[GBtR] Chapter 17
Title: Getting Back to Real
Chapter: (17/25+Epilogue) Broken
Pairings: YooMin, HoSuJae
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, sci-fi, drama
Summary: After the events in Dreaming Back to This, the five have fled Korea and started to rebuild a new life for themselves far away. The past still haunts them, however, perhaps even more than they first realized.
Notes: Well, it turns out that not having the distraction of the internet turns into extra writing. So, here ya go; have two chaps. XD Fair warning, though, 17 is suuuuuuper short. Like, not even 1000 words short. Which is why I'm happy that I can post it with 16 so it doesn't feel quite so much like a short-change. ^^ (And 18 is already started, so if the end of 17 freaks you out, know that the next part should be up soon-ish. ^_~)
Previous: Dreaming Back to This, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Interlude, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16
Chapter 17: Broken
When the bruises first start appearing, Changmin attempts to stay calm. There's no real rational explanation for them that doesn't make his stomach clench in panic, but he at least tries not to give into that panic. They start small and light at first, spots on his arms and legs just a few shades darker than his tan skin. Within an hour, though, they turn dark purple and grow larger and larger as he watches.
They don't hurt he realizes as he pokes at them, but the bigger and darker they get, the more the pressure behind his develops into a piercing headache. Two hours after he noticed the first tiny mark, he's curled on the couch with his head clenched in his hands. He whimpers, mentally pleading for something - anything - to take the pain away.
Another hour after that, he's crying outright and calling out for Yoochun between pained sobs. He knows Yoochun could make him feel better somehow, even if he couldn't take the pain away. Instead, Changmin is suffering alone, praying for the pain to end one way or another. He doesn't care how at this point; he just wants it gone.
Fifteen long, excruciating minutes later, Changmin slips into sweet, blissful unconsciousness. His whole body finally relaxes as he falls into the darkness.
~*~~*~
Yoochun knows something is off the minute he enters the house. He can't spot any visible differences, but something feels inherently wrong. He walks slowly, cautiously, out of the bedroom and towards the stairs. "Changmin?" he calls out as he creeps down to the first floor. "Where are you?" Reaching the bottom of the steps, Yoochun emerges into the living room and stops breathing when his eyes lands on the couch.
Changmin is still, so unnaturally still, and it takes a long moment before Yoochun can make out the subtle rise and fall of his chest. Dark bruises cover his body. There are traces of dried tears on Changmin's cheeks, and a small trickle of blood falls down his chin from where his teeth have bitten through his bottom lip.
Falling to his knees next to the couch, Yoochun runs a gentle hand through Changmin's messy hair. "Oh god, Min," he murmurs, fighting back tears, "What happened to you? How did it happen? Hyunae said... She told me you'd be safe here, that they couldn't touch our cores..." He trails off as Changmin's eyes start to flutter.
Changmin's eyes open slowly, and he blinks a few times to adjust to the sudden influx of light. Glancing around the room, he tries to remember where he is and how he'd gotten here. Then he meets the gaze of a man standing uncomfortably close. "Who are you?" he demands as he jumps from the couch. "And where are we?"
The man stares at him, confusion clear in his eyes, and Changmin suppresses the urge to shift under the scrutiny. Fidgeting would be a sign of weakness, and he's been trained better than to give anyone that advantage over him. The man takes a step towards him, and Changmin takes two backwards. "Min, it's just me," the man says, as if that's all the explanation needed.
"That doesn't tell me anything," Changmin snaps, already sick of the game. He sends out a testing prod to see if he can get the answers straight from the man's mind, but his shields are locked down tight. Changmin could probably force his way through, but he feels a strange reluctance to do so. "If you won't give me any answers, I'm leaving," he states, noticing the door off to his right.
He only takes a few steps away before the man's next words freeze him in place. "You can't," he asserts like a well-established fact. "I mean, I won't try to stop you if you want to try, but you seemed pretty convinced yesterday that you were stuck here."
Changmin turns to look at the man again, now questioning his sanity as well as his motives. "I was at the Centre yesterday," he replies slowly. "I had classes like normal, a test in algebra, and then training until dinner. I went to bed early then suddenly woke up here. I've never seen or talked to you before in my life, so there's no way I told you anything about being stuck here yesterday."
The man's face falls as his shoulders slump. It's the stature and expression of someone forced to accept a truth they'd been trying to deny. "Changmin," he starts before pausing to take a deep breath, "I know you probably think I'm crazy right now, and this next question isn't going to make it much better. Just... humor me for a minute. What's the date right now? How old are you?"
"Why should I tell you?" Changmin shoots back. "I don't even know your name or anything."
"Of course," the man replies. "That is kind of unfair of me, isn't it? I'm Yoochun, a... friend, I guess you could say. I'm not here to hurt you or anything, promise."
Changmin eyes him for another long moment. Something is telling him that Yoochun really is no threat to him, but the extreme caution drilled into him by the Centre won't quite leave him. "And if I tell you this, you'll answer my questions then?" he asks, and the man - Yoochun - nods. "It's February 25, 2002, and I turned 14 last week."
Chapter: (17/25+Epilogue) Broken
Pairings: YooMin, HoSuJae
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, sci-fi, drama
Summary: After the events in Dreaming Back to This, the five have fled Korea and started to rebuild a new life for themselves far away. The past still haunts them, however, perhaps even more than they first realized.
Notes: Well, it turns out that not having the distraction of the internet turns into extra writing. So, here ya go; have two chaps. XD Fair warning, though, 17 is suuuuuuper short. Like, not even 1000 words short. Which is why I'm happy that I can post it with 16 so it doesn't feel quite so much like a short-change. ^^ (And 18 is already started, so if the end of 17 freaks you out, know that the next part should be up soon-ish. ^_~)
Previous: Dreaming Back to This, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Interlude, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16
Chapter 17: Broken
When the bruises first start appearing, Changmin attempts to stay calm. There's no real rational explanation for them that doesn't make his stomach clench in panic, but he at least tries not to give into that panic. They start small and light at first, spots on his arms and legs just a few shades darker than his tan skin. Within an hour, though, they turn dark purple and grow larger and larger as he watches.
They don't hurt he realizes as he pokes at them, but the bigger and darker they get, the more the pressure behind his develops into a piercing headache. Two hours after he noticed the first tiny mark, he's curled on the couch with his head clenched in his hands. He whimpers, mentally pleading for something - anything - to take the pain away.
Another hour after that, he's crying outright and calling out for Yoochun between pained sobs. He knows Yoochun could make him feel better somehow, even if he couldn't take the pain away. Instead, Changmin is suffering alone, praying for the pain to end one way or another. He doesn't care how at this point; he just wants it gone.
Fifteen long, excruciating minutes later, Changmin slips into sweet, blissful unconsciousness. His whole body finally relaxes as he falls into the darkness.
~*~~*~
Yoochun knows something is off the minute he enters the house. He can't spot any visible differences, but something feels inherently wrong. He walks slowly, cautiously, out of the bedroom and towards the stairs. "Changmin?" he calls out as he creeps down to the first floor. "Where are you?" Reaching the bottom of the steps, Yoochun emerges into the living room and stops breathing when his eyes lands on the couch.
Changmin is still, so unnaturally still, and it takes a long moment before Yoochun can make out the subtle rise and fall of his chest. Dark bruises cover his body. There are traces of dried tears on Changmin's cheeks, and a small trickle of blood falls down his chin from where his teeth have bitten through his bottom lip.
Falling to his knees next to the couch, Yoochun runs a gentle hand through Changmin's messy hair. "Oh god, Min," he murmurs, fighting back tears, "What happened to you? How did it happen? Hyunae said... She told me you'd be safe here, that they couldn't touch our cores..." He trails off as Changmin's eyes start to flutter.
Changmin's eyes open slowly, and he blinks a few times to adjust to the sudden influx of light. Glancing around the room, he tries to remember where he is and how he'd gotten here. Then he meets the gaze of a man standing uncomfortably close. "Who are you?" he demands as he jumps from the couch. "And where are we?"
The man stares at him, confusion clear in his eyes, and Changmin suppresses the urge to shift under the scrutiny. Fidgeting would be a sign of weakness, and he's been trained better than to give anyone that advantage over him. The man takes a step towards him, and Changmin takes two backwards. "Min, it's just me," the man says, as if that's all the explanation needed.
"That doesn't tell me anything," Changmin snaps, already sick of the game. He sends out a testing prod to see if he can get the answers straight from the man's mind, but his shields are locked down tight. Changmin could probably force his way through, but he feels a strange reluctance to do so. "If you won't give me any answers, I'm leaving," he states, noticing the door off to his right.
He only takes a few steps away before the man's next words freeze him in place. "You can't," he asserts like a well-established fact. "I mean, I won't try to stop you if you want to try, but you seemed pretty convinced yesterday that you were stuck here."
Changmin turns to look at the man again, now questioning his sanity as well as his motives. "I was at the Centre yesterday," he replies slowly. "I had classes like normal, a test in algebra, and then training until dinner. I went to bed early then suddenly woke up here. I've never seen or talked to you before in my life, so there's no way I told you anything about being stuck here yesterday."
The man's face falls as his shoulders slump. It's the stature and expression of someone forced to accept a truth they'd been trying to deny. "Changmin," he starts before pausing to take a deep breath, "I know you probably think I'm crazy right now, and this next question isn't going to make it much better. Just... humor me for a minute. What's the date right now? How old are you?"
"Why should I tell you?" Changmin shoots back. "I don't even know your name or anything."
"Of course," the man replies. "That is kind of unfair of me, isn't it? I'm Yoochun, a... friend, I guess you could say. I'm not here to hurt you or anything, promise."
Changmin eyes him for another long moment. Something is telling him that Yoochun really is no threat to him, but the extreme caution drilled into him by the Centre won't quite leave him. "And if I tell you this, you'll answer my questions then?" he asks, and the man - Yoochun - nods. "It's February 25, 2002, and I turned 14 last week."