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"Stop slacking off," Saeran says as he shoots the last man in the leg. He tsks when his opponent goes down, and kicks the extra gun out of the man's range and towards Saeyoung's chair. "Don't tell me a little knock on the head is too much for you."
That's an understatement, Saeyoung thinks as he picks up the gun. Saeran hadn't exactly been gentle when he cut the ropes binding Saeyoung to his chair. Being tied up, beaten the shit out of, and dehydrated doesn't help Saeyoung's hand-eye coordination either. "I can't believe they let you out on the field," Saeyoung mumbles. His head is pounding like crazy and he’s pretty sure his arm is broken. He tries to move his shoulder and hisses. Make that one hundred percent sure.
"They didn't," Saeran says as he cuts some fabric off the many unconscious bodies on the ground. With ease and grace Saeyoung never managed to master, Saeran quickly makes a sling around his brother's arm.
"What?" Saeyoung asks as he scans around the room once more. They still need to erase the security feed from the cameras. Who knew that the narcotics ring Saeyoung has been tracking would have such a well-built interrogation room? Obviously not Saeyoung or his handler, or else he wouldn't have gone into this mission blind with no backup.
Well, his backup did appear eventually, dressed like a vindictive angel in black. His appearance had confused the ringleader into thinking that Saeyoung had escaped, and this gave them enough time to confuse the guards before Saeran started wreaking havoc. People at the agency always praised Saeyoung for his accuracy, but everyone knew that Saeran could shoot a moving coin out of midair if he tried.
Saeyoung's savior is now typing furiously as he deletes the security footages from the last... Seventy-four hours? Shit, Saeyoung hadn't realized he'd been here for so long. His throat aches.
"They didn't give me permission to come out on the field," Saeran says, picking up the lost thread in their conversation. "But Vanderwood was taking too long to get clearance and Boss wanted to send some imbeciles after you."
"We are in so much trouble," Saeyoung whines as he kicks one of the unconscious men, just because he can.
"Just be happy you're not dead," Saeran snaps, now done typing. After a brief second of consideration, he turns his body around and precisely shoots out the cameras planted on the walls. "Let's go."
When Saeyoung starts limping towards the staircase out of the basement, Saeran tsks and goes to support him.
"I look so uncool right now," Saeyoung mumbles. The swelling over his eyelid is making it difficult for him to see. He tries to wipe at it with his good hand and hisses when Saeran slaps it away.
Saeran makes slow, deliberate movements to help Saeyoung up the stairs. "Worry about your face later. We need to go somewhere safe."
"Why not back to base?"
Saeran's eyes dart quickly away. It's a habit from their younger years, back when Saeran used to hide snacks from the canteen under his bed. Reasons like this were why the agency deemed Saeran unfit for field work. The quick temper and unbridled protectiveness over Saeyoung also ruled him out of most combat-intensive missions. "You don't want to know."
"Saeran-ah," Saeyoung says in a voice he often adopted when grilling Saeran about bullies in the academy.
Saeran pushes the door open and leads him through the back exit. "I may have taken out 805 when he tried to stop me from coming."
"You attacked another agent?" Saeyoung's head is starting to hurt again.
The car waiting for them in the back alley is not one of Saeyoung's babies. "He won't die from being tasered," Saeran says absently while throwing Saeyoung into the back seat.
"Tasered-"
Saeran is already sliding into the driver's seat, frustratedly staring at dashboard. This doesn't look like an agency-issued car. "Buckle up. We can go back to base once Vanderwood sorts everything out"
"Did you hijack a car?!" Saeyoung tries to sit up but involuntarily yelps from the bruise on his side. "That's so-"
Emerald eyes flash warningly at him in the rearview mirror as Saeran starts the engine.
"-So sweet," Saeyoung finishes and pretends to wipe a tear away. "My little brother, all grown up. Stealing cars and saving my ass. I'm so happy."
"Save your happiness for later. We're camping out at your girlfriend's place."
"WHAT?!!" Saeyoung grips the back Saeran's chair and whines when Saeran pushes his head back. "How do you even- We can't. She doesn't know about-" He gestures up and down at the bruises on his face and the blood on his battered mission outfit. "All this!"
Saeran clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth as he pulls onto a busy street. Like Saeyoung, he's careful to avoid major roads with traffic cameras. "You really think I didn't bug you every time you went on a date? Time to test the strength of your relationship, Hyung." He punctuates the last word with frightening sweetness.
Saeyoung knows he's screwed.
MC is clad in cute cat pajamas when she opens the door, confusion written all over her face as she frowns at Saeran holding Saeyoung up by the shoulder. "Seven??? What- Are you bleeding?!"
"Lower your voice," Saeran says and unceremoniously pushes them in. Thankfully, MC steps aside and quickly closes the door.
Of all the things she could say, MC continues with, "You didn't tell me you have a twin brother!"
"He's cute, right?" Saeyoung winks, then grunts when Saeran dumps him on the floor. While Saeran goes around the apartment, probably closing all the curtains and checking for nonexistent bugs, Saeyoung scratches his cheeks. "So, sorry I didn't return your calls-"
MC gently helps Saeyoung up onto her couch, where they spent plenty of time making out just a week earlier. "I thought you were busy with work. Are you okay? Hold on, let me get you some ice for that-"
"I already got it," Saeran says, choosing then to return with a bag of frozen peas and a pink bunny handkerchief from the bathroom. He throws the bag and shrugs when MC catches it with a fumble. "I also need to dress his wounds. Do you have a first aid kit?"
"It's under the kitchen sink." MC haphazardly presses the ice to the swelling on Saeyoung's face.
"Please remember me from when I was handsome," Saeyoung says wistfully, pouting when MC makes a zipping motion against his mouth. This is awful. He really likes her, and their relationship had been going so well. Now he's bleeding all over her cute pajamas and oh man, he's never gonna find a girl as wonderful and funny as she-
"You're talking aloud," MC says with a grin. "I'm not going to dump you. Yet."
Saeyoung wails, "I'm so uncool."
This just makes her laugh. "You were never cool. But don't worry, I still like you. Now, answer my questions."
"Yes ma'am!" Saeyoung tries to salute but grimaces instead. He sighs when MC kisses his good shoulder better.
"Does your brother not like me? He's been glaring at me."
Saeyoung stares. "That's what you want to know?"
MC pouts.
"He doesn't like anyone," Saeyoung says eventually, fully aware that Saeran is probably eavesdropping on this conversation. "But he trusts you, and that's why he brought us here."
MC just hums quietly while she brushes damp hair out of Seven's eyes. "And, about your job... You're not an assassin, are you?"
Saeyoung doesn't consider himself a killer. He specializes in hacking, stealth, and retrieval missions. Neither he nor Saeran are high enough on the pay scale to handle any sort of assassination missions, and he's thankful for that. "Not really? I mean... I'm kind of a spy, but I don't kill people!"
"You told me you worked at a pet store!" MC whispers furiously.
"I said I spend my time petting cats-- it's a hobby. I never said it was my jo-"
"You said making balloon animals was your hobby!"
Saeyoung is already sweating nervously. "That is my hobby. Honey, I have a lot of hobbies!"
"Fine," MC says and pinches Saeyoung's cheeks. "No more lies between us, okay?"
"I promise." Saeyoung nods furiously.
"I promise too," she tells him with a smile, but frowns when Saeyoung tries to test their new pact by asking what color underwear she's currently wearing.
Saeran returns then with the first aid kid and a soaked piece of cloth. He's not smirking, per say, but the tell-tale tilt of his lips betrays his amusement. "Enough flirting. I need to clean up your wounds."
"Will his arm be okay?" MC asks, hovering over Saeran as he lifts up Saeyoung's shirt and wipes at the dried blood. She winces when Saeran touches a particularly raw cut and sends Saeyoung hissing.
Saeran rolls his eyes. "Once we get approval to return to base, we can have our official physician look it over. Stop stressing, he's endured worse."
"Worse?"
"Please don't tell embarrassing stories about me now. Please don't-"
Saeran puts a hand over Saeyoung's face. "Be quiet. Your time of humiliation will come eventually." He then proceeds to methodically dress Saeyoung's wounds. "So, since my brother is horrible at saying what he means, I'll answer some of your burning questions..."
"My friends call me MC."
"Choi Saeran," Saeran offers curtly. "You won't find that name online, so don't try to add me on social media or attempt to friend me."
Saeyoung grins. "My cute little tsundere, Saeran-wrap-OUCH!" He yelps when Saeran wipes roughly at a sore spot.
"You deserved that," MC tells him gravely. "But are you sure we can't take him to a hospital?"
Saeran gives her an unimpressed look. "What are we gonna tell them? That he tripped down the stairs?"
"Obviously not." MC pats lightly at Saeyoung's cheeks. "We can say that I beat him in arm wrestling."
Saeyoung nods. "Honey... That's so smart! And then we can say I tripped down the stairs afterwards-"
"Just stop talking," Saeran cuts in. Thankfully, he's done and rolls the hem of Saeyoung's shirt back down. "No laughing, flirting, or breathing. Otherwise your wounds might open again."
"What a considerate brother," MC says fondly.
"You deserve each other," Saeran says curtly before heading back to the bathroom to wash his hands.
Saeyoung sighs when MC takes a seat next to him. "That's the nicest thing he's said to anyone."
"He's cute," she agrees.
This brings a smile to Saeyoung's face. "I knew you'd think so! He's even sweeter when he's threatening someone, although that person is mostly me. Huh..."
"Please take care of yourself better," she tells him seriously, bringing a hand to his face. "I don't want you to get hurt."
Saeyoung puts his hand over hers and leans into her touch. "I know. It's just- Shit like this happens. I try to avoid it, but sometimes it happens and all I can do is go with the flow. I never thought I'd ever find someone I could show this side of me to..."
"You can show me everything," MC says gently. "I like you, a lot. I won't dump you just because you lost in a fist fight."
"It wasn't a fair fight!" Saeyoung puffs his face up like a goldfish. "I was overpowered!"
"My poor baby."
"You're both gross," Saeran says from the doorway.
Saeyoung opens his mouth to complain, but that's when his stomach lets out an embarrassingly loud growl.
"Oh," MC says. "I have some leftovers. Let me go heat them up! Saeran-ah, you're okay with fried chicken, right? I know it doesn't taste good cold, so I like to reheat it in the oven."
"It's fine by me," Saeran says.
Saeyoung begins chanting, "Fried chicken, fried chicken!"
"No, you get soup." MC kisses Saeyoung's pout off before getting up.
Saeyoung plops his head down on the arm of the couch. "I'm suffering."
"Don't lie," Saeran says. "I can see you smiling like a fool."
Saeyoung really is a fool, but a happy one.