championbittersweet | Call out post)

Of course everything had escalated. They'd hoped that the Queen's planting rituals would help the situation but still crops failed and hunger began to drive people towards fear and distrust. And, at the centre of it all, the Strangers. More hungry mouths to feed and resented for it, which Jonathan had expected.

But he'd rather hoped they'd moved beyond another attack at the Queen's residence.

He must not have been the only one, as no one seemed prepared when a mob broke through in the night to try and do away with the interlopers once more, leaving all of them scrabbling for anything to defend themselves with. Worse still, many of their attackers carried weapons to dampen the jewels they wore, making it difficult for those of them who relied on their abilities to fight as they would normally.

But even cut off from his jewel, Jonathan was determined to fight as much as he could and defend others. Even those like Haein, who it seemed fate enjoyed having him cross paths with far too often.

"What are you doing, get somewhere safe," he snarled seizing the young man by the shoulder and glancing around, noting the approaching sounds of attack. "Move!"

An attack at the Queen's residence was nothing new. The first night Haein had arrived had involved a Breaker pointed at his head and a bullet grazing across his arm. He'd had nightmares for almost a month after, and it had only been with the Queen's intervention that he'd finally found his way back to peaceful nights of sleep.

All of that, it seemed, was being undone with this new attack. His mind moved sluggishly to process the events, as did his limbs as panic gripped at him. Despite all the early morning training sessions he'd been put through, the real thing was vastly different. What he also hadn't counted on was Jonathan's sudden appearance, and while the other man would normally be an unwelcome sight, there were too many other factors to be concerned with at the moment.

The order to move didn't have to be said twice. Not in this situation. The growing noises of an approaching attack drew closer and closer, with every step forward by the angry mob signifying one less means of escape.

"Where?" Haein whirled around, his gaze searching the nearby corridors. "It sounds like they've surrounded us."

Jonathan only hesitated a moment, his gaze flickering to the hallways and separating out the distant thumping hearts he could just barely make out. "There," he said, pointing to Haein's right. "There's only two down that path, we should be able to get past them. There's a lot more down the others."

He wasn't about to let the younger man go first, worried that he'd only get shot and killed that way, and slipped past him to start down the hallway himself. "Stay close, I don't want you getting hurt."

Stealth was likely more prudent than speed, although fortunately there was enough sound of yelling and fighting around that Jonathan wasn't overly concerned about being heard. But all the same, he'd prefer not to alert their enemy to where they were or bring too many of them running after the two of them.

There was something extremely annoying about being told to stay close, and then that annoyance tripled at Jonathan's concern for Haein's well-being. Considering how much he hated being ordered around, the first part made sense, but the second? No one cared about Haein. He had worked hard to keep it that way.

The fact that he had to rely on Jonathan for protection was also massively irritating. He'd quickly realized that the Purple Dusk jewel he had been given upon arrival wasn't as powerful as some of the other jewels, and so he often found himself struggling with abilities that seemed to come almost too easily for other, darker-colored jewel holders.

No time to dwell on how useless he felt, though. Having little choice, Haein followed after Jonathan without a word. Self-preservation was one of his strongest suits, and like hell if he was going to stick around to face whatever angry mob headed their way.

He didn't doubt that if the situation weren't as dire, Haein would be quick to tell him exactly what he could do with his concern about his wellbeing and how little he wanted Jonathan's help. In a way, he wished that they were in a situation where that were an option, as at least then it would be safer, the insults not as concerning as the possible death here.

But the important matter to focus on now was getting Haein somewhere safe and doing what he could to help fight off the attackers afterwards; there would be time for sharp remarks and insults afterwards.

Motioning for the younger man to slow down, Jonathan flung open a door outside, expecting to take the two men whose beating hearts he could hear by surprise. It should have been a quick attack, he thought, and then time to get Haein and perhaps others out of the winding halls of the residences and into open space.

What happened was instead rather different.

The door burst open and Jonathan's senses were quick enough to catch a flash of motion, a realisation that there were far more than just two men there, fast enough to shove Haein to the ground away from the door, then the men opened fire. Jonathan had been shot before, both before and after his rebirth, but the pain never became familiar. The roar of gunfire thundered around him, buried his shout of pain as bullets slammed through him, left shreds of cloth and flesh and blood everywhere.

Then as soon as it began it was over and the silence rang as loud as the gunshots, Jonathan barely able to hear himself falling to the ground or the panicked sounds of the men before him.

"Shit! He just-- did you see that? I didn't think it'd be so easy!"

"Yeah, yeah. Was he alone? Thought I saw someone else for a second."

The bullets had been normal slugs at least; Jonathan could feel his body struggling to heal with little energy to give and lay still, biding his time and hoping that Haein had the sense to avoid drawing attention to himself.

Call out post)

for Haein - I'm just making up shit tbh

no subject

no subject

no subject

sorry not sorry haein