Chapter Text
It had been a mistake, a horrible and disastrous mistake but if you asked Changbin he’d tell you it was the best decision he’d ever made and he’d do it all over again without hesitation. For the first time since he was a child, he felt content to just exist and that was worth everything, even his life.
~1 Month Earlier~
“You can’t just leave me in here when I don’t do what you want, I’m not a child anymore”
It wasn’t one of Changbin’s best arguments, but it was the best he had at the time. Of course, his mother could lock him away like she always did and why wouldn’t she? He’d acted out in front of company, spoken against people she deemed more important than her son, which Changbin was sure meant anyone and everyone.
“Then stop behaving like one,” she replied, tone flat and expression cold as she slammed the door, submerging Changbin in a familiar darkness.
It was always like this, she would wait till their company was distracted outside by whatever entertainment she’d hired or new garden installation she’d demanded of the gardeners that morning, make an excuse that he wasn’t feeling well and throw him into his room. Tucked away in a bedroom too hard for those unfamiliar with the house to find, door locked, and power cut off until morning.
With a heavy sigh Changbin made the familiar walk to his bed, guided only by faint moonlight from windows way too large for his liking. They had been his favourite thing when he was younger.His father had set up a telescope and together they'd map the constellations while hunting for new planets. Now there was a desk and a view of a freedom he’d never know. Now those big windows only seemed to mock him while the sky reminded him of a warmth he would never have again.
Finally falling into his bed Changbin curled up as tightly as he could, letting the hollow and broken feeling take over as he tried his best to fall asleep, he knew it would be hours.
----
“Sir, your mother sent me with your lunch”
It’s Minho, that much is clear to Changbin, what isn’t so clear is why he’s being so formal, knowing how much they both hate it. That is, until Changbin opens the door, seeing that Minho is flanked by two unfamiliar guards, his face contorted into something painfully cold and serious. Maybe those people were important, maybe lecturing them on their ignorance wasn’t his best choice.
“Your highness, please take your lunch”
It’s one of the other guards who speaks, Changbin had been lost in thought and forgotten to take the tray Minho held out to him. He takes the tray with a slight apologetic bow of his head, both of them aware he can’t voice it.
“I’ll be back with Seungmin in an hour, sir, please be ready.” Minho’s voice is flat, but Changbin can see the way he cringes slightly at the formality of it all. It's thankfully faint and momentary enough to be missed by the guards.
It's obvious that the lecture Minho got on his behalf must've been long and full of rage for his expression and tone to be so controlled, he wants nothing more than to apologise but he has to stay in character, for both their sakes, pulling on what he hopes resembles the cold expression of the Prince he's meant to be before forming a reply.
"Very well," he mutters, giving a small bow of his head, before closing the door.
After a few moments, the footsteps outside his door became faint and Changbin lets out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in. It takes a little while longer for him to move again. Guards always make him uncomfortable, knowing they're just there to spy on him and report every little thing back to his mother.
He drops the tray of food on his desk, appetite gone and he gets ready, hoping a casual hoodie and jeans will do. He tries to think of a way to apologise to Minho, hoping that his mother won’t be accompanying Minho and Seungmin for his tutoring.
Luckily when Minho returns an hour later with Seungmin in tow, Changbin's mother is nowhere to be seen. Unfortunately the two guards are still there, entering his room as if they were entitled to it.
Minho had tried to dismiss them, telling them that their presence could possibly hinder the prince’s education, but they'd brushed him off. Changbin refused to have them there, needing to apologise to Minho and have a moment with his friends.
Doing his best to stand straight, Changbin cleared his throat, stepping in front of Minho and putting on his best glare.
"I refuse to have either of you in here. You're welcome to tell my mother that,. But as the prince, I will have to inform her that you not only scoffed at Minho, who is in charge of my safety, but that you would also refuse a direct order and invade a royal's private space."
Changbin hated how his voice sounded, hated using his position as prince for his own gain but it needed to be done. Thankfully they were quick to back down, quickly muttering their apologies as they rushed away.
“What the fuck happened?” Seungmin hissed as soon as the door was closed. Changbin just shook his headand wrapped Seungmin in a hug, needing the connection and not caring if Seungmin tried to refuse.
“I lectured her guests after they said something cruel about the people of the Sombre kingdom and well ...she did what she always does but I think she’s truly pissed off this time” Changbin tries his best to explain briefly, a shiver running down his spine at the memory.
Seungmin wasn't shocked at Changbin's mothers' actions, but sending guards along with Minho was new enough to prompt concern. The reprimanding and attempts at control would normally end after she'd yelled at Minho.
“She was trying to marry you off,” Minho whispered, as if the words were tainted.He fell into the closest chair as if all his remaining energy had left his body with the realisation.
The words hit Changbin like a truck. All thoughts of an apology gone as panic took its place. Even at a whisper those words hit hard and when he finally looks at Minho, he notices the pained and tired expression on his face. He notices how the colour had drained from his face and how heavily his body slumped in the chair.
This was it. A time he’d been dreading. His mother was ready to be rid of him.
Seungmin’s hold on him tightens, neither certain of whether it was a conscious or subconscious reaction. They just knew they needed to hold on to each other as tightly as they could.
“We have to leave”
The words had left Changbin’s lips before he could stop them. He finds himself wishing he could take them back when he feels Seungmin tense and sees Minho’s already drained expression fall further. They’d talked about this before, the idea of escaping but it had always been a fantasy, something kids joked about and adults held close when the world became too much.
“I mean me. You two don’t have to be a part of it, but I can’t stay if she’s already planning my marriage.” Changbin explains, pushing himself away from Seungmin. Which is a feat considering the youngers grip on him.
Minho shakes his head, quickly running a hand through his hair to get rid of any lingering tension before he stands, pulls Changbin back into a hug and drags Seungmin in with him.
“We leave together, nobody gets left behind” Minho asserts, voice full of nothing but confidence as he holds both Changbin and Seungmin as tightly as he can.
As if that would force them to believe his statement.
Seungmin nods, humming his agreement while Changbin tries to keep his face hidden, unable to control his expression and force it into something neutral. As much as he wants to take them, to grab on and never let go, he can’t ask them to give up their lives for him.
Except he can’t bring himself to say it. He can feel tears threatening to fall as they stand there, letting Minho's words sink in and trying to find the strength to argue with him.
“We’re not going to leave you and you’re not staying here” Minho says as if he can hear Changbin's thoughts.
They stay the whole night. Minho lies to the guards and tells them that he’d escorted Seungmin out and he’d been ordered to stay with Changbin to keep him in order. It wasn’t completely unbelievable or even a complete lie. He had been ordered to make sure Changbin stayed in his room. No one said he couldn't do that by staying in the same room and he would escort Seungmin out, just later.
The guards had believed him and that’s all they needed as they got to work.
It hadn’t taken them long to plan their escape, most of it was already mapped out during different fantasies of freedom. Minho had friends in the Sombre kingdom who would take them in and none of them had many people to say goodbye too or much to pack. The only issue would be gathering everything they needed and finding the right window to leave before Changbin was married off or locked away without a key.
“You really don’t have to do this, I can just slip out on my own and then you two won’t be charged with treason if we’re caught”
It was Changbin’s final effort, he’d been dropping hints the whole night that he could go alone but those ideas had been shot down as quickly as they’d come up. Now wasn’t any different with both Minho and Seungmin glaring at him as if he’d insulted them personally and he may as well have.
With a deep sigh Minho schools his expression into something akin to the serious expression he wears in front of the guards, the only difference being the warmth he keeps in his eyes.
“And who would she punish? Who would be charged as co-conspirators?”
It had been the truth, and it hurt to hear but that’s just what Minho had wanted. He'd needed it to stick. Needed Changbin to understand they were in this together.
“What other use would we have to her? How easily would we be thrown away?” Seungmin adds.
He had caught on quickly. They couldn’t leave Changbin with any room to argue.
There was a moment of silence before Minho spoke again.
“And how do you think we’d feel? Knowing you’re out there with nowhere to go, no connections, no one to help you, left alone, again”
That had been the final blow, Minho knew where to strike and knew how to make it hurt.
Changbin was quiet, he wanted to argue but he had nothing. If he left without them, his mother would blame them for embarrassing her and even if she didn’t, they’d be thrown away like broken toys.
“Okay, we stay together” Changbin concedes.
With that they finalise the plan. It would be at least a month before their first opportunity shows itself and if they miss it, they’d better hope no one caught on before they could try again.