Minho had been watching the boy since he entered the market. He'd grown up in the town so he practically knew everyone here... besides, as an outlaw it always helped to know what was going on in the town. 

Of course, on market day, there was always people from different places here. So really, why Minho continued to watch the boy he didn't know. The boy's expressions were so clear on his face, going backwards and forwards between happiness, shock and sadness. Curiosity was there too... maybe he was new here? 

"Right I have something!"

Minho whipped his head round to a grinning Onew.

"You what?"

Onew rolled his eyes. "I've found out something..." Minho looked around and then, when he was sure they wouldn't be overheard, motioned for Onew to continue. "Well in two days time, Alec is having money transferred to the treasury, because he thinks it'll be safer there" they both grinned at this. They hadn't once been caught stealing from the treasury but Alec sure noticed the sizeable amounts disappearing from it every now and then. "And get this..." Onew looked around again. "He's having a necklace transported up there too... apparently it has a large sapphire on it"

"I believe we had our next target then" Minho said with a smile. "I guess you heard this all from Jessica again?" Onew nodded. He'd known Jessica for a long time, since they were kids in fact. Jessica was so obviously in love with Onew but Onew pretended not to notice. Her mother worked in the castles kitchen and her father grew vegetables which Jessica would sell at the market. 

She had no clue that was Onew was an outlaw but still told him anything she knew about what was going on at the castle. She'd unknowingly helped them out on more than one occasion.  

"Well, we'll keep Key happy at any rate" Onew chuckled before beginning to converse with a customer. 

Minho looked about the market again only to find the boy he'd been watching before now sitting on the floor right next to him. Minho frowned but went back to selling... until he saw the boy move... 

He couldn't help but watch, eyes flitting back between this newcomer and a family of nobles that had just entered the market, and before long he watched the boy steal the purse. 

He raised an eyebrow but continued to watch, along with the rest of the market as the noble began to yell at the boy for "bumping into him". The sight made Minho smile. They boy was so obviously an amateur at the thieving game but to everyone else, nobles included, it really did just look like the boy had bumped into him. Minho just knew where to look... he supposed Onew would as well. 

As if reading his mind, Onew turned to look at him but Minho just shrugged watching the nobles leave the market completely. 

"Could I have a dozen eggs please?" Minho's eyes widened as his head swiveled to face the voice. He was completely stunned. Not only was it the boy he'd just watched nick off a noble, the boy had one of the most incredible, and not to mention happiest, smiles he had ever seen.

"Err... Yeah..." Minho blinked himself out of his daze and began gathering up the eggs. "How are you planning to carry these?"

The boy tilted his head in confusion. "C-carry?" He seemed to look around him in defeat.

"How odd..." Minho thought "Doesn't everyone bring a basket or something to market?"

"I-I don't know..." 

"How cute..."  Minho had to stop himself from chuckling. "You could always buy a basket then head back here?" he offered and the boy smiled. 

"Will do, thanks..." he made to leave.

"You know... You should keep that purse a little better hidden... it doesn't match your outfit..." Minho chuckled.

~*~ 

"It what..?" Taemin looked at the purse in his hand and then back at the smiling egg seller. Did he know? But how did he know? He thought he'd carried out the whole thing well... without anyone seeing... if he'd seen something then what about others? What if one of the guards had seen? What was he going to do..?

"Clam down" Taemin's eyes snapped back to the egg seller whose eyes shone with amusement. "If someone had seen you'd know about it..."

"Then what about you?" Taemin asked, eyes narrowed in more of a pout than a frown and if anything this amused the egg seller more. 

"Lets just say I'm more observant than most..."

Taemin relaxed. Something told him that the other wasn't going to turn him in. 

From behind him some sort of commotion had started and looking about the Market he saw something which made his heart pound. 

The nobles were back. And they didn't look happy... "oh dear" he muttered... He would have to get out of here somehow... And soon. He watched the nobles for a while but for now they didn't seem to be coming this way yet. 

Looking closely Taemin thought he recognized some of the nobles... And whilst that wasn't overly bad, what was worse was that they could recognize him... He really needed to get going... But how did he get back through the Market place without being seen...?

~*~

Minho watched the boy watch the nobles and saw him stiffen. Before long one of the nobles, the very one the boy had stolen the purse off of, heading their way, eyes scanning the area.  He saw the boy tense, ready to run and moved over to him. 

"Don't run..."

The boy jumped. "You do that they'll instantly know it was you"

"But what do I do?"

Minho looked at the noble who was only getting closer and made a decision. He flipped the two of them round so that now his back was to the noble and held the boy close to him, ignoring the blush on the other's cheek. He looked to Onew and saw him nod. 

Minho could hear the noble yelling behind him now and made his move knowing that Onew would make his too. He leaned forward and captured the boy's lips. WIth his hair falling over his face, he would so easily be mistaken for a girl and the noble would just walk past them and everything would go the way Minho would expect it to. What he didn't expect was the softness of the boy's lips or the way his heart began to pound. 

As the Noble came closer to them he ignored Minho and Taemin comletely. After all, he wasn't looking for the egg seller or what he thought was a gril. Onew moved away from the eggs and "accidentally" fell into a wine stall knocking one of the jugs over and spilling the wine all over the noble. 

The man near screamed at him and Onew jumped up and ran. The man yelled some more and stomped off the way he came. 

Minho and Taemin had separated some moments ago monet neither of them had moved. Minho and Taemin stared attach other for what seemed to be hours when reality it only seemed to be seconds. Minho was the one to snap out of it. He blinked for a couple of seconds before moving away for the blushing Taemin. "We shouldn't stick around..." Minho said with a blush still present on his face. The outlaw started packing up the stall leaving Taemin standing there looking lost, cheeks still bright red. "Come on..." Minho said softly. He carried the eggs in a large lined basket and other bits and pieces in one hand and grabbed Taemin's hand with the other, dragging him away the market. Taemin's mind had stopped working. He had no idea where he was being taken and he couldn't for the life of him get his heart beat to slow down any....

~*~

So what are we thinking so far? Is it worth continuing?