#hakxreader

They were going to infiltrate the red-light district to find out who was smuggling nadai into the Water Tribe. The only issue was they had to be convincing as customers while not breathing in the toxic air or drinking the nadai-laced alcohol there.

Alright, you didn't want them to go for a number of reasons, even though you knew they could handle themselves in a fight. But you didn't like them fighting in a battle that you weren't going to be a part of, and you had every reason to be on the front lines this time around.

"And I'm supposed to ignore that you willingly took the nadai, right? That you were fully aware of what it was, and yet you still took it." You jabbed a finger at his chest. "I had to watch you writhe in agony for hours on that bed and there was nothing that I could do about it."

The green dragon winced at your harsh tone, but knew that you were upset at him for putting you through that. To be fair, he didn't expect it to have that kind of effect, but the look of pain on your face when he woke up wasn't worth it.

Neither was Hak's punch to his face, but somehow that was more bearable than seeing you hurting.

"I'm going." You said with finality. Hak and Jae-ha shared a look.

Then, you were staring at the ground.

You thumped on Hak's back. "Hak!! Put me down!!" He had slung you over his shoulder and Jae-ha just lifted his hands up in mock innocence.

You puffed out your cheeks. The traitor.

"Sure, sure," He said dryly. "In a second."

You struggled in his hold the entire way to your room. He practically flung you down on the bed with such force, causing you to bounce several times upon impact. You glared at him, but Hak brushed it off. You glanced over to Jae-ha for help, but in a fraction of a second, he was on top of you.

"Jae-ha!" You yelled out in surprise and then shock as you tried to move your arms. He had tied your wrists to the headboard! You growled, eyes flashing in anger, but stopped struggling when you saw the hidden fear lingering in the depths of their eyes.

They really were scared for you, of what would happen if you went there and things went wrong. They were worried they couldn't protect you. Hak and Jae-ha both agreed that they would live and die for you and Yona. The red-haired princess was the heart and soul of their entire group. She bound them all together, connecting each of them to the others in the process.

But you, you were their lover. You were their entire world.

If anything happened to you, they would never forgive themselves. You went lax in the bed as realization dawned on you. They were already so critical of themselves. Jae-ha for being the oldest in the group, excluding Zeno's immortality, felt responsible for everyone. And you knew Hak still felt guilt and resentment towards himself for not being able to protect the king the night of his murder.

"If you behave, we'll reward you later." Hak promised, leaning over to press a chaste kiss to your forehead.

"Ah, Y/N," Jae-ha's eyes sparkled with playfulness. "You get to have fun when we get back." He winked and you blushed under the circumstances.

They departed with a wave of farewell, and you let out a heavy sigh.

Sorry, Jae-ha, Hak... There's no way I'm not going to be by your side.

You wiggled your hands, grinning when you felt them loosen. Jae-ha always tied them so you had the option to slip out of them, when the three of you did, other things.

It seemed it was Jae-ha's second nature by now, and you were lucky that it was. You leaped up out of the bed, snatching the dress you picked up earlier and got ready quickly.

You had to hurry if you were going to slip in with the other girls.

As soon as you were satisfied with your appearance, you ran off into the night. You found the red-light district easily, and as soon as you stepped inside, you ran into the girl from earlier, A-Rin.

You held up your finger to your lips as you saw her eyes flash in recognition. The men were still lurking around, which meant that Hak, Jae-ha and Kija hadn't carried out their plan yet. But they were nowhere to be found, which meant that it was already underway.

You subtly gathered the girls into the back of the store, but you were being too obvious.

"Hey! You!" Your head snapped up at his grating voice. "What do you think you're doing?!"

You covered half of your face behind your hand, smiling brightly, eyes crinkling at the corners giving off faux innocence. "I just thought the customers could use more alcohol, my lord."

He scoffed at you and you resisted the urge to wipe the smirk off of his face. "You can do that yourself."

You bowed your head, submitting to his authority. As soon as he was out of earshot, you turned to the terrified girls beside you. "On my signal, make sure you stay behind me." You whispered.

They nodded, and then they scattered. You picked up a jug of alcohol, most likely laced with nadai, carrying it to one of the rooms. As you slid the door open, your eyes met Kija's shocked ones calmly. There was one other girl in the room, and your eyes landed on her darkened fingernails. It would seem she was an addict too. You gestured for him to stay quiet and he shut his mouth, slipping back into character.

He quickly poured the nadai laced drink down to the floor, ignoring the other girl's protests. But her voice caught the attention of one of the nearby men who was walking by and you gritted your teeth.

"Kija!" You cried out, wrapping your arms around the trembling girl as she screamed. He slashed at the man with his dragon claw, knocking him out cold. "Go! I'll take care of the rest!"

He nodded, then sped off. You gritted your teeth as you assessed the situation. The men started to surround you. It would be at least a few minutes before Jae-ha and Hak made it to this room. You needed to hold them off for as long as possible.

"Stay behind me." You instructed the girl who was shaking in fear behind you, and shielded her from their sight with your body. "I won't let them hurt you."

Your teeth bared in a snarl as the first one launched himself at you, but you caught him in his stomach with a punch. As he flew back, another took his place and you unleashed a series of kicks that Jae-ha had taught you.

He fell but there were too many of them. You dodged their attacks, striking where you could but it wasn't enough. You struggled to maintain your ferocity, adrenaline pumping through your veins but then you saw one of them reach for the girl behind you.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!!!" You screamed, tackling him to the ground, landing a flurry of punches on his face. You were pulled off of him by the others. As you violently struggled in their grasp, your eyes locked on the terrified girl's.

"Run!!!" You managed to yell out before a hand wrapped around your throat, cutting off your air supply. She fled the room, and that brought you a small sense of comfort. They started tearing at your clothes, scratching your skin with their dark fingernails. They didn't have any weapons, but their grips were tight and you could feel the bruises starting to form at your neck and arms.

Hak... Jae-ha....

The door burst open, splintering under the force.

"Unhand her right now." Hak demanded, cobalt eyes black with rage.

Jae-ha's normally calm and pleasant features were contorted murderously, and his violet eyes flashed with fury as they landed on the bruises on your skin.

"You have two seconds to get away from her before I rip your throat out." Jae-ha snarled, baring his teeth venomously.

They rushed at the men. The pace that they cleared them out was alarming. Hak didn't have his spear, but his prowess in battle was never to be underestimated as you watched him deliver lethal blows to their throats and the back of their heads. The addicts crumpled under their attacks, each one faring worse than the last.

Jae-ha spun around in a blur of green, taking out anyone who rose from the ground after Hak was through with them. The nadai addicts were unable to feel pain due to the drug. This time, Jae-ha actually didn't mind it.

They had touched what was his.

He could kick them down as many times as he wanted and they would keep rising. His eyes glinted dangerously in the candlelight. They would never lay a hand on you again.

What you didn't see was the blatant anger behind their calculated strikes. You didn't notice that they injured the men, not immediately killing them, putting them through agony as Hak drove his fists into this flesh. He didn't stop until he saw blood. Jae-ha's mouth curled up in a sadistic smirk as he heard the shattering of bones, bringing down his dragon leg with everything he had.

Hak and Jae-ha were going to make them feel every ounce of pain they dared to put you through, piercing through the nadai haze.

None escaped their wrath.

You wished you had enough energy to watch them. Then, you sunk to the ground, unable to stay upright any longer, completely exhausted.

"Y/N!!" Jae-ha called out, panicked, catching you swiftly as you fell. The men didn't get up anymore. They were either injured beyond repair or dead. "You have to stay awake!"

"Kija?" Hak frantically turned to the white dragon, who urged him on.

"It is finished." Kija responded, turning to the men that were still alive, now tied up. "Leave the rest to me."

The Thunder Beast gave him a nod of thanks, before picking you up in his arms. Jae-ha followed him all the way back to the inn, keeping an eye out for any stragglers. He was wary the entire way back, but Hak's body was tense with anger.

He let out a soft sigh.

Children... So troublesome... He thought tenderly to himself as he watched Hak settle you into bed, taking a seat next to you. Jae-ha followed in shortly after, tucking the blankets under your chin snugly.

"Yoon should look at her." Hak broke the silence and Jae-ha nodded.

"I'll go get him."

As he got to his feet, Hak stopped him. After the events of this night, he wasn't willing to take any chances. "Be careful." His dark blue eyes were serious.

Jae-ha shot him a confident smirk. "When am I not?"

He sped quickly down the hall, entering the room. Shin-ah was asleep not too far away from the princess and their little doctor. Jae-ha immediately shook the youngest awake.

"Yoon." The pretty boy groggily opened his eyes. "Y/N's hurt."

Yoon shot up, nearly knocking Jae-ha over as he tore past him in his haste to get to you. Besides Jae-ha and Hak, you were closest to Yoon. He cared about you so much, even if he had an interesting way of showing it. But you always prioritized his and Yona's safety so much so that you were always getting hurt trying to protect them.

He flung open the door, panting heavily. Hak hadn't moved from your side, but gestured for Yoon to keep quiet.

"She's asleep." Hak informed him as the pretty boy took a place on the opposite side of him. "She passed out on the way back."

The dress you had put on was nearly shredded, angry, red marks darting into view from underneath the fabric as you breathed.

"She wasn't supposed to be there." Yoon snapped. "What happened?"

Jae-ha closed the door softly behind him, alerting Yoon of his presence. "We don't know exactly." He exchanged a worried look with Hak.

Then, guilt flickered over his expression. Hak looked at the older man curiously. Jae-ha's eyes were shadowed. Hak stood up, walking to the green dragon as the kid fussed over you.

"The knot." Jae-ha whispered. "I tied it like I always do. She must have slipped out of it."

Hak stiffened, then punched him in the gut.

Hard.

Yoon nearly leaped to the ceiling, eyes bugging out of his head when he saw the Thunder Beast hit the Ryokuryuu full force.

"Not your fault." Hak stated firmly, flexing his hand open and close as Jae-ha stared at him, dumbfounded, wheezing in staggered breaths. "Wipe that guilt off of your face, you'll make Y/N cry."

Jae-ha chuckled softly as he finally caught his breath, gaze oddly appreciative as Hak went back to your side. He knew it was Hak's way of snapping him out of it. Neither one of them could find it in themselves to be angry with you, they knew what they signed up for when they started this little arrangement. They knew you were headstrong, but even more so when their lives were the ones in danger.

Love certainly made people do crazy things.

And Hak and Jae-ha would give you the world if they could. You stirred, and Jae-ha caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. Pushing himself off the wall, he went to your side, staring at you intently.

Hak looked like the embodiment of tranquility, but his knee was bumping against Jae-ha's nervously and if Jae-ha peered closer, he was sure he would be able to see the terror hidden in the depths of his eyes. The former general did his best to school his expression, but you and Jae-ha had learned to read him like a book over time.

You blinked your eyes open slowly. Your eyelids felt so heavy, and you wondered why it felt as though you fell from a height of five stories. You tried to sit up, but a firm hand pushed you back down by your shoulders.

"You're not going anywhere." Hak ordered, tone leaving no room for argument.

"Lay back down." Jae-ha echoed firmly.

You pouted and the men suppressed a groan. You were too tempting even in this situation. You didn't do as they said, choosing instead to sit against the headboard.

"She's fine." Yoon reassured, mistaking the tense atmosphere for concern. He wasn't wrong, but this time around, the pretty boy genius wasn't completely right either.

"She's got a couple of cuts and some bruises, but nothing major. She'll heal soon, but," You winced as Yoon turned his sharp gaze on you. "No more fighting."

You grinned sheepishly. "Yes, mother."

"I DON'T REMEMBER GIVING BIRTH TO YOU!!" Yoon yelled, throwing up his hands in exasperation before filing out of the room, muttering about how 'it was said once and now it wouldn't go away' for the life of him. He's dealt with you enough for one night. He was sure Hak and Jae-ha could straighten you out.

With the three of you left in the room, you nearly collapsed under the weight in the air as it shifted from concerned to heated. You met Hak's cobalt eyes guiltily, flickering to Jae-ha's burning violet, then back again.

You opened your mouth to speak, but was cut off as Jae-ha's lips smashed onto yours.

You let out a muffled squeak, eyes automatically closing. You almost jumped out of your skin as a pair of hands landed on your hips, urging you to scoot forward. You did so, with a little difficulty, doing your best not to break your kiss with Jae-ha. Hak started to kiss the back of your neck, sucking gently on your sweet spot, causing you to moan into Jae-ha's mouth.

Jae-ha pulled back, panting heavily, violet eyes swirling with desire. Your head fell back onto Hak's shoulder as Jae-ha started to gently kiss over the bruises that had formed on your neck.

Hak's breath was hot on your ear as he breathed, "Do you have any idea how badly you scared us today? Huh, Y/N? Do you like watching us lose control of ourselves around the people who hurt you?"

You whimpered pathetically at his words, wanton hunger shooting through your body at his words instead of humiliation. Jae-ha traveled lower, marking up your collarbones.

"Y/N..." He whispered, an unspoken question hanging in the air.

Your fist had since made its way up to your mouth in an attempt to stifle the embarrassing sounds that were spilling from your mouth. You almost didn't hear Jae-ha's question. Hak hadn't stopped murmuring in your ear, and his words were making you flush all over.

"You liked watching us like that? Knowing that the only people who will ever be able to touch you like this is us. You're ours." He nearly growled, fingers tightening into the flesh of your hips.

You mewled wantonly at his words, closing your eyes.

"Y/N." Jae-ha's velvety voice cut through your desire-induced haze. "Let us hear you."

You didn't bring down your hand, so Hak did it for you, weaving his fingers with yours, dropping it back down to the sheets. You squeaked as Hak pulled you against his chest, blushing as you felt his hard muscle against your back through the clothes.

Jae-ha pulled off your tattered dress, leaving you only in a cloth covering your chest and your underclothes. He leaned up to kiss you again, capturing your lips in a heated kiss.

"Do you want this?" He asked heatedly, breath fanning against your exposed skin, sending a shiver down your spine. "Tell us what you want, Y/N..."

You bit your lip and Jae-ha let out a low groan.

"I want you." You paused, tilting your head up to meet Hak's lidded gaze. "Both of you."

The growls they let out made your core heat up, and you pressed your thighs together. The movement didn't go unnoticed by your attentive lovers and Jae-ha settled between your thighs after coaxing them open. With him directly in front of you and Hak pressed behind you, the fire radiating off of them was making your head spin.

"C'mon," You breathed, tired of their teasing. "Please."

Hak shot a smirk to Jae-ha. He loved it when you got like this. When he reduced you to a babbling, incoherent mess beneath him and all you could do was moan and chant his name over and over again as he drove into you at a maddening pace.

"Hak," You swiveled your head to meet their eyes, both blown wide with lust. "Jae-ha."

Jae-ha's breath hitched in his throat and Hak almost passed out from the next words that left your lips in a whisper.

You reached out to touch him, but jumped back when you made contact with his dragon arm; it was scalding hot! You winced in pain at the burn that was rapidly forming on your palm, and the outsiders looked at you in concern. Your attention was trained on the Hakuryuu, so you failed to notice the tall man's knitted eyebrows at your shrugging off your pain.

You reached out for him much more carefully this time, but Hakuryuu ignored you as he went straight to the red-haired girl's side. He called her master and your heart dropped to the pit of your stomach. Everyone in the village knew the legend of the four dragons and King Hiryuu, and it seems that this red-headed girl was the reincarnation of the red king. Hakuryuu talked animatedly with the girl, who introduced herself as Yona, and seemed very happy at his eagerness to serve her, but made clear that she wanted him as a friend, not a servant.

Hakuryuu happily obliged, offering himself up to her however she saw fit. As for you, you were dumbfounded. How someone could throw away their freedom was beyond your comprehension.

It was announced that they would be parting that day after a feast, and you were shocked.

He really was eager to accompany her...

Not that that surprised you. It was Hakuryuu after all. He seemed to live and die for the legend itself, and now that destiny had appeared right in front of him, he seemed all too ready to pick up and leave.

You sighed. It was apparent you would never understand it, but you could try. Clenching your hands into fists determinedly, you ran to Hakuryuu's room.

"Hakuryuu-sama!"

"What is it, Y/N? Can't you see you're bothering me right now?" Your eyes went wide as they landed on the red-haired girl who had introduced herself as Yona on his bed, with him sitting incredibly close to her seeing that there was almost no space in between them.

Despite not having feelings for him, your heart lurched and tears welled up in your eyes at his betrayal. You genuinely believed that he would honor the promise that tied two of you together.

Apparently not.

You ran from the room, the two left behind too shocked to even say anything. You slipped the band off your finger, and pocketed it.

Was I not good enough?

What had I done to deserve this?

Was this expected of him, to marry that girl instead of me?

Was this my fault?

Your hands shook in anger.

It's all my fault...I'm not good enough...

The intrusive thoughts invaded your mind. You ran to the edge of your village, slinging your bow and a quiver of arrows over your back. Hunting would take your mind off of things.

You settled in your favorite spot, just overlooking the mountainside. The fog was especially thick here, but you found comfort in the misty shroud. Your keen ears picked up movement to your left, and you raised your bow, pulling the bowstring taut.

"Whoa, there."

The tall man from earlier placed a finger on the tip of your arrow. You lowered the weapon slowly, narrowing your eyes at him. You recalled the villagers referring to him as 'Hak'. He leaned in closely to you, noticing the tears that had not stopped budding in the corners of your eyes.

"What's wrong?" He pestered.

You scoffed. "Like you don't know."

"Actually, I don't." He retorted flatly.

"My fiancé cheated on me with your princess." You spat venomously, taking a small amount of satisfaction in the way he flinched back in shock.

"She wouldn't do that." He defended.

"Well," You body slumped in defeat. "She might not have known he was engaged. Hakuryuu doesn't wear his band and he doesn't go around telling people either even though everyone in the village knows."

"That doesn't make it right." Hak insisted.

"No," You sighed. "I suppose it doesn't, even if I did deserve it."

He looked at you curiously, taking a seat beside you. "What makes you say that?"

Your expression was guarded. "No reason."

He continued to stare at you, but you didn't break. Then, you crouched low from your spot, bow raised.

Hak opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as you released the arrow, a squeal cutting through the foggy air. You couldn't help the glimmer of pride that surged through you and the tiny smile that made its way onto your face.

"Wow." Hak said, impressed. "Where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

You smiled wistfully. "My mother taught me."

"Really?" He leaned forward on his elbows, gaze attentive.

You shrunk back, intimidated. His broad frame was scary and he towered over you. Hak frowned as he noticed your unease.

"A-Anyways!" Your gaze darted around your surroundings nervously. "I've got to go!"

You picked up the dead rabbit along the way, slinging it over your shoulder as you ran back towards the village. Hak watched until your figure disappeared in the tendrils of mist. Standing to his feet, he brushed off the dirt from his clothes vaguely as he thought about what you had said.

Or rather, what you didn't say.

It didn't take a genius pretty boy to see that you were hurting. Hak concluded that it was most likely from the Hakuryuu, given what little you had shared with him. He sighed, heading back the way he came. He needed to have a word with the princess.

You headed to the kitchens where the cooks were preparing food for the feast, adding your kill to the pile.

"Great catch, Lady Y/N!" The cook praised, as she began to clean and skin the animal. You beamed at the compliment. You rolled up your sleeves and bustled around the kitchen as you helped them prepare the large meal.

"You don't have to call me 'Lady', Fellsia." You offered her a warm smile, but she could see the pain behind it.

"What's wrong, child?"

"Nothing, Fellsia." You replied with what you hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'll be just fine."

She frowned at your response, but continued cooking, storing your reaction in the back of her mind. Just in case.

Soon enough, the feast was ready, and excited chatter rose around the ranks as the men, women and children from all over the village made their way into the clearing. You watched fondly from the sidelines as the kids tripped over each other in their haste to get to the food.

Your village was privileged to have hunters who caught enough game to properly feed everyone so that no one went hungry, but it wasn't without cost. You rubbed the calluses on your hands absentmindedly.  The hunters were tireless, almost spending all their time in the woods that bordered the village.

Maybe that's why Hakuryuu wanted to be with Yona and not me. At least she's around.

The corners of your mouth tipped upward in a tiny smile, the love in your heart for your people not fading as you watched them dig into the food. As long as you could prolong the smiles on their faces, it was well worth it.

You watched in pain as Hakuryuu blatantly ignored you and showed more affection and dedication to his new master in the last hour than he had in a lifetime to you. You huffed quietly and crossed your arms, feeling conflicted. You were technically still his betrothed, and was supposed to sit at his side during this meal, but Yona was there. You had nothing against the red haired princess, knowing her to be nothing but a sweetheart in her short time there and you held no resentment towards her, but what were you supposed to do?

Hesitantly, you made your way towards Hakuryuu, but once you got close to them, he sent you an icy glare that made you stop in your tracks.

"I don't need you. You can leave."

You flinched at his dismissal of you, but backed away. His order was lost in the sea of conversation that filled the table. No one noticed as you walked away.

Except for one.

Hak trailed after you, keeping some distance, but still maintaining his eye on the princess. As Yoon caught his eye, he raised an eyebrow and the Thunder Beast flickered his eyes in your direction. Yoon nodded, waving his hand in a subtle 'go ahead' for Hak to go after you. With that permission, the former general ran after you.

"Are you alright?" He asked when he caught up to you. You were in some kind of hut at the edge of the village, and it was the only one. His huge frame nearly covered the door frame as he leaned casually against it. Only the genuine concern in his eyes hinted at what he was getting at. You sniffled, rubbing your eyes frantically.

"And don't just brush it off and tell me that you're fine." He interjected firmly as you opened your mouth to speak. You closed your mouth sheepishly and your gaze trained on the floor at your feet.

You heard his footsteps as he approached you, and a second later, he hooked a finger under your chin to raise your head. Your breath caught in your throat as you found yourself staring into his cobalt eyes, a millimeter away from his face. Your eyes filled with tears as you saw the sincere worry etched into his expression and brought up your hands to cover your face.

Your plan was thwarted when he caught your wrists deftly. You could help the heat that rose to your cheeks at his proximity.

"Y/N..." He murmured, pain lingering in the depths of his eyes. "Talk to me."

"I can't." You whispered brokenly. "I can't."

He dropped your wrists from his grasp, letting his arms fall back down to his side as he pulled away from you.

"I'm sorry." You apologized softly, head bowed in shame.

Hak shook his head gently. "You have nothing to apologize for." He said firmly. "Let me at least see your hand."

You looked at him questioningly and he raised an eyebrow. "You got burned earlier right? From the White Snake's arm?"

You stifled a giggle at his nickname for the esteemed Hakuryuu, but curled open your fingers so he could look at your palm. Hak's eyes narrowed as they landed on the angry red welt. You opened your mouth to say that it'll heal with time, but stuttered gibberish as he placed a gentle kiss to the palm of your hand.

"I can't do anything else to soothe it," He murmured, stroking over the skin softly. "But maybe that'll help."

You stood there like a gaping fish after he left. Shaking your head to clear the trance, you went up to Hakuryuu as they were getting ready to depart. He took one look at your satchel, and shook his head.

"No. You're not coming with." Hakuryuu commanded. "As of now, you are no longer my betrothed. I am bound to my master and will serve her to the end of my days."

Hurt flashed in your eyes as his words sunk in. You took one look at his and Yona's intertwined hands and decided you were done running. Running away from this situation, your pain, everything. The village would survive without one of their hunters.

"Alright." You conceded and Hakuryuu nodded, satisfied. Hak eyed you suspiciously. There was no way you were content with having to stay behind. In the short time he's known you, you were anything but as weak as you seemed just now. As they left Hakuryuu village, he didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that you were following them.

What had started as a revenge mission had quickly faded into something else. You had been a little ways behind them when you saw the bandits attack. Gathering up your bow, you scurried up a tree, taking careful aim. As much as you hated Hakuryuu for the pain he caused you, you didn't want him to die.

You had learned the youngest boy's name was Yoon, and the sound of his irritation almost made you fall out of a tree more than once. Shortly after they had left the village, you heard Yona ask for Hakuryuu's name, to which he responded that his name was Kija. The raw emotion in his voice overtook you and you had stopped in your tracks. You couldn't remember the last time he had been called by his real name. Sympathy flooded over you and tears sprang at the corners of your eyes.

Just how much had your village dehumanized him?

You took out several of the ones in the back, nearly getting shot in the head as you took notice of the group's particular fighting styles.

To say you were impressed would be an understatement. It was clear that Yona had little to no experience with a weapon, but under Yoon's guidance, was able to take out one of the archers. Kija's dragon claw was certainly nothing to be underestimated in battle, but you were completely overtaken by Hak's abilities. The way he moved, he was so graceful when he fought.

You bit back a scream as an arrow zipped by, clipping your shoulder. You couldn't pull back on your bowstring, rendering it almost useless. As the bandit charged at you, you used the wooden weapon to whack him in the back of the head. Then you pulled back out of sight as he fell at your feet, darting deep into the woods. You had a feeling that a certain someone knew you were there all along.

Darkness quickly fell, as you ducked further into the forest, putting a decent amount of distance between them and you. You found a small cave and made camp for the night, being careful to keep pressure on your shoulder to stop the bleeding. You winced as you settled on your side, the blood stinging through your rough patch job.

You woke up suddenly to a hand covering your mouth. Your eyes shot open, widening in surprise as they landed on a familiar cobalt gaze.

"Hak," You breathed, relieved. "Geez, you scared me."

He inclined his head in apology before landing on your messily bandaged shoulder.

"What happened there?" He asked rhetorically.

You smiled meekly, knowing that he knew you were there. "I was just trying to help." You explained quietly, expecting to be berated. You were surprised when he pulled out a small canister of water and a clean rag from behind his back.

"Show me."

You hesitated before peeling off your outer robe, slipping off the sleeve of your shoulder. Hak's eyes darkened as they landed on the crimson blood that seeped through the cotton pad. With gentleness you didn't know he possessed, Hak carefully peeled away the gauze and you bit your lip at the sting as the cold night air hit it.

You flinched away from him as he cleaned the cut and Hak's brow knitted. He wished there was some way to make it easier to you.

Something to take your mind off of the pain.

"Aren't they going to be wondering where you are?" You asked, mistaking his concern for you as concern for the others. "I'll be f-"

"If you say 'I'll be fine' one more time, and I will kiss you." Hak interrupted flatly. Your mouth dropped open in shock.

Surely you didn't hear him right.

He gave no indication that anything was wrong, making you second guess what you thought you heard. You cursed under your breath as he put pressure on your wound, hand flying on top of his. You froze, and he stared at you, wide-eyed.

"S-Sorry..." You stuttered out, cheeks coloring as you lowered your hand. Hak turned his attention back to your wound, tending to it silently. He bandaged it securely, and the pressure eased some of the pain.

You sighed in relief. "Thank you." You said gratefully and Hak smiled gently at you, brushing it off.

The two of you sat in silence for several moments. You played with your thumbs, unsure as to what to do next. You assumed he would leave, but he made no movement to do so.

"Hak?" You asked in surprise as he settled down beside you. "Don't you need to return to the others?"

He waved off your concern. "Yoon's keeping an eye on things, and the White Snake actually isn't half bad at fighting. Between the two of them, the princess is safe. It's you that's not."

"I'll be-"

Your eyes went wide as soft lips pressed against yours. Hak's hand brushed away the hair that fell into your face. "I warned you." He said softly, cupping your jaw, leaning in for another kiss.

Your eyes fluttered shut as he kissed you again, his other arm wrapping around your waist. You let out a squeak as he pulled you into his lap, not breaking contact.

"Y/N..." He whispered, eyes hooded. "Let me show you what it's like to be treasured."

You sucked in a sharp breath as he planted sweet kisses on your neck, and your hands clutched the front of his robe, keeping him against you.

Hak groaned and you leaped back. This time you were sure that you weren't hearing things. His groan was filled with agony, not pleasure. You tore off his outer robe, despite his protests and froze when your eyes landed on the scarlet gash on his chest. It was covered by multiple bandages criss-crossing his torso, and your eyes narrowed.

Your jaw clenched, and your breath became heavier with each passing second. "When did this happen?"

Hak sighed, crossing his legs and leaned back on his hands. "When the Princess and I were pushed off of a cliff."

You slammed your hands down on the ground, eyes blazing with fury.

The man studied you closely before continuing. "It reopened in our skirmish with the bandits."

You got up from the ground, shoving your things into your satchel harshly. Hak stared at you, confused as you picked up camp within seconds.

"Let's go. We're going back."

Hak couldn't contain the smirk that made its way onto his face. "We?"

"Yes, 'we'," You snapped, heading in the direction of their campsite. The fire had since died down, but you could recall the general area they were in. "Hurry up. You're going to die if you fall behind."

Hak grumbled behind you, muttering something about a priest and how he wasn't allowed to die and you giggled softly. What he said next made you stop dead in your tracks.

"White Snake is there. Are you sure you want to make yourself known?" He eyed you critically as you turned to face him, eyes filled with determination.

"He doesn't have to acknowledge me." You shrugged.

"But will you be able to bear the consequences that it inflicts on you?" He questioned, expression serious. "The pain that comes with it?"

You nodded firmly, flicking your gaze up to meet him. "He owes me an apology, not an explanation."

Hak was stunned at your courage and strong will, then he grinned.

She'll sure be a handful, huh...

Upon arrival, you were startled to see that they were all awake. Well, Kija and Yona were, Yoon was half asleep, still buried in his bedroll. The shame on Kija's expression was foreign to you, but you didn't spare him a second look.

"Y/N." Kija whispered brokenly and you almost tripped. He's never said your name with such gentleness before.

You crossed your arms over your chest, glaring down at him. Kija winced at your harsh stare, but didn't move otherwise. You tried to conceal your surprise when he knelt down on the ground, pressing his forehead to the ground in a low bow.

"Y/N, I am truly sorry for the pain that I caused you. I was aware of my actions, but I ignored the guilt due to the fact that neither one of us were really happy to be engaged to each other in the first place. That doesn't excuse what I've done, though, and I'm not trying to justify it. I am just trying to say that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Tears fell from Kija's eyes and you could tell he was regretful for the hurt and pain he caused you.

"Kija." He looked up in surprise. It was the first time you called him by his name. "I forgive you."

"Thank you," He breathed. "I don't deserve it."

You shook your head, ignoring Hak's mumble under his breath about how he agreed that Kija didn't deserve it. "It's not about merit. I forgive you, Kija because I want to."

Hak came up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind and resting his chin on your head. "White Snake," A vein popped out of Kija's forehead. "Hurt her again and I won't hold back."

Kija's eyes widened as he heard the not so subtle threat, but nodded seriously. Satisfied with his answer, Hak picked you up and slung you over his shoulder as he walked back into the forest.

You saw Yona flash you a thumbs up from Kija's side and you grinned.

"Haaaaaaak~" You whined. "Where are we going?"

You yelped as he suddenly put you down, but his hands didn't stray from your waist. Hak leaned down, resting his forehead against yours. His breath fanned out against your face and you giggled, weaving your fingers with his.

"I just want one moment with you."

You relaxed in his hold, the sounds of your steady breathing the only thing that echoed in the air.

You didn't make it back to camp. Hak kept you flush against his chest, ignoring your scolding as you exclaimed, "You're still healing!"

Eventually, you stopped trying to escape his grip and snuggled into his side, being mindful of his very large, very alarming injury. As your breath evened out, Hak kept a watchful eye on your surroundings.

"I'll protect you, Y/N." He murmured into your hair, "You don't have to worry about not being loved anymore. I can't undo the hurt that he's put you through, but maybe I can be a constant for you to come back to."

He missed eyes that blinked open at his confession as he fell into a deep sleep.

///

The next morning, you were mysteriously back in the camp. Your eyebrow furrowed as you rolled your shoulders, noting that there was no pain. Kija and Hak were across from you, surprisingly not arguing but they were both peering at you closely that made you jump to your feet.

"How long was I asleep?!" You cried out, eyes immediately finding Hak's as he smirked.

He leaned his chin on his palm leisurely. "About a day and a half."

"Why didn't you wake me up?!" You screeched, launching yourself at him. He caught you by your shoulders easily, turning you around and plopping you in his lap, arms winding around your waist.

"Don't give me that." He chastised, smirk never leaving his face, but dimming slightly as his serious tone bubbled up to the surface. "Just how long has it been since you've had a proper night's sleep?"

You smiled sheepishly and Hak rolled his eyes. Kija looked at you confused, and you clarified. "Sometimes, the hunters stay out all night, waiting for the right moment. It takes a toll on our personal lives."

Kija didn't miss the silent jab, and the guilt increased as he felt even worse about his past actions.

You sighed. "I'm sorry," You apologized, paying Hak no attention as he muttered something into your back. "I really didn't mean it like that."

Kija's eyes shone with remorse and you broke out of Hak's hold to hug him. "I really am sorry. Let's try to forget about it, okay?"

He sniffled, rubbing at his eyes furiously, almost turning them red.

"Where's my hug?" Hak extended his arms out, huffing as you stuck out your tongue playfully at him.

"Did Yoon tell you to go do something?"

Your grin widened as Hak shot off into the woods. Apparently the mother had asked him to do something.

Where would he be without me...

You smiled wistfully. You never thought you would have this kind of relationship. One of ease and comfort. One that wasn't forced by external vectors.  

You threw a smile over your shoulder and Kija's eyes widened at the joy that sparkled within your gaze.

"You seem happy." You commented, recognizing the faraway look in his gaze.

He looked down. "I am..."

He trailed off, not finishing his sentence and you patted his shoulder.

"I know." Kija looked up at you in surprise. "You're happy, but you also feel guilty because of what you put me through." You guessed and Kija nodded, ashamed of his previous actions.

"You make up for it by not doing it to her." You gestured to Yona, who had just returned with Yoon from the river. Kija nodded determinedly. You walked over to him, and slipped something into his hand. He felt cold metal and looked down.

It was your engagement band.

"For Yona," You winked. "When the time is right."

Kija curled his fingers around the small circle. He wouldn't let you down this time.

As Hak broke through the treeline, he picked you up and spun you around. Your shriek of laughter echoed through the forest, causing the rest of the group to smile at your happiness. Yona couldn't be more delighted. She had never seen Hak this carefree, this happy, he was always too busy worrying about her safety. She took Kija's hand in hers, blushes coloring both of their cheeks at the contact. Now, she had someone else to watch her back so that Hak could be a little more free.

You couldn't contain your smile. After so long, someone had shown you what it was like to truly be cared for.

Hak pressed a kiss to your hair, arms traveling down to support your weight as he carried you into the bathroom. He set you down on the marble counter, sliding his palms off of you and turning them down on the cool surface.

The bright lights blinded you for a moment and made you whimper, unaware of your surroundings.

He held you at arms length, cobalt eyes boring into yours to find that the were unfocused and murky with trepidation. Finding his teak wood scented lotion easily, he massaged small dollops into your skin. It trembled underneath his touch and as you grabbed for him, he slotted himself between your parted legs, pressing his chest to yours reassuringly.

You sighed at the contact, calming down as his scent filled your nose, the nose of teak wood making you smile. He knew you found comfort in him and anything that was his and you felt so loved that he remembered that.

Lifting your wrist, you shivered as he pressed a small kiss to the inside of it, warming the skin beyond what was humanly possible.

Once he met your eyes, they were much clearer than before.

"Are you alright?"

If you didn't know any better, you would think he was unaffected, but truth to be told, his heart was pounding so fast that you could feel it through the layers of clothing that separated you two.

You didn't answer fast enough for his liking and within seconds, he was pulling off his sweatshirt and pulling it over your head.

Smirking at the squeal that reached his ears, he pulled the hem down in one smooth move, to reveal a very irritated you.

"You messed up my hair." You whined childishly, pouting. "Hakkkk~"

He ruffled your hair and you sent a glare his way, attempting to fix it so that you looked somewhat presentable.

"Great, now I look like a llama." You grumbled, twisting around to see your reflection in the mirror.

Huffing when you were unsuccessful, you climbed on top of the counter so that your hands and knees were on it.

You felt him hiss behind you at the sight of you arching out your back and your lips curved up into a mischievous smirk.

Swiftly, but gently, he grabbed your hips to turn you around and pull you close in one easy motion. He wasn't going to try anything because of how shaken up you were tonight, but that didn't mean he was going to let you off easy for teasing him.

Your mouth fell open in a silent gasp as he brushed your hair back, kissing your neck softly. You tensed up as you felt his teeth scrape over the sensitive flesh and tried not to moan as he sucked on the spot harshly.

"Y/N..." He whispered, pulling back slightly to capture your lips with his. You let out a muffled squeak in surprise, and then relaxed slightly as his lips moved against yours.

The distraction worked. You had forgotten all about what was plaguing you earlier.

Hak continued to kiss you, holding you tightly to his chest until you went lax against him. He smirked against your soft lips as he felt your thighs squeeze around his hips. No doubt to alleviate the ache growing between them.

It was a good thing he could keep up with you, but he wouldn't give into you tonight. His job was to take care of you, and this time, keeping you safe didn't call for spending the night buried between your legs.

Even if he did really want to.

You both were panting heavily when you both came up for air, and he rested his forehead against yours. Carefully, he slid his hands on the underside of your thighs and brought you back to bed. Arranging the two of you comfortably on the mattress once more, you tucked your head underneath his chin as he pulled the blanket over both your forms.

Hak encased your body with his broad frame in an attempt to shelter you from any more nightmares.

He pressed a chaste kiss to your hair and you closed your eyes.

"Thank you, Hak." You mumbled in his chest.