Midnight Season (V)

[bbyah]

Title: The Midnight Season
Rating: PG-13 (some medical gore)
Pairing: Homin
Genre: AU, Pseudo-Victorian Era
Summary: There's nothing pretty about this love story. A sickness is spreading through the city, in more ways than one. It's a bad season for growing.



prev

The campus is fairly quiet this late in the afternoon. All the teachers have left for the day, and the students not gallivanting across the city are tucked away amongst their books.

Despite the sensitive nature of their situation, Changmin finds himself more at ease in the familiar surroundings. He’s spent countless days and nights here, studying and learning. The memories are trivial, but especially important to him now: sitting with his friends on the stairs to the library, crossing the commons to grab a bite to eat, napping under a tree between classes.

He might never feel that normalcy again. These will probably be his last steps on the pathways he’s grown so fond of. Meanwhile, Yunho is like a kid in a candy shop. His head is whipping around, taking it all in.

“So what do you think of city academia?” Changmin asks, walking backwards so he can watch Yunho as they walk.

“It’s amazing. I never imagined a place like this would be made just for students. All we have back home is a schoolhouse,” Yunho says.

Changmin tilts his head. “What did they teach?”

“Y’know...the basics. Arithmetic, some reading, a little writing...I bet that seems kind of small-time to you, huh?”

“A little. They have entire degrees based on each of those,” Changmin says. “But to be honest, none of that really matters. None of my fellow students can hold a candle to you.”

“And what about you? Do they hold a candle to you?”

Changmin bites his lips and slants a suggestive look at Yunho. “I wouldn’t mind you holding a candle over me.”

Yunho’s eyes get big and he clears his throat, glancing away sharply. “Stop doing that,” he mutters.

Changmin complies with a laugh and leads them towards the dormitories.

The descent into the dorms is like walking into a different world. Past the stairs and somewhat respectable common room are the private wings, and despite belonging to some of the century’s brightest talent, they are disgusting. Changmin had hastily swapped his own dorm for a room in the nearby downtown after a memorable incident involving enthusiasm and chemistry homework.

A familiar figure is draped against a wooden side table, book and a bottle of something definitely prohibited in hand.

“Studying going well, I see,” Changmin observes.

The book drops to reveal Minho’s handsome face, eyes wide with surprise.

“Changmin! Where- I heard you’d been arrested! Fucking Kyuhyun, what a liar,” he says, grinning.

“No, for once, Kyuhyun wasn’t making anything up,” Changmin says. “Minho, I’d like you to meet my new friend, Jung Yunho. He’s helping me out with a bit of a problem.”

Minho gapes at them. “You...you’re arrested? Did you make bail or something? Is...is he...” He gestures to Yunho.

“Sort of,” Changmin says.

“Changmin’s got quite a talent for convincing people he’s not all that bad,” Yunho says, elbowing Changmin in the side.

Minho nods sagely. "I feel you there. Choi Minho, nice to meet you."

Changmin grimaces. “Listen, I’d love to talk, but is Kyuhyun around? It’s kind of important.”

Minho’s lips twist, and he points down the hall to the room he and Kyuhyun share.

“I’ve been banned from the room until you’re gone. You owe me a beer and a story whenever you’re done doing potentially illegal things. You can bring this guy too,” he says.

“Pleasure’s all mine,” Yunho says.

Changmin knocks on the door and they wait. There’s some banging and rustling among the other sounds of someone really struggling to make it to the door. Yunho seems concerned.

“Y’think he’s okay...?” he asks.

“I think so. Kyuhyun has a bit of a problem with ‘collecting’,” Changmin says.

Finally the door opens, and Kyuhyun’s head pops out.

“Hi, quick, get in before that asshole Minho notices.”

Minho narrows his eyes from across the room and takes a sip from his bottle.

“Always watching you, bro."

“I regret introducing you to each other, always,” Changmin says, pressing a knuckle against his forehead in mock-exasperation.

“We’re thinking of marriage,” Kyuhyun says, blowing a kiss to Minho before tugging Yunho and Changmin into his room.

“Okay, so I’ve been doing some research based on your notes-” Kyuhyun stumbles around piles of books with practiced ease, slipping on one when he steps on it.

Yunho is stiff as he takes in the room with something akin to horror in his eyes. Changmin sighs. It occurs to him too late that maybe he should have warned Yunho about the strange habits of his classmates.

“What in hell’s name-” Yunho whispers.

Like Changmin, Kyuhyun and Minho tend to take their schoolwork back home with them. The room is littered with assorted bones and anatomical models on almost every flat surface. The walls are plastered with posters and case study photos of various stages of decay and musculature diagrams.

Kyuhyun looks up, confusion in his wary eyes.

“Something wrong?” he asks.

“I forgot most people consider your decor rather eclectic...” Changmin says.

“The morgue was more inviting than this,” Yunho says, prodding at a model skull on the floor with his toe.

“Thanks. We do try,” Kyuhyun says. He waves a notebook around. “Seriously, come here, I started trying to classify the disease. It’s all guesswork, though- were you able to track down a body? I really need a sample before I can do much.”

“One should be here before midnight. We have a few hours until then- how can I help?” Changmin asks.

Kyuhyun holds the notebook out to him. “I need you to walk me through these one more time. I want all the gruesome details.”

Changmin takes the notebook and glances at Yunho.

“How about we pop a few bottles out in the living room? Maybe Minho will have some good input too.” he suggests.

“He’s trustworthy?” Yunho asks.

“Oh, absolutely. Especially after a few drinks,” Changmin says with a smile.

An hour and three rounds of beer later, they’re scattered around the living room. Minho theorizes wildly from his horizontal position on the couch. Kyuhyun’s face is red as he scribbles derivatives and efficacy equations on napkins spread over the table.

Changmin is cross-legged, halfway on Yunho’s lap, listening to the conjecture as he brings a bottle to his lips. Yunho strokes his knee, lost in thought.

“Contact tracing is out, not possible, not in this city,” Minho says. “I mean, maybe...maybe the professor kept a log! Maybe we can steal the log!”

“I think we’ve pushed our luck in terms of stealing from the professor, Choi,” Kyuhyun says, shaking his head. “I mean, like you said, at this point, it’d be almost impractical to trace the transmission. I don’t see even someone who was invested in the spread being able to track ...say, tertiary contact. I dunno, it seems stupidly difficult. And unnecessary, if your only motive is being an asshole.”

“But we don’t know that! Maybe the professor’s some kind of evil genius. Meticulous, y’know?”

Yunho leans over to Changmin’s ear. "Your friends keep mixing you up with your professor,“ he says.

Changmin turns to face him. “I’m a lot more attractive than him, I hope.”

“I can't really be sure until I see him,” Yunho says, before tilting his head. Kyuhyun and Minho are in the middle of a debate about dynamic models and the possibility of latent phases.

“Do you understand all of this?” Yunho asks.

“Barely, and neither do they,” Changmin says with a laugh. “The hilarious part is that none of us are epidemiology majors, so all of this is sort of B.S. to kill time.”

Yunho squints. “Are all students like you?”

Changmin raises his eyebrows at Yunho. “I don’t know, what am I like?” he asks quietly, letting his fingers trail under Yunho’s sleeve. Yunho grabs them and holds his hand up.

“Not in front of your friends,” he says.

“I like Changmin’s friend better than Changmin,” Kyuhyun declares around a mouthful of napkins.

“New theory! Kyuhyun framed Changmin, he did it!” Minho says.

Yunho leans forward. “How do you know I didn’t do it? Kyuhyun hired me, so I could get Changmin out of the way and improve his reputation.”

Minho collapses in a fit of laughter. “That doesn’t even make sense, hahaha-”

“I think we might be a little bit too drunk to be doing autopsies,” Changmin mumbles.

“We have until midnight to get sober,” Kyuhyun says, nodding to himself. “No problem! In the meantime- get me another bottle, Minho.”

Changmin leans back and closes his eyes. Minho and Kyuhyun are railing against Yunho’s common sense now, and it brings a smile to his face.

The realization he won’t be able to enjoy this kind of company again flits to life and stabs at his throat. If they make their counterattack public, there’s bound to be retaliation. Changmin and Yunho are runaways. It’s integral that Yunho keep a low profile. Changmin’s settled on it before he finishes the thought- Kyuhyun, Minho, and Yunho will not be involved. This is his responsibility. It weighs him down against the couch.

“What’s bugging you,” Yunho whispers in his ear.

“I’m feeling happy,” Changmin murmurs.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Yunho’s arm slips around his waist.

“This won’t last.”

“You let me worry about that.” Yunho’s words are a hot burn on his skin.

It’s so comforting to believe them.

A familiar truck pulls up the gravel drive to the operating theater. Changmin notes it’s been freshly painted.

Jaejoong hops out of the cab, covered head to toe in boots and a long coat. A hat is pulled low over his eyes. He saunters over to where Changmin, Yunho, Minho, and Kyuhyun are waiting.

“Long time no see, Kyuhyun, Minho,” Jaejoong says, bobbing his head. “I didn’t know you two were in this too.”

“College students,” Minho says with a slur, shrugging. “Can’t keep us out of trouble.”

“Are you drunk?” Jaejoong asks, a slight smile spreading across his lips.

“College students,” Minho repeats.

“Why don’t you guys grab a gurney, we’ll check out the body. I don’t want anyone but myself touching it now,” Changmin says. He pulls on a pair of latex gloves, enjoying the comforting feel of them against his skin, and hands another pair to Yunho, just in case.

Yunho heads to the back of the truck, and Changmin follows him. Jaejoong trails along, boots crunching in the gravel.

“You owe me. Or rather, you owe Junsu and Yoochun. This one wasn’t easy to get. And of course, who knows if we’re in danger of infection or not...,” he says.

“Hm. Then we’re even, considering you owed me a night in jail,” Changmin shoots back.

Jaejoong snorts, then looks at Changmin seriously.

“Really, though. Is there a chance one of us might catch this? How does it work?”

“I’m not entirely sure. It becomes evident after death. I’ve handled a lot of the victims, and I’m fine. I don’t think it’s spread by contact,” Changmin says. He thinks back to the water. “Most likely, you’d need to ingest something infected with the disease.”

Jaejoong is silent. Yunho knocks on the side of the truck with his knuckles.

“Open it up?” he asks.

Jaejoong wrenches the door open with a loud squeal of metal. Something in a burlap sack is slouched in a dark corner, deathly still.

“And there’s our million dollar baby,” Kyuhyun says with a clap, popping up behind them.

Changmin glances at Yunho. His face is cool, eyes fixated on the sack.

“Stay here. I’ll grab it,” Changmin says, and hoists himself up.

“In for a dollar, in for a dime, right?” Yunho says, before climbing up after Changmin.

Jaejoong scoffs and walks off to the front of the truck.

It takes only a few minutes to get the body settled on its gurney, with Minho standing at the helm like a ship captain. Jaejoong starts to climb into the cab, but turns around as if remembering something.

“It was nice seeing you all again,” he says. “I wish it could have been under different circumstances.” He turns to Yunho. “And it was nice to meet you, Jung Yunho. I hope you manage to find a better life after all this is over. You and Changmin...well, you’ll be fine together.”

Yunho nods. “Glad to hear you think so.”

Jaejoong’s eyes flick to the side.

“Do me a tiny favor? Even though you said you wouldn’t,” he says.

“I’ll decide after I hear it,” Changmin says.

“Stop this thing, will you? I know we were going with it, but it’s becoming too dangerous. Keeping Junsu and Yoochun out of trouble...well, it’s a lot harder with some awful disease rumbling around town. We need to make a living, too, you know.” He offers a hand to Changmin and Yunho. “If you can manage it...I might just owe you another favor.”

Changmin looks at Yunho and shrugs, before grabbing Jaejoong’s hand. Jaejoong tugs him close, leaning down towards his ear. “Don’t trust anything the teacher says.”

He’s released in a split second, and Jaejoong has slammed the door and started the truck before he can process the words.

“Bye, Jaejoong!” Kyuhyun calls, waving.

Yunho taps Changmin’s hip. “What was that?”

Changmin watches Jaejoong through the window. “...Advice,” he says finally.

The truck backs up and trundles out of sight. They turn back to the body, and Changmin runs a hand through his hair with a sigh.

“Now for the fun part,” Minho says.

“Well, hello there gorgeous,” Kyuhyun says, pulling the burlap sack off the body and tossing it in the incinerator. They’re all decked out in paper aprons and gloves, even Yunho, although he’s parked on a stool far away from the body.

“Can’t believe I’m watching this,” he mutters.

Changmin ignores him. “Let’s open him up,” he says, adjusting a surgical mask over his mouth and nose.

“It’s all yours, bro,” Minho says, gesturing with a bow.

The body lies before him, a great expanse of pale, grey flesh and dark veins webbing in and out of sight. Changmin lets himself observe, reacquaints himself with the presence of a cadaver. This was once a man, and from the composition of his body, appears to have lost a great amount of weight fairly quickly. He checks out the gums- as expected, in bad shape. The lips and the tips of the fingers are dark.

“The blood oxygen levels must have been poor,” he says, glancing at Minho. “Are you ready for me to start?”

Minho nods. “Go for it.” Minho has a superhuman talent for dictations, able to remember every minute detail the doctor rattled off.

“Blood oxygen levels low, subject has complete cyanosis in the extremities and lips,” Changmin repeats. “Disease potentially attacks respiratory or cardiac activity. Kyuhyun, what sort of sample do you need?”

Kyuhyun looks up from where he’s tagging his vials and instruments. “Blood. Skin tissue. Anything that looks suspicious, really, lesions, weak tissue, you tell me.”

Changmin takes a deep breath, and nods. “Okay.” He picks up a scalpel.

The first incision is made on the chest. He peels back the skin, then uses a saw to cut around the ribs. The top of the chest lifts in one neat section.

“Ignoring the obvious decomposition-,” he says to Minho. “There’s not much visibly out of place. But everything’s sort of...”

“Swollen,” Minho finishes, eyebrows furrowed as he peers at the distended organs.

“Very much so. Kyuhyun? You might want to get some samples here. Heart, lungs...it’s all oversized.” Changmin moves out of the way as Kyuhyun comes forward with a thick syringe and tongs.

Yunho is sitting with his hands shoved in his pockets, head tilted towards the ceiling.

“Not feeling squeamish, are you, Jung?” Changmin calls out.

“You forget where I’m from,” Yunho says, not opening his eyes. “I’ve slaughtered my share of pigs.”

“I hope this is somewhat different,” Changmin says. Kyuhyun snorts behind his mask, bent over the body.

“Not as much as you’d hope,” Yunho says. He finally opens his eyes and looks down at the body, gaze sharp and focused on the gaping chest cavity. “How long do you think this will take?”

“Almost done, to be honest,” Kyuhyun replies.

He's interrupted by the sound of a door slamming from somewhere in the building.

Changmin’s blood turns into ice water in his veins. He stares in the direction of the double doors, mind racing and ears straining to determine where the noise came from. It’s useless, though; there’s only the buzz of silence.

Next to him, Minho is likewise on full alert, eyes wide with disbelief. Yunho has hopped off his stool, body tensed as he looks to them for an explanation.

The sound of metal clinking together snaps Changmin out of it. Kyuhyun has begun working furiously.

“I’m gonna grab whatever I can get my hands on. I have no clue who the fuck that is,” he says, voice calm but tremulous.

Changmin nods as a cold sweat begins to chill his skin, and he heads over to Yunho.

“We need to- uh, we need to get the body- get it out of here,” he says, before whirling around to Minho. “Minho, you and Kyuhyun need to get out.”

“Right after Kyuhyun gets the samples, bro,” Minho says.

Yunho grabs Changmin’s arm, pulling him close. “We really need to not be caught here, or in general,” he says.

Changmin nods, trying to organize his thoughts and come up with some sort of plan. Someone’s in the building, somewhere, and they're in a restricted building with a criminal record, a fairly illegal cadaver, and very few exit routes.

A new square of light casts on the floor, and their heads snap up to the window near the ceiling- the head doctor’s office. There’s a shadow moving about, one Changmin recognizes from the slightly hunched, massive stature.

Changmin didn’t know his stomach could lurch quite as intensely as it does.

“It’s- it’s the professor,” he says, mouth dry.

The shadow comes closer to the blinds, reaching out to the string that will reveal everything, and Changmin tries to gauge how quickly he and Yunho can ride the gurney out the door-

The room plunges into darkness with a click.

The blinds slide up, and the professor stands there, squinting into the dark theater.

“Who’s down there?” he demands, voice muffled by the glass.

Changmin turns slowly to Yunho. He can barely make out his hand on the lightswitch. Yunho motions to him- now what.

Changmin stands, perfectly still, and glances back at the professor. From where they’re standing, well out of the square of light from the window, he realizes they must be impossible to see.

“He can’t see us,” he whispers, then swallows. Maybe he and Yunho can leave-

“It’s us, Professor. I’m sorry,” Minho says, grinning sheepishly as he steps, somewhat unsteadily, into the light.

Changmin nearly bites off his tongue.

“Choi Minho, is that you?” The professor asks, squinting. “Who’s with you?”

Kyuhyun stumbles forward, hands free of any tools or vials. He ruffles his hair, and scrunches up his face in distress.

“I am so sorry, prof! Really, we didn’t mean to- just- it seemed like a great idea? After a few bottles, at least. I think I...might have gone past my limit,” he complains, wobbling.

The professor drops his head to remove his spectacles and rub at his eyes. Changmin can barely make out his mouth moving, muttering to himself.

“Just- just stay there, I’m coming down,” he says, before he shuffles to the door.

Kyuhyun and Minho high five, before turning to Changmin.

“Get out of here, bro. We’ve got this,” Kyuhyun says. “Don’t worry about the cure, I got what I need.”

Changmin shakily exhales. Yunho’s grabbed the gurney, the very infectious cadaver still wide open upon it.

“We need to incinerate this-” Changmin says.

Yunho interrupts him. “We need to kill the professor.”

“What?” Minho asks.

“What?” Changmin repeats. He tries to see Yunho’s face clearly, but there’s only edges of light in the darkness. The strange exhilaration is back, the same feeling Yunho’s anger in the cemetery churned up.

“Don't you think so? Better than more people dying because of this sick fuck.”

Changmin’s eyes drop to the body on the gurney. “We...we can’t, there’s not enough evidence-”

“Isn’t there? We both saw it, you seemed pretty convinced earlier.” Yunho leans against the wall. “Anyways, I’m just saying. If it comes to it...it wouldn’t be wrong.”

The doorknob wiggles, and Changmin lunges forward and forces Yunho down behind the gurney with him. He crouches, grip tight in the fabric of Yunho’s shirt. He tries to control his breathing as he hears the door creak open.

“What on earth are you two doing in here,” the professor asks. He sounds fairly relaxed. Relieved, maybe, that it’s just some of his students drunkenly poking around.

“Extra credit,” Kyuhyun says. Changmin would smile, except Yunho’s placed a scalpel in his hand. Changmin looks down, seeing the dim glint of the blade. Yunho’s pressed up close to him, and the feeling of his breath against his skin is terrifyingly familiar.

“If you think it’s right, do what you have to, Changmin. Think of the people you can save. I know it’s scary, I know, but now this is a matter of life and death. The lives aren’t yours to gamble with. This would be worth it. Worth more than your virtue.” Yunho’s whisper is almost inaudible.

“As long as you were careful- I trust this is a completely legal acquisition,” the professor says, dry humor curling his words. Minho laughs loudly.

The joking tone flicks a switch in Changmin. He licks his dry lips and nods, and Yunho smiles and strokes his cheek with a thumb.

“I’m not telling you what to do. I’m telling you there’s a choice. There always is. So what will you do?”

Yunho’s right- the professor is involved in this, and they can’t let this chance go to waste. This isn’t some storybook with a delicate tangle of a plot, misunderstandings and heroes- it’s stark reality. The professor needs to get what he deserves.

Changmin watches the professor’s feet move towards Kyuhyun. He leans to whisper in Yunho’s ear.

“I need answers. I need him alive.”

Yunho’s head ducks down, and Changmin feels his laugh more than hears it.

“Got it. On my count,” Yunho says. “Three...”

Changmin blanks out the room, all except for Yunho’s steady voice and the professor. He can’t see him from their spot behind the gurney, but he can hear him. Despite his advanced age, the professor is a mountain of a man. He’s not a quiet presence. Everything's turned up loud- the rustle of his coat, the creak of his bones, the crackling breathing.  Changmin tightens his fingers around the scalpel.

“Two.”

The body looming above them weighs down on Changmin’s space, reminding him: avenge me.

The professor is a killer. Changmin has stolen bodies in the name of science, but this man has stolen lives. Changmin’s own life has been choked and tackled to the ground. If there was a moment where he could redeem himself, make it all worth it- it’s this one. He wonders if this is what Yunho felt before he killed the pastor.

He wonders if Yunho would kill for him.

“So what do you boys have here,” the professor asks. It’s loud.

He’s right next to the gurney.

“Now,” Yunho hisses.

Yunho sends the gurney flying into the professor with one powerful kick. Changmin hops up, locking on to the professor’s unsteady form.

It’s all slow motion. He ignores Kyuhyun and Minho’s shocked yelling and identifies his target.

Yunho’s like lightning next to him, jumping over the gurney and body before subduing the professor in some kind of complicated arm lock. Changmin ducks into a crouch over him, pressing the scalpel to his neck.

“Professor,” he greets with a nod. “Beautiful evening, hm?”

The man is terrified. His eyes are huge, and perspiration is already glistening on his forehead. Changmin takes in all in, a strange curiosity buzzing in his heart. This is the look of a man fearing for his life. He minutely adjusts the pressure of the scalpel.

“How..how did you-” the professor stammers.

“How did I...?” Changmin prompts.

“You’ve escaped, you were arrested!”

“I find it interesting you noticed,” Changmin says. “You really do care.”

“I find it interesting he even knew,” Yunho adds. “News travels fast.”

“Of course it does,” the professor snaps. He’s visibly relaxing, sinking into a lie he can run with. “I’d know if...if one of my own students was arrested.” He spits the words like he disapproves. Like he didn’t outright encourage things like bodysnatching in private sessions with students.

Changmin frowns. The professor is fronting, wildly. He looks up at Kyuhyun and Minho, taking care to keep his face blank. “You two, get out.”

Minho grimaces in confusion, but Kyuhyun is as sharp as ever. His eyes grow wide and he quivers.

“W-what are you going to do to him?”

“None of your business,” Yunho says, playing along. “Go on, get!”

Kyuhyun grabs Minho. Changmin can see his elbow jab into Minho’s ribs, and a flash of comprehension light his face.

“Don’t worry, prof, we’ll get help,” Minho says, before they run out, slamming the door behind them.

Changmin flicks his hair back and returns his attention to the professor held beneath him, who is much calmer now that his audience is gone.

‘Gone’ as in ‘guarding the doors’.

“So what are you going to do, Shim? Kill me? Become a real outlaw? Who’s your friend?” The professor’s tone is completely different from before. It’s needling, now, stabbing rapidly to find a soft spot.

Changmin smiles.

“You have such a low opinion of me,” he says. “All I want to know is why you set the police on me.”

The professor accepts the red herring far too readily. “I told you, I told all of you- the school does not officially condone the sale and procurement of corpses by the students.” He switches gears, voice softening to a plead. “I do regret throwing you under the bus, Changmin, I always hate doing that. But you must understand, it’s for the greater good- for science, for advancement.”

A spike of anger throbs red hot through Changmin’s spine, and he rolls his neck.

This motherfucker.

“Changmin. Changmin. I can help you, you know. I can make that record go away- everyone makes mistakes. Maybe I can do something for your friend, too. You don’t have to do this.”

Yunho scoffs.

“When are you going to do the second run?” Changmin asks.

The professor goes silent and completely still.

Changmin presses the scalpel a little harder. Shiny red wells up around the blade.

“I said, when? When do you plan to infect the next round of unsuspecting people?”

“If you say anything, I will destroy you-” the professor spits, snapping into complete fury.

“And what would that say about you? You ruined people’s lives, for science. People aren’t specimens, professor, you can’t just-” A sickening feeling curdles in Changmin’s stomach, and realization runs cold down his limbs. He looks at Yunho, mouth gaping. “You can’t just...just use them like that...”

Yunho’s face is somber, before his lips curl the barest hint of a smile. Changmin has lost the argument.

Yunho clears his throat. “I think what Changmin is trying to say, sir, is that you fucked up.”

The professor grunts. “So...so now what? This could be huge, Shim. It already is. Killing me won’t do anything- there’s investors, you know. This is not some...some little experiment, this could do good, and those people...they live in misery and poverty, this will be the greatest thing they do-” the professor says, rambling.

As he listens, Changmin breathes deep, regaining his equilibrium. The disgusting filth spewing from the professor’s mouth reassures him: he is not the same as this man.

Changmin gives the scalpel to Yunho, who takes over the duty with ease and a curious look. He takes a few steps back to the body, leaning down next to the gurney.

“You do have a point.” He hears the professor sigh, a soft little noise that Changmin wants to rip apart.

“Killing you is a bit...short-sighted. But if I let you live, I doubt you’ll stop this. Plus, what about me? It’s your word against mine. You’ll win. You know how it is.”

He pokes a gloved finger into the chest cavity of the cadaver. Something foul collects on his finger.

“I hope you’ve been working on a cure,” he says, turning around and smiling down at Yunho.

Yunho’s eyes are fixated on Changmin’s finger. An incredulous grin spreads across his face.

Changmin lurches forward, so he’s crouching right on top of the professor. His finger hovers in the air over the professor’s mouth.

The professor seems to forgets about the scalpel at his neck, and makes a bit of a mess when he shakes his head frantically. Yunho tightens his grip.

“I wish you had invited my opinion. I’ve always had a passing interest in the ethical landscape of medical malpractice. It could have been my thesis,” Changmin says, letting despair slant out of his words. “‘The Human Commodity: Corruption and Dehumanization in the Medical Community’, by Shim Changmin. Candidate for a degree in medicine.”

He wishes he could apologize to Yunho for his arrogance, but that will have to come later.

“Now I’m not quite sure about the likelihood of transmission like this, but I’m sure you are,” he says, and shoves his fingers in the professor’s mouth.

The professor flails and thrashes, and Yunho pulls the scalpel away before he accidentally slits his own throat. Changmin scrapes his finger on the professor’s teeth and pulls his hand out.

“Swallow it all down,” he hisses, forcing the professor’s gaping mouth shut. He waits for the adam’s apple to bob before releasing him.

“Shim Changmin I am going to decimate your life-,” the professor roars. Yunho lets him go and stands up, stepping over him to join Changmin.

“I’m assuming that means the disease has a high transmission rate. I’ve been dabbling in treatment research- I’m sure with sufficient funding and resources it will move right along,” Changmin says.

“Now you’re blackmailing me, I will have you jailed for assault-”

Yunho crosses his arms and kicks the professor’s leg. “You do that and I’m thinking no cure is gonna reach you,” he says.

The professor rubs his neck, keeping a hand on the scalpel wound. He glares up at them.

“Alright, alright,” he finally says. “I’ll...I’ll see what I can do- if you’ll hand off any research you have on treating this.”

Changmin tilts his head, glancing at Yunho. Yunho shrugs back at him.

“Sounds sorta fair, I guess.”

Changmin nods. “Then it’s settled. We’re going to leave now. Don’t worry about bail or exoneration- that’s long gone. Tonight never happened, you never saw us. In return for your cooperation, I will offer my party’s assistance in engineering a cure. For everyone. Help me get him on the gurney, will you?” he says, waving a hand at the body. He’s not letting Yunho handle the exposed body anymore than he needs to.

The professor nods, dabbing his forehead with a sleeve before stepping forth.

It’s a haul, but the body is finally hoisted back in place.

The adrenalin is slowing in Changmin’s veins, and now he’s just tired. It’s not time to relax, though. Everything is filtering through to his senses in little clips. The professor watches them darkly from a corner, and Yunho passes him, rubbing his eyes. The scalpel glints up at Changmin from the floor- evidence. He scoops it up as Yunho’s hand claps onto his back.

Changmin gives the professor one long, lingering look, and raises his eyebrows.

“We’ll be in touch,” he says, before following Yunho down the hall and out the door. Kyuhyun and Minho are just outside the door, but it's not the time or place to talk. A quick wave has them scampering down the hall. He trails after Yunho, confident stride lessening into timid steps as they exit the building. A breeze hits his face, fresh and foreign on his cheeks.

The river that was rushing through him is barely a trickle, now. It's far from the right time for it, but the hollow sensation settling in his core won’t listen to common sense. His eyes prickle, and he barely recognizes the pressure behind them as discomfort. All at once, everything is catching up to him- the escape, the Creeks, the professor. It manifests in a strange sort of elation, and he throws a hand out to catch himself on the brick wall.

Yunho is saying something. “Guess that’s that, then...”

Something breaks, and he gasps for breath. Cool relief streaks down his face and he blinks through wet lashes. Suddenly he’s laughing.

Yunho throws an arm around him, rocking back and forth. “Hey, Changminnie- you okay?”

Any words stick in Changmin’s throat. He can only nod, hiding his face against Yunho’s shoulder. Yunho clicks his tongue, but he laughs in Changmin’s ear and holds him tight.

“Baby, you're fine. You’ve been through...well, hell. It's about time you started acting your age. I was beginning to wonder.”

“We can run, you don't have to leave,” Changmin whispers, turning to push a hand up over Yunho’s neck and into his hair. “Don’t go back.”

Yunho is silent, still swaying them gently, back and forth.

“Where would we go?” he asks, rubbing Changmin’s back. “I don’t know if we get a happy ending yet, Changmin.”

Changmin pulls back, face hot as he pushes his bangs back and swipes his tears away.

“Hey!”

Someone nearly barrels into them. It’s Kyuhyun, followed closely by Minho. They seem frantic, glancing back at the medical center as though the professor will burst out of it flanked by a police squad.

“What happened in there? Did the professor call the cops? Are you on the run? Did he confess?” Kyuhyun asks, arm pulling around Changmin’s neck.

“We amicably agreed tonight’s events were better kept to the parties involved. You two avoided disciplinary action, as usual.”

Minho pumps his fist, before sobering. “So what will you do now?” he asks.

“The professor will be funding all further research. Feel like being heroes? I’d do it myself, but you know, sort of a felon at the moment... ”

Kyuhyun scoffs. “‘Do it yourself’- I’d like to see you try. We took organic chemistry together, Changmin, I’ve seen your grades.”

It pulls a laugh from Yunho. “Hate to break it up, but we should get moving. I don’t trust your teacher much.”

“Right. We’ll need to stay apart for now. I’ll let you know when I have a place- can you keep those samples safe?” Changmin asks.

Kyuhyun’s face goes grave. “Oh gosh, I already threw them off the third story balcony.”

Changmin rolls his eyes, and taps Yunho’s arm. “Better go soak them up. Wear gloves. I’ll see you two soon.”

The four of them part.

Changmin and Yunho are outside the entry gate when Yunho looks up to the sky and heaves a huge sigh.

“I know it’s wrong, it’s too soon, but...I feel like the weight of the world has rolled off my shoulders,” he says with a lopsided grin at Changmin. He’s lovely and handsome in the twilight. “I mean, I’m still a criminal, still can’t go home, still going to hell, of course. But I think we did something good tonight.”

Changmin levels a flat look at him. “After all that hard work, we’re still hellbound?”

“Absolutely. We’ve checked off everything short of adultery. Sorry, darlin’, but at least we’re going down together.”

“What if we saved a city or two? Think we’d be okay?”

Yunho just grabs his hand and squeezes it. “As long as you stick close to me, I think we’ll be just fine.”

Changmin’s head snaps up to stare at Yunho.

“What about turning yourself in? What about your....’penance’?”

“This is it, I think. I realized...this thing you’re doing, this is your redemption. Probably more redeeming than sitting in a jail cell. And I thought...you know, maybe that can be my own redemption. Jihye and my parents...they’d want me to help people if I could. So I’ll stay with you, do whatever I can.” Yunho snorts. “Besides, I’ve still gotta keep an eye on you. Even more now- you’re awful at staying out of trouble.”

“I’m sorry. I never even tried to understand how you felt about...about what I was doing. All I could hear when the professor spoke was just my own arrogant stupidity,” Changmin says.

“Welcome to adulthood,” Yunho says with a laugh. “But...no, I think I’ve figured out maybe I thought too highly of my own faith as well.”

There’s a few moments of silent walking, cool night air winding between them, before Yunho speaks again.

“Y’know...at some point I wanted to prove you wrong. Teach you a lesson. See you get what you had coming. But I think...I think we’re not so blind anymore. You’ve paid the price on your own. I don’t think you’re anything like that man. Even if we’ve both done bad things...they helped people. We both did what we had to- even if it makes us bad people.”

“You make me feel like I’m still a good person,” Changmin says quietly.

Yunho looks at him, eyes bright. “You shouldn't need me for that,” he says. “Speaking of feeling good- think Kyuhyun would mind us borrowing a hotel for one more night? I wouldn’t mind one more night of the upscale life before we’re banned from the comforts of the city.”

“I think he wouldn’t mind loaning me a bit more money...I’ll pay him back with interest, of course.”

“And then?”

“I’m not sure. We need to go someplace where I can oversee the cure...someplace where we can disappear.”

Yunho stops short.

“I might know a place we can stay for a while,” he says. He sounds hesitant. “A little hut, not too fancy but it’s got some charm. The locals are rough, but if you keep to yourself, you’ll do okay. And the food blows anything here out of the water. Especially the shrimp.”

Changmin feels...light, and he smiles when he recognizes it. Hopeful, for the first time in years.

The disheveled look works on Yunho. He's got a streak of blood on his jaw and sweat glistens on his skin. Changmin could live with this. He really could.

“Sounds a bit familiar...although weren’t we effectively banned from that place?” Changmin asks.

“Creek laws- don’t fuck with other folks’ business.”

“And I suppose after this is all done, I have a friend who owes us one last favor.”

“I’d love to disappear with you,” Yunho murmurs. He's got such a happy, fond expression on his face, Changmin can only duck in and steal a kiss. He feels Yunho’s hand trail up his back, before Yunho grabs Changmin’s collar and tugs him back. “Slow down there, partner. Let’s get out of the street before we get hot an’ heavy.”

Changmin sighs as he backs away. “A shame,” he says.

Yunho fists a hand in Changmin’s shirt as they walk down the street, and Changmin thinks maybe he’s okay with hell, if it means Yunho will be there, strong and steady beside him.

apologies for the wait, it's finally all done!
thanks to anyone who held on this long...
like I said, I learned a lot while I wrote this. so it's sort of bittersweet- my swamp babies gahhh
now I'm going to go scream into my pillow in celebration \o/