Of Swaggers, Saloons, And Star Badges - Chapter 1
Title: Of Swaggers, Saloons, And Star Badges - Chapter 1
Character/Pairing: Jae/Min/Chun and variations of, minor one-sided YunChun, YooSu bffery
Genre: drama/angst, romance, and a bit of comedy and action, Korean Wild West AU!
Rating: PG-13 to be safe (for now)
Word Count: 1,832
Disclaimer: I have a what?
Previous parts: Prologue
A/N: This chapter is a little slow but it is to set the mood and to show the relationships between the characters. Chapter 2 will have much more action ^^
Park Yoochun had been in the small town for five days. He was handsome, charismatic, a heck of card player and a quick draw. He had the fastest hands at the poker table; maybe even as fast as Shim Changmin- the town’s hardened Sheriff. Other than Park’s impressive style of winning card hands, no one knew much about him. He didn’t cause any real trouble other than a scuffle or two with sore losers. They only things the townspeople did know about Park Yoochun was that he looked younger than he claimed he was and attended church service on Sunday.
Changmin had been keeping a closer eye of the elusive gambler than he should have. Beyond the attraction he felt towards the man - an attraction most would feel for the handsome stranger - Changmin was intrigued with the man’s duality. His curiosity had been sparked just two days after Park Yoochun’s arrival. Changmin had gone on a Monday afternoon to talk to the Minister when he heard the choir’s piano being played in the Chapel. The melody was slow and calming. Changmin peeked in from the side entrance of the Chapel to see Park Yoochun playing. Then he opened his mouth and a warm baritone filled the hall. Changmin noted the grace of the player’s fingers and the richness of his voice. The minister than walked down the aisle and Yoochun stopped his playing. The Minister smiled at the young man and nodded for him to continue.
“That’s alright Pastor. Everything seems to be in tune now. I’ll be on my way.”
“Are you sure you won’t join the choir son? We could use a strong baritone like you.”
“I’m sure father. I don’t belong up in the front. I’m more of a back row kind of guy. Besides, I don’t think I’ll be in town for that long.” The pastor gave Yoochun a sad smile and thanked the man for his help. Park Yoochun may present a mysterious, charming façade, but it was clear to Changmin that Yoochun’s past was still very much a part of him and wherever he was from, he never wanted to go back.
“Sheriff, did you hear me? I said he’s at it again!”
Changmin was pulled out of his daydreaming by the town’s resident complainer, Mrs. Han.
“Han-shii, you’ll have to be a little more specific, who is at what again?”
“Lee Dong Gun! He is out in the square right now selling his ridiculous miracle tonics again!” Mrs. Han thought calling anything outside of the bible a miracle was blasphemy. Changmin sighed in exasperation. Lee Dong Gun was the prime example of a charlatan and a royal pain in his ass.
“Alright Han-shii, you can be assured that I’ll get on that right away-” anything to get away from this old bat- “Deputy Choi hold down the fort, Youngwoon you’re with me.” His deputies nodded and he left Siwon to deal with Mrs. Han; the younger man had more patience than he did anyways.
“Ladies and Gentlemen! Gather around to hear about the only tonic that you will ever need to cure all your sickness and woes!” Lee Dong Gun was yelling out over the square; a fair crowd had already gathered around him, including one Park Yoochun. Just what Changmin needed; his greatest distraction - in the flesh.
“Dong Gun! Get down from the water pump and pack up your stuff.” Changmin bellowed as he made his way through the crowd.
“Sheriff what can I help you with? Fatigue, sore muscles, hair loss…or perhaps bedroom troubles?” Snickers could be heard in the crowd. It was well known that Changmin had never courted any young lady (or man).
“You are a public nuisance and a no good con. Get your stuff and get out of town once and for all!” He looked over at Yoochun from the corner of his eyes. The younger man was watching the exchange with much interest.
“Come now Sheriff. My tonic is one hundred percent bona fide to cure whatever ails you.” Changmin snorted.
“Dong Gun, stop trying to steal the hard earned money of these fine people and go con another town, neh?”
“I’m not a con or a thief, my tonic is the real thing.” Changmin rolled his eyes and motioned for Deputy Kim Youngwoon to begin to break up the crowd. He pulled Dong Gun down from the water pump edge. As Changmin “helped” Dong Gun pack up his tonic, debating to confiscate it or not, Yoochun slipped past those that were lingering.
“What’s the matter Sheriff? Don’t believe in giving people some hope in these hard times?” The voice rolled over him and the Sheriff tried not to shiver. Looking up, Changmin was startled by the sudden appearance and proximity of the other man. It had been a while since he had been able to study the flawless face up close. The last time had been after he had broken up a fight at the bar after Yoochun had cleared out one of the regular gamblers. At that time, the young man’s face had been flushed and marred with an angry expression. Right now, Yoochun had his hips cocked and a teasing smirk on his face. Changmin preferred this look on the man; it lent to a certain glint in his eyes.
“See Sheriff, this young man knows what he is talking about.” But Dong Gun’s comment went ignored.
“Not when it’s false hope that he’s selling and not at so high a price.” Changmin stared into Yoochun’s eyes; the smirk had been replaced with a sad smile. Changmin knew that Yoochun had to be younger than the 21 years he said he was.
“Hope is hope Sheriff.”
“Changmin-hyung, the crowd has dispersed. Are we hauling this louse off to jail or to the edge of town?”
“Let’s put him up for the night and send him off tomorrow. I hear the there’s gonna be a fair two towns over - he can hock his over-priced pond water there.”
“What a marvelous idea Sheriff! I do say you would make an excellent business man!” Dong Gun said with an excited flourish.
When Changmin turned to scold the man he noticed that Yoochun was gone. He sighed. That guy never stuck around for a full conversation. What was Yoochun so afraid of Changmin finding out?
Yoochun watched from around a building as Sheriff Shim Changmin and his Deputy carted away the tonic salesman. Sheriff Shim was so different from his Jaejoong-hyung. Where Jaejoong would have engaged in the witty banter, Changmin ignored it; he was much too serious. The only thing similar between this Sheriff and Jaejoong were their star badges and how proudly they wore them - and maybe the cocky swagger in their steps when they were on duty. But, there was something about Changmin, something about his righteousness and they way he always looked everyone in the eye that made Yoochun want to stick around a while longer. Watching Changmin turn and leave the town square reminded Yoochun of Jaejoong’s retreating form.
Yoochun was looking for Jaejoong, moving from town to town trying to find where his hyung had ran off to - ran away from him - if only so that he could apologize to Jaejoong. He was sorry that Jaejoong had put so much effort and faith into trying to make Yoochun a better man when he was obviously no good. He just needed to make sure that Jaejoong was alright, that he was happy and safe and then he would leave. Maybe go up north and join the search for gold. Or maybe he would come back here…Yoochun knew he had to stop his daydreaming. He wasn’t good enough for someone as wonderful as his Jaejoong-hyung, how could he even think that a man as equally as good would want him?
Yoochun turned and headed to the Saloon or bar to visit the only friend he had really made in this town. Kim Junsu’s family ran the Saloon, and at seventeen Junsu was just a year younger than him. The two had formed a bond over music when Yoochun had heard the younger boy playing and singing at the Saloon’s piano. Junsu was a sweet kid and surprisingly still quite innocent considering that he hung around the bar a lot. Junsu was lucky he still had his youthfulness about him - Yoochun envied him. As it was still in the afternoon, he figured he’d go bug Junsu for a couple of hours before he won some more at poker.
“Yoochunnie-hyung!” Junsu threw his arms around his new best friend.
“Junsu - can’t breathe!” he stammered out.
“Sorry hyung.” He smoothed out Yoochun’s clothing. The older teen smiled, Junsu was too cute for a seventeen year old.
“Jaejoongie-hyung!” Sixteen year old Micky practically ran the young Deputy down in the street.
“Micky-ah!” Jaejoong slung an arm around the youth’s shoulders.
“Hyung are we going to go shooting today or practice boxing or go riding or -” Micky’s ramblings were cut off by a pinch to his cheeks.
“Too cute Micky-ah” Jaejoong said teasingly.
“Sorry hyung, I’ll work on that.” He frowned. He wanted to be tougher, like his hyung.
Jaejoong sighed. Micky took him too seriously sometimes. “A little aegyo is okay sometimes.”
Micky nodded silently.
“Let’s go for a swim today!” Jaejoong suddenly spoke.
“Hyung?” Micky looked up to see his hyung smiling, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Come on, it’s too hot to do anything else today anyways.” Jaejoong’s arm once again found its place on Micky’s shoulders and the pair headed to the lake for some summer fun.
“Too cute Junsu-yah!” Yoochun pinched the teen’s cheeks.
“Hyung~!” He whined, swatting away Yoochun’s hands.
“Never change.” Yoochun threw his arm around Junsu’s shoulders and they headed towards the piano to play some music.
As Yoochun was playing around on the keys, no real song being played, Junsu turned to him.
“Neh, hyung? What was all that commotion in the square today?”
“Oh, that.” Yoochun thought back to how Sheriff Shim looked in his uniform and how the sun shone off his badge. “Some guy was trying to trick people into buying his phony miracle tonic and the Sheriff and one of his deputies shut it down.” He shrugged, eyes on the white and black keys in front of him, trying to make it seem like no big deal. He avoided Junsu’s eyes, afraid that he would blush at the thought of the young Sheriff with too strong convictions.
“That Sheriff Shim is all business. If he’s not having any fun, none of us are!” Junsu grumbled.
“Yah dongsaeng. Don’t tell me you believe in miracle tonics?”
“No, but it still would have been fun to test it out on all sorts of things.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Oy! You little rascal!” Yoochun set off chasing the youth around the saloon. Neither teen saw the Sheriff in the doorway; of course, he was gone in an instant.
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Character/Pairing: Jae/Min/Chun and variations of, minor one-sided YunChun, YooSu bffery
Genre: drama/angst, romance, and a bit of comedy and action, Korean Wild West AU!
Rating: PG-13 to be safe (for now)
Word Count: 1,832
Disclaimer: I have a what?
Previous parts: Prologue
A/N: This chapter is a little slow but it is to set the mood and to show the relationships between the characters. Chapter 2 will have much more action ^^
Park Yoochun had been in the small town for five days. He was handsome, charismatic, a heck of card player and a quick draw. He had the fastest hands at the poker table; maybe even as fast as Shim Changmin- the town’s hardened Sheriff. Other than Park’s impressive style of winning card hands, no one knew much about him. He didn’t cause any real trouble other than a scuffle or two with sore losers. They only things the townspeople did know about Park Yoochun was that he looked younger than he claimed he was and attended church service on Sunday.
Changmin had been keeping a closer eye of the elusive gambler than he should have. Beyond the attraction he felt towards the man - an attraction most would feel for the handsome stranger - Changmin was intrigued with the man’s duality. His curiosity had been sparked just two days after Park Yoochun’s arrival. Changmin had gone on a Monday afternoon to talk to the Minister when he heard the choir’s piano being played in the Chapel. The melody was slow and calming. Changmin peeked in from the side entrance of the Chapel to see Park Yoochun playing. Then he opened his mouth and a warm baritone filled the hall. Changmin noted the grace of the player’s fingers and the richness of his voice. The minister than walked down the aisle and Yoochun stopped his playing. The Minister smiled at the young man and nodded for him to continue.
“That’s alright Pastor. Everything seems to be in tune now. I’ll be on my way.”
“Are you sure you won’t join the choir son? We could use a strong baritone like you.”
“I’m sure father. I don’t belong up in the front. I’m more of a back row kind of guy. Besides, I don’t think I’ll be in town for that long.” The pastor gave Yoochun a sad smile and thanked the man for his help. Park Yoochun may present a mysterious, charming façade, but it was clear to Changmin that Yoochun’s past was still very much a part of him and wherever he was from, he never wanted to go back.
“Sheriff, did you hear me? I said he’s at it again!”
Changmin was pulled out of his daydreaming by the town’s resident complainer, Mrs. Han.
“Han-shii, you’ll have to be a little more specific, who is at what again?”
“Lee Dong Gun! He is out in the square right now selling his ridiculous miracle tonics again!” Mrs. Han thought calling anything outside of the bible a miracle was blasphemy. Changmin sighed in exasperation. Lee Dong Gun was the prime example of a charlatan and a royal pain in his ass.
“Alright Han-shii, you can be assured that I’ll get on that right away-” anything to get away from this old bat- “Deputy Choi hold down the fort, Youngwoon you’re with me.” His deputies nodded and he left Siwon to deal with Mrs. Han; the younger man had more patience than he did anyways.
“Ladies and Gentlemen! Gather around to hear about the only tonic that you will ever need to cure all your sickness and woes!” Lee Dong Gun was yelling out over the square; a fair crowd had already gathered around him, including one Park Yoochun. Just what Changmin needed; his greatest distraction - in the flesh.
“Dong Gun! Get down from the water pump and pack up your stuff.” Changmin bellowed as he made his way through the crowd.
“Sheriff what can I help you with? Fatigue, sore muscles, hair loss…or perhaps bedroom troubles?” Snickers could be heard in the crowd. It was well known that Changmin had never courted any young lady (or man).
“You are a public nuisance and a no good con. Get your stuff and get out of town once and for all!” He looked over at Yoochun from the corner of his eyes. The younger man was watching the exchange with much interest.
“Come now Sheriff. My tonic is one hundred percent bona fide to cure whatever ails you.” Changmin snorted.
“Dong Gun, stop trying to steal the hard earned money of these fine people and go con another town, neh?”
“I’m not a con or a thief, my tonic is the real thing.” Changmin rolled his eyes and motioned for Deputy Kim Youngwoon to begin to break up the crowd. He pulled Dong Gun down from the water pump edge. As Changmin “helped” Dong Gun pack up his tonic, debating to confiscate it or not, Yoochun slipped past those that were lingering.
“What’s the matter Sheriff? Don’t believe in giving people some hope in these hard times?” The voice rolled over him and the Sheriff tried not to shiver. Looking up, Changmin was startled by the sudden appearance and proximity of the other man. It had been a while since he had been able to study the flawless face up close. The last time had been after he had broken up a fight at the bar after Yoochun had cleared out one of the regular gamblers. At that time, the young man’s face had been flushed and marred with an angry expression. Right now, Yoochun had his hips cocked and a teasing smirk on his face. Changmin preferred this look on the man; it lent to a certain glint in his eyes.
“See Sheriff, this young man knows what he is talking about.” But Dong Gun’s comment went ignored.
“Not when it’s false hope that he’s selling and not at so high a price.” Changmin stared into Yoochun’s eyes; the smirk had been replaced with a sad smile. Changmin knew that Yoochun had to be younger than the 21 years he said he was.
“Hope is hope Sheriff.”
“Changmin-hyung, the crowd has dispersed. Are we hauling this louse off to jail or to the edge of town?”
“Let’s put him up for the night and send him off tomorrow. I hear the there’s gonna be a fair two towns over - he can hock his over-priced pond water there.”
“What a marvelous idea Sheriff! I do say you would make an excellent business man!” Dong Gun said with an excited flourish.
When Changmin turned to scold the man he noticed that Yoochun was gone. He sighed. That guy never stuck around for a full conversation. What was Yoochun so afraid of Changmin finding out?
Yoochun watched from around a building as Sheriff Shim Changmin and his Deputy carted away the tonic salesman. Sheriff Shim was so different from his Jaejoong-hyung. Where Jaejoong would have engaged in the witty banter, Changmin ignored it; he was much too serious. The only thing similar between this Sheriff and Jaejoong were their star badges and how proudly they wore them - and maybe the cocky swagger in their steps when they were on duty. But, there was something about Changmin, something about his righteousness and they way he always looked everyone in the eye that made Yoochun want to stick around a while longer. Watching Changmin turn and leave the town square reminded Yoochun of Jaejoong’s retreating form.
Yoochun was looking for Jaejoong, moving from town to town trying to find where his hyung had ran off to - ran away from him - if only so that he could apologize to Jaejoong. He was sorry that Jaejoong had put so much effort and faith into trying to make Yoochun a better man when he was obviously no good. He just needed to make sure that Jaejoong was alright, that he was happy and safe and then he would leave. Maybe go up north and join the search for gold. Or maybe he would come back here…Yoochun knew he had to stop his daydreaming. He wasn’t good enough for someone as wonderful as his Jaejoong-hyung, how could he even think that a man as equally as good would want him?
Yoochun turned and headed to the Saloon or bar to visit the only friend he had really made in this town. Kim Junsu’s family ran the Saloon, and at seventeen Junsu was just a year younger than him. The two had formed a bond over music when Yoochun had heard the younger boy playing and singing at the Saloon’s piano. Junsu was a sweet kid and surprisingly still quite innocent considering that he hung around the bar a lot. Junsu was lucky he still had his youthfulness about him - Yoochun envied him. As it was still in the afternoon, he figured he’d go bug Junsu for a couple of hours before he won some more at poker.
“Yoochunnie-hyung!” Junsu threw his arms around his new best friend.
“Junsu - can’t breathe!” he stammered out.
“Sorry hyung.” He smoothed out Yoochun’s clothing. The older teen smiled, Junsu was too cute for a seventeen year old.
“Jaejoongie-hyung!” Sixteen year old Micky practically ran the young Deputy down in the street.
“Micky-ah!” Jaejoong slung an arm around the youth’s shoulders.
“Hyung are we going to go shooting today or practice boxing or go riding or -” Micky’s ramblings were cut off by a pinch to his cheeks.
“Too cute Micky-ah” Jaejoong said teasingly.
“Sorry hyung, I’ll work on that.” He frowned. He wanted to be tougher, like his hyung.
Jaejoong sighed. Micky took him too seriously sometimes. “A little aegyo is okay sometimes.”
Micky nodded silently.
“Let’s go for a swim today!” Jaejoong suddenly spoke.
“Hyung?” Micky looked up to see his hyung smiling, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Come on, it’s too hot to do anything else today anyways.” Jaejoong’s arm once again found its place on Micky’s shoulders and the pair headed to the lake for some summer fun.
“Too cute Junsu-yah!” Yoochun pinched the teen’s cheeks.
“Hyung~!” He whined, swatting away Yoochun’s hands.
“Never change.” Yoochun threw his arm around Junsu’s shoulders and they headed towards the piano to play some music.
As Yoochun was playing around on the keys, no real song being played, Junsu turned to him.
“Neh, hyung? What was all that commotion in the square today?”
“Oh, that.” Yoochun thought back to how Sheriff Shim looked in his uniform and how the sun shone off his badge. “Some guy was trying to trick people into buying his phony miracle tonic and the Sheriff and one of his deputies shut it down.” He shrugged, eyes on the white and black keys in front of him, trying to make it seem like no big deal. He avoided Junsu’s eyes, afraid that he would blush at the thought of the young Sheriff with too strong convictions.
“That Sheriff Shim is all business. If he’s not having any fun, none of us are!” Junsu grumbled.
“Yah dongsaeng. Don’t tell me you believe in miracle tonics?”
“No, but it still would have been fun to test it out on all sorts of things.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Oy! You little rascal!” Yoochun set off chasing the youth around the saloon. Neither teen saw the Sheriff in the doorway; of course, he was gone in an instant.
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