(( Wow, updating both of my ongoing fics this close to one another? I don't think I've done that since Waiting was still updating xD Also, this took forever and I am so sorry about that, especially with how the last chapter ended >< But here it is! After much writer's block because things here have been stressful, and making my gf stay up like, two hours later than she wanted to because I needed help finishing it so I could send it to my beta to check out so I could then post it!

Anyway, that's enough of my babbling, here you go~ ))

Jongdae glanced to the door leading out of their home, trying to figure out how long he could be gone from the house before his father noticed. With the way things had changed since he now had two people to hold his attention as captive as he was holding them the chances were that he could be out for a while. He just needed to get past two doors, and make a break for it, the thought, making his way towards the door. He would find someone who knew where the police station was, and then he could get some help and- He flinched at the hand on his shoulder, feeling his heart thunder against his chest as he was yanked from his thoughts, looking up at the owner.

“Where are you going?” Jongdae stared at him for a moment, caught off guard from the fact that his lips moved, but not his hands. Something he had started doing in the few days since Junmyeon had joined his mother in what Jongdae now knew was a prison. “See, it’s hard for you to understand me when I don’t sign,” his father continued, this time his hands moving along with his words.

“I-it’s not that, I was… I just wasn’t paying attention. My mind was on other things,” Jongdae replied quickly, his father’s eyes flickering to the door.

“Like going outside?”

“Y-yes…” Jongdae admitted, fighting back a wince, an uneasy feeling setting in his stomach at the smile that curled his father’s lips.

“Why would you need to go outside? Your only friend is here forever.” Jongdae stared at his father who his hair as he spoke, sending a shiver through the dark brown haired male and Jongdae couldn’t think to do anything but offer a small nod as his stomach twisted to the point he felt like throwing up.

“You’ve seen his true form, haven’t you?” Jongdae’s father asked from across the table, and Jongdae gave a nod, pulling a frown across his father’s lips. “I don’t understand you, Jongdae. You tell me that you want me to talk to you like before, and here I am speaking to you and you so rarely offer any verbal response. I think in the last week you’ve spoken to me so few times that I could count the instances on a single hand,” his father continued, Jongdae rubbing the fabric over the center of his chest in an attempt soothe himself in any way.

“I just… I miss Junmyeon, is all. You don’t want me to go into the… aquarium unless you’re with me, and he doesn’t like going into the water which is what he would have to do for me to be able to talk with him from the other side of the glass… I’m used to seeing him a lot, so it’s taking a while to get used to not seeing him much…”

“Speaking of him, I think it’s lunch time for them as well, don’t you?” his father asked, standing from the table and taking his now empty plate into the kitchen, setting it in the sink before returning to take Jongdae’s half finished one. Jongdae stared at the empty place in the table until he felt his father’s hand on his shoulder, and he followed the other down to the basement, carrying the tray his father handed to him.

[Please]

Junmyeon turned his gaze away from the signed plea, then to the other side when his mother tried to force a cracker into his mouth. She huffed a small sigh, though her expression showed only worry.

[You need to eat something. Please]

Junmyeon shook his head, closing his eyes as he tried to push away the dizzy feeling; his eyes shot back open when his mother succeeded at getting a cracker into his mouth this time, and he frowned at her while he chewed.

[What do you plan to achieve by starving yourself? I've tried that game with him, and it only ends with him trying to play doctor and sticking you with IV’s] she stated, and Junmyeon sighed, leaning his head back only for it to jerk back up right at the all too familiar creak of the manhole cover being moved. AeJeong looked back to see the cover being moved, shifting to sit beside Junmyeon as Jongdae followed his father onto the perch.

“Darling, how are you today?” the sickly sweet voice cooed, Junmyeon’s eyes flickering to Jongdae’s before he turned away, telling himself he didn't care if it hurt the younger. Jongdae was the reason they were in this mess! There was no way that his father would have been able to show up in the doorway the moment after the other had said that the coast was clear unless it was all a trick.

“Junmyeon, why haven't you been eating?” he didn't turn to the older as he was spoken to, internally wincing when his chin was grabbed and his head was forced to look forward at the male kneeling in front of him. “I asked you a question, and I don't take kindly to being ignored,” he hissed. Junmyeon took a slow, deep breath, and then responded by spitting in the other’s face. His chin was released as the other wiped his face, then his head snapped to the side as Jongdae’s father slapped him and he was almost immediately pulled against his mother.

“Ungrateful beast,” the older growled, standing and turning to Jongdae. “Leave it with the other,” he ordered and Jongdae hung his head a little as he stepped past the other and placed the tray beside Junmyeon. He looked over at the two, his heart throbbing at the tears that laced Junmyeon’s eyes before Junmyeon turned his face so it was hidden from the youngest, and Jongdae looked up to AeJeong, mouthing that he was sorry as his father gestured an order for him to come and he stood, following the older out of the prison.

“Why do you feel the need to go to the store?” Jongdae’s breath caught and he fidgeted a little in his seat, his gaze starting to shift away; it snapped back to his father when the older moved and he forced himself to take a slow deep breath as the other crossed one leg over the other, inspecting Jongdae.

“J-Junmyeon… hasn’t been eating… and that worries me. You… When AeJeong doesn’t eat for a while, you go to the store and get something nice for her... I wanted to do that for Junmyeon.” Jongdae felt himself slowly grow more and more tense as his father stared at him for a long while before his lips curled up into a smile.

“Taking care of your little pet. I raised you well,” he mused, digging in his pocket and pulling out his wallet. He stood, making his way to where Jongdae sat, pulling out several bills and offering them. Jongdae looked between the money and his father, taking the bills after and managing to pull a small smile across his lips.

“Th-thank you. I won’t be gone long,” he promised, standing and turning to exit the kitchen. He jumped out of his skin when two hands grabbed his shoulders, entire body going rigid as he was pulled back against his father’s chest, his heart rate easing a little when he realized his father was just hugging him. When he was released he looked back to his father, holding his breath as his hair was . 

“Hurry home.” Jongdae nodded, eyes shifting to the basement door, his father following his focus and his hair to catch his attention again. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on your pet for you,” he added, Jongdae’s stomach twisting as his father continued to refer to Junmyeon in such an inhuman manner, and he tried not to think about what would happen while he was gone; he knew that if he offered much thought to it, he would never leave the house and get the help that was so desperately needed. He gave another stiff nod, fighting with his body to get it to move from the kitchen.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had so much difficulty tying his shoes, and each step past the front door of the shop felt heavier than the last, his knees dropping him to the ground only a few blocks down the street. Images flashed through his mind, his entire body trembling as it refused to move from where he was no matter how much he tried to make himself stand.

[He’s not eating, I’m worried about him.]

“I think perfect gives me too much credit,” Junmyeon said, adding a little more of the spice to the pot.

Junmyeon’s head snapped to the side as he was slapped by Jongdae’s father, AeJeong pulling him into her lap, curling around the stunned brunet.

A brunet male stood with his back to Jongdae, peaking outside the front door of their shop. His doe-eyed expression when he looked back at Jongdae pulled a smile across the younger's lips as he started to flail.

Junmyeon’s lips curled into a smile when Jongdae’s eyes opened, his heart jumping when the older admitted it was his first kiss as well.

Junmyeon’s head lolled back, eyes closed as Jongdae’s father pulled the unconscious figure into a sitting position before hoisting him up over his shoulder, ordering Jongdae to open the basement door.

{How about we talk like this? Give your voice a rest, and I don’t mind. It’ll be easier for you, right?}

Junmyeon clung to Kyuhyun as they two were headed towards the pool, Jongdae scrambling to stand between them and the pool, the panicked look on Junmyeon’s face making his chest tighten. He took the trembling brunet from Kyuhyun, swearing to never let that look appear on the older’s face again.

Panic flashed across Junmyeon’s face as he reached out towards his mother, Jongdae dragging him from the cage.

AeJeong covered Junmyeon’s ears before their faces contorted in pain and they both dropped to the floor.

This is my fault. This is all my fault. I… We should have waited, we should have gone to the police. Jongdae’s shoulders jerked a little and he was pulled out of his thoughts, now aware of a dizzy feeling in his head followed by how fast he was breathing.He shut his eyes tightly, fingers curling into fists against the pavement, the grains in the cement cutting at the skin of his knuckles as he tried to slow his breathing down. If you pass out, nothing good will happen. Nothing will change, this is your only chance, he thought, pushing himself onto shaking knees that dropped him back to the ground.

“Do you trust me?” the vibrations from his throat were the only thing that assured him that he had actually gotten the question out as Junmyeon stared at him. As the older offered a single nod after a long moment he nodded back before pushing him through the doorway and closing the door, sliding the lock back into place.

“Damnit!” Jongdae’s throat burned as he yelled, curling a little more in on himself. There was a hand on his shoulder, making his stomach drop and he looked up, expecting his father and not the light brown male kneeling in front of him. “Kyuhyun!” he exclaimed, watching the other stand and look around. The others lips moved as he did, Jongdae’s excitement fading and eventually Kyuhyun looked down at him again, shoulders heaving in a sigh. Jongdae frowned up at the other, his body finally allowing him to stand on shaky knees.

“I caught that. Just because-”

“Just because you're deaf doesn't mean you can't blahblahblah. Look I don't have time for you,” Kyuhyun argued, holding up a stack of papers. “I've got these to put up,” he finished, lowering them before Jongdae could catch what they had on them.

“Then why did you come up to me?” Jongdae shot back, making the older stagger a little.

“You… I heard you yell. You were just sitting in the middle of the road, a car could have come by and hit you. I know you mean a lot to Junmyeon, the last thing he should come back to is something bad happening to you…” Jongdae stared at the other, feeling the trembling start again in his arms. “If he comes back. He's been missing for almost two weeks, and the police say after three days it's unlikely that they'll find him. And if they do, he won't be-” Kyuhyun cut off when Jongdae grabbed both of his arms, expression brightening.

“The police! You know where the station is! We… We can save him, I… I can make this right…” Jongdae said, lowering his head a little as he tightened his hold on Kyuhyun. He felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling his attention back up to Kyuhyun, who’s face was scrunched a little in confusion.

“What are you talking about? Save who?”

“Junmyeon! I know where he is,” Jongdae said, Kyuhyun’s eyes widening before his grip on Jongdae’s shoulders tightened to the point that it was almost painful.

“You better not be joking about that,” Kyuhyun said slowly, and even if it was helpful to Jongdae, it unnerved the younger a bit.

“I’m not! Why would I joke about something like that, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to save him!”

“Again with you bringing up saving him, what happened?”

“My…” Jongdae’s gaze lowered and he winced when Kyuhyun tightened his grip. “My father has him and his mother… Locked in our basement,” He admitted. There was a long pause before he was released and he looked up to see Kyuhyun kneeling down to pick up the missing flyers that he had dropped before he turned and started walking down the street. “H-hey!” Jongdae flinched when Kyuhyun looked back at him.

“You make it out like I’m the only one who doesn’t know when to quit joking, and then you try to pull something like that? Junmyeon’s mother has been gone for years, everyone but Mr. Kim and Junmyeon has faced the fact that she’s probably dead. And even if not, why would your father, of all people, have them?”

“Because they’re mermaids!” Jongdae exclaimed before his hands covered his own mouth as Kyuhyun stared at him.

“Goodbye,” the older said before turning away, Jongdae’s stomach dropping, his frame starting to tremble again, his throat tightening around his words.

No… Wait… Stop… The image of Kyuhyun blurred as tears began to streak down Jongdae’s cheeks, and his knees dropped him to the ground again.

“Please!” Jongdae could feel his voice crack with the word, his shoulders jerking as he choked on a sob that bubbled up from his throat. “I… I… this-this is all my f-fault… And I can’t f-f… fix it… I n-need your help, I don’t h-have much time… Junmyeon won’t t-talk to me, he’s st-st… starving hims-self… My father hi-hi-hi,” Jongdae cut off, curling in on himself as he started coughing, fighting to swallow away the way his throat was trying to keep him silenced. “He h-hit Junmyeon… I don’t w-want to think about wh-what he’s doing to him wh-while I s-sit here… I’m sc-scared… I’m terrified… I haven’t felt like this since th-the world w-went quiet, and I’m the only one who is s-safe, I c-can’t even imagine what J-Junmyeon and his m-mom are feeling…” The brown haired male flinched, eyes flashing open when something touched his cheek, watching Kyuhyun wipe at his tear streaked cheek.

“You’re… You’re telling the truth, aren’t you?” Jongdae hiccupped on a sob, nodding and reaching up to wipe his own cheeks. He watched Kyuhyun sigh before standing, offering a hand to help the younger up. “Alright, let's go get help.”
 

Jongdae kept close to Kyuhyun as they were in the police station, feeling more and more anxious as he tried to keep up with the conversation the older was having with the two officers behind the desk. When Kyuhyun turned to him eventually he stared at the other with a wide eyed expression that did nothing to mask his confusion, and his eyes flickered to the officers when Kyuhyun gestured to them.

“Tell them! They won’t believe me,” he said, glaring at one of the officers and Jongdae shifted his attention, catching most of what he said.

“...-You’ve been coming in here twice a day for the last week and a half and-….-that’s why we’re skeptical. Especially now that you’re trying to tie in a case that was put to rest more than ten years ago.”

“Case?” Jongdae echoed, the closer of the two officers looking to him while the other looked like he sighed.

“Yes, your… friend is trying to say that the closed case of Kim, AeJeong is linked to the more recent disappearance of her son, Kim, Junmyeon.”

“But it is,” Jongdae stated, the officer shaking his head.

“AeJeong’s case was closed on the count that all of the evidence pointed to her simply running away with someone. It’s a sad story, but one that is far more common than you would think. We found dozens of love letters addressed to her over the span of a year, leading up to a week before she was reported missing. Affairs are difficult for people your age to understand, but they happen. Just because Mr. Kim is convinced that she was kidnapped doesn’t make it real, it’s just his way of dealing with the affair she kept from him.”

“-didn’t she take Junmyeon with her?” Jongdae only caught the end of the other’s question, but it wasn’t hard to piece together what he was asking. It was a valid question; if AeJeong had ran away, and he knew she hadn’t, but if she had like the officers believed, what explanation did they have for Junmyeon still being in his father’s care? Jongdae turned back to the officer, who was rubbing his temples.

“Perhaps her lover wasn’t a fan of children, or she didn’t want to drag her son along. She could have wanted to leave Mr. Kim with something, she- look. We’ve told Kyuhyun dozens of times that we’re handling this case, but it’s unlikely that we’ll find anything beyond what we have for a while. It’s been far longer than 72 hours, so, as much as I hate to break it to the two of you, it is very unlikely that what we do find of him is going to be good news. So please, go home, and leave this to the professionals.” Jongdae shot a sharp look at the officer, tensing when there was a hand on his shoulder and he looked back at Kyuhyun.

“Come on, let’s go. It was stupid to hope that they would be any help,” Kyuhyun said, causing Jongdae’s shoulders to droop as he allowed himself to be pulled away from the police station.

“What are we going to do if they won’t help us?” Jongdae asked, Kyuhyun rubbing his face while he spoke, leaving Jongdae to stare at him in complete confusion. The older turned to him, looking as if he was expecting a response. “What?” He asked and Kyuhyun paused before shaking his head.

“Sorry, I’m not used to-”

“There’s no time for you to give the whole ‘I’m not used to talking to a deaf person’ speech, just repeat what you said,” Jongdae interrupted and Kyuhyun swallowed hard before nodding.

“S-… What I said was my next suggestion is going and talking to Mr. Kim. Between the three of us, I’m sure we could figure something out, even if it’s someone being a decoy or two of us grabbing a hold of your dad and the other getting Junmyeon and his mother out of your house.”

“Kyuhyun?” Mr. Kim closed the door, unbolting the chain before opening it again, Jongdae feeling his stomach flip at the way his face lit up when their eyes met. “Jongdae!” he exclaimed before the brown haired male was pulled by his shoulders into a hug tight enough to make him wince. He was held at arm’s length, pretty sure that the older was asking if he was okay before Mr. Kim was looking past him through the open door. “Where’s… where’s Junmyeon?” he asked, eyes flickering to Jongdae’s before back through the doorway. “He… He wanted to tell you about-” he cut off, as if he remembered that Kyuhyun was there as well and he bit his lower lip, finally managing to keep his attention on Jongdae.

“He was upset with me before you came over, and then you two left, and he… he never came home. I called the school but no one’s seen him, his… His choir teacher called and asked about him, saying she hadn’t seen you either. Something about you visiting him during his choir practices, so when you stopped coming at the same time Junmyeon did, she got really worried.” Jongdae fought with himself to keep his attention on the other when all he wanted to do was curl in on himself. “You were the last person I saw him with… I figured he was still upset with me and that was why he hadn’t come home. But you’re here and he… he’s not. Where… where is he?” Tears pricked Jongdae’s eyes at the quiver of Mr. Kim’s lips, his throat tightening around his response and he hung his head as he fought the urge to run. Kyuhyun made it seem like it would be easy to get the other’s help, but now that he was standing in front of Mr. Kim, seeing the desperation in the other’s eyes…

“H…” Jongdae shut his eyes tightly, pretty sure that the noise that escaped his throat was closer to a poor excuse for a squeak than an actual start of a word. His hands shook as they rose from his sides and he lifted his gaze to Mr. Kim again.

[My house]

Mr. Kim frowned as his eyebrows knit together at the response and he watched Jongdae’s face long enough that the younger didn’t know if he understood.

“Is… is he still upset with me? Is that why you’re here?” He asked, Jongdae shaking his head, the shaking of his hands growing and Kyuhyun took a step closer, pulling Jongdae back.

“I think whatever fight the two of you had before Junmyeon went missing is the last thing that’s wrong right now,” Kyuhyun said, Jongdae watching Mr. Kim look between the two.

“Then I’m not following,” he replied.

“I… I found Jongdae sitting in the middle of the road crying. He… he wasn’t making a lot of sense to me, but what I did understand was that Jongdae was upset and something was wrong with Junmyeon.” Mr. Kim tensed, attention turning to Jongdae and he opened his mouth, Kyuhyun interrupting him. “He kept bringing up his dad... Then he said something about… mermaids, and I thought he was nuts but… I don’t think I was getting all of the details since he was freaking out so much.” He finished, Jongdae looking at him before back to Mr. Kim.

“My father’s o-obsessed with mythology. So when he found out that Junmyeon was like his m-mom. So he locked Junmyeon up with her.” Mr. Kim stared at Jongdae as what the younger said sunk in, his face twisting up in a flash of rage.

“This… This is your fault! I knew we shouldn’t have trusted you, I knew allowing you to find out would end in him being taken from me just like his mother was!” Jongdae took a staggered step back at the accusation, eyes wide and he was surprised when Kyuhyun stepped between the two of them, placing a hand on Mr. Kim’s chest to keep him at bay. He shut his eyes tightly when Mr. Kim tried to move closer, one hand gripping the fabric of his shirt over his stomach as the other came up to rub the fabric over the center of his chest. Several moments passed before he was able to calm down enough to dare to open his eyes, all traces of anger having vanished from Mr. Kim’s face.

“Sir?” Kyuhyun called, the older blinking a couple of times before he seemed to snap out of his daze.

“Junmyeon’s mom… She used to do that when she was scared… And a few months ago Junmyeon started doing it too. When I asked him about it, he said the same thing she always would, that it… It helped them to calm themselves when nothing else seemed to be able to.” Jongdae’s trembling had reached his shoulders and he flinched back when Mr. Kim reached out towards him, hand falling short before slowly extending to the side of Jongdae’s head. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you… Especially not when it obvious that you’re scared. If you had meant for any of this to happen, you wouldn’t be afraid like this… You wouldn’t be here telling me about what had happened.” Jongdae shook his head, trying to force his shoulders to relax from where they had scrunched up in an act of defense.

“Tell me what happened.” The younger opened his mouth, voice catching again, this time sending him into a fit of choppy breaths, his shoulders jerking almost violently as he fought back the sob that was taking his voice away. The image of Mr. Kim blurred and there were a pair of hands on his face for a moment before one was dabbing away his tears, making it so he could understand the other. “Hey, calm down. I’m not angry with you, I won’t yell again. But I need you to calm down so we can figure this out, okay? Stay calm with me,” He requested, Jongdae nodding and shutting his eyes tightly. He didn’t know how long he had been standing there, but eventually he gained enough control of his breathing to be able to speak.

“D-did AeJeong… Receive letters… Before she disappeared?” Mr. Kim’s eyes flickered to Kyuhyun, his expression turning cautious.

“How… how do you know that name?” he asked, Jongdae seeing Kyuhyun’s hands come up in a sigh of surrender.

“I didn’t tell him.”

“M-my father… I th-think… he… he was the one… who wrote AeJeong love letters,” Jongdae started again, pulling Mr. Kim’s attention to him again. “He never told me why she was there, I n-never asked… I grew up with her trying to take care of me like a mother, I thought she could leave if she wanted to but… When I took Junmyeon to meet her because I knew she was a mermaid like him, and I thought she would be able to help him figure everything out and he… he called her mom, things… pieces of the puzzle that I knew about started seeming so strange… My father’s obsession with anything involving the ocean, and we somehow have a mermaid in out basement… And now I… Now I’ve seen the inside of her prison and I know she… neither of them can leave… We… Junmyeon and I tried to get her out but my-my father came and-” his voice cracked and his vision blurred, the memory of Junmyeon dropping to the floor flashing through his mind. “A-and it’s all my fault, he’s there because of me, and I can’t save him,” Jongdae whimpered, flinching when Mr. Kim wrapped his arms around him. “This is my fault, and I’m so sorry… I’m sorry that I got him taken away, I’m sorry that I didn’t come to you sooner, he-he wouldn’t let me leave.” Mr. Kim pulled back, wiping at Jongdae’s tears again.

“This isn’t your fault… I shouldn’t have said that, who knows how many times that you’ve thought that on your own since all of this happened… You were trying to help Junmyeon.” Jongdae nodded, swallowing back another whine. “And when you realized this wasn’t something you could do on your own you came and got help… That’s the best thing you could have done, okay? Do you understand me?” He nodded again, Mr. Kim pulling back and sliding into his shoes, grabbing his car keys. “So let’s go get them back.” Jongdae sniffled, wiping his own cheeks and following Mr. Kim out of the house, past a confused looking Kyuhyun.

“Wait… so the mermaid thing wasn’t a joke?” He called, hurrying after the two.