Techno is, by all means, not a good person.

He's a bounty hunter, after all. A glorified assassin, a freelance hitman set out to kill those that give the biggest paychecks. He's been doing this for as long as he could remember, his hands stained with crimson more often than not. It's not that he really wants to do this, but it's just convenient. It's what he's used to, what he's always done and what he will probably continue to do. At this point, it's more troublesome to try integrating himself into regular society than just staying in his rather questionable line of work. And it's not like he's personally bothered by it, either. Any shred of moral integrity had been torn away years ago, and right now he just really doesn't give a shit beyond getting to the prize and getting there first.

He's a bounty hunter, after all, and the Prince of the South has one hell of an attractive bounty on his head.

He shifts from his place atop the trees, peeking out to check his surroundings for the nth time. He's in the woods just at the outskirts of the capital, having gotten the information prior that the prince tends to take late night walks. Really, he's surprised he hadn't died by now, especially when he's been doing it for literal years. If not to another bounty hunter, then surely to the beasts of the night he would perish. Ah, well, Techno's at least glad that he can claim the bounty for himself at this rate. At the sight of a small light moving in the distance, he relaxes against the trunk. It was just a matter of time, now.

He really doesn't know what warranted anyone to put a bounty on the prince's head, not to mention one that high. Usually bounties were placed on criminals or generally shitty people, and from others' accounts it doesn't seem like the prince is that kind of person. If anything, he seems generally well-liked by both the general public and the higher class. Ah, well, Techno isn't really one to judge. He's only here for the money, and everyone is equal when faced with his weapons anyway. If anything, they probably just want to get him of the line of inheritance or something. It's uncommon, yes, as it's mostly a job left to hired assassins rather than bounty hunters. However, it isn't entirely improbable.

At the sound of rustling leaves and muted footsteps slowly creeping closer, Techno breaks himself out of his train of thought and tenses up with bated breath. He's alert, vigilant, and waiting for an opportunity for when his target comes closer. After a few more seconds, the telltale golden glow of a lantern shines directly under the branch he's on, and he wastes no time and jumps.

A muffled shriek is elicited out of the prince as Techno lands directly on his back, knocking him to the ground. They struggle for a bit, and the assassin is admittedly caught a little off guard when the prince is stronger than he thought he would be. He dodges the first stab of his knife which embeds into the dirt instead, and kicks him square in the chest and rolls away in an attempt to escape. Unfortunately for him, this kind of situation is common to the bounty hunter because he recovers quickly and makes chase.

The prince is also smarter than he looks, though, because he swiftly dodges Techno's incoming tackle which sends him tumbling to the ground. He grits his teeth as he braces for impact, but doesn't waste a single second in grabbing at his victim's cloak to pull him down with him. The prince gasps as he ends up sprawled on top of Techno, legs locked around his waist to prevent movement and both wrists held in the strong grip of one hand above their heads.

"Will you stop... fucking... moving?" Techno grits his teeth, grunting as he gets kicked in the side while he tries to flip their positions. Thankfully, he succeeds in pinning the prince under him while still holding onto his wrists. To his credit, he only winces slightly when his head hits the ground roughly and he doesn't stop struggling even as the bounty hunter's weight is pressing down on him.

"What do you expect me to do when I'm about to die!?" He hisses out, attempting to force himself into a sitting position only to cry out as he gets knocked down again. Techno would pity him if he were a decent person.

"Stay still and accept your fate." He mutters, not exactly willing to chat too much with a soon-to-be corpse.

"What the hell? How about no?" The prince's voice trails off at a high pitch in an incredulous tone, and Techno only rolls his eyes. The bounty hunter wields another blade using his other hand, but it's then that he realizes their position.

The prince's face is illuminated by the golds of candlelight and the silver of the night sky above, tracing his ethereal features perfectly. Freckled cheeks are painted with the carmine of exertion, and flaxen locks frame the sides of his face that give him a soft look. Wild chartreuse eyes look up at him in palpable fear, and for some reason Techno relishes the shiver he elicits when the cold steel of his knife meets the prince's skin. Now that he has a good look at his face, he's rather attractive.

It's a shame that he still has a job to do, and one he's not letting himself fail.

"I'm going to take you out." Techno growls, pressing the blade even further into the prince's throat. A thin rivulet of blood trickles downward and stains the pristine collar.

"Great!" He squeaks, loud and sudden enough to make Techno's grip falter ever so slightly. Jeez, the guy sure was loud. It startles him enough that he lets his guard down. The pressure from the knife on the prince's neck is ever so slightly alleviated, and it doesn't go unnoticed.

"Heh?" Techno blinks.

"It's a date, see you at five tomorrow at town square!" The prince has the audacity to wink.

"What." He stares at the prince, deadpan and monotone and not entirely sure what the hell is going on. What the hell is wrong with this guy? One moment he was terrified, and now he's attempting to... flirt? Is that what's going on here? Techno has never had a human interaction like this before.

"Yep! Don't leave me hanging!" In his moment of confusion and weakness, he's pushed off suddenly and he lets out a small noise as he hits the ground roughly. His crimson eyes follow the retreating figure, dumbfounded. Ah, so it was an escape tactic. Well played, honestly. He looks at his hands sadly and tightens his grip on the knife.

"... I meant that as a threat."