Of Swaggers, Saloons, And Star Badges - Chapter 22
Title: Of Swaggers, Saloons, And Star Badges - Chapter 22
Character/Pairing: Jae/Min/Chun and variations of, YooSu bffery, and ninja!pairings
Genre: drama/angst, romance, and a bit of comedy and action, Korean Wild West AU!
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,964
Disclaimer: I have a what?
Previous parts: Prologue , Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 , Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 , Chapter 5 , Chapter 6 , Chapter 7 , Chapter 8 , Chapter 9 , Chapter 10 , Chapter 11 , Chapter 12 , Chapter 13 , Chapter 14 , Chapter 15 , Chapter 16 , Chapter 17 , Chapter 18 , Chapter 19, Chapter 20 , Chapter 21
A/N: Just a note about the ages, The Kim twins are 17, Yoochun is 18, Changmin is 25, Jaejoong is 26, Jungsu is 27, Youngwoon is 24 and Siwon is 22. Younghwa is 23, Ji-Hoon is 26 and Yunho was 25.
Youngwoon had spent as much time as he could with Siwon and the two goons at the station, but his leg was beginning to bother him. He was finally able to beg off once the henchmen decided to settle in at the inn for the night and he was able to head over to Jungsu’s clinic to check in on the young doctor while getting a check-up.
The sun had already setting, but it wasn’t hard to miss the two large bodies on the ground. With a little difficulty, Youngwoon crouched down and examined the thugs’ bodies. One had a broken neck and the other, just feet from his partner, had his throat slit. Whoever did this did so with great skill and speed - and Youngwoon prayed that Jungsu hadn’t met the same fate.
Jungsu finally managed to push Younghwa away and gasped for much needed air.
“We need to move fast, can he move?” Younghwa said with a nod to his brother, dismissing the rejection.
“We?” Jungsu questioned, taking a step back. He was trying to stall the younger man until he could think of something to get himself out of this.
“You didn’t think I would leave without my brother and his physician, did you?” Younghwa said as he stalked forward, a strange smirk over taking his face.
“Ji-Ji-Hoon can’t be moved again tonight. The trip from the jail to the clinic was dangerous enough. If we try to move him again some of the worse wounds may reopen and there is no way I can safely clean them and close them if we’re traveling.” Jungsu did his best to speak without showing how afraid he truly was. He hoped Younghwa would change he mind and take off on his own.
Younghwa nodded in acknowledgement before he commented. “It’s a pity.” He drew his shiny new pistol that he had stolen from the general store while hiding and shot his unconscious brother right between the eyes. Jungsu jumped, but held in his scream. “I actually kind of liked that hyung of mine.” Younghwa sighed as he pulled a sheet over his brother’s slumped form.
“You didn’t have to do that!” Jungsu cried out, unable to hold back anymore. “You could have left him here and gone on without him.”
“Better he die at my hand than the states when they throw him into some filthy prison cell and his wounds get infected.” Younghwa said in a hollow tone, it was clear that he had lost his mind. “Didn’t I save him from long hours of suffering to a slow death, doctor?”
Jungsu stayed silent, afraid to anger the with erratic mood swings.
“Now, we better get moving before someone notices those two bodies outside.” Younghwa said with an eerie cheer to his voice.
Youngwoon had heard the gunshot and his heart stopped. Please not Jungsu, please. Without another thought and his gun ready, Youngwoon stormed into the clinic.
The sudden entrance of the injured Deputy startled Younghwa and he pull the doctor in front of him as a shield.
“Let him go and you can walk out of here alive” Youngwoon tried to keep his voice calm when all he felt was rage - especially when he saw the man he love held hostage.
“I’m not leaving without him!” Younghwa yelled back.
“Take your brother and go! Just leave Jungsu alone!” Youngwoon would happily let the Jungs go free if it meant saving Jungsu’s life.
“I don’t want my brother you fool, I killed him. I came here for Jungsu and I won’t leave without him.” Younghwa’s arm tightened around Jungsu and he pressed his body closer to that of the older man.
Youngwoon’s eyes flew to the covered form on the bed, blood was seeping through the sheet. When he returned his gaze to the men in front of him he locked eyes with the young criminal. Younghwa winked before pressing a kiss to the side of the Doctor’s neck.
“Put your gun down Deputy and step aside or I’ll be forced to kill you in front of Jungsu. You wouldn’t want to force him to watch you bleed to death, would you?”
“I won’t let you take him anywhere.” Youngwoon stood his ground.
“Youngwoon, just go, please.” Jungsu pleaded, tears in his eyes.
“I can’t.” Youngwoon couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning Jungsu to this maniac. He hoped that the young Doctor could understand that his life meant more to him than his own.
Not a second after Youngwoon’s declaration, Younghwa shot the Deputy and the man hit the floor with a loud thud.
“No!” Jungsu tried to run to Youngwoon’s side but was held back by the painful grip around his middle.
“He should have listened to us.” Younghwa commented dully before he spun Jungsu around and threw the devastated man over his shoulder. “You may want to close your eyes love, it’s a terrible site.” He commented as he carted Jungsu towards the exit. Jungsu didn’t want to close his eyes, he wanted to see Youngwoon; to see that he was alright, that this was all just a horrible nightmare, a bad joke.
As Younghwa stepped over the prone form, Jungsu saw the puddle of blood and the tears he had been holding back spilled over. The grief hit him so suddenly, he couldn’t stop the sobs that were bursting out of his lungs as Younghwa carried him outside.
“If you carry on like this, I’ll have no choice but to toss you across the saddle.” Younghwa sighed with irritation, but the warning fell on deaf ears. Jungsu’s trembling body was carelessly thrown over the side of a horse and Younghwa hoisted himself up behind him.
Junsu grumbled as he carried the heavy load of food on his own to the clinic. Junho was supposed to help him bring the late dinner his mother was sending over to the doctor and his patient but his brother got distracted when the young deputy entered the Saloon.
“Stupid Swion and his stupid eyebrows…” Junsu’s whine was stopped short when he saw two giant lumps out in front of the clinic. It was hard to make much out much as Jungsu had not lit the gas lamps on the Clinic’s porch - which was odd. He approached with caution and when he recognized the fallen forms of the thugs he rushed into the clinic.
“Hyung!” Junsu shouted as he ran inside, uncaring of his own safety. He tossed the food to the side when he saw Deputy Youngwoon bleeding out on the floor.
“Youngwoon-hyung?” Junsu called as he tried to inspect the older man’s body for wounds. He had been shot in the chest, but he was still breathing - somehow. Junsu rolled Youngwoon from his side to his back and saw the nasty bump on his forehead. The fall seemed to have knock him unconscious - but that did not explain how he was still able to breathe. To save time, Junsu ripped the man’s shirt open to get a better look at the bullet wound. Youngwoon had not just been shot in the chest - but in the sternum, and by the looks of things the bullet was still lodged in the bone. The man was damn lucky one of his lungs hadn’t been punctured.
Junsu was quick to action, cleaning and dressing the wound as Jungsu had taught him. He did his best to prop Youngwoon up against a bed but the man was too heavy to lift on his own without causing any injury. Once he was done he then noticed the covered form on the bed. With shaking hands he lifted the sheet away to see a very dead Jung Ji-Hoon and a wave of relief washed over him. Jungsu-hyung could still be alive. Now, he would need to get help.
“Ya! You horny bastards!” Junsu cried out in indignation as he charged into the Sheriff’s bedroom.
“Su?” Yoochun asked as he poked his head out from beneath the cover. His hair was adorably tussled.
“Jungsu-hyung is missing and Youngwoon-hyung has been shot! Get dressed and meet me at the clinic!” Without another word Junsu stormed out, trying to conceal his furious blush.
Junsu would have been embarrassed by the scene that he had walked in on, but there was no time for that now. Junsu walked into the Saloon with a similar gusto causing the patrons to quiet down at his entrance.
“Deputy Eyebrows, hyung with the eyebrow fetish, you’re needed at the clinic!” Junsu directed at Siwon and Junho who had cozied up at a corner table.
After a stunned moment, the couple raced after Junsu. No one questioned the normally chipper Junsu’s command; he seemed serious and his voice was stern - he was also covered in someone’s blood.
“Youngwoon-ah, do you know what happened here?” Changmin asked his colleague and friend, sitting at the man’s side after he, Jaejoong and Siwon lifted him to a bed.
“Younghwa.” Youngwoon coughed out. “Shot Ji-Hoon, took Jungsu.”
Changmin frowned at the response. Hadn’t Younghwa died in the fire? “Are you sure it was Younghwa.”
“Yes.” Youngwoon growl out, from pain or irritation no one could tell.
“Do you know where he took hyung?” Jaejoong asked. Youngwoon shook his head in response.
“Do you know why he took Jungsu if he already killed his brother?” Changmin asked.
Youngwoon struggled to stay conscious a little longer, “crazy, love.” It was all he was able to get out before he fell into the darkness of unconsciousness again. Changmin’s heart sank for his friend and he gave the limp hand in his a gentle squeeze before setting it down gently.
“If Younghwa is alive it means that he started the fire and killed his own father.” Changmin reasoned.
“Before coming here, killing two of his father’s henchmen and then his own brother.” Jaejoong concluded.
“What do we do now?” Yoochun asked as he came to Changmin’s side and put a comforting arm around his lover.
“We go after him.” Changmin said as he stood. His face was all hard lines. “The Jungs have ruined enough lives, I won’t let them get away with it again - especially if that brat did burn down my station.”
“They didn’t get too far.” Junsu offered. “I had only been gone a half hour when I found Youngwoon-hyung and he had been shot not five minutes before I came - any longer and he would have bled out.” Junsu explained. “I patched him up and went for help.”
“So, they have an hour’s start on us?” Siwon asked.
“Not more than that.” Junsu assured them.
“We came here on our horses, we can go after them right away.” Yoochun said.
“Junsu, you should stay here with Youngwoon for now.” Changmin advised.
“I’ll go get our Umma to stay here with Junsu and saddle up my horse to follow.” Junho said, already heading out the door. Siwon stopped him with a firm hand on his elbow.
“If Younghwa has done all that we think he has, then the man is out of his mind and I don’t want you putting yourself in that kind of danger.” Siwon furrowed his eyebrows in worry.
Junho spoke as he gentle removed the hand on his arm. “I’m a better shot than most of you and Lord knows you need someone watching your back.” He winked and gave the Deputy a quick peck on the lips before he jogged out of the clinic.
“Well then,” Jaejoong said as he cleared his throat. “Go get your horse Deputy, we won’t wait for you.”
Siwon nodded and moved to the exit.
“And we will discuss you courting a seventeen year old once this whole ordeal is over.” Changmin warned.
“Yes sir, Sheriff Shim.” He mumbled as he left.
Character/Pairing: Jae/Min/Chun and variations of, YooSu bffery, and ninja!pairings
Genre: drama/angst, romance, and a bit of comedy and action, Korean Wild West AU!
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,964
Disclaimer: I have a what?
Previous parts: Prologue , Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 , Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 , Chapter 5 , Chapter 6 , Chapter 7 , Chapter 8 , Chapter 9 , Chapter 10 , Chapter 11 , Chapter 12 , Chapter 13 , Chapter 14 , Chapter 15 , Chapter 16 , Chapter 17 , Chapter 18 , Chapter 19, Chapter 20 , Chapter 21
A/N: Just a note about the ages, The Kim twins are 17, Yoochun is 18, Changmin is 25, Jaejoong is 26, Jungsu is 27, Youngwoon is 24 and Siwon is 22. Younghwa is 23, Ji-Hoon is 26 and Yunho was 25.
Youngwoon had spent as much time as he could with Siwon and the two goons at the station, but his leg was beginning to bother him. He was finally able to beg off once the henchmen decided to settle in at the inn for the night and he was able to head over to Jungsu’s clinic to check in on the young doctor while getting a check-up.
The sun had already setting, but it wasn’t hard to miss the two large bodies on the ground. With a little difficulty, Youngwoon crouched down and examined the thugs’ bodies. One had a broken neck and the other, just feet from his partner, had his throat slit. Whoever did this did so with great skill and speed - and Youngwoon prayed that Jungsu hadn’t met the same fate.
Jungsu finally managed to push Younghwa away and gasped for much needed air.
“We need to move fast, can he move?” Younghwa said with a nod to his brother, dismissing the rejection.
“We?” Jungsu questioned, taking a step back. He was trying to stall the younger man until he could think of something to get himself out of this.
“You didn’t think I would leave without my brother and his physician, did you?” Younghwa said as he stalked forward, a strange smirk over taking his face.
“Ji-Ji-Hoon can’t be moved again tonight. The trip from the jail to the clinic was dangerous enough. If we try to move him again some of the worse wounds may reopen and there is no way I can safely clean them and close them if we’re traveling.” Jungsu did his best to speak without showing how afraid he truly was. He hoped Younghwa would change he mind and take off on his own.
Younghwa nodded in acknowledgement before he commented. “It’s a pity.” He drew his shiny new pistol that he had stolen from the general store while hiding and shot his unconscious brother right between the eyes. Jungsu jumped, but held in his scream. “I actually kind of liked that hyung of mine.” Younghwa sighed as he pulled a sheet over his brother’s slumped form.
“You didn’t have to do that!” Jungsu cried out, unable to hold back anymore. “You could have left him here and gone on without him.”
“Better he die at my hand than the states when they throw him into some filthy prison cell and his wounds get infected.” Younghwa said in a hollow tone, it was clear that he had lost his mind. “Didn’t I save him from long hours of suffering to a slow death, doctor?”
Jungsu stayed silent, afraid to anger the with erratic mood swings.
“Now, we better get moving before someone notices those two bodies outside.” Younghwa said with an eerie cheer to his voice.
Youngwoon had heard the gunshot and his heart stopped. Please not Jungsu, please. Without another thought and his gun ready, Youngwoon stormed into the clinic.
The sudden entrance of the injured Deputy startled Younghwa and he pull the doctor in front of him as a shield.
“Let him go and you can walk out of here alive” Youngwoon tried to keep his voice calm when all he felt was rage - especially when he saw the man he love held hostage.
“I’m not leaving without him!” Younghwa yelled back.
“Take your brother and go! Just leave Jungsu alone!” Youngwoon would happily let the Jungs go free if it meant saving Jungsu’s life.
“I don’t want my brother you fool, I killed him. I came here for Jungsu and I won’t leave without him.” Younghwa’s arm tightened around Jungsu and he pressed his body closer to that of the older man.
Youngwoon’s eyes flew to the covered form on the bed, blood was seeping through the sheet. When he returned his gaze to the men in front of him he locked eyes with the young criminal. Younghwa winked before pressing a kiss to the side of the Doctor’s neck.
“Put your gun down Deputy and step aside or I’ll be forced to kill you in front of Jungsu. You wouldn’t want to force him to watch you bleed to death, would you?”
“I won’t let you take him anywhere.” Youngwoon stood his ground.
“Youngwoon, just go, please.” Jungsu pleaded, tears in his eyes.
“I can’t.” Youngwoon couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning Jungsu to this maniac. He hoped that the young Doctor could understand that his life meant more to him than his own.
Not a second after Youngwoon’s declaration, Younghwa shot the Deputy and the man hit the floor with a loud thud.
“No!” Jungsu tried to run to Youngwoon’s side but was held back by the painful grip around his middle.
“He should have listened to us.” Younghwa commented dully before he spun Jungsu around and threw the devastated man over his shoulder. “You may want to close your eyes love, it’s a terrible site.” He commented as he carted Jungsu towards the exit. Jungsu didn’t want to close his eyes, he wanted to see Youngwoon; to see that he was alright, that this was all just a horrible nightmare, a bad joke.
As Younghwa stepped over the prone form, Jungsu saw the puddle of blood and the tears he had been holding back spilled over. The grief hit him so suddenly, he couldn’t stop the sobs that were bursting out of his lungs as Younghwa carried him outside.
“If you carry on like this, I’ll have no choice but to toss you across the saddle.” Younghwa sighed with irritation, but the warning fell on deaf ears. Jungsu’s trembling body was carelessly thrown over the side of a horse and Younghwa hoisted himself up behind him.
Junsu grumbled as he carried the heavy load of food on his own to the clinic. Junho was supposed to help him bring the late dinner his mother was sending over to the doctor and his patient but his brother got distracted when the young deputy entered the Saloon.
“Stupid Swion and his stupid eyebrows…” Junsu’s whine was stopped short when he saw two giant lumps out in front of the clinic. It was hard to make much out much as Jungsu had not lit the gas lamps on the Clinic’s porch - which was odd. He approached with caution and when he recognized the fallen forms of the thugs he rushed into the clinic.
“Hyung!” Junsu shouted as he ran inside, uncaring of his own safety. He tossed the food to the side when he saw Deputy Youngwoon bleeding out on the floor.
“Youngwoon-hyung?” Junsu called as he tried to inspect the older man’s body for wounds. He had been shot in the chest, but he was still breathing - somehow. Junsu rolled Youngwoon from his side to his back and saw the nasty bump on his forehead. The fall seemed to have knock him unconscious - but that did not explain how he was still able to breathe. To save time, Junsu ripped the man’s shirt open to get a better look at the bullet wound. Youngwoon had not just been shot in the chest - but in the sternum, and by the looks of things the bullet was still lodged in the bone. The man was damn lucky one of his lungs hadn’t been punctured.
Junsu was quick to action, cleaning and dressing the wound as Jungsu had taught him. He did his best to prop Youngwoon up against a bed but the man was too heavy to lift on his own without causing any injury. Once he was done he then noticed the covered form on the bed. With shaking hands he lifted the sheet away to see a very dead Jung Ji-Hoon and a wave of relief washed over him. Jungsu-hyung could still be alive. Now, he would need to get help.
“Ya! You horny bastards!” Junsu cried out in indignation as he charged into the Sheriff’s bedroom.
“Su?” Yoochun asked as he poked his head out from beneath the cover. His hair was adorably tussled.
“Jungsu-hyung is missing and Youngwoon-hyung has been shot! Get dressed and meet me at the clinic!” Without another word Junsu stormed out, trying to conceal his furious blush.
Junsu would have been embarrassed by the scene that he had walked in on, but there was no time for that now. Junsu walked into the Saloon with a similar gusto causing the patrons to quiet down at his entrance.
“Deputy Eyebrows, hyung with the eyebrow fetish, you’re needed at the clinic!” Junsu directed at Siwon and Junho who had cozied up at a corner table.
After a stunned moment, the couple raced after Junsu. No one questioned the normally chipper Junsu’s command; he seemed serious and his voice was stern - he was also covered in someone’s blood.
“Youngwoon-ah, do you know what happened here?” Changmin asked his colleague and friend, sitting at the man’s side after he, Jaejoong and Siwon lifted him to a bed.
“Younghwa.” Youngwoon coughed out. “Shot Ji-Hoon, took Jungsu.”
Changmin frowned at the response. Hadn’t Younghwa died in the fire? “Are you sure it was Younghwa.”
“Yes.” Youngwoon growl out, from pain or irritation no one could tell.
“Do you know where he took hyung?” Jaejoong asked. Youngwoon shook his head in response.
“Do you know why he took Jungsu if he already killed his brother?” Changmin asked.
Youngwoon struggled to stay conscious a little longer, “crazy, love.” It was all he was able to get out before he fell into the darkness of unconsciousness again. Changmin’s heart sank for his friend and he gave the limp hand in his a gentle squeeze before setting it down gently.
“If Younghwa is alive it means that he started the fire and killed his own father.” Changmin reasoned.
“Before coming here, killing two of his father’s henchmen and then his own brother.” Jaejoong concluded.
“What do we do now?” Yoochun asked as he came to Changmin’s side and put a comforting arm around his lover.
“We go after him.” Changmin said as he stood. His face was all hard lines. “The Jungs have ruined enough lives, I won’t let them get away with it again - especially if that brat did burn down my station.”
“They didn’t get too far.” Junsu offered. “I had only been gone a half hour when I found Youngwoon-hyung and he had been shot not five minutes before I came - any longer and he would have bled out.” Junsu explained. “I patched him up and went for help.”
“So, they have an hour’s start on us?” Siwon asked.
“Not more than that.” Junsu assured them.
“We came here on our horses, we can go after them right away.” Yoochun said.
“Junsu, you should stay here with Youngwoon for now.” Changmin advised.
“I’ll go get our Umma to stay here with Junsu and saddle up my horse to follow.” Junho said, already heading out the door. Siwon stopped him with a firm hand on his elbow.
“If Younghwa has done all that we think he has, then the man is out of his mind and I don’t want you putting yourself in that kind of danger.” Siwon furrowed his eyebrows in worry.
Junho spoke as he gentle removed the hand on his arm. “I’m a better shot than most of you and Lord knows you need someone watching your back.” He winked and gave the Deputy a quick peck on the lips before he jogged out of the clinic.
“Well then,” Jaejoong said as he cleared his throat. “Go get your horse Deputy, we won’t wait for you.”
Siwon nodded and moved to the exit.
“And we will discuss you courting a seventeen year old once this whole ordeal is over.” Changmin warned.
“Yes sir, Sheriff Shim.” He mumbled as he left.