i'll save you when you're weak

Part 4

Kim Rok Soo had been living inside of a magic castle inside of a magic forest for about a week now and he'd become relatively sure about a few things.

He was definitely no longer in Korea. Probably not even on earth. And definitely nowhere near anything he was familiar with.

Kim Rok Soo took that information fairly well. He was a roll-with-the-punches sort of person and he'd been punched plenty in his short lifetime.

He was also fairly certain that despite how vicious he could appear at times, the man known as Raon Miru meant him no harm. Or at least, he was doing a very good job of hiding any malicious intent.

Kim Rok Soo wasn't about ready to throw around words like trust though.

It was just that he didn't see any point in wasting his energy on either trust or distrust when there was food and he was hungry and this was the longest period of time he'd had since his parents death without an onslaught of physical or emotional pain.

In other words, he was determined to enjoy it while the going was good.

Raon watched silently as the child consumed yet another bowl of sloppily prepared strew with the furtive energy of someone who expected it to be taken away at any moment. He probably ought to hire a cook... Raon wasn't used to preparing food and he wondered about the nutritional value for a growing child.

He'd picked up quite a few books on taking care of children and nutrition was apparently very important.

Kim Rok Soo had hardly said a word since he woke up. He was obedient and he answered questions, but only with as few words as possible and usually while avoiding eye contact.

Eruhaben had been emphatic about 'taking it slow' so Raon was doing his best to wait for the child to open up on his own. He felt that they were making some progress, bit by bit, with each day that passed Kim Rok Soo flinched less and less. Sometimeshe even slept peacefully.

Raon had made a habit of camping out on a chair by the weak human's bed at night. It was apparent that when he started to tense up in his dreams, he was having nightmares. Which was most of the time he slept.

He was so small but he wouldn't ever cry out. He'd just get a pinched up expression as his entire body tensed up and then, if it got really bad, he'd wake up with a jolt and tremble quietly.

Raon found it was easiest to calm him down by holding his hand so that's what he did.

They were making progress, Raon was sure about that, but he was a bit impatient.

Right now it seemed that it was somewhat overwhelming for the weak child just to receive three full meals a day, how was he supposed to broach topics like learning a language or home decoration or visiting the nearby village?

"Kim Rok Soo." Nicknames also had to wait which was particularly bothersome for Raon because he liked nicknames a lot. It was how he showed affection.

The child looked up at him with a tiny bit of potato stuck on his chin. Raon leaned over with a napkin and wiped it off.

"Is there anything you want?"

Kim Rok Soo stared at him blankly for a moment before shaking his head slowly. It wasn't that he didn't want anything but he still wasn't going to voice it.

He was lucky enough to have the security he currently had, he wasn't about ready to risk it for minor amenities.

Raon sighed softly and rustled his hair. Remember, take it slowly. "Let me know if you change your might, okay? I'm the great and powerful Raon Miru. I can get anything you ask for." He smirked playfully.

Kim Rok Soo's stoic expression rested on him for a long moment, critical brown eyes that always seemed to be observing everything so carefully taking him in fully. Then he nodded and spoke in his small and impassive voice. "Yeah. You're great and mighty."

Raon Miru wasn't sure if he'd ever felt more touched in his whole life. Pride swelled inside of him and he beamed at the weak human, wanting to pull him into a proud hug but knowing it could be detrimental to progress.

That was the first time that Kim Rok Soo had spoken when it wasn't to answer a question or offer a quiet thank you. Kim Rok Soo probably could have said anything at that moment and it would have made all of Raon's efforts feel worth it and then some.

But the fact that his first volunteered words were to assert a positive opinion of Raon made his heart swell.

At a loss for any other way to show how proud he was that his little weak human had begun to open up, if only a little bit, he piled on another bowl of stew for him that was far larger than the child had any hope of finishing.

Kim Rok Soo accepted it gratefully though and even though he never wore much of an expression, Raon could swear that his face looked a bit more peaceful.

He would definitely protect his little weak human. No matter what.

Kim Rok Soo quietly nibbled on his thirds, watching as the now clearly elated Raon Miru went about the kitchen, cleaning up the terrible mess he'd made while cooking. The food wasn't very good but to Kim Rok Soo, he had trouble thinking he'd tasted anything better.

It was definitely better than expired food from the convenience store carelessly left in a dumpster. Although that wasn't a particularly high bar.

It wasn't just the taste though. It was the knowledge that Raon had made it for him.

While Raon's back was turned and he had the privacy of his own, a tiny little smile tugged at his lips. There were still a lot of things he was unsure about and a lot of things he didn't want to think about but there was at least one thing he was sure of.

Raon Miru was definitely great and mighty.