Pick Me Up - 1/5
Title: Pick Me Up 1/5
Rating: R
Paring: Jaejoong/Yoochun
Disclaimer: If they were mine ... ... sorry, lost my train of thought. Imagining what I would do if they were mine. On to the story!
Word Count: 3521
JAEJOONG
Kim Jaejoong drove down the road like he owned it. With the amount of money in his various accounts, he probably could afford to buy it, and then widen it. He passed a slower car. Hell, they were all going slower than he was.
An hour into the drive and he wished he’d taken the bullet train. He didn’t have to be in Seoul until Monday. Hey, why not drive?
Another car. He checked traffic, whipped around the older lady and then hit the gas. The radio station went to commercials, and he hit the preset buttons until he came across a song he liked.
Jae had to admit it wasn’t that bad driving. Especially since he was in his brand new, blue Porche Carrera. He wished he had left a bit earlier. Then again, the sun set was pretty. He didn’t get to enjoy sunsets as much as he used to.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. He ignored it. His phone calls were being redirected to his secretary this weekend. Monday was going to suck enough as it was, no need to add stress to his weekend.
He had to slow down again, but cars filed along in the opposite lane as well. He sighed. He just needed to get on the freeway and then he could fly. Man, he should have just flown.
The cars slowed just a bit more. Another sigh.
A lone man walked on the side of the road. A few people honked at him. Jae wondered why he didn’t walk off the road, and then remembered the rain that had hit last night. The ground was probably muddy. He slowed down as he passed, enough to get a look at the guy. Blue jeans wrapped around his body, his hands were shoved into the pockets of a tan sweater with the hood up. A skiff from brown hair blew in the wind.
Jae glanced in his rearview mirror and then made a decision. He always followed his instincts. It’s what made him one of the youngest, richest business men (outside of the entertainment industry) in Korea. His instincts told him to drive to Seoul and now his instincts told him to stop.
He pulled over, pissing off even more cars that had to avoid him on the narrow road. Jae watched the man approach, head down. Jae was sure that he hadn’t even realized someone stopped for him, and the thought was confirmed when the man’s head jerked in surprise.
Attractive, Jae immediately noted, with wide brown eyes and full cheeks. Jae waited until the guy walked along side the car and then he turned around.
“You want a ride somewhere?” he asked.
A shrug. “Sure.”
Jae reached over and opened the door. “Where are you going?” he asked as he climbed in.
“Anywhere but back that way,” he said with a jerk of his head. His voice was low, quiet, but held a feeling of power.
“Running from something?”
“More like getting away from a bad situation.”
Jae checked traffic swerved in front of a car and stepped on the gas. “Lucky you. I’m headed into a bad situation. Put your seatbelt on.”
He was slow to reach for it until Jae swerved around another car, and then he hurried to put it on. “In this car and at this speed, we’ll both be dead if you get an accident.”
“It’s how I drive, man.”
“My name-”
“As long as it’s not Jung Yunho, I don’t really care,” Jae said, and mentally smacked himself for his tone of voice.
The man scoffed.
Jae waved at him in apology. “Sorry. I’m Kim Jaejoong.”
He made a noise and then said, “You’re Kim Jaejoong? I thought you looked familiar.”
Jae smirked. “Heard of me, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“And your name?”
“Micky.” He winced. “Park Yoochun.”
“Micky?”
“It’s a nickname, obviously. One I would prefer not to go by anymore.”
“Just so used to introducing yourself that way.”
“In a sense.”
“Well, I’m going all the way to Seoul, so let me know when you want to get off.”
“You’re driving to Seoul?”
“Yeah, spur of the moment thing. But this Porche was sitting all lonely in my garage, and it didn’t seem fair to fly or take the train when I haven’t even put Siwon through his paces.”
“Siwon?”
“Yep. Cha Siwon.”
“Most guys call their cars girls’ names.”
“Guess it depends on which you prefer riding.”
Yoochun laughed.
“This baby is named after the actor Choi Siwon,” Jaejoong said and ran his hand over the dashboard, “because he’s hot, slick and stylish, and will look good even with mud on him. Oh, and he looks good with his top off.”
Yoochun laughed again and shook his head. “It’s a really nice car.”
“Should we see how fast it goes?”
“Not with that cop in front of you.”
“Shit.” He kept his distance and followed serenely after the officer.
Jae hit the cigarette lighter and then fished out a pack from his jacket pocket. He shook the pack, put the end of a cigarette between his lips and pulled the pack away. He offered the pack to Yoochun. “Do you smoke?”
“Thanks,” Yoochun said and pulled one out. “I haven’t had a cigarette in two days.”
Jae lit his and handed the lighter to Yoochun. Yoochun shut his eyes with the first inhale and then a smile played at his lips. “God, that’s good.”
“It will kill us one day.”
“Your driving will kill us faster.”
Jae laughed. They finished smoking in silence.
Yoochun stifled a yawn.
“Tired?”
“Yeah. I haven’t slept … well, since yesterday.”
“I won’t be offended if you fall asleep.”
“Thanks.”
Silence fell and Jae wasn’t surprised when he looked over and Yoochun was asleep. He hit the highway, and fortunately, the officer didn’t get on with him. He sped for awhile, throwing Siwon into fifth gear. It was easier to keep his thoughts off of Yunho at those speeds. But after a really close call cutting off another car, he slowed down. Adrenaline rushed through his system and it was enough to keep him driving for another couple hours, but as the sky turned black, Jae didn’t want to drive anymore. At the next exit with available lodging, he pulled off the freeway.
The hotel was … quaint. But the sign promised a hearty breakfast. Jae entered the lobby and was greeted formally as Kim Jaejoong-shi. The proprietor bowed and muttered and otherwise annoyed Jae, but he smiled through it.
“I need a room.”
“Of course, sir. Single?”
Jae almost said no, but then smiled a bit. “Yeah.”
“I will put you in room ten.”
Jae pulled out a wad of wons.
“Oh, no, Kim Jaejoong-shi. You don’t have to pay.”
“Yes, I do,” Jae said with a smile. “It’s not fair to spoil me just because of my name.”
“Not just your name, Kim Jaejoong-shi. Your reputation. It would be our honor to host you.”
“I insist,” Jae said, and put the money on the counter and snagged the key from the man’s hand. “I’ll see myself in. Thank you.”
He left, a bit pissed off. These people worshiped him, but still didn’t listen to him. He got back in the car and drove around the building until he came to room ten. He parked, turned the car off and looked over at his sleeping passenger. He nudged him, said his name, but Yoochun didn’t wake up. Jae climbed out of the car and went to the passenger side and opened the door.
“Hey, Yoochun,” he said, nudging him again. “Come on. Wake up. Just long enough to get you into a bed, okay.”
Jae reached around him and undid the seatbelt. That close, a faint whiff of cologne made Jae’s head dizzy. When he pulled on Yoochun’s arms, the other man sort of made a noise.
“Don’t make me smack you,” Jae muttered. He managed to pull Yoochun out of the car, thankful that he made time to exercise. Yoochun made some coherent noise, and then sorta stood up, but Jae knew he was still half asleep.
“Okay, good. Now, walk.” He shuffled them to the door, fought with the room key (an actual key, not a keycard!) and propelled them into the room, barely falling onto the bed. Yoochun shifted in his sleep and wrapped his arms around Jae, face buried into his neck. It’d been a while since Jae had someone so close. He took a deep breath of the hair in his face, smiled but then pushed him away and detangled himself.
“You will not be happy with yourself in the morning if you remember that,” he said to the sleeping man. He rearranged Yoochun on the bed, took off the man’s shoes and then pulled the blanket over him. Jae looked at him for a moment. His eyes jerked with his dreams. He tossed his head, cheeks flushing. Jae thought about waking him up from whatever demons assailed him, but then he settled down. Pouted almost, that plump lower lip shimmering.
Jae shook himself and turned away. He went back to the car and retrieved both of their bags and his laptop case. He went to the bathroom and then changed into sleep pants.
Jae logged onto the computer and deactivated the password. He left it on the table. Keys to the car on the dresser. Money next to it. More money in his pockets.
He had a hunch about this Yoochun guy, and he really hoped the other man proved him wrong.
Jae pulled back the blankets. He curled up on his side, away from Yoochun and tried to relax.
---***---
YOOCHUN
Yoochun sat up with a sharp intake of breath.
Nightmares. As always. As he slowed his breathing, he realized he had no idea where he was. Soft light filtered into the curtains. A room. A hotel room, based on the smell.
It wasn’t the first time he’d woken up in a strange hotel room with no memory of how he’d gotten there. He did a full body check, testing his limbs and muscles, but other than the injuries he already had, and sore legs from walking all day yesterday, he was okay.
Something shifted on the bed, and Yoochun jumped.
And then he remembered. Kim Jaejoong had picked him up.
Kim Jaejoong was in bed next to him.
He was sharing a bed with fucking Kim Jaejoong.
Yoochun stared at the expanse of skin that was practically glowing in the dim light. Abs, chest, arms. Yoochun licked his lips. Man, this guy’s body was perfect. Yoochun snorted. Everything about him was perfect. Even asleep, his red hair fell over his face the right way. His eyes fluttered, not quite opening. The man’s lips were plump, his teeth white, a rigid jaw line. He probably spent a fortune on personal grooming in a week.
Yoochun very carefully climbed out of bed, wincing as a bit of pain raced up his back.
The first thing he saw was a stack of money on the desk. Without really thinking about it, he picked it up and counted it. He let out a very quiet whistle at the final amount and then put it back. He hit a button on the laptop and when it came to life, showing a homepage without a password, Yoochun knew he’d been set up. The keys to the car were there, and with a smirk, Yoochun dug through Jae’s jeans and found more money. The two suitcases were unlocked. All the clothes in there cost more than everything Yoochun had ever owned.
Jae expected him to rob him. He glanced at the digital clock on the side table. It was three am. He could probably call a taxi and be half way to Seoul before Jaejoong woke up. It was tempting, but he could get to Seoul just the same as if Jae drove him there, and he wouldn’t hate himself in the morning.
He’d still be flat broke in the morning.
Yoochun eyed the money again and then turned away from it. He picked up his bag, and headed to the bathroom. He turned the shower on and stripped down. The welts on his chest were almost healed, but the ones on his back still ached when he stretched in weird directions. He turned around and then looked over his shoulder to see in the mirror. At least he hadn’t been hit so hard that his skin had been cut.
He climbed into the shower, soaking for long minutes. Hot water pummeled his face and head before sliding down his body. He fought the waking nightmares away, the sting of a whip, rough fingers, soothing voices. Yoochun shivered under the spray. He reached the little complimentary soaps, used an entire bottle of shampoo and conditioner on his hair, and an entire bar of soap on his body.
The shower grew cold before he was through.
He used the little hotel towels to dry off and then dug through his bag for his other change of clothes. Clean, dressed and relaxed. Well, as relaxed as he could be. God, he needed a cigarette.
He went back to the main room. Jaejoong was still sleeping. Yoochun dug through his jacket, found the cigarettes and a lighter. He made sure the door was unlocked and then slipped outside. He shivered when his feet hit the cold concrete of the sidewalk. He lit a cigarette.
Now what?
He’d get to Seoul and then … he had no money. No job nor prospects for a job. He’d have to beg work. Yoochun knew he was smart, but he didn’t have the school to back that up. A bit hard to go to school when you were fourteen and homeless. He would never ever go back to Busan though. Ever. He tossed the cigarette butt away and lit another one.
He jumped when the door clicked behind him.
“You steal my cigarettes?” Jae said, voice still groggy from sleep.
“Yeah.” He handed the pack over. Jae took one and lit it. Jae had thrown a jacket over his upper body, but hadn’t zipped it up.
Yoochun looked at that expanse of skin, and then smirked. “You stole my jacket.”
Jae fingered the material and then smiled. “Hm. Just grabbed something on the chair. It’s warm.”
“It looks good on you,” Yoochun said, and then kicked himself for the drop in his voice. Force of habit.
He flicked the butt of the cigarette away in irritation. He went back into the room, sat at the desk and clicked the laptop alive.
The door opened.
Yoochun didn’t look up, but watched Jae move in the corner of his eye. He didn’t take the jacket off as he lay in bed and then looked at him. Jae had said something about heading into a bad situation. Yoochun wondered what he meant, and just for the hell of it googled Jae’s name. Nothing huge came up, just a few charities he belonged to and supported. He clicked “image results” and then swallowed at the pictures that came up. Jae smiling, Jae topless, Jae with some girl, Jae with some guy. He didn’t click on any of them and closed the window. He really wanted to listen to some music, but he left his headphones. If he’d just taken ten minutes to plan he would have been a bit more equipped.
But in ten minutes, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to slip away.
“You didn’t take anything,” Jae said.
“I’m not a thief,” Yoochun replied.
Silence. “Good. Come back to bed.”
Yoochun glanced at him. There was no malice in those eyes. No lust or pain or anything. Just a bit of exhaustion and intrigue. Jae was trying to figure him out. Yoochun sighed. He shut the laptop screen off, and then stood up. He pulled off his shirt and sat on the edge of the bed.
He internally smacked himself when Jae inhaled sharply. Oh, well. Another piece for Jae’s puzzle. Yoochun wasn’t going to help him finish it.
“A bad situation, huh?” Jae whispered as Yoochun settled himself on the bed, facing away from him. The blanket settled over his body, Jae’s hands laying it in place.
“Yeah.”
Yoochun didn’t actually think he’d fall asleep again, but he was tired, and Jae’s body filled the bed with warmth. The smell of food woke him up. He rolled over, and then frowned when he realized he was alone. He heard deep breathing, so he propped up on his elbows.
Jae, shirtless, doing sit ups. God, those abs. He looked away quickly, blushing, feeling for some reason, like he’d been staring at something he shouldn’t have been. It’s not like he’d never seen pictures of Jaejoong topless before. Magazine articles with centerfolds of him were published all the time. There was something different about seeing it in a magazine and seeing it clenching and sweating and tightening and … Yoochun sat up quickly. Breath gasping.
“Morning,” Jae said, the word separated in his breathing.
“Morning,” Yoochun muttered.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just hungry.” He stood up when he was sure he wouldn’t embarrass himself and went to the small table covered in food. His stomach growled. It’d been a long time since he hadn’t been hungry.
He stuck to kimchi and rice, and then tried the meat.
Jae stood up and Yoochun watched him stretch out of the corner of his eye.
“I’m going to go shower and then we’ll take off, alright?”
Yoochun looked over at him, the question in his eyes. Who was this guy, and why the hell was he being so nice?
Jae smiled. “No, I’m not going to just leave you here. I told you I was going to Seoul and whenever you want out or if I start to annoy you, then I’ll drop you off.”
“I doubt you’ll ever annoy me,” Yoochun said and turned back to the food. He ate a lot more than he probably should have, but it felt so good to have a full belly for once. He went back to bed, laid on his stomach and listened to the shower run. He let his imagination wander into that shower and then abruptly cut it off when the water stopped.
The door opened, and Jae laughed. “You asleep again?”
“No. Just resting.”
Yoochun didn’t look over but heard the rustle of clothes, the clink of a belt.
“Hey, Yoochun. I’m not going to pry or anything, but those welts look a bit painful. I have some lotion here that should help if you’ll let me put it on.”
Jae said it all in a rush. Yoochun finally looked at him. He was holding a bottle of lotion.
“It has aloe in it. It’ll help heal them faster.”
When Yoochun still didn’t respond, Jae smiled. “Nothing sexual, mind you. I just want to help.”
Yoochun held his eyes for a long time. It was hard to trust him, hard to trust anybody, but he reminded himself that Jae had already taken care of him last night, getting him to bed, and he hadn’t touched him or hurt him.
Yet.
No, he didn’t seem the type, unless you were going up against him in a business deal.
Yoochun looked away. “Yeah, okay.”
He smiled when Jae sighed in relief. He bent his arms and put his hands under his chin. The bed dipped. Yoochun turned his face away, and bit his lip at the first touch of Jae slippery hands. The moved quickly, and just once, on a welt near his shoulders, did Yoochun jerk and wince with pain.
“Yeah, that’s a bad one,” Jae said and lessened the pressure on it.
Yoochun took a deep, calming breath when Jae’s hands slid along his sides and then only for a moment on his lower back.
“You should put some on your chest, too,” Jae said and climbed off the bed.
Yoochun took a deep breath. His back already felt better. He laid there for another minute and then rolled over. Jae had left the bottle on the bed. Yoochun watched him, as he folded clothes and repacked his suitcases. It was almost like he was avoiding looking at him. Not that Yoochun didn’t understand. He sat up and then spread lotion on his chest.
As soon as he pulled his shirt on, Jae asked, “You ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
Jae did a quick scan of the room to make sure he had everything. Yoochun hefted his bag to his shoulder.
“Traveling light?” Jae said.
“This is all I own,” Yoochun replied.
Jae frowned.
Yoochun grinned. “Trust me. It’s better than what I left.”
“So I saw.”
Yoochun swallowed. “Thank you.”
Yoochun wanted to expand that, tell Jae what his sincerity really meant, but he couldn’t find the words.
Jae seemed to understand though, and he smiled. “You’re welcome. Come on. I want to get to Seoul in time for lunch. There is this amazing restaurant that you’re going to love.”
Part 2: Mood Swings
.
Rating: R
Paring: Jaejoong/Yoochun
Disclaimer: If they were mine ... ... sorry, lost my train of thought. Imagining what I would do if they were mine. On to the story!
Word Count: 3521
JAEJOONG
Kim Jaejoong drove down the road like he owned it. With the amount of money in his various accounts, he probably could afford to buy it, and then widen it. He passed a slower car. Hell, they were all going slower than he was.
An hour into the drive and he wished he’d taken the bullet train. He didn’t have to be in Seoul until Monday. Hey, why not drive?
Another car. He checked traffic, whipped around the older lady and then hit the gas. The radio station went to commercials, and he hit the preset buttons until he came across a song he liked.
Jae had to admit it wasn’t that bad driving. Especially since he was in his brand new, blue Porche Carrera. He wished he had left a bit earlier. Then again, the sun set was pretty. He didn’t get to enjoy sunsets as much as he used to.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. He ignored it. His phone calls were being redirected to his secretary this weekend. Monday was going to suck enough as it was, no need to add stress to his weekend.
He had to slow down again, but cars filed along in the opposite lane as well. He sighed. He just needed to get on the freeway and then he could fly. Man, he should have just flown.
The cars slowed just a bit more. Another sigh.
A lone man walked on the side of the road. A few people honked at him. Jae wondered why he didn’t walk off the road, and then remembered the rain that had hit last night. The ground was probably muddy. He slowed down as he passed, enough to get a look at the guy. Blue jeans wrapped around his body, his hands were shoved into the pockets of a tan sweater with the hood up. A skiff from brown hair blew in the wind.
Jae glanced in his rearview mirror and then made a decision. He always followed his instincts. It’s what made him one of the youngest, richest business men (outside of the entertainment industry) in Korea. His instincts told him to drive to Seoul and now his instincts told him to stop.
He pulled over, pissing off even more cars that had to avoid him on the narrow road. Jae watched the man approach, head down. Jae was sure that he hadn’t even realized someone stopped for him, and the thought was confirmed when the man’s head jerked in surprise.
Attractive, Jae immediately noted, with wide brown eyes and full cheeks. Jae waited until the guy walked along side the car and then he turned around.
“You want a ride somewhere?” he asked.
A shrug. “Sure.”
Jae reached over and opened the door. “Where are you going?” he asked as he climbed in.
“Anywhere but back that way,” he said with a jerk of his head. His voice was low, quiet, but held a feeling of power.
“Running from something?”
“More like getting away from a bad situation.”
Jae checked traffic swerved in front of a car and stepped on the gas. “Lucky you. I’m headed into a bad situation. Put your seatbelt on.”
He was slow to reach for it until Jae swerved around another car, and then he hurried to put it on. “In this car and at this speed, we’ll both be dead if you get an accident.”
“It’s how I drive, man.”
“My name-”
“As long as it’s not Jung Yunho, I don’t really care,” Jae said, and mentally smacked himself for his tone of voice.
The man scoffed.
Jae waved at him in apology. “Sorry. I’m Kim Jaejoong.”
He made a noise and then said, “You’re Kim Jaejoong? I thought you looked familiar.”
Jae smirked. “Heard of me, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“And your name?”
“Micky.” He winced. “Park Yoochun.”
“Micky?”
“It’s a nickname, obviously. One I would prefer not to go by anymore.”
“Just so used to introducing yourself that way.”
“In a sense.”
“Well, I’m going all the way to Seoul, so let me know when you want to get off.”
“You’re driving to Seoul?”
“Yeah, spur of the moment thing. But this Porche was sitting all lonely in my garage, and it didn’t seem fair to fly or take the train when I haven’t even put Siwon through his paces.”
“Siwon?”
“Yep. Cha Siwon.”
“Most guys call their cars girls’ names.”
“Guess it depends on which you prefer riding.”
Yoochun laughed.
“This baby is named after the actor Choi Siwon,” Jaejoong said and ran his hand over the dashboard, “because he’s hot, slick and stylish, and will look good even with mud on him. Oh, and he looks good with his top off.”
Yoochun laughed again and shook his head. “It’s a really nice car.”
“Should we see how fast it goes?”
“Not with that cop in front of you.”
“Shit.” He kept his distance and followed serenely after the officer.
Jae hit the cigarette lighter and then fished out a pack from his jacket pocket. He shook the pack, put the end of a cigarette between his lips and pulled the pack away. He offered the pack to Yoochun. “Do you smoke?”
“Thanks,” Yoochun said and pulled one out. “I haven’t had a cigarette in two days.”
Jae lit his and handed the lighter to Yoochun. Yoochun shut his eyes with the first inhale and then a smile played at his lips. “God, that’s good.”
“It will kill us one day.”
“Your driving will kill us faster.”
Jae laughed. They finished smoking in silence.
Yoochun stifled a yawn.
“Tired?”
“Yeah. I haven’t slept … well, since yesterday.”
“I won’t be offended if you fall asleep.”
“Thanks.”
Silence fell and Jae wasn’t surprised when he looked over and Yoochun was asleep. He hit the highway, and fortunately, the officer didn’t get on with him. He sped for awhile, throwing Siwon into fifth gear. It was easier to keep his thoughts off of Yunho at those speeds. But after a really close call cutting off another car, he slowed down. Adrenaline rushed through his system and it was enough to keep him driving for another couple hours, but as the sky turned black, Jae didn’t want to drive anymore. At the next exit with available lodging, he pulled off the freeway.
The hotel was … quaint. But the sign promised a hearty breakfast. Jae entered the lobby and was greeted formally as Kim Jaejoong-shi. The proprietor bowed and muttered and otherwise annoyed Jae, but he smiled through it.
“I need a room.”
“Of course, sir. Single?”
Jae almost said no, but then smiled a bit. “Yeah.”
“I will put you in room ten.”
Jae pulled out a wad of wons.
“Oh, no, Kim Jaejoong-shi. You don’t have to pay.”
“Yes, I do,” Jae said with a smile. “It’s not fair to spoil me just because of my name.”
“Not just your name, Kim Jaejoong-shi. Your reputation. It would be our honor to host you.”
“I insist,” Jae said, and put the money on the counter and snagged the key from the man’s hand. “I’ll see myself in. Thank you.”
He left, a bit pissed off. These people worshiped him, but still didn’t listen to him. He got back in the car and drove around the building until he came to room ten. He parked, turned the car off and looked over at his sleeping passenger. He nudged him, said his name, but Yoochun didn’t wake up. Jae climbed out of the car and went to the passenger side and opened the door.
“Hey, Yoochun,” he said, nudging him again. “Come on. Wake up. Just long enough to get you into a bed, okay.”
Jae reached around him and undid the seatbelt. That close, a faint whiff of cologne made Jae’s head dizzy. When he pulled on Yoochun’s arms, the other man sort of made a noise.
“Don’t make me smack you,” Jae muttered. He managed to pull Yoochun out of the car, thankful that he made time to exercise. Yoochun made some coherent noise, and then sorta stood up, but Jae knew he was still half asleep.
“Okay, good. Now, walk.” He shuffled them to the door, fought with the room key (an actual key, not a keycard!) and propelled them into the room, barely falling onto the bed. Yoochun shifted in his sleep and wrapped his arms around Jae, face buried into his neck. It’d been a while since Jae had someone so close. He took a deep breath of the hair in his face, smiled but then pushed him away and detangled himself.
“You will not be happy with yourself in the morning if you remember that,” he said to the sleeping man. He rearranged Yoochun on the bed, took off the man’s shoes and then pulled the blanket over him. Jae looked at him for a moment. His eyes jerked with his dreams. He tossed his head, cheeks flushing. Jae thought about waking him up from whatever demons assailed him, but then he settled down. Pouted almost, that plump lower lip shimmering.
Jae shook himself and turned away. He went back to the car and retrieved both of their bags and his laptop case. He went to the bathroom and then changed into sleep pants.
Jae logged onto the computer and deactivated the password. He left it on the table. Keys to the car on the dresser. Money next to it. More money in his pockets.
He had a hunch about this Yoochun guy, and he really hoped the other man proved him wrong.
Jae pulled back the blankets. He curled up on his side, away from Yoochun and tried to relax.
---***---
YOOCHUN
Yoochun sat up with a sharp intake of breath.
Nightmares. As always. As he slowed his breathing, he realized he had no idea where he was. Soft light filtered into the curtains. A room. A hotel room, based on the smell.
It wasn’t the first time he’d woken up in a strange hotel room with no memory of how he’d gotten there. He did a full body check, testing his limbs and muscles, but other than the injuries he already had, and sore legs from walking all day yesterday, he was okay.
Something shifted on the bed, and Yoochun jumped.
And then he remembered. Kim Jaejoong had picked him up.
Kim Jaejoong was in bed next to him.
He was sharing a bed with fucking Kim Jaejoong.
Yoochun stared at the expanse of skin that was practically glowing in the dim light. Abs, chest, arms. Yoochun licked his lips. Man, this guy’s body was perfect. Yoochun snorted. Everything about him was perfect. Even asleep, his red hair fell over his face the right way. His eyes fluttered, not quite opening. The man’s lips were plump, his teeth white, a rigid jaw line. He probably spent a fortune on personal grooming in a week.
Yoochun very carefully climbed out of bed, wincing as a bit of pain raced up his back.
The first thing he saw was a stack of money on the desk. Without really thinking about it, he picked it up and counted it. He let out a very quiet whistle at the final amount and then put it back. He hit a button on the laptop and when it came to life, showing a homepage without a password, Yoochun knew he’d been set up. The keys to the car were there, and with a smirk, Yoochun dug through Jae’s jeans and found more money. The two suitcases were unlocked. All the clothes in there cost more than everything Yoochun had ever owned.
Jae expected him to rob him. He glanced at the digital clock on the side table. It was three am. He could probably call a taxi and be half way to Seoul before Jaejoong woke up. It was tempting, but he could get to Seoul just the same as if Jae drove him there, and he wouldn’t hate himself in the morning.
He’d still be flat broke in the morning.
Yoochun eyed the money again and then turned away from it. He picked up his bag, and headed to the bathroom. He turned the shower on and stripped down. The welts on his chest were almost healed, but the ones on his back still ached when he stretched in weird directions. He turned around and then looked over his shoulder to see in the mirror. At least he hadn’t been hit so hard that his skin had been cut.
He climbed into the shower, soaking for long minutes. Hot water pummeled his face and head before sliding down his body. He fought the waking nightmares away, the sting of a whip, rough fingers, soothing voices. Yoochun shivered under the spray. He reached the little complimentary soaps, used an entire bottle of shampoo and conditioner on his hair, and an entire bar of soap on his body.
The shower grew cold before he was through.
He used the little hotel towels to dry off and then dug through his bag for his other change of clothes. Clean, dressed and relaxed. Well, as relaxed as he could be. God, he needed a cigarette.
He went back to the main room. Jaejoong was still sleeping. Yoochun dug through his jacket, found the cigarettes and a lighter. He made sure the door was unlocked and then slipped outside. He shivered when his feet hit the cold concrete of the sidewalk. He lit a cigarette.
Now what?
He’d get to Seoul and then … he had no money. No job nor prospects for a job. He’d have to beg work. Yoochun knew he was smart, but he didn’t have the school to back that up. A bit hard to go to school when you were fourteen and homeless. He would never ever go back to Busan though. Ever. He tossed the cigarette butt away and lit another one.
He jumped when the door clicked behind him.
“You steal my cigarettes?” Jae said, voice still groggy from sleep.
“Yeah.” He handed the pack over. Jae took one and lit it. Jae had thrown a jacket over his upper body, but hadn’t zipped it up.
Yoochun looked at that expanse of skin, and then smirked. “You stole my jacket.”
Jae fingered the material and then smiled. “Hm. Just grabbed something on the chair. It’s warm.”
“It looks good on you,” Yoochun said, and then kicked himself for the drop in his voice. Force of habit.
He flicked the butt of the cigarette away in irritation. He went back into the room, sat at the desk and clicked the laptop alive.
The door opened.
Yoochun didn’t look up, but watched Jae move in the corner of his eye. He didn’t take the jacket off as he lay in bed and then looked at him. Jae had said something about heading into a bad situation. Yoochun wondered what he meant, and just for the hell of it googled Jae’s name. Nothing huge came up, just a few charities he belonged to and supported. He clicked “image results” and then swallowed at the pictures that came up. Jae smiling, Jae topless, Jae with some girl, Jae with some guy. He didn’t click on any of them and closed the window. He really wanted to listen to some music, but he left his headphones. If he’d just taken ten minutes to plan he would have been a bit more equipped.
But in ten minutes, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to slip away.
“You didn’t take anything,” Jae said.
“I’m not a thief,” Yoochun replied.
Silence. “Good. Come back to bed.”
Yoochun glanced at him. There was no malice in those eyes. No lust or pain or anything. Just a bit of exhaustion and intrigue. Jae was trying to figure him out. Yoochun sighed. He shut the laptop screen off, and then stood up. He pulled off his shirt and sat on the edge of the bed.
He internally smacked himself when Jae inhaled sharply. Oh, well. Another piece for Jae’s puzzle. Yoochun wasn’t going to help him finish it.
“A bad situation, huh?” Jae whispered as Yoochun settled himself on the bed, facing away from him. The blanket settled over his body, Jae’s hands laying it in place.
“Yeah.”
Yoochun didn’t actually think he’d fall asleep again, but he was tired, and Jae’s body filled the bed with warmth. The smell of food woke him up. He rolled over, and then frowned when he realized he was alone. He heard deep breathing, so he propped up on his elbows.
Jae, shirtless, doing sit ups. God, those abs. He looked away quickly, blushing, feeling for some reason, like he’d been staring at something he shouldn’t have been. It’s not like he’d never seen pictures of Jaejoong topless before. Magazine articles with centerfolds of him were published all the time. There was something different about seeing it in a magazine and seeing it clenching and sweating and tightening and … Yoochun sat up quickly. Breath gasping.
“Morning,” Jae said, the word separated in his breathing.
“Morning,” Yoochun muttered.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just hungry.” He stood up when he was sure he wouldn’t embarrass himself and went to the small table covered in food. His stomach growled. It’d been a long time since he hadn’t been hungry.
He stuck to kimchi and rice, and then tried the meat.
Jae stood up and Yoochun watched him stretch out of the corner of his eye.
“I’m going to go shower and then we’ll take off, alright?”
Yoochun looked over at him, the question in his eyes. Who was this guy, and why the hell was he being so nice?
Jae smiled. “No, I’m not going to just leave you here. I told you I was going to Seoul and whenever you want out or if I start to annoy you, then I’ll drop you off.”
“I doubt you’ll ever annoy me,” Yoochun said and turned back to the food. He ate a lot more than he probably should have, but it felt so good to have a full belly for once. He went back to bed, laid on his stomach and listened to the shower run. He let his imagination wander into that shower and then abruptly cut it off when the water stopped.
The door opened, and Jae laughed. “You asleep again?”
“No. Just resting.”
Yoochun didn’t look over but heard the rustle of clothes, the clink of a belt.
“Hey, Yoochun. I’m not going to pry or anything, but those welts look a bit painful. I have some lotion here that should help if you’ll let me put it on.”
Jae said it all in a rush. Yoochun finally looked at him. He was holding a bottle of lotion.
“It has aloe in it. It’ll help heal them faster.”
When Yoochun still didn’t respond, Jae smiled. “Nothing sexual, mind you. I just want to help.”
Yoochun held his eyes for a long time. It was hard to trust him, hard to trust anybody, but he reminded himself that Jae had already taken care of him last night, getting him to bed, and he hadn’t touched him or hurt him.
Yet.
No, he didn’t seem the type, unless you were going up against him in a business deal.
Yoochun looked away. “Yeah, okay.”
He smiled when Jae sighed in relief. He bent his arms and put his hands under his chin. The bed dipped. Yoochun turned his face away, and bit his lip at the first touch of Jae slippery hands. The moved quickly, and just once, on a welt near his shoulders, did Yoochun jerk and wince with pain.
“Yeah, that’s a bad one,” Jae said and lessened the pressure on it.
Yoochun took a deep, calming breath when Jae’s hands slid along his sides and then only for a moment on his lower back.
“You should put some on your chest, too,” Jae said and climbed off the bed.
Yoochun took a deep breath. His back already felt better. He laid there for another minute and then rolled over. Jae had left the bottle on the bed. Yoochun watched him, as he folded clothes and repacked his suitcases. It was almost like he was avoiding looking at him. Not that Yoochun didn’t understand. He sat up and then spread lotion on his chest.
As soon as he pulled his shirt on, Jae asked, “You ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
Jae did a quick scan of the room to make sure he had everything. Yoochun hefted his bag to his shoulder.
“Traveling light?” Jae said.
“This is all I own,” Yoochun replied.
Jae frowned.
Yoochun grinned. “Trust me. It’s better than what I left.”
“So I saw.”
Yoochun swallowed. “Thank you.”
Yoochun wanted to expand that, tell Jae what his sincerity really meant, but he couldn’t find the words.
Jae seemed to understand though, and he smiled. “You’re welcome. Come on. I want to get to Seoul in time for lunch. There is this amazing restaurant that you’re going to love.”
Part 2: Mood Swings
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