Tears of the Poor 3/?
Title: Tears of the Poor 3/?
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong/Junsu, Siwon/Hangeng/Heechul, Yoochun/Nichkhun/Chansung,
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: They are not mine to run through space, sabotage governments and overthrow evil politicians with.
Summary: With his life threatened on ShinKi, Yunho heads to Doushite, the underdeveloped planet Jaejoong and Changmin are from. The atmosphere is tense, at best. ShinKi is destroying the Doushiten way of life just because of the deep veins of gold running through the picturesque mountains. They don't know who they can trust when it comes to trying to free Doushite from the clutches of a greedy empire.
This is a sequel to the fic: Pleasures of the Mighty.
The pleasures of the mighty, are the tears of the poor. A song will outlive the sermons in the memory. = Kim Jaejoong's tattoos
Poster credit goes to 0xkaiia0x
Part 3: The Tunnels
“Well, I know what I’m going to do for the next hour,” Yoochun said. His hands tangled in Nichkhun’s and Chansung’s hair and the two of them winced, but did not protest as Yoochun dragged them toward the bedroom.
Yunho thought about calling him back, but a sated and pleasured Yoochun was a lot easier to deal with, and he did not want to travel with his snarky attitude when they were all so stressed anyway.
“We can’t leave,” Yunho said. “What about the storm? What about food and clothes and-“
“Oh god, Junsu,” Heechul said. “Will you please get him out of here and distract him? Jaejoong hasn’t even been gone five minutes and he’s already annoying.”
Yunho snarled at Heechul and continued his pacing.
Junsu stood up from the chair he’d been sitting on and moved in front of Yunho. He cupped Yunho’s cheeks in his hands and said, “Jaejoong is smart. He’ll be back soon.”
Yunho shut his eyes. “I know, but I’m worried.”
“We’re all worried,” Junsu said. “But this is not going to help him or us. You’re driving us all crazy.”
Yunho smiled and turned his head. He pressed a kiss to Junsu’s palm and wrapped his arms around his waist. He took a couple steps, ignored everyone else, and let Junsu lead him to the other room, the opposite from where Yoochun went.
This room appeared to be another sitting room, but unlike the main room, it only had two plush chairs and a small table.
Yunho sank into one of the chairs and pulled Junsu into his lap.
“Whatever you’re feeling,” Junsu whispered, running his hands through Yunho’s hair, “times it by eighty, consider the possibility that Jaejoong will die, and never wake up again and add to that, the pressure of being a slave on a foreign land with barely anyone to turn to if Jaejoong were to die, and you might be able to understand how Jaejoong felt when you were in the hospital.”
Yunho held his breath for a moment and then let it out slowly. “That was so much worse than this, huh?”
“Yes. It was painful to not know if you were going to make it or not. Jaejoong is going through a lot of emotions right now, trying to refigure his place in the world. He needs this excursion alone just as much as you need to go through it.”
“Are you still feeling like you’re not really a part of us?”
Junsu smiled. “Sometimes. But as soon as I do, it’s like either you or Jaejoong just know that I’m feeling like that and then we’re three again, and the feelings go away. I know you both love me. I love you both.”
Yunho nodded. “Good. You mean the world to me, SuSu. If I had never found you, I would have been happy with Jaejoong. But instead of happy, I get to be ecstatic and delirious, and I feel like the luckiest man in all the worlds.”
Junsu rolled his eyes dramatically. “God, you’re so cheesy.”
Yunho laughed, gripped Junsu behind the neck and kissed him roughly.
Junsu melted against him, moaning into the kiss and letting Yunho devour his mouth.
“I feel weird,” Junsu said, “doing this in a place where Jaejoong isn’t comfortable.”
Yunho nodded. “But…”
Junsu shrugged. “I like kissing you.”
Yunho chuckled and their mouths met again. He definitely felt the same way Junsu did. The chair was more than comfortable and he would have had no problem peeling Junsu’s jeans off and bending over it for him, but this was Jaejoong’s place, and Jaejoong’s memories.
So instead, their hands stayed in moral places and their kiss expressed their need for each other.
By the time someone came to fetch them, Yunho’s lips were tingly and swollen from Junsu’s biting, and he was hard as a rock.
“Damn,” Siwon muttered. “I was hoping Bambi would be naked.”
Junsu pulled away from Yunho’s lips slowly, smiling and slightly dazed.
“Come on. Jaejoong is back and we’re leaving as soon as we know where we’re going.”
Junsu stood up and Yunho stayed seated long enough to squeeze his erection. Junsu shook his head and gripped his hair. “Bad boy.”
Yunho whimpered and twisted into the touch, letting Junsu guide him up even though Yunho was a lot taller than him. Junsu’s fingers relaxed and slid down his body, reciprocating the teasing squeeze.
Yunho moaned, thrust into his hand and then found himself being dragged across the room, Junsu’s hand curled into the top of his pants.
His eyes found Jaejoong as soon as they entered the room, and Junsu led him there, unceremoniously throwing him at Jaejoong.
“There. He’s fine.”
Jaejoong smiled and let Yunho curl up against him on the couch. “Did you worry?”
“So much,” Yunho said, kissing Jaejoong’s neck. “Junsu had to distract me.”
“I see he did a wonderful job,” Jaejoong said, hand gripping the ridge in Yunho’s pants.
Yunho moaned and thrust into the firm grip
“God, knock it off, Bambi,” Heechul said. “You’re such a little whore.”
Jaejoong gave him one more squeeze and then kissed his nose. Yunho was more than content to curl up against him, with Junsu on his other side, and watch as Jaejoong and Heechul discussed the images on his computer. He took a very deep breath and focused on the conversation.
“We can get out, but I’m not sure we want to,” Jaejoong said. “The wind is blowing in a storm and we’re not prepared for anything.”
“Is there anyway we can get prepared?” Shindong asked.
Jaejoong bit his lower lip and pointed to a room on the monitor. “There are rations here, and other things, but I don’t know how good they are anymore. It’s worth checking before we slip out. The good news is that there are still a few horses in the stables. The bad news is that there aren’t enough for all of us.”
“We could leave Yoochun,” Junsu muttered.
Yunho looked around the room and didn’t see Yoochun and figured he was still busy in the other room. “No, we can’t. I don’t trust him enough to leave him here.”
“Guess that means we’ll just toss him into a snow drift and see if he survives,” Changmin said.
Even Yunho laughed at that.
“So we go to here,” Jaejoong said, pointing to another screen, “and then split up. Changmin will lead those with him to the caverns. Four or five of us will stay here and move around the castle to pick up supplies if we can, and then … should we dare steal a few horses?”
“We’ll need them,” Changmin said. “If for anything else, something to eat.”
“Gross,” Yoseob shouted.
Jaejoong shook his head. “It’s inevitable during winter. If you’re out on your own and you get lost or snowbound in the mountains, your horse is the only way you can survive.”
“Still gross,” Yoseob muttered.
“Yunho, your uncle wants to talk to you again,” Heechul said suddenly.
Yunho thought about it, and then nodded. “Okay.”
“Don’t say anything about us leaving.”
“Duh.”
Heechul turned the screen to face the three of them on the couch. Yunho didn’t bother moving, and stared at the screen sideways. Heechul hit a button and his uncle’s face popped up in the corner of it.
“What do you want?” Yunho asked.
“I want you to let us in before we force our way in. It won’t end well for any of you.”
Yunho shrugged. “You already deemed us prisoners. Opening the door for you won’t end well for us either.”
“I like your definition of the title bodyguard.”
Yunho smiled and lifted his hand up, tugging Junsu down closer. “He’s pretty good at covering my body. They both are.”
“This is disgraceful to the Jung family name.”
“I agree,” Yunho said, “which is why I’m here, fixing the shit you have screwed up. You can’t convince me that what we are doing on Doushite is right. And you can’t convince me that the same thing won’t happen to Soshi.”
“Are you denouncing the Jung name?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If I do that, Senator Bi will kill my father and take his place as governor.”
“Wrap it up, Jung,” Heechul said.
“I’ve said everything I needed to say. See you later, Uncle.”
Heechul turned the screen back to him, gave it a cute finger wave and then disconnected. “Okay. Time to get out of here.”
Yunho shut his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and then stood up. “I’m not going to make any of you come with us.”
“Don’t be stupid, pabo,” Junsu said. “We’re all coming. Right?”
There were affirmations from everyone.
Except one. “I don’t want to go.”
They turned to watch Yoochun enter the room, the two others following him demurely. There was a fresh bruise blooming on Nichkhun’s cheek.
“You don’t have a choice,” Yunho said. “I don’t trust you.”
Yoochun stuck out his tongue.
“Well,” Shindong said as they all stood up. “At least they gave us coats.”
“Which we shouldn’t wear until we can be certain they don’t have tracking devices in them or some kind of microphone,” Heechul said.
“You just fucked up their systems,” Yunho said. “I believe in your work and your abilities.”
Heechul batted his eyes at him. “Oh darling, your flattery is welcomed, but my husband would be mad if I showed you my work and my abilities.”
“Unless he wanted to join,” Hangeng said from where he was lounging in Siwon’s lap.
“There is always that,” Heechul said, and slid his hand down Jaejoong’s leg. “The six of us-“
Jaejoong smiled over at Heechul and shook his head. “Not happening.”
“Okay,” Yunho said and stood up. “Let’s gather the bedding and anything that we can use for warmth from the other rooms, and then get out of here.”
While they did what Yunho said, Jaejoong and Hangeng spent the time bickering in Doushiten about where to go and what to do. Heechul added a few of his own comments.
Yunho found a wooden chest that had more than enough blankets in it, and instead of taking only the blankets, Changmin hefted the entire thing and carried it out to the room. They were going to see something to pack anyway.
“You guys fucking suck,” Yoochun muttered.
Changmin accidentally shoved the edge of the chest into Yoochun’s side.
“Motherfuc-“
“Yoochun,” Yunho said shortly.
Changmin smirked and Yoochun scowled. Jaejoong said something in Doushiten that had Changmin flipping around and snapping something back, which led to another argument that had Jaejoong calling Changmin “Noona’s stubborn husband”.
Yunho pinched the bridge of his nose.
Junsu’s arms wrapped around his waist, and his quiet chuckle danced on his skin. A curvaceous body folded on his other side, and he gripped Yoona’s hand.
“Think we can manage to not kill them out of pure frustration?” Yoona asked
“Who? Changmin and Jaejoong, or Yoochun?”
“All three,” Junsu said.
“Guess we’ll find out.”
“All right boys and lady,” Heechul said. “We have less than five minutes, and I wouldn’t put it past someone to get trigger happy and blow the door early. Let’s get out of here.”
They all shuffled into the main bedroom, some with arms laden with blankets.
Changmin opened the hidden passage by moving a knob here and a panel there. After just a second, the unused joint lurched and the door swung open revealing a dank, dark hallway.
“Ladies first,” Changmin said to Jaejoong.
Jaejoong slapped his shoulder as he passed him.
Yunho had to duck under the passage, and then after that, he was able to stand. The stone walls were covered in dust and grime.
Yoochun snorted in derision.
“Shut up, Yoochun,” Yunho said again.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Sometimes you don’t have to.”
They followed Jaejoong slowly. Changmin brought up the rear to make sure no one accidently went down a connecting tunnel or dropped anything.
In a few minutes they came to a place where three tunnels met.
Changmin and Jaejoong exchanged hand symbols, not saying anything, and Hangeng nodded.
“What?” Yunho said.
Jaejoong looked at him, and then whispered in a voice that was more like an indication of a voice, “We need to split up. Only four go with me, and I want Yoseob, Yesung, Hangeng and Dongwoon. We’ll gather what supplies we can and then meet you at the caverns.”
“What are the caverns?” Junsu asked.
“History lesson later,” Jaejoong said and touched his cheek softly. “But think of it as a last resort to hide if there are invaders. Changmin knows the way.”
Yunho hated leaving him again, but Junsu’s words from before reminded him that this is what Jaejoong needed.
He cupped Jaejoong’s cheek and leaned in for a kiss. “Be careful, neh sarang.”
Jaejoong nodded and got a kiss from Junsu as well.
“No time,” Changmin said. “They’ll be searching the passageways now.”
Jaejoong nodded and the five of them went down one hall and Yunho watched Jaejoong walk away until Junsu pulled on his arm. They followed Changmin through skinnier and darker hallways. It was hard to see, but Yunho trusted Changmin.
Yoona kept a firm grip on his hand and Junsu stayed behind everyone.
Changmin stopped and made a noise for them all to be quiet.
“I hate you all,” Yoochun whispered.
“Shut up,” Changmin said.
“This is ridiculous.”
Changmin shot a look to Yunho and Yunho nodded and moved behind Yoochun and snagged him around the waist with a strong arm and put his hand over his mouth.
“Shut up,” Yunho said and squeezed him.
Changmin whispered, “This is the most dangerous part, because they know about this passage we’re about to cross, but there isn’t any other way to the caverns except through the main hall.”
The silence was deafening, heavy, and after a few minutes of listening, Changmin nodded and pushed open a wooden door. He waited again, and then motioned them forward.
Yunho blinked against the sudden light. Along the next passage way were a series of cameras. Changmin yanked one from the wall, and coiled the cord around his arm, he did the next and the next, as quietly as he could. Siwon, who was the tallest, pulled the lights off as well. They were the tap on/tap off kind that only required a touch for them to work. The battery wouldn’t last forever, but it was enough for now.
“Won’t that show them that we were here?” Shindong asked.
Changmin shrugged. “To them it’ll be like we disappeared.”
“Oh, wait,” Heechul said. “We did.”
Changmin nodded. He stopped them only once to listen and then another panel on the wall slid open at his touch and they were in darkness again.
Yunho inevitably thought of Jaejoong. On Shinki, all Yunho had to do was call Jaejoong on his cell phone when he worried too much, but here, there was no technology, no way to know if Jaejoong had been captured or killed. Yunho knew that it wasn’t helping him or the others around him, and he did his best not to worry. Jaejoong was smart, and he had others with him this time.
The tunnels grew less manufactured and more like caves. Yunho heard water dripping. The stones were cold under his hands. Walls closed in on both sides. Even with the coat, Yunho felt the chill and he wondered just how cold it was outside.
“So, this is stupid,” Yoochun said.
“Yooch-“
“No, it is. We’re going to the stronghold. Don’t you think they know about the stronghold?”
Changmin smirked. “He’s right, surprisingly. They do know about the stronghold, but they don’t know about this passage that leads to it. They know about the main one that is connected to the castle and then barricaded with doors of oak and iron gates. And right now, that way is probably covered in five feet of snow, because the ShinKi are lazy bastards that don’t know how to pick up a shovel.”
“Why you-“
“God, shut up, Yoochun,” Yunho said.
“What about Jaejoong and the others?” Junsu said.
“Jae knows this land better than any ShinKi bastard,” Changmin said. “I’m not worried about him.”
“I am,” Junsu muttered.
Yunho echoed him and squeezed his hand.
Their way was suddenly blocked, and Changmin motioned to Siwon to help him. They pressed their shoulders to the rock and pushed. It barely budged. Yunho added his weight, and the rock grated across the ground and slid open. They moved it enough to slip through.
Darkness seeped into them, even darker than the tunnel had been though Yunho wasn’t sure how he knew the difference.
Changmin told them not to move, and he heard the other man shuffling along the edge of the wall.
A sudden thunk of stone on stone made Yunho jump. Sparks flew to his right, and then again, and again. On the fourth strike, the sparks fell where Changmin wanted them to, and a dull glow lit up his face. A moment later the glow spread, up and around the cavern walls, burning fire twisting through small wells along the walls.
“Oil reserves, but it won’t burn for long,” Changmin said.
The room they entered was huge. The stone was carved into intricate patterns of foliage, ocean scenes and animals. Nobles on horses. Peasants in fields. Shadows from the flames danced across the pictures, making them feel like they were one breath from suddenly moving and bursting from the stone.
Yunho stared at it, soaking in the colored details.
Changmin stood next to him and then pointed to a man on a horse. “Jaejoong’s great-grandfather. He brought peace to our lands, signed a treaty with my great-grandfather first, and then the others like Hangeng’s family. There were wars, but eventually, the Seven Kings conquered tribes of guerrillas. Before him, our people were stricken with poverty and devastated under the rule of unfair leaders. Back then, I’m sure we would have welcomed the Shinki bastards - no offense - but now.” Changmin shook his head. “We were just fine without you.”
“I know,” Yunho said and clapped his shoulder.
Changmin exhaled and then said, “There are rooms throughout here that used to have supplies in them. Let’s gather what we can until Jaejoong gets here. We’ll probably spend the night here.”
“And how are we going to get out of here?” Yoochun asked.
“It’s a cave system,” Changmin said. “There are ways, if they haven’t been blocked off. But, Jaejoong is more familiar with them.”
“Hopefully he returns soon,” Junsu whispered.
Yunho nodded, hooked his arm around Junsu’s neck and kissed his temple.
Part 4: The Transformation
Part 2: The Trap
Part 1: The Trip
.
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong/Junsu, Siwon/Hangeng/Heechul, Yoochun/Nichkhun/Chansung,
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: They are not mine to run through space, sabotage governments and overthrow evil politicians with.
Summary: With his life threatened on ShinKi, Yunho heads to Doushite, the underdeveloped planet Jaejoong and Changmin are from. The atmosphere is tense, at best. ShinKi is destroying the Doushiten way of life just because of the deep veins of gold running through the picturesque mountains. They don't know who they can trust when it comes to trying to free Doushite from the clutches of a greedy empire.
This is a sequel to the fic: Pleasures of the Mighty.
The pleasures of the mighty, are the tears of the poor. A song will outlive the sermons in the memory. = Kim Jaejoong's tattoos
Poster credit goes to 0xkaiia0x
Part 3: The Tunnels
“Well, I know what I’m going to do for the next hour,” Yoochun said. His hands tangled in Nichkhun’s and Chansung’s hair and the two of them winced, but did not protest as Yoochun dragged them toward the bedroom.
Yunho thought about calling him back, but a sated and pleasured Yoochun was a lot easier to deal with, and he did not want to travel with his snarky attitude when they were all so stressed anyway.
“We can’t leave,” Yunho said. “What about the storm? What about food and clothes and-“
“Oh god, Junsu,” Heechul said. “Will you please get him out of here and distract him? Jaejoong hasn’t even been gone five minutes and he’s already annoying.”
Yunho snarled at Heechul and continued his pacing.
Junsu stood up from the chair he’d been sitting on and moved in front of Yunho. He cupped Yunho’s cheeks in his hands and said, “Jaejoong is smart. He’ll be back soon.”
Yunho shut his eyes. “I know, but I’m worried.”
“We’re all worried,” Junsu said. “But this is not going to help him or us. You’re driving us all crazy.”
Yunho smiled and turned his head. He pressed a kiss to Junsu’s palm and wrapped his arms around his waist. He took a couple steps, ignored everyone else, and let Junsu lead him to the other room, the opposite from where Yoochun went.
This room appeared to be another sitting room, but unlike the main room, it only had two plush chairs and a small table.
Yunho sank into one of the chairs and pulled Junsu into his lap.
“Whatever you’re feeling,” Junsu whispered, running his hands through Yunho’s hair, “times it by eighty, consider the possibility that Jaejoong will die, and never wake up again and add to that, the pressure of being a slave on a foreign land with barely anyone to turn to if Jaejoong were to die, and you might be able to understand how Jaejoong felt when you were in the hospital.”
Yunho held his breath for a moment and then let it out slowly. “That was so much worse than this, huh?”
“Yes. It was painful to not know if you were going to make it or not. Jaejoong is going through a lot of emotions right now, trying to refigure his place in the world. He needs this excursion alone just as much as you need to go through it.”
“Are you still feeling like you’re not really a part of us?”
Junsu smiled. “Sometimes. But as soon as I do, it’s like either you or Jaejoong just know that I’m feeling like that and then we’re three again, and the feelings go away. I know you both love me. I love you both.”
Yunho nodded. “Good. You mean the world to me, SuSu. If I had never found you, I would have been happy with Jaejoong. But instead of happy, I get to be ecstatic and delirious, and I feel like the luckiest man in all the worlds.”
Junsu rolled his eyes dramatically. “God, you’re so cheesy.”
Yunho laughed, gripped Junsu behind the neck and kissed him roughly.
Junsu melted against him, moaning into the kiss and letting Yunho devour his mouth.
“I feel weird,” Junsu said, “doing this in a place where Jaejoong isn’t comfortable.”
Yunho nodded. “But…”
Junsu shrugged. “I like kissing you.”
Yunho chuckled and their mouths met again. He definitely felt the same way Junsu did. The chair was more than comfortable and he would have had no problem peeling Junsu’s jeans off and bending over it for him, but this was Jaejoong’s place, and Jaejoong’s memories.
So instead, their hands stayed in moral places and their kiss expressed their need for each other.
By the time someone came to fetch them, Yunho’s lips were tingly and swollen from Junsu’s biting, and he was hard as a rock.
“Damn,” Siwon muttered. “I was hoping Bambi would be naked.”
Junsu pulled away from Yunho’s lips slowly, smiling and slightly dazed.
“Come on. Jaejoong is back and we’re leaving as soon as we know where we’re going.”
Junsu stood up and Yunho stayed seated long enough to squeeze his erection. Junsu shook his head and gripped his hair. “Bad boy.”
Yunho whimpered and twisted into the touch, letting Junsu guide him up even though Yunho was a lot taller than him. Junsu’s fingers relaxed and slid down his body, reciprocating the teasing squeeze.
Yunho moaned, thrust into his hand and then found himself being dragged across the room, Junsu’s hand curled into the top of his pants.
His eyes found Jaejoong as soon as they entered the room, and Junsu led him there, unceremoniously throwing him at Jaejoong.
“There. He’s fine.”
Jaejoong smiled and let Yunho curl up against him on the couch. “Did you worry?”
“So much,” Yunho said, kissing Jaejoong’s neck. “Junsu had to distract me.”
“I see he did a wonderful job,” Jaejoong said, hand gripping the ridge in Yunho’s pants.
Yunho moaned and thrust into the firm grip
“God, knock it off, Bambi,” Heechul said. “You’re such a little whore.”
Jaejoong gave him one more squeeze and then kissed his nose. Yunho was more than content to curl up against him, with Junsu on his other side, and watch as Jaejoong and Heechul discussed the images on his computer. He took a very deep breath and focused on the conversation.
“We can get out, but I’m not sure we want to,” Jaejoong said. “The wind is blowing in a storm and we’re not prepared for anything.”
“Is there anyway we can get prepared?” Shindong asked.
Jaejoong bit his lower lip and pointed to a room on the monitor. “There are rations here, and other things, but I don’t know how good they are anymore. It’s worth checking before we slip out. The good news is that there are still a few horses in the stables. The bad news is that there aren’t enough for all of us.”
“We could leave Yoochun,” Junsu muttered.
Yunho looked around the room and didn’t see Yoochun and figured he was still busy in the other room. “No, we can’t. I don’t trust him enough to leave him here.”
“Guess that means we’ll just toss him into a snow drift and see if he survives,” Changmin said.
Even Yunho laughed at that.
“So we go to here,” Jaejoong said, pointing to another screen, “and then split up. Changmin will lead those with him to the caverns. Four or five of us will stay here and move around the castle to pick up supplies if we can, and then … should we dare steal a few horses?”
“We’ll need them,” Changmin said. “If for anything else, something to eat.”
“Gross,” Yoseob shouted.
Jaejoong shook his head. “It’s inevitable during winter. If you’re out on your own and you get lost or snowbound in the mountains, your horse is the only way you can survive.”
“Still gross,” Yoseob muttered.
“Yunho, your uncle wants to talk to you again,” Heechul said suddenly.
Yunho thought about it, and then nodded. “Okay.”
“Don’t say anything about us leaving.”
“Duh.”
Heechul turned the screen to face the three of them on the couch. Yunho didn’t bother moving, and stared at the screen sideways. Heechul hit a button and his uncle’s face popped up in the corner of it.
“What do you want?” Yunho asked.
“I want you to let us in before we force our way in. It won’t end well for any of you.”
Yunho shrugged. “You already deemed us prisoners. Opening the door for you won’t end well for us either.”
“I like your definition of the title bodyguard.”
Yunho smiled and lifted his hand up, tugging Junsu down closer. “He’s pretty good at covering my body. They both are.”
“This is disgraceful to the Jung family name.”
“I agree,” Yunho said, “which is why I’m here, fixing the shit you have screwed up. You can’t convince me that what we are doing on Doushite is right. And you can’t convince me that the same thing won’t happen to Soshi.”
“Are you denouncing the Jung name?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If I do that, Senator Bi will kill my father and take his place as governor.”
“Wrap it up, Jung,” Heechul said.
“I’ve said everything I needed to say. See you later, Uncle.”
Heechul turned the screen back to him, gave it a cute finger wave and then disconnected. “Okay. Time to get out of here.”
Yunho shut his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and then stood up. “I’m not going to make any of you come with us.”
“Don’t be stupid, pabo,” Junsu said. “We’re all coming. Right?”
There were affirmations from everyone.
Except one. “I don’t want to go.”
They turned to watch Yoochun enter the room, the two others following him demurely. There was a fresh bruise blooming on Nichkhun’s cheek.
“You don’t have a choice,” Yunho said. “I don’t trust you.”
Yoochun stuck out his tongue.
“Well,” Shindong said as they all stood up. “At least they gave us coats.”
“Which we shouldn’t wear until we can be certain they don’t have tracking devices in them or some kind of microphone,” Heechul said.
“You just fucked up their systems,” Yunho said. “I believe in your work and your abilities.”
Heechul batted his eyes at him. “Oh darling, your flattery is welcomed, but my husband would be mad if I showed you my work and my abilities.”
“Unless he wanted to join,” Hangeng said from where he was lounging in Siwon’s lap.
“There is always that,” Heechul said, and slid his hand down Jaejoong’s leg. “The six of us-“
Jaejoong smiled over at Heechul and shook his head. “Not happening.”
“Okay,” Yunho said and stood up. “Let’s gather the bedding and anything that we can use for warmth from the other rooms, and then get out of here.”
While they did what Yunho said, Jaejoong and Hangeng spent the time bickering in Doushiten about where to go and what to do. Heechul added a few of his own comments.
Yunho found a wooden chest that had more than enough blankets in it, and instead of taking only the blankets, Changmin hefted the entire thing and carried it out to the room. They were going to see something to pack anyway.
“You guys fucking suck,” Yoochun muttered.
Changmin accidentally shoved the edge of the chest into Yoochun’s side.
“Motherfuc-“
“Yoochun,” Yunho said shortly.
Changmin smirked and Yoochun scowled. Jaejoong said something in Doushiten that had Changmin flipping around and snapping something back, which led to another argument that had Jaejoong calling Changmin “Noona’s stubborn husband”.
Yunho pinched the bridge of his nose.
Junsu’s arms wrapped around his waist, and his quiet chuckle danced on his skin. A curvaceous body folded on his other side, and he gripped Yoona’s hand.
“Think we can manage to not kill them out of pure frustration?” Yoona asked
“Who? Changmin and Jaejoong, or Yoochun?”
“All three,” Junsu said.
“Guess we’ll find out.”
“All right boys and lady,” Heechul said. “We have less than five minutes, and I wouldn’t put it past someone to get trigger happy and blow the door early. Let’s get out of here.”
They all shuffled into the main bedroom, some with arms laden with blankets.
Changmin opened the hidden passage by moving a knob here and a panel there. After just a second, the unused joint lurched and the door swung open revealing a dank, dark hallway.
“Ladies first,” Changmin said to Jaejoong.
Jaejoong slapped his shoulder as he passed him.
Yunho had to duck under the passage, and then after that, he was able to stand. The stone walls were covered in dust and grime.
Yoochun snorted in derision.
“Shut up, Yoochun,” Yunho said again.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Sometimes you don’t have to.”
They followed Jaejoong slowly. Changmin brought up the rear to make sure no one accidently went down a connecting tunnel or dropped anything.
In a few minutes they came to a place where three tunnels met.
Changmin and Jaejoong exchanged hand symbols, not saying anything, and Hangeng nodded.
“What?” Yunho said.
Jaejoong looked at him, and then whispered in a voice that was more like an indication of a voice, “We need to split up. Only four go with me, and I want Yoseob, Yesung, Hangeng and Dongwoon. We’ll gather what supplies we can and then meet you at the caverns.”
“What are the caverns?” Junsu asked.
“History lesson later,” Jaejoong said and touched his cheek softly. “But think of it as a last resort to hide if there are invaders. Changmin knows the way.”
Yunho hated leaving him again, but Junsu’s words from before reminded him that this is what Jaejoong needed.
He cupped Jaejoong’s cheek and leaned in for a kiss. “Be careful, neh sarang.”
Jaejoong nodded and got a kiss from Junsu as well.
“No time,” Changmin said. “They’ll be searching the passageways now.”
Jaejoong nodded and the five of them went down one hall and Yunho watched Jaejoong walk away until Junsu pulled on his arm. They followed Changmin through skinnier and darker hallways. It was hard to see, but Yunho trusted Changmin.
Yoona kept a firm grip on his hand and Junsu stayed behind everyone.
Changmin stopped and made a noise for them all to be quiet.
“I hate you all,” Yoochun whispered.
“Shut up,” Changmin said.
“This is ridiculous.”
Changmin shot a look to Yunho and Yunho nodded and moved behind Yoochun and snagged him around the waist with a strong arm and put his hand over his mouth.
“Shut up,” Yunho said and squeezed him.
Changmin whispered, “This is the most dangerous part, because they know about this passage we’re about to cross, but there isn’t any other way to the caverns except through the main hall.”
The silence was deafening, heavy, and after a few minutes of listening, Changmin nodded and pushed open a wooden door. He waited again, and then motioned them forward.
Yunho blinked against the sudden light. Along the next passage way were a series of cameras. Changmin yanked one from the wall, and coiled the cord around his arm, he did the next and the next, as quietly as he could. Siwon, who was the tallest, pulled the lights off as well. They were the tap on/tap off kind that only required a touch for them to work. The battery wouldn’t last forever, but it was enough for now.
“Won’t that show them that we were here?” Shindong asked.
Changmin shrugged. “To them it’ll be like we disappeared.”
“Oh, wait,” Heechul said. “We did.”
Changmin nodded. He stopped them only once to listen and then another panel on the wall slid open at his touch and they were in darkness again.
Yunho inevitably thought of Jaejoong. On Shinki, all Yunho had to do was call Jaejoong on his cell phone when he worried too much, but here, there was no technology, no way to know if Jaejoong had been captured or killed. Yunho knew that it wasn’t helping him or the others around him, and he did his best not to worry. Jaejoong was smart, and he had others with him this time.
The tunnels grew less manufactured and more like caves. Yunho heard water dripping. The stones were cold under his hands. Walls closed in on both sides. Even with the coat, Yunho felt the chill and he wondered just how cold it was outside.
“So, this is stupid,” Yoochun said.
“Yooch-“
“No, it is. We’re going to the stronghold. Don’t you think they know about the stronghold?”
Changmin smirked. “He’s right, surprisingly. They do know about the stronghold, but they don’t know about this passage that leads to it. They know about the main one that is connected to the castle and then barricaded with doors of oak and iron gates. And right now, that way is probably covered in five feet of snow, because the ShinKi are lazy bastards that don’t know how to pick up a shovel.”
“Why you-“
“God, shut up, Yoochun,” Yunho said.
“What about Jaejoong and the others?” Junsu said.
“Jae knows this land better than any ShinKi bastard,” Changmin said. “I’m not worried about him.”
“I am,” Junsu muttered.
Yunho echoed him and squeezed his hand.
Their way was suddenly blocked, and Changmin motioned to Siwon to help him. They pressed their shoulders to the rock and pushed. It barely budged. Yunho added his weight, and the rock grated across the ground and slid open. They moved it enough to slip through.
Darkness seeped into them, even darker than the tunnel had been though Yunho wasn’t sure how he knew the difference.
Changmin told them not to move, and he heard the other man shuffling along the edge of the wall.
A sudden thunk of stone on stone made Yunho jump. Sparks flew to his right, and then again, and again. On the fourth strike, the sparks fell where Changmin wanted them to, and a dull glow lit up his face. A moment later the glow spread, up and around the cavern walls, burning fire twisting through small wells along the walls.
“Oil reserves, but it won’t burn for long,” Changmin said.
The room they entered was huge. The stone was carved into intricate patterns of foliage, ocean scenes and animals. Nobles on horses. Peasants in fields. Shadows from the flames danced across the pictures, making them feel like they were one breath from suddenly moving and bursting from the stone.
Yunho stared at it, soaking in the colored details.
Changmin stood next to him and then pointed to a man on a horse. “Jaejoong’s great-grandfather. He brought peace to our lands, signed a treaty with my great-grandfather first, and then the others like Hangeng’s family. There were wars, but eventually, the Seven Kings conquered tribes of guerrillas. Before him, our people were stricken with poverty and devastated under the rule of unfair leaders. Back then, I’m sure we would have welcomed the Shinki bastards - no offense - but now.” Changmin shook his head. “We were just fine without you.”
“I know,” Yunho said and clapped his shoulder.
Changmin exhaled and then said, “There are rooms throughout here that used to have supplies in them. Let’s gather what we can until Jaejoong gets here. We’ll probably spend the night here.”
“And how are we going to get out of here?” Yoochun asked.
“It’s a cave system,” Changmin said. “There are ways, if they haven’t been blocked off. But, Jaejoong is more familiar with them.”
“Hopefully he returns soon,” Junsu whispered.
Yunho nodded, hooked his arm around Junsu’s neck and kissed his temple.
Part 4: The Transformation
Part 2: The Trap
Part 1: The Trip
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