Blood On Angel's Wings Part 1
Title: Blood On Angel's Wings Part 1
Pairing: Minho/Jonghyun
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Dark fic! There’s non-con, violence, kidnapping, abuse, wounds, blood, character death, and some physical humiliation.
Summary: Minho doesn't want Jonghyun to be tainted by the world, but can he stop himself from being the one to taint what he views as perfection?
Word Count: 6,403
Notes: The dark genre for my SHINee Genre Challenge, as requested by the_night_thief. When you said Ring Ding Dong or Lucifer, I was very taken with the idea of incorporating RDD, since I love that era. I hope it's okay how I used it, both in time setting and in theme. And I am so sorry ;__; This is what happens when I let my inspiration run away with me. By far the longest and darkest fic I've ever written. I had to make it two parts! That's a first for me. I hope you don't hate it. And if you do, please forgive me and forget that this ever existed. *curls up into a ball and cries*
His eyes trailed over the singer's body, the pure untainted, beautiful being in front of him. He was totally vulnerable, lying unconscious, and completely unaware of the transformation he was about to go through. Jonghyun had no idea that he was about to ascend to a place that would allow his perfection to shine, and that Minho was the one who was going to give him that ability. Minho would be his wings, because the rest of the world was too greedy. They wanted him for themselves, when they didn't realize he belonged above them all. Minho was the only one who truly knew.
~(o)~
"Minho," Jonghyun's soft voice suddenly spoke into the silence of the room. Minho only made a slight noise to acknowledge that the older member had his attention, even though inside he was completely focused on the other man. "Do you ever wish you could be like you used to? Remember when we could just walk around and no one gave a shit about us as long as we weren't getting in their way?"
"Yeah, I guess. Why?" Minho felt his curiosity spike because of the type of conversation. Was Jonghyun unhappy?
"I mean. I guess sometimes I just miss the freedom, but," with a smile he shook his blonde head and looked over at Minho through the dim light of their room. "I wouldn't give this up. It's my dream to be a singer, and it feels so good to finally have people recognize me. I love it. I guess it's just sort of like you have to give up one for the other. You can't have the best of both worlds. You can't have everything you dream of."
As Jonghyun spoke, Minho saw the faraway look in his eyes that made him wonder what all he was thinking of having to give up. Minho knew all too well about that, about giving one thing up for another. He knew there were a lot of things he couldn't do, a lot of things he wished he could have that were impossibly out of reach now.
~(o)~
As time went on, it only seemed to get worse. Ring Ding Dong was doing well. They ended up winning several awards, on of them at music bank, something that almost made Jonghyun cry again, like the time they won for Juliette. Minho had felt everything inside him freeze with happiness as he held Jonghyun in his arms, comforting the man that was so happy that his emotions overtook him. Moments like those were just reaffirmations to the fact that Jonghyun was like an angel, so pure and perfect. It was so apparent to Minho that it almost blinded him, but then like everyone else, he was just human in the end. His humanly desires couldn't be completely quelled and being able to see from both sides is what allowed him to see the evil in others.
And he saw it all the time. It wasn't even just the world at large, but people close to them as well. Minho could see it in their eyes. They wanted to corrupt Jonghyun, wanted to change him. They wanted to suck him dry all for their own personal gain, and then he would become like them, lifeless souls trying to feed off of the life of other people. Humans were constantly searching for that one bright star they can try to use up completely to make them feel alive. It wasn't just the managers, the company, the fans, the critics, but also the other idols and even the other members in the band.
Minho saw it on a daily basis. The other members were always all over Jonghyun, and it really pissed him off. Despite his feelings, he would always keep it inside, locked deep away where no one could have even guessed how he truly felt. It was the way he had always been, always hiding what was real, always doing what was acceptable to everyone else, but now he wanted to do what was right. He just, didn't know what that was yet. All he knew was that he wanted to save Jonghyun, save him from everyone else, and save him from Minho himself.
Out of the band, Key was probably the worst, the most corrupt out of all of them. He was very forward, and Minho wasn't sure whether he would lead Jonghyun into corruption via a slutty woman or himself, which to Minho seemed quite similar. Key was always talking about the hot bitches he knew, talking about how he could hook all the members up if he wanted to. Luckily, he never really followed through or set up any actual plans.
Taemin was just inappropriate. Minho couldn't count the times he'd come into the living room to see the maknae sitting on Jonghyun as much as he was on the couch. They would play and pet like children, which would have been fine if Minho wasn't absolutely certain he'd seen the younger member's eyes glaze over with lust as he gazed at the singer while he was too busy staring at the television screen to notice. Minho would notice, but it would be gone as fast as it came, like the devil's glint in his eyes. It was as if he was possessed, and Minho thought that would be a good way to describe humans. Possessed with greed and lust.
Onew didn't openly talk about sex like Key, or touch the singer intimately like Taemin, but Onew was probably the one with the most lewd glances. It could have easily been passed off as him staring off into space if Minho didn't know better. How often could one stare off right in the direction of someone else's nether regions? He didn't like it one bit.
All of this made Minho glad when Jonghyun and him ended up sharing a room. He liked getting the singer away from the other guys, but at the same time he knew that he was barely better. He was only better in the way that he wasn't blinded by his human desires. He could see past them, see what Jonghyun truly was. How special he was, and how he needed to be protected from everyone else, was something only Minho could see.
It was late one night when Minho was laying in bed thinking about how twisted life was, how it would be nearly impossible to fix everyone, when he heard a noise that about made his heart stop. They'd both been quiet for about half an hour now, so Minho had only assumed Jonghyun was asleep. But he quickly realized the other man wasn't when he heard his breathing grow from non-audible to heavy and labored, but still quiet. Jonghyun obviously thought he was asleep, and was trying to be quiet. Minho wasn't sure if he even realized he could be heard. Every now and then a soft whine would mix in with the heavy breaths and Minho could hear the sound of skin on skin as his precum made the slick skin smack lightly. Every noise and every movement made blood rush right to Minho's cock. He lay completely still as he stared up at the ceiling, his ears straining for more without his consent, his cock getting harder and harder. He could feel his penis straining against his boxers, rock hard and aching, as Jonghyun's labored pants got more needy. As soon as Jonghyun reached his climax Minho knew, hearing the strain in his breath and then the immediate silence after. The only other noise he could pick up on was the rustling of sheets and then the bed creaking as Jonghyun turned over.
The desire to reach down and touch himself was so difficult to ignore, but the desire to go over and make the lead singer his was even worse. It made Minho feel ashamed and dirty. How could he feel that way? How could he want to do something so terrible to the other man? Why couldn't he rise above the weak desire to defile and ruin something so beautiful? It wasn't right. If he felt that way, he could only imagine what other people who didn't realize their faults were thinking. It wasn't right. He had to do something. He had to protect Jonghyun.
~(o)~
Ring Ding Dong was doing so well that the guys all came to the conclusive decision to celebrate. Because Taemin was still so underage, they kept it in the dorm. Onew snuck the liquor in because he didn't want anyone else to take the heat if they were to get caught. He was a good leader, or at least he pretended to be. Minho could only think about the way his gut twisted at the possibility that one, or all of them, was thinking about getting Jonghyun drunk and taking advantage of him. He could see it in their eyes and in the way they would laugh or casually touch him. Jonghyun didn't seem to notice at all, something that made Minho feel even more like he was entirely different from normal humans.
In order to keep himself from getting sick with worrying, Minho kept telling himself over and over that he just had to make it through tonight. If he could just protect him that long, then everything would be okay. After that, things were going to change. Minho was going to take care of everything. He had a purpose, and he realized that now. Tonight was going to be the first step in fulfilling that purpose. He would show the world that they were wrong, and then they would know that they shouldn't try and steal Jonghyun.
~(o)~
The party was going really well except for the fact that Minho wasn't drinking that much, and therefore not getting as drunk as the others. Although pretty soon they were all so drunk that they barely even complained about it anymore. Every now and then Key would make a snide remark about him acting like a pussy. Jonghyun felt bad, so he ended up paying extra attention to the younger man.
"Minho," he crooned, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. He felt the way Minho tensed just slightly, and it made Jonghyun wonder how bad his alcohol breath was. He tilted his head and breathed against his hand before realizing what he was doing. "It's okay. You don't have to worry," he added softly, making sure his face wasn't too close to Minho's, in case it was the smell. He couldn't even tell anymore.
Jonghyun could feel Minho's eyes dig into him and he looked over and smiled. "Just ignore Key," he added a little bit louder, getting the other rapper's attention.
"Yah!" Key shouted from several feet away, where he was seated on the floor pouring himself another shot. "No ignore Key!"
Giggling slightly, Jonghyun rested his head against Minho's shoulder, feeling a wave of exhaustion pass through him. Drinking on top of being tired maybe wasn't the best idea, but the guys wanted to have fun together. It was important. Or else, he was pretty sure they would all go crazy. Or kill each other. Either way it didn't sound good.
Looking over, Jonghyun saw Onew attempting to take the bottle away from Key. He laughed a little under his breath before feeling his mind cloud as he found an incredibly interesting spot on the far wall. He tilted his head to the side, enjoying the way it felt kind of like he was moving in slow motion. It made him feel inspired, so he suddenly jumped, or more like stumbled up from the couch and took a few steps until he was in the middle of the room.
A wild grin appeared on his lips as he started bending backwards and moving his body around. "What am I?"
"An idiot!" Key shouted before laughing in what sounded more like a hyena’s cackle.
Shooting up so quick he almost fell forward, Jonghyun pouted. "No!"
"Oh, I know," Taemin said as he stumbled over to join him, also bending over and rotating his body. "Matrix," he said as he pressed his fingers to his chin and spoke in a faux serious voice.
"Oh! It looks better when Taemin does it," Key taunted with a smirk. "Jonghyun just looked like a drunk man with a broken back."
Pouting even more, Jonghyun collapsed on his butt. When he was drunk, the floor generally seemed more comfortable than any chair, sofa, or bed. Beds usually felt pretty good too, but only if he was the one who got into it. If someone was trying to force him to go to sleep, he always hated it and fought back, which usually ended with him sliding off into the floor. There he would defiantly spend the entire night. The next morning he always realized what an idiot he'd been, but by then it was too late.
Suddenly, Taemin was rushing from the room and everyone looked after him in surprise. They heard the bathroom door slam open and then the unmistakable sound of the maknae getting sick. "He's still young," Key said almost wistfully, and Jonghyun looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"You shouldn't have given him that last shot," Jonghyun heard his thoughts mirrored in Minho's words, and he looked over to smile at the younger man, although he wasn't sure if his thoughts could be conveyed simply through that. He was too easily distracted in his current state to follow through with agreeing vocally though, and Key was distracting him by crawling over to sit beside him. He pressed a hand against the opposite side of Jonghyun's face and pulled him closer to whisper in his ear.
A slow smile spread across Jonghyun's lips at Key's suggestion. He let his eyes slip shut as Key spoke. His lips and breath felt good ghosting over his ear. He was too drunk to care who it was doing it. Turning his head slightly after a second, Jonghyun smirked at Key. "No, I think you've had enough."
Frowning and pouting cutely, Key slid back over to Onew to try and convince him to return the bottle. Jonghyun shook his head at Minho, the only one who was still really paying attention to him. The younger man smiled and walked over to him, leaning down and lightly patting his blonde head. Jonghyun smiled and leaned into the touch without really thinking about it. Minho's hand stayed there for a moment before suddenly pulling away, making Jonghyun almost topple over in an unconscious attempt to follow it.
"I'll be right back," Minho said softly, and Jonghyun watched him walk out of the room. He shrugged and pulled his feet closer to himself, wrapping his hands around his toes and letting his knees fall as close to the floor as they would go. He watched Key and Onew struggle with each other. Then Minho was coming back, and he pressed a cool glass into Jonghyun's hand. "Here, drink some water."
Jonghyun frowned at it. "I don't want water. I want some more vodka," he said with a sloppy grin.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Key shouted, pointing at him.
"Just drink some," Minho commanded over Key's exclamation.
Lips curving down into a look of distaste, because there was no way water would be as good as alcohol, Jonghyun tried to down it. It was better than fussing with Minho until one of them got upset. He was almost surprised at how good and refreshing it tasted, but then he realized he shouldn't be because it was water and alcohol always dehydrated the body.
"You'll make yourself sick, drinking that fast," Minho admonished, taking the glass away. Jonghyun wiped a bit of water from his chin and grinned cheekily.
A sudden shriek from the other side of the room caught his attention, and Jonghyun looked over to see Key stand and stumble happily toward him with the alcohol in hand. Minho quietly moved away, muttering something about checking on Taemin.
Onew scooted over much slower to join them with three of the shot glasses. No one knew which originally belonged to whom, but no one actually cared at this point. Key poured liberal shots into each one. "Last shot to hold us over until next time!" he proclaimed loudly, holding the glass in the air. Jonghyun raised his too and smiled before downing the shot. His mouth opened, tongue jutted out as he fought the desire to wheeze over it. Onew took over for him, making a loud noise of distaste. Key sighed wistfully before falling on his back. Jonghyun crawled over next to him, his head spinning oddly.
"I think I got too drunk," he said, although the words slurred, making him not sure anyone could understand.
"What did you say," Key asked, turning his head to look at him. "You better not be about to get sick on me." Key shoved him somewhat half-heartedly, and Jonghyun giggled as he fell over onto his back. His head hit the floor, but he found himself just laughing about it.
The world felt like it was spinning faster and faster, or maybe it was him who was spinning. Why hadn't anyone stopped him yet? Why was he spinning so fast? After a few minutes, he could hear the other guy's voices, but he couldn't bring himself to really focus enough to open his eyes and look at them.
"What's wrong with him?" he heard Onew's voice ask.
"Too drunk," came Key's response.
"He doesn't look too good. We shouldn't have taken that last shot."
"Oh god. Just send him to bed. He'll be fine. It's not like no one's ever gotten pass-out drunk before."
Jonghyun wanted to shove Key and tell him he wasn't that drunk, and he definitely hadn't passed out, but he couldn't muster the will power. Instead he just groaned loudly and turned over on his side.
"I'll take him," he heard Minho's voice, meaning he was back in the room, and Taemin was probably already in bed. He could feel two arms wrap around his waist, hoisting him up. Jonghyun tried to stand, but it was difficult to get his balance.
"I want to go home," he found himself mumbling, suddenly feeling really bad and kind of paranoid. Why did he feel so weird?
"You are home," Minho said softly into his ear. It sounded soothing, but Jonghyun didn't really trust it completely.
"Where am I?" he questioned, trying to look around, but everything was swimming in front of him.
"The dorm."
"Yeah, I want to go to bed," he groaned, feeling like his body was giving out on him. "I don't feel good, Minho."
"Don't worry. It'll wear off. You'll feel better in the morning."
Jonghyun almost felt like telling the younger man not to treat him like a baby, but he felt so weird and scared that all he could do was try to find comfort in the reassurances. Over and over his mind played the same thought, 'Why doesn't this feel like any other time I've been drunk?'
~(o)~
It was almost too easy. Minho felt incredibly skeptical of just how easy it had been as he drove the car toward his cousin's cabin. He felt like at any moment someone would pull him over and take him in, like they would be able to see straight into his mind and everything would crumble at his feet. He couldn't risk getting caught, not when it was so important. Everything would be fine as long as no one pulled him over. No one would notice they were gone until the next morning. Even after they noticed, they probably wouldn’t really worry until later on in the day. Plus, no one knew where he was going. No one knew he had this car. No one would know what he had planned. And by the time they'd be able to find him, it would be too late for them to interfere. He would complete his mission, what destiny had ordained for the both of them. Smiling as he looked into the rearview mirror to see Jonghyun's unconscious form slumped over in the seat, Minho thought he was finally doing something right.
Luckily, Minho's family had used the cabin once before, so he knew where the spare key was hidden. It wasn't by the door because that would just be careless. After two hours of driving nonstop, Minho stepped out of the car and headed around to the back of the cabin. Several feet away from the back side of the building was a birdhouse. Minho had to play with it for a while to unhook the plank on the front, but once it was off he reached his hand in under the floor of the house. The key was there just like it should have been, and Minho breathed a sigh of relief.
Heading back to the front, Minho unlocked the door and stepped in. It would take a while to unload all of the supplies, but first he wanted to make sure Jonghyun was inside and secure. He couldn't risk him getting away, not now that he was so close.
Minho felt like his nerves were on fire as he lifted the blonde and carried him gently into the cabin, careful not to hurt a hair on his head. The cabin was far enough away from other people that he didn't feel hesitant to turn on the lights, and he wasn’t worried about making noises. Jonghyun was still completely out as Minho laid him down on the cabin's sofa. The place would need some rearranging, but he had plenty of time, because Jonghyun shouldn't come around for a couple more hours. Still, he planned to keep a close eye on him.
Several hours later, everything was slowly coming together. Minho had driven the car behind the cabin, instead of leaving it in front. It was just a precaution, even though Minho doubted anyone would be coming by there. It was almost the furthest away from the city, compared to other cabins in the area. The road hit a dead end not too far from there. Someone wandering back there lost was more likely than someone coming there on purpose, and a lost person wasn't likely to recognize that his presence was out of place. Still, he didn't want anyone to come knocking for directions or anything like that.
A deep groaning sound was Minho's first warning that Jonghyun was coming to. He walked over to the other man and lifted his head, offering him some water. "Where'm I?" he slurred, everything about him unsteady as the drugs Minho had given him still affected his functioning.
"You’re home," Minho answered simply, pretty sure he could fool the singer into thinking he was just delusional.
"Dun loo' lik' home," he added, his head swiveling around as he tried to take in his surroundings. His eyes then shut tightly as if he were trying to fight the fog in his mind. "Somethin wrong Minhoo," he almost whimpered, his fear showing easily. It made Mihno's chest clench, but he fought off the feelings. He couldn't let them get in the way.
"You're right. Don't worry though. I'm going to make it better," Minho said softly. Jonghyun didn't show much of a response, his eyes still closed tightly. Minho moved back and reached out for the needle he had readied for this moment. This was when it would all begin.
It wasn't until he pressed the tip of the needle into Jonghyun's arm that the blonde's eyes opened back up. "Whaa," he started as his eyes moved down to it. "Whash that?"
Minho shook his head softly and held Jonghyun's arm still with his other hand while he pushed the liquid into his veins, the liquid that would numb him and make the process easier for both of them. "Remember that award we just won. Man, the fans were screaming so loud," Minho said with a smile, wanting Jonghyun to have pleasant dreams. The small smile on Jonghyun's face as he nodded and went under was enough to make Minho feel a little bit better about what he'd done, what he was going to do.
The sewing was a long and arduous process, especially since Minho wanted to cause as little damage to Jonghyun as he could get away with. It was easy enough, making the holes. He had done extensive research on back piercings, and based his design on such. The skin gave way to the sharp tools so easily that it left Minho in awe. He had to pull the flexible wires through almost immediately to make sure the holes didn't close at all. There was blood, enough of it to make Minho feel worried. He couldn't go back now though. All he could do was trudge forward, and he knew he could do it. It was his destiny.
~(o)~
As soon as his eyes started to crack open, Jonghyun felt the indescribable pain in his back. It kind of felt like someone had stuck a hundred knives in him and left them there. He groaned in confusion and tried to move, but he couldn't move much more than a centimeter before it pulled against the restraints. His eyes opened much quicker then, a panic rushing through him. He pulled against the restraints again, looking over to see one arm and then the other were both bound to two tight chains, one that ran to the floor bellow him and one to the ceiling. It made it impossible to move more than a tiny bit in any direction.
Luckily they weren't in an uncomfortable position, hanging down by his sides. His feet were similarly bound, a chain running from each to the wall, but they were hovering just above the ground. A heavy strap ran around his middle, holding him upright, and just above the floor. Other than that, there was nothing. He was naked, something that would have made him squirm uncomfortably if he weren't scared out of his mind. It was confusing, but what he couldn't see was what scared him the most. Whatever was behind him was digging into his back, and even just the slightest movement would pull against it, making him feel like his skin was going to tear.
A frustrated scream left his mouth as he craned his neck. But all he could see were two, white wings stretching up to the ceiling, and he couldn't tell whether or not they were a part of all this or if they were against the wall. That was until he tried to move again. Just the simple turning of his torso made them sway and pull against the skin of his back. He gasped and cried out, the pain making his eyes water. He stilled and his head fell slightly, feeling both helpless and confused as to how he got there and why.
Then he heard a familiar voice call his name. "Jonghyun," he looked up with hope when he heard the younger man. His eyes only watered more when he saw Minho walking toward him.
"Minho, quick. Get me out of here. I don't know what's…" he was interrupted when Minho placed a finger against his lips. Jonghyun stared at him, digesting the weird look in his eyes, the odd tilt to his lips that was almost a smile.
"I can't do that, Jonghyun. If only you could see how beautiful you look. I'll show you once I've developed the pictures."
Jonghyun felt his mouth fall open, his eyes widening as he stared at Minho in disbelief. The pain in his back was a constant, desperate reminder of how serious this was. There was no way this was a joke. "Minho," he gasped. "Minho, let me the fuck down now!" he could feel the panic seep into every part of his being as he started thrashing in the chains as much as he could, trying to shake them loose, anything. "Let me go! You stupid fuck. What is this? Let me go now! You can't do this! What the fuck is wrong with you?" he didn't really even know what was slipping out of his mouth anymore as he fought desperately to get himself out.
"Stop," Minho said quietly, and then more loudly and seriously. "Stop! You'll hurt yourself. You'll rip it!"
As if on cue, Jonghyun felt a sharp pain and the sickening sound of skin tearing. He gasped and stilled, feeling warm liquid drip down his back, what he instinctively knew was his own blood. That's when his attitude changed. Tears started to run down his face almost as soon as the blood started dripping to the floor. "Minho, please. Please let me go. It hurts. I'll do anything.” after a particularly hard sob, he continued, “Why? How could you do this to me? Please just let me go. We can work whatever it is out. Please!"
Minho was moving behind him and Jonghyun felt his fingers press against his skin where the rip was. Jonghyun hissed and tensed under the touch. "It hurts!" he shouted, trying to pull away from the touch, but that only pulled against the wings and made it worse.
"Stop moving or I'll knock you out again," Minho commanded and Jonghyun tried to comply, the only new movements were the deep sobs wracking his chest, which were bad enough on their own. He bowed his head and shuddered.
"Why? Why?" he questioned over and over, his mind unable to fully grasp what was happening. It felt like a nightmare. It had to be a nightmare. Minho would never do this to him. They were friends. It didn't make sense.
It hurt. It hurt so badly, and he felt his insides squirm uncomfortably when he felt the blood drip down between his toes to the floor. Minho stepped away from him, shaking his head. "I'll have to stitch that up," he said quietly, although Jonghyun heard every word.
"Take me to a hospital. It'll get infected. I'll die. Minho!" he shouted at the man's retreating back. "Fuck," he cursed as Minho left the room, letting his head fall forward onto his chest. It hurt so badly and he had no idea what was going to happen to him. Hot tears ran down his face as he tried to figure out what he'd done to make Minho think he deserved this.
~(o)~
By the time Minho got back to Jonghyun with the necessary equipment to stitch him back up, the blonde had stopped crying, but there were still tear tracks on his cheeks. As Minho got closer, he looked up hopefully. "Minho, please," he started again. "Please. I won't tell anyone it was you. I'll say I don't know where I was. That he wore a mask. No one has to know."
Minho shook his head, stepping up to his side. “That’s not the point, hyung,” he said softly. Reaching out, he pressed the skin together and moved the needle to pull the string through. Jonghyun screamed and stiffened all over. "Remember, you move, and your back is going to tear off."
The singer started crying again at that, his body stiff as he tried to fight the urge to thrash against the pain. He didn't doubt Minho. How could he with the weight of the wings pulling the skin? It was beautiful. So perfect that it almost made Minho tear up looking at it, but he didn't. He focused on his work because it wasn't over. Jonghyun sobbed loudly as he pulled the needle through his skin.
"Why?" he asked again softly, making Minho's heart clench a little.
"Poor Jonghyun," he whispered gently, moving to run his fingers down the side of the singer's face. Jonghyun flinched away and stared at him in confusion, pain etched onto every corner of his face. "You don't understand, but it's okay. It's because of them that you can't see it."
"Them?" Jonghyun asked weakly.
"Yes, them. Everyone else!" Minho gestured wildly, as if they were all standing behind him waiting. Jonghyun looked past him and shook his head.
"I don't understand. Why did you do this to me? Are you sick or something?"
"Yes. That's precisely it. Humans are sick. I'm the only one who can see this. But you! You're different. You're the one that's going to show them that they're wrong. You're so pure, untainted. Once they see you like this, they'll know. They'll know."
Jonghyun's eyes were wide as they stared straight at him. Minho smiled because it would take longer than that to convince him. If he showed him the pictures then he’d see it. Yes, then he'd know.
"Hold on. Let me finish up here and then I'll get the camera, and I can finish the pictures."
Minho wasn't sure at what point, but when he stepped away from Jonghyun after finishing tying off the thick thread, he saw that he'd slipped back out of consciousness. He wasn't surprised, with the pain and shock. Of course it would be a lot to handle, but he didn't need him conscious just yet. Not just yet.
Moving away again, Minho put the tools away and moved to get his camera. Just a few more pictures, and then he could complete his mission. He would show the world perfection in its true form. Then they would know that they should have never wanted to touch him. They would never be able to.
~(o)~
The next time Jonghyun woke up, Minho gave him some water. He didn't know whether to be thankful or wary of being drugged again, but his throat was so dry that he couldn't resist the offer very long. It was just another thing that hurt.
After he put the water away, Minho seemed to get excited, rushing over with the camera. He started snapping pictures while going on about enlightening everyone. Jonghyun was by this point certain that the other man had lost his mind, something he felt rather close to himself. Jonghyun tuned him out as he let his head hang, staring at the floor until he felt a sharp tug on his head.
"Are you listening? I need you to help me out here!" Minho's eyes were dark and scary looking as his fist stayed knotted in his hair. Jonghyun felt his stomach twist with nausea. "Follow my directions and this will be over sooner." Jonghyun wasn't sure he wanted it to be over. He wasn't sure what would come once it was over. But there was hope, and hope made him think that this person who he'd thought was his friend might let him go. Maybe he was crazy enough to do this and then let him go. So, when Minho told his to look this way or that, he slowly complied. Minho seemed to get more and more excited with each picture, rattling on about showing everyone the real Jonghyun. The singer could only fathom why he had somehow become the central character in Minho's delusions, and he had plenty of time to think about it. Once Minho stopped taking pictures, he moved away. He rarely came back to stand close to Jonghyun, but the singer could hear him talking from the other side of the room. However, it was just the same crazy talk, the same declarations over and over.
"Minho," he pleaded finally, after watching the rapper sitting at the table by his laptop for a while, going through what Jonghyun could only assume were digital copies of the pictures he'd taken. The younger man looked up at him and he continued, "I have to piss."
Minho nodded before standing up and moving closer to him. A flash of hope spread through Jonghyun, but it was quickly quelled when he saw the rapper pick up a bucket. "Oh, hell no," he murmured, his eyes stinging, but somehow the tears had stopped coming. After a while, Jonghyun consented to using the bucket. He couldn't hold it forever. He felt dirty and stupid. It was embarrassing, and he felt a cold hate spread through him for the other man for doing this to him. It wasn't Minho. It was a monster.
As time passed, Jonghyun slipped in and out of consciousness. His body had felt weak to begin with, but it only seemed to get worse and worse. Minho wasn't feeding him, but Jonghyun wasn't sure he even wanted to eat. He hated the thought of having to shit in a bucket. There was no way he would do that before he was dead. At least, that's what he told himself over and over. Minho was busy at his computer most of the time, but every time he walked over, Jonghyun would wake up and start to plead again. When he did it he could see the pained look on Minho's face, and it only urged him on because he thought just maybe he could get through to him.
At one point, Jonghyun woke up and felt an odd sensation in his back. He shifted and barked at the pain. "Minho! I think it's infected! Minho!" He yelled until the other man entered from one of the other rooms.
Minho tilted his head curiously and walked over to inspect. "It's just bruising," he said in a low voice.
"It hurts so bad, Minho." Jonghyun felt his eyes water again, but not much more than to cause one tear to fall. "Please. I'm going to die if you leave me up here. Aren't we friends, Minho? Don't you care about me? I'll die. I don't want to die." The last statement came out as more of a whimper, and Jonghyun bit his lower lip to try and keep it from trembling.
Minho stared at him for a long time as Jonghyun sobbed and begged for his help, the only one who could help him, the one who had done this to him. After several minutes, Minho turned and left the room again. Jonghyun continued to beg, even after he was gone. He begged until his throat hurt too much to speak anymore. Eventually, he willed himself back into unconsciousness, certain that he was going to die at some point. He would never go home.
Part Two
Pairing: Minho/Jonghyun
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Dark fic! There’s non-con, violence, kidnapping, abuse, wounds, blood, character death, and some physical humiliation.
Summary: Minho doesn't want Jonghyun to be tainted by the world, but can he stop himself from being the one to taint what he views as perfection?
Word Count: 6,403
Notes: The dark genre for my SHINee Genre Challenge, as requested by the_night_thief. When you said Ring Ding Dong or Lucifer, I was very taken with the idea of incorporating RDD, since I love that era. I hope it's okay how I used it, both in time setting and in theme. And I am so sorry ;__; This is what happens when I let my inspiration run away with me. By far the longest and darkest fic I've ever written. I had to make it two parts! That's a first for me. I hope you don't hate it. And if you do, please forgive me and forget that this ever existed. *curls up into a ball and cries*
His eyes trailed over the singer's body, the pure untainted, beautiful being in front of him. He was totally vulnerable, lying unconscious, and completely unaware of the transformation he was about to go through. Jonghyun had no idea that he was about to ascend to a place that would allow his perfection to shine, and that Minho was the one who was going to give him that ability. Minho would be his wings, because the rest of the world was too greedy. They wanted him for themselves, when they didn't realize he belonged above them all. Minho was the only one who truly knew.
~(o)~
"Minho," Jonghyun's soft voice suddenly spoke into the silence of the room. Minho only made a slight noise to acknowledge that the older member had his attention, even though inside he was completely focused on the other man. "Do you ever wish you could be like you used to? Remember when we could just walk around and no one gave a shit about us as long as we weren't getting in their way?"
"Yeah, I guess. Why?" Minho felt his curiosity spike because of the type of conversation. Was Jonghyun unhappy?
"I mean. I guess sometimes I just miss the freedom, but," with a smile he shook his blonde head and looked over at Minho through the dim light of their room. "I wouldn't give this up. It's my dream to be a singer, and it feels so good to finally have people recognize me. I love it. I guess it's just sort of like you have to give up one for the other. You can't have the best of both worlds. You can't have everything you dream of."
As Jonghyun spoke, Minho saw the faraway look in his eyes that made him wonder what all he was thinking of having to give up. Minho knew all too well about that, about giving one thing up for another. He knew there were a lot of things he couldn't do, a lot of things he wished he could have that were impossibly out of reach now.
~(o)~
As time went on, it only seemed to get worse. Ring Ding Dong was doing well. They ended up winning several awards, on of them at music bank, something that almost made Jonghyun cry again, like the time they won for Juliette. Minho had felt everything inside him freeze with happiness as he held Jonghyun in his arms, comforting the man that was so happy that his emotions overtook him. Moments like those were just reaffirmations to the fact that Jonghyun was like an angel, so pure and perfect. It was so apparent to Minho that it almost blinded him, but then like everyone else, he was just human in the end. His humanly desires couldn't be completely quelled and being able to see from both sides is what allowed him to see the evil in others.
And he saw it all the time. It wasn't even just the world at large, but people close to them as well. Minho could see it in their eyes. They wanted to corrupt Jonghyun, wanted to change him. They wanted to suck him dry all for their own personal gain, and then he would become like them, lifeless souls trying to feed off of the life of other people. Humans were constantly searching for that one bright star they can try to use up completely to make them feel alive. It wasn't just the managers, the company, the fans, the critics, but also the other idols and even the other members in the band.
Minho saw it on a daily basis. The other members were always all over Jonghyun, and it really pissed him off. Despite his feelings, he would always keep it inside, locked deep away where no one could have even guessed how he truly felt. It was the way he had always been, always hiding what was real, always doing what was acceptable to everyone else, but now he wanted to do what was right. He just, didn't know what that was yet. All he knew was that he wanted to save Jonghyun, save him from everyone else, and save him from Minho himself.
Out of the band, Key was probably the worst, the most corrupt out of all of them. He was very forward, and Minho wasn't sure whether he would lead Jonghyun into corruption via a slutty woman or himself, which to Minho seemed quite similar. Key was always talking about the hot bitches he knew, talking about how he could hook all the members up if he wanted to. Luckily, he never really followed through or set up any actual plans.
Taemin was just inappropriate. Minho couldn't count the times he'd come into the living room to see the maknae sitting on Jonghyun as much as he was on the couch. They would play and pet like children, which would have been fine if Minho wasn't absolutely certain he'd seen the younger member's eyes glaze over with lust as he gazed at the singer while he was too busy staring at the television screen to notice. Minho would notice, but it would be gone as fast as it came, like the devil's glint in his eyes. It was as if he was possessed, and Minho thought that would be a good way to describe humans. Possessed with greed and lust.
Onew didn't openly talk about sex like Key, or touch the singer intimately like Taemin, but Onew was probably the one with the most lewd glances. It could have easily been passed off as him staring off into space if Minho didn't know better. How often could one stare off right in the direction of someone else's nether regions? He didn't like it one bit.
All of this made Minho glad when Jonghyun and him ended up sharing a room. He liked getting the singer away from the other guys, but at the same time he knew that he was barely better. He was only better in the way that he wasn't blinded by his human desires. He could see past them, see what Jonghyun truly was. How special he was, and how he needed to be protected from everyone else, was something only Minho could see.
It was late one night when Minho was laying in bed thinking about how twisted life was, how it would be nearly impossible to fix everyone, when he heard a noise that about made his heart stop. They'd both been quiet for about half an hour now, so Minho had only assumed Jonghyun was asleep. But he quickly realized the other man wasn't when he heard his breathing grow from non-audible to heavy and labored, but still quiet. Jonghyun obviously thought he was asleep, and was trying to be quiet. Minho wasn't sure if he even realized he could be heard. Every now and then a soft whine would mix in with the heavy breaths and Minho could hear the sound of skin on skin as his precum made the slick skin smack lightly. Every noise and every movement made blood rush right to Minho's cock. He lay completely still as he stared up at the ceiling, his ears straining for more without his consent, his cock getting harder and harder. He could feel his penis straining against his boxers, rock hard and aching, as Jonghyun's labored pants got more needy. As soon as Jonghyun reached his climax Minho knew, hearing the strain in his breath and then the immediate silence after. The only other noise he could pick up on was the rustling of sheets and then the bed creaking as Jonghyun turned over.
The desire to reach down and touch himself was so difficult to ignore, but the desire to go over and make the lead singer his was even worse. It made Minho feel ashamed and dirty. How could he feel that way? How could he want to do something so terrible to the other man? Why couldn't he rise above the weak desire to defile and ruin something so beautiful? It wasn't right. If he felt that way, he could only imagine what other people who didn't realize their faults were thinking. It wasn't right. He had to do something. He had to protect Jonghyun.
~(o)~
Ring Ding Dong was doing so well that the guys all came to the conclusive decision to celebrate. Because Taemin was still so underage, they kept it in the dorm. Onew snuck the liquor in because he didn't want anyone else to take the heat if they were to get caught. He was a good leader, or at least he pretended to be. Minho could only think about the way his gut twisted at the possibility that one, or all of them, was thinking about getting Jonghyun drunk and taking advantage of him. He could see it in their eyes and in the way they would laugh or casually touch him. Jonghyun didn't seem to notice at all, something that made Minho feel even more like he was entirely different from normal humans.
In order to keep himself from getting sick with worrying, Minho kept telling himself over and over that he just had to make it through tonight. If he could just protect him that long, then everything would be okay. After that, things were going to change. Minho was going to take care of everything. He had a purpose, and he realized that now. Tonight was going to be the first step in fulfilling that purpose. He would show the world that they were wrong, and then they would know that they shouldn't try and steal Jonghyun.
~(o)~
The party was going really well except for the fact that Minho wasn't drinking that much, and therefore not getting as drunk as the others. Although pretty soon they were all so drunk that they barely even complained about it anymore. Every now and then Key would make a snide remark about him acting like a pussy. Jonghyun felt bad, so he ended up paying extra attention to the younger man.
"Minho," he crooned, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. He felt the way Minho tensed just slightly, and it made Jonghyun wonder how bad his alcohol breath was. He tilted his head and breathed against his hand before realizing what he was doing. "It's okay. You don't have to worry," he added softly, making sure his face wasn't too close to Minho's, in case it was the smell. He couldn't even tell anymore.
Jonghyun could feel Minho's eyes dig into him and he looked over and smiled. "Just ignore Key," he added a little bit louder, getting the other rapper's attention.
"Yah!" Key shouted from several feet away, where he was seated on the floor pouring himself another shot. "No ignore Key!"
Giggling slightly, Jonghyun rested his head against Minho's shoulder, feeling a wave of exhaustion pass through him. Drinking on top of being tired maybe wasn't the best idea, but the guys wanted to have fun together. It was important. Or else, he was pretty sure they would all go crazy. Or kill each other. Either way it didn't sound good.
Looking over, Jonghyun saw Onew attempting to take the bottle away from Key. He laughed a little under his breath before feeling his mind cloud as he found an incredibly interesting spot on the far wall. He tilted his head to the side, enjoying the way it felt kind of like he was moving in slow motion. It made him feel inspired, so he suddenly jumped, or more like stumbled up from the couch and took a few steps until he was in the middle of the room.
A wild grin appeared on his lips as he started bending backwards and moving his body around. "What am I?"
"An idiot!" Key shouted before laughing in what sounded more like a hyena’s cackle.
Shooting up so quick he almost fell forward, Jonghyun pouted. "No!"
"Oh, I know," Taemin said as he stumbled over to join him, also bending over and rotating his body. "Matrix," he said as he pressed his fingers to his chin and spoke in a faux serious voice.
"Oh! It looks better when Taemin does it," Key taunted with a smirk. "Jonghyun just looked like a drunk man with a broken back."
Pouting even more, Jonghyun collapsed on his butt. When he was drunk, the floor generally seemed more comfortable than any chair, sofa, or bed. Beds usually felt pretty good too, but only if he was the one who got into it. If someone was trying to force him to go to sleep, he always hated it and fought back, which usually ended with him sliding off into the floor. There he would defiantly spend the entire night. The next morning he always realized what an idiot he'd been, but by then it was too late.
Suddenly, Taemin was rushing from the room and everyone looked after him in surprise. They heard the bathroom door slam open and then the unmistakable sound of the maknae getting sick. "He's still young," Key said almost wistfully, and Jonghyun looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"You shouldn't have given him that last shot," Jonghyun heard his thoughts mirrored in Minho's words, and he looked over to smile at the younger man, although he wasn't sure if his thoughts could be conveyed simply through that. He was too easily distracted in his current state to follow through with agreeing vocally though, and Key was distracting him by crawling over to sit beside him. He pressed a hand against the opposite side of Jonghyun's face and pulled him closer to whisper in his ear.
A slow smile spread across Jonghyun's lips at Key's suggestion. He let his eyes slip shut as Key spoke. His lips and breath felt good ghosting over his ear. He was too drunk to care who it was doing it. Turning his head slightly after a second, Jonghyun smirked at Key. "No, I think you've had enough."
Frowning and pouting cutely, Key slid back over to Onew to try and convince him to return the bottle. Jonghyun shook his head at Minho, the only one who was still really paying attention to him. The younger man smiled and walked over to him, leaning down and lightly patting his blonde head. Jonghyun smiled and leaned into the touch without really thinking about it. Minho's hand stayed there for a moment before suddenly pulling away, making Jonghyun almost topple over in an unconscious attempt to follow it.
"I'll be right back," Minho said softly, and Jonghyun watched him walk out of the room. He shrugged and pulled his feet closer to himself, wrapping his hands around his toes and letting his knees fall as close to the floor as they would go. He watched Key and Onew struggle with each other. Then Minho was coming back, and he pressed a cool glass into Jonghyun's hand. "Here, drink some water."
Jonghyun frowned at it. "I don't want water. I want some more vodka," he said with a sloppy grin.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Key shouted, pointing at him.
"Just drink some," Minho commanded over Key's exclamation.
Lips curving down into a look of distaste, because there was no way water would be as good as alcohol, Jonghyun tried to down it. It was better than fussing with Minho until one of them got upset. He was almost surprised at how good and refreshing it tasted, but then he realized he shouldn't be because it was water and alcohol always dehydrated the body.
"You'll make yourself sick, drinking that fast," Minho admonished, taking the glass away. Jonghyun wiped a bit of water from his chin and grinned cheekily.
A sudden shriek from the other side of the room caught his attention, and Jonghyun looked over to see Key stand and stumble happily toward him with the alcohol in hand. Minho quietly moved away, muttering something about checking on Taemin.
Onew scooted over much slower to join them with three of the shot glasses. No one knew which originally belonged to whom, but no one actually cared at this point. Key poured liberal shots into each one. "Last shot to hold us over until next time!" he proclaimed loudly, holding the glass in the air. Jonghyun raised his too and smiled before downing the shot. His mouth opened, tongue jutted out as he fought the desire to wheeze over it. Onew took over for him, making a loud noise of distaste. Key sighed wistfully before falling on his back. Jonghyun crawled over next to him, his head spinning oddly.
"I think I got too drunk," he said, although the words slurred, making him not sure anyone could understand.
"What did you say," Key asked, turning his head to look at him. "You better not be about to get sick on me." Key shoved him somewhat half-heartedly, and Jonghyun giggled as he fell over onto his back. His head hit the floor, but he found himself just laughing about it.
The world felt like it was spinning faster and faster, or maybe it was him who was spinning. Why hadn't anyone stopped him yet? Why was he spinning so fast? After a few minutes, he could hear the other guy's voices, but he couldn't bring himself to really focus enough to open his eyes and look at them.
"What's wrong with him?" he heard Onew's voice ask.
"Too drunk," came Key's response.
"He doesn't look too good. We shouldn't have taken that last shot."
"Oh god. Just send him to bed. He'll be fine. It's not like no one's ever gotten pass-out drunk before."
Jonghyun wanted to shove Key and tell him he wasn't that drunk, and he definitely hadn't passed out, but he couldn't muster the will power. Instead he just groaned loudly and turned over on his side.
"I'll take him," he heard Minho's voice, meaning he was back in the room, and Taemin was probably already in bed. He could feel two arms wrap around his waist, hoisting him up. Jonghyun tried to stand, but it was difficult to get his balance.
"I want to go home," he found himself mumbling, suddenly feeling really bad and kind of paranoid. Why did he feel so weird?
"You are home," Minho said softly into his ear. It sounded soothing, but Jonghyun didn't really trust it completely.
"Where am I?" he questioned, trying to look around, but everything was swimming in front of him.
"The dorm."
"Yeah, I want to go to bed," he groaned, feeling like his body was giving out on him. "I don't feel good, Minho."
"Don't worry. It'll wear off. You'll feel better in the morning."
Jonghyun almost felt like telling the younger man not to treat him like a baby, but he felt so weird and scared that all he could do was try to find comfort in the reassurances. Over and over his mind played the same thought, 'Why doesn't this feel like any other time I've been drunk?'
~(o)~
It was almost too easy. Minho felt incredibly skeptical of just how easy it had been as he drove the car toward his cousin's cabin. He felt like at any moment someone would pull him over and take him in, like they would be able to see straight into his mind and everything would crumble at his feet. He couldn't risk getting caught, not when it was so important. Everything would be fine as long as no one pulled him over. No one would notice they were gone until the next morning. Even after they noticed, they probably wouldn’t really worry until later on in the day. Plus, no one knew where he was going. No one knew he had this car. No one would know what he had planned. And by the time they'd be able to find him, it would be too late for them to interfere. He would complete his mission, what destiny had ordained for the both of them. Smiling as he looked into the rearview mirror to see Jonghyun's unconscious form slumped over in the seat, Minho thought he was finally doing something right.
Luckily, Minho's family had used the cabin once before, so he knew where the spare key was hidden. It wasn't by the door because that would just be careless. After two hours of driving nonstop, Minho stepped out of the car and headed around to the back of the cabin. Several feet away from the back side of the building was a birdhouse. Minho had to play with it for a while to unhook the plank on the front, but once it was off he reached his hand in under the floor of the house. The key was there just like it should have been, and Minho breathed a sigh of relief.
Heading back to the front, Minho unlocked the door and stepped in. It would take a while to unload all of the supplies, but first he wanted to make sure Jonghyun was inside and secure. He couldn't risk him getting away, not now that he was so close.
Minho felt like his nerves were on fire as he lifted the blonde and carried him gently into the cabin, careful not to hurt a hair on his head. The cabin was far enough away from other people that he didn't feel hesitant to turn on the lights, and he wasn’t worried about making noises. Jonghyun was still completely out as Minho laid him down on the cabin's sofa. The place would need some rearranging, but he had plenty of time, because Jonghyun shouldn't come around for a couple more hours. Still, he planned to keep a close eye on him.
Several hours later, everything was slowly coming together. Minho had driven the car behind the cabin, instead of leaving it in front. It was just a precaution, even though Minho doubted anyone would be coming by there. It was almost the furthest away from the city, compared to other cabins in the area. The road hit a dead end not too far from there. Someone wandering back there lost was more likely than someone coming there on purpose, and a lost person wasn't likely to recognize that his presence was out of place. Still, he didn't want anyone to come knocking for directions or anything like that.
A deep groaning sound was Minho's first warning that Jonghyun was coming to. He walked over to the other man and lifted his head, offering him some water. "Where'm I?" he slurred, everything about him unsteady as the drugs Minho had given him still affected his functioning.
"You’re home," Minho answered simply, pretty sure he could fool the singer into thinking he was just delusional.
"Dun loo' lik' home," he added, his head swiveling around as he tried to take in his surroundings. His eyes then shut tightly as if he were trying to fight the fog in his mind. "Somethin wrong Minhoo," he almost whimpered, his fear showing easily. It made Mihno's chest clench, but he fought off the feelings. He couldn't let them get in the way.
"You're right. Don't worry though. I'm going to make it better," Minho said softly. Jonghyun didn't show much of a response, his eyes still closed tightly. Minho moved back and reached out for the needle he had readied for this moment. This was when it would all begin.
It wasn't until he pressed the tip of the needle into Jonghyun's arm that the blonde's eyes opened back up. "Whaa," he started as his eyes moved down to it. "Whash that?"
Minho shook his head softly and held Jonghyun's arm still with his other hand while he pushed the liquid into his veins, the liquid that would numb him and make the process easier for both of them. "Remember that award we just won. Man, the fans were screaming so loud," Minho said with a smile, wanting Jonghyun to have pleasant dreams. The small smile on Jonghyun's face as he nodded and went under was enough to make Minho feel a little bit better about what he'd done, what he was going to do.
The sewing was a long and arduous process, especially since Minho wanted to cause as little damage to Jonghyun as he could get away with. It was easy enough, making the holes. He had done extensive research on back piercings, and based his design on such. The skin gave way to the sharp tools so easily that it left Minho in awe. He had to pull the flexible wires through almost immediately to make sure the holes didn't close at all. There was blood, enough of it to make Minho feel worried. He couldn't go back now though. All he could do was trudge forward, and he knew he could do it. It was his destiny.
~(o)~
As soon as his eyes started to crack open, Jonghyun felt the indescribable pain in his back. It kind of felt like someone had stuck a hundred knives in him and left them there. He groaned in confusion and tried to move, but he couldn't move much more than a centimeter before it pulled against the restraints. His eyes opened much quicker then, a panic rushing through him. He pulled against the restraints again, looking over to see one arm and then the other were both bound to two tight chains, one that ran to the floor bellow him and one to the ceiling. It made it impossible to move more than a tiny bit in any direction.
Luckily they weren't in an uncomfortable position, hanging down by his sides. His feet were similarly bound, a chain running from each to the wall, but they were hovering just above the ground. A heavy strap ran around his middle, holding him upright, and just above the floor. Other than that, there was nothing. He was naked, something that would have made him squirm uncomfortably if he weren't scared out of his mind. It was confusing, but what he couldn't see was what scared him the most. Whatever was behind him was digging into his back, and even just the slightest movement would pull against it, making him feel like his skin was going to tear.
A frustrated scream left his mouth as he craned his neck. But all he could see were two, white wings stretching up to the ceiling, and he couldn't tell whether or not they were a part of all this or if they were against the wall. That was until he tried to move again. Just the simple turning of his torso made them sway and pull against the skin of his back. He gasped and cried out, the pain making his eyes water. He stilled and his head fell slightly, feeling both helpless and confused as to how he got there and why.
Then he heard a familiar voice call his name. "Jonghyun," he looked up with hope when he heard the younger man. His eyes only watered more when he saw Minho walking toward him.
"Minho, quick. Get me out of here. I don't know what's…" he was interrupted when Minho placed a finger against his lips. Jonghyun stared at him, digesting the weird look in his eyes, the odd tilt to his lips that was almost a smile.
"I can't do that, Jonghyun. If only you could see how beautiful you look. I'll show you once I've developed the pictures."
Jonghyun felt his mouth fall open, his eyes widening as he stared at Minho in disbelief. The pain in his back was a constant, desperate reminder of how serious this was. There was no way this was a joke. "Minho," he gasped. "Minho, let me the fuck down now!" he could feel the panic seep into every part of his being as he started thrashing in the chains as much as he could, trying to shake them loose, anything. "Let me go! You stupid fuck. What is this? Let me go now! You can't do this! What the fuck is wrong with you?" he didn't really even know what was slipping out of his mouth anymore as he fought desperately to get himself out.
"Stop," Minho said quietly, and then more loudly and seriously. "Stop! You'll hurt yourself. You'll rip it!"
As if on cue, Jonghyun felt a sharp pain and the sickening sound of skin tearing. He gasped and stilled, feeling warm liquid drip down his back, what he instinctively knew was his own blood. That's when his attitude changed. Tears started to run down his face almost as soon as the blood started dripping to the floor. "Minho, please. Please let me go. It hurts. I'll do anything.” after a particularly hard sob, he continued, “Why? How could you do this to me? Please just let me go. We can work whatever it is out. Please!"
Minho was moving behind him and Jonghyun felt his fingers press against his skin where the rip was. Jonghyun hissed and tensed under the touch. "It hurts!" he shouted, trying to pull away from the touch, but that only pulled against the wings and made it worse.
"Stop moving or I'll knock you out again," Minho commanded and Jonghyun tried to comply, the only new movements were the deep sobs wracking his chest, which were bad enough on their own. He bowed his head and shuddered.
"Why? Why?" he questioned over and over, his mind unable to fully grasp what was happening. It felt like a nightmare. It had to be a nightmare. Minho would never do this to him. They were friends. It didn't make sense.
It hurt. It hurt so badly, and he felt his insides squirm uncomfortably when he felt the blood drip down between his toes to the floor. Minho stepped away from him, shaking his head. "I'll have to stitch that up," he said quietly, although Jonghyun heard every word.
"Take me to a hospital. It'll get infected. I'll die. Minho!" he shouted at the man's retreating back. "Fuck," he cursed as Minho left the room, letting his head fall forward onto his chest. It hurt so badly and he had no idea what was going to happen to him. Hot tears ran down his face as he tried to figure out what he'd done to make Minho think he deserved this.
~(o)~
By the time Minho got back to Jonghyun with the necessary equipment to stitch him back up, the blonde had stopped crying, but there were still tear tracks on his cheeks. As Minho got closer, he looked up hopefully. "Minho, please," he started again. "Please. I won't tell anyone it was you. I'll say I don't know where I was. That he wore a mask. No one has to know."
Minho shook his head, stepping up to his side. “That’s not the point, hyung,” he said softly. Reaching out, he pressed the skin together and moved the needle to pull the string through. Jonghyun screamed and stiffened all over. "Remember, you move, and your back is going to tear off."
The singer started crying again at that, his body stiff as he tried to fight the urge to thrash against the pain. He didn't doubt Minho. How could he with the weight of the wings pulling the skin? It was beautiful. So perfect that it almost made Minho tear up looking at it, but he didn't. He focused on his work because it wasn't over. Jonghyun sobbed loudly as he pulled the needle through his skin.
"Why?" he asked again softly, making Minho's heart clench a little.
"Poor Jonghyun," he whispered gently, moving to run his fingers down the side of the singer's face. Jonghyun flinched away and stared at him in confusion, pain etched onto every corner of his face. "You don't understand, but it's okay. It's because of them that you can't see it."
"Them?" Jonghyun asked weakly.
"Yes, them. Everyone else!" Minho gestured wildly, as if they were all standing behind him waiting. Jonghyun looked past him and shook his head.
"I don't understand. Why did you do this to me? Are you sick or something?"
"Yes. That's precisely it. Humans are sick. I'm the only one who can see this. But you! You're different. You're the one that's going to show them that they're wrong. You're so pure, untainted. Once they see you like this, they'll know. They'll know."
Jonghyun's eyes were wide as they stared straight at him. Minho smiled because it would take longer than that to convince him. If he showed him the pictures then he’d see it. Yes, then he'd know.
"Hold on. Let me finish up here and then I'll get the camera, and I can finish the pictures."
Minho wasn't sure at what point, but when he stepped away from Jonghyun after finishing tying off the thick thread, he saw that he'd slipped back out of consciousness. He wasn't surprised, with the pain and shock. Of course it would be a lot to handle, but he didn't need him conscious just yet. Not just yet.
Moving away again, Minho put the tools away and moved to get his camera. Just a few more pictures, and then he could complete his mission. He would show the world perfection in its true form. Then they would know that they should have never wanted to touch him. They would never be able to.
~(o)~
The next time Jonghyun woke up, Minho gave him some water. He didn't know whether to be thankful or wary of being drugged again, but his throat was so dry that he couldn't resist the offer very long. It was just another thing that hurt.
After he put the water away, Minho seemed to get excited, rushing over with the camera. He started snapping pictures while going on about enlightening everyone. Jonghyun was by this point certain that the other man had lost his mind, something he felt rather close to himself. Jonghyun tuned him out as he let his head hang, staring at the floor until he felt a sharp tug on his head.
"Are you listening? I need you to help me out here!" Minho's eyes were dark and scary looking as his fist stayed knotted in his hair. Jonghyun felt his stomach twist with nausea. "Follow my directions and this will be over sooner." Jonghyun wasn't sure he wanted it to be over. He wasn't sure what would come once it was over. But there was hope, and hope made him think that this person who he'd thought was his friend might let him go. Maybe he was crazy enough to do this and then let him go. So, when Minho told his to look this way or that, he slowly complied. Minho seemed to get more and more excited with each picture, rattling on about showing everyone the real Jonghyun. The singer could only fathom why he had somehow become the central character in Minho's delusions, and he had plenty of time to think about it. Once Minho stopped taking pictures, he moved away. He rarely came back to stand close to Jonghyun, but the singer could hear him talking from the other side of the room. However, it was just the same crazy talk, the same declarations over and over.
"Minho," he pleaded finally, after watching the rapper sitting at the table by his laptop for a while, going through what Jonghyun could only assume were digital copies of the pictures he'd taken. The younger man looked up at him and he continued, "I have to piss."
Minho nodded before standing up and moving closer to him. A flash of hope spread through Jonghyun, but it was quickly quelled when he saw the rapper pick up a bucket. "Oh, hell no," he murmured, his eyes stinging, but somehow the tears had stopped coming. After a while, Jonghyun consented to using the bucket. He couldn't hold it forever. He felt dirty and stupid. It was embarrassing, and he felt a cold hate spread through him for the other man for doing this to him. It wasn't Minho. It was a monster.
As time passed, Jonghyun slipped in and out of consciousness. His body had felt weak to begin with, but it only seemed to get worse and worse. Minho wasn't feeding him, but Jonghyun wasn't sure he even wanted to eat. He hated the thought of having to shit in a bucket. There was no way he would do that before he was dead. At least, that's what he told himself over and over. Minho was busy at his computer most of the time, but every time he walked over, Jonghyun would wake up and start to plead again. When he did it he could see the pained look on Minho's face, and it only urged him on because he thought just maybe he could get through to him.
At one point, Jonghyun woke up and felt an odd sensation in his back. He shifted and barked at the pain. "Minho! I think it's infected! Minho!" He yelled until the other man entered from one of the other rooms.
Minho tilted his head curiously and walked over to inspect. "It's just bruising," he said in a low voice.
"It hurts so bad, Minho." Jonghyun felt his eyes water again, but not much more than to cause one tear to fall. "Please. I'm going to die if you leave me up here. Aren't we friends, Minho? Don't you care about me? I'll die. I don't want to die." The last statement came out as more of a whimper, and Jonghyun bit his lower lip to try and keep it from trembling.
Minho stared at him for a long time as Jonghyun sobbed and begged for his help, the only one who could help him, the one who had done this to him. After several minutes, Minho turned and left the room again. Jonghyun continued to beg, even after he was gone. He begged until his throat hurt too much to speak anymore. Eventually, he willed himself back into unconsciousness, certain that he was going to die at some point. He would never go home.
Part Two