Even the birds are chained to the sky [Gemini!verse]
Title: Even the birds are chained to the sky
Pairing: DongHae/EunHyuk, Zhou Mi/KyuHyun/SungMin
Genre: Romance, Fluff, Dark, Smut, AU
Rating: PG-15 (but if you’re squeamish, NC-17)
Summary: [Gemini!verse] Everyone knows about the ivory chain that links Gemini together, but little do they know that to some, what seems like something that restricts, is actually something that frees.
[A/N: For tees2maiwho gave me the toughest prompt ever. If you squint, you’ll see it there, bb. But yeah. It’s not required to read the other two fics in this verse, What House of Ill Repute and The Ivory of Bone, but it’d be nice if you did. ^^]
~*~
Zhou Mi didn’t think he’d see Gemini anywhere outside of 51 Harlem Street, much less a pair putting on a sex show at a party where the rich and powerful met under the cover of enjoyment.
It was all business really, even the food and champagne advertisements and proclamations of power and warnings of do not cross with me. Not that it really mattered to him - he had a good boss and was loyal to him, and Zhou Mi had never been interested in such troublesome politics.
Still, he’d thought that the Gemini, or rather, the organization that owned the single large collection of them, wouldn’t have the need to advertise, because that was the only thing this display could have been. They were certainly exclusive enough, having chosen a place where they could dodge the law and let people come to them - no deliveries, no special reservations, no special treatment. Any chance of getting anything special would require no less than favours in very powerful places, and being a very loyal customer yourself. And the reputation of the Gemini ensured that people came. Which might have provided the logical explanation - there had been many changes in recent years, handovers of powers to younger, more ignorant successors, who probably thought the Gemini only old wives tales.
With two men making out on stage, the famed ivory chain clinking between their wrists, no one could proclaim them myths, not with the way everyone was looking on in rapture as the two proceeded to ravage each other. And they would look, because both of the pair were eye-catching, dressed in leather, although that was becoming less apparent with more articles of clothing being removed; and while, for some, they might see that same alluring show again after parting with a good sum of money, but for most, it would be the first and only time they’d see the genuine articles behind the whispers and rumors.
People much like Zhou Mi himself, if his boss hadn’t been the generous person he’d been and given him an all-paid-for trip to the house of Gemini. It was the reason Zhou Mi’s little friend down there wasn’t as impressed by the show. The way one of the pair licked his way down the other’s chest, dipping into his navel was certainly sexy, and done so in such a way that everyone knew it, but he could think of another tongue, and another pair of hands that would do the job so much better. Two pairs in fact.
“Looks like you’re going to pay another visit to that pair, huh?”
Zhou Mi jerked out of his reverie at the sound of his boss’ voice. And he flushed, embarrassed. “Sir-”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’d go more often too if for all the stupid fighting going on in the streets. Youngsters nowadays can be so hot headed.” Zhou Mi’s boss grinned, casting a glance at the pair on stage. “Hell, maybe I’ll go with you. I’ve never seen that pair before, but they’re pretty good. I need a vacation anyway. And don’t talk about the money, I’ll pay for you too. I still haven’t given you a bonus for taking care of that nasty Hawaii business.”
Zhou Mi knew he couldn’t refuse his boss’ offer and only bowed in thanks. He was rather grateful this time though - SungMin and KyuHyun weren’t cheap and the visits were taking a toll on his finances.
Then, there was clapping all around, and Zhou Mi and his boss immediately joined in, even if Zhou Mi only realized the reason belatedly. The pair of Gemini were being led off the stage, a cleaner coming up to clean the white pool of semen they’d left behind. Looking around, it wasn’t hard to see who had had visited the Gemini before and who hadn’t. And from the looks of things, there were going to be a lot more people knocking on the doors of 51 Harlem Street.
~*~
It was a while before Zhou Mi could finally go back to his room. His boss had been talking to more important people about gang boundaries, but beyond that he didn’t know. Sure, he’d been there, but he’d been paying attention to more important things, like if there was anything lurking in the shadows, ready to attack.
So, when he heard the moans, the first thing he did was to whip out his gun, the safety off within seconds. But the pair on the bed didn’t so much as blink at the interruption. And Zhou Mi watched for a long minute as one pounded into the other, the two not so much kissing as eating each other’s faces off, hands fisted everywhere, touching - rough but surprisingly sensual.
His gun slowly lowered, and then clattered to the ground when he noticed the ivory chain sliding across the sheets. Now he knew where he’d seen them before - the pair of Gemini that had been at the party, doing that sex show. But what were they doing here?
There was only one way to ask, but from the way the two were practically fused together in such vigorous activity, they wouldn’t pay him any time of the day while they were still busy. Luckily, he was well accustomed to watching without so much the flicker of arousal, else he’d probably been out of the door in embarrassment.
As the two finally met their end, cries mingling together, breaths harsh as they both sank, boneless, onto the bed. He knew it was an act. They were professionals and would get up in a minute. He made a show of looking at his room card. “Did I get the wrong room?”
He wasn’t surprised when one of them sat up at that, his lips curling. The watcher, from the look in his eyes. KyuHyun had that exact same look; which was strange, because Zhou Mi could imagine KyuHyun as a watcher, but this man looked playful and childish, a big grin on his face. “Of course you didn’t, Park-nim. Please, take a seat.”
Park-nim? So he had gone to the wrong room then. Turning to leave, he was brought up short when he nearly collided with someone else. Then he blinked, taking an unwitting step back when he realized that this person was stark naked. “Uh?!”
“Don’t leave, Park-nim. We only want to talk.” Zhou Mi glanced back, and the naked man took the chance to snake his arm around Zhou Mi’s waist, leading him back to the bed. And Zhou Mi didn’t refuse because he was distracted by the sound of a smooth chink on the floor and looked down to see an ivory chain connected to the man’s wrist. Then he was the receiver? But how’d he move so fast?
“Mmm… so. I guess it’s not fair that we know your name and you don’t know ours. I’m DongHae, and he is EunHyuk.” The one named DongHae patted a spot on the bed, at which his other half pushed Zhou Mi down, sitting next to him. “Earlier, you indicated on the form that we handed out earlier that you would be interested in knowing more about the services we Gemini provide.”
He hadn’t even taken the form. “I think you have the wrong person.”
But DongHae continued as if he hadn’t heard. “So, we came to discuss business. It’s a special offer, a trial thing. And no, it wasn’t letting you watch what we were doing earlier, that was just a freebie. But an hour with another pair…”
Zhou Mi thought he was beginning to catch up, but he had to be sure. “Oh? Really? Which pair?”
The two halves of the pair looked at each other and smiled. “Oh… Number 4.”
They knew that as a repeat customer, he would know about the rankings. They knew and yet they told him. And he sighed, rubbing his head. Trust KyuHyun and SungMin to pull something like this.
“Seems like you know about the pair?” There was a hidden meaning behind those words, whispered into his ear, so close and cheeky that even he couldn’t help but shudder a little. “Well, will you be taking up the offer then, Park-nim?”
“I might. If it’s really a free trial and… my confidentiality is kept? I can’t have just anyone finding out?” Zhou Mi asked, knowing it always better to exercise caution. KyuHyun had told him once before, that because of the privileges granted to higher ranks, some pairs would do anything to climb up the ladder.
The smile on DongHae’s lips was secretive, even as he dropped the pretense. “Don’t worry, Zhou Mi-nim, you can be rest assured we only have Number 4’s best intentions in mind. We’re outside of the ranking system, so we don’t care about any of that.”
“What?” Zhou Mi blinked, he’d never heard anything about that.
“Yeah, we’re the pair they bring around to show off. Tokyo, London, New York, Paris. We’re international, baby.” DongHae winked, before throwing Zhou Mi something. Catching it, he saw that it was a room card. “If you don’t believe us you can ask Number 4 yourself.”
“Won’t you get in trouble?” Zhou Mi still felt a little uneasy, but DongHae waved it off. “We’re outside most of the rules, higher than any of the other Gemini. And we only fuck who we want to, which is mostly each other.”
Then, at Zhou Mi’s surprise, he waggled a finger at the man’s expression. “But don’t get any ideas. There wasn’t a role like ours before we came along, and it’s only because Eunhyuk and me weren’t forced to become Gemini. We became Gemini of our own free will. That, and we own half the shares of the company.”
“You what?” A pause. “How? Why?”
“If you’re alluding to how we own half the shares, it’s because we used to be like the clients who buy time with the Gemini, at the very time. The why should be obvious. But if you’re alluding to how and why we became Gemini?” DongHae grinned. “Well, the full story is too long, but in short, we realized that there was something important that was right in front of us, and becoming Gemini was the only way we could attain it.”
When Zhou Mi didn’t move, he gestured at the clock. “You should get going. That hour doesn’t mean the moment you arrive at Number 4’s room, it’s already started.”
Zhou Mi did want to ask more, but he knew in his heart which he thought was more important. And so, with a last nod and thank you, he turned around and left.
“Smart boy he is.” Donghae chuckled as he waved. “I can see why Number 4 likes him. Hmm…? Are you wondering why I’m helping Number 4?”
EunHyuk smiled against DongHae’s neck, kissing up a path to his ear before answering. “No. I know why you’re helping. I’m just wondering why Number 4 in particular. It’s more troublesome than the other pairs, they’ve formed an attachment to that Zhou Mi guy.”
“Mmm… exactly why we have to help them.” And EunHyuk chuckled at DongHae’s reply, even as he was pulled up to sit onto DongHae’s lap. “You know, you can speak, I don’t see why you refuse to when there’s other people around.”
“One of us has to be the cautious one.”
“An unfounded caution.”
“It’d have elicited more questions than I’d liked.” EunHyuk huffed.
“Calm down. I’m not against it, you know. To you not talking.” DongHae shook his head, pinching EunHyuk’s cheeks. “That way I can keep your wonderful voice all to myself.”
That seemed to mollify EunHyuk, and he leaned into DongHae’s shoulder, breathing in the other’s scent. “You didn’t have to tell him about us though.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” was DongHae’s reply. “And I thought it’d be good encouragement. Share a bit of wisdom so that they won’t end up like us, wasting so much time before we realized what was most important. We were so foolish then, HyukJae.”
Few would know his real name now, and out of all of them, he would only tolerate DongHae calling him that. “Hae…”
Their kiss was soft and tender, like the bonds between them. And when they broke apart, they clung to each other, tight, as if they were never to let go again. They smiled, even as Donghae lined himself up with HyukJae’s ass, both knowing that they were thinking of the past - of parties and socializing and the two of them at the top of the ladder, with money, cars, girls, respect, everything they could ever want. The press had called them the golden pair, best friends since young, then business partners, one of the richest two men in the world.
It had been the emptiest time of their lives. And they tried to fill it. HyukJae with whores, DongHae with alcohol. But no matter how much they drank, no matter how many prostitutes they fucked, no matter how much money they spent, it was all so futile and empty. But they spent - all the money they had, on pursuing something. Something they didn’t know what it was, but needed to find.
It had taken a brush with death for them to finally realize - as HyukJae held DongHae’s body, having nearly overdosed, that what they had been looking for all along, had been right in front of their noses.
But they couldn’t be together so easy, not in their world. And so, they made arrangements, thought up a plan. And then, they disappeared.
DongHae fell back onto the comforter after they were both done, reaching for the chain that bound them and held it into the light. “It’s funny, don’t you think? That people see this chain as a means of imprisoning, when really, it gave me more freedom that I could ever dream of.”
HyukJae’s laugh was sweet as he lay down across DongHae’s chest, uncaring about the mess he himself had created. “Well those people are stupid.”
DongHae smiled. “Yes, they are.”
~*~
Pairing: DongHae/EunHyuk, Zhou Mi/KyuHyun/SungMin
Genre: Romance, Fluff, Dark, Smut, AU
Rating: PG-15 (but if you’re squeamish, NC-17)
Summary: [Gemini!verse] Everyone knows about the ivory chain that links Gemini together, but little do they know that to some, what seems like something that restricts, is actually something that frees.
[A/N: For tees2maiwho gave me the toughest prompt ever. If you squint, you’ll see it there, bb. But yeah. It’s not required to read the other two fics in this verse, What House of Ill Repute and The Ivory of Bone, but it’d be nice if you did. ^^]
~*~
Zhou Mi didn’t think he’d see Gemini anywhere outside of 51 Harlem Street, much less a pair putting on a sex show at a party where the rich and powerful met under the cover of enjoyment.
It was all business really, even the food and champagne advertisements and proclamations of power and warnings of do not cross with me. Not that it really mattered to him - he had a good boss and was loyal to him, and Zhou Mi had never been interested in such troublesome politics.
Still, he’d thought that the Gemini, or rather, the organization that owned the single large collection of them, wouldn’t have the need to advertise, because that was the only thing this display could have been. They were certainly exclusive enough, having chosen a place where they could dodge the law and let people come to them - no deliveries, no special reservations, no special treatment. Any chance of getting anything special would require no less than favours in very powerful places, and being a very loyal customer yourself. And the reputation of the Gemini ensured that people came. Which might have provided the logical explanation - there had been many changes in recent years, handovers of powers to younger, more ignorant successors, who probably thought the Gemini only old wives tales.
With two men making out on stage, the famed ivory chain clinking between their wrists, no one could proclaim them myths, not with the way everyone was looking on in rapture as the two proceeded to ravage each other. And they would look, because both of the pair were eye-catching, dressed in leather, although that was becoming less apparent with more articles of clothing being removed; and while, for some, they might see that same alluring show again after parting with a good sum of money, but for most, it would be the first and only time they’d see the genuine articles behind the whispers and rumors.
People much like Zhou Mi himself, if his boss hadn’t been the generous person he’d been and given him an all-paid-for trip to the house of Gemini. It was the reason Zhou Mi’s little friend down there wasn’t as impressed by the show. The way one of the pair licked his way down the other’s chest, dipping into his navel was certainly sexy, and done so in such a way that everyone knew it, but he could think of another tongue, and another pair of hands that would do the job so much better. Two pairs in fact.
“Looks like you’re going to pay another visit to that pair, huh?”
Zhou Mi jerked out of his reverie at the sound of his boss’ voice. And he flushed, embarrassed. “Sir-”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’d go more often too if for all the stupid fighting going on in the streets. Youngsters nowadays can be so hot headed.” Zhou Mi’s boss grinned, casting a glance at the pair on stage. “Hell, maybe I’ll go with you. I’ve never seen that pair before, but they’re pretty good. I need a vacation anyway. And don’t talk about the money, I’ll pay for you too. I still haven’t given you a bonus for taking care of that nasty Hawaii business.”
Zhou Mi knew he couldn’t refuse his boss’ offer and only bowed in thanks. He was rather grateful this time though - SungMin and KyuHyun weren’t cheap and the visits were taking a toll on his finances.
Then, there was clapping all around, and Zhou Mi and his boss immediately joined in, even if Zhou Mi only realized the reason belatedly. The pair of Gemini were being led off the stage, a cleaner coming up to clean the white pool of semen they’d left behind. Looking around, it wasn’t hard to see who had had visited the Gemini before and who hadn’t. And from the looks of things, there were going to be a lot more people knocking on the doors of 51 Harlem Street.
~*~
It was a while before Zhou Mi could finally go back to his room. His boss had been talking to more important people about gang boundaries, but beyond that he didn’t know. Sure, he’d been there, but he’d been paying attention to more important things, like if there was anything lurking in the shadows, ready to attack.
So, when he heard the moans, the first thing he did was to whip out his gun, the safety off within seconds. But the pair on the bed didn’t so much as blink at the interruption. And Zhou Mi watched for a long minute as one pounded into the other, the two not so much kissing as eating each other’s faces off, hands fisted everywhere, touching - rough but surprisingly sensual.
His gun slowly lowered, and then clattered to the ground when he noticed the ivory chain sliding across the sheets. Now he knew where he’d seen them before - the pair of Gemini that had been at the party, doing that sex show. But what were they doing here?
There was only one way to ask, but from the way the two were practically fused together in such vigorous activity, they wouldn’t pay him any time of the day while they were still busy. Luckily, he was well accustomed to watching without so much the flicker of arousal, else he’d probably been out of the door in embarrassment.
As the two finally met their end, cries mingling together, breaths harsh as they both sank, boneless, onto the bed. He knew it was an act. They were professionals and would get up in a minute. He made a show of looking at his room card. “Did I get the wrong room?”
He wasn’t surprised when one of them sat up at that, his lips curling. The watcher, from the look in his eyes. KyuHyun had that exact same look; which was strange, because Zhou Mi could imagine KyuHyun as a watcher, but this man looked playful and childish, a big grin on his face. “Of course you didn’t, Park-nim. Please, take a seat.”
Park-nim? So he had gone to the wrong room then. Turning to leave, he was brought up short when he nearly collided with someone else. Then he blinked, taking an unwitting step back when he realized that this person was stark naked. “Uh?!”
“Don’t leave, Park-nim. We only want to talk.” Zhou Mi glanced back, and the naked man took the chance to snake his arm around Zhou Mi’s waist, leading him back to the bed. And Zhou Mi didn’t refuse because he was distracted by the sound of a smooth chink on the floor and looked down to see an ivory chain connected to the man’s wrist. Then he was the receiver? But how’d he move so fast?
“Mmm… so. I guess it’s not fair that we know your name and you don’t know ours. I’m DongHae, and he is EunHyuk.” The one named DongHae patted a spot on the bed, at which his other half pushed Zhou Mi down, sitting next to him. “Earlier, you indicated on the form that we handed out earlier that you would be interested in knowing more about the services we Gemini provide.”
He hadn’t even taken the form. “I think you have the wrong person.”
But DongHae continued as if he hadn’t heard. “So, we came to discuss business. It’s a special offer, a trial thing. And no, it wasn’t letting you watch what we were doing earlier, that was just a freebie. But an hour with another pair…”
Zhou Mi thought he was beginning to catch up, but he had to be sure. “Oh? Really? Which pair?”
The two halves of the pair looked at each other and smiled. “Oh… Number 4.”
They knew that as a repeat customer, he would know about the rankings. They knew and yet they told him. And he sighed, rubbing his head. Trust KyuHyun and SungMin to pull something like this.
“Seems like you know about the pair?” There was a hidden meaning behind those words, whispered into his ear, so close and cheeky that even he couldn’t help but shudder a little. “Well, will you be taking up the offer then, Park-nim?”
“I might. If it’s really a free trial and… my confidentiality is kept? I can’t have just anyone finding out?” Zhou Mi asked, knowing it always better to exercise caution. KyuHyun had told him once before, that because of the privileges granted to higher ranks, some pairs would do anything to climb up the ladder.
The smile on DongHae’s lips was secretive, even as he dropped the pretense. “Don’t worry, Zhou Mi-nim, you can be rest assured we only have Number 4’s best intentions in mind. We’re outside of the ranking system, so we don’t care about any of that.”
“What?” Zhou Mi blinked, he’d never heard anything about that.
“Yeah, we’re the pair they bring around to show off. Tokyo, London, New York, Paris. We’re international, baby.” DongHae winked, before throwing Zhou Mi something. Catching it, he saw that it was a room card. “If you don’t believe us you can ask Number 4 yourself.”
“Won’t you get in trouble?” Zhou Mi still felt a little uneasy, but DongHae waved it off. “We’re outside most of the rules, higher than any of the other Gemini. And we only fuck who we want to, which is mostly each other.”
Then, at Zhou Mi’s surprise, he waggled a finger at the man’s expression. “But don’t get any ideas. There wasn’t a role like ours before we came along, and it’s only because Eunhyuk and me weren’t forced to become Gemini. We became Gemini of our own free will. That, and we own half the shares of the company.”
“You what?” A pause. “How? Why?”
“If you’re alluding to how we own half the shares, it’s because we used to be like the clients who buy time with the Gemini, at the very time. The why should be obvious. But if you’re alluding to how and why we became Gemini?” DongHae grinned. “Well, the full story is too long, but in short, we realized that there was something important that was right in front of us, and becoming Gemini was the only way we could attain it.”
When Zhou Mi didn’t move, he gestured at the clock. “You should get going. That hour doesn’t mean the moment you arrive at Number 4’s room, it’s already started.”
Zhou Mi did want to ask more, but he knew in his heart which he thought was more important. And so, with a last nod and thank you, he turned around and left.
“Smart boy he is.” Donghae chuckled as he waved. “I can see why Number 4 likes him. Hmm…? Are you wondering why I’m helping Number 4?”
EunHyuk smiled against DongHae’s neck, kissing up a path to his ear before answering. “No. I know why you’re helping. I’m just wondering why Number 4 in particular. It’s more troublesome than the other pairs, they’ve formed an attachment to that Zhou Mi guy.”
“Mmm… exactly why we have to help them.” And EunHyuk chuckled at DongHae’s reply, even as he was pulled up to sit onto DongHae’s lap. “You know, you can speak, I don’t see why you refuse to when there’s other people around.”
“One of us has to be the cautious one.”
“An unfounded caution.”
“It’d have elicited more questions than I’d liked.” EunHyuk huffed.
“Calm down. I’m not against it, you know. To you not talking.” DongHae shook his head, pinching EunHyuk’s cheeks. “That way I can keep your wonderful voice all to myself.”
That seemed to mollify EunHyuk, and he leaned into DongHae’s shoulder, breathing in the other’s scent. “You didn’t have to tell him about us though.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” was DongHae’s reply. “And I thought it’d be good encouragement. Share a bit of wisdom so that they won’t end up like us, wasting so much time before we realized what was most important. We were so foolish then, HyukJae.”
Few would know his real name now, and out of all of them, he would only tolerate DongHae calling him that. “Hae…”
Their kiss was soft and tender, like the bonds between them. And when they broke apart, they clung to each other, tight, as if they were never to let go again. They smiled, even as Donghae lined himself up with HyukJae’s ass, both knowing that they were thinking of the past - of parties and socializing and the two of them at the top of the ladder, with money, cars, girls, respect, everything they could ever want. The press had called them the golden pair, best friends since young, then business partners, one of the richest two men in the world.
It had been the emptiest time of their lives. And they tried to fill it. HyukJae with whores, DongHae with alcohol. But no matter how much they drank, no matter how many prostitutes they fucked, no matter how much money they spent, it was all so futile and empty. But they spent - all the money they had, on pursuing something. Something they didn’t know what it was, but needed to find.
It had taken a brush with death for them to finally realize - as HyukJae held DongHae’s body, having nearly overdosed, that what they had been looking for all along, had been right in front of their noses.
But they couldn’t be together so easy, not in their world. And so, they made arrangements, thought up a plan. And then, they disappeared.
DongHae fell back onto the comforter after they were both done, reaching for the chain that bound them and held it into the light. “It’s funny, don’t you think? That people see this chain as a means of imprisoning, when really, it gave me more freedom that I could ever dream of.”
HyukJae’s laugh was sweet as he lay down across DongHae’s chest, uncaring about the mess he himself had created. “Well those people are stupid.”
DongHae smiled. “Yes, they are.”
~*~