Pleasures of the Mighty 11/?
Title: Pleasures of the Mighty 11/?
Rating: Mostly R, but some later chapters will be NC-17
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong/Junsu and implied Yoochun/Changmin
Disclaimer: If they were mine, I'd make them my slaves.
Summary: On ShinKi, slaves give you prestige, honor and a convenient hole to fuck. But Jung Yunho has never owned a slave. Heir to the Jung Empire, he has refused to follow standard practices and refused his father's wishes to follow the family tradition of political leadership.
But then his best friend Yoochun drags him to the slave traders, and Yunho sees the most beautiful man. When Yoochun shows an interest in buying him, Yunho is determined to keep the beauty out of his sadistic friend's bedroom.
It's a simple purchase, but soon, as he learns more and more about Jaejoong and his world Doushite, Yunho finds himself looking for answers buried deep in the anti-political underworld.
A/N: I love it how I'm on hiatus and I write one of the longest chapters of this fic. *giggles* And for those of you who might be worried, yes, the majority of my school work is done.
Poster Credit goes to my darling tarta (trshakespeare). I ♥♥♥ You!
Part 11: The Pabo
“Wake him up. He needs to be to work in an hour.”
“Okay.”
Yunho shifted as soft voices filtered into his head. A door shut, and then he settled deeper into strong arms and warm chest.
“Hm, Jaejoong,” he muttered.
The body froze, and then he was shoved away.
Yunho blinked away sleep, eyes trying to focus on the room around him. What the hell was Jaejoong’s problem? He focused on a bare back. Skin free of a tattoo.
Fuck.
“Junsu?”
Junsu scoffed.
Yunho sat up. The air smelled of sex, and Yunho had a dried mess on his stomach. He stretched tired muscles, and then slid to the edge of the bed next to Junsu. Junsu stiffened and moved away. Yunho sighed.
“I’ve been sharing a bed with Jaejoong for a few days, so you’ll forgive me for things I mutter when I’m half awake.”
“Whatever.”
Yunho shook his head. “I expect you to be nice to him. None of this, who’s the better slave, bullshit.”
Junsu didn’t say anything. Yunho sighed again, leaned into him and placed a kiss on his shoulder. He stood up, found his sweat pants and pulled them on.
“Do you love me, Yunho?”
Yunho paused before turning around. “I always have, but that doesn’t make what we did last night alright. I should have stopped you.”
Junsu looked away.
“What were you thinking, Su?”
More silence.
“I want to understand,” he said, “because if you did that just because of the past, then that’s okay. If you did it because you thought you had to, then that’s not okay. If you did it to manipulate me away from Jaejoong, that’s definitely not okay.”
“I didn’t!” Junsu swallowed. “I …I just …”
Yunho nodded. “I understand that you’re not the same as who you were when we were seventeen. But neither am I. I hope to love you as you are now, too.”
“You didn’t answer me last night,” Junsu whispered, “when I asked if you loved Jaejoong.”
Yunho frowned, but then said, “I do.”
Junsu looked away again.
Yunho sighed. Again. “Am I not allowed to love you both?”
Junsu didn’t reply.
“Get dressed, come out for breakfast. Jaejoong is an excellent cook.”
Yunho left the room and headed to his. He stopped in the door and stared at the suit laid out on his bed. Disappointment filled him, and he cursed his stupid lust. He should have stopped Junsu. He shouldn’t have done that. And now Jaejoong was going to be upset with him. And he had no idea how to deal with it. He went to the bathroom and showered, trying to think of what to say to Jaejoong. And what to say to Junsu.
He wanted to take his time, but time was running out and he had a meeting with Lee Sungmin at nine. He dressed quickly and went into the kitchen.
Jaejoong was at the stove. Junsu sat at the table, eating something. There was already a plate of food at his place, a cooling cup of coffee. If he hurried, he’d have time to eat.
He went to Jaejoong. Jae’s whole body tensed, and he slid over a step.
“Jae, I-”
Jae turned his back on him and left the kitchen.
“Shit,” Yunho said under his breath.
Junsu scoffed.
“Don’t, Su. This is …” Yunho followed Jaejoong out of the kitchen and found him in the living room, staring out the window, arms folded across his chest.
“You need to eat,” Jae said without turning around.
“I need to talk to you.”
“Yeah, because talk is all you ever do.”
Yunho bristled, and then took a deep breath. “You’ve been injured and last night you were-”
“And so you run to him?” Jae flipped around, eyes sparking in anger. “I can’t even tell you how much that hurt, walking in that room this morning and seeing you-”
Yunho grabbed his shoulders and kissed him.
Jae pushed him away, hand snapping up to slap him. Yunho’s head jerked to the side, and then they met each others eyes.
Jae turned back around.
Yunho rubbed his cheek. He definitely deserved that.
“I can make up a lot of excuses,” Yunho said, “about it happening too fast, and I told Junsu to stop and he didn’t, but they’re just excuses. I won’t lie to you, Jaejoong, it felt good and at that point in time, it was what I wanted and what I needed.”
“You need to eat and you need to go to work.”
“I know. I will, but not until you at least understand.”
“I understand.”
Another sigh. Before Jae could even try to move away, Yunho put his arms around his body, but Jae stiffened again. Yunho kissed his bare shoulder, much as he had done to Junsu earlier.
“We will talk when I get home from work. Be nice to Junsu, please.”
Jae scoffed.
“Okay, fine. Be civil to him. Okay? You have to live with each other. No point in causing problems on the first day.”
Finally Jae broke away, and he glared at Yunho before walking across the living room. “The two of us don’t have to cause problems,” he shouted over his shoulder. “You do that well enough on your own.”
A door slammed.
Junsu leaned against the wall. “That went well.”
Yunho shook his head. “I have to go work. I’m going to be late.” He covered the distance between them. “I strongly suggest you stay out of Jaejoong’s way. Watch TV, read. Sleep, since you didn’t sleep much last night.”
“You are the strangest master I’ve ever had.”
“I’m not your master, Junsu. I’m your friend. If you need anything, call me. Jae has my work number.”
“Okay.”
Yunho kissed him quickly, and then grabbed his keys and left for work. He was a minute and a half late, and he had to listen to Sungmin reprimand him for ten minutes about the importance of keeping appointments before they actually turned to the topic of Sungmin’s advertising campaign. The man was a picky bastard. He had been delaying the release of an antigrav sled because the pink logo in the advertising spots looked too red.
When Sungmin was finally satisfied with the last detail of the proposed billboard, he stood and offered his hand.
“Yunho, a pleasure as always. I’ll let you get to your other meetings.”
“Thank you,” Yunho said, only half insincerely. Sungmin paid him a lot of money.
“It’s not a problem. I enjoy doing business with you. And we may be doing more business in the future. I heard you were at Siwon’s last night.”
Sungmin had a knowing smirk on his face, but Yunho kept his face blank. Sungmin hadn’t been at the party. And Bi also knew he was at Siwon’s. There was no telling what “side” Sungmin was on.
“Catching up with some old friends,” Yunho said. “I’ve been out of polite society for too long.”
Sungmin snorted. “No kidding. But in a few weeks, the girls are going to start lining up to be the next Lady Jung.”
Yunho rolled his eyes with a smile. “Maybe I’ll follow Siwon’s example and just marry a working girl.”
Sungmin laughed. “A working girl. Yeah.”
And Yunho could almost believe that Sungmin knew the secret.
They exchanged good byes one more time and then Sungmin left.
Yunho slouched in his chair, staring at the ceiling. At least the meeting with Sungmin had kept his mind off the mess at home.
Before he could really start to dwell on it though, his next appointment walked in.
~}|{~
At five, Yoona poked her head in and said, “That man, Han Chulwon, just showed up. I told him you were-“
“Let him in,” Yunho said.
“Okay.”
“And you can leave, Yoona. I’ll be here for another couple hours.”
“Thank you, Yunho.” She turned around. “You can go in, sir.”
“Thanks, beautiful.”
Yoona blushed and left the office.
Heechul smirked as he came in, and the smirk didn’t leave his face until he sat in the chair.
“What?”
“You’re in.”
“In what?”
“The inner circle.”
“And that means?”
“Gaeteuk caved. We talked about it and he decided he wants your money more than he wants secrecy, so you’re in.”
Yunho scoffed. “He wants my money?”
“Staging a revolution is very expensive. You look stressed. What’s wrong?”
Yunho waved a hand at him in dismissal.
“Jaejoong was pretty drunk last night,” Heechul commented with a leer.
“I know.”
“And he was practically all over you before you left.”
“I know.”
“So what happened when you got home?”
Yunho gave him a blank look.
Heechul rolled his eyes. “God, did you fuck him or not?”
“No.”
Shaking his head, Heechul said, “Man, I do not have your will power.”
“Neither do I.”
A raise of eyebrows. “Explain.”
“No.”
“Ooh, you fucked Junsu.”
Yunho opened his mouth.
“Don’t even deny it. You’ve got guilt practically written in black marker on your face.”
Yunho put his face in his hands. “We didn’t fuck, but he stroked me off.”
“Pabo.”
“What?”
“Pabo. It means ‘fool’ in Doushiten.”
“I know, but it gets worse. Jaejoong found us in the morning.”
Heechul shook his head. “Is that why you’re still in your office this late?”
“Shut up.”
Heechul laughed. “Well, I have a reason for you to postpone going home even longer if you want it.”
“What?”
“Angel wants to talk to you. We’re going to meet him.”
Yunho nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”
As Yunho closed up his computer, he told Heechul about Sungmin’s vague comments.
Heechul smiled. “It’s good you stayed vague. He’s one of us, but not on the inner circle. He’s more like Donghae and Eunhyuk, but even lower than them. We don’t really trust him yet.”
“Who is in the inner circle?”
“Me, you, Siwon, Angel, Kangin, Yesung, Cho Kyuhyun, Kibum and Shindong.”
“Cho Kyuhyun? How is that possible? He’s like the perfect aristocratic son.”
“He’s a good actor.”
“So are you, SeonHee.”
Heechul batted his eyelashes at him. “Thank you, darling.”
Yunho called Jae’s cell phone as they left the office. He heard the call picked up but Jaejoong didn’t say anything.
“I’m going to go a meeting,” Yunho said. “I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
A scoff. “Fine.”
And the line disconnected. Yunho frowned at the phone.
“Wow, he’s pissed at you,” Heechul said.
“He has every right to be.”
“Does he though, with you as his master?”
“I’m not his master.”
Heechul drove through the city; Yunho lost track of the turns and byways and tunnels they went through. His mind was too focused on Jaejoong. He had no idea what to say to Jaejoong, and he doubted that throwing him on the bed and pouncing was a good way to solve this problem.
“You keep sighing,” Heechul said, voice sing-song.
Yunho didn’t reply.
“You’re going to beat yourself up about this until you talk to him.”
“I know.”
“Are you going to be focused on this meeting with Angel? He hates it when he has to repeat himself.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Good.” Heechul turned another corner and went into an underground parking garage.
“Hell, Hee, are you sure you’re car won’t be stripped for parts in this neighborhood?”
“They all know better. Come on.”
Yunho followed him out and to a ramshackle elevator. He eyed it suspiciously as they entered. Heechul smirked.
“What’s the matter?”
Yunho looked around the tiny space and swallowed.
Heechul laughed and then moved in close to Yunho. “Ah, don’t worry, Bambi. If it gets stuck, I’ll keep your mind off it.”
Heechul kissed him, nothing chaste. Yunho made a noise of surprise, and then pushed Heechul against the wall, bodies pressed together. The entire elevator shuddered. Heechul slid fingers through Yunho’s hair. Yunho moaned, and Heechul took that as permission to pull harder and kiss him rougher. He wrapped a leg around Yunho’s waist, pressing their erections together.
The elevator shook again.
Heechul pulled away and leaned his head on the wall. Yunho kissed down his neck.
“Are you sure you want to go home to your Doushiten?” Heechul asked. “Siwon and I could make you forget your own name for a night.”
Yunho chuckled.
“God, and I thought Donghae was the slut,” a voice behind them drawled.
Yunho tried to pull away, but Heechul held him close. “Shut up, Kyu. You let Donghae suck you off any time he asks.”
Cho Kyuhyun smirked. Kyuhyun was tall, with long long long legs and trim body clad in an expensive black suit. He looked every bit the part of a rich man’s son.
Without letting Yunho detach himself, Heechul maneuvered them out of the elevator and into a sparsely furnished room.
“This is the waiting room,” Heechul said. “Anyone we don’t want to talk to waits here until they get pissed off and leave.”
Yunho smiled.
They moved through a door, and then down a hall. Yunho had his arms around Heechul’s waist, his chin on the slightly shorter man’s shoulder. Kyuhyun followed them.
“Do you all live here?” Yunho asked.
“Mostly. Those of us that are dead anyway. The Doushitens and other refugees, too. Angel owns this building.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s pretty awesome being able to manipulate paper work, including property claims.”
Heechul opened a door, but made a noise of protest when Yunho tried to let him go.
“I don’t remember you being this clingy,” Yunho said.
Heechul pouted. “Death does strange things to you. You learn to appreciate things more.”
“You’re not dead.”
Heechul scoffed, but didn’t elaborate.
Yunho looked around, and his eyes widened in shock. They were in a large room, combination kitchen and dining room, but it was more like a cafeteria. The kitchen had updated appliances and there were four large tables with ten chairs around each.
“No wonder Angel wants my money,” Yunho muttered.
Heechul laughed.
And the others in the room turned to them. Siwon was there-no Hangeng though-and he smiled when he saw the two of them. Angel didn’t look nearly as happy, arms crossed, glaring. He had tilted his chair on its back legs. Kangin was also there, sitting next to Angel. His fingers were barely touching Angel’s shoulder. Next to Kangin were two men he didn’t know.
“Yunho, that is Yesung. He’s a refugee from Inhyung. The one next to him is Shindong. He’s from the other side of Toho. Kibum, I believe you’ve met once or twice.”
Yunho bowed to them. Yesung had a round face, smaller as was common on Inhyung.
Shindong was round face broke into a smile. “It’s good to meet you,” he said. “Heechul talks about you all the time, even before you started looking for us.”
Kibum barely acknowledged him, but coming from Kibum, that was a lot. The man was quiet, but Yunho had never made the mistake of thinking he was dumb. Many officials and politicians didn’t consider him a threat because he was so quiet. Yunho wasn’t too surprised to find out that he was part of this resistance.
“Heechul, let him go,” Angel snapped.
Heechul stuck his tongue out at him. Siwon kicked a chair away from the table, and Yunho sat down. Heechul immediately sat in his lap and leaned against him. He put his feet up in Siwon’s lap. Siwon smiled and started massaging them.
“Siwon knows his place well,” Yunho muttered.
The others at the table chuckled.
“So, Yunho, welcome to your first meeting,” Angel said, voice still hard. “You can’t back out of this. If you betray us or talk about this, we won’t hesitate to make you disappear.”
“God, Gae,” Heechul said, “will you cut the ‘alpha male’ crap. Seriously. This is Yunho.”
Angel spared him a glare, and Heechul rolled his eyes.
“How’s your father?” Angel asked Siwon.
“Same as he was yesterday. He’s still sick, but he’s still running things from his bedside. The doctors are giving him two months.”
“And you can’t get anything on Rain?”
“Rain?” Yunho said.
“Senator Bi,” Heechul supplied. “Bi means rain in Doushiten.”
“Ah.”
“And no,” Heechul said. “The man is too careful with his words when SeonHee is around, no matter how much I flirt with him. Or offer him things.”
“Does he know something?” Yunho asked.
“We don’t know,” Heechul replied, “but probably.”
“Can you get close to him?” Angel asked.
“No,” Yunho said. “He’s already suspicious of me because of Jaejoong.”
“I can’t believe you agreed to let-“
Yunho held up a hand. “I didn’t agree to it. Jaejoong did.”
Angel glared again, and then turned to Kibum. “What about you?”
Kibum shrugged.
“And that means?”
Another shrug.
“Are you having progress at least?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Kyuhyun?”
“Rain loves me, you know that, but so far, he hasn’t started any type of political grooming.”
“I think we should just leave it be,” Siwon said. “We should be focusing more on helping those that are here, rather than spending so much time trying to find out if they know we exist.”
Angel rolled his eyes. “It all leads to the same conclusion. Protection. And we’re trying to protect them.”
“From what and who?” Yunho asked.
Every eye turned to him.
“What?” Yunho asked with a grin. “I understand that you want the politics changed, but that takes time. Why aren’t you doing what you can right now? You see people who need help everyday, but what are you doing? How is killing yourselves on paper going to help the slaves under the traders? If you were all alive, you could buy five of them and let them be free.”
“I will not buy anyone,” Angel said, voice low.
Yunho shook his head. “That’s what I said. But when the choice is between me and your cousin, I’m sure Jaejoong is glad that I ‘own’ him. If we all have honest intentions, between me, Kyu, Kibum and Siwon, there’s twenty free people. Sure, we own them on paper and according to this government, but not to us, and not to them.”
Heechul suddenly buried his head into Yunho’s neck. His shoulders were shaking.
“What?”
“I’ve been saying this for years,” Heechul said and pressed a kiss to Yunho’s skin.
“I will not allow anyone here to own a slave. I will not,” Angel said.
Yunho shook his head. “You’re being stupid. Think for a moment how slaves are treated under the traders, how some are treated by their owners. Your cousin-“
“Micky,” Heechul said.
“What?”
“We call his cousin Micky.”
“Why?”
Heechul shrugged. “Why do we call him Angel? It’s just a code name.”
Yunho smiled. “Do I have a nickname?”
“I think pabo fits you best,” Heechul said.
There was a collective snort from those around the table.
“Anyway. Micky is a fucking bastard to his slaves. He’s probably one of the worst. But there are others like him. I think it’s worth it to buy the ones we can. And if a few of them … escape.” Yunho let the sentence die.
Kibum scoffed, but he was smiling. Yunho knew he had his support.
“No,” Angel said.
“Why not?” Kyuhyun asked. “Rain keeps asking me when I’m going to buy my first slave now that I’m old enough.”
“The problem is, Angel,” Yunho said, “you’re dead. Kangin and Heechul are dead. Fifteen slaves we could have helped.”
“You don’t understand,” Angel said.
“Because you won’t tell me,” Yunho said, very slowly.
Heechul squirmed on his lap until he was turned to face him. “The government is getting better at tracking us down. We jump on a computer at the café and post some anti government propaganda and they’re there, sometimes before we can manage to get too far away. Remember when you thought I died?”
Yunho hugged him close. “One of the worst days of my life.”
Heechul kissed his cheek. “Well, it’s because I had to go meet with someone. I had no idea that he was already dead and that the cops had gotten to him. I almost walked into an ambush, and only my ability to outrun them saved me. But not from everything. I was shot in the side and then, as soon as I got back, we started letting my death leak to the press. I had to disappear.”
Heechul shifted until he was curled in Yunho’s arms, face at his neck.
“And the government just accepted it?” Yunho asked.
“No. They kept calling my phone, trying to triangulate where I was, but after a day, I got rid of it and got a new one and … yeah, well. Now I’m dead.”
“It’s easier to hide when someone isn’t looking for you,” Kangin said.
“Why are you dead?”
Kangin shrugged. “I got cornered and ended up killing a cop while I was trying to escape. Like Heechul, they injured me pretty badly, so it wasn’t hard to fake a death. An anonymous body was found, and then we let it leak out that it was me.”
“If slaves suddenly started escaping, it would bring attention to that person that owns them. And we don’t want that kind of attention,” Angel said.
“Then they don’t ‘escape’,” Yunho said. “Jaejoong, well, he’s not happy. I don’t think he’ll be happy until he goes back home, but he’s not miserable.”
“I’m sure he’s miserable,” Heechul said. “You’re withholding sex from him.”
The others burst out laughing.
“God,” Kyuhyun drawled. “How have you managed that?”
“It’s called self-control,” Yunho said.
Heechul smirked at him and mouthed, “Junsu.”
Yunho pinched his side.
Heechul moaned, arching against him. “I thought you didn’t want me tonight.”
Yunho kissed him swiftly. “I’m sure Siwon is more than enough for you, and I have issues to deal with.”
Heechul made a face. “Sex with us is better than dealing with that.”
“And I’m sure that will go over well with Jaejoong.”
“Point.”
“So what should I be doing?” Yunho said to Angel.
Angel pondered him for a moment. “Probably what you don’t want to do, but we need you to do it. Showing up places, like at press conferences and things like that? Maybe say a few things about how you disagree with things, but still be vague about it. It’s not like I’m asking you to lie.”
“What will that help?”
“Your father isn’t going to tolerate you talking like that. Beyond that, it’s hard to say. But if only one person is effected by it, then that’s good enough.”
“But it’s not good enough to buy a slave to save him from abuse and let them lead semi-normal lives.”
“They’ll still be slaves. The ones here are free.”
“Are they?” Yunho turned to Yesung. “Do you ever get to go shopping? Or eat at a restaurant, or walk down the street without being afraid that the next officer you see is going to ask you for ID.”
Yesung shook his head. “No. I don’t get to do any of that.”
“Jaejoong does. With me. And when he’s home, he reads and watches movies. He can do whatever he wants.”
“Except leave,” Angel said.
“So? The ones that live here can’t leave either.”
“He has a valid point,” Heechul said.
Yunho shook his head. “It makes sense. Think about it. I have to get home before it’s too late. Jae is already fucking pissed at me. No need to make him worried and pissed off.”
“Why is he mad at you?” Angel asked, very carefully.
Yunho shook his head. “Domestic dispute.”
Angel looked like he was going to pry some more, but then he glowered and looked away.
Heechul stood up. “Before you go.”
Yunho followed him to the kitchen.
Heechul pulled out a bottle of something strong, and poured it into a shotglass.
“Heechul-“
“Trust me, you’ll need it,” Heechul said, as he set out more glasses. He poured a few drinks out.
Siwon leaned over Yunho to nab one. “Just drink it." He lifted his glass and looked at the rest of them. “Shall we drink to freedom?”
Heechul scoffed. “No. To foolishness.”
Somberly, they all took their shots. It burned down Yunho’s throat, and he shut his eyes as the liquid tried to settle.
Heechul filled his glass again.
“No,” Yunho said, eyes watering. “That shit is too strong. I’ll be drunk in two minutes.”
“That’s the point, darling. You need to get drunk and fucked and-“
“I need to go home.”
Heechul frowned. “You need a blow job, too,” he muttered while fingering Yunho’s zipper.
“And if I’m lucky, I’ll get one from Jaejoong. Come on. Take me back to my car.”
Heechul frowned and turned his back on Yunho. “You’re no fun.”
~}|{~
It was almost nine when Yunho finally got home.
The foyer light was on. Yunho took off his shoes and padded into the house. A single lamp on a table was lit in the living room. The light over the sink was on. Yunho peaked down the hall. A light shone from underneath Junsu’s (Jaejoong’s?) bedroom door. There was a note on the microwave that said, “Press Start” and then it was written in Doushiten underneath that. Yunho pressed start. He waited two minutes, and then took out the mixture of meat and rice. He ate slowly, savoring each bite, holding back moans. Jae was seriously outdoing himself in the cooking department.
“I was going to leave you dessert, but I don’t think you deserve it,” Jaejoong said from the entryway.
Yunho jumped a bit in surprise and flipped around.
Jae leaned against the wall, arms crossed, frowning.
Yunho swallowed the food in his mouth, and then said, “No. I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve this.” He gestured at the plate. “And I definitely don’t deserve you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Were you nice to Junsu?”
A derisive scoff. “We didn’t even talk to each other.”
“Better than fighting. Will you go running with me in the morning?”
“Yes.”
Yunho finished his food, and then stood and rinsed the plate off.
“Pretty late meeting,” Jaejoong said, voice curious.
“Angel wanted to talk to me.”
“And?”
Yunho rolled his eyes. “Pointless. I met a couple of other people. Angel wants me to be more of a ‘figure’ in society. Start saying carefully veiled things.”
“Didn’t he already tell you to do that?”
“Like I said. Pointless, really.” Yunho looked over at him. “Would you object to three more roommates?”
“What do you mean?”
“Those of us that can might be buying slaves just to get them away from the traders.”
Jae scoffed. “Then you’ll never have to have sex with me.”
“Jae,” Yunho said.
But Jae turned and left the kitchen.
“Do you want to have sex with me?” Yunho called.
“That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever asked in your entire life,” Jae shouted back.
Yunho smiled. He turned off the lights and went to his room. Jae was laying, stiffly, at the edge of the bed, curled into a tight ball. He wasn’t under the covers. Yunho got ready for bed.
“You’re not going to go sleep with your precious Junsu?” Jae said.
“No.”
“Why not? I’m sure he’d be more than willing to-“
“Jae, last night was a mistake. I was tired, horny, and he threw himself at me. It’s not like we had slow passionate sex. It was a frantic hand job and it was over almost as soon as it started.”
“Wow. I bet you brag about yourself like that to all your bedmates.”
Yunho laughed. “Shut up. I’ve been sexually frustrated for almost a month.”
“Really?” Jaejoong sat up. He moved enough so his t-shirt rode up his stomach. “Why is that?”
Yunho smiled, relief flooding through him that Jae was joking around with him. Even if it was a bit underhanded and immature. It was something.
Yunho lifted the blankets. He turned off the lamp on his bedside table. Jae got up and moved to the alarm, checking the time.
“It was really mean of you to move the alarm clear across the room,” Yunho said, eyes shut. Now that he was in bed, he was so tired.
The other side of the bed dipped.
“You didn’t move it back.”
“I like it better when you wake me up,” Yunho said.
“I’m going to throw water on you tomorrow.”
“Then I can skip a shower. Perfect.”
“I’m still mad at you.”
“I know. Heechul’s been calling me ‘pabo’ all night.”
Jaejoong scoffed, and said something in Doushiten. Pabo was the only word Yunho caught.
“I’m sure I deserve whatever you said.”
Jae sighed.
Yunho was drifting off to sleep when Jae whispered in the darkness, “I wish you loved me like you loved him.”
Yunho said, “I do,” but he was already asleep, and Jae only heard a mutter.
Part 12: The Penance
Part 10: The Persistence
Part 9: The Press
Part 8: The Puppet
Part 7: The Pressure
Part 6: The Politics
Part 5: The Party
Part 4: The Proposition
Part 3: The Problem
Part 2: The Prince
Part 1: The Purchase
.
Rating: Mostly R, but some later chapters will be NC-17
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong/Junsu and implied Yoochun/Changmin
Disclaimer: If they were mine, I'd make them my slaves.
Summary: On ShinKi, slaves give you prestige, honor and a convenient hole to fuck. But Jung Yunho has never owned a slave. Heir to the Jung Empire, he has refused to follow standard practices and refused his father's wishes to follow the family tradition of political leadership.
But then his best friend Yoochun drags him to the slave traders, and Yunho sees the most beautiful man. When Yoochun shows an interest in buying him, Yunho is determined to keep the beauty out of his sadistic friend's bedroom.
It's a simple purchase, but soon, as he learns more and more about Jaejoong and his world Doushite, Yunho finds himself looking for answers buried deep in the anti-political underworld.
A/N: I love it how I'm on hiatus and I write one of the longest chapters of this fic. *giggles* And for those of you who might be worried, yes, the majority of my school work is done.
Poster Credit goes to my darling tarta (trshakespeare). I ♥♥♥ You!
Part 11: The Pabo
“Wake him up. He needs to be to work in an hour.”
“Okay.”
Yunho shifted as soft voices filtered into his head. A door shut, and then he settled deeper into strong arms and warm chest.
“Hm, Jaejoong,” he muttered.
The body froze, and then he was shoved away.
Yunho blinked away sleep, eyes trying to focus on the room around him. What the hell was Jaejoong’s problem? He focused on a bare back. Skin free of a tattoo.
Fuck.
“Junsu?”
Junsu scoffed.
Yunho sat up. The air smelled of sex, and Yunho had a dried mess on his stomach. He stretched tired muscles, and then slid to the edge of the bed next to Junsu. Junsu stiffened and moved away. Yunho sighed.
“I’ve been sharing a bed with Jaejoong for a few days, so you’ll forgive me for things I mutter when I’m half awake.”
“Whatever.”
Yunho shook his head. “I expect you to be nice to him. None of this, who’s the better slave, bullshit.”
Junsu didn’t say anything. Yunho sighed again, leaned into him and placed a kiss on his shoulder. He stood up, found his sweat pants and pulled them on.
“Do you love me, Yunho?”
Yunho paused before turning around. “I always have, but that doesn’t make what we did last night alright. I should have stopped you.”
Junsu looked away.
“What were you thinking, Su?”
More silence.
“I want to understand,” he said, “because if you did that just because of the past, then that’s okay. If you did it because you thought you had to, then that’s not okay. If you did it to manipulate me away from Jaejoong, that’s definitely not okay.”
“I didn’t!” Junsu swallowed. “I …I just …”
Yunho nodded. “I understand that you’re not the same as who you were when we were seventeen. But neither am I. I hope to love you as you are now, too.”
“You didn’t answer me last night,” Junsu whispered, “when I asked if you loved Jaejoong.”
Yunho frowned, but then said, “I do.”
Junsu looked away again.
Yunho sighed. Again. “Am I not allowed to love you both?”
Junsu didn’t reply.
“Get dressed, come out for breakfast. Jaejoong is an excellent cook.”
Yunho left the room and headed to his. He stopped in the door and stared at the suit laid out on his bed. Disappointment filled him, and he cursed his stupid lust. He should have stopped Junsu. He shouldn’t have done that. And now Jaejoong was going to be upset with him. And he had no idea how to deal with it. He went to the bathroom and showered, trying to think of what to say to Jaejoong. And what to say to Junsu.
He wanted to take his time, but time was running out and he had a meeting with Lee Sungmin at nine. He dressed quickly and went into the kitchen.
Jaejoong was at the stove. Junsu sat at the table, eating something. There was already a plate of food at his place, a cooling cup of coffee. If he hurried, he’d have time to eat.
He went to Jaejoong. Jae’s whole body tensed, and he slid over a step.
“Jae, I-”
Jae turned his back on him and left the kitchen.
“Shit,” Yunho said under his breath.
Junsu scoffed.
“Don’t, Su. This is …” Yunho followed Jaejoong out of the kitchen and found him in the living room, staring out the window, arms folded across his chest.
“You need to eat,” Jae said without turning around.
“I need to talk to you.”
“Yeah, because talk is all you ever do.”
Yunho bristled, and then took a deep breath. “You’ve been injured and last night you were-”
“And so you run to him?” Jae flipped around, eyes sparking in anger. “I can’t even tell you how much that hurt, walking in that room this morning and seeing you-”
Yunho grabbed his shoulders and kissed him.
Jae pushed him away, hand snapping up to slap him. Yunho’s head jerked to the side, and then they met each others eyes.
Jae turned back around.
Yunho rubbed his cheek. He definitely deserved that.
“I can make up a lot of excuses,” Yunho said, “about it happening too fast, and I told Junsu to stop and he didn’t, but they’re just excuses. I won’t lie to you, Jaejoong, it felt good and at that point in time, it was what I wanted and what I needed.”
“You need to eat and you need to go to work.”
“I know. I will, but not until you at least understand.”
“I understand.”
Another sigh. Before Jae could even try to move away, Yunho put his arms around his body, but Jae stiffened again. Yunho kissed his bare shoulder, much as he had done to Junsu earlier.
“We will talk when I get home from work. Be nice to Junsu, please.”
Jae scoffed.
“Okay, fine. Be civil to him. Okay? You have to live with each other. No point in causing problems on the first day.”
Finally Jae broke away, and he glared at Yunho before walking across the living room. “The two of us don’t have to cause problems,” he shouted over his shoulder. “You do that well enough on your own.”
A door slammed.
Junsu leaned against the wall. “That went well.”
Yunho shook his head. “I have to go work. I’m going to be late.” He covered the distance between them. “I strongly suggest you stay out of Jaejoong’s way. Watch TV, read. Sleep, since you didn’t sleep much last night.”
“You are the strangest master I’ve ever had.”
“I’m not your master, Junsu. I’m your friend. If you need anything, call me. Jae has my work number.”
“Okay.”
Yunho kissed him quickly, and then grabbed his keys and left for work. He was a minute and a half late, and he had to listen to Sungmin reprimand him for ten minutes about the importance of keeping appointments before they actually turned to the topic of Sungmin’s advertising campaign. The man was a picky bastard. He had been delaying the release of an antigrav sled because the pink logo in the advertising spots looked too red.
When Sungmin was finally satisfied with the last detail of the proposed billboard, he stood and offered his hand.
“Yunho, a pleasure as always. I’ll let you get to your other meetings.”
“Thank you,” Yunho said, only half insincerely. Sungmin paid him a lot of money.
“It’s not a problem. I enjoy doing business with you. And we may be doing more business in the future. I heard you were at Siwon’s last night.”
Sungmin had a knowing smirk on his face, but Yunho kept his face blank. Sungmin hadn’t been at the party. And Bi also knew he was at Siwon’s. There was no telling what “side” Sungmin was on.
“Catching up with some old friends,” Yunho said. “I’ve been out of polite society for too long.”
Sungmin snorted. “No kidding. But in a few weeks, the girls are going to start lining up to be the next Lady Jung.”
Yunho rolled his eyes with a smile. “Maybe I’ll follow Siwon’s example and just marry a working girl.”
Sungmin laughed. “A working girl. Yeah.”
And Yunho could almost believe that Sungmin knew the secret.
They exchanged good byes one more time and then Sungmin left.
Yunho slouched in his chair, staring at the ceiling. At least the meeting with Sungmin had kept his mind off the mess at home.
Before he could really start to dwell on it though, his next appointment walked in.
~}|{~
At five, Yoona poked her head in and said, “That man, Han Chulwon, just showed up. I told him you were-“
“Let him in,” Yunho said.
“Okay.”
“And you can leave, Yoona. I’ll be here for another couple hours.”
“Thank you, Yunho.” She turned around. “You can go in, sir.”
“Thanks, beautiful.”
Yoona blushed and left the office.
Heechul smirked as he came in, and the smirk didn’t leave his face until he sat in the chair.
“What?”
“You’re in.”
“In what?”
“The inner circle.”
“And that means?”
“Gaeteuk caved. We talked about it and he decided he wants your money more than he wants secrecy, so you’re in.”
Yunho scoffed. “He wants my money?”
“Staging a revolution is very expensive. You look stressed. What’s wrong?”
Yunho waved a hand at him in dismissal.
“Jaejoong was pretty drunk last night,” Heechul commented with a leer.
“I know.”
“And he was practically all over you before you left.”
“I know.”
“So what happened when you got home?”
Yunho gave him a blank look.
Heechul rolled his eyes. “God, did you fuck him or not?”
“No.”
Shaking his head, Heechul said, “Man, I do not have your will power.”
“Neither do I.”
A raise of eyebrows. “Explain.”
“No.”
“Ooh, you fucked Junsu.”
Yunho opened his mouth.
“Don’t even deny it. You’ve got guilt practically written in black marker on your face.”
Yunho put his face in his hands. “We didn’t fuck, but he stroked me off.”
“Pabo.”
“What?”
“Pabo. It means ‘fool’ in Doushiten.”
“I know, but it gets worse. Jaejoong found us in the morning.”
Heechul shook his head. “Is that why you’re still in your office this late?”
“Shut up.”
Heechul laughed. “Well, I have a reason for you to postpone going home even longer if you want it.”
“What?”
“Angel wants to talk to you. We’re going to meet him.”
Yunho nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”
As Yunho closed up his computer, he told Heechul about Sungmin’s vague comments.
Heechul smiled. “It’s good you stayed vague. He’s one of us, but not on the inner circle. He’s more like Donghae and Eunhyuk, but even lower than them. We don’t really trust him yet.”
“Who is in the inner circle?”
“Me, you, Siwon, Angel, Kangin, Yesung, Cho Kyuhyun, Kibum and Shindong.”
“Cho Kyuhyun? How is that possible? He’s like the perfect aristocratic son.”
“He’s a good actor.”
“So are you, SeonHee.”
Heechul batted his eyelashes at him. “Thank you, darling.”
Yunho called Jae’s cell phone as they left the office. He heard the call picked up but Jaejoong didn’t say anything.
“I’m going to go a meeting,” Yunho said. “I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
A scoff. “Fine.”
And the line disconnected. Yunho frowned at the phone.
“Wow, he’s pissed at you,” Heechul said.
“He has every right to be.”
“Does he though, with you as his master?”
“I’m not his master.”
Heechul drove through the city; Yunho lost track of the turns and byways and tunnels they went through. His mind was too focused on Jaejoong. He had no idea what to say to Jaejoong, and he doubted that throwing him on the bed and pouncing was a good way to solve this problem.
“You keep sighing,” Heechul said, voice sing-song.
Yunho didn’t reply.
“You’re going to beat yourself up about this until you talk to him.”
“I know.”
“Are you going to be focused on this meeting with Angel? He hates it when he has to repeat himself.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Good.” Heechul turned another corner and went into an underground parking garage.
“Hell, Hee, are you sure you’re car won’t be stripped for parts in this neighborhood?”
“They all know better. Come on.”
Yunho followed him out and to a ramshackle elevator. He eyed it suspiciously as they entered. Heechul smirked.
“What’s the matter?”
Yunho looked around the tiny space and swallowed.
Heechul laughed and then moved in close to Yunho. “Ah, don’t worry, Bambi. If it gets stuck, I’ll keep your mind off it.”
Heechul kissed him, nothing chaste. Yunho made a noise of surprise, and then pushed Heechul against the wall, bodies pressed together. The entire elevator shuddered. Heechul slid fingers through Yunho’s hair. Yunho moaned, and Heechul took that as permission to pull harder and kiss him rougher. He wrapped a leg around Yunho’s waist, pressing their erections together.
The elevator shook again.
Heechul pulled away and leaned his head on the wall. Yunho kissed down his neck.
“Are you sure you want to go home to your Doushiten?” Heechul asked. “Siwon and I could make you forget your own name for a night.”
Yunho chuckled.
“God, and I thought Donghae was the slut,” a voice behind them drawled.
Yunho tried to pull away, but Heechul held him close. “Shut up, Kyu. You let Donghae suck you off any time he asks.”
Cho Kyuhyun smirked. Kyuhyun was tall, with long long long legs and trim body clad in an expensive black suit. He looked every bit the part of a rich man’s son.
Without letting Yunho detach himself, Heechul maneuvered them out of the elevator and into a sparsely furnished room.
“This is the waiting room,” Heechul said. “Anyone we don’t want to talk to waits here until they get pissed off and leave.”
Yunho smiled.
They moved through a door, and then down a hall. Yunho had his arms around Heechul’s waist, his chin on the slightly shorter man’s shoulder. Kyuhyun followed them.
“Do you all live here?” Yunho asked.
“Mostly. Those of us that are dead anyway. The Doushitens and other refugees, too. Angel owns this building.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s pretty awesome being able to manipulate paper work, including property claims.”
Heechul opened a door, but made a noise of protest when Yunho tried to let him go.
“I don’t remember you being this clingy,” Yunho said.
Heechul pouted. “Death does strange things to you. You learn to appreciate things more.”
“You’re not dead.”
Heechul scoffed, but didn’t elaborate.
Yunho looked around, and his eyes widened in shock. They were in a large room, combination kitchen and dining room, but it was more like a cafeteria. The kitchen had updated appliances and there were four large tables with ten chairs around each.
“No wonder Angel wants my money,” Yunho muttered.
Heechul laughed.
And the others in the room turned to them. Siwon was there-no Hangeng though-and he smiled when he saw the two of them. Angel didn’t look nearly as happy, arms crossed, glaring. He had tilted his chair on its back legs. Kangin was also there, sitting next to Angel. His fingers were barely touching Angel’s shoulder. Next to Kangin were two men he didn’t know.
“Yunho, that is Yesung. He’s a refugee from Inhyung. The one next to him is Shindong. He’s from the other side of Toho. Kibum, I believe you’ve met once or twice.”
Yunho bowed to them. Yesung had a round face, smaller as was common on Inhyung.
Shindong was round face broke into a smile. “It’s good to meet you,” he said. “Heechul talks about you all the time, even before you started looking for us.”
Kibum barely acknowledged him, but coming from Kibum, that was a lot. The man was quiet, but Yunho had never made the mistake of thinking he was dumb. Many officials and politicians didn’t consider him a threat because he was so quiet. Yunho wasn’t too surprised to find out that he was part of this resistance.
“Heechul, let him go,” Angel snapped.
Heechul stuck his tongue out at him. Siwon kicked a chair away from the table, and Yunho sat down. Heechul immediately sat in his lap and leaned against him. He put his feet up in Siwon’s lap. Siwon smiled and started massaging them.
“Siwon knows his place well,” Yunho muttered.
The others at the table chuckled.
“So, Yunho, welcome to your first meeting,” Angel said, voice still hard. “You can’t back out of this. If you betray us or talk about this, we won’t hesitate to make you disappear.”
“God, Gae,” Heechul said, “will you cut the ‘alpha male’ crap. Seriously. This is Yunho.”
Angel spared him a glare, and Heechul rolled his eyes.
“How’s your father?” Angel asked Siwon.
“Same as he was yesterday. He’s still sick, but he’s still running things from his bedside. The doctors are giving him two months.”
“And you can’t get anything on Rain?”
“Rain?” Yunho said.
“Senator Bi,” Heechul supplied. “Bi means rain in Doushiten.”
“Ah.”
“And no,” Heechul said. “The man is too careful with his words when SeonHee is around, no matter how much I flirt with him. Or offer him things.”
“Does he know something?” Yunho asked.
“We don’t know,” Heechul replied, “but probably.”
“Can you get close to him?” Angel asked.
“No,” Yunho said. “He’s already suspicious of me because of Jaejoong.”
“I can’t believe you agreed to let-“
Yunho held up a hand. “I didn’t agree to it. Jaejoong did.”
Angel glared again, and then turned to Kibum. “What about you?”
Kibum shrugged.
“And that means?”
Another shrug.
“Are you having progress at least?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Kyuhyun?”
“Rain loves me, you know that, but so far, he hasn’t started any type of political grooming.”
“I think we should just leave it be,” Siwon said. “We should be focusing more on helping those that are here, rather than spending so much time trying to find out if they know we exist.”
Angel rolled his eyes. “It all leads to the same conclusion. Protection. And we’re trying to protect them.”
“From what and who?” Yunho asked.
Every eye turned to him.
“What?” Yunho asked with a grin. “I understand that you want the politics changed, but that takes time. Why aren’t you doing what you can right now? You see people who need help everyday, but what are you doing? How is killing yourselves on paper going to help the slaves under the traders? If you were all alive, you could buy five of them and let them be free.”
“I will not buy anyone,” Angel said, voice low.
Yunho shook his head. “That’s what I said. But when the choice is between me and your cousin, I’m sure Jaejoong is glad that I ‘own’ him. If we all have honest intentions, between me, Kyu, Kibum and Siwon, there’s twenty free people. Sure, we own them on paper and according to this government, but not to us, and not to them.”
Heechul suddenly buried his head into Yunho’s neck. His shoulders were shaking.
“What?”
“I’ve been saying this for years,” Heechul said and pressed a kiss to Yunho’s skin.
“I will not allow anyone here to own a slave. I will not,” Angel said.
Yunho shook his head. “You’re being stupid. Think for a moment how slaves are treated under the traders, how some are treated by their owners. Your cousin-“
“Micky,” Heechul said.
“What?”
“We call his cousin Micky.”
“Why?”
Heechul shrugged. “Why do we call him Angel? It’s just a code name.”
Yunho smiled. “Do I have a nickname?”
“I think pabo fits you best,” Heechul said.
There was a collective snort from those around the table.
“Anyway. Micky is a fucking bastard to his slaves. He’s probably one of the worst. But there are others like him. I think it’s worth it to buy the ones we can. And if a few of them … escape.” Yunho let the sentence die.
Kibum scoffed, but he was smiling. Yunho knew he had his support.
“No,” Angel said.
“Why not?” Kyuhyun asked. “Rain keeps asking me when I’m going to buy my first slave now that I’m old enough.”
“The problem is, Angel,” Yunho said, “you’re dead. Kangin and Heechul are dead. Fifteen slaves we could have helped.”
“You don’t understand,” Angel said.
“Because you won’t tell me,” Yunho said, very slowly.
Heechul squirmed on his lap until he was turned to face him. “The government is getting better at tracking us down. We jump on a computer at the café and post some anti government propaganda and they’re there, sometimes before we can manage to get too far away. Remember when you thought I died?”
Yunho hugged him close. “One of the worst days of my life.”
Heechul kissed his cheek. “Well, it’s because I had to go meet with someone. I had no idea that he was already dead and that the cops had gotten to him. I almost walked into an ambush, and only my ability to outrun them saved me. But not from everything. I was shot in the side and then, as soon as I got back, we started letting my death leak to the press. I had to disappear.”
Heechul shifted until he was curled in Yunho’s arms, face at his neck.
“And the government just accepted it?” Yunho asked.
“No. They kept calling my phone, trying to triangulate where I was, but after a day, I got rid of it and got a new one and … yeah, well. Now I’m dead.”
“It’s easier to hide when someone isn’t looking for you,” Kangin said.
“Why are you dead?”
Kangin shrugged. “I got cornered and ended up killing a cop while I was trying to escape. Like Heechul, they injured me pretty badly, so it wasn’t hard to fake a death. An anonymous body was found, and then we let it leak out that it was me.”
“If slaves suddenly started escaping, it would bring attention to that person that owns them. And we don’t want that kind of attention,” Angel said.
“Then they don’t ‘escape’,” Yunho said. “Jaejoong, well, he’s not happy. I don’t think he’ll be happy until he goes back home, but he’s not miserable.”
“I’m sure he’s miserable,” Heechul said. “You’re withholding sex from him.”
The others burst out laughing.
“God,” Kyuhyun drawled. “How have you managed that?”
“It’s called self-control,” Yunho said.
Heechul smirked at him and mouthed, “Junsu.”
Yunho pinched his side.
Heechul moaned, arching against him. “I thought you didn’t want me tonight.”
Yunho kissed him swiftly. “I’m sure Siwon is more than enough for you, and I have issues to deal with.”
Heechul made a face. “Sex with us is better than dealing with that.”
“And I’m sure that will go over well with Jaejoong.”
“Point.”
“So what should I be doing?” Yunho said to Angel.
Angel pondered him for a moment. “Probably what you don’t want to do, but we need you to do it. Showing up places, like at press conferences and things like that? Maybe say a few things about how you disagree with things, but still be vague about it. It’s not like I’m asking you to lie.”
“What will that help?”
“Your father isn’t going to tolerate you talking like that. Beyond that, it’s hard to say. But if only one person is effected by it, then that’s good enough.”
“But it’s not good enough to buy a slave to save him from abuse and let them lead semi-normal lives.”
“They’ll still be slaves. The ones here are free.”
“Are they?” Yunho turned to Yesung. “Do you ever get to go shopping? Or eat at a restaurant, or walk down the street without being afraid that the next officer you see is going to ask you for ID.”
Yesung shook his head. “No. I don’t get to do any of that.”
“Jaejoong does. With me. And when he’s home, he reads and watches movies. He can do whatever he wants.”
“Except leave,” Angel said.
“So? The ones that live here can’t leave either.”
“He has a valid point,” Heechul said.
Yunho shook his head. “It makes sense. Think about it. I have to get home before it’s too late. Jae is already fucking pissed at me. No need to make him worried and pissed off.”
“Why is he mad at you?” Angel asked, very carefully.
Yunho shook his head. “Domestic dispute.”
Angel looked like he was going to pry some more, but then he glowered and looked away.
Heechul stood up. “Before you go.”
Yunho followed him to the kitchen.
Heechul pulled out a bottle of something strong, and poured it into a shotglass.
“Heechul-“
“Trust me, you’ll need it,” Heechul said, as he set out more glasses. He poured a few drinks out.
Siwon leaned over Yunho to nab one. “Just drink it." He lifted his glass and looked at the rest of them. “Shall we drink to freedom?”
Heechul scoffed. “No. To foolishness.”
Somberly, they all took their shots. It burned down Yunho’s throat, and he shut his eyes as the liquid tried to settle.
Heechul filled his glass again.
“No,” Yunho said, eyes watering. “That shit is too strong. I’ll be drunk in two minutes.”
“That’s the point, darling. You need to get drunk and fucked and-“
“I need to go home.”
Heechul frowned. “You need a blow job, too,” he muttered while fingering Yunho’s zipper.
“And if I’m lucky, I’ll get one from Jaejoong. Come on. Take me back to my car.”
Heechul frowned and turned his back on Yunho. “You’re no fun.”
~}|{~
It was almost nine when Yunho finally got home.
The foyer light was on. Yunho took off his shoes and padded into the house. A single lamp on a table was lit in the living room. The light over the sink was on. Yunho peaked down the hall. A light shone from underneath Junsu’s (Jaejoong’s?) bedroom door. There was a note on the microwave that said, “Press Start” and then it was written in Doushiten underneath that. Yunho pressed start. He waited two minutes, and then took out the mixture of meat and rice. He ate slowly, savoring each bite, holding back moans. Jae was seriously outdoing himself in the cooking department.
“I was going to leave you dessert, but I don’t think you deserve it,” Jaejoong said from the entryway.
Yunho jumped a bit in surprise and flipped around.
Jae leaned against the wall, arms crossed, frowning.
Yunho swallowed the food in his mouth, and then said, “No. I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve this.” He gestured at the plate. “And I definitely don’t deserve you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Were you nice to Junsu?”
A derisive scoff. “We didn’t even talk to each other.”
“Better than fighting. Will you go running with me in the morning?”
“Yes.”
Yunho finished his food, and then stood and rinsed the plate off.
“Pretty late meeting,” Jaejoong said, voice curious.
“Angel wanted to talk to me.”
“And?”
Yunho rolled his eyes. “Pointless. I met a couple of other people. Angel wants me to be more of a ‘figure’ in society. Start saying carefully veiled things.”
“Didn’t he already tell you to do that?”
“Like I said. Pointless, really.” Yunho looked over at him. “Would you object to three more roommates?”
“What do you mean?”
“Those of us that can might be buying slaves just to get them away from the traders.”
Jae scoffed. “Then you’ll never have to have sex with me.”
“Jae,” Yunho said.
But Jae turned and left the kitchen.
“Do you want to have sex with me?” Yunho called.
“That’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever asked in your entire life,” Jae shouted back.
Yunho smiled. He turned off the lights and went to his room. Jae was laying, stiffly, at the edge of the bed, curled into a tight ball. He wasn’t under the covers. Yunho got ready for bed.
“You’re not going to go sleep with your precious Junsu?” Jae said.
“No.”
“Why not? I’m sure he’d be more than willing to-“
“Jae, last night was a mistake. I was tired, horny, and he threw himself at me. It’s not like we had slow passionate sex. It was a frantic hand job and it was over almost as soon as it started.”
“Wow. I bet you brag about yourself like that to all your bedmates.”
Yunho laughed. “Shut up. I’ve been sexually frustrated for almost a month.”
“Really?” Jaejoong sat up. He moved enough so his t-shirt rode up his stomach. “Why is that?”
Yunho smiled, relief flooding through him that Jae was joking around with him. Even if it was a bit underhanded and immature. It was something.
Yunho lifted the blankets. He turned off the lamp on his bedside table. Jae got up and moved to the alarm, checking the time.
“It was really mean of you to move the alarm clear across the room,” Yunho said, eyes shut. Now that he was in bed, he was so tired.
The other side of the bed dipped.
“You didn’t move it back.”
“I like it better when you wake me up,” Yunho said.
“I’m going to throw water on you tomorrow.”
“Then I can skip a shower. Perfect.”
“I’m still mad at you.”
“I know. Heechul’s been calling me ‘pabo’ all night.”
Jaejoong scoffed, and said something in Doushiten. Pabo was the only word Yunho caught.
“I’m sure I deserve whatever you said.”
Jae sighed.
Yunho was drifting off to sleep when Jae whispered in the darkness, “I wish you loved me like you loved him.”
Yunho said, “I do,” but he was already asleep, and Jae only heard a mutter.
Part 12: The Penance
Part 10: The Persistence
Part 9: The Press
Part 8: The Puppet
Part 7: The Pressure
Part 6: The Politics
Part 5: The Party
Part 4: The Proposition
Part 3: The Problem
Part 2: The Prince
Part 1: The Purchase
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