bein' on vacation [TCF Fic]

bein' on vacation

Choi Han

Choi Han couldn't have foreseen this sight when he entered Cale's room.

"What are you doing?" Cale, in a mini version of his black Commander uniform, asked, his usual stoic expression quite strange on his childlike face. His small hands held the numerous papers Choi Han had been sent to retrieve and deliver to the capital, but Cale didn't quite manage to straighten the papers out while holding them out. "Come and take the documents already."

Choi Han blinked. "Cale.. -nim?" he uttered, absolutely floored.

"Take the documents," the red-haired child ordered in the familiar cold, no-nonsense tone that everyone who interacted with the Commander was quite used to.

Automatically, Choi Han found his body mechanically taking the documents and storing them safety away in his spatial pocket bag.

Cale sent him a look that could be identified as mildly confused if someone looked closely enough. "You can deliver them now." The dismissal was quite clear.

Choi Han couldn't move, however. "But, Cale-nim.."

"What is it?" the other sighed, frowning. "Does the prince need something?"

"No, but, Cale-nim, you look very.." Choi Han gestured to the red-haired child, looking scarily young like Lily Henituse. But instead of being energetic like his sister, he slouched in the gigantic seat that was way too big for a child like him. The sword master could even identify a lot of pillows Cale sat on. "Young?"

"It's temporary," Cale said, shrugging with one shoulder. The words were said nonchalant, even calm. Choi Han still frowned lightly and before he could comment on it, the child added, "And it isn't harmful. I'm fine."

Choi Han frowned harder. "How did this happen?" he asked lowly, a hot feeling rushing through his body.

"Doesn't matter," the redhead viciously shot down.

Looking pale and so young, the sword master found himself taking a step back from such a cold tone that was spoken by a child. It was, at the same time, a quite familiar feeling; the feel of Cale, normally the weakest of them, suddenly feeling as big as a mountain, as threatening as nature itself.

Choi Han didn't want to back down, but he did. "All right," he sighed, resolutely ignoring the goosebumps that had broken over his skin and turned around to go to the capital. "I'll be back, Cale-nim."

"Don't be hurt and come back," Cale responded indifferently back.

Choi Han smiled. Typical.

"Of course."

It didn't even take Choi Han half a day to complete his tasks and let the situation of the day sink in. So, he found himself standing before the disgruntled Cale, who sat on his bed with a child version of a sleepwear.

"Choi Han, you're back!" Raon exclaimed happily. The Black Dragon was precautionary perching on the red-haired child's shoulder. "Look what I did! I made our weak human into a child! Now he's the youngest one!"

The sword master nodded, patiently observing the annoyed furrow of Cale's brow. "Amazing," he praised. And it was amazing, but Cale, who was a central figure in the happenings right now, couldn't be seen like that by their enemies. The adult Cale had been weak, but his child body should be even weaker. Choi Han sat down next to Cale, trying and failing not to notice that the bed noticeably dipped more with his weight on it than Cale's. Clearing his suddenly parched throat, he asked gently, "Do you know how to turn Cale-nim back?"

"Goldie Gramps said it should take some time," the Dragon said with sparkling eyes. Cale's eyes, in comparison, looked deadpan as if the whole situation was a lost cause. Raon crawled into the redhead's arms, snugly fitting into his crossed arms even though they were more smaller than before. Cale didn't even seem to notice as he adjusted his position accordingly. "It's all right! The crown prince gave our human some free days before I did it!"