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Chapter Text

Wu Suo Wei tried to open his eyes, but couldn’t for some reason. He tried to remember where he was but his brain provided him with nothing. It was like he was floating – his limbs light yet heavy, his breathing ragged and his heart was beating like crazy in his chest though his body felt drained of energy. Chi Cheng. Where was Chi Cheng?

“Chi…Cheng…” SuoWei whimpered. Why did his voice sound like that?

Someone’s labored breath fell into his ear.

“…Chi Cheng?” He whispered.

“Oh, little one, you wish.” A man laughed smugly. He blew in SuoWei’s ear making him flinch. The reaction elicited another laugh from the man.

SuoWei mind wasn’t functioning, he felt far away from his own body. A groan came from the man; and a scream tore through his lungs. He had no control over his body. Where was he? Where was Chi Cheng?

“This was what that Chi Cheng was hitting,” The man said, his voice dripping venom. ”No wonder why he won’t let you off his clutches. This is heaven.”

The man groaned loudly again, and that’s when Wu SuoWei registered that something was wrong. Something was gravely wrong, because there was a vigorous pounding in his lower body; but he still couldn’t see anything. Fear struck him like a violent wave. He screamed on the top of his lungs.

“Stop! Stop! Stop!” Tears poured down his cheeks.

“There you are, little fighter. I thought you lost all that fight.” The man commented, but didn’t stop.

Before SuoWei could thrash or fight back, his head again started to feel like it was underwater – all the body movement seizing, his sensing dulled. He screamed for Chi Cheng one last time before passing out. 

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The bright sunlight made him crease his eyes, as he walked down the stairs. Three months without exposure to such brightness, probably made him sensitive to it. Chi Cheng looked around and saw Guo Chengyu, Jiang XiaoShuai and his mother waiting for him. He noticed a figure missing but didn’t question out loud, instead hugged his mother, who hugged him back, and nodded towards his best friend and best friend’s boyfriend.

“Welcome back!” Chengyu patted his back, but Chi Cheng couldn’t help but notice a stiffness in the man’s shoulders.  But before he could ask him, XiaoShuai started pushing him down the stairs. Chi Cheng frowned. Something was wrong.

“Chi Cheng, my son..” Chi Cheng’s mother sighed in relief and held his hand, urging him to walk with her. “You’re finally back.”

Chi Cheng opened the car door and motioned her to sit in. She tried to say something but he beat her to it, “Dad refused to come, didn’t he?” He asked in a neutral tone; but his mother startled a bit.

“Oh, you know, dear..he’s a little busy.” She answered, sheepishly.

“Hm. Too busy to meet his son who was in jail for three months. Sure.” Chi Cheng spat. He didn’t even know why he bothered asking; it wasn’t like he didn’t already know. And, truth be told, he was pleased that the old man hadn’t showed up otherwise he wouldn’t have given up on the opportunity of belittling him, gnawing at his every life decision and shoving his opinions on his face; which Chi Cheng didn’t give two fucks about.

“I–“ His mother again tried to say something but he didn’t want to hear, he had more pressing matter in hand – his WeiWei,  so he closed the door instead and ordered the driver to take her home. 

“Where’s WeiWei?” Chi Cheng asked as soon as the car started moving.  He turned around to face the couple. They looked at each other but didn’t answer. Chengyu looked away somewhere to avoid making eye-contact with him.

“Why aren’t you answering?” Chi Cheng said, vexation clear in his voice. “Where is WeiWei?”

XiaoShuai shifted from one foot to another, as if trying to prolong the reply. He gulped. “I–“

Chengyu, however, stepped in between them. “Why don’t you take a shower at my place first, Chi Cheng? Then we can–“

“Guo Chengyu.” Chi Cheng stopped him, placing a hand on his chest to nudge him back and make a point. He’s not having his bullshit right now. “Where is WeiWei?” He asked again, pressing on every word.

“Chi Chen–“

“Guo Chengyu, I’m asking where is WeiWei?!” Chi Cheng bellowed, making the doctor flinch.

Chi Cheng grabbed Chengyu’s collar and yanked him. “Where the fuck is–“

“We don’t know.” XiaoShuai whimpered from the behind the taller male’s back.

“What–“

“ShuaiShuai–“

Chi Cheng and Chengyu said simultaneously.

“No, Chengyu. We’ll have to tell him sooner or later.” The shorter male said and gulped looking at Chi Cheng.

“Tell me what?” Chi Cheng took a deep breath trying not to lash out; these two were really testing his patience.

“DaWei..we haven’t been able to get a hold of him.”

“What?”

“I tried calling him this morning too– he didn’t pick up. I–“

“Since when?”

“Yesterday evening.” The doctor answered, lines of worry evident on his face.

Chi Cheng’s blood ran cold. His WeiWei has been missing. His WeiWei. His bǎobèi. He looked at Chengyu for..for anything, to tell him that the younger male was joking but the severe expression on his face made it hard to breath for Chi Cheng. His dearest. Lord knows where. Lord knows with whom. Lord knows if safe–

“Why didn’t– How can you–“ Chi Cheng choked, not being able form a proper sentence; his mind was racing hundred miles per second.

“Chi Cheng. Chi Cheng!” Guo Chengyu grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “We’ll find him.” He promised. He could see his friend tearing himself apart internally.

However, the comfort – Chengyu was trying to provide – it couldn’t reach Chi Cheng; his ears were ringing. The pain was too sharp, too quick to handle; his WeiWei’s laughter echoing in his ears. Was he hurt? Was he cold? Was he okay?

“We’re wasting time.” He blurt out.

“Huh?” Chengyu looked confused.

“We’re wasting our fucking time, while WeiWei is somewhere. Somewhere– with someone who could probably h–“ Chi Cheng didn’t let himself finish the sentence. Saying it out loud was something he couldn’t handle. He rushed towards the car, but Chengyu grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Let go of my arm, Chengyu!” He glared at the man.

“Calm down, Chi Cheng!”

“Don’t ask me to fucking calm down! Open the fucking car!”  Chi Cheng shouted, jerking his arm to loosen the grip.  “We don’t know where the fuck WeiWei is! Do you– do you even understand–“

“I do! I understand! You’re not the only one worried about him!” Chengyu looked back at XiaoShuai who was retreating into himself, as if trying to make himself small. “I’ve ordered Li Wang and Li Gang to look for the trail.”  

Chi Cheng sighed.

“Take a shower. Cool down so you can dive head first into the investigation; and when you’ll see Xiao Wei again, you need to be presentable.”

Chi Cheng clenched his jaw. Just how much more his WeiWei has to suffer.

“I’ll drag you, if I have to, Chi Cheng.” His friend added with a seriousness that let left no room for retort. He knew fighting Chengyu now was futile, moreover, the time was ticking and more time he wasted here on arguments, the more his WeiWei has to suffer. Chi Cheng pressed heels of his palm on his eyes and nodded towards Chengyu.

They sat in the car, full of tension and a silence that froze even the deepest nerves of their bones.

Chapter Text

 Wu SuoWei woke up to a skin piercing ice-cold water being thrown at him. He heard snicker coming from somewhere around him. He tried to move his body, but it was as if his body has frozen – refusing his command to move.

  “Wake the fuck up, so we can have some fun already!” Somebody shouted, kicking his stomach.

SuoWei’s eyes flew open, as a shriek tore out of throat. He looked around and located Wang Zhen Long – sitting on a chair – with his minions, cackling like hyenas.

“Oh, you’re finally awake.” The man snickered, “We can finally continue where we left.”

Continue? SuoWei tried to remember, something or anything, but he couldn’t think of anything – his mind was like a blank paper. He tried to voice his confusion but nothing came out of his mouth except some hoarse gurgles.

Where was he? He tried looking around to take in his surroundings but one of Zhen Long’s men harshly grabbed his face, digging their fingers in his cheeks, to make him face their ‘boss’.

“Don’t look away. The fun has just begun. No one is coming here to save you, anyways.” Zhen Long sneered.

“Chi…Cheng..” Wu SuoWei, somehow, whimpered.

That only earned another pair of scornful laughs, “Oh, that guy.” He looked at his men, then back at him, the grin never leaving his face. “Why don’t you try crying a little harder? Maybe he’ll come and ‘save’ you.” He gestured one of his men, who was standing near Wu SuoWei. The guy kicked him across the face, knocking his head to the side. SuoWei’s lip bruised, blood trailing down his chin.

The guy crouched down and whispered, “Mr. Ming  had his fill; now we’ll have our fill, you little slut.” He grabbed his hair and yanked his head up. “You look real pretty crying though, not gonna lie. So, cry as much as you can. Maybe boss will show some mercy.” He blew air on his eyelid, and it was then that SuoWei registered that his eye was swollen.

As his senses finally came back, he felt throbbing pain starting from his lower body which then enveloped his whole body. Wu SuoWei screamed when a rebar struck his back. He twisted, trying to get away but couldn’t go far as all of Zhen Long’s men started kicking anywhere they could – his stomach, back, legs, face. One of their rebar landed on his hip, which propelled a scream so loud that it even cracked in between. Tears streaming down uncontrollably, he flailed, curling into himself – tucking his knees to chest, lowering head to knees and shielding his head.

“Stop.” Zhen Long cold voice stopped the administrations. “Bring him here.” He ordered.

Wu SuoWei breath labored even more as he was dragged and thrown in Zhen Long’s feet. The man grabbed his collar and harshly pulled him forward. “Hey!” He shook him then slapped him. More blood trickled down SuoWei’s nose.

“Why– why are you…doing this?” SuoWei coughed out more blood.

“Do what?” Zhen Long raised his eyebrows, and then smirked. “Beating your ass? Or..” He came closer to his ear. “Letting your arse whore around a little bit.”

“What?” SuoWei’s blood ran cold.

“Oh! Don’t tell me you don’t remember?” The man chuckled. “Is your arse so used to whoring around that you don’t even remember the man that fucked you?”

SuoWei’s breath heaved. “W– W–“

“Don’t worry Mr.Ming will come back soon to remind you. Guess a dick is a dick.”  Zhen Long shrugged. “But people like you disgust me.” His face contorted in disgust. He picked one of his crutch and hit him, making him fall back hitting his head on the ground.

SuoWei’s vision swam; his senses vibrating at the edge of unconsciousness. He tried crawling away as the men started crowding him again. He tried moving his pelvis but an unbearable pain stopped him on his track. His body felt too heavy; pain clouded him as the beating started again.

Wu SuoWei wasn’t going to survive, if this continues. His heart beat loud in his ears, echoing a name when tears brimmed and slid down his cheeks. “Chi..Cheng…” He whimpered. His eyes moved frantically trying to avoid the black dots that were moving around in his vision.

Then all of a sudden the forces stopped; but Wu SuoWei was way too gone to register anything but the throbbing pain.

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The tires of the car screeches when Chi Cheng hit the break, as hard as he can. It’s a blur – his whole day; he doesn’t remember much of it, other than the unbearable dread that consumed his body with every passing second without the knowledge of WeiWei’s whereabouts. He almost knocked down his father’s room door in rage. He swore if it had been another of his father’s trick, he would’ve tore the entire mansion down; but it wasn’t. Chengyu had to stop him from almost snapping the old man’s neck. Agitation and the adrenaline coursing through his veins, numbered his logical thoughts, his instincts and mind screaming for Wu SuoWei. His WeiWei.

When the midnight arrived, GangZi came to Chi Cheng – his features telling a tale of relief, but edges were still stiff, so Chi Cheng tried not to be too hopeful. Then the assistant spilled out that they have found a trail; and it was the last one. If this also didn’t work then they’ll have to look into the shipments – human trafficking shipments. Chi Cheng didn’t even want to think about it.

So, without wasting another minute they went to the ragged-hotel-turned-warehouse. When he stepped out of the car, he heard the heart wrenching screams of his DaBao. Chi Cheng’s bǎobèi.

Chi Cheng’s body trembled with barely controlled rage; his vision turned red and there was only one thought in his mind – they, whoever had dared to lay their fingers on his DaBao, will fucking pay with blood. He will set an example for the world, or whoever even thought of hurting SuoWei, what happens when they so little as look at him the wrong way.  His reputation maybe of a playboy but he won’t hesitate to even kill for DaBao.

Chi Cheng walked in first, his men trailing behind, sporting knuckle duster in both hands. He didn’t even try to be discreet and just barged in, wrath wrapped in clean black suit – burning hot like fire. But the sight before him turned his blood into ice. SuoWei curled into himself, in the pool of blood – his own blood, while men stood in a circle around him, rebar in their hands, and Wang Zhen Long. Bastard. He isn’t dead yet? Oh he will be. Soon.

One of Zhen Long’s men ran and swung the rebar but Chi Cheng moved back, dodging it, simultaneously pulling his fist back and punched the man’s jaw. A satisfying crack echoed, indicating that the jaw had been broken. Chi Cheng’s vision has turned almost black in fury. He walked, his attention on the man who was blocking his WeiWei from him, covering the distance in long strides. Not letting the man time to react, he jabbed the sharp edges of knuckle duster in his chin – blood immediately oozed out his mouth. Uncaring of the mess, he crouched down near SuoWei, after taking off the knuckle duster. The other men had been taken care of by his men, he knew, so he solely focused on his love.

“WeiWei?” Chi Cheng called out.

SuoWei didn’t respond at first, then, “Chi Cheng?” He sniveled.

Chi Cheng cradled his head on his lap and cupped his cheeks. “Yes, WeiWei! It’s me.”

SuoWei stared at his face for a moment or two, and then passed out. Chi Cheng panicked. “DaBao? DaBao! WeiWei, wake up!” He tried shaking the younger lightly but no response. It was then he felt a fluid dribbling through his fingers, which were cradling SuoWei’s head. He lifted one hand and saw red. Blood. Chi Cheng’s throat choked.

“WeiWei? WeiWei!” His calls became more frantic, but SuoWei didn’t budge; fret pierced through his chest. “GangZi!” He roared.

The man summoned in no time. “Boss- shit Xiao Wei!” He gasped.

“Start the fucking car!” Chi Cheng ordered.

The assistant immediately sprinted into action. Chi Cheng picked up Wu SuoWei – cradling him near his chest – and ran towards the car. He sat in the backseat with SuoWei on his lap. As the car started moving, he gently moved his hand to SuoWei’s face and patted his cheek.

“WeiWei? Hey! Stay with me, DaBao.” He pressed their foreheads together, as tears started sliding down his cheeks, falling on the unconscious boy’s cheeks.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”

Chi Cheng held SuoWei’s body tightly against his own, pressing on the back of his head that was still bleeding through his hands, coating the fabric of his shirt in deep red. The bleeding just won’t stop. He could feel GangZi glance through the rearview mirror.

“How much more?!”, Chi Cheng yelled.

“Five more.” 

Chi Cheng leaned down, caressing SuoWei’s cheek with his own. “WeiWei, just five more, my love. Just– just please..” He choked, trying to muffle the sobs. “I’m sorry. I won’t ever leave you. Please. Please. My love.” Chi Cheng couldn’t hold on anymore and released a wail.

“Please. Please. I’ll live my whole life with only Ten Yuan allowance, yeah? A– And we can go to that spicy restaurant you said you liked so much, yeah? And those– those ridiculous shorts? You remember, bǎobèi? Yeah, you can wear those too. But please stay with me. I– I..”, Chi Cheng babbled. Maybe SuoWei can still hear him. Maybe he’ll recognize his voice in that void he was stuck in, and come back to him.

He opened his mouth to say more, but GangZi announced, “We’re here.” and hurriedly stepped out of the car to open the door of backseat.

“Doctor! Doc!” Chi Cheng shouted as they entered the hospital. The doctor and nurses scrambled in with a stretcher to lay SuoWei down on. They moved fast.

“To the OT! Quick!” The doctor said, as they entered the room. Chi Cheng tried entering too but a nurse held him back.

“I need to be with him!” He said.

“Sir, stay here. We’re operating. Please wait here.” The nurse said and walked back into the room.

Chi Cheng huffed and sat down on one of the chairs. He looked down on his hands that were covered in his WeiWei’s blood – Dark, Sticky, Cold, Horrendous, something he promised he’ll never see again. Now, here he was, sitting in front of the ER once again. Once again as a failure. He rubbed his hands on the pants, trying to get rid of the blood. He scrubbed once, twice, thrice, then again and again and again. The blood won’t come off, even as his hands trembled, as his eyes started to well up again; it won’t come off.

He could feel GangZi standing in the corner, hesitant. But he didn’t care; his shoulders shook as sobs tore their way through his chest. It ached – his chest, whole body. The pain was unbearable because he knew it was his fault that his WeiWei was in that room – unconscious, bleeding from lord knows how many places – all because of him, because he was so stupid he didn’t think twice before signing those damn paper, because he was just a failure of lover who couldn’t even protect his love, because he was such a bastard of a son that his parents, who had all the power and resources to take him out of jail the next day, refused to help him. He had no one to blame but himself. It was the course of  his action that his love was suffering.

Chi Cheng gasped, choking on his own spit but the lump in his throat only grew, aching hard with every inhale. GangZi was by his side the next second.

“Boss..” He was sniffing softly. Chi Cheng looked up and saw that he was also crying, but he had no energy left to say anything. The assistant tried calming him. “It’s going to be okay. Xiao Wei…he’s a strong kid. He’s going to be okay. You’ll see–“, He choked. “You’ll see, he’ll be okay in no time and will be chatting our ears off.” He said and forced out a laugh. “He’ll– He’ll probably..probably laugh later, y’know –“

“GangZi..”

“Okay. I’ll shut up. I’m gonna get water?” GangZi managed to say and Chi Cheng nodded. The man got up and left. 

Chi Cheng knew that his assistant was trying to comfort him, but no amount of comfort would work until his WeiWei was back. He was aware that SuoWei was dear to GangZi too. The man was by his side when he made his worst decisions in life and when he made his best decision in life. He’s seen it all, just like Guo Chengyu.  So, he could understand his attachment to WeiWei.

Chapter Text

An hour passed by, but Chi Cheng didn’t move from his place; his tears dried out eventually. Li Gang tried offering him water but the man refused and kept looking down on his hands, which were still stained in the remnants of SuoWei’s blood. Chi Cheng offered his assistant that he could leave if he wanted, however the man refused – choosing to stick by until WeiWei was out of OT.

Chi Cheng phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it, but it continued buzzing. Chi Cheng sighed and pulled his phone without looking at the caller ID, he answered it.

“What?”

“What what? You didn’t call back, dipshit. What’s going on? Did you find anything?”  Chengyu’s voice came from the other side. Chi Cheng didn’t know what to tell him.

“Hello? Chi Cheng?”

Chi Cheng sucked in a deep breath. “Gē..”

”Chi–“  Chengyu paused when he heard his broken voice. There had been only a handful of occasions when the man had called him that. So when he heard an almost muted sniffed through his phone, he knew something was gravely wrong.

“Where are you?”  The man didn’t beat around the bush; he knew Chi Cheng wasn’t in the right mindset.

“The hospital.”  Chi Cheng told him the address and got a ‘I’m coming’ in return. He sat there, motionless. He didn’t know how much time passed when Chengyu arrived with XiaoShuai. They didn’t ask him anything, taking in his state – hair disheveled, eyes red with exhaustion and tears that still glinted at the corners, and his shirt that was soaked in red, just like his hands.

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A couple of more hours passed, but Chi Cheng did not look up from his hands, not once. He didn’t acknowledge the presence of people around him. The trembling in his hands ceased an hour ago, leaving a numbness that only fanned the fire of guilt in his heart.

“I failed him…” Chi Cheng said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Chi Cheng–“ Guo Chengyu started, to comfort him probably.

“I failed him again.” He said firmly this time.

“Chi Cheng, you did not…”

“Of course, I did. What do you mean?” He forced out a humorless laugh. “He’s there because of me, Chengyu; when I promised him that it would never happen again.”

Chengyu tried to put a hand on his shoulder but Chi Cheng shrugged it with a jolt.

“Chi Cheng, listen to me!” His friend grabbed his shoulder trying to shake some sense in him. “Stop beating yourself over things you cannot control. You were in jail, for god’s sake. How could you have known? How–“

“But if I wasn’t such failure of a lover he wouldn’t even be in there.” Chi Cheng retorted. He took a deep breath trying to keep his tears at bay. “You don’t know! There was so much blood, so much. He was bleeding all over himself, and do you know the last thing he said? Do–“

“Are you hearing yourself?! Stop beating yourself! It’s not like he’s–“

“My name, Chengyu. He said my name in that haunted fading voice, nothing like my DaBao…  nothing like the person I love, all the while bleeding from… from so many places.” Chi Cheng eyes widened in devastation.

“He’s going to be okay..” It was XiaoShuai this time but, more than Chi Cheng, he was trying to comfort himself. His eyes also held unshed tears.

But we don’t know that. Chi Cheng wanted to yell. He wanted to turn the whole place upside, just so he can get his WeiWei back.

“….Cheng?”

His WeiWei.

“…Chi Cheng?” 

That bastard – Zhang whatever the fuck his name is – is going to wish he was dead. He was going to wish he was never born, once Chi Cheng was done here.

“Chi Cheng!”

Chi Cheng flinched and looked up. Chengyu, GangZi and XiaoShuai were staring at with concern. He looked to the side and saw the doctor. He immediately stood on his feet. He raided the man with questions, each one more desperate than last. “How’s he, doc? Is he okay? Is he–“

“Are you a relative of the patient?” The doctor asked.

Chi Cheng’s breath hitched. It’s bad. It’s bad. Nothing good ever comes out after a question like this.

“I’m his partner.”  He stated. If the doctor judged, then he didn’t let it show on his face. But, honestly, Chi Cheng didn’t give a flying fuck about his opinion.

“I have something I need to talk to you about. Please come to my cabin after we’ve transferred the patient to his ward.” He informed. He tried walking away but then stopped and added, “It’s important.”

“Doctor, is he not okay?” XiaoShuai asked timidly.

The doctor sighed, as if the whole conversation was draining him more than the surgery.

“He’s fine…physically for now.”  He answered in a clinical tone.

“Wha–“  The shorter male nearly shrieked.

 “I apologize, but I can’t provide you access to more information.” He said, and then looked at Chi Cheng who standing completely still – stuck in the spiral of his thoughts. “I need to inform his partner first.” 

Chi Cheng felt the floor almost slip under his feet. He didn’t want to think like that – of the worst. But the doc’s words weren’t helping it. He gulped as the sweat on his body cooled down suddenly, eliciting a shudder. No one around him seemed to matter. His friend, assistant and XiaoShuai tried to speak to him but it was, as though, his heart was beating in his ears and drowned all the noises except for SuoWei’s pained whimpers that still echoed in his ears.

He looked up, when he felt a hand on his shoulder, meeting Chengyu’s eyes which were brimming with concern.

“He’s going to be okay, Chi Cheng.” His friend reassured him, forcing a tight smile.

His throat felt too tight to answer back so he just nodded. Because he didn’t know what to do with himself if it went otherwise.

Chapter Text

Chi Cheng entered the doctor’s cabin. The doctor looked up from the file in his hands – his eyebrows creased in a frown, while his eyes held… sadness, and pity almost, like whatever he was about to tell Chi Cheng wouldn’t be something he’ll like.

“Please sit, Mr..”

“Chi Cheng”, He answered clipped.

“Mr. Chi, I wouldn’t ask for what happened as that does not come under my field of work.” The doctor sighed.

“What is it?” Chi Cheng asked, impatient yet dreading the words that could come out of his mouth.

“The patient…”

“WeiW– Wu SuoWei.”

“Right. The patient’s – Mr. Wu’s – body has gone through… extreme stress. Internal bleeding in several parts of body, fractured bones, deep cuts and bruises all over body but mostly near stomach and abdomen area, dislocated joints…”

The doctor went on and on, and it was as if with every word leaving his mouth the temperature of the room seemed to be decreasing simultaneously. Chi Cheng froze, every word like a blow on his incompetence to protect WeiWei. His eyelids flickered, trying to get rid of the blur in his vision. WeiWei- it must’ve been so painful, it must’ve hurt so much–

“…deep tear, possible case of sexual assault–“

“What?” Chi Cheng world stilled, air froze in his lungs.

“Mr. Chi…” The doctor trailed, hesitating to repeat.

“What did you say just now?” He repeated, but his voice wavered.  No. No. No. No. it can’t be–

“Raped, Mr. Chi. Repeatedly–“

Chi Cheng stood up abruptly, clutching his hair, the chair feel back loudly disrupting the quiet of the room. His breath heaved. Everything felt so quiet yet so loud. His WeiWei–  No. No. No.  He struggled to maintain his balance on his feet, his heart beat thunderous in his ears, while the muscle in his chest spasmed violently. It was as if someone ripped his heart out of chest – breaking all the ribs – and squeezed the organ, right in front of his eyes. WeiWei. His WeiWei. Lovely, beautiful, full of life WeiWei.

“Mr. Chi!” The doctor stood on his feet, ready to catch him in case he fell. He came near him and said, ”Mr. Chi, I know this is hard to take in. I truly understand, even after being so long in this profession doesn’t immune one for news of such kind – everytime the blow is harder than the last one. But Mr. Wu needs you now, more than ever, Mr. Chi.”

Chi Cheng worked his throat trying to control the wails that were ready to tear his throat. He didn’t know what doctor was saying anymore. His mind was filled with Wu SuoWei – his whimpers, tears and begs he must’ve let out, calling out for him.

“When will he wake up?” He asked somehow.

“Mr. Chi, I–“

“When will he wake up, doc?!” He growled,  desperation clear in his voice.

 “We don’t know for certain, but two days at most.”

Chi Cheng nodded and stepped out of the suffocating room, after the doctor handed his the report file.

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Chi Cheng stood by the door of the room where SuoWei laid motionless. He couldn’t bear it – being in the same room with WeiWei, who resembled his – their – mom, when she was sick and bed ridden,  so much at the moment. He clutched the file tighter, trying to ground himself. Around the sleeping figure, XiaoShuai, Chengyu and GangZi moved – adjusting bed sheet, filling up waterbottles and snacks.

Chi Cheng gazed at SuoWei for a long moment before his eyes lifted and met with XiaoShuai. The shorter male quickly walked towards the door and came outside. An air of fuzziness surrounded him as he looked at Chi Cheng for answers, to tell him what the doctor had said; but he had nothing to tell. His world had stilled the moment those cursed left the doctor’s mouth. His mind was nothing but an ocean of WeiWei’s desperate calls  that crashed near the edges of his vision – turning it blue with coldness, dread, pain, regret. He had promised their mom that he would protect the younger man and care for him, filling his life with happiness. But, now here he stood, outside the room – not even having the courage to face the wounds his love bore due to his failure; wounds that weren’t only physical but also mental, emotional and psychological.

“Chi Cheng…?” Chengyu, too, came out of the room and stood beside XiaoShuai, looking at him. “What did the doctor say?”

Chi Cheng’s throat closed up so he pushed the report file towards the younger doctor. He didn’t say anything, didn’t meet their eyes. He was a turmoil of emotions – every emotion merged and stretched within one another.

The couple gave him a confused look but held their breath as XiaoShuai took the report from Chi Cheng’s hand.

Patient Name: Wu SuoWei

Medical Record Number: WSW90-810-T

The doctor ignored the details he thought were unnecessary at the moment and quickly flipped the pages to land on physical examination.

Physical Examination:

• General:  Patient is unconscious and in critical condition.
•  Head:  Significant laceration to the scalp with active bleeding. Swelling noted around both eyes.
• Limbs:  Apparent deformities of several limbs, indicating probable fractures and/or dislocations.
• Integumentary:  Multiple extensive cuts and deep bruises across the body.
• Musculoskeletal:  Palpation reveals multiple suspected fractured limbs and dislocated joints. Ligamentous laxity is noted in several joints, suggesting tears.
• Abdomen/Thorax:  Significant abdominal distension and tenderness to palpation, suggesting internal bleeding.
• Perineal:  Examination of the anal canal reveals a deep tear, highly suspicious for repeated sexual assault.

XiaoShuai sucked in sharp breath as the file fell from his hands. Chengyu immediately steadied him when he began to sway, worry evident in his stance.

“ShuaiShuai, what happened? Are you okay?”

The shorter male didn’t answer, instead turned around and hugged him tightly. Chengyu’s distress spiked within a second, he hugged him back when he heard his broken sobs. XiaoShuai’s frame trembled in his arms violently as he choked on his own wails.

“No! No! No! No! Why him?! No!” He shouted in between in sobs, clutching Chengyu tighter. “DaWei…No!” His cries echoed in the corridor. A few nurses paused to look at the scene for a moment, but no one dared to interfere.  XiaoShuai fell on knees as another scream tore through his chest.  “Monsters! Monsters! All of them! My DaWei…my poor DaWei..my XiaoWei..” He pressed both of his hands on his chest, trying to ease the pain that contorted his heart.

Chengyu felt helpless looking at the state of his lover – sobbing on his knees, clawing at his chest, as if to physically take out his heart – and his friend – sitting on the bench like a breathing corpse. Chi Cheng looked like he wasn’t even there with them, eyes unblinking and posture rigid and still, as if all the screams and cries couldn’t reach his ears – drowning in the waves of his own agony.

Tears slipped through Chengyu’s eyes. He didn’t even know the whole situation yet the reactions of his loved ones were all he needed to know that it was something more than was met the eyes. He held XiaoShuai closer to his chest. The intensity of his cries has not reduced, instead it only increased with every passing minute; he gasped and hiccupped while trying to deny whatever he read on those papers.

Chengyu felt useless. He didn’t know what to do, what to say, how to comfort. Chi Cheng and him had promised each other to protect the boys, if one of them were ever absent; but Chengyu couldn’t keep it – SuoWei got hurt, badly. All because he couldn’t protect him, couldn’t help him when the boy needed him the most. It was his fault that they were all here – suffocated under the weight of pain and guilt even while sitting in a windy corridor.

Chapter Text

Wu SuoWei felt a suffocating weight over his body. He tried to open his eyes, move his head and his body but all his efforts went in vain. The weight wasn’t a familiar one – it wasn’t Chi Cheng’s – it was somebody else’s. The thought made his body thrash violently. He tried crawling away, but hands prevented him from doing so. He cried loudly, asking for help, for Chi Cheng but all it earned was a chuckle – dark, horrendous, ugly.

“So tight…” A man groaned from above him.

SuoWei screamed. Then, all of a sudden, he felt himself standing up, though the screams didn’t cease but it was like his soul was moving out of his body.

As he stood up, he saw the most disgustingly terrifying sight in front him. It was him and a man – that was not Chi Cheng – above him with his dick thrusting in SuoWei. He – the one pressed down by the man – was struggling to wiggle away from him, he scratched his body, punched his shoulder  but all his protests only seemed to encourage the man because he laughed and sped up the pace.

“I’m going to ruin you,” The man’s breath stuttered and his thrust turned sloppy. “When I’m done with you, I’ll make sure Chi Cheng feel disgusted looking at this hole. He’ll feel how loose I made you and, then, he’ll refuse to even touch you.”

SuoWei sobbed from beneath him. “No! No! Stop! Chi Cheng– somebody– help! No! Stop it!”

He couldn’t see his face, for some reason, even while standing just beside the horrific scene he didn’t recognize the man – his face was hidden by the shadows; but he could feel his dirty hands all over his body. He saw as his own self’s movements began to weaken as the man neared around his release. The revolting grunts slowed and stopped when he released inside SuoWei.

A bone deep disgust struck through him. He saw himself – face marred and thick with tear streaks, nauseating bruises all over his body; the sight appalled him so much that he stumbled back and fell on the ground. All the while, the man looked at him, snickering, without halting the heinous act.

SuoWei’s – the one watching all of it – tears slipped uncontrollably. He gasped as his breath refused to move in or out of his lungs. His heart contorted within his chest, shooting a painful call through his mouth.

“Chi Cheng!” He called out. His voice echoed through the darkness.

“Chi Cheng! Where are you….”  He cried, but didn’t take his eyes off the scene. The monster was now pounding in SuoWei’s unconscious body. Disgusting. Fucking disgusting. Stop. Stop please.

“Stop!” He screamed, however, it was as if the man couldn’t hear his voice echoing through the void.

“Stop, please! Stop it!” SuoWei crawled back, trying to get as far away as possible from all of it. He forced himself to look away when he saw the man lean down, bite his lips and shove his tongue through his slack mouth.

“Chi Cheng!” He shouted on top of his lungs but no one answered. The void was filled with the disgusting sounds of skin to skin slapping and groans of that monster.

SuoWei concentrated all of his energy in his feet and stood up. He couldn’t see it anymore. He couldn’t watch the man unravel his unconscious body more, so he bolted. He ran in the shadows as fast as he could. Even though he ran away from the monstrous sight, the sounds and grunts seemed to be chasing after him. They resonated all around him – making his skin crawl from inside. He wanted to tear his own skin, until all that was left were his bones and nothing else. It was, as if, the man’s hands could reached him even while he tried to run or hide away. 

SuoWei bawled, “Chi Cheng! Somebody…please help..please! Help!”

He ran until his legs trembled and eventually gave out. His chest heaved and build shook fiercely.

“Chi…Cheng….” SuoWei sniffled while trying to crawl away from the phantom hands.

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One day became two and two gave way to the third day way too easily, while Wu SuoWei lay unconscious on the bed. His chest rose and fell in calm rhythm, never once faltering, never once quickening. It was as though he was just sleeping – if they ignored the blue-green bruises all over his face, swollen eye, busted lip and the bandages that started from his head, covering his whole body.

It was painful, to say the least. Too calm. Something SuoWei never was. He was energy bursts, frantic movements and endless yapping, nothing like the guy that refused to open his eyes and chose to stay in that sleepy void.

Chi Cheng refused to move once he settled himself on the sofa near SuoWei’s bed. He refused to talk, only listened to the doctors for medical inquiries. He refused to let others comfort him, shutting everyone out who so much so laid their hand on his shoulder to provide a reassuring squeeze. His eyes never strayed away from WeiWei’s unconscious figure. He spent, almost, entire time sitting near Wu SuoWei – caressing his hand softly, kissing his knuckles while rubbing them on his cheek.

The sight broke his friends’ heart but they couldn’t tell him; not when the probability of him going feral was extremely high if separated from his lover.

Chi Cheng spent endless hours just staring at WeiWei’s face, taking it all in – his failure to protect the only one he swore to, the guilt that grasped his lungs whenever he accidently zoned out while looking at SuoWei or his eyes drifted away for more than a minute and the need to burn the world down to ashes. The anger was cold, ever present, lying but burning under the calm façade he wore. He controlled himself from going on a killing spree every time he saw the nurses changed WeiWei’s dressing and the glimpses of deep, red cuts over the little body caught his eyes.

Chi Cheng wanted to set the sky on fire. He wanted everyone to feel the pain he was feeling. Though, it was nothing near to what WeiWei must’ve felt during…

Chi Cheng took a deep breath and blinked slowly, afraid like if he looked away SuoWei would vanish from front of his eyes – back to somewhere he couldn’t reach him again, protect him again, save him; making him go through all that torture again. He caressed and kissed his knuckles, letting a few tears slide down.

“WeiWei, come back, please. Come back to me, bǎobèi.”

He looked out of the window for a moment – the night sky was illuminated by moon, tiny stars same as the ones that twinkled in his WeiWei’s eyes when he smiled, adorned the vast sky. Chi Cheng pressed his forehead on the back of his hand to rest eyes. Just when he was about to caress the hand, he felt a light squeeze on his own hand that held SuoWei’s. His head immediately shot up.

 “WeiWei? WeiWei, can you hear me?” Chi Cheng asked, desperation clawing his voice.

“…Chi..” Wu SuoWei’s eyebrows creased a little.

“Yes, my love. I’m here.” He stood up, hand still hold WeiWei’s.

“Chi..Cheng…” He was still not fully conscious and the whimpers seemed more like a sleep talk, if it weren’t for the state the little guy was in. “…help…stop..no, stop. Chi Cheng…” SuoWei mumbled.

Chi Cheng’s heart shattered. A heavy lump weighed down his throat. “SuoWei!” He called out. He didn’t know what to do or how to help the younger male. Once again he was utterly useless. He tried waking him up, but it was, as though, SuoWei couldn’t hear him. He moved his head side to side, trying to erase whatever images was seeing in his dreamy-state.

“WeiWei…wake up, please.” Chi Cheng begged, as tears streamed down his eyes. “Baby, I’m here. My darling, I’m right here..” He worked through the lump in his throat to let SuoWei know of his presence. His ears ringed because the cries only grew frantic with every passing second.

Wu SuoWei was now thrashing on bed. He couldn’t hear Chi Cheng or his pleads. The steady beeping of the heart machine spiked and beeped at an uncontrollable pace. Chi Cheng’s hand left SuoWei’s when his sobs grew harsher, echoing through the corridor and he jerked with every cry. He clutched the sheets like a lifeline while mumbling cries for help.

“…hurts. Stop…hurts…hurts..no!” SuoWei sobbed as his breathing ragged, kicking his feet as though trying to throw someone off his body.

Chi Cheng stood frozen in middle of the room, while the walls closed up around him. He was useless – he couldn’t help WeiWei as he thrashed on the bed and begged for help. He couldn’t do anything. He tried calling for him once more, but his voice refused to come out of his mouth.

It was a blur after that. Nurses and doctors came running into the room when they received the signal through hospital’s main comm. Chi Cheng couldn’t even press the button to call the doctor. He just stood there while Wu SuoWei cried, and nurses injected some sedatives into his body to calm him down. Eventually, SuoWei’s breathing calmed, his heart beat steadied and he passed out. All the while Chi Cheng stood there like a waste of space.

The doctor came to him, after confirming WeiWei’s state. “He’s stable now,” He informed “Patients tends to have such reactions while their brain is trying come on terms with the trauma.”

Chi Cheng gulped his eyes still on the sleeping figure. “When will he wake up?”

“Soon–“

“Soon?” He scowled. “What do you mean ‘soon’? It’s been three days, doc! How much longer?”

“Mr. Chi, we can’t tell for sure. Mr. Wu’s body has gone through extreme stress and it need time to recover.” The doctor said firmly, “We ask for your patience and corporation, Mr. Chi. We’re trying our best.”

Chi Cheng huffed. It was nobody else’s fault but his. It was his fault that WeiWei was here in the first place. If he wasn’t so incompetent ­–

“Mr. Chi, I understand it’s hard, but Mr. Wu is showing good results and his body is recovering slowly but steadily.” The doctor added.

All Chi Cheng could do was nod, so he nodded while biting the inside of his cheek. WeiWei. His WeiWei. Just how much more does he have to suffer?