And I said I'll post in a month... who am I lying too ?? X)
Trigger Warning : injury, fainting due to blood loss, panic attack, hospitalization, crying, mentions of brain-washing.
Changbin's bag falls on the floor when he finds the front door of his house half open.
It's raining hard today and Changbin's heart is panicking, pulling out his taser gun as he rushes inside.
"Minho hyung !" He calls, pointing the gun in front of him as he looks around the house.
His concern only skyrockets when no one answers him, especially knowing he should be home by now.
His place isn't a mess, nothing seems to be missing but he's still making sure to keep his guard up as he pulls his phone and dials Minho's number.
He flinches when he hears the phone ringing upstairs and his fear starts to take a toll on him. He rushes upstairs and roughly opens the door of the bedroom to find the phone on the nightstand with no Minho in sight.
Minho's nowhere.
He tries to stay calm and rationalize everything going on.
Minho didn't take his phone and he isn't back yet and the door was wide open.
Those thoughts are enough to worry him as fuck, because Minho always takes his phone and he's never late and always locks the door.
Instead of freaking out, he calls Jisung.
"Bin ? What's up ?"
Changbin can barely stop the tremor in his voice, "Tell me Minho's with you."
"He's not ? What's going on ?" Jisung starts to sound worried on the other side and Changbin curses, pinches the bridge of his nose.
"Call the others and ask them please," he doesn't wait Jisung's question before he's hanging up and calling his police department to explain the situation.
When he hangs up, he grits his teeth and he sits on the bed. He takes Minho's phone, hoping to find something that can explain what's happening.
What he finds instead is a missing call from Minho's work and he listens to the message they left to find Minho didn't go to work today.
Something's definitely wrong.
Minho isn't one for secrets and lies, so he knows it's useless to look through it, but he still does it.
There's nothing except the unknown chat he had. Which is the one with Christopher now that he sees the texts.
There's really nothing from the ordinary.
He walks to the bathroom and his blood runs cold when he finds the amount of blood in the sink.
He clasps a hand on his mouth and his eyes water at the thoughts running wildly in his mind. He looks away before taking a deep breath and trying to keep calm.
He's trying to detach himself from the situation, trying to be like a good policeman should be, calm and logical, but his eyes lock on the blood and his whole facade breaks.
He enters in and sees the razor on the floor, blood splattered around it.
He wants to throw up.
He swallows back his nausea, ignores how he's trembling and tries to assess the situation.
It's weird.
Some of the drawers are still wide open and the small cabinet is a mess with half of the medicine fallen to the floor and the sink.
A towel is missing but around the place there's no proof of a fight or the use of a gun. Everything's in place.
But Minho had been in a rush.
There's no trace of blood outside the bathroom either, which is weirder.
He goes downstairs and into the kitchen. Minho usually cooks after coming back home and knowing it's almost nine in the afternoon, he clearly had the time to make something.
He looks at the sink and finds it dry.
He looks through the garbage and there's no new package of food in too. He opens the fridge next to find if Minho had left him a plate, but there's nothing.
Minho didn't eat. Minho didn't cook.
And Changbin is starting to lose his sanity.
What the fuck happened here ?
He flinches when he hears the doorbell and rushes to open it. He expects his superior to be here but it's all of his boyfriends and friends instead.
He wordlessly lets them in and closes the door.
"What's going on ?" Felix asks, "Jisung called all of us to ask where Minho hyung is because you asked him ? And you didn't explain anything ?"
Changbin sighs shakily, and it's enough to make every one of them understand the situation is serious, "I— hyung's missing."
He explains everything since he came in and he tries to ignore how most of them are worried and freaked out. He tells them about his superior supposed to come here and do an inventory of their house to make sure it wasn't a failed robbery that finished with Minho being kidnapped or worse— killed.
Seungmin tries to go upstairs to see but Changbin stops him before he could be traumatized.
He doesn't want to believe that. He— it can't be happening, not to them.
He doesn't even notice his hands are shaking until Hyunjin takes them and squeezes in comfort, giving him a hopeful pained smile, "It's gonna be okay, we'll find him."
Jisung stands up from the couch and pulls his hoodie back up with a determinate frown, "Let's find him then, Bin hyung, stay here until the cops arrive, we'll look around the neighborhood."
Seungmin frowns at him, but doesn't fight back, they're all too worried to make sense, "It's better than staying here doing nothing, I'm up for it."
One by one they agree and Changbin's too scared to disagree, watching his lovers and friends leave to find Minho in the heavy rain.
He sits back on the couch, mentally exhausted and anxious. He buries his face in his hands and tries hard not to start sobbing.
Where are you Minho ?
He snaps out of his thoughts when someone rings at the front door and he opens it, finding his superior and mentor, with a few other policemen and some from the forensic police department.
His superior, Son Hyunwoo enters with a deep frown, "Tell us what happened."
Changbin's losing hope.
The rain's so strong he can barely see a few meters afar. But he doesn't care, he needs to find his lover, needs to know he's alright.
So he looks around, meets a few times the others as they cross roads and continues on and on and on until it's too dark to see.
But Changbin doesn't care, he uses his flashlight and tells the others he'll continue looking around.
They all join him too, with some friends of the police station and they resume combing the streets.
He's alone at some point and the fear bubbles out of him through tears that blur his vision but he clenches his jaw and keeps going, despite his clothes being so sowaked that they stick to his skin uncomfortably cold.
He's so desperate that he doesn't notice the form on the floor until his feet knock against it and he's falling face first on the wet ground with a pained groan.
He manages to sit on one knee before flashing his light at the form and his heart leaps in his throat when he sees Minho passed out.
"Minho—" He calls desperately, his tears mixing with the rain and a huge relief makes him cry harder as he hastily lifts the man's head, taking his phone with a shaking hand, quickly calling an ambulance.
His breath hitches when he sees the amount of blood he's lost. And it's all coming from his arm— no please no no no—
It's— the names engraved on his skin had turned into a mess of gashes and it's so horrible that Changbin can even see the ripped muscle under his torn skin. He can't even see their names anymore. He quickly rips the sleeve of his shirt before pressing against the wounds. It's not gonna help since the tissue is soaked but it's better than doing nothing.
What happened Minho ?
He doesn't have to think more because the paramedics answer his phone and he hastily gives them their localization, making sure Minho is alive and will stay alive until they arrive.
Changbin stands up from where he was sitting, when he sees his lovers and friends rushing towards him, they're all soaked wet with worried eyes.
"How is he ?" Jeongin asks and Changbin brings him in his arms. He really needs a hug right now.
He exhales shakily, "He's fine, he lost a lot of blood but he'll be fine," he's so relieved he can't help the tears rolling on his cheeks.
He wouldn't have survived if Minho had been found dead.
The tension and fear disappear off their shoulders and some slump on the floor, the adrenaline of the situation wearing off. Felix and Jeongin are both crying in relief while Hyunjin is sprawled on the floor, staring at the ceiling as tears leave his eyes. Jisung sits on the chair and buries his face in his hands while Seungmin stays up, blinking away his tears and trying hard to stay calm.
"What exactly happened ?" Felix asks him, wiping at his eyes.
Changbin doesn't know. That's the whole problem.
Everything was fine until today.
"I don't know, but his— he hurts himself," they all look up at him and Changbin swallows the bad feeling taking his stomach. He didn't tell them about the theory he had, but he thinks now's the good time, "he ripped his skin so many times— he— we can't see our names on his arm anymore."
He can't find another explanation. It's like Minho had a paranoia crisis.
Hyunjin shifts to look at him with wide horrified eyes, "What ?"
"Why— why would he do that ?" Jisung murmures tiredly and then he's sniffling. Hyunjin wraps an arm around him and lets him bury his face on his shoulder.
They're all shocked and unable to think.
"Do you— do you think it's because of us—"
"Stop," Seungmin cuts Felix with a glare, "don't start theorizing, we don't know what happened and we'll wait for Minho hyung to wake up and explain everything to us."
"But what if he wakes up like that again ?" Jeongin retorts weakly, roughly wiping at his cheeks.
"I don't want to lose him," Felix chokes out and starts crying.
Changbin feels useless. "We're not gonna lose him, everything will be fine," he kneels in front of Felix and hugs him tight, "promise."
He says it so many times that he wonders if he's not trying to convince himself here.
Changbin can't sleep.
They're still all at the hospital, waiting for a doctor to tell them everything is fine. Some of them had fallen asleep. Felix and Hyunjin pressed together, looking uncomfortable on the chairs but still snoring quietly.
Seungmin is awake but he has Jeongin's head on his lap. He looks deep in his thoughts, a raw sharp gaze that tells easily how upset by the situation he is.
Jisung's walking in circles now, trying to make sense of the situation and running on too many coffees.
His superior passes by, asks him more questions and takes his testimony before leaving with a comforting pat on his shoulder and telling him to not come to work today nor tomorrow.
Changbin is grateful he has him as a mentor.
"Seo Changbin ?"
Changbin immediately jolts up, looking at the surgeon coming out of the surgery room, "Yes it— it's me, how is he ?" he presses desperately, Jisung holds his hand, equally anticipating the worst.
The surgeon smiles, "Your soulmate is alright, we're gonna bring him to his room now and then you can go see him if you would like."
"Yes please !" Jisung replies hastily, almost crushing Changbin's hand and when the doctor finally leaves them, Jisung's knees buckle.
Changbin quickly catches him before he can hurt himself and hugs him, a new set of tears escaping his eyes, "He's fine, told you, he's fine."
He glances at Seungmin who's crying too and nods at him, so relieved.
Jisung sobs against his shoulder until he's too exhausted to continue.
Changbin closes his eyes and allows himself to breathe.
Changbin stares at Minho's peaceful expression.
He's still asleep and his arm is now bandaged. He's also very pale. The doctor told them he could run a fever too, so they're going to keep him longer than they should. He also has a syringe stuck in his good arm, pumping back blood in.
They were lucky to find him. They were lucky the hospital had bags of his blood type, though Changbin could give his. But his arm is in a bad state and needs a skin graft donor now. They've told them they have a list of donors and they'll make sure to take care of Minho as fast as possible.
The others are all asleep around the room in weird and awkward positions. There's only Seungmin who had hastily left after waking up, surely to go to the restrooms.
He carefully brushes the man's arm and mourns the loss of his soulmate's mark. Minho's always been proud of their names, of having multiple soulmates and especially them. He can remember him smiling, all proud and giddy.
He freezes when Minho shifts, expression turning pinched and then he's blinking and Changbin holds his breath.
"Mi— Minho hyung ?" He calls softly, heart thumping in his ears.
Minho groans before turning his head to the side and stares at Changbin, "Bin ?" his voice is hoarse and Changbin melts at the call of his name.
He missed this.
He's hopeful now that Minho didn't start freaking out—
But then Minho's eyes opens wide and he abruptly sits, looking around with panicked eyes, Changbin's concern flies back to slap him across the face, "Minho—"
"Where's Seungmin ?"
Changbin blinks, "He— he went to the restroom—" he cuts himself when Minho grabs his shirt with desperation, yanking on it roughly.
"You need to bring him back, now !" he yells with a pale face, and it stirs the others awake.
Jeongin blinks a few times before his eyes go wide, "Minho hyung !" and he goes to hug him but stops when he sees the weird tension clinging, "What's going on ?"
The others are all starting to crowd Minho, asking him if he's alright and what exactly happened, but the latter only has his eyes on Changbin, "Bring Seungmin now !"
"Seungmin's out ?" Jisung asks with a frown before looking behind where Seungmin was supposedly asleep not long ago.
The others are equally confused by Minho's words but Minho groans and starts sitting on the bed, "You don't get it— it's— he's not Seungmin anymore— fucking hell—"
"What ?" Hyunjin mumbles, completely confused.
Changbin frowns, and just pushes him to lay back down, "Lay down hyung— you've lost too much blood, you need to rest," he is about to ask one of the others to look for Seungmin when Minho raises his voice.
"Listen to me he's not Seungmin anymore they— they must've swapped by now— fuck, just go look for him !"
"What— what are you talking about—"
Minho looks at all of them with wide scared eyes, "It's Christopher— I mean Bang Chan— our last soulmate—" he groans in frustration for not being able to talk his thoughts out like he wants.
"Wow wow, calm down," Changbin tells him, cupping the older's face, he can't have Minho panicking now of all time, "calm down and explain—"
"I can't calm down— for the love of god one of you go find him now !" He screams and it startles them because Minho isn't one to scream except for fun.
And right now he sounds really freaked out.
Jisung and Hyunjin share a look before rushing out to look for Seungmin.
Minho's shaking by now and Changbin is desperately trying to calm him but nothing's working, "Seungmin is Bang Chan right now, Christopher, the one who joins our chatroom," he looks up at Changbin with glassy eyes, "fucking hell he's our soulmate !"
Changbin parts his lips in shock. If he says Seungmin is Chan, then it means he— "You swapped with him yesterday ?"
Minho nods furiously while Felix and Jeongin are just as dumbfounded, but start to process the whole situation.
And Jeongin finally understands, quietly gasping before he frowns determinedly, taking Felix's hand, "We'll go look for him !"
They leave them alone and Changbin looks at Minho with a serious frown, "Tell me everything."
Changbin reads his notes, "Okay, so there's no way out of the house then."
Minho nods defeatedly, "And I can't find the fucking phone because Chan hid it."
Changbin hums, he's calmer now that the situation is logical, though he still doesn't understand why Chan did that to Minho's soulmate marks, but they found Chan and he's so happy about it, "And the boyfriend, who is he ?"
Minho grimaces in disgust, "He's an older man, at least in his forty, that fucker kept our soulmate locked for years, fucking bastard. I don't have his name but I can describe him."
Changbin nods, it will help a lot, but he can't help the flash of fear knotting his stomach, "Did he try anything on you ?"
Minho sighs, "He wanted to fuck but I told him I wasn't in the mood," he explains, "he didn't force me after that."
Changbin exhales in relief, the man's at least not a rapist, "Do you think you can draw his room ? If we're all going to swap with him, we need to have as much infos as possible."
Minho nods determinedly and that's when he winces and notices his arm, "What the fuck happened ?"
Changbin chuckles dryly, "The worst night of my life."
"Fuck okay, I didn't think it was that bad," Minho trails with a pained expression, giving back his drawing to Changbin.
"You can't imagine how fucking scared I was," Changbin tells him and his voice cracks. He tries blinking his tears away before pouting, "can I have a hug ?"
Minho snorts and he smiles all fond and empathetic, "Of course, come here bub," he speaks gently, opening wide his arms and Changbin dives in, almost collapsing against the older.
He closes his eyes and his heart warms until it melts, "Love you bub," Minho whispers softly.
"Love you too," Changbin replies with a sniffle before he's pulling away and wiping his eyes.
Minho's looking at him too fucking fondly for his heart to take, but at least the older notices and continue on their topic, "But I think I get it, Chan has a diary where he writes everything he thinks of, that old fucker's been brain-washing him," Changbin swallows thickly, "he thinks the outside world is awful where he can die at any moment. He thinks he's safe in his room and that if he's locked there, it's just to protect him."
"Fucking bastard," Changbin curses, now standing up and scratching his head.
"He also— he calls his soulmate mark the killmate," Minho adds and something in Changbin breaks, "he— he wrote in his diary what that fucker told him."
He can feel the anticipation rising with his nausea, "What did it say ?"
Minho's eyes are filled with hatred and anger when he looks up at him, "He thinks the names on his arm will be the one to end his life."
Changbin curses just as they hear screams coming from outside the room.
"It's Seungmin—"
"You mean Bang Chan," Minho corrects him just as Hyunjin and Jisung struggle to push Seungmin into the room, the younger's crying and desperately trying to fight them off.
"Fuck Seungmin please— just listen to us !" Felix begs just as Jeongin closes the door and locks it, panting.
"No— I didn't know— I didn't know I'm sorry— please please please let me go— I don't wanna die—"
Seungmin— Chan is starting to have a panic attack and his elbow knocks against Jisung's cheek hard enough to make him yelp in pain.
"Pin him on the floor !" Hyunjin yells through the chaos and Changbin quickly tries to defuse the messy situation.
"Jeongin and Felix stay in front of the door, Hyunjin and Jisung in front of the windows !" He yells loud enough to shut all of them and they all hesitantly do as he asked, leaving Seungmin backing off on a corner, crying his heart out.
He's trying to approach him carefully, but it doesn't help, Seungmin just hugs his legs and presses his forehead on his knees.
"Bang Chan ?" He calls tentatively and knows all the others look at him in shock, not really having followed the situation. Seungmin stiffens. Changbin doesn't glance but still asks all the others, "What was he doing when you found him ?"
Jeongin answers, "He— he was trying to stab his arm."
The killmate duh.
It's gonna be complicated to make him understand everything going on.
~~~
I WAS TOO IMPATIENTTTTTTT
But hey everyone ! :DDD
I've been focusing on this story more than Winter falls X))) I've got like 5 chaps so far that I need to change a few things and all, but I'll try to post every week or every 2 weeks :)))))
So what do you think so far ? Enjoying it I hope ? ;)
Stay safe everyone <33333333333333333