catchall ✧ this is our story.

[regression]

WHO: Yoo Joonghyuk and you! Friends. Not-friends.
WHAT: Catchall forever
WHERE: Netherworld general
WHEN: The present, the future
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary.

Look at me. I am woven together by story, held firm by myth. Look at me. I will tell you of the men that ate me bloody. I will tell you of how ferociously I bit my way out of their stomachs.

— Venetta Octavia, The Alchemy of Smallness —

Comments

[boarwitness]

I did the same. They knocked me out for my efforts, but the branding woke me up. Then they knocked me out again.

[luckily, he has a hard head. still, a line of dried blood trails down the side of his face, smudged with grime.

he watches joonghyuk attempt the chains, and purses his lips. no easy out this time.]

No. And judging from your question, they didn't tell you, either. [he huffs, and stares at their bonds.] I'm going to cut down every person responsible for this.

[regression]

[ Felix needs a harder head because apparently Joonghyuk just stayed conscious during all of that. Which is better is up to the beholder. His lips press into a firm line as he finds a place in the cell to settle so they can Formulate something. ]

Too busy unjustly arresting me and others. [ Obviously. ] You'll need your blade first.

[ Unfortunately, the sword boys are without their swords. They seem to have stripped Joonghyuk of everything and left him with the loincloth. Is that necessary? Why? ]

[boarwitness]

We can assume everyone in this wretched place is in the same boat, then. Some leadership system.

[he doesn't need it rudely pointed out that he's minus sword though, thanks??? sir that's his comfort weapon

leaning over to joonghyuk, he narrows his eyes as his voice drops.]

If we make enough noise, someone will come. Then all we have to do is lure them into our cell on some pretence. Killing each other should work.

[not for real, obviously?]

[regression]

The Hierarchy is incompetent.

[ But Joonghyuk doesn't sound surprised as much as he is inconvenienced. The guards are talking amongst each other, basically ignoring them despite how they're devising a plan in front of their noses.

Hm. He isn't against this idea, however. ]

We have to be loud.

[ Which he doesn't like, but whatever. ]

[boarwitness]

Obviously. Even you should be able to yell if you need to.

[he watches the guards for a minute, waiting until they're seriously deep in conversation before continuing.]

Make up a problem, start a fight verbally, and I'll attack you. Then we grapple each other until they come into the cell—and we swap to killing whatever guard is closest.

[the pretend issue is clearly up to joonghyuk, but the physical bar will be set by felix.]

Ready when you are.

[regression]

[ DID I JUST NEVER SEND MY TAG A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO..... HELP

The guards really don't care about the two of them, just preferring to entertain each other with gallows gossip. Joonghyuk is astounded by the lack of care in the staff here, but isn't surprised.

Why does he have to make up an issue? Can't they just start to rumble without needing some pretense? ]

We're in this mess because of you.

[ Blaming Felix sounds good enough. ]

[boarwitness]

[wow! personal! and actually probably not wrong, come to think of it. maybe they didn't like him killing puck. oh well!

felix thinks on this statement for a moment, and growls back:]

Maybe if you were any help at all, we wouldn't be here to begin with!

[he raises his voice at the end, and gives joonghyuk a solid push in the chest, a large and dramatic action, but without much actual force or anger. still, the guards look up, interrupted from their chatter, and go silent, now watching their little performance.]

[regression]

[ It was the easiest and maybe somewhat true, not that Joonghyuk cares. He thinks they shouldn't have been arrested in the first place, but here they are. His heels dig into the ground, but his upper body does lean back due to the Perceived force—their acting is impeccable.

His hand goes for Felix's neck, swift and cutting through the air it basically makes a dramatic sound. The guard's eyes widen as Joonghyuk grips, but..... It is not tight, but with the way his fingers flex and the vein popping on the back of his hand it should be convincing? ]

We would just be in this jail cell earlier if I helped you!

[ He doesn't know. He's just saying whatever. ]

[boarwitness]

[at this nonsense, felix can't help but make an exasperated scoff.]

Do you even hear what you're saying, idiot?

[he grabs joonghyuk's wrists, and makes a show of trying to fight him off, not actually trying at all. for good measure, he aims a pulled punch at his "aggressor"'s solar plexus.]

Get off of me!

[the guards are starting to move, now—coming over to the cell, opening the door. maybe they're cocky because it's two guards on two prisoners, but they don't even shut the door as they enter.

as they approach, felix leans towards joonghyuk, and hisses a whisper.]

We both take out the left, then the right.

[regression]

[ This is a very specific place, but I actually know where this is. Joonghyuk catches the "punch" and pretends he's about to give Felix a Nasty headbutt when Felix leans in with a hiss.

Despite this being a plan they both agreed on, he leers at Felix just for giving him commands. Will he say anything? No. Why? Because they agreed on it. That doesn't mean he can't be peeved.

When the guards approach, only one of them holding a club, Joonghyuk releases Felix's neck and goes for a high kick to the ribcage. The guard stumbles with a yell that overshadows the sound of breaking bone and falls against their partner, forcing them to stay in place as support. It's your turn, small sword boy. ]

[boarwitness]

[what was that look for??? felix can't help but scowl darkly in return, despite the fact that he makes no objection, and clearly listens to his commands. tall people should die, actually.

as soon as joonghyuk kicks the guard, felix rushes in and... bodily tackles the man? it's completely mismatched, considering the physical class of the two men—but with a grunt and a heave, there's a second of air—and the injured guard is knocked completely off his feet. the afterthought grappling classes are really coming in clutch, here.

for good measure, felix kicks the downed man in the dick, because honor and chivalry is for other people, especially other people not currently engaged in a prison break. then, without hesitation, he throws himself on the standing guard, attempting to grapple him into place for joonghyuk to do whatever he wants to do.]

[regression]

[ how do they communicate in silence and leers

What Joonghyuk does since his guard is being handled by Felix is to pulse check the bruised dick guard on the floor. By pulse check, I really mean he's checking their pockets for a key. When they try to pick themselves up with haggard breaths, he puts them down and out with swift jabs to three pressure points.

They're snoozing now while unshackles the iron clasped on his ankles. His attention shifts to the other struggle in the cell. The standing guard, despite sore and possibly broken ribs, does their best to wrestle Felix and stand his ground.]

Duck.

[ It's a command, not the animal. ]

[boarwitness]

[the second guard is on felix before he can move, and the mismatch isn't working out when he's on the back foot. his punches and kicks are practically worthless in this situation.

so, when joonghyuk says "duck", felix ducks—although his expression is just as sour at being told what to do, here, even if it's to save himself from being knocked out a second time.]

[regression]

[ It isn't fancy or stylish. All Joonghyuk does is twirl the chains like a whip and lashes the metal straight into the guard's face. How are they supposed to be prepare for this? They let out a cry, staggering back straight into the wall.

As they have this short time, he passes Felix the key for his shackles and unceremoniously leashes the guard with the very restraints they put on him. ]