Cradle-Snatcher [Epilogue]
Title: Cradle-Snatcher
Author: .flavored
Rating: PG-15 (for disturbing implications)
Genre: Dark
Pairing: Leeteuk-centric
Summary: It starts in a dark room, grows and festers and earns for release. Then it gets tired, and knows its time has come... curling up and surrendering... before it starts again.
Epilogue
“And the number 1 spot… goes to Super Junior’s ‘U’!”
The stage became the embodiment of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. It was stage filled with excitement and euphoria, a stage filled with disappointment. A stage filled with true joy, a stage filled with sadness and forced smiles. A stage filled with contentment, a stage filled with jealousy.
“I just want to take everyone for supporting us… and…”
Words failed and tears began to fall. There were general sounds of teasing laughter and the sounds of fans crying cheers as once again the leader fell to his knees in thankful weeping.
Another stage, another performance.
The tears had already dried by the time he left the stage. In fact, one could say that they had never really been there in the first place. Still, the leader kept up the façade of weeping and used it as an excuse to leave the place as quickly as possible.
His black phone was ringing.
~*~
“Leeteuk-hyung!”
The said person turned around at the call. His eyes rested on the cute yet cool young man which had been nicknamed sweet pumpkin and were blank only for a second before a deceptive glaze of kindness slide into them. “Oh, it’s you, Sungmin-ah. What is it?”
“There’s going to be a celebration party.” The sweet pumpkin panted before the cold eyes hidden by kindness. “Manager-hyung wants us to meet up at the lobby in five minutes!”
“Five minutes?” the angel smiled with a smile that was more a calculated smirk. “I’ll be there.”
“Eh? But Hyung…” the sweet pumpkin frowned. It was not surprising to the angel since he had guessed that his perfectionist younger was supposed to have already rounded up all the members by now and he was far from his goal.
On other days, the angel would have gone with the pumpkin, fulfilling his role as a caring, responsible leader. But today was different. Today, he had a different role to play.
“I dropped my earring and I’m trying to find it.” the angel lied smoothly, “Go on first.”
“Standing up?”
The pumpkin was more astute than he seemed. The angel had underestimated again, but was not deterred. “I’m mostly thinking about my image. Who knows when the anti-fans might show up, and if they catch me in a weird stooping pose, I think I’d die of embarrassment. Anyway, you should go find Kangin first, Sungmin. He’s probably in some weird place sleeping again. It’ll take some time to find him.”
“Oh! Yes! That violent raccoon!” the pumpkin punched his fist into his hand with sour scowl. The angel humourously thought it was strange how naturally that transited into a sweet beaming grin for the angel. “Thanks, Leeteuk-hyung! I’m going to find Kangin-hyung now! Don’t be late, okay?!”
The angel watched detachedly as the pumpkin ran out of the room. He stayed stock still even after the pumpkin had disappeared from site and the room echoed with empty automated air.
“He gone, boss?”
The angel’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t turn. “You took a lot of risk coming here. The police are still watching me. Don’t waste my time. What is it?”
“New one. I’ve already broken ‘im. Caved right in with your new methods. Good work, thinkin’ of ‘em new methods, boss. You’re much better than the ol’ boss. Smart plan foolin’ the police by gettin’ that girl to testify your innocence before takin’ over. Was wunderin though… How’d ya convince that girl to tell the police ya wure a pawn too?”
The angel didn’t respond to the praise. He had heard it many times before, uttered with the same sour-wined voice. The only difference now was that he was the subject of the praise - all the more to ignore it. “In the van? Now? Didn’t I tell you that I’ll come to you?”
“But he’s the special one!” the underling, once called the evil man, objected. “Don’t you rem’ber your orders for this one, boss?”
The angel paused. He disregarded the look of triumph the underling had as he pulled open the van door and let himself inside. It took a while to adjust to the darkness - he had been undercover in the light for so long that he had lost his old skills.
When they had adjusted, the plain brown eyes spotted the cage on the floor and the thing it held. Blank brown eyes stared into the plain brown gaze.
A smile came to the mouth under the plain brown gaze. It was the effect of déjà vu. Another place, another time and another role, but there was no denying the sense of familiarity.
“So what you wanna do with ‘im, boss?” the underling had crawled into the darkness - skittering actually, like the cockroach he was. “He’s too old to fetch a good price in ‘em slave markets.”
“Yes, but then, he’s special.” The plain brown gaze had flat humour in them. “I have plans for him.”
“Plans.” The underling rubbed his hands. “Good. Plans are good.”
“Yes.” The plain brown gaze agreed. “And this child is key to my plans. Hmm… Key. Yes, that’s a good name.”
And with a gaze that was as sly as it was plain, the fallen angel turned his back onto the child, stepping out completely of his old role, feeling as if he was leaving that discarded itchy skin behind for the child to pick up and wear.
And without a doubt, the child would pick it up and wear it.
They left the dark room, taking with them every possible remnant of light and with it any possible hope…
…But still, the child remained silent.
END.