Chapter Text
It started with boredom, the dangerous kind. The kind that settles in your bones around midnight when the house is too quiet, the lights are dim, and everyone assumes you’re asleep.
Rome wasn’t asleep.
He was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, phone balanced on his chest, scrolling without really paying any attention.
He knew Mok was probably still awake too, or about to go to bed.
Rome turned his head slightly toward the door of his room. He wondered- not for the first time, if Mok would even notice if he disappeared for an hour.
Probably, but would he care? Yes
Will thee care? He was not sure about care but a scolding? Yes, 100% sure.
His phone buzzed, he frowned, it was Plub.
Plub: I’m going out. Hungry. 7/11 run. You want anything?
Rome smirked. He finally found a solution to his boredom.
Plub had no restrictions. Peach trusted her and so did Thee, BOTH adored her. She could walk out at midnight and the worst she’d get was a “Text me when you reach.”
But Rome?
He had curfews, security briefings, reminders about routes and, of course, Mok, who sometimes triple checks the route.
He stared at the message, then typed back.
Rome: Wait.
A minute later, he was outside her door.
Plub blinked at him. “You’re coming?”
“Why not?”
“You’re not allowed…” she reminded.
He shrugged, slipping his hands into his jacket pockets, it was cold outside. “Who said that?”
“Mok” Of course, Rome grinned slowly. That was exactly the point, doing something he is not allowed too.
****
They slipped out quietly, sneakily, even though Plub didn’t have to sneak, but Rome did and she would be lying if she said it wasn't fun.
He paused near the staircase, glancing toward Mok’s room. The door was slightly open, light spilling through the crack.
Rome hesitated for half a second, if he saw them it was game over, but thanks to their luck being on their side they slipped past mok and other guards.
Outside, the night air was cold as expected, both zipped on their jacket.
Plub had already booked a cab.
“Peach will kill me if I walk,” she said. “So cab it is”
Rome rolled his eyes, “Mine will kill me if he even got a hint of this” he gestured between them and outside.
“You’re the one sneaking out at your own risk”
“Not sneaking,” he corrected lightly. “Taking initiative.”
She snorted.
The cab arrived quickly and yhey slid into the backseat, the city lights reflecting in the windows as the car pulled away from the mansion.
Rome leaned back, staring out at the street. He felt… lighter, free… with no guards hovering, no one asking where he was going. Just him and Plub and midnight hunger.
They reached the closest 7/11 to them, it would have been barely 15-20 minutes walk but they knew better than to walk in cold nights.
“What are you getting?” Plub asked.
“Ice cream.”
“At midnight? In this cold”
“Yes.”
“You’re insane.”
“You came out too”
“Because I’m hungry and needed snack”
“I’m hungry too, for-”
She squinted at him. “For attention.”
Rome laughed softly, not denying. Maybe he is, a little.
The 7/11 glowed under fluorescent lights, bright against the dark street.
They stepped inside, greeted by the familiar hum of refrigerators and the faint scent of instant noodles, it was quiet, of course it was midnight.
Plub immediately headed toward the snacks, while Rome wandered to the freezer section.
He opened the glass door, cold air brushing against his face making him grin. He grabbed two ice creams, then three and then one more.
Plub appeared beside him with chips and a bottled drink.
“Plan on feeding a village?”
“Don’t judge me” he said dramatically, clutching his ice cream.
“Drama runs in genes” she joked.
“Of course” he grinned and paid for their food and went outside to sit on the small plastic chairs outside the store.
It was cold but it still felt nice, the world felt strangely peaceful, a couple of motorcycles passed by, some distant laughter could be heard from across the street.
Plub peeled open her ice cream dramatically, well it was fun having ice cream in the cold.
“If Mok finds out, you’re dead”
Rome scoffed. “He won’t, until and unless you snitch on me”
“I don't have a death wish”
Rome paused.
“…better”
She blinked, realizing something. They went inside the store and came outside but the security alarm didn't buzz.
“Rome.”
“What?”
“You didn’t bring your gun either, did you?”
He froze, for a second… just a second. His hand instinctively moved to his side, empty. He had taken off his waist holster earlier when he changed into casual clothes and he hadn’t put it back on. He hadn’t thought he needed to.
It was 7/11, midnight snacks, what could possibly go wrong? He forced a shrug.
“It’s fine.”
Plub stared at him, not convinced. He knew P’thee rarely carried his gun anywhere for Hia but he had security around him and right now, Rome is out here alone, no security.
“It’s literally fine.”
She sighed, worried but she really can't do anything about it now. “You’re impossible.”
He leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out lazily. “Relax. Nothing’s going to happen.”
And honestly? Nothing did. They finished their ice creams and talked about random things.
Plub complained about Peach overprotecting her and now even having an add on. Rome complained about Mok hovering, always worried about everyone's security- but other than that he is never really treated even according to his age, unlike plub.
They laughed, too loud, too carefree. Plub checked her phone.
“Cab’s booked. Five minutes.”
They got up and stood exactly outside the store, the empty wrappers tossed away in the bin, still joking about something ridiculous Rome had said.
Rome shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, rocking slightly on his heels.
For once, he didn’t feel watched, didn’t feel managed. It was just… normal.
Plub nudged him. “You look smug.”
“I am.”
“About?”
“I left without telling anyone and we will make it home without anyone finding out”
She rolled her eyes. “Rebel.”
He grinned.
That’s when he heard it. The low rumble of an engine slowing down.
A van.
Dark.
Tinted windows.
It pulled up directly in front of them. Too close, too deliberate. Rome’s smile faded, just slightly. The engine didn’t turn off, the headlights stayed on.
The shift was instant.
One second they were laughing and the very next second, Rome’s instincts snapped into place like a switch flipping inside his skull.
The van’s engine idled too low. Too steady. Too intentional.
His hand shot out automatically, grabbing Plub’s wrist. “Behind me” he said sharply.
She didn’t argue. Scared.
He pulled her back, positioning himself between her and the van, his body angled slightly forward, his mind raced.
No gun.
Idiot.
He should’ve known better.
The sliding door creaked open and two men stepped out. Both of their face covered with masks, Rome’s jaw tightened.
He subtly pushed Plub further behind him.
“If I say run,” he whispered without looking back, “you run. Don’t look back. Just run.”
“Rome-”
“Please”
His eyes locked on the men, they spread slightly apart, assessing him and he adjusted his stance.
Hand-to-hand, he could manage two, he had training, he had speed. Even though they are bigger than him, he had enough strength to stall them.
If he could keep them busy long enough, Plub could slip away into the convenience store. The staff. The cameras. The light. She will be safe.
He could handle this, he had to, the first man took a step forward but Rome moved first and Fast.
He closed the distance before they could surround him, landing a sharp punch to the nearest man’s jaw. The impact vibrated up his arm. The man staggered back.
The second lunged.
Rome twisted, elbow slamming into ribs. A grunt. A stumble.
Behind him, Plub’s breathing was shallow. “Run!” he shouted. But she didn’t, she couldn't, she froze.
Because another shadow moved, from the side. Too fast, too silent, before she could warn him or say anything it was too late, even Rome saw him too late.
A third man came sprinting from the dark edge of the street, Rome had turned, but not fast enough.
A sharp sting exploded in his shoulder, he gasped. A syringe and the plunger was already empty.
“Ah”
The man yanked it out and shoved him hard, Plub screamed.
“ROME!”
Rome staggered but didn’t fall, not yet.
His vision blurred at the edges.
No.
No, no, no-
Adrenaline surged, he lunged forward anyway, swinging wildly at the man who injected him. His fist connected weakly. Slower already, he knew it done, they both are done now, he couldn't save Plub.
The first two men recovered.
Hands grabbed at him, he shoved one away, tried to kick another back. He was still trying to fight, even after whatever drug they gave him.
From inside the van, a voice barked sharply-
“Get the girl too! Don’t leave evidence!”
Plub’s scream cut through the air again.
Rome’s heart dropped.
No.
Not her.
This was his fault.
He should have stayed at mansion only or should have told Mok or should have brought the gun or should have-
One man grabbed Plub’s arm, she struggled, kicking, clawing.
“Let me go!”
Rome roared and threw himself toward them, tackling the man holding her. They hit the ground hard. His vision swam violently now, his limbs felt heavy, like someone poured cement into his veins, but he still forced himself up again, breath coming uneven, he swung again… missed.
A punch landed against his ribs and before he could recover another blow to the side of his head. The world tilted, but he still tried to focus on Plub.
She was crying. Fighting. Terrified.
All because he wanted attention, he wanted to rebel, all because he wanted to prove something.
“I’m sorry,” he tried to say, but it came out slurred, he tried to reach for her. His fingers barely brushed her sleeve. Before arms wrapped around him from behind.
Too strong.
Too many.
He struggled, even as darkness crept in from the corners of his sight. He tried to stay upright, tried to buy her even a second more, praying for a miracle.
But the drug was winning, his knees buckled and the last thing he saw was Plub being dragged toward the van, still screaming his name. Then everything went black and just like that- both of them were shoved inside.
The van doors slammed shut. All because Rome thought nothing could go wrong, all because he tagged alone.