pairing: ChenLay
length: 2221 words
A/N: Written at the request of ShaMusume! Hope you like it!
Part One: Please
Part Three: Breaking Chains

Jongdae knew it was over. This was it. He was going to die.

At least he knew it would be at Yixing’s hands. That was Jongdae’s only consolation. If Yixing was going to be the last person he ever saw and spoke to, that was enough for him. He’d rather die with the image of his best friend burned into his mind as he took his last breath.

Just as Jongdae was about to close his eyes, he saw Yixing’s arm move. And his eyes instantly widened as he roared, “YIXING, NO!” while he dived towards the older male with his hands outstretched. Intense pain shot through his injured arm due to the sudden movement, but Jongdae ignored it because that was the least of his worries right now.

A single shot rang out and Jongdae felt his heart crack into millions of pieces as Yixing crumpled to the floor while in the smaller male’s grasp. Fresh blood gushed from the wound on the taller male’s abdomen, staining Yixing’s dark brown trench coat with unsavory splashes of dark red. As he coughed, more blood spurt from his mouth and splattered onto Jongdae’s body.

“You idiot! What were you thinking?!” Jongdae screeched as he hurriedly pressed his left hand to Yixing’s wound, trying to stem the heavy flow of blood. Even though the sticky red liquid continue to pour out of the older male’s body, the stream noticeably slowed after several seconds. Jongdae quickly shrugged off his own jacket and used his right knee to keep Yixing propped up while using his now free right hand to pull off the white T-shirt he was wearing. Using his teeth to grip the fabric in place, he ripped the T-shirt into ribbons that he wrapped around Yixing’s body as a makeshift bandage. Even though it was an exceptionally cold night, one of the coldest temperatures recorded this year, Jongdae didn’t bother putting his jacket back on as he continued tending to the bleeding man in his arms.

Yixing’s labored breath was fast and short as he winced when Jongdae began bandaging him. His head swam uncomfortably as black dots began appearing in his vision, obscuring parts of his best friend’s face. “I-I couldn’t…do it… I c-couldn’t…kill you…Jongdae…” he whispered hoarsely as he felt his worthless life slowly ebb away.

“That doesn’t mean you go shoot yourself instead!” Jongdae raged as angry tears began spilling out of his eyes. “If I didn’t reach you in time… You would’ve…” His voice broke as the unspeakable scenario flashed through his mind.

Yixing closed his eyes and pressed his lips together in a thin line. He steadied his trembling hand and aimed the pistol once more. This time, at his own head. He pressed the trigger.

And a single shot rang out, echoing into the night. With Yixing’s body crumpling to the ground in a heap. Cold and unfeeling, never to move ever again. Blood spilling out of the bullet wound in his head.

But Jongdae had gotten to Yixing before the foolish older male could successfully perform the deed. The smaller male had pushed Yixing’s arm down, but hadn’t been fast enough as the bullet went straight into the taller male’s abdomen instead. Jongdae didn’t know if the wound was fatal or not, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. He needed to bring Yixing to a safe place right away so the older male’s wounds could be treated. A safe place that wouldn’t be found by anyone. Like Wu Yifan.

Yifan…

Oh no…

Jongdae angled himself so he could take the earpiece that was lodged snugly in Yixing’s right ear. The taller male was about to protest, but the agonizing pain in his body was too much to bear and he could only grunt as his connection to Yifan was transferred to Jongdae’s ear. “You better stay away from Yixing,” the smaller male hissed into the microphone that was attached to the earpiece, knowing that the clan leader was listening and watching the entire ordeal from his office. “I swear to God, if you or your men come near Yixing, I won’t be showing any mercy.”

“Those are fighting words, my dear Jongdae.”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT.”

“Bring my dearest Yixing back to me,” Yifan ordered in that silky deep voice of his while ignoring Jongdae’s threats. “If you won’t, then Zitao and Jongin will take him back instead. They are close by, so you cannot escape even if you try.”

“Over my dead body!” Jongdae spat back. He was about to take out the earpiece and smash it on the concrete floor when Yifan spoke once more.

“Well, at this rate, it seems like that is what will happen. In fact, how will you even be able to save him in your current state, my dear Jongdae?”

“I told you not to call me that,” Jongdae growled into the microphone.

“Two crippled fugitives trying to hide from the Wu Clan and the Seoul Police Department?” Yifan continued smoothly, as if Jongdae hadn’t even spoken. “You’ll die of hypothermia while my dearest Yixing dies of blood loss first before the two of you get very far, even if you manage not to get caught by either group.”

Jongdae felt his blood pressure rise when he heard Yifan use those stupid pet names for a second time. But he had to stay calm. Otherwise, the smaller male really wouldn’t be able to save his best friend whose thin face had turned chalky white as Yixing bit his lip, trying to focus on anything but the excruciating pain he was in. “There is NO WAY you’re getting your hands on Yixing this time. I don’t care how many people you send after the two of us, Yifan. He is NOT going back to you and that’s—”

“J-jongdae… I-it’s okay… L-let’s go…back…to Y-yifan…” Yixing stuttered in a low voice, trying to fight off the waves of sleepiness that were washing over him now. “H-he…will help…y-you…”

“But I don’t want his help!” Jongdae snarled furiously.

Yixing grimaced as he carefully reached up to his best friend’s face. Unbeknownst to the smaller male, tears continued to drip down his high cheekbones and Yixing tenderly wiped away those precious drops that glistened like crystals. “I still n-need…to t-talk…to him…though… P-please… Do this…f-for me… Jongdae…”

The younger male screwed his eyes shut as he tried to contain his wrath. His grip on Yixing’s body tightened, causing the taller male to jerk slightly from the sudden force being applied to his wounded abdomen. Jongdae’s eyes immediately flew open as he hastily apologized for hurting his best friend. Again.

Yixing feebly waved a hand to brush away Jongdae’s apology, signaling that he was okay even though he was far from it.

“What will it be, my dear Jongdae? Will you return with my dearest Yixing? Or will you allow him to die because you are too much of a prideful coward to surrender? Will you take responsibility for his inevitable death if you continue to try to escape?”

Even though he knew he shouldn’t let Yifan’s taunts get to him, Jongdae was still affected by the heavy weight of those words. Because life would be utterly meaningless if Yixing was gone. Everything would have been for naught if his best friend passed away now. And after seeing the resolute expression on the taller male’s angelic face, Jongdae knew the decision was already made.

He hoped Yifan ended up roasting in the darkest, deepest pits of the underworld for all of eternity.

“Give the order.”

Yifan smirked as he wired his next words to his faithful underlings. “My dear Zitao and my dear Jongin, please fetch my dearest Yixing for me.”

Seconds later, two figures wearing jet black cloaks alighted onto the rooftop where Jongdae and Yixing were clumped together on the floor, the older male just barely conscious. Zitao looked scornfully at the two wounded men, towering over them as he made eye contact with Jongdae. “Hand him over, you filthy traitor,” Zitao spat as he kicked Jongdae’s lower back.

This caused Yixing to jolt in Jongdae’s embrace and the injured male let out a shrill cry due to his wounds being aggravated even further. Jongdae’s eyes were stormy as he huddled protectively over Yixing and glared daggers at Zitao, who kept sneering at them. “Don’t speak to me in that tone.”

“Or what?” Zitao jeered in return. “You have no right to command me. I’ll—do—what—I—want—when—I—want!” Each word of that last sentence was punctuated with sharp kicks to Jongdae’s small body. Since Jongdae’s upper body was , the kicks were more painful than usual and dark purple egg-shaped bruises began forming right away on his pale white skin.

All Jongdae could think was to ensure that Yixing wouldn’t be hurt to any further extent as he firmly cradled his best friend in his arms, keeping Yixing’s body steady and close to him.

“You—are—a—disgrace—and—YIXING—SHOULD’VE—KILLED—YOU—LONG—AGO!”

“Zitao, that’s enough,” Jongin said emotionlessly as he placed a hand on the hot-headed male’s shoulder. “Yifan will punish you if you end up harming Yixing.”

Zitao sent one last kick towards Jongdae before stepping back, staring murderously at the two on the ground. “Filthy traitor,” he repeated in a low mutter that was still loud enough for Jongdae to hear.

Jongin crouched down and began pulling Yixing into his arms, much to Jongdae’s alarm. “Keep your hands off of him!” Jongdae shouted as he pushed the other male away.

“Do not test my patience, Jongdae,” Jongin stated coldly as he stared down at the fiery smaller male. “If it were not for Yifan’s grace, Zitao and I would have shot you dead the moment Yixing faltered. Do not think for one second that we are being merciful because we choose to be. And when we return to Yifan,” Jongin roughly grabbed Jongdae’s chin as he continued with a dangerous hiss, “you better get down on those weak knees of yours and beg for your pitiful life, because scum like you does not deserve to be forgiven.” Jongin shoved Jongdae back before he could react and scooped Yixing into his arms, nodding to Zitao as he ordered, “Help Jongdae up. We must not keep Yifan waiting any longer.”

Zitao jerked Jongdae up by his injured arm, causing the smaller male to howl loudly as a burning sensation traveled throughout the wounded limb.

“Z-zitao… Don’t…” Yixing spoke in a barely audible voice, gazing worriedly at his best friend through half-lidded eyes.

The youngest male sent Yixing a dark look before loosening his steel-tight grip on Jongdae’s arm and nudging him forward as they followed Jongin. A small light gray helicopter was circling overhead and a rope ladder was soon thrown down to the edge of the rooftop where Jongin was waiting. He deftly used one hand to keep Yixing securely pressed against him as he used his other hand to nimbly climb up the ladder to the body of the helicopter. Zitao grudgingly led Jongdae up the ladder, even if he was extremely tempted to let go of the smaller male and let him fall down to his much-deserved death.

Once the four of them were safely in the helicopter, Zitao shut the door and the aircraft began cruising towards the Wu Clan’s headquarters. Jongin had lain Yixing on a bed in one of the small bedrooms built into the helicopter before heading to the pilot’s cabin where he could privately speak to Yifan. After unceremoniously letting Jongdae drop to the floor in the bedroom that Jongin had brought Yixing to, Zitao had retreated to another bedroom and slammed the door shut, causing vibrations to reverberate throughout the back half of the helicopter.

That left just Yixing and Jongdae alone in the bedroom. The smaller male crawled across the floor and heaved his thin body onto the bed where Yixing lay. Gently grasping Yixing’s deathly white face, Jongdae pressed their foreheads together and murmured in a gravelly voice, “I won’t let you die. And I will save you if it’s the last thing I do. Even if you hate me for everything that happened before and you might hate me for everything that will happen in the future, just know that everything I do is for you, Yixing.” Jongdae let a finger trace over the black ribbon tied around Yixing’s neck as he spoke to his best friend.

The older male gave Jongdae a pained smile, still struggling to stay awake. His mind was becoming blanker as the minutes passed and if it weren’t for Jongdae’s familiar presence, Yixing would’ve already slipped into unconsciousness by now. But Jongdae was here, his thin but strong arms encircled around Yixing comfortingly.

Jongdae spent the rest of the helicopter ride talking to Yixing, trying to keep his best friend alert and out of reach of the claws of Death. Once they landed, Zitao and Jongin appeared in the bedroom with the tallest male saying nastily, “Get off of Yixing, you filthy traitor. Yifan wants him treated in the hospital wing now.”

Jongdae quickly whispered to his best friend as Jongin walked over to pick up the wounded male, “Remember, everything is for you, Yixing.”

Only you.

♈♈♈