BackStory

 

 

The past V

Behind the Facade

 

 

It had been three weeks and the two had met yet again, this time though, they found themselves in immediate danger. They stood, backs pressed against each other as they faced two Kankod Lizards. It had all started with Hyujae chasing Donghae deeper in the Jungle, the Jungle was known to be dangerous so Hyukjae knew it was suicidal for them both to be heading deeper into it. Hyukjae had been on a daily patrol with some of his men when they had come face to face with Donghae’s crew, thus, chaos erupted as men scattered in different directions.

“Donghae just stop already, we are in deep enough, stop or I swear I’ll shot”

“Go for it” Donghae cackled as he used the uneven ground’s surface to his advantage, sliding down where the ground gave in forming slopes and steep ditches. He began to dodge bullets once they did whizz by, letting out a low impressed whistle because Hyukjae had actually started shooting at him.

Hyukjae stopped shooting though when he decided to sneak up on Donghae. Donghae had pressed himself against a deformed, broad bark of a tree, chest heaving as he tried to level out his breathing, heart rapidly pumping due to all that running and rush of adrenaline. Suddenly Hyukjae jumped in sight, a good fifteen steps away.

“Donghae, just don’t move”

Donghae cocked a brow because Hyukjae seemed to staring past Donghae “And let you just take me in like that? Yea, not happening.”

“No I swear, there is a huge lizard behind you, they smell fear, ultra-sensitive to movements, so don’t move and stay calm”

Donghae scoffed, trying to decide whether he was going to buy that act. Hyukjae’s eyes were wide and expressions extremely weary, the guns in his hand pointed away from Donghae’s body. That’s when donghae felt something breathe down on his nape.

Startled he jumped and dashed towards Hyukjae who groaned as he took hold of Donghae’s forearm and dashed for cover “ What the did I say? I said don’t move”

“There was something behind me!!Breathing on me!!” Donghae shrieked as they sprinted, weaving through trees. Donghae had to just throw a glance back to witness a monstrous lizard slithering right after them

“Damnit!! Use that bloody gun of yours already!”

Hyukjae grimaced, eyes darting for a good spot to hide “Bullets don’t damage them enough” he shot a few rounds anyway. The lizard hissed and stopped, ducking and rolling as it felt itself being attacked.

Donghae hooted in glee, as they ducked from under a hedge of over grown bushes and ducked down, panting and eyes darting everywhere “Good job cowboy.”

Donghae’s grin fell when he heard a serpent like hiss, from close by.

 

Soon they found themselves surrounded from two sides by not one but two monstrous lizards.

“, they are huge…and disgusting”

The lizard facing Donghae spat, Hyukjae chuckled humorlessly “Might not want to insult it on its face.”

Dongae glowered as he felt himself back into Hyukjae’s back, face to face with the lizards “Who cares, Im’a turn them into minced meat soon anyway.”

“If you’re done analyzing their appearance, can we move to the part of taking them down?”

“Or I could use ye as bait and run for it, while they make a snack out of ye.”

“Let me add to your knowledge, they are not just huge and disgusting but highly intelligent and fast creatures, easily able to outrun a human, so right now we are easy meal for them. Only elderly or injured lizards are known to prey on humans though.”

“, now I feel insulted!”

“you’re quick to feel things, here’s some advice, don’t be this sensitive, life’s a ”

“Oh shut up, cowboy.”

At that very instant the giant lizard towering over Hyukjae made a move, he shoot rapid rounds of bullets before rolling from under it, ending up on the other side.

“Donghae, look out!” he yelled as Donghae got distracted by his movement and looked away, providing the opportunity to the lizard on his side to dash towards him.

“Ha!  This is nothing as compared to the kraken” he yelled out as he slashed through the lizard’s side while he jumped out of the way of that gaped maw

“Kraken?!” Hykujae’s incredulous shout had Donghae grinning. Hyukjae shoot a few more rounds before quickly analyzing their situation. They could not handle each lizard on their own; they needed to work together for this.

“Donghae! Let’s call a temporary truce!” Ducking from under its swishing tail Hyukjae sprinted to donghae who wordlessly nodded, understanding the serious-ness of this situation.

The lizards apparently got an idea from their move as both of them darted to each other as well; side by side they slowly slinked forward.

“. Hyukjae your bullets won’t harm them as much as my sword would.”

“what are you-hey!” He grabbed at Donghae as the ginger-head tried to dash at them” Are you crazy? We need to work together”

“Yeah so that’s why just cover me with yer bullets, the impact stings them bad, my blade’s going to be fatal enough for them.” Donghae grounded as he kept a wary eye on the lizards.

“Be careful” Hyukjae crouched, body tense and missing the surprised look donghae gave him “I always am” he muttered.

“Go when I say 3”

Getting ready to sprint Donghae tensed his body, Hyukjae had just begun to count but the impatient pirate ran forth, causing Hyukjae to growl irately as he hurriedly began to take aim and fire shots, the lizards tried dodging the heavy fire while donghae sped from under them,

“Cowboy got any idea of their weakspots?”

“The tip of their tails and of course their necks” Hyukjae hollered and Donghae’s lips parted in a crazed grin as he literally jumped onto the tail, the lizard hissed, taking fire and trying to rid its tail of Donghae who was quick to plunge his sword through the tip.

The lizard shrieked, slitted eyes glaring as, in excruciating pain, it flailed onto the lizard next to it that got pinned down under it.

“Quick! I’m running out of ammo!”

“I’m trying!” Donghae grunted as he held onto the thrashing lizard for dear life. In a split second Donghae found his right foot trapped under the lizard as it rolled over, effectively throwing Donghae onto the ground but he could not scramble away fast enough to save his foot. His blood-curdling scream had Hyukjae running. All Donghae saw was a set of razor sharp fangs coming his way. The gaped jaw halted, gurgling the lizard’s head fell back, while the second one swiftly scrambled off.

Donghae had tightly closed his eyes so when he did open them, he saw Hyukjae standing over the dead lizard’s head, Hyukjae’s dagger embedded into its skull.

“Here let me help you out.”

Donghae stared, unblinking. had just gotten real, he had missed death by inches and Hyukjae had saved his life.

Hyukjae had saved his life

“You saved  me?” the gasp came out partially as a confused question and partially as an amazed statement.

“Yeah I guess I did, now let’s get your foot out.”

Whilst Hyukjae rounded his way over to Donghae food and struggled to lift the extremely thick limp tail donghae could not stop staring

“but why, why save me, don’ ye want me dead?”

Hyukjae sighed as he took a good hold of the tail “Donghae….no I don’t want you dead. I saved you because like me, you’re a human.”

“But I’m a Pirate.”

Another exasperated sigh “You were not born a Pirate were you? Don’t answer that, look, bottom line is, we are all human beings first, and I could not just let a human being die, not if I could help it.”

“Hunh…but if ye arrest me, I know! I know fo’ sure ye will get me hanged and-“

Hyukjae grunted as he motioned Donghae to try pulling his foot out. Donghae did manage to yank his leg back but the slightest of movement at his ankle had him cringing and whimpering in pain.

“, your ankle’s probably going to need treatment, and it’s not like I’ll get you hanged, you idiot, that’s a punishment for higher crimes if proven”

“Don’t ye dare call me an idio-ow! Hey, what-no don’t touch my foot! it hurts like a ! And yeah I never committed higher crimes…what’re higher crimes?” Doghae effectively lied, begrudgingly allowing Hyukjae to hold him by the wasit and gently set him back against a tree’s bark.

“Crimes like murder.”

“Yea, I never murdered..” Donghae swallowed and trailed off as he looked away. Eyes wearily lingering over Hyukjae who was gently propping Donghae’s hurt foot onto a pile of leaves.

“Sure you didn’t” Hyukjae muttered, shaking his head and flashing a smile when Donghae’s eyes narrowed.

“Heh, this’ll be funny news…an officer saves a Pirate from becoming lizard food.”

Hyukjae sat across from Donghae  and rolled his eyes “ you’re welcome”

“I didn’t  thank ye”

“That just shows how bad your social skills and communication skills are.”

After a few seconds of silence Donghae finally managed to mutter out a ‘thank ye’ which had Hyukjae huckling. Donghae glared and looked away with a huff, fidgety and feeling a lingering pain in his ankle. He looked about, surprised to find the horizon dark already.

“what were you doing in the jungle anyway?”

“None of yer business.”

“it is my business actually since I need to figure out what your Captain is after”

“I’m not tellin’”

“Well it sure did look like you lot were looking for something”

Donghae sent him a glare “Life would be a lot better for ye’ if ye’ stop chasing after us, go find some other criminals”

“Life will be better if you quit the life of crime”

“Ha, preaching are we?”

There was a pause in their conversation, it was not as uncomfortable as to be stuck together, again, since the incident down in the cave had brought the two closer at some point, literally, with all the cuddling they had to do to keep warm. Hyukjae felt like saying more, that no, he was certainly not preaching, he had lived the life of a criminal and he knew all too well just what kind of a life that was. Hyukjae kept glancing at Donghae who apparently found a broken branch extremely interesting to stare at.

“What were ye doing in the Jungle then?”

Donghae’s question caught hyukjae off-guard, he had been studying donghae’s side profile or as much as he could see under the full moon’s light filtering through the trees above.

“I come here every full moon to meet my lover.”

Donghae snorted “Ye have a lover?

“Why?” Hyukjae raised a brow, the Pirate was actually grinning, which Hyukjae had not seen the Pirate doing, well not much.

“Yer an arse who chases people with guns, looking like yer ready to die tryin’ catching criminals. Who would love ye?”

“Every human can be loved, even you.”

Donghae narrowed his eyes “That’s absurd, what makes ye’ say that?”

“Well no matter how much of a jackass someone is” Hyukjae paused and smiled as Donghae glowered at him “every human has a certain goodness in them that may make them seem loveable to someone.”

Shaking his head Donghae rolled his eyes “goodness? All I’ve ever seen is…is… one human killing the other.” He scowled and shook his head, he had never really seen ‘human goodness’

“Then that’s what needs to change, and you’re the only one who can change it if you want, to see life differently” Hyukjae commented.

“Ye’ sound like some wise old saint” Donghae’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he finally met Hyukjae’s gaze “I’ve heard a lot about ye’. Ye used to be some raider working for some big landlord, eh?”

Hyukjae wondered whether he really should say something “I don’t like talking about my past, but yeah since you heard this, it’s true, I had no idea I’m so popular or did you do your research? Either way, I decided to change myself and my life, so here I am.”

Donghae smirked “Yer no saint yourself then.” He could see the officer’s expressions changing to a serious one.

“Yeah, of course I’m no saint, which further proves my point, you can change too Donghae, if you want, that will lead to a change in your life. I paid for my crimes, it didn’t bring back the dead but atleast I got myself a new life.”

Donghae’s interest grew at that, he didn’t miss the way Hyukjae was trying to cover up his expressions, trying to keep a blank face and all “So ye’ actually killed people? Wow and look at ye trying to chase down murderers and bring ‘em to justice! Why did ye change anyway?”

The silence that followed his question was thick with hesitation, they stared into each others eyes, Donghae’s stare was more of  an inquisitive one while Hyukjae stared blankly, though a small smile followed “If you want to know so bad, first give yourself up-“

“Ha! Not happenin’, you don’t ever give up do ye?”

“As I said, once I chase after you, I won’t stop.”

“I still don’t get why ye changed then? Looting from people, it’s easy life, it’s stupid though, chasing down criminals and risking yer life for a society who probably does not even care whether ye’ live or die.”

Hyukjae looked at him carefully, gears in his head shifting “Think about it though, seriously think about it okay? I’ve been down this road, believe me I can relate to you and right now I’m speaking to you as a human being-“

“There is nothing similar about us” Donghae hissed hastily, not liking the direction this conversation was headed “and ye better scram before my crew mates find me, they’ll beat ye to pulp.”

“What do you care if they do?” Hyukjae raised an eyebrow challengingly and Donghae scoffed “I ain’t that much of a jackass,  ye saved my life and that a reality I’m not really proud of. Then again you could have just ran off and saved yer self, I still don’t get why ye did that.”

“Then tell me” Hyukjae scooted way close and Donghae shifted his face away, scowling “Had it been me in danger, would you have tried saving me or would you have run off?”

Donghae instantly went on the defensive “I’m not like ye” he grounded, gritting his teeth, a dangerous frown marking his face “Ye think ye can relate to me? Hah! I bet ye’ never had to lose somethin’ precious!-“

“I did!” Hyukjae’s retort was instant, his lips had moved on their own and he was extremely skeptical about having this conversation with this guy in the first place “I did lose people and I knew I had cutting down families with my own bullets, so I left that life!

“Yer half that criminal yerself, what do you think, just because you think you changed and people don’t look at you that way, yer perfect? Don’t tell me ye started hated the power you had over people! The way they would crumble in fear at yer very name and in that moment ye would have nothing to lose!”

“So you’re saying if you had something or someone to lose you would stop killing?”

They were breathing rather heavily, only now realizing how their voices had risen, they were practically shouting at each other “I got nothing left to lose” donghae spoke darkly, Hyukjae saw how his eyes seemed to flare in raw anger “So don’t ye dare, don’t ye dare think ye can relate to me.” His voice shivered in anger.

Hyukjae’s lips parted to say something but no words came out; he blinked at the multitude of emotions flashing over Donghae’s face, the pirate’s words and his expressions telling several stories. All the need to hold power over people, the reasons for this desire were so many. He recalled how one of his teachers had explained to him what a bully’s psyche was. A bully was a person who was actually scared and insecure, afraid of being lost in the crowd, of being looked down upon, hence the bully would rise and assert himself, wanting to hold power over people so that they could quiver at his feet, at the same time everyone would be alert of his presence, hence he would not be just another face, but a force to be reckoned with.

“You’re scared Donghae.”

Donghae who had begun to relax back against the bark snapped his head to hyukjae jaw clenched as he hissed “Shut up”

“You’re wrong about not having anything to lose, the power you hold over people, the effect your very name has on them.”

“I swear I’ll slit yer throat!”

Hyukjae willed himself to carry on as he witnessed the ginger-head bristling “Don’t be so insecure, let me help you.”

Donghae snarled, body tensed in such sheer fury that he forgot his injured ankle. He whimpered and crumpled back down like an injured Tiger, his eyes however never lost the fire.

 

 

 

 “Back off of Donghae  this instant, in case you don’t want me to splatter your brains out all over the ground.”

Hyukjae’s eyes darted around them. He swore he had not heard a single rustle of the leaves but here they  were, about ten pirates surrounding the two, the one who had seemed to have spoken had two gleaming guns pointed right at Hyukjae’s head. Hyukjae only saw the person’s outline and as the person stepped into some filtering moonlight Hyukjae saw how the person’s upper lip was curled up in a vicious snarl “donghae, can you stand up?”

“, no Kyu, help”

“This bastard did this to you?”

“No!” Donghae’s shout was a bit too quick, all eyes turned to stare at him, taking a breath to calm himself he staggered as two men helped him up “He-he’s nothing, let’s just leave. I had to fight off some man-eating lizards. , easy now boys” He hissed as the two crew mates wrapped their arms securely around him, donghae’s arms spread over their shoulders.

All hyukjae could do was stare as one by one the pirates merged into the surrounding darkness, the one named Kyuhyun gave him a dirty glare “I don’t like how you are around almost every time, next time I see your face I’m busting your head open. Disappear.”

With a last glare Kyuhyun was gone too and Hyukjae was left standing there, feeling several sentiments rush through him. That night he could not get rid of flashes of images, Donghae’s face, the insecurity, the fear, the hostility, the yearning, he saw them all flash through those dark eyes and he thought that tonight he had indeed truly met the person Donghae was. Tonight he had seen the human being in Donghae.

The sense of understanding and realization was overwhelming; he tossed and turned in bed, too awake, too restless.

 

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A/n: For now, this is the instalment of the past arc, I feel the main plot needs some kicking, backstory will be put in the middle occassionally.