Somehow, he managed to sleep in. Or at least it felt like it when he woke up. He had slept surprisingly well and the first thing that bothered him were not those terrible walls around him, but the absence of food. Why hadn't they brought it yet?

Jiho rubbed his eyes, yawned and frowned about how stiff he felt. Then he remembered his conversation with Jiyong yesterday. How awkward it had felt when the other singer had made him promise to keep his together. Very embarrassing. Jiyong hadn't seen him for almost two days, but he had realized how Jiho felt.

Probably because he feels the same, just as he said, idiot.

Right now, Jiho felt ashamed and stupid that he had mentioned that one of them could hang themselves. The thought had just struck him – after hours of feeling like this room was devouring his soul, he had been really gloomy.

He pulled his knees close and hugged them. Strange, how he was okay right now while yesterday he had felt so messed up.

The impression of being buried between concrete walls had come upon him the night before, making it impossible to sleep. He had tried walking around, but it had only worsened his mental condition and made him thirsty. Jiho had spent the rest of the night sitting in a corner, dozing off, crying occasionally and trying to not think of death while awake. Death of thirst, death by starving, death by some masked man storming in and shooting him. Yeah, he had simply wished to disappear. Hadn't cared about how. When Jiyong finally spoke to him through the door in the morning, it was like being pulled out of a nightmare. Jiyong's offer to give him back the scarf had made Jiho think of strangling himself or being strangled the next adverse moment, so he had quickly declined it.

Then, when the older brought up the idea of escape it was like his brain had waited for something, anything to deal with. Something to ponder about when his thoughts started circling again.

“Yeah, I think I was on the brink of going crazy yesterday.”, Jiho mumbled to himself and got up. But today he would be fine.

Maybe singing was the best cure he could've gotten in here. He felt very grateful for Jiyong.

To make sure he stayed okay, he started humming while pacing his room.

What time was it? Should he bang on his door and listen for Jiyong's answer?

It can't be that late, he didn't use the bathroom yet..., he thought, just to realize he needed to use the bathroom himself. Everything in here was so inhuman.

“Damn.” The kept them here like animals. Who did they think they were? They could've at least keep them prisoner in a slightly better place than this creepy cellar.

“ this!” Jiho shouted and kicked the door.

“ all of this!”

Like a reply, he heard the door to the hallway and jumped. Hopefully, they hadn't heard his outburst., he worried.

He only heard the faint sound of something being dropped to the bathroom floor, then the door was locked again.

Well, this was new, actually. What did they bring? New towels maybe? Some soap, bathrobes and fresh clothing?

Jiho couldn't help but sneer at the mere thought. He really wanted to change his clothes. But he would have to tame his curiosity until they let Jiyong into the bathroom – he would tell Jiho what they had brought in.

Damn, why did it take them so long today? Actually, why hadn't they let Jiyong into the bathroom right now? It couldn't be still around dawn, could it?

Jiho started walking in circles and tried to make up some new raps. They were pretty dark and probably pretty ty as well but Jiho was content his creativity hadn't suffered so far.

The sound of pouring water interrupted him. Confused, he stopped, just to be even more confused when he recognized it was the shower.

But nobody had let Jiyong out of his room, neither had anyone entered the bathroom...!

This was rather scary...

Leery, Jiho approached the door and pressed his ear against it.

He could hear the water splashing onto the tiles.

Who was taking a shower right now? Curiosity nibbled at his stomach, but he was too scared to scream and ask, because if it had been Jiyong, he would've talked to him first, right?

Holding his breath, Jiho kept listening.

A gasp, a faint moan. Jiho looked at the door, now confused and worried.

Some... sobbing?

Without further hesitation, he started banging against his door.

“Jiyong, is that you? Hey, can you hear me?”

The sound of water became less noisy, but there was no answer.

“Jiyong?!”

Some croaking sound came from behind the door, but he couldn't understand a word – it just made him cringe with worry.

Close to panicking, Jiho kicked his door.

“Dammit!”, he cursed. Of course this wasn't any good, the door was to massive.

“-” instinctively, Jiho grabbed the doorhandle “-this?”

In utter disbelief, he stared at the door which he had just opened a tiny bit.

The light from the bathroom fell through the crack. It had been open the whole time?

Now Jiho remembered that they had pushed him inside his room yesterday, had given him food and then had turned towards Jiyong's room without locking his door before leaving. He had focused on staying sane, so he hadn't really noticed.

Cursing himself, he opened the door and rushed inside the bathroom only to freeze on the spot when he saw Jiyong.

He was in his underwear, clothes dropped carelessly to the floor, standing under the water jet, his weight completely on his right foot, eyes closed. His lips were already blue, but he didn't move. Large bruises, seemingly turning darker as Jiho looked at them, covered his ribcage so Jiho could cleary see where they had kicked him. Jiyong's lip was red and swollen and the bruises in his face from two days ago had multiplied.

Jiho couldn't help but breathe in sharply when he looked at Jiyong's abused body.

Slowly, Jiho approached him, feeling cold despite of not standing under the shower. He wanted to say something, but all he could do was stare at Jiyongs body. Several cuts were scattered over his arms, the blood still oozing from some of the few deeper ones was swept away immediately by the water.

Jiho covered his mouth and felt tears welling up in his eyes.

He felt the water slowly soaking his jeans as he stood right in front of Jiyong, who was shivering and gave another sob.

“Jiyong.”, Jiho said softly and turned the shower off.

Gently, he touched Jiyong's wet hair and pushed it out of his face to inspect the damage further. The eye that had already been bruised was swollen – he could see it even though it was closed - and the lip was split open. As no more water ran over the cut, it started bleeding again. A laceration over the eyebrow. More bruises. Damn, had the broken a cheekbone? Jiho couldn't tell.

Jiyong flinched under his touch.

What was he supposed to do now? Feelings were crashing down on him – guilt, fear, compassion, anger, sadness.

“Hey. I'm here.”, he started. “You still got all your teeth?”

Jiyong flinched again when Jiho laid his hands on his shoulders, but nodded with a sob and finally opened his eyes. Only the unscathed opened completely. Their expression made Jiho's heart break. He couldn't remember having seen such pain, shame and despair in anyone's eyes before.

“God, what...?”

Carefully, Jiho guided the older out of the shower. Jiyong was limping and Jiho begged silently that no bones were broken. He wondered whether bad fractures could get inflamed if not treated properly.

They stopped in the middle of the room, Jiho was unsure what to do now.

Jiyong didn't say anything, but wrapped his arms lightly around Jiho's waist, pulled him closer, buried his face into his chest and cried with silent sobs.

Jiho felt his heart sting and tried to hold Jiyong tighter without hurting him. The other was cold and fragile in his arms.

Slowly, Jiho went down on his knees, taking his Hyung with him. He realized tears were running down his own cheeks and dripping in Jiyong's hair.

“I'm so sorry, Ji...”, he mumbled while he felt his clothes being soaked from Jiyong crying on his chest and pressing heavily into him now. As a response, Jiyong's body started shaking like crazy, fingers painfully clawed into Jiho's back and a tormented mix of and sobbing emerged from Jiho's chest. All he could do was sit helplessly, gently pat Jiyong's back or hair and cry with him.

He didn't know how long they sat in the bathroom, next to a puddle of water, curled together and crying.

But finally, Jiyong moved his head from Jiho's chest next to his ear and whispered:

“You have to leave. As long as you still can.” His voice was so shaky, Jiho instinctively started rubbing Jiyong's back.

“Don't wait until they break your legs, Jiho. They will when they feel like it.”

Jiho understood that Jiyong was in an exceptional emotional state and he was scared himself as he knew they were less safe now than before. But that wouldn't make Jiho rush into things.

“Why did they do this to you? What's going on?”, as asked in a low voice.

“They didn't get their money, of course.”, Jiyong explained, his mouth still next to Jiho's ear. “They were so pissed and decided to put more pressure on the cops by releasing pressure themselves... The brother of the slender guy has a thing for beating defenceless people...”

Jiho swallowed and remembered when he was captured by the three guys. Jiyong was probably talking about the guy that had knocked him over without much ado.

“And... your arms?”

Jiyong froze and Jiho immediately regretted the question. But he received an answer, though.

“Their father. He's an insane and sadistic bastard... for real. You can't even... and the guy that kidnapped me didn't give a , just left with the smaller dude... “ Jiyong's voice trailed off. “Please run away, Jiho.”

“But when? Right now?” Jiho tried to focus on options how to escape, but all he could think of was leaving a badly hurt and traumatized Jiyong behind.

“I could wait in your room for them, Jiyong.”, he thought out loud. “Wait until one of them shows up, knock them out, take their keys and run. But I won't go without you. I can't leave you here.”

“You have to.”, Jiyong whimpered next to his ear, his breath tickling Jiho's skin. “I can't run. I can barely move.”

“But I can't leave you here. I'm scared they might kill you when they find out I'm gone. And when I look at you I no longer doubt that they're capable of killing us.”

Jiyong's fingers clutching into his back relaxed and ran down dispiritedly until they touched the floor.

“You know, Jiho... If I would escape... they would kill you. But maybe you would be fast enough to get help before they kill me.”

Jiho didn't reply but simply ran his fingers soothingly through Jiyongs hair. He noticed Jiyong had goosebumps and felt how cold he was himself.

“Jiyong, let's see if your clothes are still dry. You mustn't catch a cold right now.”

They were, more or less, and Jiho helped Jiyong redress.

They avoided each other's eyes out of embarrassment.

“Jiho, I'm sorry you have to take care of me.” Jiyong finally said. This was a painful statement.

“Stop being sorry, Ji!”, Jiho insisted softly. “Why certainly I'm taking care of you. Why shouldn't I? We must stick together. You're the only one I...”, he trailed off. He would protect Jiyong. The older had sung for him before, and he had no idea how much it had helped Jiho. A human being he had been looking up at for such a long time now needing his help made a twisted part of his mind feel a bit proud of being able to prove himself.

But Jiyong was right – Jiho had to act as long he was still healthy. Nobody knew what their tormentors would decide tomorrow or even this afternoon – maybe mutilate him or Jiyong because they didn't receive any ransom yet? Who knew?

Jiyong sneezed, flinching with pain. “Oh no...”, he mumbled, casting Jiho a quick glance before looking back down.

Jiho cringed internally at Jiyong's shame for the bruises that weren't his fault.

“Come on, you have to rest.”

He led Jiyong back into his cell. His scarf was hanging over the faucet, he washed it and knelt down next to Jiyong.

“What did they do to your foot? You can barely walk.”, Jiho inquired. “Is it broken?”

“No idea.” Jiyong flinched when he tried to move his foot. It was swollen and Jiho didn't dare to touch it.

“Maybe you're right, Ji.”, Jiho said, changing the topic as he felt showing more attention to Jiyong's injuries would only increase his embarrassment. “I hate the idea of leaving you alone, but it won't help any of us if they beat me up, too, so none of us can escape.”

Jiyong nodded and looked most unhappy. “Try to find a real opening. I think this door here is the fastest – and safest – way outside.” He pointed towards the door that led outside to the stairs.

“But... whenever you do it, don't risk being shot, okay...?”

They heard footsteps from the hallway and the bathroom door being unlocked.

Jiyong pressed the scarf to his face, hiding his eyes but Jiho had seen the panic in them. He felt a gentle touch on his wrist, only fingertips brushing his skin.

Jiho's mouth felt dry when he looked at Jiyong. He tried to say “We'll be okay, I promise.”, but he didn't manage to utter the words before the two men entered the room, pulled Jiho to his feet and dragged him back into his cell.

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A/N: Guys, now we're about more than halfway through the story. Thank you so much for reading until now! =D