Title: Shifting Fortunes 5/19
Rating: NC -17
Pairings: Yunho/Jaejoong, Yoochun/Junsu, Changmin/Fic OC, Past!Jaejoong/Heechul, Eunhyuk/Donghae, Kyuhyun/Sungmin, Yesung/Ryeowook, ninja!Leeteuk/Kangin
Disclaimer: If I owned them, I'd make them act this out.
Summary: Jaejoong was raised in riches. Yunho has struggled most of his life just to keep food in his stomach. Jaejoong leaves his family and ends up working beside Yunho at a farm in the mountains. In a world of uncertainties, what is Jaejoong willing to give up in order to have everything?
A/N: Anything in italics is the present day, and then the fic goes back in time.
Chapter 5:
Jaejoong's Past
Poster credit goes to
sahmin I love you, my Failverto! ♥♥♥
JAEJOONG
Jaejoong ran a towel through his wet hair. He dressed simply in jeans and a t-shirt. Yunho’s favorite. The pale green one with the English words, BITE ME. Yunho used to open his mouth and bite Jae’s chest through the shirt, following the letters. Most of the time until the shirt was soaked with sweat and saliva, followed shortly by come.
Jae shivered.
He had to focus. How was he supposed to work when all he could think about was Yunho?
2 ½ years earlier …
Jaejoong crunched his way across the yard to the far side of the barn. He pulled his jacket tighter around him as snow blew into his face. With the growing season over, there wasn’t a whole lot to do on the farm. They were left to their own devices after the animals were taken care of, and the snow removed from the sidewalks and driveways.
Some of the guys had moved on to different work that paid more. Jae really missed Hangeng and KyuMin, but no Kangin around was a blessing. The jack ass kept belittling him and trying to pick fights. Changmin was set to leave in a month, his wedding to His Sahar a week after that. Besides him, Yunho and YooSu, only Kibum was left, but that kid barely said anything, so it was like he wasn’t even there.
Jae made sure he hadn’t been followed, and then slipped his iPod from his pocket. He stuck in the earbuds, turned the music up and leaned against the barn door. He sighed. It had been hard keeping this small luxury hidden. Even Yunho didn’t know about it. With all the extra energy, Jae had been coming out here every day to dance.
The beat soon grabbed his feet, and he pushed off the wall, spinning, popping and sliding across the snow. Man, he loved to dance. Yet another thing his father had allowed to be done for fun, but for nothing else. They had been great together. Him, Heechul, Siwon, Donghae and Eunhyuk. They used to memorize popular dance routines, and then play the song and choreograph their own. Their musical sides were crushed as soon as Jae’s father found out that he had been writing music. No son of his was going to be in the entertainment industry.
When the next song started, Jae picked up the pace. He could dance to this song on automatic. It had been the first dance they had all learned. After a spin and a hip thrust, Jae dropped to the snow, catching his breath in the ten seconds he had while the others were supposed to be dancing. He stood up, caught movement in the corner of his eye and spun around.
Yunho was leaning against the barn, smiling. His lips moved.
Jae ripped out an earbud. “What?”
“I told you not to stop. Where the hell did you learn to dance like that?”
“I took dance lessons, and then the guys and I used to play around.”
“You’re really good.”
“I’m alright. Donghae and Eunhyuk were the best.”
Jae looked away. Still after all this time it hurt to talk about his friends. He tried to push it all down, but he did really miss them.
Yunho pulled him into a hug. “I know you hate to think of them and I hate to be the one to tell you this, but one of them is here to see you.”
Jae yanked away. “What do you mean?”
“Some guy. Says he’s looking for you.”
Jae’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “How do you know he’s-”
Yunho grinned. “Gorgeous, first of all. Perfect skin, tailor made trousers and wool coat. An incredible hair cut and brown eyes bigger than yours. Of course, there was also the utter look of distaste on his face when he demanded that someone fetch you.”
Jae shut his eyes and groaned. “Heechul. I really, really can’t face him yet.”
“Hey, who said you were going to alone? Come on. We’ll put him in his place.”
Yunho grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Just before coming around the side of the house, Jae stopped. He straightened his clothes, ran hands through his short hair, and then turned to Yunho.
“Yes, you look fine,” Yunho said with a quick kiss on his cheek. “Although-” Yunho unbuttoned Jae’s coat. “Then put your hands in your pockets, so the coat stays open.”
“Are you insane? I’ll freeze.”
“Just do it long enough that he can see what a fantastic body you have now. And the fact that you’re wearing my favorite t-shirt helps.”
“Yunnie, you’re mean. I’m going to die of hypothermia or something.”
“You’ll be fine. Come on.”
They moved the last few steps. Jae would have stopped walking if Yunho hadn’t been there. Still his feet faltered a moment and that made enough noise that Heechul turned to them.
Gorgeous was right. His hair was shorter, no where near long enough to satisfyingly run fingers through it. But his skin was flawless. Someone had brought him a cup of tea, and perfectly manicured hands cradled it close to his face. Those big brown eyes looked him up and down.
“Jae,” he breathed with his little half smile that Jae used to love so much.
“Heechul.” Jae hoped there wasn’t anything more than acknowledgement in that.
Jae couldn’t bring himself to get closer. Heechul’s eyes roved down his body again.
Yunho cleared his throat.
“Ah, yes,” Heechul said. “The overprotective boyfriend.”
“More than you ever were,” Jae snapped.
An eyebrow rose. “He would have been nothing more than a servant to you before.”
“Sort of like how I was nothing but a servant to you?”
Heechul sighed. “That’s not fair. Damn it, Jae, I didn’t come here to fight with you.”
“Then why the fuck are you here? I could have gone my whole life very happily without ever seeing you again.”
Heechul smirked again and looked around. “Happily? In this hell hole? Sure.”
Jae shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Yunho squeezed his hand. “What do you want, Hee?”
“I want you to come home.”
“I am home.”
“Eunhae and Siwon want you to come home. We all miss you.”
“Yes, well, as much as I miss the guys, going back to that lifestyle isn’t worth it.”
“Worth it? Are you kidding? You’re living in squalor.”
“To you, maybe. But I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach and pride in my heart.”
He smirked again. “Pride? You’re proud of living like this?”
Jae let go of Yunho’s hand and stalked forward. “Yes, I am. I work for what I have. Do you know what that’s like? How good it feels to know that you’ve earned what you have? That even if it isn’t a Dolce and Gabana, you’ve earned the coat on your back because you paid for it with money that you worked for? Life is more than just having money in a bank account, Heechul. It’s about respect. I respect the men that work and live here. They weren’t given everything they wanted. If they want something, they work for it. They earn it. I respect myself here. I wouldn’t have if I had stayed home and married Soonya.”
“My money and my name give me all the respect I need.”
“Not here, they don’t. Don’t ever come back.” Jae turned his back on him, and he was halfway up the stairs before Heechul called out.
“Your mother is dying.”
Jae froze and turned around.
“That’s really why I came up here. She knew that I knew where you were. Your father would never allow it, but I promised her that I would come and tell you.”
Heechul reached into his coat and pulled out an envelope. “She wrote you a letter.”
Jae stomped down the stairs and snatched the letter from his hands. He ripped it open.
My dearest JaeJoong.
Know that from a mother’s view, I never wished any harm to you. My only baby. How could I? I’d like to see you again, to apologize for not being more involved with your life. I am very proud of you. Please see it in your heart to forgive me.
All my love.
Mother
Tears slid down Jae’s cheeks. He looked back at Heechul.
“I’m sorry I got mad,” Heechul whispered, “but you walked over here, looking like sex on legs, with him next to you, holding his hand, and it just pissed me off. I really didn’t mean to come here and fight with you.”
“Easier to belittle than deal with your own feelings,” Jae muttered.
“I’ve always loved you,” Heechul said, even more quietly. “You’re so beautiful, even dressed in those rags. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I miss you.”
Jae jerked back from Heechul’s reaching hand. “But not enough to give up what you think is important. Money, prestige. That means crap to me, Heechul. I’m not going back.”
“Not even to see your mother? Your father is going to Beijing on Sunday. He’ll be gone for two weeks.”
Jae spared those big brown eyes one more look and then turned and headed back to the house. He grabbed Yunho’s hand, pulled him inside and slammed the door. Jae shut his eyes, leaned against Yunho’s strong body and cried.
“What’s wrong?” Yoochun asked. Another pair of arms wrapped around him as Yunho told him about Jae’s mother. Junsu wasn’t far behind, whispering reassurances at him. His tears calmed, but none of them moved away.
Suddenly the whole group stumbled to the left as another body joined them.
“Changmin,” YooSu admonished.
“Sorry,” he said, “but I wanted to be part of the group hug, too.”
Jae managed to laugh.
“You’re always welcome, Minnie,” Junsu said.
The five of them stood in the hallway until Kibum’s deep voice said, “I can handle the coupling, but I draw the line at orgies.”
YooSu laughed as Changmin broke away with a sputter. “No, it’s jus-”
“He was kidding, Minnie,” Yoochun said.
Jae pulled away from Yunho a bit.
Junsu touched his cheek. “You okay, Joongie?”
“No, I’m going to go lay down.”
By the end of the week, nothing any of them had said could bring Jae from his thoughts. He felt bad for ignoring them, especially Yunho, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t want to talk about anything, let alone think about it.
Heechul’s ssukso continued to plague his dreams. He knew now that his relationship with Heechul hadn’t been healthy. He still loved the man, and just the thought of him made his throat close up. But Heechul did nothing but use him. Jae was sure that in some way, Heechul did love him, but Jae never really understood how much fun and pleasurable sex could be without pain. Yunho showed him that. Showed him that sex didn’t have to hurt. That it could be fun.
After another lunch of barely eating anything, Jae went out to the barn with his iPod. He didn’t dance, but leaned his head back, eyes closed listening to the music thrumming through his body. He jerked when hands cupped his face and lips pressed against his. He pulled out of Yunho’s embrace, smiled an apology and turned toward the house. Yunho grabbed him, pinned him to the barn and yanked out an earbud.
“I have something for you,” he said, and reached into his coat.
Jae took the offered paper. A train ticket. To Seoul. He looked up in question.
“I know you won’t go without a push,” Yunho said, “so here’s your push.”
“Yunnie, I’m not going.”
“So you’re going to let me wander around Seoul all by myself?”
Jae’s eyes widened when Yunho pulled out another ticket.
“I’m going. Tomorrow morning. Are you coming with me?”
Jae sighed. “I hate it when you do shit like this.”
“I know.”
Yunho’s hands settled on Jae’s hips and his breath hitched. Four days wasn’t a long time, but four days without being touched by Yunho was. He pulled Yunho to him, whispered thanks against his lips and proceeded to plunder his mouth.
“I can’t wait until spring, so we can go back to the river,” Jae muttered.
Yunho laughed. “Well, I know for a fact that YooSu took the horses out for a ride, and Kibum is reading in the living room.”
Jae’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”
Yunho nodded.
“Then why are we standing in the cold, pressed up against the barn?”
Jae pushed him away, grabbed his hand and they ran back to the house.
Part 6:
Yunho's Culture Shock Part 4:
Yunho's SanctuaryPart 3:
Jaejoong's New LifePart 2:
Yunho's New RoommatePart 1:
Jaejoong's Predicament.