[Fic] How to Save a Life pt. 2
Title: How to save a life (2/3)
Author:
helzfyah
Pairing: Jaeho, Jae/?
Rating: R, for adult themes
Warnings: mentions of drug abuse, addiction, and sexual relations while under the influence
Summary: What happens when a past love reappears in Jaejoong’s life and stirs up old memories he would rather forget?
A/N: Inspired, very loosely by
wedspawn’s So Much Mine (an awesome story, check it out at her journal), as well as How to Save a life by the Fray. Other than that - I have NO idea where this came from.
“You forgot your wallet last night.” Hyejun stood just outside Dong Bang Shin Ki’s apartment, his entrance blocked by Jaejoong. He extended his hand, the wallet hanging from his finger by its chain. Jaejoong stared at him, his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.
Hyejun chuckled, raking his fingers through his hair. “Fine. I borrowed it from your pocket so I could find you and return it. But with Yunho in full leader-sshi mode did you really expect me to ask oh-so-kindly for your address?”
Jaejoong stifled his laughter, taking his wallet and sliding it deep into his back pocket. Hyejun grabbed his wrist, tugging him lightly into his body. “Come with me. Let’s go for a walk,” he asked quietly.
Jaejoong turned his face away, worrying at his lower lip with his teeth. Hyejun softly touched his chin, turning him back to meet his eyes. “I’m clean, Jae. I’ve got nothing on me stronger than nicotine. It’s only a walk.” Jaejoong hesitated. “Please, Jae.”
Jaejoong balanced himself on the back rail of the park bench, his legs extended over the seat before him. Hyejun stood behind the bench, next to Jaejoong, his back leaning against the rail.
“You know, I still remember the first day I found you. It was after - I guess it must have been you’re 50th audition by then. It was pouring rain and you were standing on the sidewalk, no coat, nothing. And you stood there dripping wet, with a look on your face like you hated the world. And when I offered my help you didn’t believe a word I had to say.”
Hyejun reached into his pocket. Jaejoong started, flinching away from him at the sight of the familiar box. Hyejun flipped the box open, removing a cigarette and lighter. He shook his head, a sardonic smile curving his lips.
“And here we are, six years later, and you don’t believe me, just like before.” He lit the cigarette, offering it to Jaejoong. Jaejoong shook his head, refusing the drag.
“Cigarettes, too?” Hyejun’s voice held disbelief as he pulled the nicotine smoke into his lungs before exhaling. “Did Yunho let you keep any vices? Next you’ll be telling me that you’ve given up sex and taken a vow of chastity.”
A snort of a laugh burst from Jaejoong at the last comment. “As if. I wouldn’t even last a week.” Hyejun caught Jaejoong’s eyes with his own. His gaze wandered down to Jaejoong’s lips, as he licked his own slowly.
“I remember,” he said softly. Hyejun moved forward slowly, his eyes still locked on Jaejoong’s mouth. His breath ghosted along Jaejoong’s chin as he moved closer. Jaejoong placed his finger lightly against Hyejun’s lips, pushing him away slightly.
“Don’t. I’m with Yunho now, you know that.” Hyejun’s laugh this time was bitter and dark.
“Of course I know. I was there when he took you from me.” Jaejoong shook his head.
“Yunho didn’t take me, Junnie,” this time, the nickname slipped out easily, “I left.” Hyejun rounded on Jaejoong, anger beginning to light his eyes.
“Why?” He asked. “We were good together, Jae. We worked.” Jaejoong looked away from the heat that blazed from Hyejun.
“We were high, Hyejun.” Jaejoong’s voice was flat. “Every night, every weekend. And we didn’t work; we fucked. And, yeah, it was good. But, I was after something more than that. And if I stayed any longer it would have all crumbled to nothing around me.”
Hyejun stubbed out his cigarette along the porch railing, his mouth and shoulders tense. “I see Yunho’s worked hard to turn you against me.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Jaejoong’s temper snapped taut. “What is this grudge you have against Yunho? I remember when we were all friends once.”
“He betrayed that friendship when he took you from me four years ago.” Hyejun’s voice was hard.
“For the last time - Yunho didn’t take me from you. He helped me see what a mess I was making of my future and he was there for me when I needed him. But I made the decision to get clean. And I left because I knew…” Jaejoong’s voice trailed off. He quickly looked away from Hyejun, biting into his lower lip.
“What?” Hyejun pressed, moving in front of Jaejoong and catching his gaze. Jaejoong sighed.
“Because I knew if I stayed I would never be able to leave you.” Jaejoong’s words became softer and softer, until they were a mere whisper for Hyejun’s ears alone. “I fucking loved you, Hyejun. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. And the worst. I couldn’t stay.”
Hyejun moved away from Jaejoong, leaning against the large tree inches away. He lit another cigarette and puffed on it as the silence fell around them.
“I guess that’s it, then.” Hyejun stood up from the tree, dropping the cigarette to the grass and stubbing it out beneath his sneaker.
Jaejoong jumped lightly down from his perch on the park bench. “You could get clean, you know,” he suggested.
“Me?” Hyejun laughed. “I’ve been doing this far too long to give up now. It’ll kill me before I ever work up the strength to quit.“ He turned tired eyes that looked older than his 24 years to Jaejoong. “I’ve never been as strong as you Jae.”
“You’re not weak, you son-of-a-” Jaejoong stopped, the anger in his voice turning to bemusement, “Why do I only ever curse around you?”
Hyejun smiled. “I bring out the street rat in you.” Jaejoong raised his arm, but Hyejun caught it mid-swing, pulling him towards his body for a tight hug. He breathed in, inhaling the scent of Jaejoong’s skin. Jaejoong’s fingers clenched convulsively on his bicep. Eventually, Hyejun moved away, releasing Jaejoong and fumbling for the cigarette box in his pocket.
“Take care of yourself, Jae.”
He left Jaejoong standing alone in the middle of the park, head down and eyes closed.
TBC.
Part 3
Comments and Concrit are always welcome. Thanks for reading! The final part will be up soon. As usual, friending is fine, just drop me a comment to say you did and I'll happily add you back.
<3
Author:
helzfyah
Pairing: Jaeho, Jae/?
Rating: R, for adult themes
Warnings: mentions of drug abuse, addiction, and sexual relations while under the influence
Summary: What happens when a past love reappears in Jaejoong’s life and stirs up old memories he would rather forget?
A/N: Inspired, very loosely by
wedspawn’s So Much Mine (an awesome story, check it out at her journal), as well as How to Save a life by the Fray. Other than that - I have NO idea where this came from.
“You forgot your wallet last night.” Hyejun stood just outside Dong Bang Shin Ki’s apartment, his entrance blocked by Jaejoong. He extended his hand, the wallet hanging from his finger by its chain. Jaejoong stared at him, his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.
Hyejun chuckled, raking his fingers through his hair. “Fine. I borrowed it from your pocket so I could find you and return it. But with Yunho in full leader-sshi mode did you really expect me to ask oh-so-kindly for your address?”
Jaejoong stifled his laughter, taking his wallet and sliding it deep into his back pocket. Hyejun grabbed his wrist, tugging him lightly into his body. “Come with me. Let’s go for a walk,” he asked quietly.
Jaejoong turned his face away, worrying at his lower lip with his teeth. Hyejun softly touched his chin, turning him back to meet his eyes. “I’m clean, Jae. I’ve got nothing on me stronger than nicotine. It’s only a walk.” Jaejoong hesitated. “Please, Jae.”
Jaejoong balanced himself on the back rail of the park bench, his legs extended over the seat before him. Hyejun stood behind the bench, next to Jaejoong, his back leaning against the rail.
“You know, I still remember the first day I found you. It was after - I guess it must have been you’re 50th audition by then. It was pouring rain and you were standing on the sidewalk, no coat, nothing. And you stood there dripping wet, with a look on your face like you hated the world. And when I offered my help you didn’t believe a word I had to say.”
Hyejun reached into his pocket. Jaejoong started, flinching away from him at the sight of the familiar box. Hyejun flipped the box open, removing a cigarette and lighter. He shook his head, a sardonic smile curving his lips.
“And here we are, six years later, and you don’t believe me, just like before.” He lit the cigarette, offering it to Jaejoong. Jaejoong shook his head, refusing the drag.
“Cigarettes, too?” Hyejun’s voice held disbelief as he pulled the nicotine smoke into his lungs before exhaling. “Did Yunho let you keep any vices? Next you’ll be telling me that you’ve given up sex and taken a vow of chastity.”
A snort of a laugh burst from Jaejoong at the last comment. “As if. I wouldn’t even last a week.” Hyejun caught Jaejoong’s eyes with his own. His gaze wandered down to Jaejoong’s lips, as he licked his own slowly.
“I remember,” he said softly. Hyejun moved forward slowly, his eyes still locked on Jaejoong’s mouth. His breath ghosted along Jaejoong’s chin as he moved closer. Jaejoong placed his finger lightly against Hyejun’s lips, pushing him away slightly.
“Don’t. I’m with Yunho now, you know that.” Hyejun’s laugh this time was bitter and dark.
“Of course I know. I was there when he took you from me.” Jaejoong shook his head.
“Yunho didn’t take me, Junnie,” this time, the nickname slipped out easily, “I left.” Hyejun rounded on Jaejoong, anger beginning to light his eyes.
“Why?” He asked. “We were good together, Jae. We worked.” Jaejoong looked away from the heat that blazed from Hyejun.
“We were high, Hyejun.” Jaejoong’s voice was flat. “Every night, every weekend. And we didn’t work; we fucked. And, yeah, it was good. But, I was after something more than that. And if I stayed any longer it would have all crumbled to nothing around me.”
Hyejun stubbed out his cigarette along the porch railing, his mouth and shoulders tense. “I see Yunho’s worked hard to turn you against me.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Jaejoong’s temper snapped taut. “What is this grudge you have against Yunho? I remember when we were all friends once.”
“He betrayed that friendship when he took you from me four years ago.” Hyejun’s voice was hard.
“For the last time - Yunho didn’t take me from you. He helped me see what a mess I was making of my future and he was there for me when I needed him. But I made the decision to get clean. And I left because I knew…” Jaejoong’s voice trailed off. He quickly looked away from Hyejun, biting into his lower lip.
“What?” Hyejun pressed, moving in front of Jaejoong and catching his gaze. Jaejoong sighed.
“Because I knew if I stayed I would never be able to leave you.” Jaejoong’s words became softer and softer, until they were a mere whisper for Hyejun’s ears alone. “I fucking loved you, Hyejun. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. And the worst. I couldn’t stay.”
Hyejun moved away from Jaejoong, leaning against the large tree inches away. He lit another cigarette and puffed on it as the silence fell around them.
“I guess that’s it, then.” Hyejun stood up from the tree, dropping the cigarette to the grass and stubbing it out beneath his sneaker.
Jaejoong jumped lightly down from his perch on the park bench. “You could get clean, you know,” he suggested.
“Me?” Hyejun laughed. “I’ve been doing this far too long to give up now. It’ll kill me before I ever work up the strength to quit.“ He turned tired eyes that looked older than his 24 years to Jaejoong. “I’ve never been as strong as you Jae.”
“You’re not weak, you son-of-a-” Jaejoong stopped, the anger in his voice turning to bemusement, “Why do I only ever curse around you?”
Hyejun smiled. “I bring out the street rat in you.” Jaejoong raised his arm, but Hyejun caught it mid-swing, pulling him towards his body for a tight hug. He breathed in, inhaling the scent of Jaejoong’s skin. Jaejoong’s fingers clenched convulsively on his bicep. Eventually, Hyejun moved away, releasing Jaejoong and fumbling for the cigarette box in his pocket.
“Take care of yourself, Jae.”
He left Jaejoong standing alone in the middle of the park, head down and eyes closed.
TBC.
Part 3
Comments and Concrit are always welcome. Thanks for reading! The final part will be up soon. As usual, friending is fine, just drop me a comment to say you did and I'll happily add you back.
<3