I'll walk a fine line for you, for leimotif
Title: I'll walk a fine line for you
For: leimotif
Word count: 9,285
Rating: pg-13
Summary: Yifan's dream case ends up being one part fantasy, two parts nightmare. (gang!au)
Lu Han slaps Yifan out of his concentration - quite literally, right in between the shoulders - and sidesteps just in time to avoid Yifan’s flailing arm. He smiles sweetly as Yifan slams his case file closed and furrows his dark eyebrows.
“This better be good.”
“Come on, partner, turn that frown upside down,” Lu Han coos, poking at the corners of Yifan’s lips. Yifan swats him away. “No, really, put on a smile. Junmyeon asked for us.”
Yifan wiggles his face around a bit and tests out an expression, to which Lu Han gives one and a half thumbs up, and runs his hands down his white button-up to smooth it out as he and Lu Han head to the captain’s office.
Lu Han clicks his tongue. “Your suspender is twisted,” he murmurs, straightening out the strap of Yifan’s holster and letting it snap against Yifan’s back when it’s fixed. “Don’t you pay attention to anything other than work?”
“Better than paying attention to everything but work,” Yifan says, and Lu Han whines when they reach Junmyeon’s door before he can retort.
Yifan knocks on the aged oak wrapped in gold accents and turns the metal handle when Junmyeon beckons them inside. He bows, Lu Han following suit, and closes the door behind them.
“You’re not in trouble,” Junmyeon says, amused, “relax those shoulders, boys.”
Lu Han and Yifan both let out relieved breaths.
“As you know, Detective Kim resigned last week,” Junmyeon starts.
“I’m sure Lu Han remembers the going away party,” Yifan snorts, and Lu Han kicks him in the shin. Junmyeon pretends he didn’t hear that.
“As you also know, the Báimǎ Triad case had been passed down to him years ago. He requested to have it put into storage once he left due to the ongoing problem of lack of evidence, but I thought I’d run it by you two first seeing as you are prime detectives in our gang squad.” He looks at Yifan when he speaks now. “I also know it’s been a particular interest of yours since you were a young trainee.”
“You look like a fish,” Lu Han says, and Yifan stops opening and closing his mouth.
“Are you putting me on the case?” he manages to ask Junmyeon.
Junmyeon smiles and fixes one of his cufflinks. “Of course, it’s more for show than anything, you understand - it puts the public at ease knowing we’re keeping it open, but you are welcome to try your hand. It would be a happy miracle if you made progress.”
Yifan nods quickly. “Yes! Yes, I will be glad to take it.” He looks down at Lu Han, who sighs dramatically.
“As your partner, I guess I should let you have your fun. Alright, I’ll do it.”
Yifan wants to grab Lu Han into a hug but that is probably not so appropriate to do in front of your superior officer. They both bow and Yifan hugs the bulging case file Junmyeon gives him close to his chest instead, all the way back to his and Lu Han’s merged desks.
“So…” Lu Han says, a bit uncertainly as he stares at the overflowing file that drops heavily onto the tabletop, “any idea where to begin?”
Yifan, still ecstatic, lets out a very giddy, “Nope.”
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A familiar wind chime rings softly as Yifan pulls open the door to his favorite café that evening, halting momentarily to hold the door for a woman and her daughter coming out before stepping inside. It’s warm and fragrant as always, and though the decorations are simple and homely, there’s somehow a sparkle to the place that really lives up to its Tinker Bell name.
Also refreshing is Yixing, the waiter who’s been giving Yifan coffee and colorful life stories every day for what is soon to be seven years. As per usual, Yixing looks up when the chimes reach his pointed ears and smiles from his perch behind the counter when he sees Yifan.
“You seem awfully happy,” Yixing remarks once Yifan gives the barista beside Yixing his order.
Yifan shoves his hands sheepishly into his pockets. “I am.”
“I think it’s about time for my break,” Yixing grins, hopping off of his stool and ushering Yifan into his usual window booth.
They fell into this routine about a month in to Yifan’s daily visits where he would rant to Yixing about how hard the police academy is or gush to Yixing about how cool it is watching detectives work, and Yixing would always listen and add in his two cents at just the right moments. Yixing was surprisingly easy to open up to, something that did not go unappreciated.
“So did you finally get back at Lu Han for cooking your stapler inside a bowl of Jell-O?”
Yifan frowns. “Actually, I forgot about that.”
Yixing snorts and waves his hand. “Whatever, that’s not important - what happened that made your face a lot less scary today?”
Yifan flicks a crumb on the table at Yixing. “My boss put me on my dream case today, that’s what,” he said. “Me and Lu Han.”
Yixing sticks his tongue out when Yifan’s crumb misses him by a mile but pulls it back into his mouth and replaces it with a smile. “Congratulations!” he says, genuinely happy - always genuinely happy. “What is it? Or are you not allowed to say?”
Yifan shakes his head. “Nah, it’s been highly publicized for years, I can talk about the overall components.” He leans in though, pausing when another waiter brings him his coffee, so Yixing leans in too. “It’s the Báimǎ case.”
Yixing’s eyebrows perk up. “Oh, wow,” he says, voice heavier than Yifan expected. “I’ve heard about that on the news a lot. They’re one of the most popular crime syndicates in China… isn’t it going to be dangerous?”
Yifan shrugs. “At least danger would mean we’re getting somewhere.”
Yixing laughs, but it’s uncertain. Yifan feels a rush of affection for his concern.
“Be careful, okay?” Yixing says, biting his lip. Yifan reaches forward and gently tugs Yixing’s lip out from between his teeth.
“I’m always careful.” Yixing’s dimple nearly burns a hole into Yifan’s retina, yet he can’t stop staring at it. “Besides,” he says, pulling his hand back, “the triad is a lot less dangerous than it used to be.”
Yixing nods and swipes his tongue over his lip. Yifan swallows. “I remember hearing such gruesome stories of their attacks growing up,” Yixing recalls, “but they’ve really lost their touch.”
Yifan shakes his head and leans in again, but this time enthusiasm is evident in his eyes. “It’s the complete opposite, in fact,” he says, and Yixing cocks his head. “Rather, they’re so established and good at what they do they don’t have to impress rivals anymore. That plus new management turned them into what they are today, modern day Robin Hoods of sorts. They target important and corrupt people who are stealing from those less fortunate, only instead of taking a king’s jewels they kill him.”
Yixing blinks then laughs, and Yifan frowns. He doesn’t see the humor in crime. Yixing notices Yifan’s disappointment at his reaction and leans in again as well, chin coming to rest on a palm.
“You’re so excited,” he says. “It’s cute.”
Yifan mumbles incoherently into his coffee.
-----------------------------------
Like every detective, Yifan gets a rush of adrenaline at the thought of a new case to close and more bad guys to put behind bars. He is quickly discovering, however, why the Báimǎ case got passed around so much - it’s damn impossible. Besides a few mistakes the gang made in its heydays that gave police their first leads decades ago, it’s very rare that the force is able to keep up with them, let alone get one step ahead.
Sometimes they’re able to figure out the gang’s target (sometimes the gang even likes to drop little hints and watch the men in blue squirm) but stopping an attack is twenty times harder and twenty times more efficient than anyone ever expects.
Ironic that what intrigued Yifan in the first place is now driving him absolutely insane.
As a fresh trainee at the police academy, Yifan grew interested right away in what he heard through the grape vine of this Báimǎ Triad. By this point, the triad had already begun to shift away from their ruthless reputation and into their role as vigilantes. There was always a debate over right versus wrong surrounding the case - some people were completely against the criminal activity, while some supported the “justice” that often escaped the police’s hands.
Yifan agreed with the former. Vigilantes, he always said, are merely people who think they are above the law, and nobody is above the law. This ideal carried on with Yifan through his trainee days, and every whisper he heard of the case only fueled his desire to put an end to the syndicate’s unlawful punishments. He spent his free time outside of the academy researching syndicates all across China, familiarizing himself with their styles and their connections to the Báimǎ Triad. His hard work paid off when he was quickly promoted after graduation and placed in the department’s gang crime division in record time. He was considered well on his way to being an expert in the field.
“So why,” Yifan mutters to himself through gritted teeth, “am I failing?” He throws his pencil down on his desk and it bounces and clatters well across the empty department floor. He runs a hand through his hair and stares at the case file’s contents scattered about and lets out a tired sigh.
This routine continues every night for a week straight and doesn’t stop until Lu Han physically drags Yifan out of the station, hails a cab for him, and orders the driver to force him home.
“A lead will come, Yifan,” he promises before slamming the car door shut and waving as Yifan is swept away.
Yifan sinks into the fake leather seat and tries to get his mind to flow somewhere other than the case. He sits up quickly with a gasp when he realizes he hasn’t visited Yixing all week because of his late nights and pulls out his phone to call him when it buzzes with a text message before he can select Yixing’s number.
don’t worry, i’ll stop by and tell your boyfriend you say hi ^^
HE IS NOT MY BOYRFRIEND
goodnight yifan
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Having Lu Han to monitor him does prevent Yifan from getting too stressed out at work but the anxiousness is still there - it follows him home and gnaws at his skin to the point where he’s kicking about in bed all weekend because he simultaneously wants to do nothing and wants to do something.
Finally, when Monday rolls around, he tells himself to do what he can during work hours and call it quits as soon as the clock strikes five, go home, and find some way to relax.
He repeats this mantra every day for the whole week. The relaxation never comes.
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Yifan’s body must be on autopilot by this point because he finds himself sitting in Tinker Bell at 12:30 in the morning with files spread out all along his table and a steaming cup of coffee to his right when he is pretty sure he meant to go home instead. He stares at the coffee, at least positive he did not order that himself, until someone approaches his booth.
“It’s what you wanted, right?”
Yifan blinks work-weary eyes up at Yixing. “I didn’t…”
“But it’s what you want.”
Yixing isn’t asking anymore, and Yifan lets out a small laugh. “Yeah, it is. Thanks.” He reaches for the coffee and closes his eyes as he feels the warmth seep through his tired body starting from his dry throat. He sets the drink down on the table, hands still wrapped around the heated porcelain, and smiles. “Thanks.”
Yixing slides into the opposite seat and touches Yifan’s fingers lightly, glad to feel the usual chill of Yifan’s hands gone. “I haven’t seen you in a while… a couple weeks, in fact. Is everything okay?”
Yifan sighs and slouches a little. “I’m getting nowhere, what else is new?”
Yixing frowns.
“What am I even doing here, Yixing? I try so hard but it’s like I’m not even trying at all.”
“Hey,” Yixing says sharply, peeling one of Yifan’s hands from the mug and holding it tightly. “You put bad guys away. Don’t ever think that’s not good enough.”
“I used to put bad guys away,” Yifan corrects, mumbling. “Now I just sit on my ass all day and fixate on a case I will never close. What good is that? I’m getting paid to be a lump.”
“That sounds pretty ideal.”
Yifan pinches Yixing’s pinky and Yixing flashes his dimple, and Yifan feels a little less tense. “I just… what about you, Xing?”
Yixing cocks his head to the side. “I would probably accidentally shoot myself in the foot.”
Yifan rolls his eyes. “No, not as a detective, as… as anything. You’ve been a waiter here since before I even started training at the academy. Do you ever think about doing something bigger? Like what you’re doing isn’t enough?”
Yixing pulls his hand back and wrinkles his nose. “You sound like my parents.”
Yifan is quick to grab Yixing’s hand again and apologize. “I didn’t mean-”
Yixing smiles and shrugs it off. “It’s okay, I know what you mean. I have interests, of course, but I like it here. The people are nice, the atmosphere is pleasant - I’m content with floating by on an easy job that pays enough to cover my rent and spending the rest of my time just being me.”
Yifan makes a noise of acknowledgement, but he can’t imagine living a life without determined purpose. As if hearing his thoughts, Yixing squeezes Yifan’s hand and leans in.
“But that’s what makes us different, Yifan. You have a passion to pursue - your desire to make the world a safer place is so great you actually went for it, and you don’t give up on a dream like that.”
Yifan brushes his thumb slowly across Yixing’s knuckles, slow enough to feel the miniscule bumps of healed scars, and looks down at his files.
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Two months later, though it feels like years, Yifan finally finds something. He and Lu Han are called in on a case that has nothing to do with the Báimǎ Triad, some attempted robbery at a storage facility that isn’t even their division (Yifan thinks it’s because Junmyeon can’t stand to see him so down and figured a little field work would put a spring back in his step).
Lu Han whistles low when they reach the facility - a chunk of it, presumably where the robbery started, is charcoal black and falling apart. They speak briefly to the fireman on scene who tells them when it’s safe to enter and how the damage happened.
“It looks like a booby trap,” the fireman says, motioning to tripwires that had been activated. “It’s hooked up to the sprinkler system and set to release oil instead of water. After a minute or so it would have short circuited the electrical grid over there, which management says wasn’t part of the original building and must have been added by someone else.”
“So whoever owns this space,” Yifan gathers, “their intention was to burn everything should someone intrude.”
The fireman nods. “They possibly meant to harm the intruder as well, but seeing as oil is easily detectible by smell let alone texture, it’s safe to assume he or she cared more about destroying whatever was in here.”
“He or she?” Lu Han echoes. “Shouldn’t there be a record kept of everyone renting space?”
The fireman motions over a short, round, balding man in a cheap suit who looks very ruffled by all that has happened.
“I’m sorry,” the man says while bowing a few dozen times, “but it seems this space has no name on file… W-we double checked, triple checked, even, but it’s like the stuff appeared in here over night.”
Yifan glances around. “That can’t be right,” he says. “Over there, in the far corner, there’s a section that’s less burned - that chest on the floor must have been moved when the firemen came but it looks like it’s been sitting in the same spot for years beforehand.”
The little man looks confused.
“Ah,” Lu Han hums, catching on, “there’s a space on the floor that’s lighter than the rest. The floor around the chest grew dirty over time, but under it it’s still a lighter grey.”
Now the little man looks very flustered. “B-but I assure you, we keep careful documentations of our rooms - you see, some of our customers are very wealthy and we take good care of them - and this room was never on record for over twenty years.” He dabs at his large forehead with a handkerchief. “I-It’s like it didn’t even exist.”
The fireman escorts the man away to make sure he didn’t inhale any smoke while Yifan and Lu Han look around the blackened room.
“Well, this got a little more interesting, didn’t it?” Lu Han says cheekily. “Aren’t you glad you got out of bed today?”
“Burned mildew,” Yifan says, dripping with sarcasm, “my favorite.”
Lu Han rolls his eyes. “At least it’s a change from the station’s ceiling mildew.”
Yifan snorts then glances back at the chest he mentioned earlier. “Hey, help me open that.”
Lu Han peers around him. “Are you sure?” he asks, surprisingly hesitant for someone so annoyingly chipper. “I mean, whoever put this stuff here clearly didn’t want anyone else looking at it. What if it, like, explodes as soon as we touch it or something?”
“Wouldn’t do much more damage than is already done,” Yifan shrugs. “Besides, I think that chest is the one thing in here that wouldn’t explode.”
“Oh?”
Yifan nods. “Look around: everything’s packed in old cardboard boxes or shoved into crappy crates, then there’s a sturdy, locked, antique chest. Perhaps it was meant to be destroyed too, but it was also meant to hide something.”
Lu Han looks reluctant but he follows Yifan to the corner of the room and helps him pry open the chest anyway - it isn’t too hard to do now, what with how old it is and how warped the wood became in the heat. Inside are beautiful, old, and no doubt priceless teacups, china plates, and even an elegant clay pot, all with intricate, hand-crafted designs imprinted into them.
“Not exactly the bags of cocaine I was expecting,” Lu Han says, and Yifan shakes his head slowly. What was the point of destroying something so mundane? Yes the set is enticing for robbers, but going so far as to burn it…
“Let’s take these to the lab just in case,” Yifan decides, and Lu Han carries one end of the chest while Yifan hoists up the other and they haul the chest into their car.
“Get some rest, Yifan,” Junmyeon says, hand clapping Yifan on the shoulder as he passes Yifan on his way out of the station. “You’ve gotten even more stressed ever since the lab tech told you there was nothing special about that chest. Everyone is starting to worry.”
“Yes, Captain,” Yifan says with a bow, but he doesn’t want to go home yet. He mulls around and stalls for time until the station is empty then creeps into the evidence locker - something about those cups and saucers is more important than just monetary value, he can feel it.
He spends a few minutes digging around in dust-covered labels until he finds where staff shoved the contents of the chest. He carefully pulls the cardboard box out and sets it on the floor.
“Well…” he murmurs, shining a flashlight on the china. “Here goes.” He carefully inspects each teacup, each plate, at least three times a piece but finds nothing of interest. They all look like ordinary china meant more for display than for use.
Finally he glances at the old clay pot and gives it a once-over - compared to everything else from the chest, it is rather plain. Still, he scrutinizes all its nooks and crannies and is about to shatter it on the hard tile floor in frustration when a small crack on the underside of the lid catches his eye. It stands out against the otherwise pristine pot. He stands, pausing for a few moments to stretch his stiff joints and calm his spinning head, and shines his flashlight around for a microscope. He finds one tucked into a far corner and sticks the lid face-up under the powerful lens and, after adjusting accordingly, discovers that it is no crack at all - rather, it is a tiny carving engraved purposefully into the clay, and something about that design strikes a chord in his brain.
He hurries back to his desk, grabs the Báimǎ case file, and rushes back to the microscope, shifting through papers clumsily (and dropping most of them) in search of-
“This,” he breathes, voice barely audible in the tension he created around himself. The rest of the case file falls to the floor, forgotten, as Yifan stares at the old, faded Polaroid picture in his hand. It’s a rare photo captured of one of the syndicate’s early leaders (not the first in existence but the first the police knew by name) from a stake out decades ago, blurry and black and white, but still clear enough to make out the ring on his right hand.
A simple, minimal, metal unicorn rests on his ring finger, the same unicorn carved into the pot and, Yifan remembers as he shifts through dropped papers and finds notes written from the very beginning of the case, the same unicorn the Báimǎ Triad has been using as its representation since creation.
Yifan racks his brain for a while until he recalls the meaning behind the insignia back in the day - unicorns are rare like treasures stolen, priceless like lives taken, immortal like the Báimǎ name. In recent years, though, he has come to learn that the message of their unicorn has changed to the western lore of healing in that Báimǎ give justice and peace to those who need it. Poetic enough, Yifan thinks, but no excuse for murder.
Yifan fishes his phone from his pocket with a shaky hand and drums his fingers on the wall impatiently as he waits for Lu Han to pick up. Finally, after the fifth ring, he hears a very groggy, rough hello? followed by a yawn.
“Lu Han,” he says excitedly, "I found something.”
“Congratulations.” Another yawn.
“No, I mean I found something related to Báimǎ.”
There’s a pause, then, “Oh?”
“Yeah, you know that chest we found toda-er, yesterday?” Yifan almost thinks Lu Han’s fallen back asleep, it’s so quiet, but then Lu Han let out a grunt of acknowledgement. “Something was bugging me about it so I poked around at the contents and, get this, the pot has the Báimǎ insignia inside.”
“What?”
“As a cop, you really need to be able to wake up faster.”
“Shut up. What?”
Yifan looks down at the antique in his hand. “Yeah - it’s small, but there. The lab tech is young - she started here not long before I did so it makes sense that she’s never seen the logo before and didn’t know to tell us.”
“Because they stopped using it over twenty years ago,” Lu Han fills in and Yifan nods though Lu Han can’t see him.
“That storage room must have been an old hiding place for Báimǎ’s goods years ago,” Yifan says, ecstatic. “They always were showy back then - as long as people knew they were able to get their hands on treasure, they didn’t care what happened to it, just that no one else got to it. I think if we go back there we might be able to find clues to other hiding places, and then…” he trails off. “I’m going to write up the evidence report and add it to the file.”
“Are you sure you shouldn’t, you know, sleep at five in the morning?” Lu Han whines.
Yifan shakes his head, and Lu Han still can’t see him. “No way, I’m too pumped now. I’ll write the report then go home, I swear.”
“You better,” Lu Han grumbles. “I don’t want to make ten trips to the coffee machine for your ugly ass.”
“Love you too, partner.”
Lu Han hangs up on him and Yifan gets to work.
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Yifan is dead tired the next day, and Lu Han does end up making multiple trips to the coffee machine for him, but that still doesn’t stop the smile that spreads across his face when he approaches Tinker Bell after work. He hurries inside with a rush of determination and feels like he can run a marathon when Yixing looks at him in surprise, plush lips parted slightly. A tingly feeling starts to bubble in his chest.
“You look terrible!” Yixing gasps and pushes Yifan into a seat. “Jesus, have you been sleeping at all?” He fumbles around with Yifan’s jacket, pulling it off and laying it over his chair, and quickly wipes down the table so it’s presentable, but before he can leave to bring Yifan coffee that’s actually quality, Yifan grabs his wrist and stops him.
“Have dinner with me.”
Yixing blinks. “What?”
“Have dinner with me,” Yifan repeats.
Yixing shifts his arm so his fingers brush against Yifan’s palm. “Like a date?” he asks quietly.
“Yeah. Yeah, like a date.” Yifan doesn’t know where this bravery is coming from, but Yixing’s shy smile has him thanking whatever made him do this a hundred times.
Yixing bends down and kisses Yifan’s cheek. “Okay.”
Yifan practically skips home.
------------------------------------------
After Yifan’s first break in the case, he gets even more eager to press forward. He and Lu Han go back to the storage facility and do find clues to other hideouts in the form of coordinates scribbled on napkins that survived the fire, half-charred maps, and even a compass set to point to a location that isn’t north. They uncover a couple more stolen abandoned artifacts, which is a big deal considering how dead the case was before, and with each catch they get that much closer to stumbling on at least one of Báimǎ’s current fronts.
Junmyeon is very pleased with their work, and Yifan’s success coupled with his amazing first few dates with Yixing have him walking on air.
Lu Han’s been looking a little frazzled the more they unearth, a feeling Yifan is sure he’d be experiencing too if it weren’t for Yixing’s kisses every day, and Yifan decides to request a day off in Lu Han’s stead soon as a reward for putting up with him for this long.
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Five minutes into his walk home one night, Yifan realizes he’s being followed. He wonders if his senses are getting hazardously dull because he was most likely followed straight from work, but he pushes that thought aside to stress over another time - perhaps a time where his life is not in danger. He casually observes where he is and begins to head towards a more populated part of town in hopes that he can circle back around and lead his stalker to the station. For a while the only sounds Yifan can hear are his own footsteps and the brisk night wind whistling through trees - whoever this is they are no random mugger, and knowing that he is being targeted specifically makes a chill run down Yifan’s spine.
The eerie near-silence doesn’t last for long - he makes it as far as a block away from Tinker Bell, where he can see Yixing wiping down tables all alone through a window, before he is taken off guard by a second big, burly masked man who cuts him off from an alley on his right. The man’s metal unicorn ring glints under the streetlight above and Yifan pales. He reacts too slowly and is shoved onto the cold concrete. A sharp burst of pain spreads through his skull and as he catches one last glimpse of the golden glow coming from the café he sees Yixing staring, frozen, before another pair of hands tighten a dense black cloth over his eyes and hold a handkerchief to his mouth and Yifan breathes in during the confusion.
He wakes up with a throbbing head on a dark, damp, chilly floor an unknown number of hours later. He feels around blindly and finally comes to the conclusion that there is nothing in this room but his body and does everything he can to prevent himself from slipping into hysteria - he stands and stretches his limbs, paces around to get a good feel of his brick prison (even tries the door, though he’s not surprised it’s locked and sturdy), thinks of sunshine and warmth and Yixing.
Yixing. His heart sinks into his stomach when he remembers Yixing’s expression and their proximity to the café and his chest tightens all over again. If Yixing could see them, his attackers could see Yixing. Bile threatens to rise up his throat at the thought of any harm coming to Yixing, and his panic-crazed mind wanders from scenario to scenario until he feels sick and stumbles to a far corner of the room and vomits, one hand clutching his chest and one gripping the rough wall. I shouldn’t be like this, he thinks as he wipes his mouth but stays propped against the wall. I’ve been trained for situations like this. Alright, Wu. He straightens and takes a few deep breaths, trying to ignore the smell of sick now wafting around him, and clenches his fists.
All bravado disappears in a flash, though, when the door to his room bursts open from the outside and brief panic wells up inside him again at the sudden glare of light until it’s replaced with relief when he turns and sees Lu Han standing there, panting slightly. They look at each other and Yifan swears he can start crying any second. He starts to speak, starts to tell his partner that they need to get out of here, they need to see if other hostages were taken, they need to find out who did this and where they are, but his voice trails off when he realizes Lu Han isn’t moving.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, brows furrowed, but before Lu Han can reply a dark shadow casts over him and Lu Han looks up into the eyes of who must be the same man who tackled Yifan earlier, unicorn jewelry adorning his meaty hand. “Look out!” he calls, rather uselessly, really, but he has to do something because Lu Han is strong but this guy is huge, and he watches as Lu Han shuffles back and raises an arm and…
… Holds up a palm. Yifan stares, confused, as the man nods and retreats back down the hallway. Dread washes over him.
“Lu Han?” he says quietly, meekly.
Lu Han sighs and glances back at Yifan and has the decency to look a little guilty when he says, “I don’t want to hurt you, Yifan. Please come with me compliantly.”
Yifan’s breathing is unsteady. Lu Han extends a hand but Yifan doesn’t take it.
“Did you hurt Yixing?”
“What?”
Yifan takes a step forward and Lu Han takes an equal step back because Yifan can be very menacing when he needs to be, and right now he really needs to be. “Did you hurt Yixing?” he repeats, harsher.
Lu Han frowns. “I really think you need to come with me, Yifan.”
Yifan practically growls and lunges forward, shoving Lu Han against the wall in the hallway. The muscle lumbers towards them but Lu Han motions for him to stop again.
“Yifa-”
“Don’t say my name,” Yifan snaps, every word Lu Han says jabbing at his heart. He presses Lu Han harder against the wall. “Did you, or did you not lay a hand on Yixing?”
“I would never,” Lu Han says with a bit of a struggle, smaller hands coming up to grip Yifan’s wrists for support.
Yifan’s eyes dart all across Lu Han’s face at his strange choice of words and Lu Han takes the pause to speak again.
“Yi-I insist you come with me. Please. It will answer a lot of your questions.”
Yifan breathes sharply through his nose for a full minute before releasing Lu Han. “I don’t want him there,” he says, glancing at the figure looming ahead of them.
“Then he will not be,” Lu Han promises, and he shoos the henchman away but Yifan wonders how much he can trust Lu Han at this point. Definitely not even half as far as he can throw him. Maybe he should test out how far he can throw Lu Han right now. He glances down, actually trying to figure out how much Lu Han weighs and how hard it would be to pick him up, and notices a gun tucked into the front of Lu Han’s pants that he hadn’t noticed before in his rage. “Give me that,” he says, and Lu Han knows what he’s referring to without Yifan even pointing at it.
“Fine,” Lu Han agrees, and Yifan is shocked at how easy that was. Lu Han slowly removes the gun from his belted waistline and hands it to Yifan gingerly. “I told you, Yi-I told you, I don’t want to hurt you.”
Yifan takes the gun and checks for bullets - it’s fully loaded - and unlocks the safety and points it at Lu Han. “No funny business,” he says.
Lu Han raises his hands in a gesture of neutrality and begins to walk. Yifan follows hesitantly. Lu Han doesn’t speak a word, doesn’t try to keep reassuring Yifan that everything will be okay, and Yifan is at least thankful for that - Lu Han always knew when silence was golden.
They walk for what feels like hours in the dimly lit corridors, halls twisting and turning for so long Yifan is almost convinced Lu Han is just leading him around until he gets tired so he can kill him easier. Yifan figures they’re underground due to the dampness of the walls, some of which even have green moss crawling down their sides, which adds to the confusion over time. He’s not sure if he should be reassured or worried that they have not run into any other people on this whole trek.
Finally, Lu Han guides him to a door at the end of a hall and opens it for him, but Yifan nudges the gun and Lu Han goes inside first. Yifan follows cautiously and looks around immediately. There are still no other people, but he feels a bit safer after noting that this hallway is above ground - there are windows lining the walls, through which he sees that it is early morning, and the air is fresher. It’s actually an extremely lavish and beautiful building. Lu Han is still standing by him, harmless enough.
“Sorry for the long journey,” he says, trying to lighten the mood. “There are a lot of people who get lost down there without me.”
It doesn’t work.
Lu Han clears his throat and continues walking. Another few minutes pass by and Lu Han tries to speak again. “Sorry about how rough they were, I told them not to-”
“Do you think you’re making this situation better?” Yifan cuts him off with a glare.
Lu Han’s eyes look sad, and Yifan is ashamed at himself for feeling guilty because of it. Lu Han stays quiet until they reach an elaborate door at the end of a maroon carpeted hall. He knocks twice before turning the large golden handle and pushing the heavy slab of marble open. He goes in first this time without offering Yifan the opportunity, and Yifan raises his gun just in case.
However, when he steps inside the room, which is an ornate, Rococo-inspired office, his arms drop to his sides immediately. Lu Han’s shoulders relax when there is no longer a gun on him, but Yifan doesn’t notice. He’s too busy staring at the plush chair behind the large oak desk ahead of him. He rubs his eyes, rubs his head, blinks a few times, but it’s all still the same. Yixing is still sitting there, biting his lip nervously but back straight and comfortable in his chair, like he belongs there.
Because he does belong there. He twiddles his thumbs and Yifan’s attention is drawn to the unicorn emblem on his ring finger. He didn’t think it would be possible, but he feels even more betrayed now than he did when Lu Han appeared at his cell.
“Yifan…” Yixing begins slowly, delicately, and Yifan can’t tell if hearing his name from those sweet, traitorous lips makes him feel disgusted or elated. Probably a lot of both.
Yifan could ask why, but he’s not sure he wants to know the answer to that. Instead, he asks, “Is this why we…” Except he’s not sure if he wants to know the answer to that either.
Yixing’s hands clench on the table and he cuts Yifan off with a sharp “No” that makes both Yifan and Lu Han flinch. “I love you, Yifan.”
Lu Han clears his throat and Yifan would be overjoyed at the confession had it been in any other situation. He’s so focused on trying not to have a meltdown he doesn’t notice Yixing gently push his chair back and stand right under Yifan’s nose. He takes a step back in shock.
“Yifan.”
Yeah, he still feels elated.
“Yifan, look at me. Let me explain.”
Yifan allows Yixing to guide him to a chair and puts the gun in his lap since neither Yixing nor Lu Han seem to want to ambush him at the moment. “Okay,” he says shakily, and he waits.
“I will not deny that my predecessors did terrible things,” Yixing begins, voice calm and soft. “In the beginning, this gang was… it was just a bunch of thugs. But my grandfather was different. He at least wanted what we did to have meaning, and by the time I was put in charge…”
“You only kill people who deserve to be killed.”
Yixing smiles. “Ye-”
“But that is not your call, Yixing,” Yifan shouts, and he immediately regrets it when Yixing cowers in front of him. He reaches out and cups Yixing’s cheek. “Why do you have to… to kill people?”
Yixing leans into Yifan’s touch. “You don’t understand,” he whispers. “There’s so much wrong in the world that no one is doing anything about.”
Yifan swallows then looks at Lu Han. “And you?”
Lu Han raises his chin. “I’m a good man, Yifan, you know that. I want criminals to be put away as much as you do but the way the legal system works, it’s… bad guys get off and I hate it. So I give intel on cases we can’t close to Yixing. This isn’t the best way to fix the problem but it’s efficient, and I can sleep at night by telling myself the end justifies the means.”
Yixing snakes a hand up and rests it on the back of Yifan’s neck and Yifan looks down at him sadly.
“If it makes you feel any better,” Lu Han says gingerly, “his hands aren’t dirty. Not directly.”
Yifan reaches back and links his fingers with Yixing’s. “It helps a little…” He kisses Yixing chastely. “I don’t want to turn you in,” he admits. “I mean, I really want to turn you in, but I don’t want to turn you in, if that makes sense.”
“I understand,” Yixing says sweetly, always so sweetly even when Yifan has the power to end his life.
“And Lu Han,” he says, turning to the shorter blonde, “you are a great partner. We’ve trusted each other with our lives for years and I believe you’re doing this with good intent.”
Lu Han nods.
“But this goes against everything I’ve worked for, everything I believe in, and I’m not sure what I’m okay with right now.”
Yixing lightly guides Yifan’s face back to him. “I brought you here because I love you, Yifan. I won’t hide something this big from you. You have my word that I will not go anywhere - if you want to arrest me, you know where to find me.”
Yifan swallows at the ultimatum and settles on a kiss instead of an answer.
------------------------------------------
For a solid month Yifan thinks. Lu Han requests time off so his presence neither pressures nor persuades Yifan, and Yixing doesn’t contact him. He requests that the Báimǎ Triad case be put on hold for a while, citing a recent lack in evidence and needing a break to think more clearly as his reasons and Junmyeon sees nothing wrong with that. He works smaller cases both by himself and with a newer cop - some ball of fluff with a hard-looking exterior named Zitao - and every night when he goes home he debates the pros and cons if his situation.
He has literally worked his entire life for the good of the people and against the crimes Báimǎ commit, and his gut is telling him to go by the book, to respect the law he cherishes.
But his heart is telling him that Yixing is taking care of bad people the police can’t even touch. Yixing is working towards the same goal he is in the most effective way he knows how, and it thrusts Yifan into a moral dilemma.
Soon, though, he can’t take it anymore. The same chimes ring when he opens the door to Tinker Bell, but Yixing does not smile. He doesn’t look up anymore, as if he’s afraid of what he’ll see. Yifan approaches him from behind and Yixing’s cloth stills on the table. Yifan is quiet and Yixing assumes the worst, but he does not run. Neither does Yifan.
“One iced coffee, please.”
Yifan can see Yixing’s smile in the reflection of the window in front of them.
“I love you too, you know.”
Now Yifan sees shock. Yixing faces him, disbelieving.
“After everything…?”
“It won’t be easy,” Yifan says slowly, “but you’re worth it. I think. Looking at the big picture, you’re a… good bad guy.”
“Thank you,” Yixing laughs, “I think.”
Yifan manages a smile and kisses Yixing’s cheek. “Just… keep work and private life separate. Please.”
It’s hard at first to ignore the elephant in the room every time they go on a date or wind up at Yifan’s apartment, legs tangled together between sheets, but eventually, slowly, they fall into a routine and Yifan might just be able to do this.
------------------------------------------
Yifan is able to do this for a good long while, but then Yixing starts to mess up. The news calls it “careless” and “cocky” when Báimǎ crime scenes aren’t as pristine and perfect as they used to be, but that’s not it at all. Lu Han reluctantly tells Yifan, after a whole day of constant badgering, that the only thing wrong with Yixing is he’s distracted. Distracted by Yifan, distracted by love, distracted by the idea of a normal relationship and a lifestyle he never got to experience in his line of work, and when a captain falls so does his crew.
Báimǎ is slipping up, and Yixing is in danger.
------------------------------------------
Báimǎ slip up so much that their most recent hit makes the news with evidence actually pointing to them, and Yifan visibly pales when Junmyeon asks him to reopen the case.
“Looks like the perfect time for you to get us new leads,” Junmyeon says with a smile, and Yifan’s stomach responds by exploding into nervous butterflies.
What makes it worse is the man they killed - he was a politician well received by the public and loved for his charity works that mainly revolved around supporting impoverished children. The media has a field day with tabloid tales of the gang going back to its animalistic, relentless ways and every story he hears makes Yifan more and more uncomfortable.
“We need to talk,” Yixing says as soon as Yifan walks in to Tinker Bell, stealing the words right from his mouth. He takes Yifan to the back room and, even though he prompted the conversation, merely sits Yifan on a ratty couch and lets him demand answers.
“What the hell, Yixing!” Yifan gasps, running a hand through his hair. “You… He was a good man! What were you thinking?”
“He embezzled dirty money from gambling and illegal child labor through his charities,” Yixing says sharply, and Yifan pauses. Yixing shifts closer to him, leg pressed against Yifan’s, and touches his arm lightly. “Don’t you see, Yifan? These are the people we go after - people who have ways of hiding their crimes so police can’t catch them. This is always how it’s been.”
“No,” Yifan says, “it’s always been murderers and rapists and bad people. I can’t just turn a blind eye and pretend you’re doing some civic duty when the man responsible for reform of foster homes ends up dead on my doorstep.”
“Just because someone does one good thing doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be punished.” Yixing smiles sadly. “Like me, right?”
Yifan shakes his head, but it’s true - he is being a hypocrite. He is a cop favoring one crime over another because he is incredibly biased, and he can’t remember a time before Yixing’s world of greys interfered with his black and white reality but it must have been a lot simpler than this.
They do a lot of something that isn’t talking after that, and Yifan tries to hold on to Yixing as figuratively as he is literally.
He doesn’t tell Yixing that Junmyeon put him and Lu Han back on the case and he asks Lu Han to keep mum for a while in hopes that it will all blow over and he can go back to being blissfully ignorant of Yixing’s actions, but just as Yifan has his duties so does Lu Han, and now Yifan and Yixing are running from each other in the same bed.
------------------------------------------
Yifan can’t just not do his job and from Yixing’s point of view neither can he, and that is how Yifan ends up part of the team for the long awaited invasion of the Báimǎ Triad’s headquarters, both wanting to put an end to this mess and to protect Yixing forever.
Lu Han is there too - he hadn’t been discovered and Yifan is grateful for that - and he looks just as uneasy about this as Yifan feels. With a deep breath, Yifan makes the motion to bust down the door and men in bulletproof vests and top of the line guns file into the main front room of the base. Once the surrounding rooms are signaled as clear, Lu Han straightens his shoulders and clears his throat.
“Split off and search every crevice in this place,” he orders with a stern voice once. “Yifan and I will look for hidden locations - Báimǎ is known for their elaborate schemes meant to distract and confuse their enemies, and their headquarters should be no different.”
There is a resounding Yes, sir before a stampede of feet can be heard running throughout the large and unnervingly empty building. When they are alone, Yifan and Lu Han face each other, weapons lowered, and neither of them knows what to say.
“I’m sorry, Yifan,” Lu Han ends up whispering. “I’m sorry it had to turn out this way.”
“It’s not your fault,” Yifan urges, and he means it - Lu Han, deep down, has just as much passion for justice as Yifan, and Yifan does not regret having him as a partner. Besides, there was no way for Lu Han to know this would spiral into a three way catastrophe - he didn’t know Yixing back when Yifan stepped into Tinker Bell for the first time, Yixing didn’t know Lu Han when Yifan told him about his new partner when he first joined the force, and neither Yifan nor Lu Han knew the café was one of Báimǎ’s fronts to begin with.
But as undesirable as it is, this is how their lives turned out and now they have to deal with it. Lu Han moves first, turning towards the door to the main hall with solemn steps, and Yifan reluctantly follows. They walk in silence, and no one is around them so they do not act like they are in any hurry. Finally, Lu Han stops in front of what looks to be a normal wall, but Yifan recognizes it as the entrance to the underground maze he was lead through when he was brought here. He looks at Lu Han questioningly.
“He promised you he would not run,” Lu Han says softly, and Yifan’s heart lurches.
He had hoped Yixing would hide away until this was all over and come out when there was no longer a price on his head because as much as Yifan is obsessed with this case, he’s one hundred times more obsessed with Yixing but of course Yixing wouldn’t do that. Yixing’s entire being is all about fairness and people owning up to what they do and he himself is no exception.
“Come on, quickly,” Lu Han hisses when footsteps begin to become audible. He presses a button hidden on the underside of a table with a potted plant on it and pulls Yifan through the secret door. Yifan’s legs feel like jelly.
They walk quickly this time through corridor after musty corridor but they do not stop at one of the many rooms, of which Yifan never learns their purpose. Instead, Lu Han makes a sharp right and then it’s one long hall for what seems like hours followed by a flight of stairs. They reach a trap door above them at the top and push it open and Yifan inhales deeply at the long-missed fresh air. They are in a forest now, the one on the outskirts of Báimǎ’s assumed territorial border, hidden in a thick bunch of trees.
They stretch briefly once they’re on land and Yifan looks around - it’s a very peaceful place, ironic since they are in the middle of a manhunt for someone the police think is dangerously unstable. Lu Han nudges him out of his stupor and points forward.
“There’s a clearing ahead,” he says. “A place to say goodbye away from all this chaos.”
Yifan puts his gun away - he won’t need it - and faces Lu Han. He pulls the man into a strong hug and Lu Han lets his tough façade falter just this once to grip Yifan’s back because they both know, depending how this investigation goes, Lu Han could end up right next to Yixing in a jail cell - or worse.
They don’t speak when they part, only nod, and Yifan climbs over rocks and roots until he emerges into a large grassy field, small patches of yellow dandelions dispersed all around it, and in the middle crouching near a family of wild rabbits is Yixing and he looks so serene and radiant that Yifan almost believes this whole ordeal has been a nightmare and he’s just woken up to his true fantasy.
Yifan approaches Yixing silently and Yixing doesn’t notice Yifan until his shadow scares the bunnies away. He looks up and throws himself into Yifan’s arms and Yifan has never held someone so close.
“Why are you here?” Yifan asks into Yixing’s hair, and he’s not at all surprised at how choked his voice sounds. “Why didn’t you go like the rest of your men?”
“You won, Yifan.”
Yifan shakes his head and gently grips Yixing’s cheeks with his hands. “No, I didn’t.”
“You did,” Yixing insists, moving his head and peppering Yifan’s palm with pecks. “Now hush, Lu Han will be bringing reinforcements soon and we have not kissed nearly enough.”
Yifan does kiss Yixing - kisses him a lot - but he doesn’t hush. “I love you,” he murmurs, “no matter what. No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait for you.”
Yixing runs his hands down from the back of Yifan’s neck to his chest. “-you too,” he breathes, and Yifan grips him tighter.
They don’t break apart until they can hear ruffling of leaves and crushing of weak roots, and Yixing sneaks in one last kiss to the cheek before the rest of the squad that accompanied Yifan and Lu Han that day burst into the clearing, and Yifan feels sick when they all point their guns at Yixing.
“That’s not necessary,” Yifan announces. “He has agreed to come quietly. Lu Han, help me escort him back.”
Lu Han jogs over and whispers some words to Yixing that Yifan can’t catch as he slips handcuffs onto Yixing’s wrists, but whatever it is it makes Yixing smile. Lu Han is the one to grip Yixing’s arm as they all walk back to the squad cars, and Yifan is glad for that - he wouldn’t be able to handle taking Yixing away.
Junmyeon is waiting for them at the cars, along with some other official-looking people in suits and a powerful prosecutor Yifan has seen many times before.
“Well done, boys,” Junmyeon congratulates as Yifan and Lu Han near him. He glances down at Yixing for a second before turning his focus back on his detectives. “I have no words to describe how amazing you both have been - this case was seen as impossible and you still managed to crack it, and for that you have my and the country’s gratitude.”
They bow at their superior and say their thanks, but neither feels very accomplished. Yixing is shoved roughly into a car and Yifan almost shoots the officer’s head off but Lu Han puts a restraining hand on his arm. Lights and sirens begin to flare up and Yifan and Yixing manage to make eye contact again before Yixing’s car speeds away, both lead and tailed by more cars for safety.
“The department is heading out for a drink to celebrate,” Junmyeon says, clapping a hand each on Yifan and Lu Han’s shoulders. “You should join us - after all, you are the stars of the party.”
“Thank you,” Lu Han says for the both of them, “we will. But, if you don’t mind, we’d like to take a moment to catch our breaths.”
Junmyeon smiles. “Of course. I can’t imagine what you two have been through on this case.”
You have no idea.
Yifan rubs at his forehead once Junmyeon walks away and lets out a shaky sigh.
“What a day,” Lu Han mutters. He rolls his neck and stares down at the gravel lined street. “I have never felt like putting away a criminal is the wrong decision,” he says slowly, “but knowing that having Yixing off the streets is more dangerous than allowing Báimǎ to run free makes me so uneasy I feel sick.”
Yifan grips one of Lu Han’s shoulders comfortingly but looks away - he doesn’t want to think about what will happen to Yixing. However, when he notices Junmyeon slip a wad of cash to the prosecutor who will no doubt be trying Yixing, Yifan shakes his head in amusement and disbelief and pushes Lu Han to their car with a small smile ghosting across his face.
Guess I won’t be waiting that long.
For: leimotif
Word count: 9,285
Rating: pg-13
Summary: Yifan's dream case ends up being one part fantasy, two parts nightmare. (gang!au)
Lu Han slaps Yifan out of his concentration - quite literally, right in between the shoulders - and sidesteps just in time to avoid Yifan’s flailing arm. He smiles sweetly as Yifan slams his case file closed and furrows his dark eyebrows.
“This better be good.”
“Come on, partner, turn that frown upside down,” Lu Han coos, poking at the corners of Yifan’s lips. Yifan swats him away. “No, really, put on a smile. Junmyeon asked for us.”
Yifan wiggles his face around a bit and tests out an expression, to which Lu Han gives one and a half thumbs up, and runs his hands down his white button-up to smooth it out as he and Lu Han head to the captain’s office.
Lu Han clicks his tongue. “Your suspender is twisted,” he murmurs, straightening out the strap of Yifan’s holster and letting it snap against Yifan’s back when it’s fixed. “Don’t you pay attention to anything other than work?”
“Better than paying attention to everything but work,” Yifan says, and Lu Han whines when they reach Junmyeon’s door before he can retort.
Yifan knocks on the aged oak wrapped in gold accents and turns the metal handle when Junmyeon beckons them inside. He bows, Lu Han following suit, and closes the door behind them.
“You’re not in trouble,” Junmyeon says, amused, “relax those shoulders, boys.”
Lu Han and Yifan both let out relieved breaths.
“As you know, Detective Kim resigned last week,” Junmyeon starts.
“I’m sure Lu Han remembers the going away party,” Yifan snorts, and Lu Han kicks him in the shin. Junmyeon pretends he didn’t hear that.
“As you also know, the Báimǎ Triad case had been passed down to him years ago. He requested to have it put into storage once he left due to the ongoing problem of lack of evidence, but I thought I’d run it by you two first seeing as you are prime detectives in our gang squad.” He looks at Yifan when he speaks now. “I also know it’s been a particular interest of yours since you were a young trainee.”
“You look like a fish,” Lu Han says, and Yifan stops opening and closing his mouth.
“Are you putting me on the case?” he manages to ask Junmyeon.
Junmyeon smiles and fixes one of his cufflinks. “Of course, it’s more for show than anything, you understand - it puts the public at ease knowing we’re keeping it open, but you are welcome to try your hand. It would be a happy miracle if you made progress.”
Yifan nods quickly. “Yes! Yes, I will be glad to take it.” He looks down at Lu Han, who sighs dramatically.
“As your partner, I guess I should let you have your fun. Alright, I’ll do it.”
Yifan wants to grab Lu Han into a hug but that is probably not so appropriate to do in front of your superior officer. They both bow and Yifan hugs the bulging case file Junmyeon gives him close to his chest instead, all the way back to his and Lu Han’s merged desks.
“So…” Lu Han says, a bit uncertainly as he stares at the overflowing file that drops heavily onto the tabletop, “any idea where to begin?”
Yifan, still ecstatic, lets out a very giddy, “Nope.”
--------------------------------------
A familiar wind chime rings softly as Yifan pulls open the door to his favorite café that evening, halting momentarily to hold the door for a woman and her daughter coming out before stepping inside. It’s warm and fragrant as always, and though the decorations are simple and homely, there’s somehow a sparkle to the place that really lives up to its Tinker Bell name.
Also refreshing is Yixing, the waiter who’s been giving Yifan coffee and colorful life stories every day for what is soon to be seven years. As per usual, Yixing looks up when the chimes reach his pointed ears and smiles from his perch behind the counter when he sees Yifan.
“You seem awfully happy,” Yixing remarks once Yifan gives the barista beside Yixing his order.
Yifan shoves his hands sheepishly into his pockets. “I am.”
“I think it’s about time for my break,” Yixing grins, hopping off of his stool and ushering Yifan into his usual window booth.
They fell into this routine about a month in to Yifan’s daily visits where he would rant to Yixing about how hard the police academy is or gush to Yixing about how cool it is watching detectives work, and Yixing would always listen and add in his two cents at just the right moments. Yixing was surprisingly easy to open up to, something that did not go unappreciated.
“So did you finally get back at Lu Han for cooking your stapler inside a bowl of Jell-O?”
Yifan frowns. “Actually, I forgot about that.”
Yixing snorts and waves his hand. “Whatever, that’s not important - what happened that made your face a lot less scary today?”
Yifan flicks a crumb on the table at Yixing. “My boss put me on my dream case today, that’s what,” he said. “Me and Lu Han.”
Yixing sticks his tongue out when Yifan’s crumb misses him by a mile but pulls it back into his mouth and replaces it with a smile. “Congratulations!” he says, genuinely happy - always genuinely happy. “What is it? Or are you not allowed to say?”
Yifan shakes his head. “Nah, it’s been highly publicized for years, I can talk about the overall components.” He leans in though, pausing when another waiter brings him his coffee, so Yixing leans in too. “It’s the Báimǎ case.”
Yixing’s eyebrows perk up. “Oh, wow,” he says, voice heavier than Yifan expected. “I’ve heard about that on the news a lot. They’re one of the most popular crime syndicates in China… isn’t it going to be dangerous?”
Yifan shrugs. “At least danger would mean we’re getting somewhere.”
Yixing laughs, but it’s uncertain. Yifan feels a rush of affection for his concern.
“Be careful, okay?” Yixing says, biting his lip. Yifan reaches forward and gently tugs Yixing’s lip out from between his teeth.
“I’m always careful.” Yixing’s dimple nearly burns a hole into Yifan’s retina, yet he can’t stop staring at it. “Besides,” he says, pulling his hand back, “the triad is a lot less dangerous than it used to be.”
Yixing nods and swipes his tongue over his lip. Yifan swallows. “I remember hearing such gruesome stories of their attacks growing up,” Yixing recalls, “but they’ve really lost their touch.”
Yifan shakes his head and leans in again, but this time enthusiasm is evident in his eyes. “It’s the complete opposite, in fact,” he says, and Yixing cocks his head. “Rather, they’re so established and good at what they do they don’t have to impress rivals anymore. That plus new management turned them into what they are today, modern day Robin Hoods of sorts. They target important and corrupt people who are stealing from those less fortunate, only instead of taking a king’s jewels they kill him.”
Yixing blinks then laughs, and Yifan frowns. He doesn’t see the humor in crime. Yixing notices Yifan’s disappointment at his reaction and leans in again as well, chin coming to rest on a palm.
“You’re so excited,” he says. “It’s cute.”
Yifan mumbles incoherently into his coffee.
-----------------------------------
Like every detective, Yifan gets a rush of adrenaline at the thought of a new case to close and more bad guys to put behind bars. He is quickly discovering, however, why the Báimǎ case got passed around so much - it’s damn impossible. Besides a few mistakes the gang made in its heydays that gave police their first leads decades ago, it’s very rare that the force is able to keep up with them, let alone get one step ahead.
Sometimes they’re able to figure out the gang’s target (sometimes the gang even likes to drop little hints and watch the men in blue squirm) but stopping an attack is twenty times harder and twenty times more efficient than anyone ever expects.
Ironic that what intrigued Yifan in the first place is now driving him absolutely insane.
As a fresh trainee at the police academy, Yifan grew interested right away in what he heard through the grape vine of this Báimǎ Triad. By this point, the triad had already begun to shift away from their ruthless reputation and into their role as vigilantes. There was always a debate over right versus wrong surrounding the case - some people were completely against the criminal activity, while some supported the “justice” that often escaped the police’s hands.
Yifan agreed with the former. Vigilantes, he always said, are merely people who think they are above the law, and nobody is above the law. This ideal carried on with Yifan through his trainee days, and every whisper he heard of the case only fueled his desire to put an end to the syndicate’s unlawful punishments. He spent his free time outside of the academy researching syndicates all across China, familiarizing himself with their styles and their connections to the Báimǎ Triad. His hard work paid off when he was quickly promoted after graduation and placed in the department’s gang crime division in record time. He was considered well on his way to being an expert in the field.
“So why,” Yifan mutters to himself through gritted teeth, “am I failing?” He throws his pencil down on his desk and it bounces and clatters well across the empty department floor. He runs a hand through his hair and stares at the case file’s contents scattered about and lets out a tired sigh.
This routine continues every night for a week straight and doesn’t stop until Lu Han physically drags Yifan out of the station, hails a cab for him, and orders the driver to force him home.
“A lead will come, Yifan,” he promises before slamming the car door shut and waving as Yifan is swept away.
Yifan sinks into the fake leather seat and tries to get his mind to flow somewhere other than the case. He sits up quickly with a gasp when he realizes he hasn’t visited Yixing all week because of his late nights and pulls out his phone to call him when it buzzes with a text message before he can select Yixing’s number.
don’t worry, i’ll stop by and tell your boyfriend you say hi ^^
HE IS NOT MY BOYRFRIEND
goodnight yifan
--------------------------------------------
Having Lu Han to monitor him does prevent Yifan from getting too stressed out at work but the anxiousness is still there - it follows him home and gnaws at his skin to the point where he’s kicking about in bed all weekend because he simultaneously wants to do nothing and wants to do something.
Finally, when Monday rolls around, he tells himself to do what he can during work hours and call it quits as soon as the clock strikes five, go home, and find some way to relax.
He repeats this mantra every day for the whole week. The relaxation never comes.
--------------------------------------------
Yifan’s body must be on autopilot by this point because he finds himself sitting in Tinker Bell at 12:30 in the morning with files spread out all along his table and a steaming cup of coffee to his right when he is pretty sure he meant to go home instead. He stares at the coffee, at least positive he did not order that himself, until someone approaches his booth.
“It’s what you wanted, right?”
Yifan blinks work-weary eyes up at Yixing. “I didn’t…”
“But it’s what you want.”
Yixing isn’t asking anymore, and Yifan lets out a small laugh. “Yeah, it is. Thanks.” He reaches for the coffee and closes his eyes as he feels the warmth seep through his tired body starting from his dry throat. He sets the drink down on the table, hands still wrapped around the heated porcelain, and smiles. “Thanks.”
Yixing slides into the opposite seat and touches Yifan’s fingers lightly, glad to feel the usual chill of Yifan’s hands gone. “I haven’t seen you in a while… a couple weeks, in fact. Is everything okay?”
Yifan sighs and slouches a little. “I’m getting nowhere, what else is new?”
Yixing frowns.
“What am I even doing here, Yixing? I try so hard but it’s like I’m not even trying at all.”
“Hey,” Yixing says sharply, peeling one of Yifan’s hands from the mug and holding it tightly. “You put bad guys away. Don’t ever think that’s not good enough.”
“I used to put bad guys away,” Yifan corrects, mumbling. “Now I just sit on my ass all day and fixate on a case I will never close. What good is that? I’m getting paid to be a lump.”
“That sounds pretty ideal.”
Yifan pinches Yixing’s pinky and Yixing flashes his dimple, and Yifan feels a little less tense. “I just… what about you, Xing?”
Yixing cocks his head to the side. “I would probably accidentally shoot myself in the foot.”
Yifan rolls his eyes. “No, not as a detective, as… as anything. You’ve been a waiter here since before I even started training at the academy. Do you ever think about doing something bigger? Like what you’re doing isn’t enough?”
Yixing pulls his hand back and wrinkles his nose. “You sound like my parents.”
Yifan is quick to grab Yixing’s hand again and apologize. “I didn’t mean-”
Yixing smiles and shrugs it off. “It’s okay, I know what you mean. I have interests, of course, but I like it here. The people are nice, the atmosphere is pleasant - I’m content with floating by on an easy job that pays enough to cover my rent and spending the rest of my time just being me.”
Yifan makes a noise of acknowledgement, but he can’t imagine living a life without determined purpose. As if hearing his thoughts, Yixing squeezes Yifan’s hand and leans in.
“But that’s what makes us different, Yifan. You have a passion to pursue - your desire to make the world a safer place is so great you actually went for it, and you don’t give up on a dream like that.”
Yifan brushes his thumb slowly across Yixing’s knuckles, slow enough to feel the miniscule bumps of healed scars, and looks down at his files.
------------------------------------------
Two months later, though it feels like years, Yifan finally finds something. He and Lu Han are called in on a case that has nothing to do with the Báimǎ Triad, some attempted robbery at a storage facility that isn’t even their division (Yifan thinks it’s because Junmyeon can’t stand to see him so down and figured a little field work would put a spring back in his step).
Lu Han whistles low when they reach the facility - a chunk of it, presumably where the robbery started, is charcoal black and falling apart. They speak briefly to the fireman on scene who tells them when it’s safe to enter and how the damage happened.
“It looks like a booby trap,” the fireman says, motioning to tripwires that had been activated. “It’s hooked up to the sprinkler system and set to release oil instead of water. After a minute or so it would have short circuited the electrical grid over there, which management says wasn’t part of the original building and must have been added by someone else.”
“So whoever owns this space,” Yifan gathers, “their intention was to burn everything should someone intrude.”
The fireman nods. “They possibly meant to harm the intruder as well, but seeing as oil is easily detectible by smell let alone texture, it’s safe to assume he or she cared more about destroying whatever was in here.”
“He or she?” Lu Han echoes. “Shouldn’t there be a record kept of everyone renting space?”
The fireman motions over a short, round, balding man in a cheap suit who looks very ruffled by all that has happened.
“I’m sorry,” the man says while bowing a few dozen times, “but it seems this space has no name on file… W-we double checked, triple checked, even, but it’s like the stuff appeared in here over night.”
Yifan glances around. “That can’t be right,” he says. “Over there, in the far corner, there’s a section that’s less burned - that chest on the floor must have been moved when the firemen came but it looks like it’s been sitting in the same spot for years beforehand.”
The little man looks confused.
“Ah,” Lu Han hums, catching on, “there’s a space on the floor that’s lighter than the rest. The floor around the chest grew dirty over time, but under it it’s still a lighter grey.”
Now the little man looks very flustered. “B-but I assure you, we keep careful documentations of our rooms - you see, some of our customers are very wealthy and we take good care of them - and this room was never on record for over twenty years.” He dabs at his large forehead with a handkerchief. “I-It’s like it didn’t even exist.”
The fireman escorts the man away to make sure he didn’t inhale any smoke while Yifan and Lu Han look around the blackened room.
“Well, this got a little more interesting, didn’t it?” Lu Han says cheekily. “Aren’t you glad you got out of bed today?”
“Burned mildew,” Yifan says, dripping with sarcasm, “my favorite.”
Lu Han rolls his eyes. “At least it’s a change from the station’s ceiling mildew.”
Yifan snorts then glances back at the chest he mentioned earlier. “Hey, help me open that.”
Lu Han peers around him. “Are you sure?” he asks, surprisingly hesitant for someone so annoyingly chipper. “I mean, whoever put this stuff here clearly didn’t want anyone else looking at it. What if it, like, explodes as soon as we touch it or something?”
“Wouldn’t do much more damage than is already done,” Yifan shrugs. “Besides, I think that chest is the one thing in here that wouldn’t explode.”
“Oh?”
Yifan nods. “Look around: everything’s packed in old cardboard boxes or shoved into crappy crates, then there’s a sturdy, locked, antique chest. Perhaps it was meant to be destroyed too, but it was also meant to hide something.”
Lu Han looks reluctant but he follows Yifan to the corner of the room and helps him pry open the chest anyway - it isn’t too hard to do now, what with how old it is and how warped the wood became in the heat. Inside are beautiful, old, and no doubt priceless teacups, china plates, and even an elegant clay pot, all with intricate, hand-crafted designs imprinted into them.
“Not exactly the bags of cocaine I was expecting,” Lu Han says, and Yifan shakes his head slowly. What was the point of destroying something so mundane? Yes the set is enticing for robbers, but going so far as to burn it…
“Let’s take these to the lab just in case,” Yifan decides, and Lu Han carries one end of the chest while Yifan hoists up the other and they haul the chest into their car.
“Get some rest, Yifan,” Junmyeon says, hand clapping Yifan on the shoulder as he passes Yifan on his way out of the station. “You’ve gotten even more stressed ever since the lab tech told you there was nothing special about that chest. Everyone is starting to worry.”
“Yes, Captain,” Yifan says with a bow, but he doesn’t want to go home yet. He mulls around and stalls for time until the station is empty then creeps into the evidence locker - something about those cups and saucers is more important than just monetary value, he can feel it.
He spends a few minutes digging around in dust-covered labels until he finds where staff shoved the contents of the chest. He carefully pulls the cardboard box out and sets it on the floor.
“Well…” he murmurs, shining a flashlight on the china. “Here goes.” He carefully inspects each teacup, each plate, at least three times a piece but finds nothing of interest. They all look like ordinary china meant more for display than for use.
Finally he glances at the old clay pot and gives it a once-over - compared to everything else from the chest, it is rather plain. Still, he scrutinizes all its nooks and crannies and is about to shatter it on the hard tile floor in frustration when a small crack on the underside of the lid catches his eye. It stands out against the otherwise pristine pot. He stands, pausing for a few moments to stretch his stiff joints and calm his spinning head, and shines his flashlight around for a microscope. He finds one tucked into a far corner and sticks the lid face-up under the powerful lens and, after adjusting accordingly, discovers that it is no crack at all - rather, it is a tiny carving engraved purposefully into the clay, and something about that design strikes a chord in his brain.
He hurries back to his desk, grabs the Báimǎ case file, and rushes back to the microscope, shifting through papers clumsily (and dropping most of them) in search of-
“This,” he breathes, voice barely audible in the tension he created around himself. The rest of the case file falls to the floor, forgotten, as Yifan stares at the old, faded Polaroid picture in his hand. It’s a rare photo captured of one of the syndicate’s early leaders (not the first in existence but the first the police knew by name) from a stake out decades ago, blurry and black and white, but still clear enough to make out the ring on his right hand.
A simple, minimal, metal unicorn rests on his ring finger, the same unicorn carved into the pot and, Yifan remembers as he shifts through dropped papers and finds notes written from the very beginning of the case, the same unicorn the Báimǎ Triad has been using as its representation since creation.
Yifan racks his brain for a while until he recalls the meaning behind the insignia back in the day - unicorns are rare like treasures stolen, priceless like lives taken, immortal like the Báimǎ name. In recent years, though, he has come to learn that the message of their unicorn has changed to the western lore of healing in that Báimǎ give justice and peace to those who need it. Poetic enough, Yifan thinks, but no excuse for murder.
Yifan fishes his phone from his pocket with a shaky hand and drums his fingers on the wall impatiently as he waits for Lu Han to pick up. Finally, after the fifth ring, he hears a very groggy, rough hello? followed by a yawn.
“Lu Han,” he says excitedly, "I found something.”
“Congratulations.” Another yawn.
“No, I mean I found something related to Báimǎ.”
There’s a pause, then, “Oh?”
“Yeah, you know that chest we found toda-er, yesterday?” Yifan almost thinks Lu Han’s fallen back asleep, it’s so quiet, but then Lu Han let out a grunt of acknowledgement. “Something was bugging me about it so I poked around at the contents and, get this, the pot has the Báimǎ insignia inside.”
“What?”
“As a cop, you really need to be able to wake up faster.”
“Shut up. What?”
Yifan looks down at the antique in his hand. “Yeah - it’s small, but there. The lab tech is young - she started here not long before I did so it makes sense that she’s never seen the logo before and didn’t know to tell us.”
“Because they stopped using it over twenty years ago,” Lu Han fills in and Yifan nods though Lu Han can’t see him.
“That storage room must have been an old hiding place for Báimǎ’s goods years ago,” Yifan says, ecstatic. “They always were showy back then - as long as people knew they were able to get their hands on treasure, they didn’t care what happened to it, just that no one else got to it. I think if we go back there we might be able to find clues to other hiding places, and then…” he trails off. “I’m going to write up the evidence report and add it to the file.”
“Are you sure you shouldn’t, you know, sleep at five in the morning?” Lu Han whines.
Yifan shakes his head, and Lu Han still can’t see him. “No way, I’m too pumped now. I’ll write the report then go home, I swear.”
“You better,” Lu Han grumbles. “I don’t want to make ten trips to the coffee machine for your ugly ass.”
“Love you too, partner.”
Lu Han hangs up on him and Yifan gets to work.
------------------------------------------
Yifan is dead tired the next day, and Lu Han does end up making multiple trips to the coffee machine for him, but that still doesn’t stop the smile that spreads across his face when he approaches Tinker Bell after work. He hurries inside with a rush of determination and feels like he can run a marathon when Yixing looks at him in surprise, plush lips parted slightly. A tingly feeling starts to bubble in his chest.
“You look terrible!” Yixing gasps and pushes Yifan into a seat. “Jesus, have you been sleeping at all?” He fumbles around with Yifan’s jacket, pulling it off and laying it over his chair, and quickly wipes down the table so it’s presentable, but before he can leave to bring Yifan coffee that’s actually quality, Yifan grabs his wrist and stops him.
“Have dinner with me.”
Yixing blinks. “What?”
“Have dinner with me,” Yifan repeats.
Yixing shifts his arm so his fingers brush against Yifan’s palm. “Like a date?” he asks quietly.
“Yeah. Yeah, like a date.” Yifan doesn’t know where this bravery is coming from, but Yixing’s shy smile has him thanking whatever made him do this a hundred times.
Yixing bends down and kisses Yifan’s cheek. “Okay.”
Yifan practically skips home.
------------------------------------------
After Yifan’s first break in the case, he gets even more eager to press forward. He and Lu Han go back to the storage facility and do find clues to other hideouts in the form of coordinates scribbled on napkins that survived the fire, half-charred maps, and even a compass set to point to a location that isn’t north. They uncover a couple more stolen abandoned artifacts, which is a big deal considering how dead the case was before, and with each catch they get that much closer to stumbling on at least one of Báimǎ’s current fronts.
Junmyeon is very pleased with their work, and Yifan’s success coupled with his amazing first few dates with Yixing have him walking on air.
Lu Han’s been looking a little frazzled the more they unearth, a feeling Yifan is sure he’d be experiencing too if it weren’t for Yixing’s kisses every day, and Yifan decides to request a day off in Lu Han’s stead soon as a reward for putting up with him for this long.
------------------------------------------
Five minutes into his walk home one night, Yifan realizes he’s being followed. He wonders if his senses are getting hazardously dull because he was most likely followed straight from work, but he pushes that thought aside to stress over another time - perhaps a time where his life is not in danger. He casually observes where he is and begins to head towards a more populated part of town in hopes that he can circle back around and lead his stalker to the station. For a while the only sounds Yifan can hear are his own footsteps and the brisk night wind whistling through trees - whoever this is they are no random mugger, and knowing that he is being targeted specifically makes a chill run down Yifan’s spine.
The eerie near-silence doesn’t last for long - he makes it as far as a block away from Tinker Bell, where he can see Yixing wiping down tables all alone through a window, before he is taken off guard by a second big, burly masked man who cuts him off from an alley on his right. The man’s metal unicorn ring glints under the streetlight above and Yifan pales. He reacts too slowly and is shoved onto the cold concrete. A sharp burst of pain spreads through his skull and as he catches one last glimpse of the golden glow coming from the café he sees Yixing staring, frozen, before another pair of hands tighten a dense black cloth over his eyes and hold a handkerchief to his mouth and Yifan breathes in during the confusion.
He wakes up with a throbbing head on a dark, damp, chilly floor an unknown number of hours later. He feels around blindly and finally comes to the conclusion that there is nothing in this room but his body and does everything he can to prevent himself from slipping into hysteria - he stands and stretches his limbs, paces around to get a good feel of his brick prison (even tries the door, though he’s not surprised it’s locked and sturdy), thinks of sunshine and warmth and Yixing.
Yixing. His heart sinks into his stomach when he remembers Yixing’s expression and their proximity to the café and his chest tightens all over again. If Yixing could see them, his attackers could see Yixing. Bile threatens to rise up his throat at the thought of any harm coming to Yixing, and his panic-crazed mind wanders from scenario to scenario until he feels sick and stumbles to a far corner of the room and vomits, one hand clutching his chest and one gripping the rough wall. I shouldn’t be like this, he thinks as he wipes his mouth but stays propped against the wall. I’ve been trained for situations like this. Alright, Wu. He straightens and takes a few deep breaths, trying to ignore the smell of sick now wafting around him, and clenches his fists.
All bravado disappears in a flash, though, when the door to his room bursts open from the outside and brief panic wells up inside him again at the sudden glare of light until it’s replaced with relief when he turns and sees Lu Han standing there, panting slightly. They look at each other and Yifan swears he can start crying any second. He starts to speak, starts to tell his partner that they need to get out of here, they need to see if other hostages were taken, they need to find out who did this and where they are, but his voice trails off when he realizes Lu Han isn’t moving.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, brows furrowed, but before Lu Han can reply a dark shadow casts over him and Lu Han looks up into the eyes of who must be the same man who tackled Yifan earlier, unicorn jewelry adorning his meaty hand. “Look out!” he calls, rather uselessly, really, but he has to do something because Lu Han is strong but this guy is huge, and he watches as Lu Han shuffles back and raises an arm and…
… Holds up a palm. Yifan stares, confused, as the man nods and retreats back down the hallway. Dread washes over him.
“Lu Han?” he says quietly, meekly.
Lu Han sighs and glances back at Yifan and has the decency to look a little guilty when he says, “I don’t want to hurt you, Yifan. Please come with me compliantly.”
Yifan’s breathing is unsteady. Lu Han extends a hand but Yifan doesn’t take it.
“Did you hurt Yixing?”
“What?”
Yifan takes a step forward and Lu Han takes an equal step back because Yifan can be very menacing when he needs to be, and right now he really needs to be. “Did you hurt Yixing?” he repeats, harsher.
Lu Han frowns. “I really think you need to come with me, Yifan.”
Yifan practically growls and lunges forward, shoving Lu Han against the wall in the hallway. The muscle lumbers towards them but Lu Han motions for him to stop again.
“Yifa-”
“Don’t say my name,” Yifan snaps, every word Lu Han says jabbing at his heart. He presses Lu Han harder against the wall. “Did you, or did you not lay a hand on Yixing?”
“I would never,” Lu Han says with a bit of a struggle, smaller hands coming up to grip Yifan’s wrists for support.
Yifan’s eyes dart all across Lu Han’s face at his strange choice of words and Lu Han takes the pause to speak again.
“Yi-I insist you come with me. Please. It will answer a lot of your questions.”
Yifan breathes sharply through his nose for a full minute before releasing Lu Han. “I don’t want him there,” he says, glancing at the figure looming ahead of them.
“Then he will not be,” Lu Han promises, and he shoos the henchman away but Yifan wonders how much he can trust Lu Han at this point. Definitely not even half as far as he can throw him. Maybe he should test out how far he can throw Lu Han right now. He glances down, actually trying to figure out how much Lu Han weighs and how hard it would be to pick him up, and notices a gun tucked into the front of Lu Han’s pants that he hadn’t noticed before in his rage. “Give me that,” he says, and Lu Han knows what he’s referring to without Yifan even pointing at it.
“Fine,” Lu Han agrees, and Yifan is shocked at how easy that was. Lu Han slowly removes the gun from his belted waistline and hands it to Yifan gingerly. “I told you, Yi-I told you, I don’t want to hurt you.”
Yifan takes the gun and checks for bullets - it’s fully loaded - and unlocks the safety and points it at Lu Han. “No funny business,” he says.
Lu Han raises his hands in a gesture of neutrality and begins to walk. Yifan follows hesitantly. Lu Han doesn’t speak a word, doesn’t try to keep reassuring Yifan that everything will be okay, and Yifan is at least thankful for that - Lu Han always knew when silence was golden.
They walk for what feels like hours in the dimly lit corridors, halls twisting and turning for so long Yifan is almost convinced Lu Han is just leading him around until he gets tired so he can kill him easier. Yifan figures they’re underground due to the dampness of the walls, some of which even have green moss crawling down their sides, which adds to the confusion over time. He’s not sure if he should be reassured or worried that they have not run into any other people on this whole trek.
Finally, Lu Han guides him to a door at the end of a hall and opens it for him, but Yifan nudges the gun and Lu Han goes inside first. Yifan follows cautiously and looks around immediately. There are still no other people, but he feels a bit safer after noting that this hallway is above ground - there are windows lining the walls, through which he sees that it is early morning, and the air is fresher. It’s actually an extremely lavish and beautiful building. Lu Han is still standing by him, harmless enough.
“Sorry for the long journey,” he says, trying to lighten the mood. “There are a lot of people who get lost down there without me.”
It doesn’t work.
Lu Han clears his throat and continues walking. Another few minutes pass by and Lu Han tries to speak again. “Sorry about how rough they were, I told them not to-”
“Do you think you’re making this situation better?” Yifan cuts him off with a glare.
Lu Han’s eyes look sad, and Yifan is ashamed at himself for feeling guilty because of it. Lu Han stays quiet until they reach an elaborate door at the end of a maroon carpeted hall. He knocks twice before turning the large golden handle and pushing the heavy slab of marble open. He goes in first this time without offering Yifan the opportunity, and Yifan raises his gun just in case.
However, when he steps inside the room, which is an ornate, Rococo-inspired office, his arms drop to his sides immediately. Lu Han’s shoulders relax when there is no longer a gun on him, but Yifan doesn’t notice. He’s too busy staring at the plush chair behind the large oak desk ahead of him. He rubs his eyes, rubs his head, blinks a few times, but it’s all still the same. Yixing is still sitting there, biting his lip nervously but back straight and comfortable in his chair, like he belongs there.
Because he does belong there. He twiddles his thumbs and Yifan’s attention is drawn to the unicorn emblem on his ring finger. He didn’t think it would be possible, but he feels even more betrayed now than he did when Lu Han appeared at his cell.
“Yifan…” Yixing begins slowly, delicately, and Yifan can’t tell if hearing his name from those sweet, traitorous lips makes him feel disgusted or elated. Probably a lot of both.
Yifan could ask why, but he’s not sure he wants to know the answer to that. Instead, he asks, “Is this why we…” Except he’s not sure if he wants to know the answer to that either.
Yixing’s hands clench on the table and he cuts Yifan off with a sharp “No” that makes both Yifan and Lu Han flinch. “I love you, Yifan.”
Lu Han clears his throat and Yifan would be overjoyed at the confession had it been in any other situation. He’s so focused on trying not to have a meltdown he doesn’t notice Yixing gently push his chair back and stand right under Yifan’s nose. He takes a step back in shock.
“Yifan.”
Yeah, he still feels elated.
“Yifan, look at me. Let me explain.”
Yifan allows Yixing to guide him to a chair and puts the gun in his lap since neither Yixing nor Lu Han seem to want to ambush him at the moment. “Okay,” he says shakily, and he waits.
“I will not deny that my predecessors did terrible things,” Yixing begins, voice calm and soft. “In the beginning, this gang was… it was just a bunch of thugs. But my grandfather was different. He at least wanted what we did to have meaning, and by the time I was put in charge…”
“You only kill people who deserve to be killed.”
Yixing smiles. “Ye-”
“But that is not your call, Yixing,” Yifan shouts, and he immediately regrets it when Yixing cowers in front of him. He reaches out and cups Yixing’s cheek. “Why do you have to… to kill people?”
Yixing leans into Yifan’s touch. “You don’t understand,” he whispers. “There’s so much wrong in the world that no one is doing anything about.”
Yifan swallows then looks at Lu Han. “And you?”
Lu Han raises his chin. “I’m a good man, Yifan, you know that. I want criminals to be put away as much as you do but the way the legal system works, it’s… bad guys get off and I hate it. So I give intel on cases we can’t close to Yixing. This isn’t the best way to fix the problem but it’s efficient, and I can sleep at night by telling myself the end justifies the means.”
Yixing snakes a hand up and rests it on the back of Yifan’s neck and Yifan looks down at him sadly.
“If it makes you feel any better,” Lu Han says gingerly, “his hands aren’t dirty. Not directly.”
Yifan reaches back and links his fingers with Yixing’s. “It helps a little…” He kisses Yixing chastely. “I don’t want to turn you in,” he admits. “I mean, I really want to turn you in, but I don’t want to turn you in, if that makes sense.”
“I understand,” Yixing says sweetly, always so sweetly even when Yifan has the power to end his life.
“And Lu Han,” he says, turning to the shorter blonde, “you are a great partner. We’ve trusted each other with our lives for years and I believe you’re doing this with good intent.”
Lu Han nods.
“But this goes against everything I’ve worked for, everything I believe in, and I’m not sure what I’m okay with right now.”
Yixing lightly guides Yifan’s face back to him. “I brought you here because I love you, Yifan. I won’t hide something this big from you. You have my word that I will not go anywhere - if you want to arrest me, you know where to find me.”
Yifan swallows at the ultimatum and settles on a kiss instead of an answer.
------------------------------------------
For a solid month Yifan thinks. Lu Han requests time off so his presence neither pressures nor persuades Yifan, and Yixing doesn’t contact him. He requests that the Báimǎ Triad case be put on hold for a while, citing a recent lack in evidence and needing a break to think more clearly as his reasons and Junmyeon sees nothing wrong with that. He works smaller cases both by himself and with a newer cop - some ball of fluff with a hard-looking exterior named Zitao - and every night when he goes home he debates the pros and cons if his situation.
He has literally worked his entire life for the good of the people and against the crimes Báimǎ commit, and his gut is telling him to go by the book, to respect the law he cherishes.
But his heart is telling him that Yixing is taking care of bad people the police can’t even touch. Yixing is working towards the same goal he is in the most effective way he knows how, and it thrusts Yifan into a moral dilemma.
Soon, though, he can’t take it anymore. The same chimes ring when he opens the door to Tinker Bell, but Yixing does not smile. He doesn’t look up anymore, as if he’s afraid of what he’ll see. Yifan approaches him from behind and Yixing’s cloth stills on the table. Yifan is quiet and Yixing assumes the worst, but he does not run. Neither does Yifan.
“One iced coffee, please.”
Yifan can see Yixing’s smile in the reflection of the window in front of them.
“I love you too, you know.”
Now Yifan sees shock. Yixing faces him, disbelieving.
“After everything…?”
“It won’t be easy,” Yifan says slowly, “but you’re worth it. I think. Looking at the big picture, you’re a… good bad guy.”
“Thank you,” Yixing laughs, “I think.”
Yifan manages a smile and kisses Yixing’s cheek. “Just… keep work and private life separate. Please.”
It’s hard at first to ignore the elephant in the room every time they go on a date or wind up at Yifan’s apartment, legs tangled together between sheets, but eventually, slowly, they fall into a routine and Yifan might just be able to do this.
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Yifan is able to do this for a good long while, but then Yixing starts to mess up. The news calls it “careless” and “cocky” when Báimǎ crime scenes aren’t as pristine and perfect as they used to be, but that’s not it at all. Lu Han reluctantly tells Yifan, after a whole day of constant badgering, that the only thing wrong with Yixing is he’s distracted. Distracted by Yifan, distracted by love, distracted by the idea of a normal relationship and a lifestyle he never got to experience in his line of work, and when a captain falls so does his crew.
Báimǎ is slipping up, and Yixing is in danger.
------------------------------------------
Báimǎ slip up so much that their most recent hit makes the news with evidence actually pointing to them, and Yifan visibly pales when Junmyeon asks him to reopen the case.
“Looks like the perfect time for you to get us new leads,” Junmyeon says with a smile, and Yifan’s stomach responds by exploding into nervous butterflies.
What makes it worse is the man they killed - he was a politician well received by the public and loved for his charity works that mainly revolved around supporting impoverished children. The media has a field day with tabloid tales of the gang going back to its animalistic, relentless ways and every story he hears makes Yifan more and more uncomfortable.
“We need to talk,” Yixing says as soon as Yifan walks in to Tinker Bell, stealing the words right from his mouth. He takes Yifan to the back room and, even though he prompted the conversation, merely sits Yifan on a ratty couch and lets him demand answers.
“What the hell, Yixing!” Yifan gasps, running a hand through his hair. “You… He was a good man! What were you thinking?”
“He embezzled dirty money from gambling and illegal child labor through his charities,” Yixing says sharply, and Yifan pauses. Yixing shifts closer to him, leg pressed against Yifan’s, and touches his arm lightly. “Don’t you see, Yifan? These are the people we go after - people who have ways of hiding their crimes so police can’t catch them. This is always how it’s been.”
“No,” Yifan says, “it’s always been murderers and rapists and bad people. I can’t just turn a blind eye and pretend you’re doing some civic duty when the man responsible for reform of foster homes ends up dead on my doorstep.”
“Just because someone does one good thing doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be punished.” Yixing smiles sadly. “Like me, right?”
Yifan shakes his head, but it’s true - he is being a hypocrite. He is a cop favoring one crime over another because he is incredibly biased, and he can’t remember a time before Yixing’s world of greys interfered with his black and white reality but it must have been a lot simpler than this.
They do a lot of something that isn’t talking after that, and Yifan tries to hold on to Yixing as figuratively as he is literally.
He doesn’t tell Yixing that Junmyeon put him and Lu Han back on the case and he asks Lu Han to keep mum for a while in hopes that it will all blow over and he can go back to being blissfully ignorant of Yixing’s actions, but just as Yifan has his duties so does Lu Han, and now Yifan and Yixing are running from each other in the same bed.
------------------------------------------
Yifan can’t just not do his job and from Yixing’s point of view neither can he, and that is how Yifan ends up part of the team for the long awaited invasion of the Báimǎ Triad’s headquarters, both wanting to put an end to this mess and to protect Yixing forever.
Lu Han is there too - he hadn’t been discovered and Yifan is grateful for that - and he looks just as uneasy about this as Yifan feels. With a deep breath, Yifan makes the motion to bust down the door and men in bulletproof vests and top of the line guns file into the main front room of the base. Once the surrounding rooms are signaled as clear, Lu Han straightens his shoulders and clears his throat.
“Split off and search every crevice in this place,” he orders with a stern voice once. “Yifan and I will look for hidden locations - Báimǎ is known for their elaborate schemes meant to distract and confuse their enemies, and their headquarters should be no different.”
There is a resounding Yes, sir before a stampede of feet can be heard running throughout the large and unnervingly empty building. When they are alone, Yifan and Lu Han face each other, weapons lowered, and neither of them knows what to say.
“I’m sorry, Yifan,” Lu Han ends up whispering. “I’m sorry it had to turn out this way.”
“It’s not your fault,” Yifan urges, and he means it - Lu Han, deep down, has just as much passion for justice as Yifan, and Yifan does not regret having him as a partner. Besides, there was no way for Lu Han to know this would spiral into a three way catastrophe - he didn’t know Yixing back when Yifan stepped into Tinker Bell for the first time, Yixing didn’t know Lu Han when Yifan told him about his new partner when he first joined the force, and neither Yifan nor Lu Han knew the café was one of Báimǎ’s fronts to begin with.
But as undesirable as it is, this is how their lives turned out and now they have to deal with it. Lu Han moves first, turning towards the door to the main hall with solemn steps, and Yifan reluctantly follows. They walk in silence, and no one is around them so they do not act like they are in any hurry. Finally, Lu Han stops in front of what looks to be a normal wall, but Yifan recognizes it as the entrance to the underground maze he was lead through when he was brought here. He looks at Lu Han questioningly.
“He promised you he would not run,” Lu Han says softly, and Yifan’s heart lurches.
He had hoped Yixing would hide away until this was all over and come out when there was no longer a price on his head because as much as Yifan is obsessed with this case, he’s one hundred times more obsessed with Yixing but of course Yixing wouldn’t do that. Yixing’s entire being is all about fairness and people owning up to what they do and he himself is no exception.
“Come on, quickly,” Lu Han hisses when footsteps begin to become audible. He presses a button hidden on the underside of a table with a potted plant on it and pulls Yifan through the secret door. Yifan’s legs feel like jelly.
They walk quickly this time through corridor after musty corridor but they do not stop at one of the many rooms, of which Yifan never learns their purpose. Instead, Lu Han makes a sharp right and then it’s one long hall for what seems like hours followed by a flight of stairs. They reach a trap door above them at the top and push it open and Yifan inhales deeply at the long-missed fresh air. They are in a forest now, the one on the outskirts of Báimǎ’s assumed territorial border, hidden in a thick bunch of trees.
They stretch briefly once they’re on land and Yifan looks around - it’s a very peaceful place, ironic since they are in the middle of a manhunt for someone the police think is dangerously unstable. Lu Han nudges him out of his stupor and points forward.
“There’s a clearing ahead,” he says. “A place to say goodbye away from all this chaos.”
Yifan puts his gun away - he won’t need it - and faces Lu Han. He pulls the man into a strong hug and Lu Han lets his tough façade falter just this once to grip Yifan’s back because they both know, depending how this investigation goes, Lu Han could end up right next to Yixing in a jail cell - or worse.
They don’t speak when they part, only nod, and Yifan climbs over rocks and roots until he emerges into a large grassy field, small patches of yellow dandelions dispersed all around it, and in the middle crouching near a family of wild rabbits is Yixing and he looks so serene and radiant that Yifan almost believes this whole ordeal has been a nightmare and he’s just woken up to his true fantasy.
Yifan approaches Yixing silently and Yixing doesn’t notice Yifan until his shadow scares the bunnies away. He looks up and throws himself into Yifan’s arms and Yifan has never held someone so close.
“Why are you here?” Yifan asks into Yixing’s hair, and he’s not at all surprised at how choked his voice sounds. “Why didn’t you go like the rest of your men?”
“You won, Yifan.”
Yifan shakes his head and gently grips Yixing’s cheeks with his hands. “No, I didn’t.”
“You did,” Yixing insists, moving his head and peppering Yifan’s palm with pecks. “Now hush, Lu Han will be bringing reinforcements soon and we have not kissed nearly enough.”
Yifan does kiss Yixing - kisses him a lot - but he doesn’t hush. “I love you,” he murmurs, “no matter what. No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait for you.”
Yixing runs his hands down from the back of Yifan’s neck to his chest. “-you too,” he breathes, and Yifan grips him tighter.
They don’t break apart until they can hear ruffling of leaves and crushing of weak roots, and Yixing sneaks in one last kiss to the cheek before the rest of the squad that accompanied Yifan and Lu Han that day burst into the clearing, and Yifan feels sick when they all point their guns at Yixing.
“That’s not necessary,” Yifan announces. “He has agreed to come quietly. Lu Han, help me escort him back.”
Lu Han jogs over and whispers some words to Yixing that Yifan can’t catch as he slips handcuffs onto Yixing’s wrists, but whatever it is it makes Yixing smile. Lu Han is the one to grip Yixing’s arm as they all walk back to the squad cars, and Yifan is glad for that - he wouldn’t be able to handle taking Yixing away.
Junmyeon is waiting for them at the cars, along with some other official-looking people in suits and a powerful prosecutor Yifan has seen many times before.
“Well done, boys,” Junmyeon congratulates as Yifan and Lu Han near him. He glances down at Yixing for a second before turning his focus back on his detectives. “I have no words to describe how amazing you both have been - this case was seen as impossible and you still managed to crack it, and for that you have my and the country’s gratitude.”
They bow at their superior and say their thanks, but neither feels very accomplished. Yixing is shoved roughly into a car and Yifan almost shoots the officer’s head off but Lu Han puts a restraining hand on his arm. Lights and sirens begin to flare up and Yifan and Yixing manage to make eye contact again before Yixing’s car speeds away, both lead and tailed by more cars for safety.
“The department is heading out for a drink to celebrate,” Junmyeon says, clapping a hand each on Yifan and Lu Han’s shoulders. “You should join us - after all, you are the stars of the party.”
“Thank you,” Lu Han says for the both of them, “we will. But, if you don’t mind, we’d like to take a moment to catch our breaths.”
Junmyeon smiles. “Of course. I can’t imagine what you two have been through on this case.”
You have no idea.
Yifan rubs at his forehead once Junmyeon walks away and lets out a shaky sigh.
“What a day,” Lu Han mutters. He rolls his neck and stares down at the gravel lined street. “I have never felt like putting away a criminal is the wrong decision,” he says slowly, “but knowing that having Yixing off the streets is more dangerous than allowing Báimǎ to run free makes me so uneasy I feel sick.”
Yifan grips one of Lu Han’s shoulders comfortingly but looks away - he doesn’t want to think about what will happen to Yixing. However, when he notices Junmyeon slip a wad of cash to the prosecutor who will no doubt be trying Yixing, Yifan shakes his head in amusement and disbelief and pushes Lu Han to their car with a small smile ghosting across his face.
Guess I won’t be waiting that long.