お帰り [Welcome Home] - Chapter Twenty-Four
Title: お帰り [Welcome Home]
Authors: curionenene and yeonah
Chapter: 24/?
Fandom: SS501 + Epik High Cameos
Pairings: KyuMin, HyunSaeng
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Angst, AU
Summary: Black and white... white and black. It isn't always possible to tell what is good and what is evil; and four players in the never-ending fight for freedom would know. In a world where things are painted by shades of grey, taking a stand could mean life or death. And the struggle to be free, truly free, may tear them apart until there is nothing left but ash.
A/N: KyuJong, HyunJoong, and Tablo are played by curionenene , while JungMin, YoungSaeng, HyungJoon, Mithra and Thaestae are played by yeonah .
YoungSaeng knew something was wrong when he woke up and HyunJoong was nowhere to be found.
Sitting up quickly, the felinefolk scanned the room with his eyes, heart in his throat. "Hyun?" he called, but there was no answer. He got to his feet and searched around the room and the connecting bathroom, with no sign of his master anywhere.
He rested his hand against the hollow in the bed where HyunJoong had slept, feeling the warmth. He had been here not long ago...he couldn't have gone far...
Muttering about stupid masters who took off without telling anyone as a way of distracting himself from the worry and fear bubbling up in his chest, YoungSaeng stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. He turned his nose to the air, sniffing. There...he could catch HyunJoong's scent. The felinefolk hurried in the direction it took him in.
He didn't get very far. Four corridors down, YoungSaeng took a corner and stopped dead, eyes wide. HyunJoong's form was crumbled on the floor, not moving.
Up ahead, YoungSaeng saw HyungJoon turn the corner from the edge of his vision, the rabbit rubbing his eyes sleepily. The tired motion quickly ceased when he saw what was ahead, the younger man's eyes growing big. "Oh..."
They reached HyunJoong at the same time, YoungSaeng falling to the ground beside the child and scooping him into his arms. "Hyun, Hyun can you hear me?" he asked, a frantic note in his voice. His master was unconscious, and burning up yet again.
HyungJoon bit on his lower lip, looking over the child's form. "There's too much energy," he murmured, brushing locks of hair out of HyunJoong's eyes. "Let's get him back to the room."
Nodding mutely, YoungSaeng stood with HyunJoong in his arms, and hurried back the way he'd come. He knew HyungJoon was right behind him, not even looking back at the rabbit as they paused outside the bedroom door long enough for YoungSaeng to open it. Once inside, YoungSaeng carefully laid HyunJoong on the bed, fingers trembling as he lightly touched the child's hand.
Coming up beside him, HyungJoon looked down at HyunJoong, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "It's the energy he has...Meruses may be powerful, but their bodies are still human, and as a child no less..."
Deciding the problem at hand was far more important than how HyungJoon knew all this about HyunJoong, YoungSaeng swallowed thickly. "What can I do? We've tried keeping the fever down with medicine..."
"Medicine won't help against this type of fever," HyungJoon shook his head, rubbing his temples. Out of one mess, and into another... "He needs to be rid of some of that energy before it eats him alive."
"I can take it," YoungSaeng said hurriedly. Anything to make this better. "Just show me how."
"Actually, you can't."
"Why not?" The felinefolk's eyes widened.
HyungJoon's eyes were hazed over as he examined the energy flowing around HyunJoong. "YoungSaeng, you used to have problems with your own energy at times. I know you don't like being called a runt, but I'd rather not land you in the hospital from this, and the only way for you to safely take in his energy without killing yourself is through a bond...which we can't do with him unconscious, and we can't wait for him to wake up. I'll take away some of his energy, okay?"
Flinching back, YoungSaeng felt his heart sink. It was the truth, he knew it. "Okay," he whispered, hands clasping HyunJoong's as the rabbit got to work.
Watching HyungJoon carefully ease bits of HyunJoong's energy out of the Merus and into himself, hearing the faint hisses of pain as he did so, tears prickled the back of the felinefolk's eyes unexpectedly. HyunJoong was his master, and he couldn't even do anything to help him. He was completely useless, and it killed him. HyungJoon did everything for him...cheered him up, healed him, was there when YoungSaeng wasn't.
He stroked the small hand with shaking fingers. Maybe if HyungJoon had been there when they rescued HyunJoong, he would have been able to stop JaeJoong from cursing him in the first place.
HyunJoong's breathing seemed to ease up, the chaotic energy around him dissipating until HyungJoon leaned back with a sigh, wiping away sweat from his forehead. "There," he breathed. "He should be all right now, for a while at least..."
YoungSaeng nodded stiffly, not looking up. The tears were dangerously close to falling.
"...?" HyungJoon blinked at him. "YoungSaeng hyung?"
"I...I'm going to get some fresh air," the felinefolk whispered. "Thank you for helping him." He wasn't needed here. He never truly was.
Standing up, YoungSaeng hurried out of the room, the door closing behind him as HyungJoon watched him go with confusion.
Tablo jumped out of the way as the door he wanted to open suddenly swung out, narrowly missing being knocked down by a blur. “YoungSaeng?” He exclaimed in surprise.
The felinefolk didn't even seem to realize Tablo was there, fighting against the tears of frustration and failing as they rolled down his cheeks. He had disappeared around the corner an instance later.
Confused, Tablo looked inside the room for clues as to what had distressed the felinefolk. There, he spotted HyungJoon, who looked as confused as he was.
Moving in, he took in HyunJoong’s prone form and the excess energy that HyungJoon seemed to be filled up with and put two and two together. “Well…theoretically you did right, but the actual result wasn’t as optimal as you’d think…aren’t I right, White Rabbit?”
HyungJoon gave a sigh of frustration, messing up his hair slightly. "Everything's just falling apart around here...There was nothing else I could do, he needed to get some of that energy out safely and YoungSaeng's never been good with spiritual energy in the first place. I'd rather not have them both out of commission...” He winced. "This is why I usually avoid sticking around people too long."
Tablo shook his head, but he moved to HyungJoon’s side, rubbing his back and casting a small healing spell to ease the exhaustion evident in HyungJoon’s eyes. “Well, you try, but people are attracted to you anyway.”
“What are we going to do about the two of them though…?” Tablo asked after a while, looking at HyunJoong. “I was thinking of a bond…but I’m not sure if both of them have healed from their past experiences yet…”
Smiling in thanks for the spell, HyungJoon straightened and looked at the unconscious child as well. "A bond might help...I think YoungSaeng might be fine with it, he seems to want to help...but HyunJoong...” He shrugged. "I heard what happened with the kitsune. Do you think he'd be willing to form another bond?"
“Well I-” Tablo was interrupted as HyunJoong suddenly shot straight up, his eyes unfocused and panicked. A hiss slipped from his lips as he stared at something beyond the walls. “YoungSaeng…”
And without any warning, HyunJoong was suddenly out of the room. Tablo yelped at the backlash of wind, caught by surprise. As a Merus, HyunJoong might not be able to harness much of his power, but the excess power did enhance his physical prowess. And as of now, HyunJoong would almost be supernatural in his speed and reflexes if he didn’t tire himself out first.
HyungJoon yelped and fell off the bed with a thud. "What was that about?" he asked, sitting up and staring at the door before scrambling to his feet and running after HyunJoong.
“He must have sensed something!” Tablo replied as he followed as well. “I think YoungSaeng is in trouble!”
The White Rabbit's eyes widened as he pushed himself to run faster, casting a quick spell so that they wouldn't lose track of HyunJoong.
*******************
Rubbing away the tears that stubbornly refused to stop, YoungSaeng argued with himself mentally as he walked, not paying attention to where he was going. He wasn't upset because HyungJoon was better suited to looking after his master than he was. He wasn't crying because he wanted to be the one to make HyunJoong laugh like that, and heal him when he was sick, and be the one he smiled at like that. He wasn't...
Okay...he was.
Stopping when he nearly smashed into a wall, the felinefolk sniffled and looked up, finally taking stock of his surroundings. He'd ran right out of the HQ, until he was out on the streets.
...With his tail and ears out. Smart thinking. At least no one was around.
About to pull his hoodie up, YoungSaeng paused when the back of his neck prickled. What was that? He looked around, and saw nothing.
Then the wind shifted, bringing the strong scent of human and gunpowder, and his heart leapt into his throat.
The felinefolk darted down the alley, but had moved too late. A cry tore from him as something stuck him in the arm, and he ripped out whatever it was, his hand closing around a dart and tossing it to one side before running blindly.
He didn't get too far, movements suddenly far too sluggish. Climbing over a wooden fence, YoungSaeng slipped and crashed to the ground with a choked gasp, panting as he lay there.
Hyun... The last thing he saw was metal boots walking closer before everything went dark.
Tablo had run ahead of HyungJoon who, tired from all the late nights, couldn’t run very fast. But the only thing he saw as he ran out onto the street was the swiftly retreating back of a truck.
“Crap.” He cursed, sweat turning cold.
This was not good.
HyungJoon finally caught up, stopping when he saw Tablo. "Where is he?" he asked, but his attention was on the spell he'd cast, baffled to see it pulling farther and farther away at a speed far too fast for a human...
Tablo rubbed his temple, mentally calling for Mithra. He had spotted something on the ground that was telltale of what had happened - truck marks. And there was only one group that would be interested in kidnapping a non-human. “Looks like we’re going to the hunter HQ.”
"...Oh." HyungJoon covered his eyes with one hand. "This should be...interesting..."
And the potential of being very messy, he noted, as he called on his own partner. Just in case. It was always good to have an extra set of eyes.
***********************
YoungSaeng knew he should have some idea of where he was, but forming a coherent thought was horribly tasking. Though he'd woken up a few minutes after passing out, the drug had immobilized his body and his mind, until he couldn't even open his eyes. What was going on?
After a few minutes, he noted the sound of an engine, and the bumping of uneven road beneath him. It took another minute to register the cold metal bars he was pressed up against, around and under him and he was willing to bet on top of him too. A cage?
The biting metal around his neck took much less time to reach his brain, and he started to shake, because he finally knew what was going on.
He was going back to the dungeons.
“Heh. Good catch today, don’t you think?” a voice rang out from the front seats of the truck.
“Yeah. Who’d guess we’d catch that traitor’s Kim HyunJoong’s little whore?”
There was a round of laughter before a snide snicker. “How do you think the boss’ gonna reward us?”
“Tch, pervert. She’d never lay with someone as ugly as you.”
“Hey! Bastard!”
Heart rate quickening at the sound of voices, YoungSaeng tried to force his eyes open, but he couldn't. It was all he could do not to make any noise as he fought against the drug-induced haze.
Finally opening his eyes, he barely managed a blurry view of the back of the hunters' heads before his eyelids slid shut of their own accord, not even long enough to count how many there were...
How was he supposed to do anything like this? Was he really that useless?
The laughter paused as someone seemed to notice YoungSaeng’s movement. “Hey, I think that thing moved.”
“Heh. Well, I’d rather it be awake for the fun.” And the laughter broke out again as the van neared to a stop.
No, YoungSaeng thought desperately, trying to move, to do something. He couldn't go back in there...he knew that if he did, this time he wouldn't get out. Not that they knew who he was now, and more importantly, knew that he was aware of far too much in the anti-hunter organization.
If he did get out, it would be in a body bag.
But he couldn't move, only draw in a shaky breath as he prepared himself for what was to come. He couldn't give HyunJoong away. He wouldn't.
There were perhaps five of them - but only three were needed to carry the cage. It was small and cramped - purposely made so that their prisoners wouldn’t be comfortable at all. And carrying it with the felinefolk inside, the hunters became serious as they marched YoungSaeng down to their destination - the dungeons.
The man inside the cage didn't even have to open his eyes to know where they were going. The smell of gas from the truck was quickly replaced by that of humans, then of non-humans...then of sweat, fear, blood, urine, pain. It still haunted him in his dreams sometimes.
He kept his eyes tightly shut now, even if he felt he could open them, not wanting to see. He didn't even look as he felt the cage being set down roughly, just waited.
The hunters didn’t do anything yet - for they didn’t dare to. Instead they waited for someone - someone important. This was an important specimen after all…in more ways than one.
Finally, after a long while, there was the clack of high-heels descending down the stairs, then the snap of boots at attention.
“Oh…” there was a long drawl - high and husky - the voice of a woman. “Well, well…if it isn’t our little traitor’s pet…welcome back~”
YoungSaeng had to open his eyes then, biting back the fear. Though his mind was still cloudy, he focused on one thought and held it. That no matter what happened in here, he could not speak.
Holding onto that as a lifeline, he slowly lifted his gaze, meeting her eyes with lips pressed firmly shut. He didn't say a word, just looked at her, gaze holding dark defiance.
“Hmm…Looks like we have a fighter.” there was a smile as the lady hunter took in YoungSaeng’s defiant gaze. “Now…this will be fun~”
Turning on her heel, the lady hunter gestured to the other hunters. “Get him on the operating table. Check his spiritual levels and do all the necessary tests…let’s see what the database will pull up on him.”
The other hunters bowed and immediately sprang to work like the obedient soldiers they were. And one opened the cage door, hauling YoungSaeng out of it, keeping a tight hold on YoungSaeng’s limbs.
The second YoungSaeng felt himself being grabbed, he rebelled, fighting both the drugs and the hunters as he struggled against the iron grip. Hissing angrily, he managed to get his hands into a position to drag his claws through the skin of the hunter holding him.
His reward was a harsh twist of one ear, the felinefolk shrieking in pain as he lashed out harder. A hit across his face made his head ring, and he was slammed down onto a cold table and pushed onto his back. Yelling whatever obscenities came to mind in both Hangul and felinefolk, YoungSaeng managed to land another hit before he was strapped down, a scream ripping from him as his tail was crushed painfully in the restrains, probably on purpose.
Screaming non-humans were just part of the job, and the hunters ignored YoungSaeng mostly, perhaps only increasing the roughness of their administration with each curse. One hunter grabbed a syringe from a tray, jabbing it into YoungSaeng’s arm, drawing a small amount of blood from the smallest vein possible.
On the other side, another hunter began to hook YoungSaeng up to the various machines, pressing needles where they would hurt.
The needles make YoungSaeng hiss in pain, the felinefolk trying to shift in the restrains to ease up the pain in his tail. The yelling left him panting for breath, and he could only blink up at the ceiling before closing his eyes. He didn't want to see what it was they were going to do to him.
For a moment, they didn’t do anything, the machines whirring as information began to show up on the screens. Leaning over one of the hunters, who was typing away at a control, the woman’s eyebrow quirked on the information that the computer dug up.
“Oh…so…we have an ex-resident of this dungeon do we?” a sly smile as she languidly stood up. “Well, well…this runt is more interesting than I thought…”
YoungSaeng's eyes snapped open at that. He directed a glare at the woman, hissing under his breath. If they knew he'd been here before, they'd know about his siblings, about the tests and experiments he'd gone through...
And who his 'master' had been before HyunJoong.
“Hmm…” the woman didn’t seem to register the hiss, although her lips tugged upwards just that little bit. “Well, well…looks like you have family here…or rather…had family here. Tsk, tsk, aw…so sad…”
The woman edged closer to YoungSaeng, running a hand through the felinefolk’s hair, before latching onto his ear, rubbing it softly. “And it says here, you’re quite the little feisty thing…until your last master found a way to calm you down easily…”
Eyes widening, YoungSaeng tried to jerk back away from the touch, and was brought up short by the straps holding him down. "Get away from me!" he hissed, trying to tilt his head back enough to bite her. That attempt died at the soft touch against his previously abused ear, a shudder running through the felinefolk's body. Closing his eyes tightly, he fought to remain silent, but like every time before he was unable to do anything against the calming gesture, a faint mewl forcing its way past his tightly pressed lips.
“Oh? I thought I heard a strange sound?” The woman’s eyes widened in mock surprise. “Let’s try doing that again…”
And she scratched behind YoungSaeng’s ear, playing with it in an almost expert manner. Evidently, after YoungSaeng’s previous master had found out that particular piece of information, it had been obviously misused.
YoungSaeng's hands curled into fists, claws biting into the skin of his palm. No. He hated this. He hated how he could never say no, how no matter how much he wanted to claw out the throat of the person touching his ear, he wouldn't be able to move even if the straps were removed. He couldn't do anything against it. Another noise left him, louder this time, as he clamped down on his emotions. There was no way in hell he was going to give her the satisfaction of seeing him cry.
There was only one person he wanted to feel touch his ears like this, the only person he would ever trust not to hurt him.
The woman’s lips curled cruelly. “Now…what a marvelous sound…so beautiful and submissive…”
“I could hear it…all day…” The woman sneered, leaning closer, her fingers toying with the velvet ear, so gently and softly, until she replaced it with her mouth, licking and nibbling. “All…da- ugh!”
The woman tore herself off, clutching at the syringe that was suddenly embedded in her arm, the other hunters leaping to attention at the scream. Pulling it out, she hissed, suddenly feeling weak - there had been drugs loaded inside the syringe. “Who the hell?!”
Shaking on the table as tongue and teeth replaced fingers, YoungSaeng bit down on his lower lip hard enough to bleed, a quiet cry escaping him even so. But then suddenly it had stopped, and the felinefolk's eyes snapped back open at the change, YoungSaeng managing to tilt his head back enough to see the syringe. What?
Tears prickled the back of his eyes after the toying with his ear, but this was more important, YoungSaeng trying to sense what was going on since he couldn't lift his head.
All the hunters in the room looked frantically for the assailant, but before they could respond beyond pulling out their guns, shots rang out in the room, each meeting their mark as they embedded themselves into the hunter’s legs.
The woman was the only one left conscious, and she too held onto it like grasping at a spider’s silken string. Forcing her eyes open, she gasped as her drugged mind took in the appearance of their attacker. “W-what…? A child…no…not…possi…”
YoungSaeng's ears perked up at the word 'child', eyes widening. Sniffing the air, he gasped at the familiar earth scent. It couldn't be...
HyunJoong discarded the gun he had stolen from a guard onto the floor, looking passively at the woman as she slumped to the floor. Making sure that there were no more threats around, he ran to the table, beginning to untie the straps that held YoungSaeng down.
Feeling the tugging at the straps, YoungSaeng sat up quickly the second his upper body was free, hissing at the needles that tore his skin. His eyes went to his master, hardly able to believe it. "H-Hyun?" he whispered.
HyunJoong smiled at the call of his name, before sighing. “Yes, it’s me. Here to rescue you from the clutches of hunters. Guess some things never change huh?”
He continued untying the straps, working to get YoungSaeng free.
Staring, YoungSaeng felt the tears come unbidden, a few slipping down his cheeks. He really was that useless, that he had to be rescued by a feverish, cursed master who should be in bed resting. He couldn't do anything right.
"Thank you," he whispered, waiting until his legs were free before slipping off the table, falling into a crouch and pulling HyunJoong into a hug. He felt less feverish after HyungJoon had removed his energy...
“Idiot. There’s nothing to thank.” HyunJoong ran calming fingers through YoungSaeng’s hair. “I’m supposed to look after you as your master. It’s my duty, remember?”
“Come…we’ll talk later.” HyunJoong said softly, his eyes sharp as he continued to survey the area. “Change into your kitten form…it’ll be faster if I carry you.”
Eyes closing at the gentle fingers, so much more welcome than those that had plagued him mere moments ago, YoungSaeng nodded slowly. "How are you going to get out without anyone seeing you?" he asked, swallowing as he looked at the unconscious people around them. This wouldn't go unnoticed...if someone wasn't already on the way.
He didn't delay though, drawing in a shaky breath before shifting. The small black kitten crawled out of the pile of clothing and into HyunJoong's arms.
“I don’t know.” HyunJoong said truthfully. “I’m just hoping to be fast enough to run out.”
Preparing himself, HyunJoong could hear the door of the dungeons being opened, and he dashed out of it just as the row of hunters ran it, the Merus too fast for them to see.
YoungSaeng burrowed himself into HyunJoong's shirt, shocked at how fast they were moving. Even he would be hard pressed to move this fast...He didn't speak, not wanting to distract HyunJoong, instead just listening to the beating of his master's heart.
Down the corridors HyunJoong ran, searching desperately for some means of escape. But the entire HQ had been locked down, and none of the exits were open. Biting his lips, HyunJoong let out a small growl of frustration, running into a cupboard to hide. There was no use running around - he was only going to exhaust himself.
In fact, HyunJoong thought wryly as he panted, leaning against the wooden backing of the cupboard, he already had.
With no idea what to do, YoungSaeng looked up at his master, able to feel the energy loss. And to think that there had been too much energy before...
He nudged HyunJoong's cheek lightly with the top of his head, pulling back enough to see him properly. "How long do you think until they open one of the exits?" he asked nervously.
HyunJoong shook his head, signaling that he didn’t know. Looking up, he bit his lip wondering how they were going to get out of this mess. He was already out of good ideas.
Thinking, YoungSaeng remembered something. He hadn't gotten out 2 years ago by any of the usual exits...
"Well we can't stay here," he said, nuzzling HyunJoong and climbing out of his lap. "I might know of a place we can get out...if you don't have a problem with tight spaces."
HyunJoong blinked, before waving his hand, signaling for YoungSaeng to continue. As long as he could squeeze into it…
Shutting up for a moment as he heard someone running by the cupboard they were hiding in, YoungSaeng waited until he couldn't hear them before continuing, ears perked up to listen for anyone else. "The air ducts behind the walls. It's how I got out the first time. Though I don't know if the vent I used is still open..." It had been broken, making it easy for him to dive into as his kitten form while disorientated, feverish, and panicked.
HyunJoong nodded. It was worth a try, and their best option as of now. There was a high chance that it’d have been repaired, but HyunJoong would take even that over staying here like sitting ducks.
Pressing his ear against the cupboard doors, HyunJoong closed his eyes, sensing that there was no one in the vicinity. And quickly, he slid out of it, beginning to dash again.
Curled up in HyunJoong's arms, YoungSaeng kept quiet unless he was telling HyunJoong where to go, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep up with the Merus right now if he ran alongside him. He was still shaking after the extremely close call with a past he had never wanted to go through again.
When they were close, he finally leapt out of HyunJoong's arms and went straight for the vent, just large enough for HyunJoong to fit if he crawled in. It looked like it had been repaired, but not very well...the screws were still loose.
Seeing the vent, HyunJoong used his spiritual energy-enhanced strength to pull the cover off. It stuck for a heart-wrenching moment before it gave with a painful grating noise.
Wincing, HyunJoong quickly ushered YoungSaeng inside before crawling in himself, placing the cover back on behind him.
Waiting for HyunJoong to replace the cover, YoungSaeng quickly turned back and started to move when he was finished, sniffing the air and trying to remember which way he'd gone. His memories of his escape were hazed over with time and exhaustion, but he knew one thing...he'd followed the scent of fresh air.
So he did the same now, nose twitching as he hurried down the air duct, waiting for HyunJoong to catch up and never letting the child out of his sight.
HyunJoong crawled as fast as he could, following YoungSaeng. Things were much slower going now, because although HyunJoong could still move fast, he couldn’t see very well in the dark.
Swallowing that irate fear that all humans had of the unknown, HyunJoong stuck close to YoungSaeng, trusting the felinefolk to get them both out.
Unlike his master, the dark hardly bothered YoungSaeng, the felinefolk's eyes glowing golden. In fact, it made him more comfortable to be in here, knowing he could see and no one else could.
The smell of fresh air was growing stronger, and though he could feel the vibrations of people running through the walls and the metal vent, he felt hopeful. They could get out.
Finally they reached the end, YoungSaeng pushing at the grate blocking their escape with his small body and restraining a hiss of annoyance when it gave, but not enough for them to get out. It was horrible being so small sometimes.
HyunJoong half smiled, and he crawled forward, pulling YoungSaeng to his chest with his left hand while he pulled back his right, slamming it into the grate with all the strength he had.
To his utmost relief, the grate gave and HyunJoong quickly crawled out of the vent, his eyes adjusting to the light again, desperately trying to get their bearings.
YoungSaeng blinked as well, looking around. They were in an alley, probably at the back of the HQ. Relief ran through his body. They were out.
Now they just had to head back to the anti-hunter HQ. The small kitten dropped to the ground, sniffing the air and trying to determine which way was safest to go.
Staggering to his feet, HyunJoong nearly missed the small movement at the top of a nearby building. And his brain whirled in alarm, years of instinct telling him exactly what the movement was.
“Saeng! Watch out!” HyunJoong cried as he dived forward, grabbing the felinefolk just as a loud bang filled the alleyway.
Authors: curionenene and yeonah
Chapter: 24/?
Fandom: SS501 + Epik High Cameos
Pairings: KyuMin, HyunSaeng
Rating: PG-16
Warning: Angst, AU
Summary: Black and white... white and black. It isn't always possible to tell what is good and what is evil; and four players in the never-ending fight for freedom would know. In a world where things are painted by shades of grey, taking a stand could mean life or death. And the struggle to be free, truly free, may tear them apart until there is nothing left but ash.
A/N: KyuJong, HyunJoong, and Tablo are played by curionenene , while JungMin, YoungSaeng, HyungJoon, Mithra and Thaestae are played by yeonah .
YoungSaeng knew something was wrong when he woke up and HyunJoong was nowhere to be found.
Sitting up quickly, the felinefolk scanned the room with his eyes, heart in his throat. "Hyun?" he called, but there was no answer. He got to his feet and searched around the room and the connecting bathroom, with no sign of his master anywhere.
He rested his hand against the hollow in the bed where HyunJoong had slept, feeling the warmth. He had been here not long ago...he couldn't have gone far...
Muttering about stupid masters who took off without telling anyone as a way of distracting himself from the worry and fear bubbling up in his chest, YoungSaeng stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. He turned his nose to the air, sniffing. There...he could catch HyunJoong's scent. The felinefolk hurried in the direction it took him in.
He didn't get very far. Four corridors down, YoungSaeng took a corner and stopped dead, eyes wide. HyunJoong's form was crumbled on the floor, not moving.
Up ahead, YoungSaeng saw HyungJoon turn the corner from the edge of his vision, the rabbit rubbing his eyes sleepily. The tired motion quickly ceased when he saw what was ahead, the younger man's eyes growing big. "Oh..."
They reached HyunJoong at the same time, YoungSaeng falling to the ground beside the child and scooping him into his arms. "Hyun, Hyun can you hear me?" he asked, a frantic note in his voice. His master was unconscious, and burning up yet again.
HyungJoon bit on his lower lip, looking over the child's form. "There's too much energy," he murmured, brushing locks of hair out of HyunJoong's eyes. "Let's get him back to the room."
Nodding mutely, YoungSaeng stood with HyunJoong in his arms, and hurried back the way he'd come. He knew HyungJoon was right behind him, not even looking back at the rabbit as they paused outside the bedroom door long enough for YoungSaeng to open it. Once inside, YoungSaeng carefully laid HyunJoong on the bed, fingers trembling as he lightly touched the child's hand.
Coming up beside him, HyungJoon looked down at HyunJoong, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "It's the energy he has...Meruses may be powerful, but their bodies are still human, and as a child no less..."
Deciding the problem at hand was far more important than how HyungJoon knew all this about HyunJoong, YoungSaeng swallowed thickly. "What can I do? We've tried keeping the fever down with medicine..."
"Medicine won't help against this type of fever," HyungJoon shook his head, rubbing his temples. Out of one mess, and into another... "He needs to be rid of some of that energy before it eats him alive."
"I can take it," YoungSaeng said hurriedly. Anything to make this better. "Just show me how."
"Actually, you can't."
"Why not?" The felinefolk's eyes widened.
HyungJoon's eyes were hazed over as he examined the energy flowing around HyunJoong. "YoungSaeng, you used to have problems with your own energy at times. I know you don't like being called a runt, but I'd rather not land you in the hospital from this, and the only way for you to safely take in his energy without killing yourself is through a bond...which we can't do with him unconscious, and we can't wait for him to wake up. I'll take away some of his energy, okay?"
Flinching back, YoungSaeng felt his heart sink. It was the truth, he knew it. "Okay," he whispered, hands clasping HyunJoong's as the rabbit got to work.
Watching HyungJoon carefully ease bits of HyunJoong's energy out of the Merus and into himself, hearing the faint hisses of pain as he did so, tears prickled the back of the felinefolk's eyes unexpectedly. HyunJoong was his master, and he couldn't even do anything to help him. He was completely useless, and it killed him. HyungJoon did everything for him...cheered him up, healed him, was there when YoungSaeng wasn't.
He stroked the small hand with shaking fingers. Maybe if HyungJoon had been there when they rescued HyunJoong, he would have been able to stop JaeJoong from cursing him in the first place.
HyunJoong's breathing seemed to ease up, the chaotic energy around him dissipating until HyungJoon leaned back with a sigh, wiping away sweat from his forehead. "There," he breathed. "He should be all right now, for a while at least..."
YoungSaeng nodded stiffly, not looking up. The tears were dangerously close to falling.
"...?" HyungJoon blinked at him. "YoungSaeng hyung?"
"I...I'm going to get some fresh air," the felinefolk whispered. "Thank you for helping him." He wasn't needed here. He never truly was.
Standing up, YoungSaeng hurried out of the room, the door closing behind him as HyungJoon watched him go with confusion.
Tablo jumped out of the way as the door he wanted to open suddenly swung out, narrowly missing being knocked down by a blur. “YoungSaeng?” He exclaimed in surprise.
The felinefolk didn't even seem to realize Tablo was there, fighting against the tears of frustration and failing as they rolled down his cheeks. He had disappeared around the corner an instance later.
Confused, Tablo looked inside the room for clues as to what had distressed the felinefolk. There, he spotted HyungJoon, who looked as confused as he was.
Moving in, he took in HyunJoong’s prone form and the excess energy that HyungJoon seemed to be filled up with and put two and two together. “Well…theoretically you did right, but the actual result wasn’t as optimal as you’d think…aren’t I right, White Rabbit?”
HyungJoon gave a sigh of frustration, messing up his hair slightly. "Everything's just falling apart around here...There was nothing else I could do, he needed to get some of that energy out safely and YoungSaeng's never been good with spiritual energy in the first place. I'd rather not have them both out of commission...” He winced. "This is why I usually avoid sticking around people too long."
Tablo shook his head, but he moved to HyungJoon’s side, rubbing his back and casting a small healing spell to ease the exhaustion evident in HyungJoon’s eyes. “Well, you try, but people are attracted to you anyway.”
“What are we going to do about the two of them though…?” Tablo asked after a while, looking at HyunJoong. “I was thinking of a bond…but I’m not sure if both of them have healed from their past experiences yet…”
Smiling in thanks for the spell, HyungJoon straightened and looked at the unconscious child as well. "A bond might help...I think YoungSaeng might be fine with it, he seems to want to help...but HyunJoong...” He shrugged. "I heard what happened with the kitsune. Do you think he'd be willing to form another bond?"
“Well I-” Tablo was interrupted as HyunJoong suddenly shot straight up, his eyes unfocused and panicked. A hiss slipped from his lips as he stared at something beyond the walls. “YoungSaeng…”
And without any warning, HyunJoong was suddenly out of the room. Tablo yelped at the backlash of wind, caught by surprise. As a Merus, HyunJoong might not be able to harness much of his power, but the excess power did enhance his physical prowess. And as of now, HyunJoong would almost be supernatural in his speed and reflexes if he didn’t tire himself out first.
HyungJoon yelped and fell off the bed with a thud. "What was that about?" he asked, sitting up and staring at the door before scrambling to his feet and running after HyunJoong.
“He must have sensed something!” Tablo replied as he followed as well. “I think YoungSaeng is in trouble!”
The White Rabbit's eyes widened as he pushed himself to run faster, casting a quick spell so that they wouldn't lose track of HyunJoong.
*******************
Rubbing away the tears that stubbornly refused to stop, YoungSaeng argued with himself mentally as he walked, not paying attention to where he was going. He wasn't upset because HyungJoon was better suited to looking after his master than he was. He wasn't crying because he wanted to be the one to make HyunJoong laugh like that, and heal him when he was sick, and be the one he smiled at like that. He wasn't...
Okay...he was.
Stopping when he nearly smashed into a wall, the felinefolk sniffled and looked up, finally taking stock of his surroundings. He'd ran right out of the HQ, until he was out on the streets.
...With his tail and ears out. Smart thinking. At least no one was around.
About to pull his hoodie up, YoungSaeng paused when the back of his neck prickled. What was that? He looked around, and saw nothing.
Then the wind shifted, bringing the strong scent of human and gunpowder, and his heart leapt into his throat.
The felinefolk darted down the alley, but had moved too late. A cry tore from him as something stuck him in the arm, and he ripped out whatever it was, his hand closing around a dart and tossing it to one side before running blindly.
He didn't get too far, movements suddenly far too sluggish. Climbing over a wooden fence, YoungSaeng slipped and crashed to the ground with a choked gasp, panting as he lay there.
Hyun... The last thing he saw was metal boots walking closer before everything went dark.
Tablo had run ahead of HyungJoon who, tired from all the late nights, couldn’t run very fast. But the only thing he saw as he ran out onto the street was the swiftly retreating back of a truck.
“Crap.” He cursed, sweat turning cold.
This was not good.
HyungJoon finally caught up, stopping when he saw Tablo. "Where is he?" he asked, but his attention was on the spell he'd cast, baffled to see it pulling farther and farther away at a speed far too fast for a human...
Tablo rubbed his temple, mentally calling for Mithra. He had spotted something on the ground that was telltale of what had happened - truck marks. And there was only one group that would be interested in kidnapping a non-human. “Looks like we’re going to the hunter HQ.”
"...Oh." HyungJoon covered his eyes with one hand. "This should be...interesting..."
And the potential of being very messy, he noted, as he called on his own partner. Just in case. It was always good to have an extra set of eyes.
***********************
YoungSaeng knew he should have some idea of where he was, but forming a coherent thought was horribly tasking. Though he'd woken up a few minutes after passing out, the drug had immobilized his body and his mind, until he couldn't even open his eyes. What was going on?
After a few minutes, he noted the sound of an engine, and the bumping of uneven road beneath him. It took another minute to register the cold metal bars he was pressed up against, around and under him and he was willing to bet on top of him too. A cage?
The biting metal around his neck took much less time to reach his brain, and he started to shake, because he finally knew what was going on.
He was going back to the dungeons.
“Heh. Good catch today, don’t you think?” a voice rang out from the front seats of the truck.
“Yeah. Who’d guess we’d catch that traitor’s Kim HyunJoong’s little whore?”
There was a round of laughter before a snide snicker. “How do you think the boss’ gonna reward us?”
“Tch, pervert. She’d never lay with someone as ugly as you.”
“Hey! Bastard!”
Heart rate quickening at the sound of voices, YoungSaeng tried to force his eyes open, but he couldn't. It was all he could do not to make any noise as he fought against the drug-induced haze.
Finally opening his eyes, he barely managed a blurry view of the back of the hunters' heads before his eyelids slid shut of their own accord, not even long enough to count how many there were...
How was he supposed to do anything like this? Was he really that useless?
The laughter paused as someone seemed to notice YoungSaeng’s movement. “Hey, I think that thing moved.”
“Heh. Well, I’d rather it be awake for the fun.” And the laughter broke out again as the van neared to a stop.
No, YoungSaeng thought desperately, trying to move, to do something. He couldn't go back in there...he knew that if he did, this time he wouldn't get out. Not that they knew who he was now, and more importantly, knew that he was aware of far too much in the anti-hunter organization.
If he did get out, it would be in a body bag.
But he couldn't move, only draw in a shaky breath as he prepared himself for what was to come. He couldn't give HyunJoong away. He wouldn't.
There were perhaps five of them - but only three were needed to carry the cage. It was small and cramped - purposely made so that their prisoners wouldn’t be comfortable at all. And carrying it with the felinefolk inside, the hunters became serious as they marched YoungSaeng down to their destination - the dungeons.
The man inside the cage didn't even have to open his eyes to know where they were going. The smell of gas from the truck was quickly replaced by that of humans, then of non-humans...then of sweat, fear, blood, urine, pain. It still haunted him in his dreams sometimes.
He kept his eyes tightly shut now, even if he felt he could open them, not wanting to see. He didn't even look as he felt the cage being set down roughly, just waited.
The hunters didn’t do anything yet - for they didn’t dare to. Instead they waited for someone - someone important. This was an important specimen after all…in more ways than one.
Finally, after a long while, there was the clack of high-heels descending down the stairs, then the snap of boots at attention.
“Oh…” there was a long drawl - high and husky - the voice of a woman. “Well, well…if it isn’t our little traitor’s pet…welcome back~”
YoungSaeng had to open his eyes then, biting back the fear. Though his mind was still cloudy, he focused on one thought and held it. That no matter what happened in here, he could not speak.
Holding onto that as a lifeline, he slowly lifted his gaze, meeting her eyes with lips pressed firmly shut. He didn't say a word, just looked at her, gaze holding dark defiance.
“Hmm…Looks like we have a fighter.” there was a smile as the lady hunter took in YoungSaeng’s defiant gaze. “Now…this will be fun~”
Turning on her heel, the lady hunter gestured to the other hunters. “Get him on the operating table. Check his spiritual levels and do all the necessary tests…let’s see what the database will pull up on him.”
The other hunters bowed and immediately sprang to work like the obedient soldiers they were. And one opened the cage door, hauling YoungSaeng out of it, keeping a tight hold on YoungSaeng’s limbs.
The second YoungSaeng felt himself being grabbed, he rebelled, fighting both the drugs and the hunters as he struggled against the iron grip. Hissing angrily, he managed to get his hands into a position to drag his claws through the skin of the hunter holding him.
His reward was a harsh twist of one ear, the felinefolk shrieking in pain as he lashed out harder. A hit across his face made his head ring, and he was slammed down onto a cold table and pushed onto his back. Yelling whatever obscenities came to mind in both Hangul and felinefolk, YoungSaeng managed to land another hit before he was strapped down, a scream ripping from him as his tail was crushed painfully in the restrains, probably on purpose.
Screaming non-humans were just part of the job, and the hunters ignored YoungSaeng mostly, perhaps only increasing the roughness of their administration with each curse. One hunter grabbed a syringe from a tray, jabbing it into YoungSaeng’s arm, drawing a small amount of blood from the smallest vein possible.
On the other side, another hunter began to hook YoungSaeng up to the various machines, pressing needles where they would hurt.
The needles make YoungSaeng hiss in pain, the felinefolk trying to shift in the restrains to ease up the pain in his tail. The yelling left him panting for breath, and he could only blink up at the ceiling before closing his eyes. He didn't want to see what it was they were going to do to him.
For a moment, they didn’t do anything, the machines whirring as information began to show up on the screens. Leaning over one of the hunters, who was typing away at a control, the woman’s eyebrow quirked on the information that the computer dug up.
“Oh…so…we have an ex-resident of this dungeon do we?” a sly smile as she languidly stood up. “Well, well…this runt is more interesting than I thought…”
YoungSaeng's eyes snapped open at that. He directed a glare at the woman, hissing under his breath. If they knew he'd been here before, they'd know about his siblings, about the tests and experiments he'd gone through...
And who his 'master' had been before HyunJoong.
“Hmm…” the woman didn’t seem to register the hiss, although her lips tugged upwards just that little bit. “Well, well…looks like you have family here…or rather…had family here. Tsk, tsk, aw…so sad…”
The woman edged closer to YoungSaeng, running a hand through the felinefolk’s hair, before latching onto his ear, rubbing it softly. “And it says here, you’re quite the little feisty thing…until your last master found a way to calm you down easily…”
Eyes widening, YoungSaeng tried to jerk back away from the touch, and was brought up short by the straps holding him down. "Get away from me!" he hissed, trying to tilt his head back enough to bite her. That attempt died at the soft touch against his previously abused ear, a shudder running through the felinefolk's body. Closing his eyes tightly, he fought to remain silent, but like every time before he was unable to do anything against the calming gesture, a faint mewl forcing its way past his tightly pressed lips.
“Oh? I thought I heard a strange sound?” The woman’s eyes widened in mock surprise. “Let’s try doing that again…”
And she scratched behind YoungSaeng’s ear, playing with it in an almost expert manner. Evidently, after YoungSaeng’s previous master had found out that particular piece of information, it had been obviously misused.
YoungSaeng's hands curled into fists, claws biting into the skin of his palm. No. He hated this. He hated how he could never say no, how no matter how much he wanted to claw out the throat of the person touching his ear, he wouldn't be able to move even if the straps were removed. He couldn't do anything against it. Another noise left him, louder this time, as he clamped down on his emotions. There was no way in hell he was going to give her the satisfaction of seeing him cry.
There was only one person he wanted to feel touch his ears like this, the only person he would ever trust not to hurt him.
The woman’s lips curled cruelly. “Now…what a marvelous sound…so beautiful and submissive…”
“I could hear it…all day…” The woman sneered, leaning closer, her fingers toying with the velvet ear, so gently and softly, until she replaced it with her mouth, licking and nibbling. “All…da- ugh!”
The woman tore herself off, clutching at the syringe that was suddenly embedded in her arm, the other hunters leaping to attention at the scream. Pulling it out, she hissed, suddenly feeling weak - there had been drugs loaded inside the syringe. “Who the hell?!”
Shaking on the table as tongue and teeth replaced fingers, YoungSaeng bit down on his lower lip hard enough to bleed, a quiet cry escaping him even so. But then suddenly it had stopped, and the felinefolk's eyes snapped back open at the change, YoungSaeng managing to tilt his head back enough to see the syringe. What?
Tears prickled the back of his eyes after the toying with his ear, but this was more important, YoungSaeng trying to sense what was going on since he couldn't lift his head.
All the hunters in the room looked frantically for the assailant, but before they could respond beyond pulling out their guns, shots rang out in the room, each meeting their mark as they embedded themselves into the hunter’s legs.
The woman was the only one left conscious, and she too held onto it like grasping at a spider’s silken string. Forcing her eyes open, she gasped as her drugged mind took in the appearance of their attacker. “W-what…? A child…no…not…possi…”
YoungSaeng's ears perked up at the word 'child', eyes widening. Sniffing the air, he gasped at the familiar earth scent. It couldn't be...
HyunJoong discarded the gun he had stolen from a guard onto the floor, looking passively at the woman as she slumped to the floor. Making sure that there were no more threats around, he ran to the table, beginning to untie the straps that held YoungSaeng down.
Feeling the tugging at the straps, YoungSaeng sat up quickly the second his upper body was free, hissing at the needles that tore his skin. His eyes went to his master, hardly able to believe it. "H-Hyun?" he whispered.
HyunJoong smiled at the call of his name, before sighing. “Yes, it’s me. Here to rescue you from the clutches of hunters. Guess some things never change huh?”
He continued untying the straps, working to get YoungSaeng free.
Staring, YoungSaeng felt the tears come unbidden, a few slipping down his cheeks. He really was that useless, that he had to be rescued by a feverish, cursed master who should be in bed resting. He couldn't do anything right.
"Thank you," he whispered, waiting until his legs were free before slipping off the table, falling into a crouch and pulling HyunJoong into a hug. He felt less feverish after HyungJoon had removed his energy...
“Idiot. There’s nothing to thank.” HyunJoong ran calming fingers through YoungSaeng’s hair. “I’m supposed to look after you as your master. It’s my duty, remember?”
“Come…we’ll talk later.” HyunJoong said softly, his eyes sharp as he continued to survey the area. “Change into your kitten form…it’ll be faster if I carry you.”
Eyes closing at the gentle fingers, so much more welcome than those that had plagued him mere moments ago, YoungSaeng nodded slowly. "How are you going to get out without anyone seeing you?" he asked, swallowing as he looked at the unconscious people around them. This wouldn't go unnoticed...if someone wasn't already on the way.
He didn't delay though, drawing in a shaky breath before shifting. The small black kitten crawled out of the pile of clothing and into HyunJoong's arms.
“I don’t know.” HyunJoong said truthfully. “I’m just hoping to be fast enough to run out.”
Preparing himself, HyunJoong could hear the door of the dungeons being opened, and he dashed out of it just as the row of hunters ran it, the Merus too fast for them to see.
YoungSaeng burrowed himself into HyunJoong's shirt, shocked at how fast they were moving. Even he would be hard pressed to move this fast...He didn't speak, not wanting to distract HyunJoong, instead just listening to the beating of his master's heart.
Down the corridors HyunJoong ran, searching desperately for some means of escape. But the entire HQ had been locked down, and none of the exits were open. Biting his lips, HyunJoong let out a small growl of frustration, running into a cupboard to hide. There was no use running around - he was only going to exhaust himself.
In fact, HyunJoong thought wryly as he panted, leaning against the wooden backing of the cupboard, he already had.
With no idea what to do, YoungSaeng looked up at his master, able to feel the energy loss. And to think that there had been too much energy before...
He nudged HyunJoong's cheek lightly with the top of his head, pulling back enough to see him properly. "How long do you think until they open one of the exits?" he asked nervously.
HyunJoong shook his head, signaling that he didn’t know. Looking up, he bit his lip wondering how they were going to get out of this mess. He was already out of good ideas.
Thinking, YoungSaeng remembered something. He hadn't gotten out 2 years ago by any of the usual exits...
"Well we can't stay here," he said, nuzzling HyunJoong and climbing out of his lap. "I might know of a place we can get out...if you don't have a problem with tight spaces."
HyunJoong blinked, before waving his hand, signaling for YoungSaeng to continue. As long as he could squeeze into it…
Shutting up for a moment as he heard someone running by the cupboard they were hiding in, YoungSaeng waited until he couldn't hear them before continuing, ears perked up to listen for anyone else. "The air ducts behind the walls. It's how I got out the first time. Though I don't know if the vent I used is still open..." It had been broken, making it easy for him to dive into as his kitten form while disorientated, feverish, and panicked.
HyunJoong nodded. It was worth a try, and their best option as of now. There was a high chance that it’d have been repaired, but HyunJoong would take even that over staying here like sitting ducks.
Pressing his ear against the cupboard doors, HyunJoong closed his eyes, sensing that there was no one in the vicinity. And quickly, he slid out of it, beginning to dash again.
Curled up in HyunJoong's arms, YoungSaeng kept quiet unless he was telling HyunJoong where to go, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep up with the Merus right now if he ran alongside him. He was still shaking after the extremely close call with a past he had never wanted to go through again.
When they were close, he finally leapt out of HyunJoong's arms and went straight for the vent, just large enough for HyunJoong to fit if he crawled in. It looked like it had been repaired, but not very well...the screws were still loose.
Seeing the vent, HyunJoong used his spiritual energy-enhanced strength to pull the cover off. It stuck for a heart-wrenching moment before it gave with a painful grating noise.
Wincing, HyunJoong quickly ushered YoungSaeng inside before crawling in himself, placing the cover back on behind him.
Waiting for HyunJoong to replace the cover, YoungSaeng quickly turned back and started to move when he was finished, sniffing the air and trying to remember which way he'd gone. His memories of his escape were hazed over with time and exhaustion, but he knew one thing...he'd followed the scent of fresh air.
So he did the same now, nose twitching as he hurried down the air duct, waiting for HyunJoong to catch up and never letting the child out of his sight.
HyunJoong crawled as fast as he could, following YoungSaeng. Things were much slower going now, because although HyunJoong could still move fast, he couldn’t see very well in the dark.
Swallowing that irate fear that all humans had of the unknown, HyunJoong stuck close to YoungSaeng, trusting the felinefolk to get them both out.
Unlike his master, the dark hardly bothered YoungSaeng, the felinefolk's eyes glowing golden. In fact, it made him more comfortable to be in here, knowing he could see and no one else could.
The smell of fresh air was growing stronger, and though he could feel the vibrations of people running through the walls and the metal vent, he felt hopeful. They could get out.
Finally they reached the end, YoungSaeng pushing at the grate blocking their escape with his small body and restraining a hiss of annoyance when it gave, but not enough for them to get out. It was horrible being so small sometimes.
HyunJoong half smiled, and he crawled forward, pulling YoungSaeng to his chest with his left hand while he pulled back his right, slamming it into the grate with all the strength he had.
To his utmost relief, the grate gave and HyunJoong quickly crawled out of the vent, his eyes adjusting to the light again, desperately trying to get their bearings.
YoungSaeng blinked as well, looking around. They were in an alley, probably at the back of the HQ. Relief ran through his body. They were out.
Now they just had to head back to the anti-hunter HQ. The small kitten dropped to the ground, sniffing the air and trying to determine which way was safest to go.
Staggering to his feet, HyunJoong nearly missed the small movement at the top of a nearby building. And his brain whirled in alarm, years of instinct telling him exactly what the movement was.
“Saeng! Watch out!” HyunJoong cried as he dived forward, grabbing the felinefolk just as a loud bang filled the alleyway.