[GBtR] Interlude
Title: Getting Back to Real
Chapter Title: (7/?) Interlude: Now Through My Eyes
Pairings: YooMin, HoSuJae
Rating: PG-13 for now
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: Bit of a change-up here. I've had a few people question why Jae's handling everything so much better than Min, so I attempted to address that. In doing so, it became more of an interlude than a chap. First person from Jae's p.o.v. Let me know what you guys think of it, okay?
And in other news… If Chunnie unexpectedly dies off sometime in the next couple chaps, just know that he was totally asking for it. *scowls* Seriously. Every single thing in my outline that I knew FOR SURE about this fic, he has taken one look at, laughed in my face, then proceeded to do the exact opposite. He is rejoicing in my misery over all of my rock-solid plotlines being shot to hell. So, y'know, just fair warning for you. To maintain my artistic control over my own characters, he may have to go. XD
Previous: Dreaming Back to This, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6
Interlude: Now Through My Eyes
I startle awake, sitting straight up in bed with a strangled scream at the back of my throat. I recognize my surroundings fairly quickly, though, and manage to hold back the sound. Almost immediately, two sets of arms surround me. Yunho's strong fingers soothe the tension from my shoulders while Junsu's smaller, softer hands wipe the tears from my face. I hadn't even realized I'd been crying.
It's become a familiar routine to the three of us over the last few months. During the day, for the most part, I can push the horror of the Centre from my mind. I focus all of my energy on making sure Min's okay and taking care of my other three boys that I never give the memories a chance to surface. No matter how busy I keep myself during the day, though, the nightmares always come back when I sleep.
They don't happen every night anymore, at least. They've actually tapered off to no more than once or twice a week. I felt so guilty at first, waking Yunho and Junsu all the time, but they've never even let me suggest the thought of sleeping anywhere but right between them.
I must have done something pretty spectacular in a past life to deserve not just one but two absolutely perfect men now.
Finally, my breathing evens out, and my racing heart slows to a more normal pace. Junsu and Yunho ease me back down onto the bed, smoothing my damp bangs off my sweaty forehead while whispering reassurances. I turn to my side and pull Junsu against me; he tucks his head under my chin and presses his lips to my chest. Yunho spoons against me from behind, resting an arm over both me and Junsu while kissing first my neck and then my temple before laying his head back down on the pillow. I melt into the haven of their arms and let myself slowly drift off to sleep again.
~*~~*~
"Min let me sleep with him last night," Yoochun states calmly as he sets his mug down. We'd decided to have a BFF-day, just the two of us, and came to a small local café after lunch at the restaurant where Junsu works. My jaw drops at his unexpected confession, not quite sure what to make of it, and he throws a balled-up napkin at my face with a scowl. "Not like that, perve-brain. Just sleeping." It's my turn to scowl, and he laughs at my expression.
I brush off my wounded pride to focus on the issue at hand. "What exactly brought that on? Last I heard, you two hadn't done more than hold hands for a bit."
The smile fades from Yoochun's face to be replaced by a troubled frown. "He had a nightmare. I'm not sure of the details; he was way too upset to talk about it coherently. When I got into his room, he was borderline hysterical. I just held him until he calmed down, which turned into him falling asleep on me. I didn't want to risk waking him by moving, so I just stayed in there for the night."
My eyebrows knit together as I match his frown. Min's had his nightmares, of course, but he hasn't had a reaction like that in quite a while. "That doesn't sound like a normal nightmare. He didn't say anything about it at all?"
Yoochun shrugs. "A little bit. Something about blood and that it hurt when we touched him. It didn't make a lot of sense to me, honestly, and he wasn't up to talking about it in any more depth than that. He's even more determined to stay and fight, though, so I guess we'll just have to find a way to work with that."
I sigh, certainly not happy to hear that. As much as I disagree with Yunho's approach, I'm not exactly against the idea of packing up and running. My frequent nightmares of our time with the Centre pretty much assure that I'm not particularly eager to interact with them again. Just the thought of it stops my heart for a couple beats.
As well as I think I hide my panic, some of it must show on my face. Or we've been friends forever and he just knows me that well. Either way, Yoochun reaches over to grasp my hand in his. "It's okay, Jae. We're not going to be taking risks with either one of you. I won't let you go through that again."
My rational side screams out how powerless he alone would be against them; if they really set their minds on taking us again, not much he could do would stop them. In fact, as much as it hurts me to admit it, Changmin really is our best hope. Our future and lives essentially rest on the shoulders of an 18-year-old boy who has already been through far too much in his life.
And yet, despite all that, Yoochun's words still reassure me. I'm still comforted by his assertion that he will do everything in his power to keep Changmin and me safe. And that thought sets off another line until I can really only draw one conclusion. "We need to start training," I finally say.
Yoochun blinks at me a few times. He rarely questions my leaps in conversation anymore, even when they're as oddly juxtaposed as my last statement in response to his comforting words. Sometimes he just needs a couple extra moments to catch up, though. "Okay," he drags out the word over a couple syllables, "I think I agree, but I also think you need to clarify a bit."
I grin and start to tap out a rhythm against his palm with my fingertips, only half-aware of the action as I try to explain myself. "Min's pretty set, right? I mean, he needs to practice, of course, to make sure he doesn't lose his edge, but he's basically aware of his powers and what he can do with them." Yoochun nods, both in agreement and to prompt me to continue. "Me and you, though, Chunnie, we've barely even thought about what we can do. Since coming to the States, we've basically just let it go. If we train and practice and work…"
Yoochun picks up the thought from there. "Maybe we can be just that little extra help Changmin needs." He looks both excited and thoughtful at the idea. "I don't want Changmin to know, though," he continues. "He needs to focus on getting himself back in top shape. He shouldn't have to worry about training us on top of that."
I nod quickly, seeing the truth in his point, and then pause. "But, wait… If not Min, who else can do it?"
With a flash of a half-smirk, Yoochun replies, "Leave that to me. I have a couple of ideas."
~*~~*~
We part ways soon after finishing our coffees, Yoochun heading to work and me towards home. Knowing that we have some kind of plan, the unsettled and uneasy nagging in the pit of my stomach has eased off. I make the return walk in a better mood than when I'd left, and a shot of excitement runs through me when I realize Yunho and Junsu should be the only two there. Changmin should have just left for his classes and usually doesn't get home until late. Alone time for the three of us is so rare, I start planning all the ways to take full advantage of it.
When I walk in the front door, though, I'm greeted not by affectionate embraces but the cold sight of Yunho and Junsu sitting on opposite sides of the room in stony silence. The grin on my lips falters before dropping completely. "What's going on?" I ask, somewhat hesitant in the face of their obvious stalemate.
They both jump a bit, obviously having missed my entrance, before turning to face me. Junsu at least attempts to smile, standing to wrap his arms around my waist and press a quick kiss to my lips. I return the gesture while also looking over his shoulder only to see Yunho's scowl deepen. I start to panic at the sight. If Junsu's gesture has triggered that reaction, this has to be about me somehow. Right?
But what about me? What could have set this off? A list starts forming in my mind. My place in this relationship and always coming between them. Maybe them getting sick of sharing each other. Or more likely, judging by the reactions, Yunho getting sick of sharing Junsu. Maybe my inability to move on from the events at the Centre. The nightmares, being woken in the middle of the night on a regular basis. More and more possibilities pile up as I think about it.
A stinging smack against my cheek breaks me from my thoughts. Only then do I realize I'm now seated on the couch. Yunho has my face between his hands, thumbs stroking back and forth over my cheeks. Distantly, over my gasping breaths, I can hear Junsu's calming tones as his fingers sift through my hair. "You're okay, Jae," he reassures. "Everything's alright. Just breathe."
I'm eventually able to follow his advice, taking a deep breath before relaxing into a more normal rhythm. Once they see I'm calm again, Yunho and Junsu settle on each side of me to cocoon me between them. I sigh and let myself settle into the offered comfort. "Want to talk about it?" Yunho questions softly.
I grimace a little and avoid looking at either of them. Now on this side of the panic, my insecurities seem so stupid. Flights of horrific fantasy. "You two are fighting. I hate when you fight," I offer as explanation. They don't seem completely satisfied with the answer, but they don't push for more.
Instead, Junsu scoffs. Yunho's scowl returns at full strength with the sound. "You'll be fighting with him, too, when you hear what he plans to do with Changmin," Junsu replies. I look at Yunho and watch the muscles in his jaw clenching; then I turn to Junsu for more details. "There would be drugs involved. And possible ropes or some other kind of binding."
My eyes widen at the thought of Yunho even suggesting such a thing. Surely he knows what a move like that would do to Min. "Not happening. Ever. I don't care what the situation may be," I tell Yunho, making sure to hold eye contact with him. I see the protest on his face, but before he can get any words out, I cut him off. "No, Yunho. Being drugged, being tied down, he can accept that from the Centre. He expects it, even. The same move from you, even when your intentions are in his best interest, would destroy. It would break him far more completely than the Centre could ever manage. I don't think we'd ever get him back then."
I turn just in time to silence the "I told you so" forming on Junsu's tongue. We both look back at Yunho only to watch completely collapse in on himself. Tears form in his eyes then spill over as his shoulders slump. "I don't know what else to do," he admits, his tone just as defeated as his posture. "I promised him when he was 14 that I would keep him safe. I failed once already, and now he's not even giving me the chance to try this time."
He buries his face in my should and cries quietly, releasing all his tension and frustration over the last couple days. I rub his back and feel the couch shift as Junsu moves to the floor then lays a comforting hand on Yunho's thigh. We sit, unmoving, until the tears run out.
Chapter Title: (7/?) Interlude: Now Through My Eyes
Pairings: YooMin, HoSuJae
Rating: PG-13 for now
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: Bit of a change-up here. I've had a few people question why Jae's handling everything so much better than Min, so I attempted to address that. In doing so, it became more of an interlude than a chap. First person from Jae's p.o.v. Let me know what you guys think of it, okay?
And in other news… If Chunnie unexpectedly dies off sometime in the next couple chaps, just know that he was totally asking for it. *scowls* Seriously. Every single thing in my outline that I knew FOR SURE about this fic, he has taken one look at, laughed in my face, then proceeded to do the exact opposite. He is rejoicing in my misery over all of my rock-solid plotlines being shot to hell. So, y'know, just fair warning for you. To maintain my artistic control over my own characters, he may have to go. XD
Previous: Dreaming Back to This, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6
Interlude: Now Through My Eyes
I startle awake, sitting straight up in bed with a strangled scream at the back of my throat. I recognize my surroundings fairly quickly, though, and manage to hold back the sound. Almost immediately, two sets of arms surround me. Yunho's strong fingers soothe the tension from my shoulders while Junsu's smaller, softer hands wipe the tears from my face. I hadn't even realized I'd been crying.
It's become a familiar routine to the three of us over the last few months. During the day, for the most part, I can push the horror of the Centre from my mind. I focus all of my energy on making sure Min's okay and taking care of my other three boys that I never give the memories a chance to surface. No matter how busy I keep myself during the day, though, the nightmares always come back when I sleep.
They don't happen every night anymore, at least. They've actually tapered off to no more than once or twice a week. I felt so guilty at first, waking Yunho and Junsu all the time, but they've never even let me suggest the thought of sleeping anywhere but right between them.
I must have done something pretty spectacular in a past life to deserve not just one but two absolutely perfect men now.
Finally, my breathing evens out, and my racing heart slows to a more normal pace. Junsu and Yunho ease me back down onto the bed, smoothing my damp bangs off my sweaty forehead while whispering reassurances. I turn to my side and pull Junsu against me; he tucks his head under my chin and presses his lips to my chest. Yunho spoons against me from behind, resting an arm over both me and Junsu while kissing first my neck and then my temple before laying his head back down on the pillow. I melt into the haven of their arms and let myself slowly drift off to sleep again.
~*~~*~
"Min let me sleep with him last night," Yoochun states calmly as he sets his mug down. We'd decided to have a BFF-day, just the two of us, and came to a small local café after lunch at the restaurant where Junsu works. My jaw drops at his unexpected confession, not quite sure what to make of it, and he throws a balled-up napkin at my face with a scowl. "Not like that, perve-brain. Just sleeping." It's my turn to scowl, and he laughs at my expression.
I brush off my wounded pride to focus on the issue at hand. "What exactly brought that on? Last I heard, you two hadn't done more than hold hands for a bit."
The smile fades from Yoochun's face to be replaced by a troubled frown. "He had a nightmare. I'm not sure of the details; he was way too upset to talk about it coherently. When I got into his room, he was borderline hysterical. I just held him until he calmed down, which turned into him falling asleep on me. I didn't want to risk waking him by moving, so I just stayed in there for the night."
My eyebrows knit together as I match his frown. Min's had his nightmares, of course, but he hasn't had a reaction like that in quite a while. "That doesn't sound like a normal nightmare. He didn't say anything about it at all?"
Yoochun shrugs. "A little bit. Something about blood and that it hurt when we touched him. It didn't make a lot of sense to me, honestly, and he wasn't up to talking about it in any more depth than that. He's even more determined to stay and fight, though, so I guess we'll just have to find a way to work with that."
I sigh, certainly not happy to hear that. As much as I disagree with Yunho's approach, I'm not exactly against the idea of packing up and running. My frequent nightmares of our time with the Centre pretty much assure that I'm not particularly eager to interact with them again. Just the thought of it stops my heart for a couple beats.
As well as I think I hide my panic, some of it must show on my face. Or we've been friends forever and he just knows me that well. Either way, Yoochun reaches over to grasp my hand in his. "It's okay, Jae. We're not going to be taking risks with either one of you. I won't let you go through that again."
My rational side screams out how powerless he alone would be against them; if they really set their minds on taking us again, not much he could do would stop them. In fact, as much as it hurts me to admit it, Changmin really is our best hope. Our future and lives essentially rest on the shoulders of an 18-year-old boy who has already been through far too much in his life.
And yet, despite all that, Yoochun's words still reassure me. I'm still comforted by his assertion that he will do everything in his power to keep Changmin and me safe. And that thought sets off another line until I can really only draw one conclusion. "We need to start training," I finally say.
Yoochun blinks at me a few times. He rarely questions my leaps in conversation anymore, even when they're as oddly juxtaposed as my last statement in response to his comforting words. Sometimes he just needs a couple extra moments to catch up, though. "Okay," he drags out the word over a couple syllables, "I think I agree, but I also think you need to clarify a bit."
I grin and start to tap out a rhythm against his palm with my fingertips, only half-aware of the action as I try to explain myself. "Min's pretty set, right? I mean, he needs to practice, of course, to make sure he doesn't lose his edge, but he's basically aware of his powers and what he can do with them." Yoochun nods, both in agreement and to prompt me to continue. "Me and you, though, Chunnie, we've barely even thought about what we can do. Since coming to the States, we've basically just let it go. If we train and practice and work…"
Yoochun picks up the thought from there. "Maybe we can be just that little extra help Changmin needs." He looks both excited and thoughtful at the idea. "I don't want Changmin to know, though," he continues. "He needs to focus on getting himself back in top shape. He shouldn't have to worry about training us on top of that."
I nod quickly, seeing the truth in his point, and then pause. "But, wait… If not Min, who else can do it?"
With a flash of a half-smirk, Yoochun replies, "Leave that to me. I have a couple of ideas."
~*~~*~
We part ways soon after finishing our coffees, Yoochun heading to work and me towards home. Knowing that we have some kind of plan, the unsettled and uneasy nagging in the pit of my stomach has eased off. I make the return walk in a better mood than when I'd left, and a shot of excitement runs through me when I realize Yunho and Junsu should be the only two there. Changmin should have just left for his classes and usually doesn't get home until late. Alone time for the three of us is so rare, I start planning all the ways to take full advantage of it.
When I walk in the front door, though, I'm greeted not by affectionate embraces but the cold sight of Yunho and Junsu sitting on opposite sides of the room in stony silence. The grin on my lips falters before dropping completely. "What's going on?" I ask, somewhat hesitant in the face of their obvious stalemate.
They both jump a bit, obviously having missed my entrance, before turning to face me. Junsu at least attempts to smile, standing to wrap his arms around my waist and press a quick kiss to my lips. I return the gesture while also looking over his shoulder only to see Yunho's scowl deepen. I start to panic at the sight. If Junsu's gesture has triggered that reaction, this has to be about me somehow. Right?
But what about me? What could have set this off? A list starts forming in my mind. My place in this relationship and always coming between them. Maybe them getting sick of sharing each other. Or more likely, judging by the reactions, Yunho getting sick of sharing Junsu. Maybe my inability to move on from the events at the Centre. The nightmares, being woken in the middle of the night on a regular basis. More and more possibilities pile up as I think about it.
A stinging smack against my cheek breaks me from my thoughts. Only then do I realize I'm now seated on the couch. Yunho has my face between his hands, thumbs stroking back and forth over my cheeks. Distantly, over my gasping breaths, I can hear Junsu's calming tones as his fingers sift through my hair. "You're okay, Jae," he reassures. "Everything's alright. Just breathe."
I'm eventually able to follow his advice, taking a deep breath before relaxing into a more normal rhythm. Once they see I'm calm again, Yunho and Junsu settle on each side of me to cocoon me between them. I sigh and let myself settle into the offered comfort. "Want to talk about it?" Yunho questions softly.
I grimace a little and avoid looking at either of them. Now on this side of the panic, my insecurities seem so stupid. Flights of horrific fantasy. "You two are fighting. I hate when you fight," I offer as explanation. They don't seem completely satisfied with the answer, but they don't push for more.
Instead, Junsu scoffs. Yunho's scowl returns at full strength with the sound. "You'll be fighting with him, too, when you hear what he plans to do with Changmin," Junsu replies. I look at Yunho and watch the muscles in his jaw clenching; then I turn to Junsu for more details. "There would be drugs involved. And possible ropes or some other kind of binding."
My eyes widen at the thought of Yunho even suggesting such a thing. Surely he knows what a move like that would do to Min. "Not happening. Ever. I don't care what the situation may be," I tell Yunho, making sure to hold eye contact with him. I see the protest on his face, but before he can get any words out, I cut him off. "No, Yunho. Being drugged, being tied down, he can accept that from the Centre. He expects it, even. The same move from you, even when your intentions are in his best interest, would destroy. It would break him far more completely than the Centre could ever manage. I don't think we'd ever get him back then."
I turn just in time to silence the "I told you so" forming on Junsu's tongue. We both look back at Yunho only to watch completely collapse in on himself. Tears form in his eyes then spill over as his shoulders slump. "I don't know what else to do," he admits, his tone just as defeated as his posture. "I promised him when he was 14 that I would keep him safe. I failed once already, and now he's not even giving me the chance to try this time."
He buries his face in my should and cries quietly, releasing all his tension and frustration over the last couple days. I rub his back and feel the couch shift as Junsu moves to the floor then lays a comforting hand on Yunho's thigh. We sit, unmoving, until the tears run out.