[Fic] And Now The Story Begins
Title: And Now The Story Begins
Pairing: Yunjae
Summary: Jung Yunho served a man who was pale as fresh snow, with hair as dark as night, and pouty red lips. Oh and he had unusually long canines too. But if he was caged within the walls of his master's castle, then he was his willing prisoner.
Cold, piercing red eyes glared down at him, not even conceding the slightest to his trembling frame or quavering voice.
“Please… please sir; I’m sorry! Please sir, it will never happen again!”
His master leaned further towards him and he cowered back in abject fear.
“Again?”
“No no no sir! There is no chance of it happening again!” he fell to his knees, clutching the hem of his master’s tailored dresspants, “Please forgive me!”
Angry red eyes narrowed in disgust as their owner hissed his displeasure. “You dare steal from the hand that feeds you and still ask for forgiveness?” he kicked the man away roughly with his boot-clad feet.
“I’m sorry, sir! “ Please, please understand, my son is ill; I needed money to get him medicin-”
“And now you dare ask for my understanding?” the master roared and the man shook like a leaf dangling precariously off a winter branch. He shifted forward to try to grab hold of his master’s leg again, but seemed to have thought better against it for he shrank back into a little trembling ball instead.
“You betrayed my trust; you will be punished,” the lord’s voice was void of any emotion, clear in the empty hall. There was not even anger, just a stature of coldness.
“Please have mercy, m'lord!” the man panicked, fresh tears slipping out of tired eyes down his already tear-painted cheeks.
“Your son whom you stole for - bring him to me.”
The man’s jaw fell open as his body froze while the weight of his master’s words sank in. “No no no, master!” he scampered forward on all fours, but the lord gracefully sidestepped him before the man’s soiled fingers could touch him. “Master, please punish me instead! My son is innocent! He is just a child…” tears were flowing unabashedly down the middle-aged man’s face.
“This is your punishment - you will live knowing you left your precious son with a monster like me.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The first time Jung Yunho laid eyes on his master, he was 11 years old.
The first thing that stuck him was that his master was beautiful; breathtakingly so. The man’s form seemed to penetrate through Yunho’s mind that was clouded with a virus. He could not help but stare, mesmerized by the tall figure that stood a short distance away from his father and him. The lord was pale as the fresh snow that fell all around them, with piercing eyes of a feline and cheekbones so high they look as though they could cut. Hair as dark as night framed his small face, finished with pouty red lips. He knew that his father had been serving the lord for more than 30 years, but that lone figure standing outside the gates of his castle still had the flawless complexion of an adolescent. The regal clock that draped over the master’s shoulders was shapeless, yet it could not conceal the well-toned yet unnaturally slim body beneath it.
An ungloved hand stretched out towards him, beckoning him over. The fingers were long and slender, and as fair as their owner’s face. It was a simple gesture, but a strange compulsion to obey washed over the young boy. He felt his father tighten his vice-like grip on his small hand. Yunho was so entranced by the master that he forgot his illness, putting one foot before the other, then another, then another.
“Yunho, please.”
His father’s trembling, pleading whisper reached Yunho’s ears, but they appeared not to have reached his heart. Until today Jung Yunho still did not know what force pocessed him, but without even turning around to look at the elder, he roughly shook his father’s hand off his.
Now that he was away from the warmth of his father’s side, he was suddenly exposed acutely to the winter’s chill, and he felt unusually cold. Undeterred, he continued his small but sure footsteps towards the clocked figure before him. Yunho’s young, innocent eyes never left the lord’s face, spellbound by its exquisite beauty. In return, the master held his gaze even as he slowly turned his body towards the castle, hand still outstretched.
The journey to cross the short distance that separated them seemed to take forever with Yunho’s trudging steps through the snow, but finally, his small hand found his master’s bigger one. His master’s fingers closed around his hand tightly, almost lovingly. The hand was cold; even colder than the metal that adorned its fourth finger. Long nails dug painlessly into his skin. Yunho could feel the silky smoothness of the skin against his calloused palm. Now that they were standing barely a hair’s breadth away from each other, Yunho noticed that his master’s irises were red - red like the brilliant sunset that glowed across the horizon he loved to watch every evening. Despite their close proximity, Yunho could not feel any form of heat radiating off the man. He gave an involuntary shudder. Yet, when the man offered him a smile, Yunho felt an unexplained warmth surge through him despite the sharp canines those scarlet lips had parted to reveal.
Yunho knew he should be afraid, but he was not.
“Hello, Yunho,” the master bent down to kiss him on his flushed head. The voice was soft, clear as bluebells singing through a breeze.
And together, master and child slowly made their way towards the gothic masterpiece of a sprawling castle.
Yunho could have sworn he heard his father’s heartwrenching cries of agony despite the loud, ominous creaking of the towering iron gates shutting behind them. He shared a close relationship with his father, but he could not bear to tear his eyes off the man beside him for even a moment to turn his head to look at his only kin for the last time or bid him goodbye.
Yunho’s heart was already too far gone.
“You’re mine, Yunho-ah.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Despite living in a castle big enough to house half the town’s population, Yunho was the only servant his master had. He spent his days maintaining the cleanliness of the place, even the unused rooms, scrubbing floors and polishing antique mantelpieces. The flourishing garden was also under his care, with emphasis paid to his master’s favourite rose bushes. Of course, his prime concern was to attend to his master’s needs; bringing the lord his preferred bottles of vintage at all weird hours the master demanded for them. Yunho was both physically and mentally drained at the end of each day. He had no idea how the previous servants before him had managed.
On top of the bone-breaking daily chores, the cold was another thing Yunho had to contend with. It was uncharacteristically cold in the castle, the master not seeming to mind having fireplaces empty or those giant arching windows open even through a blizzard. Yunho could not tell if the cold was due to the location of the castle, up on a lonely hill a short distance away from the town centre, or due to his master. The man’s very presence alone seemed to make the ambers of Yunho’s fireplace in his room wither and die. The lord noticed this, and compensated Yunho with flames of his own, beautiful blazing flames of emerald and sapphire that reminded the child of his master. Yunho could spend forever watching those flames go about their graceful dance in the firebox.
Yunho knew his master was a mysterious man; his father had told him such, and so had the townsfolk he spoke to during his weekly trips down the hill to stock up on necessities. Kim Jaejoong was his name, and that was all they knew of him. No one knew where he came from, or when he first moved into the castle. They knew not of his family nor of his past. The few people who were privileged enough to meet him at functions or parties seemed content to know nothing more than the affable, generous man he presented himself to be. He spoke almost nothing about his private life. Nonetheless, he was a well-respected man, and even the mayor looked to him on important matters. To the people in town, he was a cold but kind man who donated generously to the community. The grocers and repairmen whom Yunho patronised asked him many questions, but he could answer none of them despite living under the same roof as the lord. Despite the little that Yunho knew about his lord, he still felt he could trust the man with his life.
Apart from housekeeping, the lord had personally schooled him in the mastery of the pen, the sword, horseback, and music, among others. His master was a strict but kind teacher. He expected good progress from Yunho, but was generous with praise and encouragement when they were due. The visitors to the castle lavished compliments on Yunho’s performance and eloquence in subjects more profound than his status, and his master seemed to take pride in that. Unlike most other nobles, Jaejoong always introduced his butler to his guests, and engaged him in their conversations. Before he turned 13, Yunho was better acquainted with members of high society than men twice his age.
Yunho blossomed into a fine young man after two years of servitude under his master. And he did not even miss home once.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The first time Jung Yunho knew why there were whispers that his master was a monster, he was 15 years old.
The lord had a guest staying the night - a delicate looking lady with a small face who had been blushing throughout their intimate dinner. She reminded Yunho of a shy rosebud blooming in spring. As pretty a lady as she was, if anyone asked Yunho, he would truthfully say that he thought that the lady and all her expensive jewels and silk could not even come close to the ethereal splendour of his master.
Yunho had not given the lady much thought. She was not the first pretty young thing who had gone past the double oak doors to Jaejoong’s bedchambers, and Yunho was sure she most certainly would not be the last. His master had his way of charming all sorts of people if he so desired.
The young butler had gone into his master’s chambers that evening at the twentieth hour to prepare his bath as per daily routine, but the sight that greeted his eyes was anything but ordinary.
At first glance they appeared to be hugging; the lord’s arms wrapped tightly around the lady’s corseted torso. But then Jaejoong unceremoniously dropped her body onto the intricate Persian rug beneath their feet. She fell like a broken rag doll, eyes wide and glossy, the ghost of her last thought still swimming in them. There were two telltale puncture wounds decorating her neck, standing out against her deathly pale skin.
The lord wiped the crimson liquid dripping from the corner of his mouth with the back of his right hand, then proceeded to slowly lick the remnants of life off his slender fingers. The whole time, he kept his fiery scarlet eyes trained on Yunho, unblinkingly watching the boy’s mind connect the strands of the whole scene together. The lord’s eyes were wild and the irises were dilated instead of their usual muted red. His teeth and lips were stained with blood, especially the protruding canines. Licking languidly at his fingers, he was a picture of a savage beast.
Yunho thought he had never seen anyone look more majestic.
Yunho could not take his eyes off his master; he was especially transfixed by the pink organ swiping over luscious lips and pale fingers. His stomach lurched at the strong whiff of blood and he was surprised he had not dropped the bucket of hot water in his hands. He found his feet rooted to the spot at the doorway. As soon as the lord had seen enough, he gave his head a little tilt as if to say ”go on” and Yunho felt the command over his body return to him. Snapping out of his trance, he somehow found the sense to resume his path to his master’s bathroom, gingerly stepping over the dead lady along the way. He could feel his master’s piercing eyes on him the whole time. Yunho thought he now knew why he never saw those pretty young things whom his master took an interest to after he had escorted them to the lord’s bedchambers.
Shaking those thoughts out of his head, he tipped the heavy bucket he was carrying, feeling his muscles strain as he watched steam rise from the water pouring into the ornate marble bathtub.
Finished with his task, he turned around to leave and could not help but jump. His master was standing barely an inch away behind him. Even after four years, Yunho was still clueless about picking up his master’s footsteps, or feel any bodily warmth from him to signal his presence. The lord seemed to only let his existence be felt when he wanted it to be; and then it would be impossible to ignore. On the other hand, Yunho was already used to Jaejoong’s complete disrespect for Yunho’s personal space.
With well-trained fingers, Yunho deftly coaxed the buttons out of their holes and ribbons out from knots as he undressed his master. Even as he avoided looking at the Jaejoong’s face, he could feel his master watching his every move as he went about his daily task. Still, neither said anything and Jaejoong stepped gracefully into his warm bath once unclothed. It was only when Yunho was scrubbing his back when the lord’s voice was heard.
“Yunho, are you afraid of me?”
Yunho’s hand paused briefly as he contemplated the question before continuing its rubbing motion up Jaejoong’s smooth back. “No sir,” he answered truthfully as he studied patterns of every dip and curve of the lord’s back, endlessly fascinated with how such strong, well-defined muscles were housed within contrasting pale, flawless skin.
Jaejoong leaned back and tilted his head up, trapping Yunho’s hand between his cold body and the edge of the bathtub. Yunho held his breath, finding himself unable to look away again from his master’s eyes staring right back at him. His eyes were back to their usual colour now.
The lord arched his back and planted a chaste kiss on the corner of Yunho’s lips. “Good boy,” he gave him a wide smile, teeth back to their pearly-white state. “Now go get rid of that dreadful body disgracing my carpet.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The first time Jung Yunho felt that he meant more to his master than he initially thought, he was 18 years old.
There was yet another lavish party held at his master’s castle. Yunho hated such parties; there was always so much work to be done. He had to singlehandedly prepare the food and decorations and make sure the furniture was polished until they sparkled because the lord trusted no one else with the preparations of his parties. And damn that Jaejoong had a penchant for giant gothic chandeliers dripping with ornaments that took forever to clean.
But the lord appeared to be very fond of gatherings and balls of such extravagance. He loved attention and basked in the praises the guests showered on his fine taste of décor and of the lord himself. His master was very popular, and there was always a huge turnout for his parties. Such events were also a great excuse for Jaejoong to dress to his finest and dance and drink to his fill. And Yunho… well, Yunho would do anything to please his master, so he grinned and bore it all.
There was another reason why Yunho hated such parties. Under his master’s wing, he had blossomed into a handsome young man adorned with a chiselled face and broad shoulders. He was a master of various sports and instruments, and carried himself in such a dignified way that even those distinguished young lords born into prestige could not match up to. Ever since word had spread around town that the lord’s young butler was every bit an adept and charming gentleman, everyone wanted a piece of Yunho. If the reactions he got from the townsfolk he met during his weekly trips to the marketplace throughout the years were anything to go by, Yunho was a very, very well liked man. To his own credit, people gave him discounts or more produce even before knowing he served the lord. As he reached puberty, young ladies shyly avoid his gaze and his peers frequently invited him to parties and games. And it was during these parties his master threw that they would all shamelessly bring up their offers for him to his master. Young men wanted him to support their causes or to call him a friend, young ladies threw themselves at his feet, older ladies tried to entice him with promises of luxurious lifestyles, old men wanted him to marry their daughters or run their businesses… Even the police, army, and government had tried to recruit him.
Yunho was sick of it all. No one seemed to understand, or even care that he was very content with where he was and he was not interested the slightest in whatever they had to offer. All these people seemed not to mind that he was just the son of a gardener; a lowly butler with large calloused hands. Maybe they all had chosen to conveniently forget that fact. He could not stand those pretentious conversations they tried to strike up with him.
Sometimes Yunho suspected that one of the reasons Jaejoong organised such events was purely to see him suffer. More than once he had caught his master smirking at him a little too gleefully as he battled to turn down yet another offer as politely as he could for the umpteenth time, a mischievous sparkle evident in the lord’s ruby eyes.
The familiar feeling of a pair of amused eyes fixed on him caused the hairs on the back of his neck to prick up. Yunho spun around on his polished heels with a frown, only to meet the amused eyes of the very man who currently occupied his thoughts. The lord quirked his eyebrows and raised the wine glass in his hand a little higher to acknowledge Yunho’s attention on him. His subtle action went unnoticed by his two guests sharing a bottle of vintage Chardonnay in a secluded sitting area of the grand hall.
Yunho’s frown deepened and his brows furrowed together. He was standing too far away from the private conversation to hear what its contents were, but from the way the mayor beamed at him and how his daughter had bashfully looked away when they spotted Yunho looking their direction gave him a pretty good guess. When it came to requests about him, all those people were one and the same. His master wriggled his eyebrows suggestively at him and gave him a knowing smirk. Holding his gaze, Jaejoong took another sip of his wine and let his tongue peek out to catch a stray droplet at the corner of his smile.
Yunho swallowed and pulled at his stiff collar with a finger, somehow feeling that the hall had become unbearably stuffy. The smoke from tobacco and the heavy perfumes and the chatter everywhere were starting to get on his nerves. His master was enjoying his discomfort way too much.
He did not get to ponder on the subject for long however. One of the guests had politely brought to his attention that the delightful shrimp cocktails were begging to be refilled. Yunho apologised humbly and excused himself from the watchful eyes of his master with a small bow to fix the matter. The lord dismissed him with a small flick of an elegant hand, a playful smirk still gracing his wine-stained lips.
It was not until the party was over and he had finished the strenuous task of cleaning up did Yunho have the chance to ponder over his master’s conversation with the mayor. If the mayor had not requested for him to take his daughter’s hand, then the man probably wanted him to hold some office. Yunho let out a long sigh, puffing up his cheeks. Neither prospects sounded good to him. The mayor was a man even his lord could not refuse, and it seemed inevitable that either way, he had to leave his master.
Yunho stretched and yawned. His bones were aching so badly he felt that they would pop out from under his skin. To make matters worse, this night was bitingly cold. It appeared as though even the weather was part of the gang that was determined to make Yunho’s life miserable. With a loud groan, Yunho rolled off his plush duvet from his spread-eagle position, his sore muscles protesting as he went. He dragged his tired feet over to the fireplace in his room, poking irritably at the dying ambers with the iron. Damn the firewood just refused to burn-
Bluish-green flames shot out from the firebox and Yunho jumped back in shock, falling backwards and landing on his elbows, knees bent before him. He knew this was not just ordinary fire; these were his master’s flames. Until now he still never knew how his master conjured them, but like many mysteries surrounding the lord, it never bothered him.
Almost immediately he felt his master’s cool breath on the back of his neck. “Feeling cold tonight, Yunho?”
Yunho was about to turn his head to answer his master but decided against it. Jaejoong’s lips were so close to his cheek, any movement of his head and they would come into contact. Instead, he hastily straightened up, hoping to appear more presentable from his unglamorous fall.
“Yes sir, it is rather cold tonight.”
Yunho looked at his master and instantly felt foolish for the words that left his lips. While he was wrapped up snugly under layers of sweaters, his master wore nothing but a flimsy bath robe, tied loosely that it left nothing on the pale toned chest to imagination. The lord gave him a sceptical look as he rose to his feet from where he was squatting. It was look Yunho had long known to be teasing him about his normal human endurance to cold than doubting Yunho’s ability to interpret temperature.
“The mayor came to me with a preposition I could not refuse,” the lord began slowly, watching Yunho’s body language very closely as he absorbed the words.
Yunho’s heart sank, but he did his best to maintain a poker face. He did not like where this conversation was headed. If the mayor wanted something, no one had the power to refuse him.
“…Yes sir?”
“His little girl, that sweet Sena, thinks very well of you,” Jaejoong pursed his lips, clearing enjoying the torment he was putting his young butler through with his deliberately slow recount of his earlier exchange. “And our good mayor thinks that, ah, how did he put it? ‘You two are a match made in heaven.’”
Yunho swallowed and dropped his gaze to the wooden floor, unable to bear looking at Jaejoong’s face any longer. Ever since he came to the castle as a child, Yunho never wanted to leave this place. More specifically, he never wanted to leave his master’s side. But if master did not want him around any longer, then he would… go.
“I understand…” Yunho mumbled, voice as soft as the wings of a bird flapping through the night sky. A hot burning sensation prickled behind his eyes as he moved wordlessly to his oak wardrobe in the corner of the room, head still bowed as he packed his belongings.
Jaejoong watched him silently, face devoid of any expression. The only sounds that could be heard were the rustling of Yunho’s clothes as he stuffed them into his biggest suitcase. Several quiet moments passed between them before Jaejoong finally spoke again.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Yunho spun around, wet eyes wide and surprise evident on his face. “You are sending me away, are you not-”
A finger was pressed gently against his lips. Yunho did not recall blinking, yet he completely missed Jaejoong’s movement to cross over the four-poster bed that had separated them. He now blinked once, twice, not quite knowing what to do. The lord’s face was so close to his, Yunho could count Jaejoong’s eyelashes if he wanted to.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Jaejoong’s breath grazed Yunho’s hot cheek.
“I thought I was to marry Lady Sena…” Yunho mumbled when Jaejoong’s finger left his lips to allow him to answer. For the second time that night, he was feeling quite foolish again.
“No such event will happen.”
“But I thought you said that the mayor said-”
“Tell me, Yunho,” his master cut him off harshly, “whom do you obey? Him, or me?”
Yunho felt his cheeks begin to colour. “You, sir.”
“I’m sorry, what was that?”
“I obey only you, sir,” Yunho repeated clearly. The confusion in his head began to clear as he saw Jaejoong’s lips curl up into a smile before the man began to laugh mirthfully. His master was fooling around with him again.
“There’s a good boy,” Jaejoong patted his cheek affectionately. “Just to be clear; you’re never leaving my side.”
“But the mayor is a very powerful man...”
The lord sighed, looking annoyed. He reached out and ran his fingers through Yunho’s chestnut locks. “Nevermind that old fogey,” Jaejoong’s smile took a devilish turn, “I am exceptionally gifted in convincing people to do things my way,” he paused, looking a little thoughtful, “I’m sure you wouldn’t want to know what my methods are.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The last time Jung Yunho celebrated his birthday, he was 20 years old.
It was his birthday, and he was allowed to retire from his duties early just like the previous years. Yunho sat in his favourite chair beside the fireplace, cosying up with a novel. The warmth felt like an indulgence in the bitter February cold.
There was a knock on his open room door and Jaejoong strode in even before Yunho could look up from his pages. A fur robe clothed the lord, and Yunho was sure that to his lord, it was more of a fashion statement than an instrument to keep out the cold.
Pearl red smoking slippers stopped in between Yunho’s feet and Jaejoong bent over to plant a kiss on Yunho’s forehead. “Happy birthday, Yunho,” he breathed over flushed skin, sending tingles down the younger man’s spine.
He settled down on an armrest and Yunho shifted over slightly to give him space. One arm draped casually across Yunho’s shoulders while the other dropped a box onto Yunho’s lap. “Open it.” It was their little annual routine: an early night, a birthday kiss, and a present.
Yunho could not help his hands from trembling in anticipation as his fingers closed around the lid. Jaejoong’s presents always exceeded his wildest dreams. Over the past years, he had received rare novels, intricate jewellery, an antique handgun, exquisite fountain pens, a handmade violin… And this year it was…
…a dagger.
A humble dagger resided in the box on his lap. Yunho’s smile dissolved into a frown, not knowing what to make of it. His head snapped up to seek clarification from his master, unable to mask his disappointment in the gift. Before he could voice the questions mounting in his head, Jaejoong slid off the armchair, pacing across the room with his back turned to Yunho, hands clasped behind his straight back.
“How long have you been serving me, Yunho?”
“…Sir?”
“How many years has it been since I took you from your father?”
Yunho’s face scrunched up at the sudden question, trying to recall the memories. “About 6 years, I think?”
Jaejoong’s steps stopped abruptly as he swiftly spun around. “You have been with me for 9 years…” his scarlet eyes were soft, missing their usual playfulness or iciness.
A soft “oh…” escaped Yunho’s lips as realisation sank in. It was easy to lose track of time in Jaejoong’s presence. Here he was, almost double the height he was when he first met his master, and yet the other man looked not a day older than his first memory of that cloaked figure surrounded by falling snow.
Jaejoong sighed, shoulders sinking, and Yunho thought it was the most shattering sound he wished never to hear again.
“I believe you have a good idea of what I really am by now,” the lord averted his gaze, his watchful eyes seemingly fearing meeting Yunho’s for once.
His servant swallowed, feeling his mouth go dry. How could he not, when for years he had been cleaning up the bloody messes of his master? There were many things unexplained about Jaejoong, and neither of them had said anything about it. But from pouring over the dusty tomes in the town library over the years, Yunho believed he had pieced the puzzles together. “Yes sir.”
The lord looked at him with almost a sad smile. “You’ve said you will do anything for me… And I know that usually I give you presents for your birthday, but tonight… Tonight, will you give me something of yours instead?”
Yunho gingerly picked up the dagger, now understanding what it signified. His master wanted his life.
“Tonight, Yunho, you must make a decision. You are no longer a child now, and I will not keep you against your will. If you will not stay, then you must leave, forever.”
“I will stay by your side my whole life, sir-“
“Your lifetime is not enough for me,” Jaejoong snapped, eyes fiery before they softened again, almost apologetically. “Will you stay caged forever with a monster like me?”
Yunho set the dagger aside and rose from his seat, calmly closing the distance between his master and him. Once he had to look up to meet his master’s eyes, but now he towered over his lord. The younger man decisively cupped Jaejoong’s chin with his right hand, marvelling at the stark contrast of his master’s pale face against his bronzed skin, tanned from having spent hours tending to the gardens under the sun.
A pair of sad eyes looked at him forlornly, and Yunho wanted to do everything in his power to heal the pain and doubts marring them. “If this is a cage, then I am your willing prisoner, sir.” His left hand reached between their two bodies and settled over Jaejoong’s heart, “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever known,” he breathed. The body felt cold, but there was that distinct sign of a heartbeat that travelled through his open palm and touched Yunho’s very core.
The lord smiled, a wide beautiful smile, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
He leaned forward and Yunho tilted his head knowingly. Yunho braced himself for the inevitable sting, but the pain that followed was nothing he could prepare for. He did not even feel his body falling to his knees as his life was slowly drained out of him; he did not feel Jaejoong tenderly lowering him to the floor as he breathed his last.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Yunho came to with a dull ache on the left side of his neck. He delicately touched the sore spot, the pads of his fingers brushing against the two fresh wounds there. There was a distinct metallic taste on his tongue and when his eyes finally managed to focus, he saw Jaejoong licking at a bite wound on the lord’s wrist. He reached out towards his master and Jaejoong took the hand and brought it to his cheek, leaning into it. Jaejoong’s body no longer felt cold to Yunho’s touch.
“Now you’re mine forever…” the master beamed at him with an incandescent smile.
“You’re wrong, m'lord,” Yunho ran his thumb across Jaejoong’s cheek, “I have always been yours.”
*~*~*~*~*
*master fic list
A/N: Started writing this on my flight to Seoul last August, so you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when MINE MV teaser was released (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpfnJym8bi4 watch watch watch! Let's up those views! :D). Lol and is it pure coincidence that the Cartier advertisment loads before the video? *winkwink*
Anyone else as excited as I am for the full MV that is going to be released tonight? 8DDDDDDDDDDDDDDD And have you all seen the scans from his album? THIS MAN IS SO GORJEOUS I CAN'T- *spazzes*
Oh and Jaejoong isn't exactly trying to flirt with Yunho throughout the fic. XD I was trying to go for more of Tod's (Junsu in Elisabeth) style... which is kind of, unintentionally sensual lol.
Bonus cookies to anyone who can guess my favourite Disney story and one of my favourite mangas just based on this! Hehehe~!
Pairing: Yunjae
Summary: Jung Yunho served a man who was pale as fresh snow, with hair as dark as night, and pouty red lips. Oh and he had unusually long canines too. But if he was caged within the walls of his master's castle, then he was his willing prisoner.
Cold, piercing red eyes glared down at him, not even conceding the slightest to his trembling frame or quavering voice.
“Please… please sir; I’m sorry! Please sir, it will never happen again!”
His master leaned further towards him and he cowered back in abject fear.
“Again?”
“No no no sir! There is no chance of it happening again!” he fell to his knees, clutching the hem of his master’s tailored dresspants, “Please forgive me!”
Angry red eyes narrowed in disgust as their owner hissed his displeasure. “You dare steal from the hand that feeds you and still ask for forgiveness?” he kicked the man away roughly with his boot-clad feet.
“I’m sorry, sir! “ Please, please understand, my son is ill; I needed money to get him medicin-”
“And now you dare ask for my understanding?” the master roared and the man shook like a leaf dangling precariously off a winter branch. He shifted forward to try to grab hold of his master’s leg again, but seemed to have thought better against it for he shrank back into a little trembling ball instead.
“You betrayed my trust; you will be punished,” the lord’s voice was void of any emotion, clear in the empty hall. There was not even anger, just a stature of coldness.
“Please have mercy, m'lord!” the man panicked, fresh tears slipping out of tired eyes down his already tear-painted cheeks.
“Your son whom you stole for - bring him to me.”
The man’s jaw fell open as his body froze while the weight of his master’s words sank in. “No no no, master!” he scampered forward on all fours, but the lord gracefully sidestepped him before the man’s soiled fingers could touch him. “Master, please punish me instead! My son is innocent! He is just a child…” tears were flowing unabashedly down the middle-aged man’s face.
“This is your punishment - you will live knowing you left your precious son with a monster like me.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The first time Jung Yunho laid eyes on his master, he was 11 years old.
The first thing that stuck him was that his master was beautiful; breathtakingly so. The man’s form seemed to penetrate through Yunho’s mind that was clouded with a virus. He could not help but stare, mesmerized by the tall figure that stood a short distance away from his father and him. The lord was pale as the fresh snow that fell all around them, with piercing eyes of a feline and cheekbones so high they look as though they could cut. Hair as dark as night framed his small face, finished with pouty red lips. He knew that his father had been serving the lord for more than 30 years, but that lone figure standing outside the gates of his castle still had the flawless complexion of an adolescent. The regal clock that draped over the master’s shoulders was shapeless, yet it could not conceal the well-toned yet unnaturally slim body beneath it.
An ungloved hand stretched out towards him, beckoning him over. The fingers were long and slender, and as fair as their owner’s face. It was a simple gesture, but a strange compulsion to obey washed over the young boy. He felt his father tighten his vice-like grip on his small hand. Yunho was so entranced by the master that he forgot his illness, putting one foot before the other, then another, then another.
“Yunho, please.”
His father’s trembling, pleading whisper reached Yunho’s ears, but they appeared not to have reached his heart. Until today Jung Yunho still did not know what force pocessed him, but without even turning around to look at the elder, he roughly shook his father’s hand off his.
Now that he was away from the warmth of his father’s side, he was suddenly exposed acutely to the winter’s chill, and he felt unusually cold. Undeterred, he continued his small but sure footsteps towards the clocked figure before him. Yunho’s young, innocent eyes never left the lord’s face, spellbound by its exquisite beauty. In return, the master held his gaze even as he slowly turned his body towards the castle, hand still outstretched.
The journey to cross the short distance that separated them seemed to take forever with Yunho’s trudging steps through the snow, but finally, his small hand found his master’s bigger one. His master’s fingers closed around his hand tightly, almost lovingly. The hand was cold; even colder than the metal that adorned its fourth finger. Long nails dug painlessly into his skin. Yunho could feel the silky smoothness of the skin against his calloused palm. Now that they were standing barely a hair’s breadth away from each other, Yunho noticed that his master’s irises were red - red like the brilliant sunset that glowed across the horizon he loved to watch every evening. Despite their close proximity, Yunho could not feel any form of heat radiating off the man. He gave an involuntary shudder. Yet, when the man offered him a smile, Yunho felt an unexplained warmth surge through him despite the sharp canines those scarlet lips had parted to reveal.
Yunho knew he should be afraid, but he was not.
“Hello, Yunho,” the master bent down to kiss him on his flushed head. The voice was soft, clear as bluebells singing through a breeze.
And together, master and child slowly made their way towards the gothic masterpiece of a sprawling castle.
Yunho could have sworn he heard his father’s heartwrenching cries of agony despite the loud, ominous creaking of the towering iron gates shutting behind them. He shared a close relationship with his father, but he could not bear to tear his eyes off the man beside him for even a moment to turn his head to look at his only kin for the last time or bid him goodbye.
Yunho’s heart was already too far gone.
“You’re mine, Yunho-ah.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Despite living in a castle big enough to house half the town’s population, Yunho was the only servant his master had. He spent his days maintaining the cleanliness of the place, even the unused rooms, scrubbing floors and polishing antique mantelpieces. The flourishing garden was also under his care, with emphasis paid to his master’s favourite rose bushes. Of course, his prime concern was to attend to his master’s needs; bringing the lord his preferred bottles of vintage at all weird hours the master demanded for them. Yunho was both physically and mentally drained at the end of each day. He had no idea how the previous servants before him had managed.
On top of the bone-breaking daily chores, the cold was another thing Yunho had to contend with. It was uncharacteristically cold in the castle, the master not seeming to mind having fireplaces empty or those giant arching windows open even through a blizzard. Yunho could not tell if the cold was due to the location of the castle, up on a lonely hill a short distance away from the town centre, or due to his master. The man’s very presence alone seemed to make the ambers of Yunho’s fireplace in his room wither and die. The lord noticed this, and compensated Yunho with flames of his own, beautiful blazing flames of emerald and sapphire that reminded the child of his master. Yunho could spend forever watching those flames go about their graceful dance in the firebox.
Yunho knew his master was a mysterious man; his father had told him such, and so had the townsfolk he spoke to during his weekly trips down the hill to stock up on necessities. Kim Jaejoong was his name, and that was all they knew of him. No one knew where he came from, or when he first moved into the castle. They knew not of his family nor of his past. The few people who were privileged enough to meet him at functions or parties seemed content to know nothing more than the affable, generous man he presented himself to be. He spoke almost nothing about his private life. Nonetheless, he was a well-respected man, and even the mayor looked to him on important matters. To the people in town, he was a cold but kind man who donated generously to the community. The grocers and repairmen whom Yunho patronised asked him many questions, but he could answer none of them despite living under the same roof as the lord. Despite the little that Yunho knew about his lord, he still felt he could trust the man with his life.
Apart from housekeeping, the lord had personally schooled him in the mastery of the pen, the sword, horseback, and music, among others. His master was a strict but kind teacher. He expected good progress from Yunho, but was generous with praise and encouragement when they were due. The visitors to the castle lavished compliments on Yunho’s performance and eloquence in subjects more profound than his status, and his master seemed to take pride in that. Unlike most other nobles, Jaejoong always introduced his butler to his guests, and engaged him in their conversations. Before he turned 13, Yunho was better acquainted with members of high society than men twice his age.
Yunho blossomed into a fine young man after two years of servitude under his master. And he did not even miss home once.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The first time Jung Yunho knew why there were whispers that his master was a monster, he was 15 years old.
The lord had a guest staying the night - a delicate looking lady with a small face who had been blushing throughout their intimate dinner. She reminded Yunho of a shy rosebud blooming in spring. As pretty a lady as she was, if anyone asked Yunho, he would truthfully say that he thought that the lady and all her expensive jewels and silk could not even come close to the ethereal splendour of his master.
Yunho had not given the lady much thought. She was not the first pretty young thing who had gone past the double oak doors to Jaejoong’s bedchambers, and Yunho was sure she most certainly would not be the last. His master had his way of charming all sorts of people if he so desired.
The young butler had gone into his master’s chambers that evening at the twentieth hour to prepare his bath as per daily routine, but the sight that greeted his eyes was anything but ordinary.
At first glance they appeared to be hugging; the lord’s arms wrapped tightly around the lady’s corseted torso. But then Jaejoong unceremoniously dropped her body onto the intricate Persian rug beneath their feet. She fell like a broken rag doll, eyes wide and glossy, the ghost of her last thought still swimming in them. There were two telltale puncture wounds decorating her neck, standing out against her deathly pale skin.
The lord wiped the crimson liquid dripping from the corner of his mouth with the back of his right hand, then proceeded to slowly lick the remnants of life off his slender fingers. The whole time, he kept his fiery scarlet eyes trained on Yunho, unblinkingly watching the boy’s mind connect the strands of the whole scene together. The lord’s eyes were wild and the irises were dilated instead of their usual muted red. His teeth and lips were stained with blood, especially the protruding canines. Licking languidly at his fingers, he was a picture of a savage beast.
Yunho thought he had never seen anyone look more majestic.
Yunho could not take his eyes off his master; he was especially transfixed by the pink organ swiping over luscious lips and pale fingers. His stomach lurched at the strong whiff of blood and he was surprised he had not dropped the bucket of hot water in his hands. He found his feet rooted to the spot at the doorway. As soon as the lord had seen enough, he gave his head a little tilt as if to say ”go on” and Yunho felt the command over his body return to him. Snapping out of his trance, he somehow found the sense to resume his path to his master’s bathroom, gingerly stepping over the dead lady along the way. He could feel his master’s piercing eyes on him the whole time. Yunho thought he now knew why he never saw those pretty young things whom his master took an interest to after he had escorted them to the lord’s bedchambers.
Shaking those thoughts out of his head, he tipped the heavy bucket he was carrying, feeling his muscles strain as he watched steam rise from the water pouring into the ornate marble bathtub.
Finished with his task, he turned around to leave and could not help but jump. His master was standing barely an inch away behind him. Even after four years, Yunho was still clueless about picking up his master’s footsteps, or feel any bodily warmth from him to signal his presence. The lord seemed to only let his existence be felt when he wanted it to be; and then it would be impossible to ignore. On the other hand, Yunho was already used to Jaejoong’s complete disrespect for Yunho’s personal space.
With well-trained fingers, Yunho deftly coaxed the buttons out of their holes and ribbons out from knots as he undressed his master. Even as he avoided looking at the Jaejoong’s face, he could feel his master watching his every move as he went about his daily task. Still, neither said anything and Jaejoong stepped gracefully into his warm bath once unclothed. It was only when Yunho was scrubbing his back when the lord’s voice was heard.
“Yunho, are you afraid of me?”
Yunho’s hand paused briefly as he contemplated the question before continuing its rubbing motion up Jaejoong’s smooth back. “No sir,” he answered truthfully as he studied patterns of every dip and curve of the lord’s back, endlessly fascinated with how such strong, well-defined muscles were housed within contrasting pale, flawless skin.
Jaejoong leaned back and tilted his head up, trapping Yunho’s hand between his cold body and the edge of the bathtub. Yunho held his breath, finding himself unable to look away again from his master’s eyes staring right back at him. His eyes were back to their usual colour now.
The lord arched his back and planted a chaste kiss on the corner of Yunho’s lips. “Good boy,” he gave him a wide smile, teeth back to their pearly-white state. “Now go get rid of that dreadful body disgracing my carpet.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The first time Jung Yunho felt that he meant more to his master than he initially thought, he was 18 years old.
There was yet another lavish party held at his master’s castle. Yunho hated such parties; there was always so much work to be done. He had to singlehandedly prepare the food and decorations and make sure the furniture was polished until they sparkled because the lord trusted no one else with the preparations of his parties. And damn that Jaejoong had a penchant for giant gothic chandeliers dripping with ornaments that took forever to clean.
But the lord appeared to be very fond of gatherings and balls of such extravagance. He loved attention and basked in the praises the guests showered on his fine taste of décor and of the lord himself. His master was very popular, and there was always a huge turnout for his parties. Such events were also a great excuse for Jaejoong to dress to his finest and dance and drink to his fill. And Yunho… well, Yunho would do anything to please his master, so he grinned and bore it all.
There was another reason why Yunho hated such parties. Under his master’s wing, he had blossomed into a handsome young man adorned with a chiselled face and broad shoulders. He was a master of various sports and instruments, and carried himself in such a dignified way that even those distinguished young lords born into prestige could not match up to. Ever since word had spread around town that the lord’s young butler was every bit an adept and charming gentleman, everyone wanted a piece of Yunho. If the reactions he got from the townsfolk he met during his weekly trips to the marketplace throughout the years were anything to go by, Yunho was a very, very well liked man. To his own credit, people gave him discounts or more produce even before knowing he served the lord. As he reached puberty, young ladies shyly avoid his gaze and his peers frequently invited him to parties and games. And it was during these parties his master threw that they would all shamelessly bring up their offers for him to his master. Young men wanted him to support their causes or to call him a friend, young ladies threw themselves at his feet, older ladies tried to entice him with promises of luxurious lifestyles, old men wanted him to marry their daughters or run their businesses… Even the police, army, and government had tried to recruit him.
Yunho was sick of it all. No one seemed to understand, or even care that he was very content with where he was and he was not interested the slightest in whatever they had to offer. All these people seemed not to mind that he was just the son of a gardener; a lowly butler with large calloused hands. Maybe they all had chosen to conveniently forget that fact. He could not stand those pretentious conversations they tried to strike up with him.
Sometimes Yunho suspected that one of the reasons Jaejoong organised such events was purely to see him suffer. More than once he had caught his master smirking at him a little too gleefully as he battled to turn down yet another offer as politely as he could for the umpteenth time, a mischievous sparkle evident in the lord’s ruby eyes.
The familiar feeling of a pair of amused eyes fixed on him caused the hairs on the back of his neck to prick up. Yunho spun around on his polished heels with a frown, only to meet the amused eyes of the very man who currently occupied his thoughts. The lord quirked his eyebrows and raised the wine glass in his hand a little higher to acknowledge Yunho’s attention on him. His subtle action went unnoticed by his two guests sharing a bottle of vintage Chardonnay in a secluded sitting area of the grand hall.
Yunho’s frown deepened and his brows furrowed together. He was standing too far away from the private conversation to hear what its contents were, but from the way the mayor beamed at him and how his daughter had bashfully looked away when they spotted Yunho looking their direction gave him a pretty good guess. When it came to requests about him, all those people were one and the same. His master wriggled his eyebrows suggestively at him and gave him a knowing smirk. Holding his gaze, Jaejoong took another sip of his wine and let his tongue peek out to catch a stray droplet at the corner of his smile.
Yunho swallowed and pulled at his stiff collar with a finger, somehow feeling that the hall had become unbearably stuffy. The smoke from tobacco and the heavy perfumes and the chatter everywhere were starting to get on his nerves. His master was enjoying his discomfort way too much.
He did not get to ponder on the subject for long however. One of the guests had politely brought to his attention that the delightful shrimp cocktails were begging to be refilled. Yunho apologised humbly and excused himself from the watchful eyes of his master with a small bow to fix the matter. The lord dismissed him with a small flick of an elegant hand, a playful smirk still gracing his wine-stained lips.
It was not until the party was over and he had finished the strenuous task of cleaning up did Yunho have the chance to ponder over his master’s conversation with the mayor. If the mayor had not requested for him to take his daughter’s hand, then the man probably wanted him to hold some office. Yunho let out a long sigh, puffing up his cheeks. Neither prospects sounded good to him. The mayor was a man even his lord could not refuse, and it seemed inevitable that either way, he had to leave his master.
Yunho stretched and yawned. His bones were aching so badly he felt that they would pop out from under his skin. To make matters worse, this night was bitingly cold. It appeared as though even the weather was part of the gang that was determined to make Yunho’s life miserable. With a loud groan, Yunho rolled off his plush duvet from his spread-eagle position, his sore muscles protesting as he went. He dragged his tired feet over to the fireplace in his room, poking irritably at the dying ambers with the iron. Damn the firewood just refused to burn-
Bluish-green flames shot out from the firebox and Yunho jumped back in shock, falling backwards and landing on his elbows, knees bent before him. He knew this was not just ordinary fire; these were his master’s flames. Until now he still never knew how his master conjured them, but like many mysteries surrounding the lord, it never bothered him.
Almost immediately he felt his master’s cool breath on the back of his neck. “Feeling cold tonight, Yunho?”
Yunho was about to turn his head to answer his master but decided against it. Jaejoong’s lips were so close to his cheek, any movement of his head and they would come into contact. Instead, he hastily straightened up, hoping to appear more presentable from his unglamorous fall.
“Yes sir, it is rather cold tonight.”
Yunho looked at his master and instantly felt foolish for the words that left his lips. While he was wrapped up snugly under layers of sweaters, his master wore nothing but a flimsy bath robe, tied loosely that it left nothing on the pale toned chest to imagination. The lord gave him a sceptical look as he rose to his feet from where he was squatting. It was look Yunho had long known to be teasing him about his normal human endurance to cold than doubting Yunho’s ability to interpret temperature.
“The mayor came to me with a preposition I could not refuse,” the lord began slowly, watching Yunho’s body language very closely as he absorbed the words.
Yunho’s heart sank, but he did his best to maintain a poker face. He did not like where this conversation was headed. If the mayor wanted something, no one had the power to refuse him.
“…Yes sir?”
“His little girl, that sweet Sena, thinks very well of you,” Jaejoong pursed his lips, clearing enjoying the torment he was putting his young butler through with his deliberately slow recount of his earlier exchange. “And our good mayor thinks that, ah, how did he put it? ‘You two are a match made in heaven.’”
Yunho swallowed and dropped his gaze to the wooden floor, unable to bear looking at Jaejoong’s face any longer. Ever since he came to the castle as a child, Yunho never wanted to leave this place. More specifically, he never wanted to leave his master’s side. But if master did not want him around any longer, then he would… go.
“I understand…” Yunho mumbled, voice as soft as the wings of a bird flapping through the night sky. A hot burning sensation prickled behind his eyes as he moved wordlessly to his oak wardrobe in the corner of the room, head still bowed as he packed his belongings.
Jaejoong watched him silently, face devoid of any expression. The only sounds that could be heard were the rustling of Yunho’s clothes as he stuffed them into his biggest suitcase. Several quiet moments passed between them before Jaejoong finally spoke again.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Yunho spun around, wet eyes wide and surprise evident on his face. “You are sending me away, are you not-”
A finger was pressed gently against his lips. Yunho did not recall blinking, yet he completely missed Jaejoong’s movement to cross over the four-poster bed that had separated them. He now blinked once, twice, not quite knowing what to do. The lord’s face was so close to his, Yunho could count Jaejoong’s eyelashes if he wanted to.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Jaejoong’s breath grazed Yunho’s hot cheek.
“I thought I was to marry Lady Sena…” Yunho mumbled when Jaejoong’s finger left his lips to allow him to answer. For the second time that night, he was feeling quite foolish again.
“No such event will happen.”
“But I thought you said that the mayor said-”
“Tell me, Yunho,” his master cut him off harshly, “whom do you obey? Him, or me?”
Yunho felt his cheeks begin to colour. “You, sir.”
“I’m sorry, what was that?”
“I obey only you, sir,” Yunho repeated clearly. The confusion in his head began to clear as he saw Jaejoong’s lips curl up into a smile before the man began to laugh mirthfully. His master was fooling around with him again.
“There’s a good boy,” Jaejoong patted his cheek affectionately. “Just to be clear; you’re never leaving my side.”
“But the mayor is a very powerful man...”
The lord sighed, looking annoyed. He reached out and ran his fingers through Yunho’s chestnut locks. “Nevermind that old fogey,” Jaejoong’s smile took a devilish turn, “I am exceptionally gifted in convincing people to do things my way,” he paused, looking a little thoughtful, “I’m sure you wouldn’t want to know what my methods are.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The last time Jung Yunho celebrated his birthday, he was 20 years old.
It was his birthday, and he was allowed to retire from his duties early just like the previous years. Yunho sat in his favourite chair beside the fireplace, cosying up with a novel. The warmth felt like an indulgence in the bitter February cold.
There was a knock on his open room door and Jaejoong strode in even before Yunho could look up from his pages. A fur robe clothed the lord, and Yunho was sure that to his lord, it was more of a fashion statement than an instrument to keep out the cold.
Pearl red smoking slippers stopped in between Yunho’s feet and Jaejoong bent over to plant a kiss on Yunho’s forehead. “Happy birthday, Yunho,” he breathed over flushed skin, sending tingles down the younger man’s spine.
He settled down on an armrest and Yunho shifted over slightly to give him space. One arm draped casually across Yunho’s shoulders while the other dropped a box onto Yunho’s lap. “Open it.” It was their little annual routine: an early night, a birthday kiss, and a present.
Yunho could not help his hands from trembling in anticipation as his fingers closed around the lid. Jaejoong’s presents always exceeded his wildest dreams. Over the past years, he had received rare novels, intricate jewellery, an antique handgun, exquisite fountain pens, a handmade violin… And this year it was…
…a dagger.
A humble dagger resided in the box on his lap. Yunho’s smile dissolved into a frown, not knowing what to make of it. His head snapped up to seek clarification from his master, unable to mask his disappointment in the gift. Before he could voice the questions mounting in his head, Jaejoong slid off the armchair, pacing across the room with his back turned to Yunho, hands clasped behind his straight back.
“How long have you been serving me, Yunho?”
“…Sir?”
“How many years has it been since I took you from your father?”
Yunho’s face scrunched up at the sudden question, trying to recall the memories. “About 6 years, I think?”
Jaejoong’s steps stopped abruptly as he swiftly spun around. “You have been with me for 9 years…” his scarlet eyes were soft, missing their usual playfulness or iciness.
A soft “oh…” escaped Yunho’s lips as realisation sank in. It was easy to lose track of time in Jaejoong’s presence. Here he was, almost double the height he was when he first met his master, and yet the other man looked not a day older than his first memory of that cloaked figure surrounded by falling snow.
Jaejoong sighed, shoulders sinking, and Yunho thought it was the most shattering sound he wished never to hear again.
“I believe you have a good idea of what I really am by now,” the lord averted his gaze, his watchful eyes seemingly fearing meeting Yunho’s for once.
His servant swallowed, feeling his mouth go dry. How could he not, when for years he had been cleaning up the bloody messes of his master? There were many things unexplained about Jaejoong, and neither of them had said anything about it. But from pouring over the dusty tomes in the town library over the years, Yunho believed he had pieced the puzzles together. “Yes sir.”
The lord looked at him with almost a sad smile. “You’ve said you will do anything for me… And I know that usually I give you presents for your birthday, but tonight… Tonight, will you give me something of yours instead?”
Yunho gingerly picked up the dagger, now understanding what it signified. His master wanted his life.
“Tonight, Yunho, you must make a decision. You are no longer a child now, and I will not keep you against your will. If you will not stay, then you must leave, forever.”
“I will stay by your side my whole life, sir-“
“Your lifetime is not enough for me,” Jaejoong snapped, eyes fiery before they softened again, almost apologetically. “Will you stay caged forever with a monster like me?”
Yunho set the dagger aside and rose from his seat, calmly closing the distance between his master and him. Once he had to look up to meet his master’s eyes, but now he towered over his lord. The younger man decisively cupped Jaejoong’s chin with his right hand, marvelling at the stark contrast of his master’s pale face against his bronzed skin, tanned from having spent hours tending to the gardens under the sun.
A pair of sad eyes looked at him forlornly, and Yunho wanted to do everything in his power to heal the pain and doubts marring them. “If this is a cage, then I am your willing prisoner, sir.” His left hand reached between their two bodies and settled over Jaejoong’s heart, “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever known,” he breathed. The body felt cold, but there was that distinct sign of a heartbeat that travelled through his open palm and touched Yunho’s very core.
The lord smiled, a wide beautiful smile, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
He leaned forward and Yunho tilted his head knowingly. Yunho braced himself for the inevitable sting, but the pain that followed was nothing he could prepare for. He did not even feel his body falling to his knees as his life was slowly drained out of him; he did not feel Jaejoong tenderly lowering him to the floor as he breathed his last.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Yunho came to with a dull ache on the left side of his neck. He delicately touched the sore spot, the pads of his fingers brushing against the two fresh wounds there. There was a distinct metallic taste on his tongue and when his eyes finally managed to focus, he saw Jaejoong licking at a bite wound on the lord’s wrist. He reached out towards his master and Jaejoong took the hand and brought it to his cheek, leaning into it. Jaejoong’s body no longer felt cold to Yunho’s touch.
“Now you’re mine forever…” the master beamed at him with an incandescent smile.
“You’re wrong, m'lord,” Yunho ran his thumb across Jaejoong’s cheek, “I have always been yours.”
*~*~*~*~*
*master fic list
A/N: Started writing this on my flight to Seoul last August, so you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when MINE MV teaser was released (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpfnJym8bi4 watch watch watch! Let's up those views! :D). Lol and is it pure coincidence that the Cartier advertisment loads before the video? *winkwink*
Anyone else as excited as I am for the full MV that is going to be released tonight? 8DDDDDDDDDDDDDDD And have you all seen the scans from his album? THIS MAN IS SO GORJEOUS I CAN'T- *spazzes*
Oh and Jaejoong isn't exactly trying to flirt with Yunho throughout the fic. XD I was trying to go for more of Tod's (Junsu in Elisabeth) style... which is kind of, unintentionally sensual lol.
Bonus cookies to anyone who can guess my favourite Disney story and one of my favourite mangas just based on this! Hehehe~!