Of Swaggers, Saloons, And Star Badges - Chapter 11
Title: Of Swaggers, Saloons, And Star Badges - Chapter 11
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: 1,496
Disclaimer: I have a what?
Previous parts: Prologue , Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 , Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 , Chapter 5 , Chapter 6 , Chapter 7 , Chapter 8 , Chapter 9 , Chapter 10
“Junsu, can you give him some room to breathe.” Jaejoong sighed in irritation.
“I’m just tryin’ to check if he is even still breathing!” The youth insisted.
“You are worse than our mother.” Junho commented.
“I told you he was like a mother hen, pecking at everything.” Changmin joined in the teasing.
“Yah!” Junsu cried out in indignation.
Yoochun groaned. The voices around him sounded like thunder and his head was pounding.
“Nice going dongsaeng.” Junho chastised his younger brother.
“Oh hush up Junho-ah, Yoochunnie-hyung is awake!” Junsu cried out cheerfully.
“Please, stop yelling Su-ah!” Yoochun moaned and pulled the covers up over his head as a means to shield himself form all the noise and light.
“Sorry hyung,” the youngest answered sheepishly.
Jaejoong unceremoniously shoved Junsu aside and leaned over Yoochun to check his fever; gently pulling the covers out of Yoochun’s weak death grip.
“How are you feeling?” He asked the man below him with a creased brow.
“Sore.” Yoochun’s voice was rough but he gave his brightest smile he could manage in order to reassure the small crowd gathered around him. He had never felt so cared for before and he wanted them to know that he would be alright.
“You had us worried.” Jaejoong gave a soft smile in return. Before he could say more to Yoochun, it was his turn to be shoved aside by Changmin.
“That is the last time you are allowed to be unconscious for so long under my watch - never, ever, ever again!” Changmin’s face looked stern but his tone was more teasing.
“I guess I’ll just have to be more careful from now on.” Yoochun offered with his best dimpled smile.
“See that you do.” Changmin nodded in agreement.
“Alright, everyone out! Chunnie-hyung needs to eat and then rest some more!” Junsu said as he shooed everyone one out. Jaejoong and Changmin protested but Junsu was in full mothering mode and would have none of it.
“I’m glad you’re alright Yoochun-hyung!”Junho called out as his brother shoved him out the door and down the stairs.
Junsu grinned sweetly at Yoochun before he practically force fed him some porridge; it was surprisingly tasty even though Junsu didn’t really give him a chance to savor his first real meal in days. Yoochun then had a fight with Junsu about whether or not he was well enough to bathe himself - he really wasn’t but Yoochun didn’t want his younger friend to have to see all the wounds covering his body any more. Yoochun clearly lost that battle to a overbearing, but nurturing Junsu. It pained Yoochun to see Junsu’s eyes well with tears as he helped him wash; he did his best not to show any pain on his face to keep Junsu from breaking out into full sobs. Junsu then helped Yoochun dry and dress himself in a sad silence. Once refreshed and changed into a set of clean clothes Yoochun was able to hobble down stairs with Junsu’s aide to the kitchen where the others were gathered around some coffee.
Junsu was ready to fret over him some more but Junho held him back. Jaejoong and Changmin needed some time with Yoochun now. Junho firmly steered Junsu out into the Saloon’s main room giving Yoochun an understanding nod of the head as he did so and Yoochun smiled back gratefully.
Yoochun took up a stool at the long work table across from Jaejoong and Changmin. He took a deep breath before beginning the speech he had been preparing in his head for a while.
“I had a lot of time to think while I was tied up.” He began, grimacing at his own pun, but he continued on. “I need some time to heal; both my body and my mind.” He took another deep breath. “Changmin, I care for you, but the problem is I don’t really know you all that well. I think, I think that we need more time to get to know one another beyond our initial attraction. And Jaejoong-hyung;” he shifted to get a better look at the older man. “I have loved you for as long as I can remember, but you love Micky. I’m not him anymore. So much has happened to me in such a short amount of time and I’ve changed. I think we need to get reacquainted with one another. I think it is really important for me to get to know each of you as well as I can before moving on to the next step in the relationship.” He looked down to his hands in his lap with a blush.
Each man took a moment to process what had just been said. Jaejoong nodded in agreement. The Yoochun in front of him was much more confident and strong than the Micky he had known, but he can’t say that he dislikes the change; he had always tried to boost the younger man’s self-esteem and now it seems that Yoochun had accomplished it all on his own. Changmin hummed in agreement as well. He was enamored with Yoochun but they truly didn’t know much about each other and he wanted to know everything about Yoochun that there was to know - all the good and the bad.
“Well Yoochun, I appreciate everything you just said , and I think I can speak for Jaejoong when I say that I agree with you one hundred percent,” He looked over to Jaejoong for confirmation.
“I think you’re absolutely right Yoochun.” Jaejoong supplied.
“But,” Changmin continued, “there are some other arrangements we need to settle here and now.”
“Oh?” Yoochun was a bit confused by the response he had gotten. He had been so nervous about speaking to them and had practice that speech several times in his head; trying to predict how each man would react and what they would say and how he would then respond - and each man had taken it so well just now. He was sure one of them would object to him getting more cozy with the other in the future - instead they just smiled and nodded at him. Yoochun could sense that there was much more going on than he had once thought.
“Since you’re still pretty banged up, Changmin and I thought it would be best to move you into his cabin. That way we could take turns taking care of you while we are working.” Jaejoong began to explain.
“What?” Yoochun obviously had yet to wake up, Jaejoong and Changmin were going to be living together? Even if it was for Yoochun’s own sake, it was still bizarre. A couple of days ago, Jaejoong would have never readily agreed to this.
“Jaejoong-hyung is my new Deputy and my cabin has enough space for the three of us to bunk comfortably.” Changmin elaborated when he saw the dumbfounded confused expression on Yoochun’s face.
“When did you two stop trying to kill each other?” Yoochun asked suspiciously after a long moment of contemplation. Jaejoong and Changmin both shrugged and focused on different spots on the wall behind Yoochun. They both couldn’t look each other in the eyes; the guilt from their drunken kiss becoming too intense in Yoochun’s presence. Yoochun picked up on the awkward behavior and Seung-Heon’s words about a love triangle rang in his head as if the horrible man had just spoken them into his ear all over again. It seems that things were far more complicated than he had realized.
“Oh, well. You know we had to work together to find you and all and I guess we just sort of became friends.” Jaejoong finally offered when he realized Yoochun’s eye wouldn’t stop burning holes into he and Changmin until they gave him a believable answer.
“Friends.” Changmin echoed in agreement and cleared his throat; uncomfortable under Yoochun’s unwavering stare. The three men remained in an awkward silence until Yoochun shifted uncomfortably in his hard seat. Jaejoong quickly jumped up and rounded the table to his side. The man was always so nurturing towards Yoochun and it made Changmin’s heart flutter; he liked the way Jaejoong and Yoochun looked in each other’s arms.
“I think we should get you packed and settled into my place today so that you can rest comfortably.” Changmin said as stiffly as his body moved to stand. He had done his best to not think of the two beautiful men in front of him embracing, but his body had other ideas. On the other side of the table, Yoochun gave a small agreeable smile and let Jaejoong help him stand.
As Yoochun watched the two men coordinate his move from the room above the Saloon to the Sheriff’s cabin, he noticed how in synch the two law men were; even through their bickering over how to pack his clothes. Yoochun found himself smiling at their antics and realized that, perhaps, things didn’t have to be so complicated between the three of them after all.
A/N: I know this is a short chapter, but it is important for the development of the story and characters; we need to know where they stand before I throw them in bed together - that will happen in the next chapter ^^
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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: 1,496
Disclaimer: I have a what?
Previous parts: Prologue , Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 , Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 , Chapter 5 , Chapter 6 , Chapter 7 , Chapter 8 , Chapter 9 , Chapter 10
“Junsu, can you give him some room to breathe.” Jaejoong sighed in irritation.
“I’m just tryin’ to check if he is even still breathing!” The youth insisted.
“You are worse than our mother.” Junho commented.
“I told you he was like a mother hen, pecking at everything.” Changmin joined in the teasing.
“Yah!” Junsu cried out in indignation.
Yoochun groaned. The voices around him sounded like thunder and his head was pounding.
“Nice going dongsaeng.” Junho chastised his younger brother.
“Oh hush up Junho-ah, Yoochunnie-hyung is awake!” Junsu cried out cheerfully.
“Please, stop yelling Su-ah!” Yoochun moaned and pulled the covers up over his head as a means to shield himself form all the noise and light.
“Sorry hyung,” the youngest answered sheepishly.
Jaejoong unceremoniously shoved Junsu aside and leaned over Yoochun to check his fever; gently pulling the covers out of Yoochun’s weak death grip.
“How are you feeling?” He asked the man below him with a creased brow.
“Sore.” Yoochun’s voice was rough but he gave his brightest smile he could manage in order to reassure the small crowd gathered around him. He had never felt so cared for before and he wanted them to know that he would be alright.
“You had us worried.” Jaejoong gave a soft smile in return. Before he could say more to Yoochun, it was his turn to be shoved aside by Changmin.
“That is the last time you are allowed to be unconscious for so long under my watch - never, ever, ever again!” Changmin’s face looked stern but his tone was more teasing.
“I guess I’ll just have to be more careful from now on.” Yoochun offered with his best dimpled smile.
“See that you do.” Changmin nodded in agreement.
“Alright, everyone out! Chunnie-hyung needs to eat and then rest some more!” Junsu said as he shooed everyone one out. Jaejoong and Changmin protested but Junsu was in full mothering mode and would have none of it.
“I’m glad you’re alright Yoochun-hyung!”Junho called out as his brother shoved him out the door and down the stairs.
Junsu grinned sweetly at Yoochun before he practically force fed him some porridge; it was surprisingly tasty even though Junsu didn’t really give him a chance to savor his first real meal in days. Yoochun then had a fight with Junsu about whether or not he was well enough to bathe himself - he really wasn’t but Yoochun didn’t want his younger friend to have to see all the wounds covering his body any more. Yoochun clearly lost that battle to a overbearing, but nurturing Junsu. It pained Yoochun to see Junsu’s eyes well with tears as he helped him wash; he did his best not to show any pain on his face to keep Junsu from breaking out into full sobs. Junsu then helped Yoochun dry and dress himself in a sad silence. Once refreshed and changed into a set of clean clothes Yoochun was able to hobble down stairs with Junsu’s aide to the kitchen where the others were gathered around some coffee.
Junsu was ready to fret over him some more but Junho held him back. Jaejoong and Changmin needed some time with Yoochun now. Junho firmly steered Junsu out into the Saloon’s main room giving Yoochun an understanding nod of the head as he did so and Yoochun smiled back gratefully.
Yoochun took up a stool at the long work table across from Jaejoong and Changmin. He took a deep breath before beginning the speech he had been preparing in his head for a while.
“I had a lot of time to think while I was tied up.” He began, grimacing at his own pun, but he continued on. “I need some time to heal; both my body and my mind.” He took another deep breath. “Changmin, I care for you, but the problem is I don’t really know you all that well. I think, I think that we need more time to get to know one another beyond our initial attraction. And Jaejoong-hyung;” he shifted to get a better look at the older man. “I have loved you for as long as I can remember, but you love Micky. I’m not him anymore. So much has happened to me in such a short amount of time and I’ve changed. I think we need to get reacquainted with one another. I think it is really important for me to get to know each of you as well as I can before moving on to the next step in the relationship.” He looked down to his hands in his lap with a blush.
Each man took a moment to process what had just been said. Jaejoong nodded in agreement. The Yoochun in front of him was much more confident and strong than the Micky he had known, but he can’t say that he dislikes the change; he had always tried to boost the younger man’s self-esteem and now it seems that Yoochun had accomplished it all on his own. Changmin hummed in agreement as well. He was enamored with Yoochun but they truly didn’t know much about each other and he wanted to know everything about Yoochun that there was to know - all the good and the bad.
“Well Yoochun, I appreciate everything you just said , and I think I can speak for Jaejoong when I say that I agree with you one hundred percent,” He looked over to Jaejoong for confirmation.
“I think you’re absolutely right Yoochun.” Jaejoong supplied.
“But,” Changmin continued, “there are some other arrangements we need to settle here and now.”
“Oh?” Yoochun was a bit confused by the response he had gotten. He had been so nervous about speaking to them and had practice that speech several times in his head; trying to predict how each man would react and what they would say and how he would then respond - and each man had taken it so well just now. He was sure one of them would object to him getting more cozy with the other in the future - instead they just smiled and nodded at him. Yoochun could sense that there was much more going on than he had once thought.
“Since you’re still pretty banged up, Changmin and I thought it would be best to move you into his cabin. That way we could take turns taking care of you while we are working.” Jaejoong began to explain.
“What?” Yoochun obviously had yet to wake up, Jaejoong and Changmin were going to be living together? Even if it was for Yoochun’s own sake, it was still bizarre. A couple of days ago, Jaejoong would have never readily agreed to this.
“Jaejoong-hyung is my new Deputy and my cabin has enough space for the three of us to bunk comfortably.” Changmin elaborated when he saw the dumbfounded confused expression on Yoochun’s face.
“When did you two stop trying to kill each other?” Yoochun asked suspiciously after a long moment of contemplation. Jaejoong and Changmin both shrugged and focused on different spots on the wall behind Yoochun. They both couldn’t look each other in the eyes; the guilt from their drunken kiss becoming too intense in Yoochun’s presence. Yoochun picked up on the awkward behavior and Seung-Heon’s words about a love triangle rang in his head as if the horrible man had just spoken them into his ear all over again. It seems that things were far more complicated than he had realized.
“Oh, well. You know we had to work together to find you and all and I guess we just sort of became friends.” Jaejoong finally offered when he realized Yoochun’s eye wouldn’t stop burning holes into he and Changmin until they gave him a believable answer.
“Friends.” Changmin echoed in agreement and cleared his throat; uncomfortable under Yoochun’s unwavering stare. The three men remained in an awkward silence until Yoochun shifted uncomfortably in his hard seat. Jaejoong quickly jumped up and rounded the table to his side. The man was always so nurturing towards Yoochun and it made Changmin’s heart flutter; he liked the way Jaejoong and Yoochun looked in each other’s arms.
“I think we should get you packed and settled into my place today so that you can rest comfortably.” Changmin said as stiffly as his body moved to stand. He had done his best to not think of the two beautiful men in front of him embracing, but his body had other ideas. On the other side of the table, Yoochun gave a small agreeable smile and let Jaejoong help him stand.
As Yoochun watched the two men coordinate his move from the room above the Saloon to the Sheriff’s cabin, he noticed how in synch the two law men were; even through their bickering over how to pack his clothes. Yoochun found himself smiling at their antics and realized that, perhaps, things didn’t have to be so complicated between the three of them after all.
A/N: I know this is a short chapter, but it is important for the development of the story and characters; we need to know where they stand before I throw them in bed together - that will happen in the next chapter ^^
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