Tears of the Poor 5/?
Title: Tears of the Poor 5/?
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong/Junsu, Siwon/Hangeng/Heechul, Yoochun/Nichkhun/Chansung,
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: They are not mine to run through space, sabotage governments and overthrow evil politicians with.
Summary: With his life threatened on ShinKi, Yunho heads to Doushite, the underdeveloped planet Jaejoong and Changmin are from. The atmosphere is tense, at best. ShinKi is destroying the Doushiten way of life just because of the deep veins of gold running through the picturesque mountains. They don't know who they can trust when it comes to trying to free Doushite from the clutches of a greedy empire.
This is a sequel to the fic: Pleasures of the Mighty.
The pleasures of the mighty, are the tears of the poor. A song will outlive the sermons in the memory. = Kim Jaejoong's tattoos
Poster credit goes to 0xkaiia0x
Part 5: The Trail
Yunho woke up to warm lips covering his. He smiled into the kiss, lifting his arm and hooking it around a neck. A soft moan twisted through the kiss, and Yunho wasn’t sure if it was from his throat or the person kissing him. His mouth fell open and fingers trailed over the stubble on his cheek. This time he whimpered, and whoever was kissing him, deepened the kiss, his tongue slowly pushing into Yunho’s mouth before withdrawing to lap at his lips.
Yunho refused to open his eyes and end the kiss, so he lifted his head, and his lover took the hint, adding force with his tongue, body gently rocking against Yunho’s. It took a few more seconds for his brain to catch up with his body and realize it was Junsu kissing him awake.
“My Su,” Yunho muttered, smiling.
“Our Su,” a voice corrected above him. “Are you awake yet?”
Yunho’s eyes blinked open. His beautiful Doushiten was standing over them, already dressed and geared up. “Morning.”
“It’s afternoon,” Changmin corrected. He too was ready to go with a bow in his hands. “Time loses itself in these caverns.”
Junsu pressed a kiss to Yunho’s cheek and sat up. Yunho yawned, blinked and sat up as well. He wrapped his arms around Junsu’s waist and hid his face in his back for a moment, still tired. Jaejoong ruffled his messy hair. “Come on, sarang. We need to go.”
Yunho nodded and mumbled something. He let Junsu go and stood up, stretching sore muscles. He definitely wasn’t used to sleeping on rock without the comforts of a bed and a room. It took a few minutes for him to chase the sleep and soreness from his body. Changmin and Jaejoong led them through breaking camp, gathering supplies and making sure that everyone had something briefly to eat.
The energy around Jaejoong was riddled with insecurity, worry and a bit of fear. Yunho wasn’t sure what Jaejoong had to be afraid of, but he wasn’t stupid and kept his mouth shut. Jaejoong would talk to him when he was ready. Yunho learned that within the last couple of months.
Soft fingers slipped around his hand and entwined with his. Yunho smiled down at Yoona and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “How are you?”
“Good. This is a very interesting adventure you’ve thrown us all into.”
Yunho chuckled, eyes seeking and meeting Jaejoong’s. “Luckily, we have two very capable commanders and Princes to lead us through it.”
Yoona smiled, squeezed Yunho’s hand and left his side. She moved closer to Changmin, and the other watched her, but made no move to go nearer.
“I hate you,” Yoochun suddenly muttered. “My back hurts, I’m starving, and I haven’t had a drink in two days.”
Yunho smirked over at him. “You’ll survive. Unless someone decides to put an arrow through your chest.”
Yoochun snorted and glared at Changmin. “Whores. All of them.”
“Shut up,” Yunho said automatically.
“I still say you let me gag him,” Heechul said from across the cavern. “Or cut out his tongue. I’m not picky.”
Yunho ignored that.
A few minutes later, after everything was packed and secured on their backs or on the horses, Changmin ordered them in a single file line.
“The trail isn’t much,” Jaejoong explained while they complied. Changmin moved between them with a long length of rope. “In some places it’s a sheer drop to your death on one side and a rock wall on the other. Stay close, stay together, and if you need to stop, make sure you say something.”
Changmin came to Yunho and repeated what he’d done to everyone else. He held out a rope and showed Yunho how to hitch it around his thighs and his waist to form a harness. He then took the long rope and tied it to the harness, leaving him connected to Junsu in front of him and Yoona behind him. It was very uncomfortable, especially where the rope was bunching around his cock, but he trusted Jaejoong and Changmin. He was out of his element here, and they were in theirs. They knew what was ahead of them.
Yoochun complained the entire time Changmin was helping him and Heechul muttered something else about letting the bastard die.
When Changmin was done, he stayed at the end of the line, in front of the horses. Jaejoong led the way with Siwon, Hangeng and Heechul in front of Yunho and Junsu. The others filed behind with Yoochun’s slaves behind him and Hyunseung, Yesung, Shindong, Yoseob, and Dongwoon before Changmin. Jaejoong held a torch aloft, and Changmin also carried one, throwing dark shadows around them. It wasn’t a lot of light, but Yunho figured it was enough since they were just walking.
After a couple hours, Yunho understood the need for the rope. The trail was no longer a wide twisting cavern, but enclosed and narrow with moments of rocks on both sides, and a drop off to the side. Siwon had asked about the horses before the first cliff, but Jaejoong assured them that the horses had been down this path and worse, and they were sure footed.
Yoona continually clutched Yunho’s arm at a few more dangerous places. And Yunho noticed that Junsu was pale and shaking. Still moving, but not very steadily on his feet.
“Su-ah?” Yunho said, voice echoing off the stone walls.
Junsu swallowed, but said he was okay. “Just claustrophobic.”
“Too much time all alone tied up in the dark, Xiah-baby,” Yoochun said with a derisive smirk.
Junsu shut his eyes for a moment.
“Fuck off,” Heechul snapped.
Yunho ignored the comment and put his hand on Junsu’s shoulder. “I’m here, love. Just keep walking.”
“The next part is a bit tricky,” Jaejoong said from ahead. “Stay close to the wall. One foot in front of the other, and don’t look down.”
“Don’t look down,” Heechul muttered, his tone almost mocking.
The cavern suddenly widened, the ceiling sloping high above their heads. The rock wall dropped in a sheer cliff. The trail was little more than a shelf carved into the stone, and it had just enough space for them to slide along, single file. It disappeared into the dark, beyond the flare of the torch Jaejoong held.
“Oh,” Heechul said, nodding. “Okay. Yeah, don’t look down.”
“I won’t tell you how long this will take,” Jaejoong said, voice echoing in the cavern. “Every step counts.”
Yunho kept his eyes on his feet. Not on the drop less than five centimeters beyond the edge of his boot. Not on the gaping blackness. A pebble skittered behind him, and Yoona gripped his hand. They stopped to catch their balance but no one else did and Yunho was yanked forward and Yoona yanked back. Her foot slid. She screamed, and Yoochun swore loudly. Yunho was yanked down, his breath pulled from him from landing hard on the rock shelf. One leg flung off the side, and he barely caught himself from toppling over, gripping the edge. Fingers slid along his arm and he attempted to latch onto Yoona’s hand but missed and the rope was pulled uncomfortable tight around his hips.
“What the fucking hell?” Yoochun said and then started shouting nonsense.
“Shut up!” Jaejoong said, just at the same time Changmin said, “Calm down!”
Both Yoona and Yoochun were flailing, feet sliding uselessly against the sheer cavern wall, panicked. Like Yunho, Chansung had just managed to catch himself on the ledge, but unlike Yunho, he was half dangling off it, legs over the side, and in no position to help Yoochun up. Yoochun clawed at his boot.
Yunho took a deep breath. Very carefully, he turned his upper body and lowered his hand. The other kept a firm grip on the ledge.
“Yoona,” he said. “Yoona, look at me. Come on.”
Yoona glanced up, fingers gripping at the rope between them.
“Reach for my hand.”
Yoona clung to the rope and shook her head, eyes wide with fear.
“You won’t fall,” Yunho said. “Changmin did a great job tying these knots. It’ll be his fault if I can’t even have children after this.”
Yoona tried to smile at the joke.
“Come on. Reach up and grab my hand.”
Yoona looked down and shook her head. “I … I can’t.”
“Fuck her, get me up!” Yoochun shouted. “Chansung, you worthless piece of shit.”
“Shut up,” Siwon said. “You’re not helping.”
“God, you’re such a fucking diva,” Heechul added.
Yunho kept his eyes locked on Yoona. “Come on, NaNa. Just reach up and grip my hand.”
Yoona swallowed. The fingers on one hand tightened on the rope just as the others loosened. She slipped them up the rope, stopping to grip it when Yoochun moved below her.
“Fuck, hold still,” Chansung said. “Are you trying to pull me down with you? This isn’t the easiest thing.”
“Ungrateful brat. Get me up!” Yoochun started clawing at Chansung’s legs, and Yoona was yanked out of Yunho’s reach.
“Yoochun!” Yunho shouted. “Stop it. You’re making it worse.”
“Get me up!”
“Give Chansung a knife,” Heechul said. “I’m sure he’d move faster if the reward was cutting Yoochun off.”
“Tempting,” Yunho said, voice labored.
“Fuck you! Jaejoong doesn’t even have a knife. No one does.”
“Then we’ll burn the rope,” Shindong said. “Fire is just as effective.”
“Shut up,” Changmin demanded of them all. “And, Yoochun, hold still.”
A firm hand fell on Yunho’s back and he felt Junsu lean over him. “Yoona,” Junsu said. “Come on. Just grab his hand and we’ll pull you up.”
Yunho smiled and met Yoona’s eyes. “Shut your eyes, NaNa. And just reach up. I’ll get you.”
She nodded, shut her eyes and let go with one hand. Her arm was shaking as she lifted it. Yunho had to stretch his arm but managed to grip around her wrist tightly. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath of relief. He tightened his hold on Yoona’s wrist. “This is why we have a rope,” Yunho said, just to her. “Take a deep breath. I have you and I will not let you go.”
Yoona nodded. She inhaled and opened her eyes. “Don’t let me go.”
“I won’t.”
“Yoona,” Jaejoong said. “you’re going to have to climb up the wall now. Okay? Yunho, has you and won’t let you go. Use his arm and the rope. Yunho is going to pull while you climb.”
Yoona nodded.
Yunho started pulling and using the rope, Yoona tried to pull herself up the cliff, knees and feet pushing against the cavern wall. She got high enough for Yunho to move his hand to her upper arm. She cried out at his grip and faltered.
“I’ve got you,” Yunho replied. “Keep going.”
“I … it’s too … Yoochun is …”
“Cut him off,” Heechul muttered.
Yunho shut his eyes and yanked Yoona up, almost losing his tenuous hold on the rock. Another set of hands reached down and pulled Yoona’s arm. Yunho grunted as a knee was slammed into his back, but Junsu kept hold of Yoona and between the two of them, they pulled her high enough for her to get her knees on the ledge, upper body pressed against the wall.
“Don’t move,” Yunho said. “Yoochun, stop being a pussy and let go of Chansung’s legs.”
“Fuck you,” Yoochun snapped.
Yunho leaned over Yoona’s feet and reached down for Yoochun. “Cooperate, or we’ll cut you loose. You can’t spill secrets rotting at the bottom of this abyss.”
Yoochun glared at him, but reached for Yunho’s arm. He did not let go of Chansung’s legs until Yunho had a firm grip on him. Chansung, with the help of Nichkhun, scrambled up the wall and like Yoona, ended up on his knees. Neither would be able to stand until Yoochun wasn’t dangling between them.
“Good. Now, Chan,” Yunho said, “turn around and reach down to him. We’ll try to pull him up together.”
Chansung didn’t move.
Yunho sighed.
“Another vote for cutting him loose,” Heechul sang. “I’m sure that’s the majority.”
“Come on, Chansung,” Yunho said. “I can’t hold him forever, and if I let him go, both you and Yoona are going to fall again, and maybe take me and Nichkhun with you.”
Chansung huffed in annoyance, making Nichkhun smile. “Just do it,” Nichkhun said. “He’ll owe you.”
“Fuck you, I will,” Yoochun shouted.
Chansung made a face, but with Nichkhun’s help, he turned around and reached down, offering his arm. Yoochun clung to it and Chansung pulled and Yoochun’s boots hit the wall and he moved his feet enough to climb up and onto the shelf.
“Fuck you all,” Yoochun muttered, face pressed against the cool stone.
Chansung ran his hand over Yoochun’s back, probably in comfort, but Yunho wasn’t sure why. With a sigh, he carefully climbed to his knees, and then took Yoona’s arm carefully and they stood up. Chansung did the same with Yoochun. Yoona clung tightly to Yunho, and he held her trembling body close.
“You okay?”
“No,” she whispered.
Yunho smiled and kissed the top of her head. Junsu passed them a canteen of water and Yoona thankfully drank from it.
“Let’s go,” Jaejoong said. “We’ll walk slower, closer together.”
-}|{-
Yunho lost track of time. The cavern never ended. Junsu’s shaking grew worse with each step into more darkness, with each turn facing another stone wall. Yoona did not let go of his arm, and Yoochun continued to mutter under his breath. They barely stopped for breaks. When someone said they were hungry or had to relieve themselves, they would stop. During some breaks, Changmin passed out rations from the packs on the horses. Like Jaejoong had said, there were plenty of inner cavern stream and trickles of water to stave off their thirst, but it also meant the cavern walls were wet, slippery, and even though Yoona didn’t slip again, Yesung did and Dongwoon did. Fortunately, they only fell in front of them, and they were not on such treacherous ground as before. They went through three more caverns with little more than a rock shelf, luckily with no major incidents.
“We’ll stop here,” Jaejoong said, “and rest. This is the largest cavern for a long while.”
“Large, sure,” Yoochun said.
Yunho agreed with him. He could touch both walls with his hands.
“The safest then,” Jaejoong snapped, “Or would rather sleep dangling off a cliff?”
Yoochun stuck his tongue out at him.
Junsu came to Yunho and he curled up in Yunho’s arms.
“This is good,” Yunho said. “Can we take the ropes off, though?”
Jaejoong frowned and nodded. “We’ll sleep until we’re well rested, and that will happen better if we aren’t tied together. I know Yoona doesn’t feel like being connected to Yoochun in anyway.”
“Chansung either,” Heechul said with a smirk.
Yunho sighed. He wouldn’t be surprised if Heechul ended up killing Yoochun.
Changmin walked up the line and released them all from the rope. Yunho pulled Yoona and Junsu away from the others to the far side of the cavern. Jaejoong and Changmin met in the middle for a conversation full of Doushiten.
A resounding slap echoed around them, silencing everyone, and Chansung fell the ground with a cry.
“You do not talk to me that way. Ever,” Yoochun yelled.
Changmin growled and his torch twisted through the air. Yoochun backed up away from him, flattening himself against the wall. Changmin held the torch close to his face. Yoochun did not hide his panic well.
“If you hit them again, loyalties to Yunho or not, I hold this torch to your crotch and burn off your dick,” Changmin said. He did not raise his voice, but spoke just loud enough to be heard over the crackling torch.
“Fuck you,” Yoochun said, voice wavering. “He is mine.”
“No, he’s not. We’re not on Shinki anymore. You are on my world, and in my kingdom. I am the law, and I am in charge.”
While Changmin had him pinned, Yunho held his hand out for Chansung and Nichkhun and they shuffled over to him. Chansung’s cheek was swollen and there was a cut on his skin. Jaejoong handed Yunho a skin of water, and Yunho cleaned it carefully.
“Changmin,” Yoona whispered.
“Do you understand me?” Changmin asked. “Or are you stupid as well as a fucking whore?”
Junsu inhaled sharply and buried his face against Yunho’s shoulder. Confused, Yunho met Nichkhun’s eyes.
The boy shrugged and whispered, “Yoochun always asks that when he has something tied up.”
“Well?” Changmin demanded, moving the flame closer. The unmistakable stench of burning hair filled the space.
“Fuck, yes, fine. Get off me.”
Changmin moved away from him, and Yoochun patted his hair to make sure it wasn’t actually on fire.
“Bitch,” Yoochun muttered.
Changmin let it go and came over to the others. He frowned at Yunho’s arm around Yoona, and then huffed. He removed his bow, leaned against the wall and slid down. His eyes shut immediately. Yoona met Yunho’s eyes and he smiled in understanding, letting her go. She went next to him and sat down. Without asking, she picked up his arm, curled under it and situated herself against his body.
Changmin opened his mouth, probably to protest, but Jaejoong cut him off with rapid Doushiten, and Changmin glared at him, and then relaxed. Yoona smiled at Yunho and shut her eyes, sighing in contentment.
Yunho moved to the other side of the wall and sat down, pulling Junsu against him. Almost immediately, Jaejoong was on his other side. Nichkhun and Chansung met each other’s eyes and then they both nodded and moved back over to Yoochun. Yunho didn’t understand why they insisted, based on how Yoochun treated them. They sat down, on either side of him, kneeling before Yoochun hooked an arm around Nichkhun’s neck and hauled him down, and then Chansung fell against his other side. His hands tangled in their hair and pulled. The others settled down further along the cavern.
“Are you okay?” Jaejoong whispered to Junsu.
“No,” Junsu said. “It … I hate being … I need to get out of here.”
Jaejoong nodded. “I know. We covered a lot of ground today. After we rest, we’ll walk until we’re out of the caves, okay?”
“Is it much further?” Yunho asked.
“Not as far as we walked today. About half as much time.”
“Not soon enough.”
Yunho tightened his hold on Junsu, thinking of his behavior. Junsu did not like being tied up and blindfolded at the same time. One or the other were fine, but never at the same time. He would never explain why not, but Yunho was getting a pretty good impression that it had something to do with the abuse he suffered during the brief time he was Yoochun’s slave.
Yunho should have killed him, and he definitely should not have brought him to Doushite. Being here, what would it have mattered if Yoochun had betrayed them on Shinki? Betraying them here was more dangerous. Would he be able to? Yunho wasn’t sure. It depended on if or when they met anyone else.
Yunho sighed in frustration. Killing him definitely would have been better.
Part 6: The Terrain
Part 4: The Transformation
Part 3: The Tunnels
Part 2: The Trap
Part 1: The Trip
.
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong/Junsu, Siwon/Hangeng/Heechul, Yoochun/Nichkhun/Chansung,
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: They are not mine to run through space, sabotage governments and overthrow evil politicians with.
Summary: With his life threatened on ShinKi, Yunho heads to Doushite, the underdeveloped planet Jaejoong and Changmin are from. The atmosphere is tense, at best. ShinKi is destroying the Doushiten way of life just because of the deep veins of gold running through the picturesque mountains. They don't know who they can trust when it comes to trying to free Doushite from the clutches of a greedy empire.
This is a sequel to the fic: Pleasures of the Mighty.
The pleasures of the mighty, are the tears of the poor. A song will outlive the sermons in the memory. = Kim Jaejoong's tattoos
Poster credit goes to 0xkaiia0x
Part 5: The Trail
Yunho woke up to warm lips covering his. He smiled into the kiss, lifting his arm and hooking it around a neck. A soft moan twisted through the kiss, and Yunho wasn’t sure if it was from his throat or the person kissing him. His mouth fell open and fingers trailed over the stubble on his cheek. This time he whimpered, and whoever was kissing him, deepened the kiss, his tongue slowly pushing into Yunho’s mouth before withdrawing to lap at his lips.
Yunho refused to open his eyes and end the kiss, so he lifted his head, and his lover took the hint, adding force with his tongue, body gently rocking against Yunho’s. It took a few more seconds for his brain to catch up with his body and realize it was Junsu kissing him awake.
“My Su,” Yunho muttered, smiling.
“Our Su,” a voice corrected above him. “Are you awake yet?”
Yunho’s eyes blinked open. His beautiful Doushiten was standing over them, already dressed and geared up. “Morning.”
“It’s afternoon,” Changmin corrected. He too was ready to go with a bow in his hands. “Time loses itself in these caverns.”
Junsu pressed a kiss to Yunho’s cheek and sat up. Yunho yawned, blinked and sat up as well. He wrapped his arms around Junsu’s waist and hid his face in his back for a moment, still tired. Jaejoong ruffled his messy hair. “Come on, sarang. We need to go.”
Yunho nodded and mumbled something. He let Junsu go and stood up, stretching sore muscles. He definitely wasn’t used to sleeping on rock without the comforts of a bed and a room. It took a few minutes for him to chase the sleep and soreness from his body. Changmin and Jaejoong led them through breaking camp, gathering supplies and making sure that everyone had something briefly to eat.
The energy around Jaejoong was riddled with insecurity, worry and a bit of fear. Yunho wasn’t sure what Jaejoong had to be afraid of, but he wasn’t stupid and kept his mouth shut. Jaejoong would talk to him when he was ready. Yunho learned that within the last couple of months.
Soft fingers slipped around his hand and entwined with his. Yunho smiled down at Yoona and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “How are you?”
“Good. This is a very interesting adventure you’ve thrown us all into.”
Yunho chuckled, eyes seeking and meeting Jaejoong’s. “Luckily, we have two very capable commanders and Princes to lead us through it.”
Yoona smiled, squeezed Yunho’s hand and left his side. She moved closer to Changmin, and the other watched her, but made no move to go nearer.
“I hate you,” Yoochun suddenly muttered. “My back hurts, I’m starving, and I haven’t had a drink in two days.”
Yunho smirked over at him. “You’ll survive. Unless someone decides to put an arrow through your chest.”
Yoochun snorted and glared at Changmin. “Whores. All of them.”
“Shut up,” Yunho said automatically.
“I still say you let me gag him,” Heechul said from across the cavern. “Or cut out his tongue. I’m not picky.”
Yunho ignored that.
A few minutes later, after everything was packed and secured on their backs or on the horses, Changmin ordered them in a single file line.
“The trail isn’t much,” Jaejoong explained while they complied. Changmin moved between them with a long length of rope. “In some places it’s a sheer drop to your death on one side and a rock wall on the other. Stay close, stay together, and if you need to stop, make sure you say something.”
Changmin came to Yunho and repeated what he’d done to everyone else. He held out a rope and showed Yunho how to hitch it around his thighs and his waist to form a harness. He then took the long rope and tied it to the harness, leaving him connected to Junsu in front of him and Yoona behind him. It was very uncomfortable, especially where the rope was bunching around his cock, but he trusted Jaejoong and Changmin. He was out of his element here, and they were in theirs. They knew what was ahead of them.
Yoochun complained the entire time Changmin was helping him and Heechul muttered something else about letting the bastard die.
When Changmin was done, he stayed at the end of the line, in front of the horses. Jaejoong led the way with Siwon, Hangeng and Heechul in front of Yunho and Junsu. The others filed behind with Yoochun’s slaves behind him and Hyunseung, Yesung, Shindong, Yoseob, and Dongwoon before Changmin. Jaejoong held a torch aloft, and Changmin also carried one, throwing dark shadows around them. It wasn’t a lot of light, but Yunho figured it was enough since they were just walking.
After a couple hours, Yunho understood the need for the rope. The trail was no longer a wide twisting cavern, but enclosed and narrow with moments of rocks on both sides, and a drop off to the side. Siwon had asked about the horses before the first cliff, but Jaejoong assured them that the horses had been down this path and worse, and they were sure footed.
Yoona continually clutched Yunho’s arm at a few more dangerous places. And Yunho noticed that Junsu was pale and shaking. Still moving, but not very steadily on his feet.
“Su-ah?” Yunho said, voice echoing off the stone walls.
Junsu swallowed, but said he was okay. “Just claustrophobic.”
“Too much time all alone tied up in the dark, Xiah-baby,” Yoochun said with a derisive smirk.
Junsu shut his eyes for a moment.
“Fuck off,” Heechul snapped.
Yunho ignored the comment and put his hand on Junsu’s shoulder. “I’m here, love. Just keep walking.”
“The next part is a bit tricky,” Jaejoong said from ahead. “Stay close to the wall. One foot in front of the other, and don’t look down.”
“Don’t look down,” Heechul muttered, his tone almost mocking.
The cavern suddenly widened, the ceiling sloping high above their heads. The rock wall dropped in a sheer cliff. The trail was little more than a shelf carved into the stone, and it had just enough space for them to slide along, single file. It disappeared into the dark, beyond the flare of the torch Jaejoong held.
“Oh,” Heechul said, nodding. “Okay. Yeah, don’t look down.”
“I won’t tell you how long this will take,” Jaejoong said, voice echoing in the cavern. “Every step counts.”
Yunho kept his eyes on his feet. Not on the drop less than five centimeters beyond the edge of his boot. Not on the gaping blackness. A pebble skittered behind him, and Yoona gripped his hand. They stopped to catch their balance but no one else did and Yunho was yanked forward and Yoona yanked back. Her foot slid. She screamed, and Yoochun swore loudly. Yunho was yanked down, his breath pulled from him from landing hard on the rock shelf. One leg flung off the side, and he barely caught himself from toppling over, gripping the edge. Fingers slid along his arm and he attempted to latch onto Yoona’s hand but missed and the rope was pulled uncomfortable tight around his hips.
“What the fucking hell?” Yoochun said and then started shouting nonsense.
“Shut up!” Jaejoong said, just at the same time Changmin said, “Calm down!”
Both Yoona and Yoochun were flailing, feet sliding uselessly against the sheer cavern wall, panicked. Like Yunho, Chansung had just managed to catch himself on the ledge, but unlike Yunho, he was half dangling off it, legs over the side, and in no position to help Yoochun up. Yoochun clawed at his boot.
Yunho took a deep breath. Very carefully, he turned his upper body and lowered his hand. The other kept a firm grip on the ledge.
“Yoona,” he said. “Yoona, look at me. Come on.”
Yoona glanced up, fingers gripping at the rope between them.
“Reach for my hand.”
Yoona clung to the rope and shook her head, eyes wide with fear.
“You won’t fall,” Yunho said. “Changmin did a great job tying these knots. It’ll be his fault if I can’t even have children after this.”
Yoona tried to smile at the joke.
“Come on. Reach up and grab my hand.”
Yoona looked down and shook her head. “I … I can’t.”
“Fuck her, get me up!” Yoochun shouted. “Chansung, you worthless piece of shit.”
“Shut up,” Siwon said. “You’re not helping.”
“God, you’re such a fucking diva,” Heechul added.
Yunho kept his eyes locked on Yoona. “Come on, NaNa. Just reach up and grip my hand.”
Yoona swallowed. The fingers on one hand tightened on the rope just as the others loosened. She slipped them up the rope, stopping to grip it when Yoochun moved below her.
“Fuck, hold still,” Chansung said. “Are you trying to pull me down with you? This isn’t the easiest thing.”
“Ungrateful brat. Get me up!” Yoochun started clawing at Chansung’s legs, and Yoona was yanked out of Yunho’s reach.
“Yoochun!” Yunho shouted. “Stop it. You’re making it worse.”
“Get me up!”
“Give Chansung a knife,” Heechul said. “I’m sure he’d move faster if the reward was cutting Yoochun off.”
“Tempting,” Yunho said, voice labored.
“Fuck you! Jaejoong doesn’t even have a knife. No one does.”
“Then we’ll burn the rope,” Shindong said. “Fire is just as effective.”
“Shut up,” Changmin demanded of them all. “And, Yoochun, hold still.”
A firm hand fell on Yunho’s back and he felt Junsu lean over him. “Yoona,” Junsu said. “Come on. Just grab his hand and we’ll pull you up.”
Yunho smiled and met Yoona’s eyes. “Shut your eyes, NaNa. And just reach up. I’ll get you.”
She nodded, shut her eyes and let go with one hand. Her arm was shaking as she lifted it. Yunho had to stretch his arm but managed to grip around her wrist tightly. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath of relief. He tightened his hold on Yoona’s wrist. “This is why we have a rope,” Yunho said, just to her. “Take a deep breath. I have you and I will not let you go.”
Yoona nodded. She inhaled and opened her eyes. “Don’t let me go.”
“I won’t.”
“Yoona,” Jaejoong said. “you’re going to have to climb up the wall now. Okay? Yunho, has you and won’t let you go. Use his arm and the rope. Yunho is going to pull while you climb.”
Yoona nodded.
Yunho started pulling and using the rope, Yoona tried to pull herself up the cliff, knees and feet pushing against the cavern wall. She got high enough for Yunho to move his hand to her upper arm. She cried out at his grip and faltered.
“I’ve got you,” Yunho replied. “Keep going.”
“I … it’s too … Yoochun is …”
“Cut him off,” Heechul muttered.
Yunho shut his eyes and yanked Yoona up, almost losing his tenuous hold on the rock. Another set of hands reached down and pulled Yoona’s arm. Yunho grunted as a knee was slammed into his back, but Junsu kept hold of Yoona and between the two of them, they pulled her high enough for her to get her knees on the ledge, upper body pressed against the wall.
“Don’t move,” Yunho said. “Yoochun, stop being a pussy and let go of Chansung’s legs.”
“Fuck you,” Yoochun snapped.
Yunho leaned over Yoona’s feet and reached down for Yoochun. “Cooperate, or we’ll cut you loose. You can’t spill secrets rotting at the bottom of this abyss.”
Yoochun glared at him, but reached for Yunho’s arm. He did not let go of Chansung’s legs until Yunho had a firm grip on him. Chansung, with the help of Nichkhun, scrambled up the wall and like Yoona, ended up on his knees. Neither would be able to stand until Yoochun wasn’t dangling between them.
“Good. Now, Chan,” Yunho said, “turn around and reach down to him. We’ll try to pull him up together.”
Chansung didn’t move.
Yunho sighed.
“Another vote for cutting him loose,” Heechul sang. “I’m sure that’s the majority.”
“Come on, Chansung,” Yunho said. “I can’t hold him forever, and if I let him go, both you and Yoona are going to fall again, and maybe take me and Nichkhun with you.”
Chansung huffed in annoyance, making Nichkhun smile. “Just do it,” Nichkhun said. “He’ll owe you.”
“Fuck you, I will,” Yoochun shouted.
Chansung made a face, but with Nichkhun’s help, he turned around and reached down, offering his arm. Yoochun clung to it and Chansung pulled and Yoochun’s boots hit the wall and he moved his feet enough to climb up and onto the shelf.
“Fuck you all,” Yoochun muttered, face pressed against the cool stone.
Chansung ran his hand over Yoochun’s back, probably in comfort, but Yunho wasn’t sure why. With a sigh, he carefully climbed to his knees, and then took Yoona’s arm carefully and they stood up. Chansung did the same with Yoochun. Yoona clung tightly to Yunho, and he held her trembling body close.
“You okay?”
“No,” she whispered.
Yunho smiled and kissed the top of her head. Junsu passed them a canteen of water and Yoona thankfully drank from it.
“Let’s go,” Jaejoong said. “We’ll walk slower, closer together.”
-}|{-
Yunho lost track of time. The cavern never ended. Junsu’s shaking grew worse with each step into more darkness, with each turn facing another stone wall. Yoona did not let go of his arm, and Yoochun continued to mutter under his breath. They barely stopped for breaks. When someone said they were hungry or had to relieve themselves, they would stop. During some breaks, Changmin passed out rations from the packs on the horses. Like Jaejoong had said, there were plenty of inner cavern stream and trickles of water to stave off their thirst, but it also meant the cavern walls were wet, slippery, and even though Yoona didn’t slip again, Yesung did and Dongwoon did. Fortunately, they only fell in front of them, and they were not on such treacherous ground as before. They went through three more caverns with little more than a rock shelf, luckily with no major incidents.
“We’ll stop here,” Jaejoong said, “and rest. This is the largest cavern for a long while.”
“Large, sure,” Yoochun said.
Yunho agreed with him. He could touch both walls with his hands.
“The safest then,” Jaejoong snapped, “Or would rather sleep dangling off a cliff?”
Yoochun stuck his tongue out at him.
Junsu came to Yunho and he curled up in Yunho’s arms.
“This is good,” Yunho said. “Can we take the ropes off, though?”
Jaejoong frowned and nodded. “We’ll sleep until we’re well rested, and that will happen better if we aren’t tied together. I know Yoona doesn’t feel like being connected to Yoochun in anyway.”
“Chansung either,” Heechul said with a smirk.
Yunho sighed. He wouldn’t be surprised if Heechul ended up killing Yoochun.
Changmin walked up the line and released them all from the rope. Yunho pulled Yoona and Junsu away from the others to the far side of the cavern. Jaejoong and Changmin met in the middle for a conversation full of Doushiten.
A resounding slap echoed around them, silencing everyone, and Chansung fell the ground with a cry.
“You do not talk to me that way. Ever,” Yoochun yelled.
Changmin growled and his torch twisted through the air. Yoochun backed up away from him, flattening himself against the wall. Changmin held the torch close to his face. Yoochun did not hide his panic well.
“If you hit them again, loyalties to Yunho or not, I hold this torch to your crotch and burn off your dick,” Changmin said. He did not raise his voice, but spoke just loud enough to be heard over the crackling torch.
“Fuck you,” Yoochun said, voice wavering. “He is mine.”
“No, he’s not. We’re not on Shinki anymore. You are on my world, and in my kingdom. I am the law, and I am in charge.”
While Changmin had him pinned, Yunho held his hand out for Chansung and Nichkhun and they shuffled over to him. Chansung’s cheek was swollen and there was a cut on his skin. Jaejoong handed Yunho a skin of water, and Yunho cleaned it carefully.
“Changmin,” Yoona whispered.
“Do you understand me?” Changmin asked. “Or are you stupid as well as a fucking whore?”
Junsu inhaled sharply and buried his face against Yunho’s shoulder. Confused, Yunho met Nichkhun’s eyes.
The boy shrugged and whispered, “Yoochun always asks that when he has something tied up.”
“Well?” Changmin demanded, moving the flame closer. The unmistakable stench of burning hair filled the space.
“Fuck, yes, fine. Get off me.”
Changmin moved away from him, and Yoochun patted his hair to make sure it wasn’t actually on fire.
“Bitch,” Yoochun muttered.
Changmin let it go and came over to the others. He frowned at Yunho’s arm around Yoona, and then huffed. He removed his bow, leaned against the wall and slid down. His eyes shut immediately. Yoona met Yunho’s eyes and he smiled in understanding, letting her go. She went next to him and sat down. Without asking, she picked up his arm, curled under it and situated herself against his body.
Changmin opened his mouth, probably to protest, but Jaejoong cut him off with rapid Doushiten, and Changmin glared at him, and then relaxed. Yoona smiled at Yunho and shut her eyes, sighing in contentment.
Yunho moved to the other side of the wall and sat down, pulling Junsu against him. Almost immediately, Jaejoong was on his other side. Nichkhun and Chansung met each other’s eyes and then they both nodded and moved back over to Yoochun. Yunho didn’t understand why they insisted, based on how Yoochun treated them. They sat down, on either side of him, kneeling before Yoochun hooked an arm around Nichkhun’s neck and hauled him down, and then Chansung fell against his other side. His hands tangled in their hair and pulled. The others settled down further along the cavern.
“Are you okay?” Jaejoong whispered to Junsu.
“No,” Junsu said. “It … I hate being … I need to get out of here.”
Jaejoong nodded. “I know. We covered a lot of ground today. After we rest, we’ll walk until we’re out of the caves, okay?”
“Is it much further?” Yunho asked.
“Not as far as we walked today. About half as much time.”
“Not soon enough.”
Yunho tightened his hold on Junsu, thinking of his behavior. Junsu did not like being tied up and blindfolded at the same time. One or the other were fine, but never at the same time. He would never explain why not, but Yunho was getting a pretty good impression that it had something to do with the abuse he suffered during the brief time he was Yoochun’s slave.
Yunho should have killed him, and he definitely should not have brought him to Doushite. Being here, what would it have mattered if Yoochun had betrayed them on Shinki? Betraying them here was more dangerous. Would he be able to? Yunho wasn’t sure. It depended on if or when they met anyone else.
Yunho sighed in frustration. Killing him definitely would have been better.
Part 6: The Terrain
Part 4: The Transformation
Part 3: The Tunnels
Part 2: The Trap
Part 1: The Trip
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