The armoured hearts

Kim is alive

(Hi 🥺💗hope that you are feeling good, love you take care 💗)

"What is the plan?" Porchay asked, the two men in the carriage, wondering how they would be able to bring Kim out of here, knowing that the surrounding of the brothel was unsafe, some men spying on it.

"You will go inside, with that coat on, and no one, I repeat no one should see you. You know the secret passage, from behind?"

"I know..."

"You will take it, go find him and go outside the same way."

"Isn't it too simple?" Porchay asked, suspicious. "Also, I am taking all the risk."

"I can't be out. My father's men will recognize me and they will soon understand that I took you out. They might come back here. So, we better be quick."

"I see..." Porchay sighed, not reassured at all.

"However, if something goes wrong, go near the fountain, you see? The old one?"

"Yes, but where?"

"Around. There are a lot of dirty streets, of bins no one goes to."

"Your idea is really shitty."

Kinn judged the boy a little, wondering how he could have survived until now. Kinn might not want to bring troubles to him but he was not his friend, he was still the enemy, or the boy was seeing it like this and was startled by the easygoing reaction of Porchay. He looked at the boy walking suspiciously in the streets and disappearing behind the brothel and Kinn wasn't that sure anymore that he would be able to succeed in this secret mission.

Porchay tried to walk naturally but the more he did, the more he felt like his legs wanted to be seen. He never had been good at hiding, only at running enough to not be caught, but hiding was much more difficult. However, that secret door was really not used at all and Porchay was really curious about how Kinn could have the key to this. He opened it and began to be faster, he really needed to be quick but to not make a lot of noise too, it sounded mostly impossible for the boy. 

The run to the last floor was easy, the corridor like the door wasn't used a lot. In fact, it was an emergency part of the brothel. If something went wrong, if someone was in danger and needed to escape without putting the Heavens at risk, they could all take the key and open the door. It was a rule, everyone knew where the key was but no one, except if they needed help, could take it. It explained why no one was walking there if not needed. It wasn't exposed to the rest of the restaurant and other stairs were leading him to the top.

—-

Kim was angry. He was really at the worst of his emotions. He couldn't really call it emotions or more like he wasn't aware that it was his own feelings exploding in his chest. It was a mix of worries, of hatred, self hatred and helplessness. He hated to not be able to do anything. He hated to have this violence in him, he wanted to just hunt an animal, to just use something, he didn't know what to do anymore. The boy fell on the bed, his jaw clenched and his brain ready to break when Star jumped directly on his chest, walking some seconds before getting in position on his stomach and purring softly. Kim's heart flinched. It just started to liquefy itself, his blood becoming warm, a different warmth than the volcanic one he was just feeling.

He felt the vibrations of the purring on his body, spreading like a soft blanket around him. The heaviness of the small body made him focus on the fluffy animal. Kim reached with his hand for Star, feeling the furr against his skin and a strong feeling of reassurance was sent in all of his existence. He was comfortable and felt protected even though the cat wouldn't do anything against anyone. It was more like an emotional protection and Kim could witness in his brain the change between his moods. He could just analyze the exact moment Star had this effect on him. It kinda startled him but also frustrated the boy. He wanted to tell Porchay about it.

He needed his schedule back. Porchay became his own clock. He was his only light outside of that house, he was the new rules without setting any rules, and at the end Porchay just moved away one habit to replace it without realizing by his existence as a map. Kim followed him, followed what he said, tried to do what Porchay asked him, think for himself but to do that he needed to still walk under those words said by one man, one book. His body and brain were trapped into the sensation of liberty and the reassuring feeling that he was still under the power of something, something leading him, now someone absent. Kim felt lost, anxious and only the entertaining sounds of Star was absorbing a part of his worries.

Kim's reflex violently took the lead when he saw the door opening, watching someone whose face couldn't be seen coming inside. He put down Star, and stood up. Yok had said that no one was allowed to come, to protect him, for no one to be able to follow Sophia. Kim showed his clenched hands in an attempt to begin a fight but a soft giggle he knew better than anyone broke a part of his mechanism.

"You won't need this." Porchay said, letting his head be seen.

Kim didn't move. He didn't do anything, he didn't talk, he just stared, his expression only explaining to Porchay that he was surprised. A little stuck, really paralyzed. It wasn't a shock, it was a great news to see the boy again, it wasn't a menace, it wasn't a habit, it wasn't a rule to follow, it wasn't anything of what he knew and this blissful moment getting on his skin, his emotions suddenly feeling so light, not heavy at all, and the warmth of happiness that was spreading. The quick change, the relief, the moment of calm, the breath steadying in his chest and what was next? What could he do? Kim had moments of satisfaction, he had caught the animal while hunting, he had eaten after cooking, it was a simple small part of a survival bringing him a really logical emotion, only provided by himself. Here, they were two and something was hinting in him that he should react to the return of Porchay, but his mind didn't know how. He had no idea of how to translate those feelings into something to say or to do, or to ask. He was blank, he got stuck like a broken mechanism and yet he could feel more than this panic, how alive his inside reactions made him feel.

Porchay just took his wrist, too eager to run away to try any interaction with Kim. They needed to be fast. He stared at Star. He looked deeply into the eyes of their animal, he sighed, his heart screamed that he was more than just an animal with four paws. He was just much more than this. And imagining Kim without Star, imagining Kim not being able to wake up Porchay in the middle of the night because Star had yawned and it was adorable was not possible. He took him under his coat, hoping that it was the greatest idea. He didn't really regret his choice knowing that he was with them from the beginning and Yok wouldn't have to take care of Star, he wouldn't let her give them more than she already did.

"Where are we going?" Kim asked, the logic of this question after Porchay's actions getting him out of his cage.

"You need to trust me okay? We are going to survive the more we can. For now." He said letting Kinn's key on the bed, the one Yok knew was his to let her the message that they were with him. "Let's be fast."

Kim and Porchay walked the same way, getting through the secret corridor Kim never knew about. They tried to be quick , to be fast, to reach Kinn's carriage before they could be seen but a voice behind them made them run faster if they could.

"They are here!"

Kinn looked at the men he knew coming inside and began to move his leg. They had been quicker than he had thought. He prepared himself to go near the fountain.