Grace Fallen (2nd half of 3/3 )
As promised! :D Here is the final part of Grace Fallen. I do hope you enjoy and that it doesn't dissapoint. *worried*
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3, 1st Half
When Jaejoong was jerked awake for the second time that night, it was not Yunho who had caused him to rouse. Blinking up at the ceiling, Jaejoong could feel the steady rise and fall of Yunho beside him, the man’s hair brushing his shoulder. The night was still, and Jaejoong couldn’t understand why he had woken.
And then it came. There was a very faint scraping noise, and then a crinkling noise. The kind of crinkling noise that glass made when stressed. Jaejoong’s whole body tensed up, adrenalin rushing his body as his senses went into over drive. His eyes jerked around madly as he stained to hear more, terrified to move at all and alert whoever was there that he was awake. His heightened hearing picked up on some more sounds, and Jaejoong imagined someone entering the apartment through the large window on his left, the noises coming from that area. There was the soft sound of footfalls, as if someone had climbed into the carpeted room. Jaejoong’s hand curled around Yunho’s arm slowly, squeezing it in terror, his nails digging into the skin. Yunho did not stir however, the drug obviously doing its job to keep him in a contented sleep. Jaejoong wanted to scream, and shake Yunho to wakefulness, but even in his panic he knew that it was likely he wouldn’t be able to rouse his master before the person killed him.
Thinking frantically, Jaejoong struggled to even out his breathing and to keep himself from shaking. He rolled his eyes to the side, half lidded as he tried to see through the darkness. He could just barely make out a black shadow moving through the room, shifting slowly to reduce noise. Jaejoong lowered his lids further, suddenly afraid that the moonlight would catch his eyes and show his awake state.
The figure was getting closer. Jaejoong could feel his throat closing up in fear, his scattered mind trying to work out what to do. The man was approaching the bed on Jaejoong’s side, and Jaejoong strained to try and make out what weapon the person was holding. A laser? A pulse gun? There was a flash of light, and Jaejoong suddenly knew. A knife… a damn knife… this person was going to kill Yunho with a knife. If anyone had been telling this story to Jaejoong at a later date, he would have scoffed at the idea.
Right now though, Jaejoong didn’t think any more about it, only that he needed to stop the person from using the knife, his own whispered promise echoing through his brain loudly. He wouldn’t let Yunho come to harm. He wouldn’t. The shadow approached, and Jaejoong couldn’t help but tense, his fingers one by one loosening their grip on Yunho’s arm as he swallowed and prepared himself.
The shadow leant over to look down at them and Jaejoong moved, launching himself off the bed and onto the assassin with a half-terrified yell, slamming full force into the unsuspecting person and toppling them both over onto the floor. The body below him let out a loud ‘ooof’ as Jaejoong landed on them. Jaejoong made a grapple for the knife that they held still in one hand, but the assassin was quick to recover, immediately fighting back against Jaejoong’s desperate attempts to take the blade. Jaejoong found himself staring at the covered face of the person, only their glittering eyes visible.
The assassin was much stronger, and grabbed hold of Jaejoong’s forearms, forcing him back as the knife came down slowly towards him, the tip shaking with the strain of the muscles holding it. Jaejoong let out a squeaking sound as he tried to keep the blade away, the assassin horridly silent and Yunho still entirely unaware in sleep. Desperate, Jaejoong did whatever he could to get away, and on sudden impulse lent forward and bit down hard on the arm closest to him.
The assassin let out a surprised gasp, and in the one second they loosened their grip, Jaejoong acted, jerking his arm wildly and flinging it outwards. The slacked grip on the knife caused it to slip, and it went flying across the room. Snarling, the assassin backhanded Jaejoong, sending him flipping over onto the floor with a thud, his head hitting the ground hard. Jaejoong let out a little moan, his head spinning. Apparently deeming the primary target as more important then getting silencing Jaejoong, the assassin stood up, reaching down into their boot to grab the small laser hidden there and took aim at Yunho. Jaejoong had rolled over, seeing the direction of the black-clad arms, and the small shiny item in the other’s hands, and screamed.
“YUNHOOOOO!”
Startled, the assassin banked, and the shot went straight through the pillow right beside Yunho’s head, searing through the headboard and circuitry there. The bed fizzed, making a crackling noise and abruptly collapsed, loosing propulsion and dropping the frame into the ground with a loud resounding ‘thud’. This, combined with Jaejoong’s earsplitting yell, had apparently woken Yunho finally, and he began to groggily rouse.
It was however too late, the assassin already taking aim again. Yunho had only a brief second to see a fuzzy black figure across the room before another laser shot went off.
The next few seconds stretched on into infinity, the silence deafening.
Then the assassin swayed, and slid soundlessly to the floor, sprawling undignified on the carpet - their own long steel knife protruding from the back of their head.
A second after that, all hell broke loose. The door screeched open under stress, Kangin bursting into the room, panting and wide eyed. The lights flared on, too bright for Jaejoong’s massively dilated pupils, and he too fell to the floor, collapsing in a heap against the wall. He panted heavily, the sudden need for air overwhelming him as he realized he hadn’t been breathing for the last few moments. His heart beat a tight stattico against his chest, blood rushing through his ears.
Even through the blinding white however, Jaejoong could clearly see the scorched circle that was now decorating the wall across the room, the shot having gone wide at the last moment, grazing past Yunho’s shoulder and into the wall behind.
Kangin was babbling, his eyes growing even wider as he spotted the body and the laser that was now lying harmlessly on the floor. He rushed over to Yunho, who was just sitting up in bed, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked around the room, his eyes coming to rest on the dead man sprawled on the floor. Being fired at apparently cleared the sleepiness from his system, and the burning sensation in his shoulder helped keep him well awake.
Trickles of blood were trailing down his arm, a chunk of skin having been taken off by the laser fire. Kangin ran off, only to return with bandages, hurriedly helping Yunho to clean and bandage the wound. Yunho was looking over the body, and nudged the black cloth from the person’s face, revealing an unknown young male, face slack and surprised in death.
After a few moments, Yunho irritably waved Kangin off, making to secure the wadding himself as suddenly his brain kicked in and he thought of his father.
“Kangin, go call the police, would you?” He ordered the flustered man, who immediately went to do as bid. Yunho gave a cursory look over the unharmed but unresponsive Jaejoong, but was already reaching for his own vid screen controls, dialing into his father’s estate.
He had a terse conversation with the sleepy butler who answered the call, and then another short conversation with his somewhat dismayed, but unharmed, father.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” His father was asking, looking over his tired face and the bandage over his arm.
“Yes… I’m alive, and relatively unhurt. Just, get some guards up around yourself and be alert, please? They might have someone coming for you as well.” He re-iterated. Unlike himself, his father always slept alone these days. Thinking this, Yunho’s eyes slid over to his slave, who was still sitting against the wall staring into the floor, shivering slightly and still completely nude. “I’ve got to go. I’ll call you once we know anything about this guy. I won’t be in to work today.” He said almost absently. He barely heard his father’s reply, and terminated the call right after.
Folding down the screen, he moved across the room, snagging the shirt that had been laid out for him to wear the next day, and shrugging on a robe for himself.
“Jaejoong… Jaejoong, are you unharmed?” He asked softly as he knelt by his shivering slave. He carefully wrapped the shirt around Jaejoong’s shoulders, and Jaejoong allowed himself to be manipulated into the garment.
Jaejoong gave a slight nod in response the question, staring fixedly at the floor. He couldn’t think, and he felt like he’d run a marathon, his muscles were so tired. His head ached from where he’d hit the floor, as did his shoulder and hip, the carpet of the room not as shock-absorbing as it might have looked.
Yunho checked over his slave worriedly, grateful to find no physical wounds. He smoothed down the awry raven hair, soothingly, and tilted Jaejoong’s head up to try and catch his eyes.
“Jaejoong, look at me.” He said firmly, trying to focus the hazy eyes. Jaejoong tried to, Yunho’s face swimming strangely before him as he swallowed, his mouth unbelievably dry. Yunho caressed his face, watching Jaejoong’s pupils spin in and out strangely. He was still shivering too, the usually pale skin shockingly white and cool under Yunho’s hands.
“Can you tell me what happened?” He requested gently, keeping up the soft caresses to try and calm him. Behind him, Yunho heard Kangin come back in, the door sliding out of the way hurriedly.
“Police are on their way.” The butler reported, fixing on the pair against the wall. “Donghae’s checking the security protocols.” Kangin went on as he made his way over to them, peering over Yunho’s shoulder at the pale Jaejoong and wondering what the hell had happened in this room.
Jaejoong opened his mouth to speak, but only a small croaking sound came out. His brows furrowed, but when he tried again, nothing more happened.
“Water!” Yunho demanded, clicking his fingers at Kangin, who immediately fetched a glass, offering it to Jaejoong, concern written all over his face.
Jaejoong took the glass shakily, holding it in a death grip as he took a sip. Relief flooded his throat, and drank deeper. After it seemed he was finished, Yunho took the glass and set it aside, and resumed trying to coax Jaejoong into speech. Kangin came to kneel on the other side, worried eyes watching the pair.
“I… I woke up. There were noises.” Jaejoong began slowly, not looking Yunho in the eye. He swallowed convulsively again, and Yunho squeezed his hand gently, urging him on. “I knew it had to be s-someone trying to g-get in.” The words stumbled over his tongue, and his breathing started to hasten again as he thought on what had happened. “I tried to wake you!” His eyes abruptly snapped to Yunho’s, wide and frightened as he squeezed back on Yunho’s hand desperately. “I tried, but you wouldn’t wake up!”
“Sshhh… it’s okay now, it’s all over.” Yunho murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t wake up.” He said, damning himself for taking the drug. It had got him a few decent hours of sleep, but at what cost? He nearly snorted. At the near cost of his life, it seemed.
“Y-you didn’t wake up, and then they were by the bed, and I didn’t know what to do…! I didn’t know…” Jaejoong trailed off, biting his lip. “He had a knife.” His eyes drifted over to the dead body, but Yunho shifted slightly so that his body was blocking Jaejoong’s line of sight - it really wasn’t something that Jaejoong needed to look at right now.
“Go on…” Yunho prompted. Kangin meanwhile, leant behind Yunho and peered at the long knife now embedded in the would-be-assassin’s cranium. The steel was high-grade, expensive.
“I-I jumped on him.” Jaejoong said next, a little stunned at his own actions. “I didn’t know what to do…” He repeated at Yunho’s incredulous look.
“So you jumped on him?” Yunho repeated. Naked and unarmed? Was added in his mind, looking down at his terribly frail-looking slave and wondering what the hell Jaejoong thought he was doing. Saving your life, a little part of his mind whispered back.
“I don’t remember what happened… but then he had a laser, and he was going to shoot you, and I saw the knife and I just… I just threw it.” Jaejoong said slowly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” He then added, his voice choking up. He’d given Yunho those pills, made him sleep, made him almost get killed.
“Hush, Jaejoong. Everything’s fine now. You’re so brave, so very brave…” Yunho murmured, pulling Jaejoong into a fierce hug as he rubbed the smaller boy’s back. The softness and familiarity of the touch comforted Jaejoong, though his mind still whirled in unfamiliar territory, trying to block out the recent events and pretend that they were still in bed, that nothing had happened and this was just one of Yunho’s nightmares.
The police came, and Yunho left him. People filled the room, a mass of talking, agitated scavengers that scoured the room, the corpse and Yunho for information. A few men from Yunho’s office turned up as well, and helped to jam the space further. Speculation was rife, and while the police were somewhat rough in the questions they aimed at Yunho, they soon turned their attentions to the dead man, Yunho leaning on them heavily to find out exactly who he was, and what connections he had. Despite the data scanners and mobile units they had at ready, nothing much could be obtained right then and there. It took hours, but by 7am, many hours after Jaejoong had woken up to the sounds of an intruder, the last of the foreign entities had vacated Yunho’s apartment.
Kangin sealed the door behind them firmly and thankfully, beginning to go around and clean up the considerable mess they’d left behind. Not in the least the large mark on the usually pristine cream carpet, showing where the (now mercifully removed) assassin had lain.
Yunho tugged his robe tighter, rubbing his head and wondering why it took so many damned people to get anything done these days, and only praying to any deity that would listen that this whole fiasco would lead to something positive. Like finding out who the assassin had been contracted to. Finding out who was trying to kill him.
“Oh my god, oh my god…” Jaejoong’s quiet litany in the new relative silence finally drew Yunho’s attention, and he hurried to the huddled form of his slave. Jaejoong had backed himself up into the corner of the room, his legs raised around him and his hands over his face. He was shaking slightly, Yunho noticed in concern as he came closer, and the shirt that he wore - Yunho’s - looked impossibly large over his balled up figure. The police had spoken to him too, getting about the same account of what had happened as Yunho had. After that he’d been left alone with his thoughts and horrible images, dismissed in the face of far more pressing matters.
“Jaejoong…” Yunho called quietly, kneeling down to gather the other up - the body slave shaking in his arms for the second time in as many weeks.
“I… I killed him…” The voice was so small it was almost inaudible, but Yunho heard, and held Jaejoong all the tighter, realizing the source of his slave’s distress. Jaejoong did not have combative or even defensive training, and the thought of killing someone - or even death itself - was so far out of his sphere of experience, it must have been completely traumatizing to go through.
“You saved me. Both of us, most likely. He was here to kill, Jaejoong. You’ve done nothing wrong.” Yunho soothed, his voice as steady and calm as possible, though he doubted anything he would say could properly fix the situation, for what could one possibly say to alleviate the trauma of taking a life? All he could do was hold Jaejoong as the slave buried his head into Yunho’s shoulder and cried.
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~
The positive that Yunho had wistfully wished for became reality over the next week. The stars had favoured his fortunes, it seemed, and while the detectives’ investigation into who the unknown would-be assassin was started slowly, it was not long until fruits were borne. A lucky lead was caught, and from there a rapid execution of well timed maneuvers brought about the arrest of five men under an array of charges ranging from attempted manslaughter to collusion and corporate sabotage. One of which, Yunho was somewhat morose to find out, had been one of his father’s close advisors on the board, and someone he had suspected not at all.
It was nice, he reflected on the night after the arrests had been made, to be able to sleep in peace for once. It was also nice to know that their negotiations could finally move forwards, hopefully to complete the take over very soon now that there was no fear of dying in support of it.
That night, he had called Changmin to serve upon him - the young slave now released from his confinement and able to move about the house freely, along with all the other newly returned staff.
With Changmin serving their master, Jaejoong was left in his own room for the first night in quite some time, alone with his rapidly more uneasy thoughts. The whole ordeal still did not sit any better with him, and for most the part he tried to refrain from even thinking about the fact that he was now a killer, even one in defense of his master. He felt dirtied by the act, and so tried to block it from his mind entirely - instead filling his thoughts with his other worries. Now that the crisis was over, and everything was settled… surely now Yunho would have time to think on other things. Like what to do with his erroneous body slave.
His worries were only confirmed when not four days later, Yunho returned unusually early, just past lunch hour, and in what seemed to be a quite an agitated state. Jaejoong had been at the piano, playing a duet with Changmin (who was very gifted with a flute), when their master had entered the room quite suddenly and quite unannounced- neither of them expecting him for hours.
“Master?” Jaejoong queried, lifting his hands from the keys and turning to rise and greet Yunho. Both he and Changmin bowed, but Yunho flipped away their formalities with an almost annoyed movement. His eyes flickered around the room, passing between the two before him several times before he actually spoke.
“Jaejoong, go and put on your outside tunic.” He ordered with no preamble, both slaves startling at the order. Changmin looked up sharply, incredulous. No - surely not? Had he misjudged Yunho so much…? Jaejoong meanwhile gulped, his heart suddenly speeding up.
“Y-yes Master.” He replied, carefully replacing the lid of the piano. Changmin dithered, unsure of what to do.
“Changmin, help him.” Yunho added just as Jaejoong was about the leave the room, and he made a shooing motion to both of them, obviously wanting them to hurry. They both bowed again and left, hurrying down the corridor to Jaejoong’s bedroom. Changmin placed his flute on the bed there as Jaejoong turned to the wardrobe, hiding his face from Changmin for fear he might tear up.
“I’m sorry… I, I was sure he wouldn’t do it.” Changmin offered quietly, and Jaejoong’s shoulders stiffened.
Jaejoong shook his head, waving off Changmin’s apology.
“No, I knew it would come eventually.” He replied as he fumbled through his wardrobe, trying not to look too carefully at any of the garments which would no doubt not be going with him. He found his lone ‘outside’ tunic, which was little different from his normal tunic except for being made of sturdier and thicker fabric. Changmin silently helped him change, kneeling down and looking for the sturdiest pair of slippers he could find. Neither of them had any real shoes meant for outside use, so slippers were the only choice. Pulling them on, Jaejoong stood up and turned to the younger slave.
He pushed back a strand of hair, cupping his face affectionately and then sliding his hands down the taller’s arms, catching his hands. Changmin bit his lip, seeing the sadness etched in Jaejoong’s face.
“I guess this is it.” Jaejoong said quietly, and Changmin tightened the grip he had on the elder’s hands, squeezing them tight. Jaejoong felt his chest tighten, and he blinked rapidly a few times before taking a steadying breath and smiling waveringly at the other slave. “Goodbye Changmin.”
“Thank you for everything Jaejoong. I hope… I hope you will find yourself with a kind master.” Changmin replied, expressive face open and honest. Jaejoong tried to place that optimism in his heart, but could not quite manage it.
“I’m sure I will.” He said instead. “Take care of yourself, and Yunho.” He instructed, giving Changmin’s hands one last squeeze before letting them go. Changmin bit his lip, and after a moment’s hesitation surged forward to give Jaejoong a tight hug. Startled, it took Jaejoong a moment to respond, wrapping his arms around the tall lithe form and trying to gather his composure in the brief moments Changmin could not see his face.
After a while, they released each other and Jaejoong took a step back, towards the door. He swept his eyes over his room, so familiar and comfortable, before coming to rest on the other slave again.
“I’d best go.” He said in parting, giving Changmin one last smile. Changmin smiled back, and Jaejoong hated the sympathy he could see in it. So, turning, he walked out of the room without a backward glance, only just hearing the soft ‘good luck’ that the boy murmured behind him.
Swallowing, he let out a large breath and steadied himself once more before re-entering the living area where Yunho was waiting. Yunho was sitting on the couch, his tall form sprawled casually as he looked out the window. Upon hearing the door, he turned to see Jaejoong standing there, hands folded before him and with a decidedly controlled expression. Jaejoong bobbed as Yunho stood and came to stand before him.
Jaejoong felt strange, just standing there as Yunho looked him over, the dark eyes boring into him like he was holding some kind of secret. He felt strange too, like he should be the one taking a last look at his master of so long. Swallowing, he forced the errant thought away.
Suddenly, Yunho’s still body shifted, and Jaejoong found himself pulled into a tight embrace against the bigger body, Yunho’s mouth capturing his in a kiss that started violently but almost immediately softened. Jaejoong’s surprise kept him from responding for a moment, but as Yunho clutched him tighter, his waist arching with the pressure, he began to respond.
It was, perhaps, the most passionate kiss of Jaejoong’s life. Not that Yunho ever lacked passion, but Yunho also never instigated outside of sexual situations - perhaps some embedded idea of appropriateness and proprietary. He did not kiss, so softly and caringly, in the middle of the living room. He did not kiss, so sweetly, for no reason.
He did not kiss with this kind of emotion.
Jaejoong felt the tightness in him well again, and the pinpricking sensation at the back of his eyes made him squeeze them shut even harder as Yunho kissed him with an emotion that Jaejoong did not want to name. He just kissed back.
It ended all too soon, Yunho letting him go gently and then, as if realizing just what he had done, turned abruptly and left the room. Perhaps if he’d been a little slower reacting, he might have seen the lone tear that pooled out from the edge of Jaejoong’s eye, only to be wiped away harshly as Jaejoong ran to catch up.
The wait for the flitter was short and somewhat tense between them. They stood in the landing bay, Jaejoong twisting his arms together against the chill of the wind and looking out blankly at the cityscape around and below them.
Without looking at the slave, Yunho opened an arm, inviting the smaller man to share his body heat. Jaejoong gratefully, although hesitantly, stepped into the half embrace, curling into Yunho’s warmth and the softness of his large over coat.
They stood there like that, Jaejoong’s tunic and hair catching on the wind, until Yunho’s sleek silver personal flitter arrived. Yunho’s warmth was then abruptly removed as he entered the vehicle, Jaejoong following after. There was a slight dragging feeling in his stomach, and the flitter dove away from the bay, Kibum expertly guiding it out into the laneway.
Jaejoong looked back through the window at the tall, majestic building that glittered in the afternoon sun. He looked up; trying to distinguish what had been his home for so long from all the other identical facets of reflective glass, and failing. Biting his lip, he was forced to turn away, whispering a sad goodbye to that home in his heart as the flitter rushed them from sight of the building.
He stared out the window, watching the buildings, billboards and various structures fly past. Any other time, he would have been in awe, eagerly taking in the bright colours and movement of the outside world he so rarely experienced. He remembered the excitement he had felt upon moving to the new apartment, how interested he had been during the flitter ride, and how fun it had all seemed. The rock in his stomach only grew with that happy memory however, and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it out.
Silence reigned in the small confines of the flitter, for which Jaejoong was somewhat glad. He didn’t think he could maintain any sort of conversation, impeded by the dryness in his throat and also his inability to think of any words to say.
He felt the flitter descending, and his muscles tensed, wondering what would now occur. His last master had not bothered to escort him to Mr Jung’s office, a servant doing the honours. He thought that perhaps he would be ejected from the flitter to his new life, Yunho flying off back to his without a backwards glance.
This fear was squashed as both sides of the flitter opened, and Yunho got out. Jaejoong scrambled to follow, and looked around. To his surprise, this was not a residential, nor even business bloc. A large sign on the bay wall read “ASEA LABRATORIES”, with an elaborate, elegant logo of a crane below.
Confused, but glad not to be alone, Jaejoong followed Yunho as they entered a large reception area, the walls filled with beautiful photographs of spacescapes. Peering wide-eyed at one of them, Jaejoong nearly missed the fact that Yunho had approached the pretty receptionist.
“I have an appointment with Dr Song.” Yunho said, and the pretty young lady beamed at him. Jaejoong wondered if perhaps his new master was one of the doctors or researchers in these labs.
“Of course. I’ll let him know you’re here.” The receptionist replied pleasantly. She did so quietly, and it was only moments later that a middle-aged, jovial-looking man came bustling into the room. Jaejoong hurriedly brought himself to stand just behind Yunho, face cast down and hands folded neatly before him.
“Ah! Mr Jung. Right on time!” The doctor greeted.
“Good afternoon, Doctor.” Yunho said. “Everything is prepared then?” He asked, to Jaejoong’s further confusion, and the other man nodded. Then all three were walking down a hallway, leaving the receptionist and the spacescapes behind.
“Yes, of course, of course. Delighted to be able to help, really.” The man said, sounding pleased. Jaejoong thought he might be an easy master to serve, if this were the one Yunho had sold him to. He did not think Yunho would be so ambivalent to pass him on to a cruel man, so perhaps this doctor was his choice? Working in a lab such as this, the man must make enough to buy him at least.
They came out into another, smaller room, and the doctor stopped, turning to smile pleasantly at them both. Yunho coughed slightly, and stepped sideways so that Jaejoong was more visible. Jaejoong bowed immediately, thinking that he was to be presented to the man.
“This is Jaejoong.” Yunho said, gesturing his slave. The doctor looked over at him, smiling kindly.
“Ah, what a beauty he is too!” The doctor said. “Don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt at all. We don’t have call to do this very often, but we do know what we’re doing!” He went on genially, directing his words at Jaejoong. Jaejoong just stared at him, bewildered.
“Master? I don’t understand. Is Doctor Song my new master?” He asked Yunho almost beseechingly. Surprised flashed over the doctor’s face, and Yunho himself looked uncomfortable. When he did not reply immediately, the doctor shook his head and turned back to Jaejoong.
“No, I’m certainly not your new master - not that any man wouldn’t be lucky to have you. But nobody has bought you Jaejoong. We’re going to remove the chip from your wrist.” He explained simply. It was anything but simple however to Jaejoong, whose eyes widened to saucers and immediately fixing on Yunho. Yunho shifted, frowning slightly, but nodded to the unasked question written all over the smaller man’s face.
“Could I please have a moment?” He asked the doctor stiffly, eyes remaining on Jaejoong.
“Of course. Just come into the next room when you’re ready and we’ll get started.” The man said, removing his self from their presence, although neither of them paid him much mind.
“Master…?” Jaejoong’s voice a mere whisper, the word catching in his throat. “What… what did he mean?” He went on a moment later. Yunho let out a sigh, reaching into the bag he was carrying and pulling out a small polished wooden box, holding it in both hands. He looked down at it, running a finger over the grain before handing it over to Jaejoong slowly. Jaejoong took it; even more puzzled now, and hesitantly opened the box.
Inside lay a lone piece of paper, unfolding slightly as the lid was removed. Frowning, Jaejoong pulled it out, opening it fully and then gasping. There, on the crème paper, was his name, printed in an approximation of calligraphy. It was his paper of indenture. He nearly dropped the box, eyes shooting back to Yunho’s.
“It’s yours now. You belong to yourself alone.” Yunho said solemnly.
“You’re freeing me?” Jaejoong was incredulous, but Yunho just nodded.
“Yes. Jaejoong, you have done me a very great service. You saved my life, at the risk of your own. Although you have served me well and loyally for years, and I could not ask for anything more in a body slave, you were never meant to be a slave. And after all you have done for me… well, this is the only token of appreciation I can offer you.”
No mere token, was all Jaejoong could think, staring down at the paper in disbelief. Even he knew how rare it was for slaves to be freed. They were usually born and bred to the role, with no other knowledge or prospects. Not that Jaejoong had any, himself, despite being born free. Then, the shock and burst of jubilation that he felt was suddenly flooded with panic. Free… free.
Free meant living by himself. Meant providing for himself when all he knew was how to pleasure a man and maybe sing for him. Meant being alone in a huge world when all he knew was the small bubble of Yunho’s comfortable home. The panic took a stranglehold on him, and he began to find it hard to breathe properly. He trembled slightly, and Yunho’s eyes grew in concern.
“Jaejoong…?”
“What will I do?” Jaejoong whispered, mostly to himself, as his mind raced, trying to figure out what his life would be now, if it were not defined by the title of ‘body slave’.
“I had somewhat hoped…” Yunho began uncertainly, “that you might stay on in my household. You’re well acquainted on how I run things, and you’ve a great many skills now that you could take any position really that you wanted. That is, if you would like to stay.”
“Skills?! What skills? I’m fit for no role.” Jaejoong said most negatively, although he felt pathetically grateful that it seemed Yunho would not abandon him entirely.
“I thought... perhaps my cook.” Yunho offered. Jaejoong looked up at him hesitantly, latching onto the familiar title. He’d cooked for Yunho before… perhaps he could…
“But Master, I cannot… I could not cook for your guests. I don’t know the more technical dishes, or many of the ingredients! I can’t produce something like your chef does…” He near babbled, before Yunho held up a hand, a smile creeping on his face now that it seemed Jaejoong would stay with him, if only he could be reassured.
“There are classes enough for that. I don’t think I’m particularly fond of this one I have now anyway.” He said wirily. “And Jaejoong… I’m you’re master no longer.” He reminded gently.
“I… I…” Jaejoong stuttered, overwhelmed. This could not possibly be happening, he must have slept and dreamed.
“We can sort out the details later, I’m sure.” Yunho said kindly, amused by the shock in Jaejoong’s expression. “Dr Song will need to tell you about what will be done.”
“I…” Jaejoong said one more time, before biting his lip sharply and drawing himself up with a deep breath. “Okay.” He said simply. He folded his paper of indenture up carefully and placed it back in the box. He licked his lips, stepping towards Yunho hesitantly and offering the box back again. “Could you hold onto it for me… until I,” He made a vague gesture.
Yunho nodded, taking the box.
“Of course.” Jaejoong took another breath and turned, heading towards the door Dr Song had exited by. Just before leaving the room, he turned back, eyeing Yunho almost fearfully. Yunho smiled at him, his face as happy as Jaejoong had seen it in some time. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here when you return. Go on.” He encouraged, and Jaejoong mustered a tremulous smile back before he walked through the door.
The doctor explained the procedure to Jaejoong as he was prepared, although Jaejoong had little understanding of what was being said. All he knew was that the device would be electronically ‘killed’ through some sort of radio wave technology, so that it would not be set off by its removal, and then micro surgery would be used to actually remove the physical chip from his arm. The whole procedure would leave less of a scar on him then the initial implantation, which was, according to the doctor, done poorly. Jaejoong had no thoughts on it either way, still in awe of the idea that this was in fact actually happening.
The rest of the procedure was a haze, his mind put to sleep during the surgery and the exposure of his arm to the radio waves was unremarkable. It was about two hours later that he walked out of the recovery room, the doctor having placed a plaster over the incision that would aid the knitting of the skin - a week would see naught but a pale line in his wrist.
Outside, in the small room, Yunho was waiting for him, playing with the small wooden box. He looked up at Jaejoong as he entered, and Jaejoong flashed to the scene back in Yunho’s apartment, which had only been hours before, but seemed like a lifetime ago.
Yunho stood, checking Jaejoong over and seeing him look just as healthy as he had when they had parted. He closed the few steps between them and pressed the box back into Jaejoong’s hand, their fingers brushing lightly in the motion.
Swallowing, he stepped back again, and motioned to the door that would lead them back to the reception and then the outside world.
“Come. Let’s go home.” He said, and at the word ‘home’, Jaejoong could not help but return the huge, happy smile that Yunho had given him before.
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~
Jaejoong was just chopping potatoes for the evening meal when the door slid open and Yunho entered the kitchen. Jaejoong looked up and blinked at him, before smiling shyly.
“Evening sir. I’m just cooking dinner now.” He said. It had taken him quite a long time to break the ingrained habit of calling Yunho ‘Master’, but he was getting there.
Yunho waved his hand nonchalantly.
“No hurry. I, ah, I thought I might eat here tonight.” He said carefully, sitting down at the table and watching at the potatoes went into a large pot. Jaejoong’s cooking ability and range had improved greatly over the last few months, after taking some classes in advanced cooking, and doing some experimenting of his own, the beautiful young man was now able to cook adequately elaborate menus for the guests Yunho occasionally brought home. Truthfully though, on the days when there were no guests to impress, Yunho was just as happy eating Jaejoong’s simple meals as he had ever been.
“As you wish.” Jaejoong said easily, although he gave Yunho a slightly puzzled look, before bending down to check on the meat that was cooking in the oven.
“I feel like I never see you anymore.” Yunho almost blurted out. Jaejoong’s eyes peeked out from over the counter, regarding him. It was perhaps true, in the fact that a body slave spent far more time with his master then a cook with his employer. He saw Yunho on occasion, to approve menus, or ask what he would prefer to eat. However, he had missed some of the interaction he’d had with Yunho in his years serving him.
Kangin and Donghae had been kind enough to try and ‘socialise’ Jaejoong, taking him out into the world he knew nothing about to meet people and interact in a way he’d never experienced before. It was overwhelming, exhilarating and somewhat scary, and more oft then not, Jaejoong preferred the safety and calm of the household he was so familiar with. Yunho had generously let him keep his old room, now fully his to use as he pleased as part of the pay he was now receiving. Even in those times outside, having fun with the new people he had met and the new things he had found he enjoyed, he still felt a little part of him missing Yunho’s presence in his life. It was not something that he’d thought of, in the first few weeks of his freedom, but as his life went on - not so dramatically different from his old life in many ways - he realized he had enjoyed serving Yunho. He enjoyed the warmth of Yunho’s body beside him at night, the soft touch of the taller man’s lips and the absent way he would sometimes forget to do the smaller things in life if Jaejoong was not there to remind him.
It seemed that maybe he was not the only one to miss their interaction. Standing up again, Jaejoong hid a smile, looking down at the chopping board before him. Yunho seemed to take this as an acceptance for his blunt statement, and settled back in the chair.
“We completed the take-over, you know. Father finally beat out those opposed.” He commented idly, and Jaejoong gave him a smile to his face, beginning to measure out ingredients for the sauce he needed to prepare.
“Congratulations. I’m glad it went through, after all the trouble it gave you.” He said quietly but sincerely. Yunho nodded.
“Yes, well, that’s part of the reason we were so determined I guess…” His warm voice went on, making idle conversation with Jaejoong as he prepared dinner, the entire conversation somewhat amusing Jaejoong. He’d never talked so frankly with Yunho, and found it startlingly pleasant.
He was concentrating on carving out thin, even slices of the pinked meat, steam rising into the air from its heat straight from the oven, when Yunho’s words trailed off. After he’d placed the slice onto the plate carefully, he looked up to find Yunho just staring at him, his eyes fixed on Jaejoong’s face. Finding himself discovered, Yunho jerked slightly, and looked away.
“I’m glad you decided to stay.” He said after a moment, in which another slice was added to the plate.
“And I’m very thankful for your invitation to do so. I’m very happy here.” Jaejoong replied immediately. He’d said it oft enough in the first few weeks, but he wasn’t sure Yunho appreciated how much he meant it. He caught the way Yunho’s eyes lit up at the comment however, and blinked.
Looking back to his carving, his mind wandered to that last kiss before Yunho had taken him to get his chip removed… thinking on the desperation and depth of that embrace, of just how much he had felt in that one embrace. He thought about Changmin’s endless words, which had not, surprisingly, ceased since he had been freed, instead taking a slightly different tone. He’d spent long hours talking with the body servant since his instatement as cook for Yunho, the long hours of the day easily filled between them. He thought about the fear he had felt for Yunho when the assassin had come, and the worry over his health in the weeks before that. He thought on the warmth in Yunho’s eyes right now, and the flutter of his heart.
Pouring the sauce over the immaculately presented plate, and adding a cut of rosemary on the top, he paused and made a decision, one that he felt perhaps had been a long time coming. He would not wait any longer, both for his own and also Yunho’s sake. His heart lightened with this decision, he dusted his hands off and smiled to himself.
“You know, sir… ” Jaejoong began, picking up the plates of food and bringing them to the table where Yunho sat, serving them as gracefully as ever. Yunho was enchanted by the way that he moved, almost missing his words all together. “There are other ways to get a man to bed without ordering him there.” The smaller man’s tone was light and teasing, and Yunho blinked, his head snapping up to look into Jaejoong’s face. He found it full of mirth, his lips quirking with a repressesed smile. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, raising an eyebrow slightly at Yunho’s shocked expression.
“Jaejoong…! You mean… that is, you would…?” Yunho’s words tangled strangely, and he blinked again, pulling himself into check as Jaejoong’s smile burst forth at his uncharacteristic clumsiness.
Jaejoong’s hand came up to rest ever so lightly against Yunho’s cheek, brushing a thumb over his cheekbone before stepping away, moving back behind the counter of the kitchen. He piled things into the sink, and looked over at Yunho’s bewildered expression with a serene glance.
“You never know until you ask, now, do you?” His tone was impish, and he leant forward on the counter top wit his elbows, clasping his hands together as he tilted his head to the side, just waiting.
Outside the kitchen, a tall lanky form in an attractive blue tunic hunched over as if trying to make himself less conspicuous, his ear pressed up against the door. Listening attentively, he could hear the sound of a chair scraping back quite violently, and the clatter of what may have been cutlery. The kitchen then filled with bright laughter, the indistinguishable murmur of Yunho’s baritone blending perfectly with it. There were more whispering sounds of voices, and he could almost imagine the warm, adoring smiles of those within.
Uncurling himself, Changmin stepped away from the door with a satisfied smile. He straightened out his tunic in a business-like manner, and, after giving the door one more amused (and somewhat smug) look, he turned and wandered off down the hallway, humming lightly to himself.
He felt fairly certain that his master would have no need of him that night.
+~+~+~+~+~+~finito+~+~+~+~+~+~
OMG. THE END.
Bwhahaha. 41 pages, 22 092 words and my longest ever completed fic. ^________^ Thanks for sticking with me and reading it all... I do hope you enjoyed it. I really liked writing it, and came to like the world quite a bit, even if I still think the idea was a bit silly and cliche. XD
It would mean a lot to me if you dropped me a comment, especially as this is the last part. Any questions, and C&C are all welcomed. Thank you for all your support! ♥
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3, 1st Half
When Jaejoong was jerked awake for the second time that night, it was not Yunho who had caused him to rouse. Blinking up at the ceiling, Jaejoong could feel the steady rise and fall of Yunho beside him, the man’s hair brushing his shoulder. The night was still, and Jaejoong couldn’t understand why he had woken.
And then it came. There was a very faint scraping noise, and then a crinkling noise. The kind of crinkling noise that glass made when stressed. Jaejoong’s whole body tensed up, adrenalin rushing his body as his senses went into over drive. His eyes jerked around madly as he stained to hear more, terrified to move at all and alert whoever was there that he was awake. His heightened hearing picked up on some more sounds, and Jaejoong imagined someone entering the apartment through the large window on his left, the noises coming from that area. There was the soft sound of footfalls, as if someone had climbed into the carpeted room. Jaejoong’s hand curled around Yunho’s arm slowly, squeezing it in terror, his nails digging into the skin. Yunho did not stir however, the drug obviously doing its job to keep him in a contented sleep. Jaejoong wanted to scream, and shake Yunho to wakefulness, but even in his panic he knew that it was likely he wouldn’t be able to rouse his master before the person killed him.
Thinking frantically, Jaejoong struggled to even out his breathing and to keep himself from shaking. He rolled his eyes to the side, half lidded as he tried to see through the darkness. He could just barely make out a black shadow moving through the room, shifting slowly to reduce noise. Jaejoong lowered his lids further, suddenly afraid that the moonlight would catch his eyes and show his awake state.
The figure was getting closer. Jaejoong could feel his throat closing up in fear, his scattered mind trying to work out what to do. The man was approaching the bed on Jaejoong’s side, and Jaejoong strained to try and make out what weapon the person was holding. A laser? A pulse gun? There was a flash of light, and Jaejoong suddenly knew. A knife… a damn knife… this person was going to kill Yunho with a knife. If anyone had been telling this story to Jaejoong at a later date, he would have scoffed at the idea.
Right now though, Jaejoong didn’t think any more about it, only that he needed to stop the person from using the knife, his own whispered promise echoing through his brain loudly. He wouldn’t let Yunho come to harm. He wouldn’t. The shadow approached, and Jaejoong couldn’t help but tense, his fingers one by one loosening their grip on Yunho’s arm as he swallowed and prepared himself.
The shadow leant over to look down at them and Jaejoong moved, launching himself off the bed and onto the assassin with a half-terrified yell, slamming full force into the unsuspecting person and toppling them both over onto the floor. The body below him let out a loud ‘ooof’ as Jaejoong landed on them. Jaejoong made a grapple for the knife that they held still in one hand, but the assassin was quick to recover, immediately fighting back against Jaejoong’s desperate attempts to take the blade. Jaejoong found himself staring at the covered face of the person, only their glittering eyes visible.
The assassin was much stronger, and grabbed hold of Jaejoong’s forearms, forcing him back as the knife came down slowly towards him, the tip shaking with the strain of the muscles holding it. Jaejoong let out a squeaking sound as he tried to keep the blade away, the assassin horridly silent and Yunho still entirely unaware in sleep. Desperate, Jaejoong did whatever he could to get away, and on sudden impulse lent forward and bit down hard on the arm closest to him.
The assassin let out a surprised gasp, and in the one second they loosened their grip, Jaejoong acted, jerking his arm wildly and flinging it outwards. The slacked grip on the knife caused it to slip, and it went flying across the room. Snarling, the assassin backhanded Jaejoong, sending him flipping over onto the floor with a thud, his head hitting the ground hard. Jaejoong let out a little moan, his head spinning. Apparently deeming the primary target as more important then getting silencing Jaejoong, the assassin stood up, reaching down into their boot to grab the small laser hidden there and took aim at Yunho. Jaejoong had rolled over, seeing the direction of the black-clad arms, and the small shiny item in the other’s hands, and screamed.
“YUNHOOOOO!”
Startled, the assassin banked, and the shot went straight through the pillow right beside Yunho’s head, searing through the headboard and circuitry there. The bed fizzed, making a crackling noise and abruptly collapsed, loosing propulsion and dropping the frame into the ground with a loud resounding ‘thud’. This, combined with Jaejoong’s earsplitting yell, had apparently woken Yunho finally, and he began to groggily rouse.
It was however too late, the assassin already taking aim again. Yunho had only a brief second to see a fuzzy black figure across the room before another laser shot went off.
The next few seconds stretched on into infinity, the silence deafening.
Then the assassin swayed, and slid soundlessly to the floor, sprawling undignified on the carpet - their own long steel knife protruding from the back of their head.
A second after that, all hell broke loose. The door screeched open under stress, Kangin bursting into the room, panting and wide eyed. The lights flared on, too bright for Jaejoong’s massively dilated pupils, and he too fell to the floor, collapsing in a heap against the wall. He panted heavily, the sudden need for air overwhelming him as he realized he hadn’t been breathing for the last few moments. His heart beat a tight stattico against his chest, blood rushing through his ears.
Even through the blinding white however, Jaejoong could clearly see the scorched circle that was now decorating the wall across the room, the shot having gone wide at the last moment, grazing past Yunho’s shoulder and into the wall behind.
Kangin was babbling, his eyes growing even wider as he spotted the body and the laser that was now lying harmlessly on the floor. He rushed over to Yunho, who was just sitting up in bed, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked around the room, his eyes coming to rest on the dead man sprawled on the floor. Being fired at apparently cleared the sleepiness from his system, and the burning sensation in his shoulder helped keep him well awake.
Trickles of blood were trailing down his arm, a chunk of skin having been taken off by the laser fire. Kangin ran off, only to return with bandages, hurriedly helping Yunho to clean and bandage the wound. Yunho was looking over the body, and nudged the black cloth from the person’s face, revealing an unknown young male, face slack and surprised in death.
After a few moments, Yunho irritably waved Kangin off, making to secure the wadding himself as suddenly his brain kicked in and he thought of his father.
“Kangin, go call the police, would you?” He ordered the flustered man, who immediately went to do as bid. Yunho gave a cursory look over the unharmed but unresponsive Jaejoong, but was already reaching for his own vid screen controls, dialing into his father’s estate.
He had a terse conversation with the sleepy butler who answered the call, and then another short conversation with his somewhat dismayed, but unharmed, father.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” His father was asking, looking over his tired face and the bandage over his arm.
“Yes… I’m alive, and relatively unhurt. Just, get some guards up around yourself and be alert, please? They might have someone coming for you as well.” He re-iterated. Unlike himself, his father always slept alone these days. Thinking this, Yunho’s eyes slid over to his slave, who was still sitting against the wall staring into the floor, shivering slightly and still completely nude. “I’ve got to go. I’ll call you once we know anything about this guy. I won’t be in to work today.” He said almost absently. He barely heard his father’s reply, and terminated the call right after.
Folding down the screen, he moved across the room, snagging the shirt that had been laid out for him to wear the next day, and shrugging on a robe for himself.
“Jaejoong… Jaejoong, are you unharmed?” He asked softly as he knelt by his shivering slave. He carefully wrapped the shirt around Jaejoong’s shoulders, and Jaejoong allowed himself to be manipulated into the garment.
Jaejoong gave a slight nod in response the question, staring fixedly at the floor. He couldn’t think, and he felt like he’d run a marathon, his muscles were so tired. His head ached from where he’d hit the floor, as did his shoulder and hip, the carpet of the room not as shock-absorbing as it might have looked.
Yunho checked over his slave worriedly, grateful to find no physical wounds. He smoothed down the awry raven hair, soothingly, and tilted Jaejoong’s head up to try and catch his eyes.
“Jaejoong, look at me.” He said firmly, trying to focus the hazy eyes. Jaejoong tried to, Yunho’s face swimming strangely before him as he swallowed, his mouth unbelievably dry. Yunho caressed his face, watching Jaejoong’s pupils spin in and out strangely. He was still shivering too, the usually pale skin shockingly white and cool under Yunho’s hands.
“Can you tell me what happened?” He requested gently, keeping up the soft caresses to try and calm him. Behind him, Yunho heard Kangin come back in, the door sliding out of the way hurriedly.
“Police are on their way.” The butler reported, fixing on the pair against the wall. “Donghae’s checking the security protocols.” Kangin went on as he made his way over to them, peering over Yunho’s shoulder at the pale Jaejoong and wondering what the hell had happened in this room.
Jaejoong opened his mouth to speak, but only a small croaking sound came out. His brows furrowed, but when he tried again, nothing more happened.
“Water!” Yunho demanded, clicking his fingers at Kangin, who immediately fetched a glass, offering it to Jaejoong, concern written all over his face.
Jaejoong took the glass shakily, holding it in a death grip as he took a sip. Relief flooded his throat, and drank deeper. After it seemed he was finished, Yunho took the glass and set it aside, and resumed trying to coax Jaejoong into speech. Kangin came to kneel on the other side, worried eyes watching the pair.
“I… I woke up. There were noises.” Jaejoong began slowly, not looking Yunho in the eye. He swallowed convulsively again, and Yunho squeezed his hand gently, urging him on. “I knew it had to be s-someone trying to g-get in.” The words stumbled over his tongue, and his breathing started to hasten again as he thought on what had happened. “I tried to wake you!” His eyes abruptly snapped to Yunho’s, wide and frightened as he squeezed back on Yunho’s hand desperately. “I tried, but you wouldn’t wake up!”
“Sshhh… it’s okay now, it’s all over.” Yunho murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t wake up.” He said, damning himself for taking the drug. It had got him a few decent hours of sleep, but at what cost? He nearly snorted. At the near cost of his life, it seemed.
“Y-you didn’t wake up, and then they were by the bed, and I didn’t know what to do…! I didn’t know…” Jaejoong trailed off, biting his lip. “He had a knife.” His eyes drifted over to the dead body, but Yunho shifted slightly so that his body was blocking Jaejoong’s line of sight - it really wasn’t something that Jaejoong needed to look at right now.
“Go on…” Yunho prompted. Kangin meanwhile, leant behind Yunho and peered at the long knife now embedded in the would-be-assassin’s cranium. The steel was high-grade, expensive.
“I-I jumped on him.” Jaejoong said next, a little stunned at his own actions. “I didn’t know what to do…” He repeated at Yunho’s incredulous look.
“So you jumped on him?” Yunho repeated. Naked and unarmed? Was added in his mind, looking down at his terribly frail-looking slave and wondering what the hell Jaejoong thought he was doing. Saving your life, a little part of his mind whispered back.
“I don’t remember what happened… but then he had a laser, and he was going to shoot you, and I saw the knife and I just… I just threw it.” Jaejoong said slowly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” He then added, his voice choking up. He’d given Yunho those pills, made him sleep, made him almost get killed.
“Hush, Jaejoong. Everything’s fine now. You’re so brave, so very brave…” Yunho murmured, pulling Jaejoong into a fierce hug as he rubbed the smaller boy’s back. The softness and familiarity of the touch comforted Jaejoong, though his mind still whirled in unfamiliar territory, trying to block out the recent events and pretend that they were still in bed, that nothing had happened and this was just one of Yunho’s nightmares.
The police came, and Yunho left him. People filled the room, a mass of talking, agitated scavengers that scoured the room, the corpse and Yunho for information. A few men from Yunho’s office turned up as well, and helped to jam the space further. Speculation was rife, and while the police were somewhat rough in the questions they aimed at Yunho, they soon turned their attentions to the dead man, Yunho leaning on them heavily to find out exactly who he was, and what connections he had. Despite the data scanners and mobile units they had at ready, nothing much could be obtained right then and there. It took hours, but by 7am, many hours after Jaejoong had woken up to the sounds of an intruder, the last of the foreign entities had vacated Yunho’s apartment.
Kangin sealed the door behind them firmly and thankfully, beginning to go around and clean up the considerable mess they’d left behind. Not in the least the large mark on the usually pristine cream carpet, showing where the (now mercifully removed) assassin had lain.
Yunho tugged his robe tighter, rubbing his head and wondering why it took so many damned people to get anything done these days, and only praying to any deity that would listen that this whole fiasco would lead to something positive. Like finding out who the assassin had been contracted to. Finding out who was trying to kill him.
“Oh my god, oh my god…” Jaejoong’s quiet litany in the new relative silence finally drew Yunho’s attention, and he hurried to the huddled form of his slave. Jaejoong had backed himself up into the corner of the room, his legs raised around him and his hands over his face. He was shaking slightly, Yunho noticed in concern as he came closer, and the shirt that he wore - Yunho’s - looked impossibly large over his balled up figure. The police had spoken to him too, getting about the same account of what had happened as Yunho had. After that he’d been left alone with his thoughts and horrible images, dismissed in the face of far more pressing matters.
“Jaejoong…” Yunho called quietly, kneeling down to gather the other up - the body slave shaking in his arms for the second time in as many weeks.
“I… I killed him…” The voice was so small it was almost inaudible, but Yunho heard, and held Jaejoong all the tighter, realizing the source of his slave’s distress. Jaejoong did not have combative or even defensive training, and the thought of killing someone - or even death itself - was so far out of his sphere of experience, it must have been completely traumatizing to go through.
“You saved me. Both of us, most likely. He was here to kill, Jaejoong. You’ve done nothing wrong.” Yunho soothed, his voice as steady and calm as possible, though he doubted anything he would say could properly fix the situation, for what could one possibly say to alleviate the trauma of taking a life? All he could do was hold Jaejoong as the slave buried his head into Yunho’s shoulder and cried.
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~
The positive that Yunho had wistfully wished for became reality over the next week. The stars had favoured his fortunes, it seemed, and while the detectives’ investigation into who the unknown would-be assassin was started slowly, it was not long until fruits were borne. A lucky lead was caught, and from there a rapid execution of well timed maneuvers brought about the arrest of five men under an array of charges ranging from attempted manslaughter to collusion and corporate sabotage. One of which, Yunho was somewhat morose to find out, had been one of his father’s close advisors on the board, and someone he had suspected not at all.
It was nice, he reflected on the night after the arrests had been made, to be able to sleep in peace for once. It was also nice to know that their negotiations could finally move forwards, hopefully to complete the take over very soon now that there was no fear of dying in support of it.
That night, he had called Changmin to serve upon him - the young slave now released from his confinement and able to move about the house freely, along with all the other newly returned staff.
With Changmin serving their master, Jaejoong was left in his own room for the first night in quite some time, alone with his rapidly more uneasy thoughts. The whole ordeal still did not sit any better with him, and for most the part he tried to refrain from even thinking about the fact that he was now a killer, even one in defense of his master. He felt dirtied by the act, and so tried to block it from his mind entirely - instead filling his thoughts with his other worries. Now that the crisis was over, and everything was settled… surely now Yunho would have time to think on other things. Like what to do with his erroneous body slave.
His worries were only confirmed when not four days later, Yunho returned unusually early, just past lunch hour, and in what seemed to be a quite an agitated state. Jaejoong had been at the piano, playing a duet with Changmin (who was very gifted with a flute), when their master had entered the room quite suddenly and quite unannounced- neither of them expecting him for hours.
“Master?” Jaejoong queried, lifting his hands from the keys and turning to rise and greet Yunho. Both he and Changmin bowed, but Yunho flipped away their formalities with an almost annoyed movement. His eyes flickered around the room, passing between the two before him several times before he actually spoke.
“Jaejoong, go and put on your outside tunic.” He ordered with no preamble, both slaves startling at the order. Changmin looked up sharply, incredulous. No - surely not? Had he misjudged Yunho so much…? Jaejoong meanwhile gulped, his heart suddenly speeding up.
“Y-yes Master.” He replied, carefully replacing the lid of the piano. Changmin dithered, unsure of what to do.
“Changmin, help him.” Yunho added just as Jaejoong was about the leave the room, and he made a shooing motion to both of them, obviously wanting them to hurry. They both bowed again and left, hurrying down the corridor to Jaejoong’s bedroom. Changmin placed his flute on the bed there as Jaejoong turned to the wardrobe, hiding his face from Changmin for fear he might tear up.
“I’m sorry… I, I was sure he wouldn’t do it.” Changmin offered quietly, and Jaejoong’s shoulders stiffened.
Jaejoong shook his head, waving off Changmin’s apology.
“No, I knew it would come eventually.” He replied as he fumbled through his wardrobe, trying not to look too carefully at any of the garments which would no doubt not be going with him. He found his lone ‘outside’ tunic, which was little different from his normal tunic except for being made of sturdier and thicker fabric. Changmin silently helped him change, kneeling down and looking for the sturdiest pair of slippers he could find. Neither of them had any real shoes meant for outside use, so slippers were the only choice. Pulling them on, Jaejoong stood up and turned to the younger slave.
He pushed back a strand of hair, cupping his face affectionately and then sliding his hands down the taller’s arms, catching his hands. Changmin bit his lip, seeing the sadness etched in Jaejoong’s face.
“I guess this is it.” Jaejoong said quietly, and Changmin tightened the grip he had on the elder’s hands, squeezing them tight. Jaejoong felt his chest tighten, and he blinked rapidly a few times before taking a steadying breath and smiling waveringly at the other slave. “Goodbye Changmin.”
“Thank you for everything Jaejoong. I hope… I hope you will find yourself with a kind master.” Changmin replied, expressive face open and honest. Jaejoong tried to place that optimism in his heart, but could not quite manage it.
“I’m sure I will.” He said instead. “Take care of yourself, and Yunho.” He instructed, giving Changmin’s hands one last squeeze before letting them go. Changmin bit his lip, and after a moment’s hesitation surged forward to give Jaejoong a tight hug. Startled, it took Jaejoong a moment to respond, wrapping his arms around the tall lithe form and trying to gather his composure in the brief moments Changmin could not see his face.
After a while, they released each other and Jaejoong took a step back, towards the door. He swept his eyes over his room, so familiar and comfortable, before coming to rest on the other slave again.
“I’d best go.” He said in parting, giving Changmin one last smile. Changmin smiled back, and Jaejoong hated the sympathy he could see in it. So, turning, he walked out of the room without a backward glance, only just hearing the soft ‘good luck’ that the boy murmured behind him.
Swallowing, he let out a large breath and steadied himself once more before re-entering the living area where Yunho was waiting. Yunho was sitting on the couch, his tall form sprawled casually as he looked out the window. Upon hearing the door, he turned to see Jaejoong standing there, hands folded before him and with a decidedly controlled expression. Jaejoong bobbed as Yunho stood and came to stand before him.
Jaejoong felt strange, just standing there as Yunho looked him over, the dark eyes boring into him like he was holding some kind of secret. He felt strange too, like he should be the one taking a last look at his master of so long. Swallowing, he forced the errant thought away.
Suddenly, Yunho’s still body shifted, and Jaejoong found himself pulled into a tight embrace against the bigger body, Yunho’s mouth capturing his in a kiss that started violently but almost immediately softened. Jaejoong’s surprise kept him from responding for a moment, but as Yunho clutched him tighter, his waist arching with the pressure, he began to respond.
It was, perhaps, the most passionate kiss of Jaejoong’s life. Not that Yunho ever lacked passion, but Yunho also never instigated outside of sexual situations - perhaps some embedded idea of appropriateness and proprietary. He did not kiss, so softly and caringly, in the middle of the living room. He did not kiss, so sweetly, for no reason.
He did not kiss with this kind of emotion.
Jaejoong felt the tightness in him well again, and the pinpricking sensation at the back of his eyes made him squeeze them shut even harder as Yunho kissed him with an emotion that Jaejoong did not want to name. He just kissed back.
It ended all too soon, Yunho letting him go gently and then, as if realizing just what he had done, turned abruptly and left the room. Perhaps if he’d been a little slower reacting, he might have seen the lone tear that pooled out from the edge of Jaejoong’s eye, only to be wiped away harshly as Jaejoong ran to catch up.
The wait for the flitter was short and somewhat tense between them. They stood in the landing bay, Jaejoong twisting his arms together against the chill of the wind and looking out blankly at the cityscape around and below them.
Without looking at the slave, Yunho opened an arm, inviting the smaller man to share his body heat. Jaejoong gratefully, although hesitantly, stepped into the half embrace, curling into Yunho’s warmth and the softness of his large over coat.
They stood there like that, Jaejoong’s tunic and hair catching on the wind, until Yunho’s sleek silver personal flitter arrived. Yunho’s warmth was then abruptly removed as he entered the vehicle, Jaejoong following after. There was a slight dragging feeling in his stomach, and the flitter dove away from the bay, Kibum expertly guiding it out into the laneway.
Jaejoong looked back through the window at the tall, majestic building that glittered in the afternoon sun. He looked up; trying to distinguish what had been his home for so long from all the other identical facets of reflective glass, and failing. Biting his lip, he was forced to turn away, whispering a sad goodbye to that home in his heart as the flitter rushed them from sight of the building.
He stared out the window, watching the buildings, billboards and various structures fly past. Any other time, he would have been in awe, eagerly taking in the bright colours and movement of the outside world he so rarely experienced. He remembered the excitement he had felt upon moving to the new apartment, how interested he had been during the flitter ride, and how fun it had all seemed. The rock in his stomach only grew with that happy memory however, and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it out.
Silence reigned in the small confines of the flitter, for which Jaejoong was somewhat glad. He didn’t think he could maintain any sort of conversation, impeded by the dryness in his throat and also his inability to think of any words to say.
He felt the flitter descending, and his muscles tensed, wondering what would now occur. His last master had not bothered to escort him to Mr Jung’s office, a servant doing the honours. He thought that perhaps he would be ejected from the flitter to his new life, Yunho flying off back to his without a backwards glance.
This fear was squashed as both sides of the flitter opened, and Yunho got out. Jaejoong scrambled to follow, and looked around. To his surprise, this was not a residential, nor even business bloc. A large sign on the bay wall read “ASEA LABRATORIES”, with an elaborate, elegant logo of a crane below.
Confused, but glad not to be alone, Jaejoong followed Yunho as they entered a large reception area, the walls filled with beautiful photographs of spacescapes. Peering wide-eyed at one of them, Jaejoong nearly missed the fact that Yunho had approached the pretty receptionist.
“I have an appointment with Dr Song.” Yunho said, and the pretty young lady beamed at him. Jaejoong wondered if perhaps his new master was one of the doctors or researchers in these labs.
“Of course. I’ll let him know you’re here.” The receptionist replied pleasantly. She did so quietly, and it was only moments later that a middle-aged, jovial-looking man came bustling into the room. Jaejoong hurriedly brought himself to stand just behind Yunho, face cast down and hands folded neatly before him.
“Ah! Mr Jung. Right on time!” The doctor greeted.
“Good afternoon, Doctor.” Yunho said. “Everything is prepared then?” He asked, to Jaejoong’s further confusion, and the other man nodded. Then all three were walking down a hallway, leaving the receptionist and the spacescapes behind.
“Yes, of course, of course. Delighted to be able to help, really.” The man said, sounding pleased. Jaejoong thought he might be an easy master to serve, if this were the one Yunho had sold him to. He did not think Yunho would be so ambivalent to pass him on to a cruel man, so perhaps this doctor was his choice? Working in a lab such as this, the man must make enough to buy him at least.
They came out into another, smaller room, and the doctor stopped, turning to smile pleasantly at them both. Yunho coughed slightly, and stepped sideways so that Jaejoong was more visible. Jaejoong bowed immediately, thinking that he was to be presented to the man.
“This is Jaejoong.” Yunho said, gesturing his slave. The doctor looked over at him, smiling kindly.
“Ah, what a beauty he is too!” The doctor said. “Don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt at all. We don’t have call to do this very often, but we do know what we’re doing!” He went on genially, directing his words at Jaejoong. Jaejoong just stared at him, bewildered.
“Master? I don’t understand. Is Doctor Song my new master?” He asked Yunho almost beseechingly. Surprised flashed over the doctor’s face, and Yunho himself looked uncomfortable. When he did not reply immediately, the doctor shook his head and turned back to Jaejoong.
“No, I’m certainly not your new master - not that any man wouldn’t be lucky to have you. But nobody has bought you Jaejoong. We’re going to remove the chip from your wrist.” He explained simply. It was anything but simple however to Jaejoong, whose eyes widened to saucers and immediately fixing on Yunho. Yunho shifted, frowning slightly, but nodded to the unasked question written all over the smaller man’s face.
“Could I please have a moment?” He asked the doctor stiffly, eyes remaining on Jaejoong.
“Of course. Just come into the next room when you’re ready and we’ll get started.” The man said, removing his self from their presence, although neither of them paid him much mind.
“Master…?” Jaejoong’s voice a mere whisper, the word catching in his throat. “What… what did he mean?” He went on a moment later. Yunho let out a sigh, reaching into the bag he was carrying and pulling out a small polished wooden box, holding it in both hands. He looked down at it, running a finger over the grain before handing it over to Jaejoong slowly. Jaejoong took it; even more puzzled now, and hesitantly opened the box.
Inside lay a lone piece of paper, unfolding slightly as the lid was removed. Frowning, Jaejoong pulled it out, opening it fully and then gasping. There, on the crème paper, was his name, printed in an approximation of calligraphy. It was his paper of indenture. He nearly dropped the box, eyes shooting back to Yunho’s.
“It’s yours now. You belong to yourself alone.” Yunho said solemnly.
“You’re freeing me?” Jaejoong was incredulous, but Yunho just nodded.
“Yes. Jaejoong, you have done me a very great service. You saved my life, at the risk of your own. Although you have served me well and loyally for years, and I could not ask for anything more in a body slave, you were never meant to be a slave. And after all you have done for me… well, this is the only token of appreciation I can offer you.”
No mere token, was all Jaejoong could think, staring down at the paper in disbelief. Even he knew how rare it was for slaves to be freed. They were usually born and bred to the role, with no other knowledge or prospects. Not that Jaejoong had any, himself, despite being born free. Then, the shock and burst of jubilation that he felt was suddenly flooded with panic. Free… free.
Free meant living by himself. Meant providing for himself when all he knew was how to pleasure a man and maybe sing for him. Meant being alone in a huge world when all he knew was the small bubble of Yunho’s comfortable home. The panic took a stranglehold on him, and he began to find it hard to breathe properly. He trembled slightly, and Yunho’s eyes grew in concern.
“Jaejoong…?”
“What will I do?” Jaejoong whispered, mostly to himself, as his mind raced, trying to figure out what his life would be now, if it were not defined by the title of ‘body slave’.
“I had somewhat hoped…” Yunho began uncertainly, “that you might stay on in my household. You’re well acquainted on how I run things, and you’ve a great many skills now that you could take any position really that you wanted. That is, if you would like to stay.”
“Skills?! What skills? I’m fit for no role.” Jaejoong said most negatively, although he felt pathetically grateful that it seemed Yunho would not abandon him entirely.
“I thought... perhaps my cook.” Yunho offered. Jaejoong looked up at him hesitantly, latching onto the familiar title. He’d cooked for Yunho before… perhaps he could…
“But Master, I cannot… I could not cook for your guests. I don’t know the more technical dishes, or many of the ingredients! I can’t produce something like your chef does…” He near babbled, before Yunho held up a hand, a smile creeping on his face now that it seemed Jaejoong would stay with him, if only he could be reassured.
“There are classes enough for that. I don’t think I’m particularly fond of this one I have now anyway.” He said wirily. “And Jaejoong… I’m you’re master no longer.” He reminded gently.
“I… I…” Jaejoong stuttered, overwhelmed. This could not possibly be happening, he must have slept and dreamed.
“We can sort out the details later, I’m sure.” Yunho said kindly, amused by the shock in Jaejoong’s expression. “Dr Song will need to tell you about what will be done.”
“I…” Jaejoong said one more time, before biting his lip sharply and drawing himself up with a deep breath. “Okay.” He said simply. He folded his paper of indenture up carefully and placed it back in the box. He licked his lips, stepping towards Yunho hesitantly and offering the box back again. “Could you hold onto it for me… until I,” He made a vague gesture.
Yunho nodded, taking the box.
“Of course.” Jaejoong took another breath and turned, heading towards the door Dr Song had exited by. Just before leaving the room, he turned back, eyeing Yunho almost fearfully. Yunho smiled at him, his face as happy as Jaejoong had seen it in some time. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here when you return. Go on.” He encouraged, and Jaejoong mustered a tremulous smile back before he walked through the door.
The doctor explained the procedure to Jaejoong as he was prepared, although Jaejoong had little understanding of what was being said. All he knew was that the device would be electronically ‘killed’ through some sort of radio wave technology, so that it would not be set off by its removal, and then micro surgery would be used to actually remove the physical chip from his arm. The whole procedure would leave less of a scar on him then the initial implantation, which was, according to the doctor, done poorly. Jaejoong had no thoughts on it either way, still in awe of the idea that this was in fact actually happening.
The rest of the procedure was a haze, his mind put to sleep during the surgery and the exposure of his arm to the radio waves was unremarkable. It was about two hours later that he walked out of the recovery room, the doctor having placed a plaster over the incision that would aid the knitting of the skin - a week would see naught but a pale line in his wrist.
Outside, in the small room, Yunho was waiting for him, playing with the small wooden box. He looked up at Jaejoong as he entered, and Jaejoong flashed to the scene back in Yunho’s apartment, which had only been hours before, but seemed like a lifetime ago.
Yunho stood, checking Jaejoong over and seeing him look just as healthy as he had when they had parted. He closed the few steps between them and pressed the box back into Jaejoong’s hand, their fingers brushing lightly in the motion.
Swallowing, he stepped back again, and motioned to the door that would lead them back to the reception and then the outside world.
“Come. Let’s go home.” He said, and at the word ‘home’, Jaejoong could not help but return the huge, happy smile that Yunho had given him before.
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~
Jaejoong was just chopping potatoes for the evening meal when the door slid open and Yunho entered the kitchen. Jaejoong looked up and blinked at him, before smiling shyly.
“Evening sir. I’m just cooking dinner now.” He said. It had taken him quite a long time to break the ingrained habit of calling Yunho ‘Master’, but he was getting there.
Yunho waved his hand nonchalantly.
“No hurry. I, ah, I thought I might eat here tonight.” He said carefully, sitting down at the table and watching at the potatoes went into a large pot. Jaejoong’s cooking ability and range had improved greatly over the last few months, after taking some classes in advanced cooking, and doing some experimenting of his own, the beautiful young man was now able to cook adequately elaborate menus for the guests Yunho occasionally brought home. Truthfully though, on the days when there were no guests to impress, Yunho was just as happy eating Jaejoong’s simple meals as he had ever been.
“As you wish.” Jaejoong said easily, although he gave Yunho a slightly puzzled look, before bending down to check on the meat that was cooking in the oven.
“I feel like I never see you anymore.” Yunho almost blurted out. Jaejoong’s eyes peeked out from over the counter, regarding him. It was perhaps true, in the fact that a body slave spent far more time with his master then a cook with his employer. He saw Yunho on occasion, to approve menus, or ask what he would prefer to eat. However, he had missed some of the interaction he’d had with Yunho in his years serving him.
Kangin and Donghae had been kind enough to try and ‘socialise’ Jaejoong, taking him out into the world he knew nothing about to meet people and interact in a way he’d never experienced before. It was overwhelming, exhilarating and somewhat scary, and more oft then not, Jaejoong preferred the safety and calm of the household he was so familiar with. Yunho had generously let him keep his old room, now fully his to use as he pleased as part of the pay he was now receiving. Even in those times outside, having fun with the new people he had met and the new things he had found he enjoyed, he still felt a little part of him missing Yunho’s presence in his life. It was not something that he’d thought of, in the first few weeks of his freedom, but as his life went on - not so dramatically different from his old life in many ways - he realized he had enjoyed serving Yunho. He enjoyed the warmth of Yunho’s body beside him at night, the soft touch of the taller man’s lips and the absent way he would sometimes forget to do the smaller things in life if Jaejoong was not there to remind him.
It seemed that maybe he was not the only one to miss their interaction. Standing up again, Jaejoong hid a smile, looking down at the chopping board before him. Yunho seemed to take this as an acceptance for his blunt statement, and settled back in the chair.
“We completed the take-over, you know. Father finally beat out those opposed.” He commented idly, and Jaejoong gave him a smile to his face, beginning to measure out ingredients for the sauce he needed to prepare.
“Congratulations. I’m glad it went through, after all the trouble it gave you.” He said quietly but sincerely. Yunho nodded.
“Yes, well, that’s part of the reason we were so determined I guess…” His warm voice went on, making idle conversation with Jaejoong as he prepared dinner, the entire conversation somewhat amusing Jaejoong. He’d never talked so frankly with Yunho, and found it startlingly pleasant.
He was concentrating on carving out thin, even slices of the pinked meat, steam rising into the air from its heat straight from the oven, when Yunho’s words trailed off. After he’d placed the slice onto the plate carefully, he looked up to find Yunho just staring at him, his eyes fixed on Jaejoong’s face. Finding himself discovered, Yunho jerked slightly, and looked away.
“I’m glad you decided to stay.” He said after a moment, in which another slice was added to the plate.
“And I’m very thankful for your invitation to do so. I’m very happy here.” Jaejoong replied immediately. He’d said it oft enough in the first few weeks, but he wasn’t sure Yunho appreciated how much he meant it. He caught the way Yunho’s eyes lit up at the comment however, and blinked.
Looking back to his carving, his mind wandered to that last kiss before Yunho had taken him to get his chip removed… thinking on the desperation and depth of that embrace, of just how much he had felt in that one embrace. He thought about Changmin’s endless words, which had not, surprisingly, ceased since he had been freed, instead taking a slightly different tone. He’d spent long hours talking with the body servant since his instatement as cook for Yunho, the long hours of the day easily filled between them. He thought about the fear he had felt for Yunho when the assassin had come, and the worry over his health in the weeks before that. He thought on the warmth in Yunho’s eyes right now, and the flutter of his heart.
Pouring the sauce over the immaculately presented plate, and adding a cut of rosemary on the top, he paused and made a decision, one that he felt perhaps had been a long time coming. He would not wait any longer, both for his own and also Yunho’s sake. His heart lightened with this decision, he dusted his hands off and smiled to himself.
“You know, sir… ” Jaejoong began, picking up the plates of food and bringing them to the table where Yunho sat, serving them as gracefully as ever. Yunho was enchanted by the way that he moved, almost missing his words all together. “There are other ways to get a man to bed without ordering him there.” The smaller man’s tone was light and teasing, and Yunho blinked, his head snapping up to look into Jaejoong’s face. He found it full of mirth, his lips quirking with a repressesed smile. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, raising an eyebrow slightly at Yunho’s shocked expression.
“Jaejoong…! You mean… that is, you would…?” Yunho’s words tangled strangely, and he blinked again, pulling himself into check as Jaejoong’s smile burst forth at his uncharacteristic clumsiness.
Jaejoong’s hand came up to rest ever so lightly against Yunho’s cheek, brushing a thumb over his cheekbone before stepping away, moving back behind the counter of the kitchen. He piled things into the sink, and looked over at Yunho’s bewildered expression with a serene glance.
“You never know until you ask, now, do you?” His tone was impish, and he leant forward on the counter top wit his elbows, clasping his hands together as he tilted his head to the side, just waiting.
Outside the kitchen, a tall lanky form in an attractive blue tunic hunched over as if trying to make himself less conspicuous, his ear pressed up against the door. Listening attentively, he could hear the sound of a chair scraping back quite violently, and the clatter of what may have been cutlery. The kitchen then filled with bright laughter, the indistinguishable murmur of Yunho’s baritone blending perfectly with it. There were more whispering sounds of voices, and he could almost imagine the warm, adoring smiles of those within.
Uncurling himself, Changmin stepped away from the door with a satisfied smile. He straightened out his tunic in a business-like manner, and, after giving the door one more amused (and somewhat smug) look, he turned and wandered off down the hallway, humming lightly to himself.
He felt fairly certain that his master would have no need of him that night.
+~+~+~+~+~+~finito+~+~+~+~+~+~
OMG. THE END.
Bwhahaha. 41 pages, 22 092 words and my longest ever completed fic. ^________^ Thanks for sticking with me and reading it all... I do hope you enjoyed it. I really liked writing it, and came to like the world quite a bit, even if I still think the idea was a bit silly and cliche. XD
It would mean a lot to me if you dropped me a comment, especially as this is the last part. Any questions, and C&C are all welcomed. Thank you for all your support! ♥