Donghae had concluded that he was going to get no sleep that night and rolled out of bed doubly exhausted at 6:30AM. He'd washed and dressed as quietly as possible, the silence in the house oppressive. He'd decided he had to go talk to Hyukjae as soon as possible - maybe together they would be able to figure out a way to use the information Donghae had found. Afterall it seemed like proof, to Donghae at least, that Hyukjae was innocent. Maybe he could appeal to Siwon, his favourite member of the council? He was fair so perhaps he could help them out? 

Donghae was so unsure and it felt as if his head was imploding with questions, though he'd decided somewhere in midst of his waking nightmares that he had to be strong for himself and Hyukjae, it was still so diffiucult. He had never had any reason to doubt the ways of his people, but there was no way anyone could see justice in this surely? Only in his father's convoluted mental workings could this make sense. Someone would help them right? After all surely people weren't so paralysed with fear of the government  that they would actually let an innocent person die?

Donghae was relieved that he met no-one leaving the manor; even the ever-present servants were strangely missing. He stepped into the cold morning air, shivering as the wind swirled round his exposed neck and quickly glanced around before concluding that the entire grounds seemed to be empty. The sky was grey and the occasional light spray of drizzling rain made Donghae curl further into himself, crossing his arms as if to hold himself together, hiding from the grey sky and the prospect that today could be his friend's last day on this unforgiving planet.

It took mercifully little time for Donghae to make his way through the outskirts of town and through the gates which seperated the prison from the rest of the population. People were beginning to stir within the houses, and the guards made no comment as opened the gates for him, seeming surprisingly subdued and devoid of supposedly 'hilarious' comments relating to his expensive clothing or freshly washed hair as usual.

Cautiously Donghae made his way through the dark stone corridors, illuminated only by lanterns which reflected dimly of puddles on the floor. It was disturbingly quiet and Donghae frowned as he approached the heavy door to Hyukjae's cell; something felt wrong, and the ominous feeling that aded the place made him tremble and his heartrate increase with fear.

Slowly, hesitantly, with hands shaking Donghae fumbled at the bolts on Hyukjae's door, suddenly desperate to see the blonde, to reassure himself that he was still alive against the odds, and remember for whom he was willing to risk everything.

The sight that greeted him as he edged the door open chilled him to his bones and he could almost feel the ice spreading through his body, shattering his insides to particulates of pain and freezing his brain to a state of near incomprehension.

Hyukjae sat against the wall in his usual position, thin arms weak and trembling and his stabbing hipbones knifing through his thin garments. However, much of him was concealed by a dark and familiar figure crouching carefully in front of him. Donghae's father turned round to smile at him, almost looking like he was welcoming a friend to a meeting if it weren't for the fierce and triumphant gleam in his eyes. Donghae stood paralysed, his own eyes fixed on Hyukjae's face as it was revealed by his father standing up. Hyukjae looked shocked, horrified, paralysed himself and paler than Donghae had ever seen him. His eyes were large dark smudges in the lunar paleness of his face and they met Donghae's with agonising slowness, flashing with a million emotions.

"Ah Donghae, I was just informing the prisoner of tomorrow's arrangements. I believe he wasn't aware of the identity of his executioner?"

There were no words. Donghae's mind was blank, mouth unresponding, trying to place the importance of his father's words. They finally sunk in as his father exited the room, airily waving goodbye to them with cheer in his voice, telling them to have fun. Sadistic bastard, Donghae thought.

. Donghae had somehow presumed he would be able to talk to Hyukjae before he discovered at who's hands his fate lay, and they would be able to work something out. Maybe it wasn't too late though? Maybe they could still...

"Hyukjae..." Donghae stepped towards the man hunched in the corner. Their eyes never left each other. "I won't-"

"Stay away from me."  Donghae stopped, held in the gaze of Hyukjae's eyes. The thin blonde man did not cry but the pain in his eyes was enough to choke Donghae's own throat. The worst thing was the way Hyukjae pressed himself back against the wall and away from Donghae; it was like their first meeting but worse as Hyukjae now knew what everything had been working towards, and Donghae could not bear to see his friend so fearful of him. He took another step towards him, arms outheld as he begged wordlessly for Hyukjae to understand, to fall into him, to trust him.

"Hyuk, please..."

"Stay the hell away from me!" The shout cut through the air of the enclosed box, the loudest words which had been uttered there.

"Please, please I wasn't... I won't..." Donghae was panicking, trying desperately to explain everything but unable to find the words which would make everything okay.

"Did you plan this all along?" The voice was quiet again, cold.

"What?"

"Huh? Were you just trying to make this whole thing worse? Making me think I had a chance? Like you actually cared about me?!"

"No! I swear I'll find a way to save you, they're making me..." The threatening tears overflowed and cascaded down his face. He took another step towards Hyukjae, wanting to hold him, to force him to understand. The other man sprung up from the floor, grasping the wall for support as dizziness threatened to overcome him, prepared to physically defend himself if need be.

How could Donghae do this to him?

He'd been so stupid, believed that Donghae was different from the others, believed he cared. Well, Donghae was different from the faceless guards who fed him each day or occasionally hosed him down like an animal, Donghae was worse. To think he'd trusted him, believed in him, maybe even...

"Leave." His own voice was surprisingly steady, unlike Donghae who was crying freely. He needed him to leave, before he got too close and the tears blurred Hyukjae's own grip on sanity and the situation and he just believed everything Donghae told him. He had to leave, before his tricks could fool Hyukjae again.

"H-Hyuk-"

"Don't call me Hyuk! Get out!"

"Please, Hyukjae I lov-"

"Shut up! Leave! Get out now!" He couldn't hold his own tears back anymore and his words turned into screams as he sunk back to the floor. Donghae, his sunshine, his sanity had all been lies and there was nothing left but the betrayal, the darkness and his own approaching death.

"Hyukjae..." He felt the warmth crouching next to him, the tentative touch of fingertips and before he could give in to the warmth, the false safety in those hands he pushed Donghae away from him, eyes unseeing and hands clawing. Desperate to isolate himself, sink into his own pain, he lashed out until there was nothing to lash out at anymore and Donghae was gone. He curled up on the dirty floor and sobbed, screams choking his own airways and blood under his fingernails.

Lies filled the air, each semi-pleasant memory here becoming tainted by his friend's betrayal.

Hyukjae didn't know how long he cried, but he only stopped when it became a physical impossibility to cry anymore. His heart continued to rip.

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Donghae felt numb as he left the prison behind him, his unusually dishevelled appearance attracting unsubtle glances and unashamed curiosity from passers-by. He stopped behind an abandoned building, hidden from eyes and let the rain wash his own blood from his cheeks, his arms. None of the scratches were deep, but each served as a reminder of what had just occured. He couldn't blame Hyukjae though; he understood his emotions. He understood everything about the other, and so unbearably well.

Donghae felt the urge to scream, and so he did, uncaring of whether anyone heard him. He expressed his confusion, his fear, his anger at both himself for being so stupid and Hyukjae for not listening, all in a single noise, loud and grieving.

It didn't make him feel any better.

"Donghae?" The man council-member Siwon saw now was barely recognisable as the cheerful and well-kept man he normally recognised the Ruler's son as. This Donghae was hunched against a wall, blood smudged on his face and eyes wild and undoubtedly damp with more than rainwater.

"Siwon-shi... They can't kill him, I can't kill him. He's innocent, father's gone insane..." Siwon blinked at Donghae's frantic words, he had been surprised to discover Donghae here and he struggled for a second to place the meaning of the young man's speech. He frowned a little, dark eyebrows knitting, before deciding he should at least take Donghae home.

He listened to Donghae's words as he explained the situation to him, holding his arm to guide him through the wet streets, nodding politely at those who stared at the Ruler's son being in such a state. Donghae was pleading and his voice trembled as he begged Siwon to understand, to help him. He sighed as he stopped Donghae just out of sight of the manor and turned to face him. Rain plastered their hair to their heads and Donghae was starting to shiver from cold.

"So Siwon-shi, what can I do?" The hope in Donghae's dark eyes made the older man wince before he said his next words.

"Nothing."

Those dark eyes widened "What? What do you mean? It's wrong, I can't possibly kill-"

"Yes Donghae, you can and you will."

"D-don't you bel-believe me?" Donghae stuttered, disbelieving of Siwon's blunt words.

"That's irrelevant. Listen, this situation is unfortunate - I won't doubt that. But Donghae, you are next in line to rule, you can't let the fate of one person affect that."

"But..."

"No Donghae, I'm sorry but that's all you can do." Siwon hated to be the one to tell him this, to crush the last remaining hope within him. He liked Donghae and his cheerful ways, but he had to accept that things were like that in this place. You couldn't forgive and forget. You could ignore, or you could kill. Unfortunately this decision wasn't down to Donghae.

The young man said nothing and just turned away from Siwon, walking away, not trusting himself to not break down completely in front of the older man. Siwon watched him go, with regret colouring his thoughts.

Donghae feared his father more than anything else in the world, but there was one thing which to Donghae was stronger than that fear. Hyukjae.

One thought aded Donghae's mind. No, I will not kill him. I don't care what everyone says; whatever happens Hyukjae is getting out of this alive. His stomach twisted... even if I don't.

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Angst angst angst, I'm drowning in it!

One more chapter - I'll hopefully post it tomorrow, the grand finale so to speak. Also I don't hate Siwon, he's just sensible and doesn't fully comprehend the depth of the situation.

Thank you for reading and so much love for my subscribers and commenters - I really appreciate your support! <3