Chapter Text
"you want me to assassinate the prince?”
florian stared, dumbfounded, at the client in front of him. sure, he was a hitman, but… usually it was for smaller targets. not political figures!
the older man scoffed. "come on. it isn’t that hard. besides, i'm offering five gold bars.”
florian hesitated. that would sustain his entire life, and leave tons of money left over, but… could he do it? if he got caught…
"...okay,” he said finally, shouldering his bag. "i’ll finish as soon as possible.”
his client beamed. "i can’t wait.”
"uh-huh.”
florian turned and walked off, running a gloved hand through his blond hair. he didn't even know how he was supposed to get close to the prince, let alone kill him. but a fortune was on the line, so… time to start planning.
"name, please?” said the knight.
"kyril,” he lied easily, adjusting the colombina mask he wore over his eyes. "last name: romanovich.”
florian’s plan, which was going well so far, was to don the name of an upperclassman and sneak into the royal family’s annual masquerade party. he wasn't worried about the real kyril being in attendance—the man had died by florian’s own hands, after all.
after a long pause, the guard opened the gates for him.
"thanks,” florian chirped, winking at the armored man before slipping past.
he stretched his arms over his head as he sauntered through the front doors, following the corridor into the main hall. the first part was easy, but now came the challenge—finding and killing the prince.
so far, he was blending in seamlessly (for the most part). conversation in itself wasn't necessarily hard, since everyone was supposed to be anonymous, but he did struggle with trying to find the prince while simultaneously mingling with the crowd.
in the middle of a conversation with some noble he’d forgotten the name of, he spotted a familiar figure—there, standing inconspicuously next to an ornate pillar.
"if you'll excuse me,” florian blurted, interrupting his conversation partner to make his way through the sea of people. the masked man raised his head, surprised, as the other approached, a charming smile adorning his lips.
"hello,” florian greeted, extending a hand to shake. "how are you?”
"i’m doing well, thank you,” he replied, returning the gesture. "and you?”
"doing great,” florian responded, clasping the other’s hand briefly before releasing it. "how come you’re all alone here?”
"...i'm not very interested in parties,” he admitted.
"really? but aren’t you the prince, aleksandr?”
the other man fell silent for a moment before nodding.
"i won't tell anyone,” florian promised, winking as he took a sip from his champagne glass. "but if you’re not interested, why did you come?”
"my… parents,” aleksandr started, "wanted me to mingle.”
florian hummed in understanding. "shame.”
aleksandr scoffed. "...indeed.”
"so, aleksandr―”
“―just… call me sasha.”
“ah… okay.”
florian finished the last of his champagne and sighed, setting it down on a tray before clapping his gloved hands together.
"do you want to go outside?” he offered, smiling. "we can get some fresh air.”
the prince hesitated again. he seemed more timid than florian originally thought, which was curious. what could he possibly have done to warrant hiring a hitman to kill him—well, money, of course.
zoned out, he barely heard the "okay” before he was suddenly being dragged off by the wrist. startled, florian stumbled after the prince, two pairs of heels clicking against the floor as they trotted down the hallway.
"you’re in such a rush, sasha,” florian teased, tousling his own hair with his free hand once their pace had settled. aleksandr didn't reply, but the redness at the tips of his ears didn't escape florian's gaze, eliciting a chuckle from him.
after they made it out into the garden, florian shivered, curling in on himself slightly.
"it’s so cold tonight,” he complained, glancing at the prince. he'd never seen aleksandr in person before. the reason he recognized him at the start was his silhouette, which was the only part of him shown in magazines. something about anonymity, for whatever reason. he, luckily, had an eye for these things. presently, he took some time to detail the prince’s appearance—neatly combed chocolate-brown hair, olive skin, crisp dress, strangely… familiar… umber-hued eyes—
"hello?”
florian snapped out of his thoughts. "sorry?”
"i asked for your name.”
the assassin chuckled as he kicked away a pebble on the ground. "what if i don't want to tell you, hmm?”
aleksandr frowned. if florian didn't know any better, he would’ve called it a pout. "why not?”
"it's a masquerade ball. i'm supposed to be anonymous.”
"but you know my name.”
"it was only a guess,” florian recalled. "you just confirmed it.”
"...”
aleksandr scoffed, turning away. "i only asked because you remind me of an old friend,” he said quietly.
florian raised an eyebrow, curious. "who?”
"what if i don't want to tell you?” aleksandr countered.
florian blinked in shock, then let out a bark of laughter, surprised.
"touché,” he said, smiling widely.
and then he remembered—right. he was here to assassinate the prince, not get all buddy-buddy with him. and right now, he was doing the latter. and the more familiar he got with his target, the less inclined he felt to kill them.
…florian cleared his throat, sliding a hand into his pocket. "care for a walk?”
aleksandr nodded, turning his back to florian, who sidled up next to the prince. now in position, he brought his hand, now equipped with a dagger, up to rest at the small of his back—"?!”
before he could even push the blade forward, he found himself knocked to the ground. his weapon was scattered somewhere in the grass, and his wrists were pinned against the gravel path below him. above him was aleksandr—no, this was…
florian stared up at the other man, whose mask had fallen off, revealing a face that he recognized all too well.
"dohyeon?” he breathed, dumbfounded.
"...florian?” the other whispered, equally confused… and, from what florian could see in his eyes, a little hurt, too.
…why was his childhood best friend here? he hadn't seen dohyeon in years, and this was how they reunited? with florian trying to kill him?
"i’m so sorry,” he blurted after a moment of stunned silence, trying to wrench his hands free so that he could beg for forgiveness. but when dohyeon didn't let up his grip, he simply gave up, falling limp.
"what the hell?” dohyeon spat, brows furrowed in a whirlwind of emotion. "what did i do to you?”
"i didn't know it was you!” florian yelped, helpless. "i—i thought you were the prince…!”
"i am the prince," he snarled. "and even if it wasn't me, you were just casually planning to kill a man?”
florian winced as the fingers around his wrist tightened, leaving angry red marks. "i got offered five gold bars to do it,” he stammered, heat rising to his face out of shame. he sounded idiotic. changing the subject, he blurted, "w—wait, what do you mean you’re the prince?”
dohyeon stared in horror. "you got paid to try and assassinate me?”
"answer my question first!”
the prince glared down at florian, who cringed.
"well—i got offered payment." that statement was met with irritated silence, so he continued hurriedly. "but i didn't know it was you. if i knew, i never would’ve even considered it, i swear!”
"...”
"...please, believe me.”
reluctantly, dohyeon released his grip, but florian didn't make a move to get up. they simply stayed like that for a bit, the prince kneeling over the hitman underneath him. with a groan, dohyeon rolled off of florian, sitting on the gravel beside him. the other man opted to stay lying down, arms spread wide.
"i’m really sorry,” he tried again, only to be met with silence. "...since when were you the prince?”
dohyeon stared into his lap, fidgeting with his gloves. "it’s not that special. the king found out i was his long-lost son. …turns out my name was never dohyeon.”
"...i'm still calling you dohyeon,” he said, trying to be light-hearted.
the prince glanced over warily, then away once more. "that’s if you don't try to murder me again.”
florian averted his gaze shamefully. "i told you, i didn't know.”
"what if i were dead right now because of you?”
he flinched. “please don't say that.”
"if i didn't stop you, i wouldn’t be talking to you right now. my blood would be on your hands.”
"well, that didn't happen,” he retorted shamefully. "so it's fine.”
"you kill people for a living. how is that ‘fine’?”
florian fell silent. dohyeon scoffed.
the assassin stared up at the stony ceiling overhead, eyes strained from the lights glaring down at him.
"get up,” a sharp voice called. “i brought you lunch.”
"not hungry,” he responded, rolling over to face away from the metal bars.
"get up, or i'll come in and feed you myself.”
florian didn't reply. he heard the door unlock and footsteps approach.
"eat,” the prince demanded, rolling his prisoner onto his back. the latter glared up at the former as a spoon was pressed to the seam of his lips.
…reluctantly, florian sat up, accepting the spoonful offered by dohyeon. "thank you,” he said quietly after swallowing.
the two of them sat in silence as dohyeon spoon-fed the other like a baby. it was a bit humiliating, but, if florian were being honest, he didn't mind that much.
"i'll miss you,” dohyeon said suddenly, causing florian to nearly choke on his meal.
"pardon?” he said after his coughing fit.
"i won’t repeat it.”
florian was silent for a moment, studying the prince’s expression.
"i’ll miss you too,” he said after a comfortable pause.
"you shouldn't have killed those people.”
"...don't remind me.”
they were quiet again until florian finished his tray of food. he took the napkin offered by dohyeon, wiping his mouth and setting it on the tray once finished.
"see you for dinner,” dohyeon murmured.
"bring my favorite. it’s my last day, after all.” florian pulled him into a hug, burying his face in his neck.
"...if there's a next life, i hope we reunite there.”
"me too.”