➱Mountains

@† Kujo [H] Once settled, Jaewook extended his hand out to the younger man, car on the way to start. He squeezed his hand and smiled, chuckling, "I... have something cheesy I wanted to say, but I think I'll refrain for once." Soon enough, the pair was on the road, the telltale signs of the city fading in the rear view mirror. Instead, nature rushed up to meet them, concrete jungle swallowed by the Earth.

@† Jaewook Kujo watched the man’s mind work, curious, letting Jaewook do the math for their trip. “Forty minutes is perfect. It’ll be a great trip for us. I can’t wait for the fresh air and to see where you’ve got in mind, love.” He took the man’s hand, following to the car to climb into the passenger side. He put on his seatbelt, already feeling excitement build up.

@† Kujo [H] Jaewook considered the question, his eyes far away as if making mental calculations. The focus returned to them and he smiled, "Maybe about a forty minute drive? Do you think that's doable? A quick, little road trip for us?" The hold on Kujo's hand led them to the car where he looked back. He smiled, "We can pick up a few things on the way? And we'll have supplied for any of the training we'll want to do while we're up there. What do you think, love?"

@† Jaewook Tilting his head, he followed the lead and kept pace confidently with the older man. The question had a brow raising as he looked towards Jaewook. "I haven't, no." He thought for a moment, attempting to decipher where they could be going, before stopping himself to decide he'd rather have the surprise. "How far away is it?"

@† Kujo [H] () i lost this one sry ajfkdks

Jaewook stood up and smiled, a hint of something special in his eyes. He took the lead and Kujo's hand in the process, a smile at his lips, "I might have an idea-- Have you ever walked into clouds before?" The question was simple enough, but hopefully offered a hint of a bit of mystery. The older man knew the perfect place. He'd never been there himself, but he knew of its spectacular views and couldn't wait to see it for himself in the company of his boyfriend.

@† Jaewook I think I’m ready right now. But of course, I won’t go easy on you while we’re up there. I’m looking forward to it- I think I could do with the fresh air.
Standing, Kujo waited for the man.
Did you know an area you’d like to take a hike in?

@† Luhan Jackson couldn't remember when he passed out. Maybe when the game was finally over. Well over for him when the sub endured torture from the . He made a mental note to himself to get Seunghyun and Meto back for their actions. Possibly when he wakes up.

Thump thump. Jackson's brows twitched then knit together. Eyes slowly blinking up to the van's ceiling. He knew he was being driven but as to where, Jackson couldn't tell. It as determined he was embolised after trying to get up. It had to be Luhan for all this doing. Jackson tried to speak only to have a gag placed into his mouth. Now he was scared. He knew what Luhan waa capable of doing and it frighted him greatly.

The rest of the ride was quiet only to hear Luhan's disgruntle sounds and the was the van drove on the road. Jackson closed his eyes once again trying to focus on anything but this demise. Bump after bump, the road became... not cement anymore but dirt and trunks. Suddenly Jackson felt everything come to a stop and hear Luhan getting out.

With taps on the outside of the van, Jackson's heart pounded in his ears. Every second that passed by seemed like an enternty. Luhan opened the door and Jackson kept his eyes tightly shut acting like he was still asleep. But that act would soon come to an end when his bare body fell hard until the dirt ground.

Only small groans repeated through the gag, hurt and possibly now bruised from where he landed. Dark scared orbs pinned towards Luhan who now was cutting his rope then shifted to the weapon that dropped near his face. He took off the gag and tossed it besides him as he kicked his limps free from the ropes.

"Luhan-" Jackson began but both his sight and hearing caught that icey scary tone of the master. It wasn't a time to talk back but to do as he says. Jackson was too caught up to think about anything else but to stramble onto his feet and begin running. Where? He didn't know himself however the dark woods provided a sense of security.

Strong legs ran fast as they could possibly go. When he thought he lost Luhan, he stopped behind a thick bush and placed his hands on his knees breathing heavily. All the oxygen was stolen from his lungs. An ear twitched to a twig snapped and he in his breath. Backing away from the sound, Jackson ran the opposite direction further into the dark forest. He triped on a thick branch, cutting up his knee and arm. "..."

Jackson needed a place to hide and so he found a few thick bushes to vanish into. Hold this out...

@‡ Jackson It was around 4:38am when Luhan's boot fell to the break pedal, the mud-splattered work van shrieking to a halt as he fisted the gear and slammed it into park. Nails dug into the steering wheel, carving into the leather in an pattern similar to the faded indents already worn in. His dark orbs trailed out into the forest, past the high beams and shadows into the lingering night, searching for a sliver of light in the heavens thought not a single star could be found to illuminate it.

Saying he was pissed was the understatement of the century. Every cell in his body quivered with rage as his mind fell from the present to the words Jackson had spoken to him during the game 'I decided to be nice to you and obey after what you endured.' The shred of pity made his insides burn more than the welts that still plagued his skin in rememberance of that night. After all he had done and it still wasn't enough for the sub to hate him, let alone, break him down into the nothingness that was promised. Jackson had seemed more occupied with the other participants to the point where it tweaked him- more than tweaked- whatever the feeling, it had been slowly eating at him over the last few days. He needed to stomp out any sign of weakness, even if that meant purging Jackson from his life before it was too late.

Lifting the latch of the door, he kicked it open with his heel, the van lurching forward the moment his foot lifted from the pedal. He hopped down, hands on his hips as he looked once more out into the forest. It was cold, the air nipping at his thinly clothed body at about forty-seven degrees. It was uncomfortable but he knew once his adrenaline started pumping the feeling would dissipate, shrugging off the thought as he tilted his head from side to side, stretching out the stiff muscles from the non-stop four hour drive. With a heavy slam of the door, he rounded the vehicle, fingers sliding across the glossy, white side, feeling the black vinyl letters raised underneath his fingertips, spelling the words 'Raging Rebels' in heavy metal font. It was no Harley, but it sure as hell got the job done when he was hauling cargo. A couple soft pats landed upon the van once he rounded the corner, fingers curling into the handle to jerk it open to reveal this trip's cargo, or better known as Jackson.

He paused for what felt like an eternity once his eyes fell onto the sub's body, replaying the game incident all over again in his head. How he had managed to hog tie, gag and throw him in the back was a blur to his memories, but it didn't matter. He was already leaning in, grabbing the rope that twisted tightly against Jackson's ankles and jerking him out of the vehicle until he felt to the ground with a harsh thud.

Teeth gritted together to suffer through the jolts of pain that spiked across his when he knelt down. He refused to look Jackson in the eyes, his own gaze kept hardened and focused as a knife was pulled from the pocket of his cargo pants, flicked open and sawing through the ropes into a freyed mess. When the first one snapped, he stood up while the knife was flung down, burying itself into the sand dangerously close to Jackson's face: an offering should he chose to accept it. His lips pursed, whole body growing rigid as his eyebrows began to furrow, knitting dangerously close together as the single word seethed from his lips with a bitter hatred. "Run."

@† Brandon "Yeah, it's too bad I didn't get to do my strip tease, you would have missed that once in a lifetime show." A ghost of a smile curled his lips for a second for it faded. "I knew it wasn't normal for you, but I also know that emotions are human and we all feel them. You shouldn't be ashamed to cry, anymore than you should be ashamed to want someone to hold you sometimes. We all hit that point. Hell... I've hit that point more times than I care to admit." Looking at Brandon when he felt the tap against his nose he did manage a small smile for a few seconds. "You're a good guy, even if I did think you were some kind of insane psychopath who was trying to kidnap me and sell me to a dungeon when we first met. I am glad I met you though, I'm glad we're friends."

@† Hyunjin [H] "I know. You're fine." He assured, stepping forward to hug his dear friend, holding him close as he spoke. "I was down real bad when I first started talking to Jimin. My emotions were everywhere. I ed up, almost lost him. And it hurt. Really bad. And I started crying- and for me that's just, so far out of the normal everyone was stopping and staring. Except for you and sungjong. You both distracted everyone while Hyungsoo pulled me from the crowd. Later that day, my Changkyun stopped by with these redicilous hot wings and a note to say that if anyone asked why I was crying, to just blame it on the stupid chicken." Brandon let out a pained laugh at the memory, breaking away to look at Hyunjin with nothing but love and admiration. "nobody has done that for me. That was the day I knew you four would become part of my world that I would do anything to protect. Its always the smallest things that mean the most to me. And I can never thank you enough for what you did." He paused for a brief moment, tapping a finger tip to Hyunjin's nose. "My father always said your real friends show themselves when you're at your lowest. That day, I learned who they were. And I've treasure every single one of them"

@† Brandon Hyunjin's eyes were dark and filled with the misery and the annoyingly persistent loneliness that has plagued him for as long as he can remember. He doesn't say anything at first, just shaking his head and looking away, he doesn't even know if going anywhere else would help. At least out here there's pain and pain is something to distract him. "Why do you care about me? I'm not asking that to be a smart , I really want to know. I don't get it, I know I haven't been the nicest because I never am. I know how much of a I can be. You're going awfully far out of your way for me, and I just don't feel like I've done anything to deserve it."

@† Hyunjin [H] "nope. Just your sanity." Another smile paints across Brandon's lips as he settled down next to the passenger's side and tugged the door open. "I don't think you have- no" he confessed, the door slamming once the other had fully departed from it. A palm fell against Hyunjin's back, leading him into the valley as he cringed at the story he was told. "these jackets were made to withstand weather twice this cold, Hyunjin. You won't die out here." He stopped to round in front of the other, eyes laced with concern as he rested his palms on Hyungjin's shoulders. "Okay. Okay I hear you. Just say the word and I will take you anywhere else. I'm here for you. If you're going to be miserable then I am happy to find somewhere else."

@† Brandon "I don't risk my safety on a normal week you know." Rolling his eyes he's reluctant to pull the coat on. It looks so cold outside and he's already hurting just thinking about stepping out. He hates the cold, he hates it with every fiber of his being. Pulling the jacket on it he zips it up as far as it will go and he's very slow to step out of the vehicle. "Did I ever tell you why I hate the cold?" He asked, but it was a rhetorical question because he knew damn good and well he hadn't. He hadn't even told Chris. "The closest I ever came to dying was hypothermia. If the cops hadn't found me when they did, I wouldn't have made it. I was young, and stupid, and angry at the world. I ran away from my foster home. I didn't realize the weather was going to get so cold that night, it was a cold snap I wasn't prepared for. All I really remember was being pressed against a brick wall and a dumpster. I was so cold everything hurt, it hurt so badly I couldn't move. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I swear I've never really warmed back up since then. I don't think I've gotten any smarter or less stubborn either."

@† Hyunjin [H] "you're coming to work for me now. You're not going back to the streets. You have the rest of the week and then you're going to work for me- if you want to bang on a couch, I can make that happen. I just won't risk your safety again." Brandon sighed softly as he slipped the coat around his broad shoulders before zipping it up to keep the cold air out. "yeah. I didn't finish the job the first time I kidnapped you so this is my attempt to tie up loose ends." He said with a flat tone, gently nudging the other's leg to encourage him out of the vehicle before exiting himself. "Kidding. We're here to walk. Talk. Scream our heart out and let the mountains hear our voice and echo back their sympathies."

@† Brandon (That would be 100% okay with me )

@† Hyunjin [H] [would you like to switch to third, hun? Forgive me for not asking sooner]

@† Brandon No... I guess not.
/he whispers, looking down at the coat in his lap and blinking back the stupid tears he didn't want to fall. He was so sick of being weak, it was ridiculous and pathetic/
I just need to take on a few of my regular clients. It will shut off all the annoying emotions and I won't care anymore.
Where are we anyway? Is this where you're going to hide my body after you kill me?

@† Hyunjin [H] I believe he showed you a real part of himself. Maybe lacks a little impulse control. / in a deep breath after what feels like I've been driving forever/ I'm pretty sure what he felt was real too- just consider where you met him though. /pulls into an empty field between two mountains and shuts off the car, reaching into the back for a coat similar looking to your own/ people don't exactly go to clubs looking to be tied down.

@† Brandon I just thought...
/swallowing hard he shakes his head, pushing back the stupid pointless emotions as best as he can/
I guess he was lying to me more than I thought he was. I don't even know if what he showed me was real.
I just don't get it, why do it in the first place if he was going to turn around and try to convince me he loved me and wanted to be with me?
If that was true he wouldn't have done either of those things with either of those two other guys.
I just hate it, so much. I hate myself.

@† Hyunjin [H] Yeah and that's why I got you a puffy marshmallow jacket to keep you warm. Thank you Brandon- wow. Best older brother in the world. Five stars. /smiles at you and gives you a gentle nudge/ think of it this way- you fell for a fantasy, not the real person. Because he was always like that, you just trusted and maybe even loved him enough to be blind to it. /Looks out the windows, keeping my eyes on the road as I continue to drive slowly/ the only thing you did wrong, was trust someone before they earned it. And even I can't tell you that wrong because I'm doing the same thing right now, just hoping for the best possible outcome.

@† Brandon I hate cold...
/he sounds more than a little miserable as he says it, he doesn't know where you're taking him but he's mentally preparing to use physical misery to drown out the emotional misery/
I was getting used to sleeping next to someone again. I think that's why I feel so lonely right now. I know it will go away, I just hate that I feel this way at all.
I keep wondering what I did wrong, what I always seem to do wrong.

@† Hyunjin [H] /straps myself in, turning the key into the ignition and letting the car idle to warm up while I listen to you talk about your feelings/ rejection never stops hurting Hyunjin. We just get a little better each day at learning how to manage it. /shifts the gear into reverse, pulling out of the parking lot and driving onto the road/ buckle up. We're going somewhere cold and where nobody is around.

@† Brandon The worst part is it's not even Chris doing what he did that I'm so upset about. I've been unwanted since I was born. I was actually starting to think that things might be different with him, and of course they weren't. It feels the same way it did every single time those foster homes sent me back again. You'd think that after a while rejection would stop hurting, but I don't know if I'll ever be numb.
/swallowing hard he looked down at the coat in his lap, frowning in slight confusion as he picked it up to look at it/
Why would I need a coat?

@† Hyunjin [H] Yeah, well this time it was almost master podd- and I doubt he would have found it as amusing as you did. /smiles back, shutting the door and slipping into the driver's seat, my own smile fading as I listen to you/ you will get over it in time. I have an idea- but first. I got you something. /reaches into the back seat, pulling out a heavy black coat and placing it onto your lap/ I was going to give it to you some other day but you're going to need it where we are going. I hope it fits.

@† Brandon You have such a habit of that
/he almost manages a smile as he gets into the car, but it fades almost quicker that it appeared/
I've been crying too much lately and I still want to. I thought I was over this feeling

@† Hyunjin [H] I almost kidnapped the wrong person.. /sighs and pulls you to my car, unlocking the passenger door and holding it open for you to get in/

@† Podd -smiles and hums softly-
-leans into you with a grin-
I didn’t mind it~ I’m a voyeur and an exhibitionist so I really didn’t mind~
-nuzzles you softly and pecks your cheek-

@‡ San /he tucks back into his pants before pulling you onto him in a cuddle/
We can go somewhere more private next time
/chuckles and secures you into his body for warmth/

@† Podd -rolls onto my side and looks up at you-
Yes of course~
-rests my head on your shoulder and hums-
This is very nice~

@‡ San /podd chuckles before rolling off of you, laying on his back to look towards the sky/
"Maybe. Would you come again next time?"