Fatal Attraction: Redux (Part 6)
Title: Fatal Attraction: Redux
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: PG
Length: Another long short-story
Summary: Ten years later, a ghost from the past appears and turns Jaejoong's world upside down. Will he be able to defend the new life he's built, or will he lose his life...and Yunho?
Jaejoong’s temper boiled but he kept it under control. Hatred beaming in his gaze, he met his uncle’s eyes and slowly lowered his sword to the ground, placing his knife next to it. He held his hands up and stepped around them, walking slowly towards his uncle. As soon as he was within reach, his uncle grabbed him around the neck and pulled him in front of him, his back to his uncle’s front. He dropped his own sword and dragged Jaejoong back to where he had dropped his weapons, bending awkwardly to pick up his knife.
“Beautiful,” his uncle purred. “Excellent craftsmanship. It’s kind of poetic isn’t it? Being killed with your own weapon. Perhaps your sacrifice will atone for the wrongs your father has committed. Maybe one day someone will write a song about you like they did in the old days.” He shrugged. “Probably not but here’s to hoping.” He tightened his hold on Jaejoong’s neck. “Now, on your knees.”
As Jaeojoong knelt, his uncle went down behind him.
“Look into his eyes,” his uncle taunted. “Look into his eyes as you die. It’ll make it easier for you…or maybe not. But he’ll always remember you, that’s for sure.”
Jaejoong didn’t need to be told: he couldn’t look anywhere but at Yunho. There were tears in his eyes and it killed him to see them there. His own eyes felt itchy as he waited for the strike to come.
“I love you,” he mouthed.
“Say goodbye now,” his uncle crooned.
Jaejoong closed his eyes, held his breath and started counting.
1…2…
His heart stopped as the tip of the knife sank into his neck….
YeoWoon stood at the top of the stairs, staring at his father’s back.
He listened to him talk, wondering how it was possible that he had been spawned from someone so unhinged. He sounded like a madman, not like the disciplined warrior he was supposed to be. What had happened, he wondered, to make one brother so respectable, so admirable, and the other detestable and pitiful?
Walking slowly, silently, he approached the scene before him.
He could see Yunho’s face, the terror and heartbreak in his eyes. It inflamed the anger seething beneath his skin.
“Say goodbye now.”
Gripping the hilt of his sword, his uncle’s sword, with both hands, he angled it low and propelled it forward, into his father’s back and out through his chest. He made sure not to go through the heart. He didn’t want him to die immediately.
The knife slipped out of his father’s grip and he looked back in disbelief.
“Woon-ah,” he choked, recognizing him instantly despite not having seen him for over thirty years.
Still gripping his sword firmly, YeoWoon looked at him dispassionately, feeling nothing now. Jaejoong and Yunho were safe. This man would die, the rat would be taken care of and that would be the end of the whole ordeal.
“I…I did it for you,” his father hissed, his voice raspy, breathing labored. His skin was flushed and dotted with sweat, his eyes losing focus.
“I didn’t ask you to,” he said simply.
“I’m your father.”
A strange smile spread across YeoWoon’s lips as he applied pressure to the sword, his movements achingly slow as he pushed the remaining length through his father until it was embedded to the hilt.
“My father’s already dead.”
He saw his father’s eyes flare, found the disbelief and betrayal in them interesting, and then he slumped to the floor, eyes still wide open.
Jaejoong jumped up and ran to Yunho, hastily undoing his binds before he gathered him close.
The rat, SookJin, looked around incredulously. This was not how he had imagined it all going down. He knew he was screwed. Before he could make a run for it, one of YeoWoon’s men grabbed him, pinning his arms to his sides.
YeoWoon didn’t hesitate as he nodded at his men before turning his gaze to Jaejoong and Yunho’s emotional reunion. He heard a faint sharp crack and the soft thump as the rat fell to the floor, but his attention was entirely focused on the couple before him. When they kissed he experienced a moment’s shock but there was something so…beautiful, he supposed, about it. He wondered what it would feel like to have that with someone else. He’d never really experienced romantic love, having only had a minor crush once in his life a long, long time ago. He would have to take a wife eventually, to create an heir to lead the next generation of the clan, but loving her wasn’t a necessity. Not a necessity, but he didn’t think he’d mind it.
Looking at the display of love and affection before him, he felt a stab of jealousy. A foreign emotion, but an interesting one.
His life had suddenly become very interesting.
He found that he didn’t mind that either. Not at all.
Two days later…
“I can’t believe you’re making me watch this.”
Yunho tightened his arms around Jaejoong lest he attempt to escape. “You promised me last time! Besides, you owe me for almost getting yourself killed.”
Jejoong looked up at him in disbelief. “I did that to save you!”
Yunho nodded. “I know. And while I’m immensely grateful, if you ever do anything that stupid again, I just might kill you myself.”
Jaejoong turned back to the awful movie on the big screen, mumbling to himself, “So ungrateful.”
The knock at the door made them jump.
“I’ll get it,” Yunho said, releasing Jaejoong. “Keep your fine ass right where it is. If it moves, it gets spanked.”
He was only minimally surprised to find YeoWoon on the other side of the door. Smiling, he said over his shoulder, “It’s for you.”
“Is my ass allowed to move now, Master?” Jaejoong griped, stomping to the door. When he saw who it was, he blushed furiously. Of all the luck... “Hey.”
Brow cocked, YeoWoon crossed the threshold, smirking slightly. “Hey.”
Clearing his throat, Jaejoong asked, “What brings you here?”
“Just thought I’d give you an update on the situation. My father’s entire operation has been shut down. His men have been taken care of.” He smiled. “Permanently.”
Jaejoong didn’t think he would ever be as comfortable with killing as YeoWoon was but none of the men who’d worked for his uncle were decent or innocent so he couldn’t find it within himself to be sympathetic.
“You didn’t have to come all the way here for that, not that I mind,” he rushed to assure him.
“I know that. I also came to bring you this.” Smile widening, he produced a sword from behind his back.
Jaejoong gasped, his eyes going from his father’s sword to his cousin’s face and back. “What…?”
“He wanted you to have it.”
“But…”
“Take it. It’s yours.” When Jaejoong finally took the sword from his grasp, he pulled out an envelope from inside his jacket. “This too.”
Confused, Jaejoong took the envelope and opened it. Inside was a deed to a large and ridiculously pricey piece of land, a bank account transfer notice, also filled with ridiculous amounts of money, and a key.
“I think he bought that for you, long ago, for when you got married or something, I’m not sure. The bank account is his. It’s his life’s savings. The key opens a safety deposit box at the same bank. I’m not exactly sure what’s inside it but I happened to see him pack up a box before he got too sick to get around on his own. There were mementos and pictures. Of you, your mother, the three of you.”
Jaejoong clutched the envelope to his chest, a swell of emotion overwhelming him.Yunho came up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist.
“Thank you,” he said, and he meant it from the bottom of his heart. Jaejoong rarely spoke of his parents but he knew how much having those little tidbits would mean to him.
“No problem. I guess I’d better head back.”
With a brief wave, he turned and started for the door. Before he closed it behind him, he turned back.
“You should come up some time.”
Jaejoong’s eyes went wide again. Would he ever stop being shocked today? He’d assumed that once the drama with his uncle was settled, he’d be barred from the compound since he was technically a regular citizen now.
“Can’t let your skills get rusty,” YeoWoon continued. His gaze shifted to Yunho. “Both of you. Your form’s not bad, it just needs some tweaking. You do have potential.”
With a parting smile, he closed the door on the shocked couple and started down the hall.
Change was coming. Perhaps his uncle had seen that and that was why he’d let Jaejoong go. Traditions changed over time, it was hardly surprising that their society was finally being affected.
Now he would have to continue where his uncle had left off. The clan was already headed in a new direction, no longer killing for profit, but for purpose. There were a lot of bad people in the world and a lot of good ones with the bank accounts to take care of them. The assassins would no longer be made to serve out of a sense of duty. If any of them wanted to leave, to have the kind of life that Jaejoong had with Yunho, he would let them go with his blessing.
Taking a deep breath, his fixed his gaze on the gorgeous view beyond the vast windows before him. It was a lovely day out and he didn’t get down to the city much.
Perhaps he’d take a stroll through the park…
A/N: Hope this wasn't too tedious to read. It started out well enough in my head but took too long to finish and some parts got really wordy (as my regular readers would know that most of my fics tend to). It's funny though that this ended up almost as long as the original fic but there's absolutely no smut in it whereas the last one had 3 "encounters"... Eh well.
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: PG
Length: Another long short-story
Summary: Ten years later, a ghost from the past appears and turns Jaejoong's world upside down. Will he be able to defend the new life he's built, or will he lose his life...and Yunho?
Jaejoong’s temper boiled but he kept it under control. Hatred beaming in his gaze, he met his uncle’s eyes and slowly lowered his sword to the ground, placing his knife next to it. He held his hands up and stepped around them, walking slowly towards his uncle. As soon as he was within reach, his uncle grabbed him around the neck and pulled him in front of him, his back to his uncle’s front. He dropped his own sword and dragged Jaejoong back to where he had dropped his weapons, bending awkwardly to pick up his knife.
“Beautiful,” his uncle purred. “Excellent craftsmanship. It’s kind of poetic isn’t it? Being killed with your own weapon. Perhaps your sacrifice will atone for the wrongs your father has committed. Maybe one day someone will write a song about you like they did in the old days.” He shrugged. “Probably not but here’s to hoping.” He tightened his hold on Jaejoong’s neck. “Now, on your knees.”
As Jaeojoong knelt, his uncle went down behind him.
“Look into his eyes,” his uncle taunted. “Look into his eyes as you die. It’ll make it easier for you…or maybe not. But he’ll always remember you, that’s for sure.”
Jaejoong didn’t need to be told: he couldn’t look anywhere but at Yunho. There were tears in his eyes and it killed him to see them there. His own eyes felt itchy as he waited for the strike to come.
“I love you,” he mouthed.
“Say goodbye now,” his uncle crooned.
Jaejoong closed his eyes, held his breath and started counting.
1…2…
His heart stopped as the tip of the knife sank into his neck….
YeoWoon stood at the top of the stairs, staring at his father’s back.
He listened to him talk, wondering how it was possible that he had been spawned from someone so unhinged. He sounded like a madman, not like the disciplined warrior he was supposed to be. What had happened, he wondered, to make one brother so respectable, so admirable, and the other detestable and pitiful?
Walking slowly, silently, he approached the scene before him.
He could see Yunho’s face, the terror and heartbreak in his eyes. It inflamed the anger seething beneath his skin.
“Say goodbye now.”
Gripping the hilt of his sword, his uncle’s sword, with both hands, he angled it low and propelled it forward, into his father’s back and out through his chest. He made sure not to go through the heart. He didn’t want him to die immediately.
The knife slipped out of his father’s grip and he looked back in disbelief.
“Woon-ah,” he choked, recognizing him instantly despite not having seen him for over thirty years.
Still gripping his sword firmly, YeoWoon looked at him dispassionately, feeling nothing now. Jaejoong and Yunho were safe. This man would die, the rat would be taken care of and that would be the end of the whole ordeal.
“I…I did it for you,” his father hissed, his voice raspy, breathing labored. His skin was flushed and dotted with sweat, his eyes losing focus.
“I didn’t ask you to,” he said simply.
“I’m your father.”
A strange smile spread across YeoWoon’s lips as he applied pressure to the sword, his movements achingly slow as he pushed the remaining length through his father until it was embedded to the hilt.
“My father’s already dead.”
He saw his father’s eyes flare, found the disbelief and betrayal in them interesting, and then he slumped to the floor, eyes still wide open.
Jaejoong jumped up and ran to Yunho, hastily undoing his binds before he gathered him close.
The rat, SookJin, looked around incredulously. This was not how he had imagined it all going down. He knew he was screwed. Before he could make a run for it, one of YeoWoon’s men grabbed him, pinning his arms to his sides.
YeoWoon didn’t hesitate as he nodded at his men before turning his gaze to Jaejoong and Yunho’s emotional reunion. He heard a faint sharp crack and the soft thump as the rat fell to the floor, but his attention was entirely focused on the couple before him. When they kissed he experienced a moment’s shock but there was something so…beautiful, he supposed, about it. He wondered what it would feel like to have that with someone else. He’d never really experienced romantic love, having only had a minor crush once in his life a long, long time ago. He would have to take a wife eventually, to create an heir to lead the next generation of the clan, but loving her wasn’t a necessity. Not a necessity, but he didn’t think he’d mind it.
Looking at the display of love and affection before him, he felt a stab of jealousy. A foreign emotion, but an interesting one.
His life had suddenly become very interesting.
He found that he didn’t mind that either. Not at all.
Two days later…
“I can’t believe you’re making me watch this.”
Yunho tightened his arms around Jaejoong lest he attempt to escape. “You promised me last time! Besides, you owe me for almost getting yourself killed.”
Jejoong looked up at him in disbelief. “I did that to save you!”
Yunho nodded. “I know. And while I’m immensely grateful, if you ever do anything that stupid again, I just might kill you myself.”
Jaejoong turned back to the awful movie on the big screen, mumbling to himself, “So ungrateful.”
The knock at the door made them jump.
“I’ll get it,” Yunho said, releasing Jaejoong. “Keep your fine ass right where it is. If it moves, it gets spanked.”
He was only minimally surprised to find YeoWoon on the other side of the door. Smiling, he said over his shoulder, “It’s for you.”
“Is my ass allowed to move now, Master?” Jaejoong griped, stomping to the door. When he saw who it was, he blushed furiously. Of all the luck... “Hey.”
Brow cocked, YeoWoon crossed the threshold, smirking slightly. “Hey.”
Clearing his throat, Jaejoong asked, “What brings you here?”
“Just thought I’d give you an update on the situation. My father’s entire operation has been shut down. His men have been taken care of.” He smiled. “Permanently.”
Jaejoong didn’t think he would ever be as comfortable with killing as YeoWoon was but none of the men who’d worked for his uncle were decent or innocent so he couldn’t find it within himself to be sympathetic.
“You didn’t have to come all the way here for that, not that I mind,” he rushed to assure him.
“I know that. I also came to bring you this.” Smile widening, he produced a sword from behind his back.
Jaejoong gasped, his eyes going from his father’s sword to his cousin’s face and back. “What…?”
“He wanted you to have it.”
“But…”
“Take it. It’s yours.” When Jaejoong finally took the sword from his grasp, he pulled out an envelope from inside his jacket. “This too.”
Confused, Jaejoong took the envelope and opened it. Inside was a deed to a large and ridiculously pricey piece of land, a bank account transfer notice, also filled with ridiculous amounts of money, and a key.
“I think he bought that for you, long ago, for when you got married or something, I’m not sure. The bank account is his. It’s his life’s savings. The key opens a safety deposit box at the same bank. I’m not exactly sure what’s inside it but I happened to see him pack up a box before he got too sick to get around on his own. There were mementos and pictures. Of you, your mother, the three of you.”
Jaejoong clutched the envelope to his chest, a swell of emotion overwhelming him.Yunho came up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist.
“Thank you,” he said, and he meant it from the bottom of his heart. Jaejoong rarely spoke of his parents but he knew how much having those little tidbits would mean to him.
“No problem. I guess I’d better head back.”
With a brief wave, he turned and started for the door. Before he closed it behind him, he turned back.
“You should come up some time.”
Jaejoong’s eyes went wide again. Would he ever stop being shocked today? He’d assumed that once the drama with his uncle was settled, he’d be barred from the compound since he was technically a regular citizen now.
“Can’t let your skills get rusty,” YeoWoon continued. His gaze shifted to Yunho. “Both of you. Your form’s not bad, it just needs some tweaking. You do have potential.”
With a parting smile, he closed the door on the shocked couple and started down the hall.
Change was coming. Perhaps his uncle had seen that and that was why he’d let Jaejoong go. Traditions changed over time, it was hardly surprising that their society was finally being affected.
Now he would have to continue where his uncle had left off. The clan was already headed in a new direction, no longer killing for profit, but for purpose. There were a lot of bad people in the world and a lot of good ones with the bank accounts to take care of them. The assassins would no longer be made to serve out of a sense of duty. If any of them wanted to leave, to have the kind of life that Jaejoong had with Yunho, he would let them go with his blessing.
Taking a deep breath, his fixed his gaze on the gorgeous view beyond the vast windows before him. It was a lovely day out and he didn’t get down to the city much.
Perhaps he’d take a stroll through the park…
A/N: Hope this wasn't too tedious to read. It started out well enough in my head but took too long to finish and some parts got really wordy (as my regular readers would know that most of my fics tend to). It's funny though that this ended up almost as long as the original fic but there's absolutely no smut in it whereas the last one had 3 "encounters"... Eh well.