They sat in silence for a bit, Kyungsoo moving away just as Jongdae reached out to pull him close. More than a tad confused, Jongdae's hand remained suspended, undecided, in the air just above the couch where the other's shoulders were supposed to be. 

"Soo?"

"Jongdae," the large eyed man said at length, heaving a sigh that seemed all the world a struggle for breath. "I have to leave."

A pregnant pause. 

"L-leave," the word limped over his lips as he looked up at Kyungsoo, thin eyebrows nearly steepled and eyes treading tears. His mind had already jumped to the worst possible scenario, the questions falling over each other in his mind. Was it something that he did? Something that he didn't do? Had he overstepped a line? His eyes twitched slightly, not wanting to blink.

Kyungsoo's brows furrowed and he looked away bottom lip caught between his teeth. "It's my job," he finally said.

Jongdae's brows furrowed. "You got a job? When did the call come?"

Kyungsoo seemed to have swallowed something that tasted rancid. "I've never been unemployed," he choked out.

"So," Jongdae adjusted his position on the couch, swallowing. "You...lied."

Kyungsoo visibly winced at the last word, and seemed to fight shifting his weight. "Yes. And no," he added before the other could react. Jongdae maintained his silence, waiting for Kyungsoo to explain.

"My job," he hazarded, "was in this town. I'm finished and so I'm being sent somewhere else."

"So," Jongdae motioned in a general motion to their shared bedroom where Kyungsoo's always-packed bags were. "you were going to just leave at a moment's notice and not say...anything."

Kyungsoo's silence said more than words ever could...and it hurt ten times as much.

"What do you even do?" 

The doe-eyed man gave a wry smile, humorless. "If I tell you, I'd have to kill you."

Jongdae gave him a look, closing his eyes and taking a breath to reign in some of his escaping patience. "Cut the crap. Please."

"I can't tell you," Kyungsoo whispered, corners of his lips downturned, his face pinched.

"Bull," Jongdae spat. "There isn't anything you can't tell me. Least of all, what you do for a living. If you're going to disappear from my life, at least dignify that one question."

"Please," Kyungsoo's eyes shut. "I can't tell you."

"Tell me."

"I can't tell you, Jongdae." "Kyungsoo looked at him, beseeching. "Please, stop asking me."The pained look on Kyungsoo's face seemed to become anguished. In that moment, the arms of the clock twitched into an unsettling crescendo. 

"Tell me!"

"I can't tell you, dammit, do you really want to die?" Kyungsoo's expression turned wild, almost panicked. However, Jongdae refused to back down.

"Do Kyungsoo," he said quietly, knowing that this particular tone of voice got just about anything out of the other.

"Fine." the shorter man relented, his voice a whisper, but...it was different, clinical. "But the moment I tell you, you have a choice."

The world stopped, and the last breath of air froze in Jongdae's lungs, held at bay by the dark barrel of a revolver pointed at him. There was no indication of the large eyed man reaching for a weapon, and neither was there any sign of him wielding it.

"Either you die here alone..." Kyungsoo's expression turned stony as he looked down the barrel, removing the safety off the loaded weapon. "Or you die with me."

I had to, alright?

Chen/DO for all you exo fans out there. I hope you all like :3