Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Hyunjin panted into the darkness, applying pressure to his leg where it was dripping blood. He scanned through his phone, trying to determine who he could call. Two years ago, he would have called his dad. But, that was no longer a possibility for him. And after the accident where his parents had been killed, he’d pulled back from basically everyone in his life, choosing to live quietly. It was 2:16 am, which meant that Felix wasn’t going to be available. He was flipping through his messages, trying to see if anyone else in his recent contacts would be reliable enough to call up. 

None of his friends were jumping out at him, and Hyunjin was starting to panic, when he stumbled upon the weird texts he’d started getting a few days earlier. 

Unknown: Look, this is going to sound weird, but if you find yourself in danger sometime soon, call this number. 

Unknown: I’m hoping your silence means you’re doing okay. But, seriously, if anything happens , call me, okay? 

Unknown: I can help you.

Hyunjin hesitated a few seconds before he whispered, “Fuck it,” and dialed the number. This was either the stupidest thing he’d ever done or the smartest. 

A gruff voice answered after a few rings, “Hello?” 

“I don’t know who you are,” Hyunjin panted into the phone, cutting straight to the chase, “Or if you are at all what you claim to be, but if you actually want to help me, I could use it right now. I’m pretty sure a serial killer is chasing me.” 

The other end of the line was quiet for a solid three seconds before the rough voice was questioning, “An actual serial killer or a hyperbole for an annoying person you don’t like?” 

Hyunjin paused, trying to figure out how to respond. “Like, my leg is slashed open; I’m in a back alley who the fuck knows where, and I can’t remember the last fifteen hours.” 

“Okay, I know you don’t know me, but send me your location.” 

“I-”
“Just do it,” the voice growled. 

“Fuck,” Hyunjin groaned, “Please don’t be a psychopath.” He slipped behind a nearby dumpster, quickly pulling the phone from his ear, grimacing at the bright screen. He was as quick as he could be, finding his map app quickly, and selecting the ‘share location’ option the second he saw it. He shot it over to the other person’s phone number before he put the phone back up to his ear. “Okay.” 

“Got it.” The voice went quiet, but Hyunjin could hear the sound of an engine roaring to life. “I’m about seven minutes away, give or take how bad traffic is. How far away are you from the person hunting you?” 

Hyunjin glanced around nervously, “I honestly don’t know. I can’t hear them anymore, but I’m not sure that means anything.” 

“You are about two blocks from a main road,” The voice said cautiously. “Is your leg in a condition to get you there?” 

Hyunjin could feel his fingers shaking the phone, shock and adrenaline starting to wear off as blood loss became a bigger problem. “I don’t know about all the way,” He said softly. “But I can try.” 

“Okay, take a left,” The voice commanded. “I’ll track you. Try not to get seen, but if you do,” He said seriously, “if it even looks like you are going to get caught, you keep your phone location on and stuff it where it won’t be taken. I will find you.” 

Hyunjin nodded, “Okay.” 

He moved away from the dumpster, pressing forward through the dark. He moved left as the voice had told him to. “Where to now?” He asked, leg starting to feel heavy beneath him. 

“Keep going straight. You’ll be forced to turn right, at the end.” 

“Okay,” Hyunjin did his best to walk faster. He really didn’t want to die. 

Sure enough, about a minute later, the alley cut right. He turned down it, a puddle of light shining down from a streetlight ahead. “I can see light,” Hyunjin whispered. 

“Don’t go all the way down,” The voice snapped. “There is a very thin gap between two buildings coming up on your left. I want you to cut through there.” 

“But-”

“ Do it.” 

“Okay,” Hyunjin gasped. He shuffled forward, looking for the gap as instructed.

“You’re almost there,” The voice said comfortingly, almost sensing how panicked Hyunjin was growing. 

Hyunjin heard the sound of footsteps from behind him, and he surged forward, pushing into the gap he could see. It was thin, so fucking thin. But, for once Hyunjin was glad he was built like a string bean. He wiggled his way inside, holding his breath when a shadowy figure stalked down the alley he’d just been in. He caught the glint of metal in the moonlight, and shrank even deeper into the darkness. 

“Hello?” 

Hyunjin didn’t respond.

“Please tell me you didn’t get caught, fuck.” 

Hyunjin felt tears slipping down his cheek. Please don’t find me; please don’t find me, he hummed noiselessly like a prayer. And then the knife was slicing through the crack, and he was sashaying sideways with a sob. “Fuck,” He cried out, wimpering at the new cut on his shoulder. 

His assailant still wore the same mask from the warehouse. And he was trying to crawl into the gap. “Get back here,” He shouted, once he realized he wasn’t going to fit. 

Hyunjin forced his body through the narrow space, hand cradling the phone to his ear. 

“ Hello? ” The voice shouted, “Are you there? God please tell me you’re there.” 

“P-please tell me you’re close,” Hyunjin sobbed, as his body popped from the crevice. 

“I’m like, thirty seconds away.” The voice reassured, frantically. “Fuck, are you okay?” 

“He almost got me,” Hyunjin whispered, “I don’t know where to go.” 

“Can you run?” 

“I think so,” Hyunjin nodded, adrenaline pumping his system once more. “Where?”  

“Follow the alley straight left,” The voice instructed. “I’m almost there.” 

And then Hyunjin was running, long legs pushing forward faster than he ever had, far faster than should have been possible on his messed up leg. But nevertheless, he pushed on, praying he wasn’t being followed, as he rushed towards the street he could finally see drawing closer. A few cars sped by and Hyunjin wondered which of them would have his would-be-savior. 

Suddenly the headlights of a large black motorcycle turned his way, foot coming out to steady the bike as it swiveled to a hard stop. “Come on!” The voice, the same from the phone, shouted, about fifteen yards ahead of him. 

Hyunjin immediately shoved his phone into his pocket, wanting his hands free as he sprinted forward. 

“Fucking, duck” the voice shouted suddenly, and Hyunjin immediately did as told, crouching, right as a knife spun through the air where his head had been. He looked forward, panicked, as the biker similarly dodged the blade. And then Hyunjin was sprinting again, terrified to look behind him and see how close the man was. He would appraise his rescuer later, when there was time. He barely even registered that he was wearing a leather jacket and helmet as he sprang forward and leapt onto the space that had been left for him behind the driver. He wrapped his arms around the other tightly, as the motorcycle lurched back into motion, tires squealing painfully, as they entered the street, moving the wrong direction against traffic. 

There were several reasons why Hyunjin buried his head between the shoulder blades of the driver. First, his face was fucking freezing in the wind that whipped past them as they rode. Second, the wind was whipping so hard because they were going fucking fast, and Hyunjin really didn’t care to see just how fast and dangerously they were moving. And, third, Hyunjin couldn’t keep his head up. His whole body was trembling - and not from the cold. He could actively feel his body shaking itself to death. He may have escaped the psychopath back there, but his body was probably still going to fail him just because of how scared he was. Not to mention, he still didn’t know whether or not the person in front of him was going to be any better, hell he didn’t even know his name. Although, Hyunjin thought softly, inhaling sharply, he did smell fucking nice. Everything about the mixed scents of his jacket brough Hyunjin a peace unlike any he’d felt in a long time. His eyes were growing heavier, and he could feel exhaustion creeping up on him. His breathing was slowing, and then, suddenly, a hand was slipping over his own, gloved, but still warm. 

“Hey,” the boy in front of him rasped, “Hold on. We’re almost there.” 

Hyunjin wondered, distantly, how the boy had realized Hyunjin was drifting to sleep, but he didn’t have much energy to question it. He did, however, try to follow the instructions. “Where?” He asked, weakly, trying to talk through his lethargy. 

“My place,” The boy stated. “I don’t know where else to go.” 

“A hospital?” Hyunjin found himself snorting. 

He wondered if the boy was the type to blush. “I can fix you up better,” The boy shrugged. “And without charge.” 

“You can?” Hyunjin asked, utterly perplexed. 

“Yes.” The boy was confident. 

“M’kay,” Hyunjin whispered, drifting again. 

“Fucking,” The boy growled, “Stop trying to sleep!” He pinched Hyunjin’s wrist. 

Hyunjin yelped. “Hey!” 

“I’m sorry,” The boy snapped, “Would you prefer I scrape you off the asphalt?”  

Hyunjin leaned back, realizing they were going much slower, now. He didn’t answer the question. It seemed pretty rhetorical anyway. He leaned his head back against the other, only this time he placed his cheek sideways against the jacket, looking off to the side as they neared their destination. “You never told me your name,” He said quietly. 

“You never asked,” The voice rumbled. Hyunjin actually felt it, vibrating against his cheek. 

“‘M Hyunjin,” He said softly. 

“I know,” The voice said equally soft, turning into a parking garage. The motorcycle slid into a stall near a creaky old door. “Come on,” The voice said, roughly, moving to get up as he flipped the key in his bike and propped the kickstand out. 

Hyunjin leaned back, but when he tried to move to his feet, his leg almost immediately gave out. “Shit,” He hissed, stumbling. But two arms were there, immediately holding him steady. Hyunjin wobbled backwards, trying to make sense of the person in front of him. But the boy was still wearing his helmet. Even still, Hyunjin could still tell a few things about him. “You’re short,” He mused, feeling almost drunk. 

“No shit, Sherlock.” The boy snapped, but then he was moving forward and leaning to swoop an arm beneath Hyunjin’s legs. He picked him up before Hyunjin registered the feeling of being lifted. 

“What the fuck?” Hyunjin gasped. 

“I’m short,” The boy confirmed, “But not weak.” 

He stomped his way over to the old door, easily kicking against the bar handle to push it open as he approached. “Hold on, tight.” he snapped, before he started moving up the stairs. 

Hyunjin complied, wrapping his arms around the boy’s neck. He knocked his forehead against the boy’s helmet. “Why are you still wearing this?” He asked, voice growing dim with the exhaustion he still was desperate to give in to. 

“I don’t want to blind you with my brilliance,” The boy snapped, snarkily. 

“Mmm,” Hyunjin yawned, “That’s usually my job.” 

“Don’t make me laugh while I’m carrying you,” The boy grumbled. 

“Sorry,” Hyunjin sighed. “Not trying to.” 

The boy’s breathing was becoming more labored, as they moved up the third landing. Finally though, the boy pushed from the stairwell and through a door. He moved briskly down a dark hallway, before he paused outside door number 325. “Hyunjin,” The boy breathed, “I need you to grab my keys for me.” 

“Uh,” Hyunjin blinked, “Where?” 

“Back pocket,” The boy said breathlessly. 

Hyunjin blushed, but moved his hand down the back of the boy’s pants, feeling for the bump in his pocket. Nice ass , he thought softly, as he dragged his fingers along. Finally he felt what he was looking for, slipping his long fingers inside and pulling out the metal ring. The boy angled him so that he could slip the keys in the door, and then they were pushing inside. 

Hyunjin could barely make sense of their surroundings, as the boy kicked the door closed, keys held firmly in Hyunjin’s hand. 

Without stumbling for a second, the boy moved through his apartment seamlessly, depositing him easily on the couch. “Hold on,” He said firmly. He moved across the room, flicking on the light as he went. Hyunjin watched him disappear into another room. There was the brief sound of rustling and then he was stepping back inside, helmet gone, replaced by a black cap and face mask. His leather jacket was also gone, leaving his perfect biceps straining in the open air, beneath a tight black T-shirt. He was juggling a large armful of supplies. He dropped them onto a worn coffee table. Hyunjin could see various gauzes, as well as a few tubes and giant needles. 

“Why the fuck do you have so many medical supplies in your house ?” Hyunjin asked, thoroughly perplexed. 

“Less talking,” The boy said gruff, “More undressing.” 

Hyunjin looked at him, panicked. “What the-” 

“Or am I supposed to sew your body back together with your clothes on?” The boy continued by way of clarification. 

“Oh,” Hyunjin blinked, “Okay. That makes sense.” He still felt self conscious as he stripped his jacket off. He tried to roll up the sleeve of his shirt, but realized that the cut was in too awkward a place to do so with it on, so he shyly removed it. Then, he started fumbling with his jeans. There really was no point in denying that his pants would need to come off if the other was going to examine his thigh. He tried to shimee out of his pants, but found his shaking body was not cooperating anymore. “Um,” He said softly, “Can you help?” 

He could see the boy’s eyes as they blinked, but then he nodded, moving forward. He was quick, but careful, as he pulled off Hyunjin’s worn sneakers and then began nimbly sliding Hyunjin’s jeans down his legs. 

Hyunjin hissed as the fabric rubbed against his wound. The other paused, carefully lifting the fabric over the wound, rather than across it. Once the pants were off, he leaned back, searching for something Hyunjin couldn’t see. 

“How the hell did you run on this?” He said in awe, as he began to apply pressure. “I don’t even wanna try and calculate how much blood you lost from this cut alone.” He glanced up at Hyunjin’s arm. “Did he give you that while we were on the phone?” 

“Yeah,” Hyunjin nodded. “When I was in the crack.” 

The boy sighed, “Fucking psycho.” 

“Tell me about it,” Hyunjin said in complete agreement. “You’re different though?” 

The boy’s dark eyes narrowed in on him. “I got you out of there, didn’t I?” 

Hyunjin shrugged, ignoring the twinge of pain in his shoulder. “Yeah, but you brought me back to your sketchy place, where you have oddly specific medical supplies and had me undress. Plus, you won’t let me see your face. That’s pretty sketch.” 

“First, my place is not sketchy. It’s rustic. Second, why do you care what supplies I have, if they are going to save you, and Third, I don’t let anyone see my face. You aren’t special.” 

“Literally nothing you just said brings me any comfort,” Hyunjin countered. 

They boy sighed, but didn’t respond. He moved to clean up Hyunjin’s leg, applying several ointments and disinfectants before he grabbed a needle. “Hope you don’t have a needle phobia,” He said by way of warning.

“I do, actually,” Hyunjin started to explain, but he was cut off by the sting of metal entering his flesh. “ Ow !” He almost kicked the other, as he yelped. “ Warn a guy,” He grumbled. “ Fuck .” 

“I’m gonna stick a needle in your thigh,” The boy mumbled, concentrating on the precision of his threading, as he brought Hyunjin’s flesh back together. 

“For all the supplies you have, numbing or like, fucking pain killers aren’t included?” Hyunjin was trying really hard not to cry. 

“Maybe they are,” he shrugged. “But you seemed to have a problem with my supplies.” 

“Fucking, who said I had a problem ?” Hyunjin pouted, “I was just pointing out that it is sketch. ” 

“Po-tay-to, po-tah-to,” the boy shrugged again. 

“Fuck, I’m tired,” Hyunjin groaned, leaning his head back against the couch. Arguing had helped his consciousness for a moment, but it was creeping away again, steadily. 

“So sleep.” 

“Right here?” Hyunjin raised a brow. “While you fucking sew me together?” 

“You got a better plan?” 

“Yeah,” Hyunjin nodded. “How about, not get my organs cut out.” 

“I’m not going to hurt you!” The boy protested. “I’m literally helping you!” 

“For now,” Hyunjin agreed. “But who says that isn’t going to change, if I give into my exhaustion.” 

“You’re a fucking drama queen, Hyunjin.”

“And you’re a fucking clown, person I don’t have a name for.” 

“Just call me Hyung.” 

“No way,” Hyunjin shook his head immediately. “I’m not fucking calling you Hyung. For all I know you’re actually younger than me.” 

“I’m not.” 

“No,” Hyunjin shrugged, “You just know that even though I have no idea who the hell you are or how you know me.” 

“You’re the one who called me,” The boy pointed out. 

“Yeah, because I was fucking desperate , and your number is the only one in my phone.” 

“That’s just sad,” The boy said. “Don’t you have any friends?” 

Hyunjin glared. “Fuck you.” 

The boy raised his eyebrow, “Already trying to take the next step?” He shook his head. “Sorry, Jinnie, but you’ll at least have to buy me a drink first.” 

Hyunjin’s jaw dropped and he gaped. “Wha-” 

“There,” The boy snapped, moving back from his leg. “That’s patched up, for now. Let’s see your arm.” 

He moved to sit next to Hyunjin on the couch, bringing more disinfectants and gauze. “This isn’t anywhere near as deep,” He muttered, mostly to himself. “I think I can just wrap it, without stitching,” He explained. 

“Brilliant,” Hyunjin breathed. “Let’s do that.” 

“You just sit back, pretty boy. I can do this without your help.” And he did, quickly and easily. When he leaned back from Hyunjin’s arm, Hyunjin reached for his shirt once more, but the boy shook his head. “You don’t wanna put those back on.” 

“Why not?” Hyunjin snapped, annoyed. His head was pounding and he still felt like he could fall asleep at any second. 

“Because those clothes are disgusting and blood stained. Wouldn’t you rather some fresh ones?” 

“You have something that will fit me?” Hyunjin was disbelieving. “I’m like a foot taller than you.” 

“Yeah, but my roommate is closer to your size.” 

And then he was standing up, grabbing his supplies quickly and heading back to his room. He came back with some clothes. 

“What was the packaged tube for?” Hyunjin asked, curiously, having thought about all the supplies the other had initially brought out. 

“I hadn’t been sure if you’d need a transfusion or not.” 

Hyunjin blinked, “Like blood ?” 

The other shrugged. “It’s possible to do it without a hospital. Just risky. I’d have risked it if you’d needed it.” 

“You keep blood on hand?” Hyunjin drawled, disbelieving.

The other shook his head, and tapped his own arm. “O negative,” He said by way of explanation. 

“You’re crazy!” Hyunjin remarked. 

“Better than psycho,” he shrugged, handing out the clothes. “You should change.” 

Hyunjin eyed the clothing warily, but felt the chill of his almost naked form. “Fine.” 

“I’ll be in the kitchen. Do you have a favorite juice?” 

Hyunjin snorted, “What, you keep juice boxes on hand?” 

“No,” The boy explained, voice distant. “I just have a crazy health conscious roommate. He keeps plenty of fresh stuff on hand for his organic juices and shit.” 

Hyunjin pulled a large sweatshirt over his head, before slipping into slightly too large sweatpants. “I don’t mind fruit,” Hyunjin shrugged. “But I despise most vegetables.”
“Why am I not surprised,” the other answered, matched by the sound of the fridge opening and closing. “Don’t worry. None of these drinks have onion in them.” 

“What about eggplant?” Hyunjin asked suspiciously, when he came back into view, large bottle in hand. 

“Who the fuck puts eggplant in juice?” 

“Who the fuck puts eggplant in anything ,” Hyunjin countered. 

The other snickered, “Touche.” He reached out his hand. “Here, a basic, non veggie, orange juice.” 

Hyunjin sniffed it cautiously before he drank it down. The sugar instantly seemed to pulse in his veins. “Mmm,” He sighed, drinking more. “This is fucking delicious.” 

“I’ll tell him you said so,” the other smiled. Or, at least, Hyunjin thought he did. His eyes tightened up in the corners, but the stupid mask was still on so it was hard to say. 

“Are you seriously not going to let me see your face?” He asked, suddenly annoyed.

“Probably not,” The other said simply, leaning back against the armrest. “But that’s not the biggest problem right now, is it?” 

Hyunjin narrowed his eyes. “You’re just trying to avoid the subject.” 

“I’m really not,” The other sighed. “I wanna know how you ended up running from a psycho murderer, calling the number of someone you didn’t even know, while bleeding out.” 

“Ah,” Hyunjin said, “That makes two of us, then.” 

“So you don’t remember anything?” The boy looked at him seriously. 

“No,” Hyunjin started awkwardly, “I had a late morning chem lab that ran a little long. Leaving me short on time to get to my afternoon shift at a convenience store near my apartment. Anyways, I decided to take a shortcut through a sketchier part of town. And, well, I guess it was a stupid choice becuase I don’t remember much after the first alley or two.” 

“Okay,” The boy was scrutinizing him carefully. “What next?” 

“I uh,” Hyunjin furrowed his brow, “Can you seriously give me some kind of name? I’m really sick of thinking of you as ‘boy’”. 

The boy snorted, “Wow. Not even a man? I’m offended.” 

“Ugh,” Hyunjin tried to move. “This is so fucking stupid. Why am I spilling my guts to a sketchy stranger??” 

“Alright, alright!” The boy, man, midget , muttered. “You can call me SpearB, I guess. Fair?” 

“SpearB?” Hyunjin stated with no nonsense. “You’re kidding, right?” 

“Is there something wrong with that?” SpearB asked, annoyed. 

“Uh, it’s not a fucking name? It’s the kind of thing a twelve-year-old puts as his gamer tag.” 

“Ouch,” SpearB stated, “I was fifteen , thank you very much.” 

“That’s legitimately worse,” Hyunjin remarked. “Like so much fucking worse.” 

“What ever ,” SpearB snapped. “What happened next?” 

Hyunjin sighed, not eager to go back to thinking about the last few hours. “I don’t know,” Hyunjin said evasively. “I just, I woke up, and I was in god knows who where. It was dark, and I was seated in a chair, hands behind my back...and,” Hyunjin bit his lip. He really, really didn’t want to relive this part. 

SpearB finally seemed to notice why Hyunjin was uncomfortable. He reached out hesitantly, taking his hand. It was warm and calloused enough under the knuckles that Hyunjin felt himself shiver slightly at the rough texture. “I know it’s not easy,” His rough voice permeated the air, “But everything you can remember now will help in the end.” 

“How?” Hyunjin asked, weakly. 

“Let’s just say,” SpearB said gently, “It will be taken care of.” 

“But how ,” Hyunjin pushed. 

“You don’t need to know that, Hyunjin. I just need you to give me details.” 

Hyunjin felt incredibly uneasy with the lack of information SpearB was giving him, but he also found himself wanting to tell him everything. “Okay. When I woke up, I wasn’t alone. There was another,” he paused, “Person there. Only, they didn’t look right. His face….I don’t know what was wrong with it. It just wasn’t … normal. You saw them in the alley, right? The one with the knife?” 

SpearB nodded, “Except that they were far away. I couldn’t get a clear picture of their face.” 

“Well, I finally realized it was a mask,” Hyunjin specified. “It’s just that, it looked enough like a normal face that it threw me. It was a face but not a face. Am I even making sense?” 

“Perfect actually,” SpearB nodded. “How long were you with the masked person?” 

“I’m not sure,” Hyunjin shrugged. “He asked me questions, really uncomfortable ones. And when that was done, he,” Hyunjin bit his lip and looked down. “He grabbed a knife, and started cutting up my thigh, while he, he touched himself.” 

“Fuck,” SpearB whispered, “I’m so sorry.” 

Hyunjin turned away, “When he was done, he left to wash up. Which is when I managed to free my hands. I’ve always had really weird wrists, I can contort my hands into a pretty small line, making it possible to wiggle out of things. So I managed to slip out fairly easily. It hurt, of course, but once I was out, I moved towards the table where he’d left the knife. My phone and wallet were lying on the table. I grabbed both and ran from the warehouse as quickly as I could. I waited until I was a few blocks away, before I pulled out my phone.  I don’t…” He shrugged, “I didn’t really have anyone to call.”

Most of the contacts in his phone were barely acquaintances. His roommate, of course, was more. Felix was amazing. But, he never was home on Friday nights, always hitting up clubs or parties. So, Hyunjin knew calling him would probably end up unanswered, at best. So, he’d gone for the weirdest contact in his phone, the one that had started messaging him a few days earlier. 

“I’m glad you called me, Hyunjin,” SpearB whispered. “It’s exactly why I reached out.” 

“Who are you though?” Hyunjin said awkwardly. “How did you know to message me ?” 

“I’d tell you more if I could,” SpearB said softly. “But, I can’t. These aren’t only my secrets. I just, I had a hunch, and it paid off.” 

“You’re fucking sketch, you know that?” Hyunjin said bitterly, leaning back. 

“Yeah, a bit. But, You’re safe, aren’t you?” 

“Fortunately,” Hyunjin agreed. “And fucking exhausted. I don’t suppose you’ll give me a ride home?”

“No,” He shook his head. “Not a chance. You aren’t going home until I know you are going to be safe there.” 

Hyunjin blinked, “You’re kidding, right?” 

“Not in the slightest.” SpearB stood. “If nothing else, you shouldn’t be alone while still in shock recovery. You’re going to sleep here, and I’m going to make sure you are still alive in the morning. Then, you’re going to stay here until the psycho out there has been dealt with.” 

“But, how will we know when that is?” 

“You won’t,” SpearB specified, “But I will.” Hyunjin tried to protest, but SpearB cut him off. “Seriously. Just deal with it. You’re not going anywhere.” 

“But I’m hungry ,” Hyunjin whined. 

“Okay. Perfect. I have a kitchen,” SpearB said simply. “What can I make you?” 

What the fuck. “You’re serious.” 

“Yes,” SpearB stood up, moving to the kitchen. “We’ve got all sorts of stuff. Mostly ridiculously protein based things, again crazy health nut roommate.” 

“Never mind ,” Hyunjin said testily. “I just wanna sleep.” Which was actually fairly true. He was exhausted. “So where the fuck can I do that?” 

SpearB grinned. “Let me show you to my room. Do you need the bathroom?” 

“Yeah,” Hyunjin said unashamed. “I do.” 

“Okay,” SpearB came over, helping him stand on his good leg. “This way.” He pushed down the hall, “The doors on the left are locked, so don’t even bother trying them. That one at the end of the hall is my room, and this door here on the right is the bathroom.” He opened it for Hyunjin, stepping aside. “I’ll be in my room while you do what you need to.” He grinned, “Don’t try leaving though. You won’t get far.” 

Seriously. What the fuck? “Comforting,” Hyunjin said smoothly, before he moved into the bathroom. He wasn’t happy with the arrangement, but what choice did he have? It’s not like the guy with the mask was going to be nicer to him, so he might as well stay with the sketchy guy who’d patched him up, given him juice, and was willing to cook for him. Mostly the cooking, though. 

Changbin watched Hyunjin enter the bathroom, heart seizing in sympathy pain at the way he limped. He turned away from the door after it was shut and pushed through Jisung’s bedroom, using the key he had in case of emergencies. 

Jisung turned to glare at him, “You could at least knock,” He snapped. 

“Shut up,” Changbin rolled his eyes. “I don’t have time. Like, a minute at best to explain.” 

Jisung put down his headphones, eyes serious. “Alright, I’m listening.” 

“I was right. It’s Sincara that’s been taking people, and I was also right about the boy. And, uh, I just ran an op to get him out of Sincara’s district, and he’s maybe in our bathroom right now?” 

“What the fuck ?” Jisung sat up tall, “You brought him here ?” 

“Where was I supposed to take him? He was bleeding and in shock!” 

“The hospital, Changbin. The police station , God! Does Chan know?” 

“No,” Changbin shook his head. “You know he spends his Fridays hopping bars for intel.” 

“Did you tell him anything?” Jisung was serious. 

“Of course not. Except SpearB. I didn’t give him my name, didn’t give him anything. But I’m not letting him go home like this, Ji. He was fucked up. You know what Sincara’s victims go through.”
“Fine, but, just, keep him out of here.” 

“No shit, Sherlock. You’d best hop on your computer and do what you do best. I want to know everything about Sincara’s latest movements. If you don’t have what I need in an hour, I’m headed to the warehouse district to do ground work.” 

Both boys heard the toilet flush, and Changbin slipped from the room instantly. He moved into his room, scanning for anything that could give away his identity. The only thing that was suspicious was his med textbooks. He quickly stuffed them under his bed, as well as a single picture of his family. Then, he hesitated. Under the bed was way too obvious. And Hyunjin seemed like a snoopy person. He yanked them back out, shoving them into his backpack. He’d have to slip these in Chan’s or Jisung’s room later. Hyunjin padded into the room a few seconds after the bag was on his shoulder. He made a show of fluffing up his pillows for Hyunjin. 

The boy came over to his bed, not making eye contact. The edges of his hairline seemed damp, most likely he’d washed his face. “Cozy,” Hyunjin said softly as he scanned the room. “If a little small.” 

“Well, not all of us can have gladiator legs,” Changbin said softly. Gorgeous, perfect, mouthwatering legs. 

“True,” Hyunjin shrugged simply in overconfidence. “Fuck,” He said, as he crawled into the bed, “I’m fucking tired. ” 

“I’m sure.” Changbin helped him tuck the blankets around his body. “But you’ll feel better after you rest. And when you wake up, I’ll make you whatever you want to eat.” 

“Whatever I want?” Hyunjin asked, already seeming to drift to sleep. 

“Whatever,” Changbin confirmed. In reality, he’d probably beg Chan to do it for him. He was honest shit at cooking. 

“Mm,” Hyunjin hummed. How was it possible to fall asleep so instantly? Changbin was genuinely jealous. 

He grabbed Hyunjin’s phone and plugged it into the cord he kept next to his bed, luckily they used the same charger. He used Hyunjin’s finger to open up the phone with the print scanner, and then scrolled through. Sure enough, Hyunjin didn’t have many contacts. His background was a picture of himself, though clearly much younger, sat between an older couple in front of a traditional Korean temple. When Changbin had initially had Jisung hack into Hyunjin’s files, they’d discovered the boy was an orphan. He assumed the picture was from before his parent’s death. He set the phone down, and then headed out of the room. He moved back into Jisung’s room.

“What have you discovered?” He asked immediately, setting his backpack just in the door. 

“Not much. Sincara is as nonexistent as ever. We need Chan,” He said simply. “Are only shot for information is his contact in Sincara’s old Kkangpae.”

“Give him a call, then,” Changbin stated, blankly. “I can’t sit around though. I’m headed back to where I grabbed Hyunjin.” 

“You sure you should go without Chan’s approval?” 

“I already did once tonight. What’s the worst that could happen?” Changbin said with no confidence. 

“A lot,” Jisung said flatly. “So much.” 

“Shut up,” Changbin snapped. “I’m not asking.” 

“Fuck,” Jisung rolled his eyes, “At least give Woojin a call.” 

“You know he’s too far undercover.” Changbin insisted. “But I can’t wait for the trail to go cold. Track me like a normal op. But if you have to leave your room, don’t go with your face uncovered.” 

“Sure thing, Mom.” 

“Good.” Changbin said. “I’m headed out now.” He didn’t wait for another argument, simply left for his room. He was quiet as he lifted his biking jacket back on. He also slipped his twin knife holsters on beneath his jacket, easily accessible through years of training. He grabbed his helmet and, after a final look towards the beautiful boy laying in his bed, left his apartment. 

Bang Chan rarely let himself get distracted from a mission, even if the mission was floating through bars and clubs to meet with various contacts. He blended easily into the party crowds, having solidified his persona as a fuck boy. Everyone who knew his name on campus, knew they could count on him for a good time, to always say yes to a party. But what they didn’t know is he rarely drank at said parties, bringing his own bottles of liquor that had been replaced with water. He just looked like the carefree partier. But, in reality, he was the furthest thing from it. Furthermore, the people he usually took upstairs or outside or to his car, were usually contacts of some sort. But his reputation was good for more than just access. It meant people never expected more from him than a quick fuck, if he ever gave in to their seduction techniques. Nobody ever got close enough to him to risk outing his secrets. 

So, it was a surprise to him when, at three am on a regular Friday night, well Saturday morning, his eyes kept drifting to the same corner of the club he was at. He recognized the small, bright boy from one of his classes. Of course he did. He made it his business to memorize faces, and he’d long since catalogued the face of Lee Felix. Even from here, Chan could feel the warmth of his smile, as he twirled around to the music. The first time he’d met the younger, he’d been confused by the boy’s deep voice. It wasn’t every day that a twink like Felix had that kind of voice. But what was even more surprising to Chan was how shy the boy seemed. He tended to hide behind large hoodies, shrunk beneath baggy fabrics and labels. He occasionally raised his hand in class, but tended to keep quiet, otherwise. Maybe it was the fact that he was native to English, like he didn’t want to use his natural advantage over classmates. Although, Chan never complained to hear his native accent coming from the other boy. But, Felix did not look either shy or considerate, as he grinded across the dance floor. God, he’s just looking to get fucked, Chan thought, feeling himself harden slightly. Dammit . He turned back to the counter, asking for a refill. To others, it appeared like he was drinking some fruity cocktail. In reality, it was a complete mocktail. The bartenders at most places knew not to give him alcohol. He lifted the glass towards the bartender with a smile and drank it quickly. 

He glanced at the watch attached to his right wrist. His contact was late. Which normally wouldn’t be a big deal, except that this one was one of his oldest friends, someone who was deep underground in the crime world. “Where are you, Woojin,” He grumbled. 

A loud shriek came from across the club, and his eyes drifted to see Felix being slung over a big burly shoulder. Felix didn’t seem upset, but something about the other man unsettled Chan. Felix was giggling, smacking the man’s shoulder. But despite his wide smile, Chan’s gut was telling him something was wrong. He was moving before he could talk himself out of it. 

He approached the pair easily, making sure to make it look like a drunken accident when he stumbled against the other. 

Instantly a pair of dark eyes was on him, and Chan knew what had unsettled him. The corner of a tatoo was peeking through the open collar of the man’s button up shirt. A tattoo belonging to the lower members of one of seoul’s prominent mobs. The man looked pissed, as he set Felix aside and entered Chan’s space. “Watch where you’re going, asshole,” He snapped. Felix was blinking in confusion, but Chan leaned in close. 

“Watch who you’re talking to, little brother,” Chan whispered in his ear. “Or haven’t you heard of CB97?” 

The man immediately went rigid against him, “You?” He snapped incredulously. 

“The same,” Chan glinted, teeth almost sharklike in the club lighting. 

“The twink belong to you?” The man whispered, nervously. 

“He’s under my protection,” Chan countered. “Mind leaving him be?” 

“You got it, Hyung.” the man inclined his head, moving back immediately. 

“Hey,” Felix said, confused, as he walked away. Then he turned to glare at Chan. “What the hell ?” 

“Hey, Felix,” Chan smiled, brightly. 

“Hyung!” Felix whined, “You got rid of my partner!” 

“Maybe I just wanna take his place,” Chan shrugged. This was not going as planned. He had not intended to hit on the younger. 

Felix blinked, “You’ve never even spoken to me before,” He furrowed his brow. “Why now?” 

Chan leaned in, “You look good.” He pushed back Felix’s hair. 

“Um.” Ah, there it was. There was Felix’s typical blush. 

“Can I have this dance?” Chan asked, extending his hand. Felix nodded, suddenly shy, but his grip was firm as he took his hand. He led him onto the floor, keeping his eye open for Woojin. Or at least he tried to. It only took a few seconds for Chan to lose his focus. Fuck, he’s good at this, he thought as Felix turned in his arms, grinding back against Chan effortlessly. His hands were tight as they clasped around Felix’s hips, pulling him in closer. Felix hummed against him, digging in deeper, hands lifting above his head, as he swiveled low and then back up. It was all Chan could do to hold on motionless and not grab the younger by the throat to drag him from the room until he was screaming Chan’s name, wrapped around Chan’s very eager cock. 

Eventually, Felix turned in his grasp, slipping his arms around Chan’s neck. Chan looked down into his dazed eyes. If he looked that wrecked, already, what would he look like beneath Chan? Or up against a wall? Felix bit his lip, staring up first at Chan’s eyes, and then down to his lips. Oh God , Chan almost whined, If you want it, Felix, how am I supposed to resist? He made a strict rule of staying away from people he actually liked. Because, despite acting the fuck boy, he actually really wasn’t. So yeah, he avoided people he could ever see himself hurting. But there was something about Felix and the way he was looking at Chan, just then, that made him throw out every rule he’d ever held himself to. 

He leaned in slowly, pausing just a breath away, checking Felix’s eyes for any hesitation, and when he found none, he closed the distance. Chan could tell, instantly, exactly what drink Felix had been enjoying that evening, a traditional Sex on the Beach cocktail, vodka, cranberry, orange and peach. He licked it up, eagerly. And Felix responded just as eagerly, gasping into his mouth as Chan dug his fingers into his sides to pull him in closer. Chan lost himself to the sensation of Felix’s lips on his, almost moaning when the younger lifted his leg to wrap around his hip, slightly. He cupped his ass, balancing him against him. 

“Chan, ” A voice almost screamed in his ear, causing him to freeze. 

Not now. 

“Chan,” The voice spoke again, “Don’t make me activate the fire alarm in the club. The blonde in your arms doesn’t deserve to go swimming.” 

Chan opened his eyes, scanning the room for the nearest security camera. When he saw it, he flipped it off. 

“ Rude ,” Jisung snapped. “This is serious.” 

Chan pulled off of Felix, who gave him a dazed look, “Sorry, princess,” He leaned forward to peck his lips, “I gotta run.” 

“Wha-” Felix whispered, blinking rapidly. “You’re leaving me?” 

Chan ruffled his hair, “I’ll see you in class on Monday. Save me a seat?” He leaned in for one more kiss, getting caught almost instantly in the warmth. 

But Jisung wasn’t having any of that, “Changbin is trying to hunt Sincara alone, Chan.” 

“Fuck,” he whispered, ripping off of Felix. He didn’t look back as he headed towards the exit, cupping around his ear to hear better. “What the fuck do you mean he’s after Sincara?”

“I mean, he brought Sincara’s latest hit home with him, patched him up, gave him his bed, and is now riding his fucking bike back to where he pulled a one man rescue operation earlier.” 

“Wait, you mean Sincara really went after the boy Changbin located?” 

“Apparently. I don’t suppose you’ve seen Woojin?” 

Chan sighed, “We were supposed to rendezvous tonight. He never showed.” 

“Shit,” Jisung groaned, “You don’t think his cover was blown, do you?” 

“I don’t know,” Chan said simply. “But we’ve got bigger problems right now. Seriously, what is Changbin thinking ?” 

“I don’t think he is. I think his dick is doing that for him.” 

“You think he has a crush?” Chan said, almost laughing at the thought, as he turned the key over. 

“I don’t know. I could have sworn the boy was asexual.” Jisung paused, “Take a left,” He instructed, “I’m setting all of the lights to green for the next seven blocks.” 

“Got it,” Chan did as instructed. “So, what do we do now?” 

“Sincara grabbed Hyunjin, the boy, in a back alley sometime after noon, yesterday. Hyunjin managed to escape shortly after two am, at which point he contacted Changbin. Apparently, SpearB went rogue days ago, sending Hyunjin cryptic texts. Honestly, the fact that Hyunjin messaged him is a fucking miracle. His messages literally said shit like ‘Contact me if you find yourself in danger’, and ‘I can protect you’. Like, seriously. I know Changbin hasn’t gone out in years, if ever, but like, the fuck? How does he not know that’s fucked up.” 

“I don’t know,” Chan was trying not to laugh. This was serious shit, but god if he didn’t get a kick out of his awkward friend. “So, Changbin went in, alone?” 

“Yeah. He had Hyunjin send him his gps location, running it through my special tracking programs to get him out of there.”

“I still find it so weird that he’s gone rogue. Like, he’s always pushed his plans, but he’s never straight up gone off like this.” 

“I know. I’ve been looking at pictures of the boy he saved. I mean, I get it. He’s pretty hot, but, still. I don’t know if it’s worth completely derailing from routine.” 

“I don’t get it either.” Chan was coming up on the seventh light. “Am I going left towards home, or heading to Bin’s location for backup?” 

“Backup,” Jisung stated simply. “He’s in an area I can barely navigate. Most of the street lights and cameras have long since been covered or shot out.” 

“Fuck,” Chan grumbled. “You think it was Sincara himself?” 

“Most likely,” Jisung said immediately. “You know he’s fucked up.” 

“Yeah,” Chan knew it well. He’d caused a fuck ton of trouble for Chan back when he was running for the korean mafia. He’d caused even more once he’d broken off. “Do we know if any of the local branches are trying to deal with him or backing him?” 

“I’ve heard rumors, but nothing concrete.” Jisung instructed, “Left.” 

Chan turned his wheel. “Track ‘em down. Anything could prove vital in our hunt.” 

“I know,” Jisung hummed. “God, I need a drink.” 

“No,” Chan shook his head, “You need to get laid.” 

Jisung laughed in his ear. “Take a right, and then a left after two blocks.” There was the sound of keys clicking in the background. “Getting laid would require enjoying human company and leaving the apartment. Two things you know I won’t do.” 

“I mean, you leave to go shopping, sometimes.” Chan supplied, taking the left street. 

“Only when you and Changbin insist on eating all those smoothies. Fucking, gross. I need greasy shit sometimes, okay?” 

“Yeah, but that’s why delivery is a thing.” 

“I refuse to let anyone near our place who does not absolutely need to be there. I thrive off of being a ghost.” There were a few clicks, “Left, for two miles. And then you’ll be in the area.” 

“I don’t know, Ji,” Chan sighed, “You could always try a dating site, then? It wouldn’t kill you to go out for one fucking night, act like another person, use a fake name for all I care. You go out; you fuck the person, and then you disapear. Half the dating sites are built for exactly that. Like, shit, you’d be a fucking top’s dream come true. You’d literally be untraceable after they get what they want.” 

“Yeah, but,” Jisung grumbled, “What if they give me an STD? So not fucking worth it.” 

“Well, you literally are the greatest hacker I’ve ever met. Just ask them if they are clean before you meet. If they’ve been tested recently, double check it. If they haven’t been, demand that they do? If they don’t seem motivated, send them scandalous pictures until they agree because they want your ass. If nothing works out, you literally can delete all traces of yourself, including the pictures from their phone, computer, the dark web, wherever.” 

Jisung grumbled on the other end, “Fine, I’ll think about it. Now, I’m sending data on Changbin’s current location to your phone. Looks like he’s ditched the bike. I recommend you ditch your car. I’ll keep looking for more information. Other than that, you two are on your own.” 

“Alright,” Chan sighed, “Thanks J One.” 

“Yup,” Jisung nodded. “Bring the idiot home in one piece, please. 

Jisung monitored the screens in front of him carefully. Both Changbin and Chan had special vitals-monitoring tech on them, which fed data directly to Jisung’s monitors. It ensured that Jisung could monitor them during missions and ops but also just in general. The data would alert him even before they could, should they be in critical danger. At the moment, Changbin’s blood pressure was a little high, as was his heart rate, consistent with cardio. He was most likely running. Hopefully, not for his life. Chan’s vitals were stable. 

Jisung went to type, suddenly realizing he'd been biting his nails. This whole situation was stressing him out. He needed a distraction. With a sigh, he slid all of his tabs to the left monitor, opening up his encrypted internet browser. Before he could stop himself, and with Chan’s voice playing in his head, he typed in Dating Sites. 

Instantly there was a flood of links popping up under his search bar. KoreanCoopid.com. AsianDat1ng.com. DateonAsia.com. He sighed, flipping through the options, before clicking on the first. He hacked into the network, flipping through the types of profiles and information required on the site, immediately backing out after the third. The kind of information listed was too specific and way too formal. He didn’t want to get married; he honestly just wanted to get fucked. So he backed out of the sites, replacing the word ‘dating’ in the search bar with ‘hookup’. It was crazy how much more appealing the setup of those appeared to him. He didn’t have to put in super intense information. One site even required users to list their health status. 

An alert sounded on the left monitor and Jisung immediately shifted his attention back to the screen. 

“Are you okay?” He connected himself to Changbin’s earpiece, eyes scanning over the rapid spiking of Changibn’s adrenaline. He pulled up Changbin’s tracker as well, scanning his location. 

“Fucking,” Changbin groaned, “There’s a drug bust happening in the middle of the hot zone,” He snapped. “Of all fucking nights, the police had to choose tonight to do their fucking jobs?!” 

Jisung connected Chan’s earpiece as well, opening them up for a three way conversation. “Chan, you’d best hang back,” He said with no greeting. 

“What?” Chan grumbled, “Why? I’m almost there?” 

Jisung typed furiously fast as he pulled up a map of all the cop cars in the area. God, he loved being a hacker. 

“Because,” Jisung explained calmly, comparing Chan’s location to the other map. “You have about four cop cars blocking the roads up ahead.” 

“Is Changbin okay?” Chan immediately questioned. Jisung noted that his tracker stopped moving on the map. Chan must have pulled over.
“I’m here,” Changbin huffed, sounding pissed. “Just trying to get back to my goddamned bike before I get picked up by the authorities chasing me.” 

“What did you do ?!” Chan sounded furious.

“Nothing!” Changbin snapped. “I just happened to be examining a warehouse where a drug bust happened. So, of course, I was targeted as a perp and had to run.” 

“Goddammit, Changbin. This is why we don’t go rogue!” 

“Yeah, well,” Changbin hissed, “The boy who is alive because of me might have a thing or two to say about the virtues of going off book.” 

“Speaking of,” Chan snapped, “I don’t care how into the punk you are; How could you bring him home ?”

There was a series of cussing, followed by a shout or two on Changbin’s end. “Fuck!” They heard him snap. “Look, we can have this discussion later. For now, let me fucking get out of here!” 

And then he was gone, having clearly muted his earpiece. 

“ Shit! ” Chan groaned. “What the hell is he doing, Jisung?” 

Jisung sighed, “Don’t worry. He’s back on his bike, looks like. I think he just wanted an out from the conversation.” 

“Yeah, well,” Chan groaned, “He’s not getting a permanent one.” Jisung heard the deep rumble of Chan’s engine come back to life. “I’m headed back. Let me know if shit happens, yeah?” And then he was muted, too. 

Jisung rolled his eyes, following the icons on the map for another minute, until he was certain that both boys were out of danger, the cop cars far behind both of them. 

Register Now .

With a shrug he clicked on the option, cringing slightly at himself as he started to fill out a profile. Luckily, the app was free so he didn’t need to spend any money on what was probably going to be a total bust. For most questions he gave a half truth, never having enjoyed putting himself out there in any capacity, let alone to complete strangers. But even with his reluctance, he didn’t want this to be another area of his life where he was a complete catfish. That kinda came with hacker territory most of the time, the need to assume a different identity. But, without endangering himself or his partners, Jisung wanted some aspect of this to be real. If even just his picture. 

Speaking of, Jisung didn’t really have any good ones that were recent or provocative, and after pulling up a seperate tab and hacking into the typical profile setup most used, Jisung would need something provocative. 

With a sigh, Jisung pulled out his phone and stood up (after checking the left monitor for issues with the others, of course) and headed over to the light switch. He cringed when the light almost blinded him. No amount of staring at a computer screen ever prepared him for the overhead lights or the sun for that matter. But he needed to look decent. So, he stood in front of his mirror and evaluated the sweatshirt he was wearing. Yeah, not good enough. 

With a sigh he pulled it over his head, reaching into his closet to find his black button up, the one he really wished Chan would stop putting back into his closet every time he tried to throw it out. He rolled his eyes, refusing to admit Chan’s weirdness had its perks, and started buttoning it up his chest. He left the top two buttons open, before he ran his fingers through his hair, making it the perfect blend of tidy but tousled. With a nod he stepped back to appraise himself before he crawled onto his bed and the large red comforter there. He arranged himself against the headboard, pulling out his phone and then, stifling all of his shame, began posing in various positions. 

As soon as that was done, he moved quickly back to his sweatshirt and threw it back on, button up thrown somewhere to the side. He sent all of the photos to a folder he could access from his computer, and then he was sifting through them. Most of them looked, in his opinion, ridiculous, but he did find one he didn’t mind, wherein he was tilted suggestively, lip partially bitten -eyes wide and innocent. It screamed ‘bottom’ to him, which was precisely what he wanted. So he cropped it and shoved it into the profile, finishing everything with an overdramatic press of the enter key and the cracking of his knuckles. 

He was all ready to begin flicking through profiles and potential matches, but unfortunately he got a notification.

Your profile has been completed. Access will be available in 24 hours. 

Of fucking course . 

Because when had anything ever been easy?