Hongjoong had initially planned not to let Mingi get away like that and ask that man about a certain quack he knew from the town but Bastard was quite clear in his ministrations. He send Mingi away so he could finish in peace, the other man just walking off with a giggle.

The sheriff was forced to wait then, the gloved hand around his neck not allowing him much movement and making quite clear that the bandit's nerves were close to snapping. So Hongjoong just waited until Mingi was out of earshot and he was abruptly dropped by the bandit. He was respectful enough to hand the hat and mask back to him without any more struggles and also without risking a peek.

The bandit finished himself off with a low groan, his voice sending the barest hint of excitement through Hongjoong's veins but he forced his body to calm down again.

He wanted to take a shower already. Or collect Wooyoung and take a shower then.

After he could be sure that the other man was fully clothed again, Hongjoong too went to hunt down his clothes, putting them back on his dirty skin with a grimace.

Only after that he turned to the other man again, his black uniform fitting impeccably as if it had never left his body. Hongjoong could not stop a triumphant grin from forming on his lips.

"Don't."

"So Mingi, huh? And who are you? San, by any chance? Yeosang maybe? It comes to no surprise that he is here to be honest. I had my guesses."

A weak chuckle sounded from the other man.

"Oh? You mean you did not believe him to be a tumbleweed? How curious. Still, remember that Mingi is not officially part of your town. He has lived here for a longer time than you stopped wearing diapers probably.", he drawled cunningly, making Hongjoong scoff contemptously.

"You literally just fucked me in order to not get found out by your criminal colleagues. Do you define as child molesting now or can we finally drop this?"

"Would be easier if you were not so damned tiny."

Hongjoong guessed it was better to be called tiny than to be called a kid so he went with it. He just went into the direction they had been going earlier, stumbling at the first steps. With as much dignity as possible he carried on then, leaving it to the bandit to follow or not.

He did, wincing a bit at the limp in Hongjoong's step that he tried hard to conceal but he did not comment on it.

They went on in silence, the bandit leading the way a bit less obnoxious than earlier and Hongjoong at least appreciated that remorse or whatever it was.

He guessed it was already dark out by now, finding his way back with Wooyoung in tow would certainly be an adventure. However, he also wanted to refrain from staying out in the wild in in close vicinity of the bandits longer than needed. He also hoped Wooyoung was at least not hurt or anything. Bringing a bloody and whiny Wooyoung home would be even more of a hassle to go through.

They had to hide another time not soon after when passing through a larger room but the corners in there were dark enough that Hongjoong could disappear easily. The bandit took his time in asking the woman they had met about Wooyoung, gently coaxing information out of her.

When he did get what he wanted he returned to Hongjoong with his dark brows drawn tight, his eyes stormy.

"Apparently there is some emotional dilemma going on. We can manage for sure but I can not promise Wooyoung's full wellbeing. However, it should be quite easy to get him out from there."

Hongjoong felt a stab of guilt at that. Not only Yeosang but also San were waiting for that man. He hoped to bring him home in an as good as possible shape.

Not so easy with Wooyoung being as loud and uncaring as he was.

Bastard and he went down another narrow connecting tunnel and Hongjoong waited there when he was promised that the other would give him a signal to move. He just had to walk into one room to his left when Bastard had left with its owner, get Wooyoung and find his way back.

For a long moment he and Bastard just stood in that tunnel, Hongjoong breathing down onto the other's neck from how close he was leaning.

"So... See you then I guess."

"I'll make it up to you. I'll beat you in a fair fight."

Hongjoong gave a disbelieving laugh, pushing his dirty blonde locks back.

"As if you'd win. Next time I see you I will be the one pressing you against some surface and having my way with you." He said it full of spite, the hate burning hotly in his belly. However, he also anticipated the next meeting with the man already. He could not wait to beat him already.

He had found some kind of respect-deserving rival in this annoying bandit and even he was surprised to admit that to himself.

"I'd like to see you try. Well then, have fun on your way back. May your hips remind you just how much you liked writhing beneath me."

Hongjoong kicked his shin, prompting him to leave. The bandit did with another giggle, sounding way less evil now that they had actually tried fucking the hate out of their systems.

Hongjoong was astonished.

What if they ever tried to actually take their time? They might become best friends overnight.

The sheriff rolled his eyes at himself, pondering if that was the way so many of the town's citizens had fallen into their trap so far. Maybe that was what they were trying with Wooyoung right now? Break his spirit by getting him to succumb to pleasure?

Hongjoong shivered, wrapping his arms tightly around his frame to subtly massage his fingers in his hips. No, he was not in pain.

He nervously gnawed on his lips but indeed the bandit emerged not soon after, in his arm another woman with long blonde curls he kept talking to animatedly. She wore no mask but Hongjoong did also not know her. However, she looked positively murderous, her pretty face pulled into an ugly snarl.

Hongjoong involuntarily pulled up his shoulders a bit in protection around his head, glad he did not just run in there in the bold assumption he could just take care of this himself. This fury looked not fun to deal with.

He still waited until they were out of sight before he sprinted to the room Bastard had told him to go to, pulling aside the washed-out blue curtain that had ugly splotches of dark brown substance tried in it.

He indeed found Wooyoung in the small little cot, his body strechted out on some kind of uncomfy looking mattress and with his hands and feet spread from him in an X. He was actually cuffed to that mattress and his unmissable nakedness made Hongjoong only slightly uncomfortable.

Wooyoung, too, was blindfolded with one of their face masks, most likely the one of that woman. His hair was sweaty and sticky with something, his head hanging at an unnatural angle from the edge.

Hongjoong gave an inward sigh before stepping closer to the other's head, carefully pulling the mask off.

Wooyoung was thankfully awake and blinked up at him with tired eyes that looked just a bit too lifeless for Hongjoong's liking.

"Hey, Wooyoung. Can you hear me?", Hongjoong asked him slowly, nervously looking around for something to open his bindings with.

"Sheriff... Please tell me you came to get me out."

Hongjoong spotted a knife, reaching over to make quick work out of Wooyoung's bindings.

"No, I actually came to ogle you and after I've got my fill I wanted to leave without you." Hongjoong rolled his eyes. However, the tired smile that spread on Wooyoung's face was worth it. He seemed alright.

Freeing him did not take long and thankfully his clothes were also still laying around even if a bit messed up after the woman had cut them from his body quite obviously. Thankfully the cuts on his body were shallow, not giving much option to become infected.

With Wooyoung hanging over his shoulder Hongjoong left again, pulling the other man with him on equally weak legs.

"What was that? Why did she take you?", Hongjoong hushedly asked him as soon as they were out in the corridors again, slowly walking down the old rails.

Wooyoung just gave a groan.

"No more than a jealous snake. Apparently she took a liking to San during their encounters and she wants his attention to himself. Not that I have anything to do with that or anything, hell no, but she thought she could make me turn away from being a gay cowboy and thus him to lose interest? Not that he has that, of course not."

Hongjoong just hummed, knowing exactly well how well he and San got along with each other. So he nodded, having met his fair share of jealous women himself and understanding the drama they could act out about quite anything.

"Bold of them to assume I was involved with San, pah! As if." Wooyoung gave his best at grimacing, not noticing the way Hongjoong lifted an eyebrow at him.

"How could you, you are married to Yeosang.", Hongjoong also agreed, watching the way the other man nodded full of determination. At least his face did not change so he truly had to love Yeosang in some way. It was good to know that obviously his relationship with both men worked out somehow.

They wandered more, hiding in some corners when the occasional guard passed them. After some more time they found back to the little tunnel leading outside that Bastard had made Hongjoong memorize by the sad useless wagon laying right left to it.

Wooyoung followed him through easily and Hongjoong slipped out into the cool night air that he immediately sucked in greedily.

He had been right. It was night already and above them there were countless stars shining brightly in the dark sky. The plains strechted far and like some ugly mat beneath them and up here they had a nice view on the rocks surrounding Fort Davis in the distance.

Hongjoong turned to Wooyoung, watching the way the wind played a bit with his hair. He looked like he was cold.

"Come on, we have to climb but I got a blanket at my horse."

"Damn I'd love a blanket right now."

Hongjoong smiled at him, showing him where he could climb down the rocks most easily and Wooyoung did. Even though the man was so tired he did a great job at holding himself up and climbed carefully and without ever misstepping.

They arrived at Wave's hiding spot with only minor scratches on their hands and the horse greeted them with a gentle nudge of her nose against their shoulders. Hongjoong petted her while he helped Wooyoung get up, wrapping the man in a blanket first before getting into the saddle right behind him.

If anybody happened to step out onto that platform they might be able to see them riding away but Hongjoong did not really care, only holding tighter to Wooyoung who kept dozing off. He had not gotten any sleep these days as it seemed and Hongjoong would also not keep him from falling asleep.

Instead he tried to sit comfortably on his hurting behind, pushing the bandit far out of his head even when he returned at every zap of pain coursing through him.

He focused on Wooyoung's words instead, on that relationship he had with San and whether he could utilize some bandit's obvious interest on some of the town's people to their advantage.

However, when he recalled everything Wooyoung had said about him and San there was something not quite making sense to him.

How could that woman have ever fallen in love with San when they had told him he had never met the bandits? She was no woman from the city either so on what occasion should she have seen San?

Hongjoong sent a suspicious glance into Wooyoung's peaceful face.

What were he and San hiding?