandage, and then rests his leg on the small, rickety bed. He hums to himself as he lays back. He has to think, he has to plan - where should he go next, what should he steal? But the recent blood loss has made him hazy and weak, and he doesn't have the strength to do anything but close his eyes and sink into the thin blankets.
But there's no rest for the wicked. He hears soft voices outside of his door. One belongs to the innkeeper, but the other... the other Taehyun hasn't heard before.
"I'll ask you again. Is there anyone here that fit my description?" The stranger asks. It's a male voice, warm and soft spoken. Taehyun listens curiously.
"All sorts of young men wander through these parts. Outlaws, thieves, cowboys." The woman says evasively. "It's impossible to keep track of them all."
Taehyun smiles to himself, unconcerned. Good on her - she protects the people who come to her inn. One of the reasons Taehyun had come to stay here was because he was sure no one would sell him out.
The man hums.
"Mind if I take a look around?" He asks.
"Doesn't seem like I have any choice. Do as you please." The old woman grumbles, and Taehyun listens to her soft footsteps disappear.
He continues to listen as the stranger knocks on each door of the inn. The man speaks softly, so Taehyun can't hear every word of the conversation, but Taehyun waits eagerly for the moment the man knocks on his door.
It's always fun making up a story, convincing a curious stranger that you're someone else, telling an elaborate lie. It's one of the best parts of the job. Taehyun can be a doctor, an outlaw, a cowboy, a farmer. He can be anything.
Taehyun hears footsteps outside of his door and then a sudden knock. Delighted, he stands, but in his eagerness he jolts his injured leg on the side of the wooden bed. It stings, almost unbearably so, but he ignores it and pulls on his boot, the gem inside digging into his foot. He walks to the door as if he hasn't been shot, like he isn't in complete and utter agony, and....
And his smile widens when he opens the door and sees who stands behind it.
Choi Beomgyu.
Every crook and bandit knows his name. He's a bounty hunter you don't want to cross. On the surface, he isn't intimidating at all. His warm eyes, his leather jacket, his floppy hair... they're indistinct. The only distinctive thing about him is the long, deep scar across his face, and because of it, you always know he's coming.
...And once starts chasing you, he won't stop until you're caught.
Taehyun is curious to know who exactly Beomgyu is chasing. He leans against the door frame with an easy smile.
"Sorry to disturb you." Beomgyu says. His eyes flicker over Taehyun's figure, sharp and analytical. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"
"Fire away." Taehyun puts on an accent, rolls his tongue a little, lets himself relax. He plays the role of someone else.
"Have you seen a man around these parts with a limp? He'd be small, young, and on horseback. He's carrying a dagger with the initials K.T engraved into the hilt."
Taehyun, surprised, almost breaks character. But he is too clever to betray his shock.
Even still, the realisation that Beomgyu is chasing him startles Taehyun. The surprise is soon replaced by delight.
Finally, Taehyun thinks, a real challenge.
"Might've." Taehyun shrugs, casual. "What's it to you?"
"There's a bounty on his head. Help me out, and I'll make sure you get a substantial portion of the reward."
Taehyun pretends to consider it. He runs his hand over his chin.
"...How much?"
Beomgyu leans forward and murmurs a large figure in his ear. Taehyun shivers, and breathes in the smell of honey on Beomgyu's skin. He's been intrigued by stories of the notorious bounty hunter for a while now, but to see him in the flesh is far more exhilarating than the thief ever expected.
"I dunno. Selling out a fellow outlaw... it's not something I like."
"Look, I'm assuming you know who I am." Beomgyu says. He's so self assured, his hands in his pocket and his face open, relaxed. "And if you do, you also know that I'll catch him eventually, whether you help me or not. I think you know something, and if you tell me now, you'll be rewarded for it. Now I think you're a clever guy. I don't think you would miss this opportunity. So I'll ask you again. Have you seen a man around these parts with a limp? "
Taehyun smiles.
"No, sir, I haven't."
"What did you just say?"
"I haven't seen him." Taehyun says firmly. "Or I could be lying. Maybe I have seen him. Either way, I wouldn't tell you. I wouldn't betray my people, not for all of the riches in the world."
"...Right. So you were just wasting my time?"
"Exactly." Taehyun nods.
"...Well, at least you didn't feed me false information, like half of the men in this place." Beomgyu sighs.
"Because I know if I did, it'd be me you were chasing next."
"You're right." Beomgyu offers him an amused smile "Thanks anyway. And make sure you don't get into any trouble, or it'll be you who I'm chasing next."
"I'd wish you good luck, but I wouldn't mean it." Taehyun replies happily.
It was too easy to manipulate Beomgyu. Playing the part of the loyal outlaw, unwilling to betray his fellow men? It was far too easy.
Beomgyu offers him a farewell. He tilts his hat, and goes to turn away, and Taehyun thinks he's in the clear. But then Beomgyu freezes. His eyes flicker to Taehyun's feet, and a thrill of excitement passes down the thief's spine.
Taehyun looks down too. Blood is dripping from his trousers, onto his boot and the wooden floor. He'd forgotten about his leg hitting the bed. And Beomgyu has realised. Beomgyu knows, now, who he really is.
He meets Beomgyu's eyes and offers him a wicked smile. For a long moment, they look at each other, tension burning in the air, and then...
"Oops." Taehyun says, dropping the fake accent. The sound of his voice sparks Beomgyu into action.
Beomgyu lunges towards him, but even injured, Taehyun is fast and nimble. He darts away and leaps towards the bedroom window.
Without hesitation, Taehyun smashes through the window and lands with a loud thump on the sand. He scrambles to his feet, somehow ignoring the pain in his injured leg and from the tiny cuts the glass window had given him. He hurries towards his horse.
Taehyun has the advantage. He'd tied his horse deliberately close to the inn in case he needed to make a quick escape. By the time Beomgyu has leapt out of the window after him, Taehyun has cut the rope with a knife and has climbed onto his horse. He gallops away, Beomgyu close on his heels.
The thief looks back, meeting the bounty hunter's eyes, and grins. Now this ... this is an adventure.
He isn't surpised when Beomgyu pulls out a bow and arrow. It's a weapon of choice that Beomgyu is known for, and the bounty hunter probably uses it because of its accuracy. After all, he doesn't want to kill the people he chases - he just wants to catch them. An arrow to the arm or leg is hardly ever fatal.
Beomgyu pulls back the bow, and the arrow slices through the air, hitting the back of Taehyun's shoulder. For a moment, Taehyun fears he's going to fall from his horse, but he holds on.
Eventually the horse outruns Beomgyu and leaves him behind in the sand. Laughing, Taehyun yanks the arrow out of his shoulder, and sets it on his lap. The wound stings, but not enough that he can't continue riding.
Beomgyu will not be far behind. It's a chase, a game, an adventure.
And Taehyun can't wait.
There's a gift waiting for Beomgyu in the next town.
The local Sheriff hands it to him. He says a stranger came to town and told him to give it to the bounty hunter. He's already gone, the Sheriff says, when Beomgyu asks where the stranger went, but he left this for you.
The gift is a bloodsoaked arrow, wrapped with a small bow. There's a note attached.
All that the note says is:
Catch me if you can.
K.T.
Amused, Beomgyu tucks the arrow and the note into his pocket. He doesn't plan on letting the thief escape... not again.
"Damn." Jungkook says, peeling away Taehyun's shirt from his wounded shoulder. "He's a good shot."
Taehyun leans back against a chair as his friend examines the back of his shoulder. Jungkook's fingers are cold against his skin as he prods the tender skin around the injury, but Taehyun doesn't wince or feel any uncertainty. Jungkook is a skilled doctor, and Taehyun would trust him with even the most fatal of injuries. An arrow to the shoulder is nothing compared to the wounded men Jungkook tends to on a regular basis.
"I know." Taehyun says. "He's Choi Beomgyu. I wouldn't expect anything less."
"You should've waited before you pulled the arrow out, though." Jungkook scolds. "You could've made the injury much worse."
"There's a bounty on my head, hyung. I haven't got much left to lose."
"Oh, but you must've known this was coming." Jungkook laughs, light and soft. He presses a wet cloth to the wound. "You've been taking more risks lately."
"I've been bored."
"And Choi Beomgyu is the answer to that?"
"Choi Beomgyu," Taehyun smiles, "Isn't boring."
"But he isn't exactly a pussycat, either, Taehyun-ah. You should be careful."
"It's not like you to be cautious." Taehyun points out. Jungkook rewards him with a light slap to the back of his head.
" I know where to draw the line." Jungkook replaces the wet cloth with something cold and sharp. It prods against the skin of his shoulder. "Do you?"
"Lines are made to be crossed."
"Look where that's got you." Jungkook says. Taehyun's skin tugs painfully as Jungkook begins to stitch the wound in his shoulder. "You're a mess."
"But I'm having fun. Remember fun, hyung?"
"Hey, being a doctor is fun." Jungkook says defensively.
"As fun as stealing a ruby from right under the Sheriff's nose?"
"Touche." Jungkook chuckles. Taehyun has always enjoyed his light spirit, his love of freedom, his loyalty. Jungkook is one of the only people Taehyun would consider his friend. "So what's he like in person? Is he as handsome as they say?"
"Beomgyu?" Taehyun considers the question. "I don't know. I thought he'd be... taller. Broader. He doesn't really look like a bounty hunter."
"You didn't answer the question."
Taehyun laughs. He remembers the glint in Beomgyu's eye, the soft sound of his voice...
"Okay, yes, he's handsome."
"I knew it." Jungkook says, "I knew he would be."
"Just focus on my shoulder, hm?"
"Yes, sir." Jungkook cackles.
There's a comfortable silence while Jungkook works on Taehyun's shoulder. It's begun to rain. The raindrops bounce against the small building, hammering on the thin roof, and Taehyun listens. He looks out of the window and into the stormy skies.
"Listen, hyung, I need a favour." Taehyun says, his voice clear and strong over the sound of the rain.
"No." Jungkook protests immediately.
"Come on, you don't even know what I was going to ask."
"I don't have to. You can only want one thing. Trouble ."
"Stop pretending like you don't love trouble."
There's a pause. Then Jungkook sighs, and Taehyun knows he's won. He always wins.
"What do you want, Taehyun-ah?"
"I need you to hide something for me."
"And does this something happen to be a recently stolen ruby?" Jungkook asks. He releases the skin of Taehyun's shoulder, and replaces the cool metal with the warm wet cloth once again.
"...Maybe."
"Taehyun-ah." Jungkook whines.
"Please? I can't carry it around, not with Beomgyu chasing me. I suspect he's getting closer to us right this minute."
"But what's in it for me? Apart from jail time. Or worse."
Taehyun looks over his shoulder, giving Jungkook his sweetest smile.
"My eternal love and affection?"
"Brat." Jungkook grumbles but there's a smile in his eyes. He's never been able to resist Taehyun, or an adventure. "Okay, fine. But you owe me."
"You're the best, hyung." Taehyun says happily.
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Jungkook presses a dressing against his shoulder. "I'm almost finished. I just need to apply the bandage-"
Taehyun, nodding, turns back to the window, and his heart drops. Through the shadows he spots a familiar face.
"Shit." Taehyun curses. "He's here."
"What?"
"Choi Beomgyu." Taehyun quickly pulls the ruby from his boot and thrusts it into Jungkook's hands. "He's here. Cover for me, hyung."
Taehyun quickly leaps beneath the counter, his bandage railing on the floor behind him. Jungkook shoves the ruby into his pocket, and then turns to the door. The two men wait with bated breath for the door to open... and it does.
"Good afternoon." Beomgyu's warm voice chimes through the doctor's office. "You must be Doctor Jeon?"
"Call me Jungkook, please."
"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Beomgyu asks, probably referencing the bandages, bloody cloth, and metal utensils still strewn on the counter.
"Not at all. I was just finishing up with a patient." Jungkook lies smoothly, "Please, sit down. What can I do for you?"
"I was hoping you could help me locate a fugitive. He'd have multiple injuries, notably an arrow in the shoulder and a bullet wound to the leg."
"And you thought he'd come here?"
Taehyun imagines Beomgyu's knowing smile.
"Well, you have a reputation, Doctor."
"What sort of reputation would that be?"
"It's said that you patch up the criminals around these parts."
"I'm a doctor. I heal people." Jungkook's voice has hardened. "No matter what their story."
"So he has been here?"
"No." Jungkook lies again. "And even if he had, I wouldn't tell you."
"Oh, so he definitely has." Beomgyu chuckles. "Mind if I take a look around, doctor?"
"...Not at all."
Taehyun feels a thrill of excitement when he hears the sound of Beomgyu's boots grow closer to him. The bounty hunter takes a walk around the small, passing by the counter several times, but never looking underneath it. As the rain carries on, and Beomgyu doesn't find him, Taehyun tries to smother his laughter.
But when Beomgyu stops right by the counter, Taehyun can't help but giggle.
All of a sudden, Taehyun is pulled to his feet by strong hands. Beomgyu clutches him by his shirt, and holds him tightly, his grip warm but unyielding. One arm is around his neck, the other around his middle. Taehyun, laughing, doesn't struggle against his hold.
"Well," Beomgyu says in his ear. Taehyun feels his breath, warm and hot against his skin. "What have we here?"
"I can explain?" Jungkook says weakly.
"Is that the best you can do, hyung?" Taehyun continues to laugh.
"I'm trying to help you, here, Taehyun-ah." Jungkook bites back.
"Enough." Beomgyu says. Then, surpised, his head tilts towards Taehyun. "Your name is Taehyun?"
" K. T. Kang Taehyun. Nice to see you again, bounty hunter." Taehyun drawls. Beomgyu's hair is tickling his face, his golden strands brushing softly against Taehyun's cheek. "Did you get my note?"
"I did." Beomgyu smiles. "And I caught you."
"Oh, well done." Taehyun says. He notices Beomgyu's sweet smell again, mixed with the scent of grass and leather, and swallows. Jungkook sends him a knowing glance. "Doctor Jeon here was just patching me up. You left me with quite a wound the last time we met.."
"It didn't stop you, though." Beomgyu says. He almost sounds impressed. "You kept riding."
"It takes a lot more than an arrow to stop me. I wasn't going to make this easy for you."
"Yet here we are." Beomgyu clutches him tighter, and a shiver passes down Taehyun's spine. "I must say, Taehyun, you were disappointingly easy to catch."
"So sorry to disappoint." Taehyun murmurs, tilting his head back to smile at Beomgyu, and there's a long, tense, silence as they look at each other.
"I'm still here, by the way." Jungkook pipes up.
"I'll deal with you later." Beomgyu says, his eyes snapping away from Taehyun's quickly. "For now, hand it over, thief."
"Hand what over?" Taehyun asks innocently.
"The ruby. Hand it over."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. So let me say it again. Hand. It. Over."
"Oh, well now I'm curious. What's the hard way?" Taehyun asks, taunting.
"Fine. You'll soon fess up after a few weeks in a prison cell." Beomgyu turns to Jungkook. "And you. If I hear another report of you housing or healing criminals, you'll be sorry."
"Yes, sir." Jungkook smiles.
"Come on." Beomgyu drags Taehyun with him towards the door. "We're leaving."
Taehyun looks over Beomgyu's shoulder, and sends Jungkook a meaningful glance. Now, he mouths. Slowly, Jungkook reaches for a rope sitting on the counter, and gives Taehyun a nod.
Then, he whips the back of Beomgyu's legs with the rope, and Beomgyu crashes to the floor. He hits his head on the side of a table, and falls unconscious. Taehyun quickly scrambles to his feet, brushing down his shirt with a giddy smile.
"Thanks, hyung."
"What was all that about?" Jungkook asks.
"What do you mean?"
"You were..." Jungkook shudders, and shakes his head. "You were flirting with him."
"I was doing no such thing." Taehyun retorts. He leans down to search Beomgyu, finding the bow and arrow easily. "Look."
"You're going to take Choi Beomgyu's bow and arrow? Have you got a death wish?"
"Maybe I do." Taehyun shrugs. "Will you keep that ruby safe for me?"
"Yeah, whatever. Just promise you won't get shot again."
"I won't promise that." Taehyun laughs. He sends his friend a smile. "But thanks, hyung. Really."
"It's nothing. Just run. Go, before he wakes up."
"What are you going to do with him?"
"Send him after you, if he doesn't kill me first."
"He won't." Taehyun turns to the door, and then looks back, his eyes taking on a mischevious glint. "You were wrong, hyung. He is a pussycat."
Jungkook raises an eyebrow.
"You like him, don't you?"
A small smile rises on Taehyun's face. Then he runs.
And so the chase continues.
Beomgyu steps quietly through the shadows.
His failure at the hands of Jeon Jungkook had been humiliating. He had Taehyun in his grasp, his victory was right there , but he'd fallen at the last hurdle. Waking on Jeon Jungkook's floor with an ache in his head and the realisation that he'd been defeated was mortifying.
Perhaps he had been distracted. Taehyun was taunting, teasing, charming - he got under Beomgyu's skin. It wasn't often a criminal remained so calm when they were caught by him. Maybe holding the smaller man so tightly in his arms and seeing him smile up into Beomgyu's face had been... distracting.
Beomgyu shakes his head, clinging closely to the alley walls in the dark. He has a job to do. He can't afford to be distracted. The damned thief had stolen his pride and his bow and arrow along with the ruby, and Beomgyu must take all of it back.
And regardless, the situation with Jeon Jungkook hadn't been completely useless. Beomgyu knows Taehyun better now. It's the thief's confidence that he'll always win that is his weakness. It makes him bolder, braver. It makes him fearless , and it's this attitude that Beomgyu will use to catch him.
So Beomgyu stalks the thief in the dark, waiting for the right moment to pounce.
The right moment comes.
In an instant, Beomgyu grabs Taehyun and pushes him hard against the alley wall. He wastes no time in pulling the knife from Taehyun's pockets and pressing it against his throat.
"You caught me." Taehyun breathes, his eyes sparkling in the dark. Beomgyu finds no trace of fear or unease in his eyes. There's not even a hint of surprise.
"You knew." Beomgyu realises. "You knew I was close, you knew I was here... but you didn't run."
"Well, our last encounter was so fun, bounty hunter." Taehyun smiles. Beomgyu holds both of Taehyun's hands above his head with his one free hand, and has trapped his legs with his own, but Taehyun doesn't struggle. "I didn't want to miss out on another one."
"...You took my bow and arrow last time we met."
"I did." Taehyun notices the furious glint in his eyes, and chuckles lowly. "How much do you think I sold it for? Guess."
"You didn't sell it." Beomgyu says. Taehyun's skin is bleeding lightly under the blade.
"Oh?"
"You didn't steal it for money. You just wanted to prove something."
"And what would that be?"
"That you were more powerful than me." Beomgyu pauses, considering the thief. Taehyun is covered in wounds, tiny cuts from glass on his face still not fully healed, but his eyes are so alive with energy and youthfulness. It's almost... endearing. "That you were going to win."
"I am going to win."
"But I've caught you. I'm not letting you go again."
"You haven't got a choice, darling."
Taehyun raises his eyebrows. There's a tiny crooked smile on his mouth, and for the first time, Beomgyu really looks at him. He's a slender, dainty man - perfect for darting around in the shadows. His hair is dark, but shorter than Beomgyu's. He doesn't hide his eyes, or his face...not like Beomgyu does.
"I don't understand you." Beomgyu admits. "You could've been far away with the ruby by now. You're smarter than this, Taehyun. Do you just enjoy the chase that much?"
"I'm bored." Taehyun's smile widens. "And you... you aren't boring."
They look at each other in the dark alleyway. Beomgyu can't help but wonder how Taehyun became a thief. What was his family like, does he have a home, why does he steal? He's always curious about the criminals he catches, but Taehyun is something new. He's always surprising.
Even now, with Taehyun tight in his grasp, Beomgyu is waiting for the catch.
"There's nowhere for you to escape now."
Taehyun nods, running his tongue over his bottom lip.
"You caught me." He breathes again. Beomgyu looks at him worldessly, still trying to figure him out, and then Taehyun's face changes.
His eyes darken, and his smile grows soft, deadly. He leans his head forward, his neck pushing closer against the blade, and his eyes flicker to Beomgyu's mouth.
"Cat got your tongue?" He murmurs, leaning closer still, until Beomgyu can feel Taehyun's breath on his lips.
Beomgyu blinks, surprised by the flutter in his stomach and the way his grip on Taehyun's dagger slackens. For a moment he stands still, frozen, but then he comes to his senses. His heart is in his throat as he flips Taehyun around, so that the thief's back is to him.
"No more games." Beomgyu says, his voice softer than he intends it to be. He clears his throat. He ties Taehyun's hands tightly with a rope, and then leans down to tie his ankles together too.
"Then stop playing." Taehyun says, and Beomgyu can hear the smile in his voice.
He ignores it. The chase is over, the bounty hunter thinks firmly, but even as he thinks it, he knows it isn't true.
Taehyun has something else planned. Beomgyu knows it. It's only a matter of time before the tables turn once more.