Work Text:
The Weight Of Us
Jo Yeong lay against the wall of the raised dais, his breathing shaky but steady. The adrenaline running through his veins had slowly ebbed away, leaving him tired and cold. Despite wearing a coat he felt a chill to his very core. He was so cold, colder than the wind blowing through the shattered dome roof of Cheonjongo. Colder than the snow flurries that drifted around him, landing on the crown of his head.
He had a bulletproof vest on but he wasn't sure how wounded he was. He still felt the impact of every bullet that had hit his body. Felt the vibrations through the vest. Despite feeling cold he could also feel warm and sticky blood on his skin, feel it on his clothes. How much was his blood? Did he have internal damage? He couldn't be sure.
He closed his eyes and remembered Gon naming him his Unbreakable Sword. Remembered how inseparable they'd been after that moment. He had successfully protected the younger version of his king, his best friend. If he were to die tonight, he had no regrets. He took a long shuddering breath, as tears streamed down his cheeks and then let the darkness consume him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lee Gon stood over the lifeless body of his half Uncle. Bending down to pick up the whole Manpasikjeok that lay on ground beside him. “It's finally over!” He said as he gripped the wooden flute tightly in his hand. He felt an overwhelming sense to shout or cry but if it was in relief or sadness he couldn't be sure. While his traitorous Uncle was finally no more and his father had finally been avenged. He still felt uncertainty brewing within him.
His mind swirling with multiple questions. How would the worlds change? Would he remember Tae Eul? Would she remember him? Was Yeong okay? Had he been discovered there among the bodies of the dead? Turning on his heel, he raced back to Cheonjongo to his most loyal friend, to his Yeong-ah.
He was met with little resistance as he ran through the halls of the palace. The palace still in turmoil over the attack on him and his father. As he neared the circular room where the gun battle had taken place, he noticed that most of the bodies still lay where they had fallen. The floor still slick with their blood. In the circular room, his father's body had been taken, his younger self was also gone, but he didn't see Yeong. Panic filled him completely as he began to search around for his Unbreakable Sword.
As he reached the back of the dais he saw a familiar figure laying against it. “Yeong-ah!” He called out as he quickly knelt by his side. The flute falling to the ground as he reached out to cup Yeong's face. There was no reaction from the smaller man as Gon placed his hands against his cheek. “Yeong-ah!” He called out again, feeling nervous at how cold Yeong's skin felt against his fingers. “Yeong-ah, please, please, open your eyes.” He glanced down to see red blood had pooled near his left hand, completely drenching it. That was Yeong's blood, he realized with despair.
He lowered one of his hands to skim the front of his chest, checking for any wounds, but he didn't feel any and his hand came back clean. The only wound he could find was on his left shoulder, but he wasn't sure how much damage the bullet had inflected. He trailed the fingers pressed on Yeong's cheek down to his neck to feel for a pulse. After a few heartbeats, which felt like eternity to him, he felt the rhythm of it against his fingers. It was weak but it was there. Gon let out a long sigh of relief as tears fell freely from his eyes. “Yeong-ah, hang in there. We're going home.”
Picking up the flute where it had fallen on the ground near Yeong, Gon put it in his pocket. He then proceeded to move Yeong as gently as he could against his back. He placed Yeong's right arm over his right shoulder as leverage and crossed his arms underneath Yeong's bottom to cradle him more securely against him. He quickly exited the palace as fast as he could and headed back to the bamboo forest. Back to their horses, going through the obelisks and back to the Kingdom of Corea.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After crossing through the obelisks, everything had happened in a rapid blur of activity. The Royal Guards immediately alerted to his presence, he shouted orders at them. For them to get a helicopter to get Yeong to the hospital, for others to tend to the horses, for them to notify Lady Noh that he was back but going to the hospital with Yeong.
The ride to the hospital by helicopter had been brief and with the trauma team on stand by, Yeong had quickly been taken to an operating room. Gon had situated himself outside of it, sitting on the metal chairs outside the closed doors. He glanced down at the blood on his hand, it was Yeong's blood. He had held his hand in the helicopter and all the way until they had forcefully pulled them apart to rush Yeong into surgery. He flexed his hand and balled it into a fist as tears pooled in his eyes.
“Your Majesty!” He heard Lady Noh cry out for him before he saw her come around the corner and sit down beside him, placing her hand over his closed first. “How is Captain Jo?”
“He's still in surgery.” He responded his voice wavering with emotion. “Lady Noh, what am I going to do....if....if...he....doesn't...ma-”
“Shhhh, shhh, don't think like that, Your Majesty.” She comforted him. “We must hope for the best. The captain is young and strong.”
Gon opened his hand and gripped her hand in his and as his tears overflowed to silently cascade down his cheeks, he instead wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.
They broke apart when he heard the door open behind him and the team of doctors and nurses exited the operating room. He rose to his feet. “How is he?” He asked tentatively.
“Captain Jo suffered a gunshot wound to his left shoulder that luckily missed any vital arteries but resulted in substantial blood loss. He has a broken rib, plus three fractured ribs and trauma to his right kidney that caused internal hemorrhaging. We had to perform surgery to stop the bleeding but the damage wasn't severe. We have given him blood transfusions and fluids to stabilize him. He has been moved to the VIP suite on the fifth floor.” The doctor informed him.
“Thank you so much, doctor,” Gon let out a deep breath in relief. “Can I go and see him?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, but he won't wake for a while. He's under sedation.”
“Thank you again, for all your hard work.” Gon told him grateful.
“Your Majesty.” The doctor bowed and walked away.
“Lady Noh, I'm staying by his side until he wakes up.” Gon informed her.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” She understood completely as she watched him walk away.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Gon was not prepared for the sight that awaited him when he entered the VIP suite. His steps faltered and he stopped midway to the bed where his Unbreakable Sword lay. While Yeong was only a few inches shorter than him, he looked miniscule in that bed. He looked too pale against the white sheets that covered him.
As he got closer he could see the white gauze wrapped around his injured shoulder. The sheets were mid way across his abdomen and he could see gauze completely wrapped around his midsection as well. Electrodes pressed to his chest that connected wirelessly to the machine that monitored his heart rate. The constant beat filling the room. There was also an IV pole next to his bed, two bags hanging from it that were connected to an IV catheter in his right arm, filling him with blood and fluids.
Yeong's hair was flat against his forehead, reminding him of Eun Seob but also of a four year old boy. His mind briefly transposed the image of four year old Yeong over the older Yeong laying there. Gon felt overwhelming guilt and grief. In his selfishness, he had put such a heavy burden on him. Yeong's loyalty was undying, he had proven that many times over throughout the years, but it wasn't fair to him. He shouldn't endure pain and injuries because of him.
“Yeong-ah, I'm sorry,” He told him sincerely. “I'm so sorry.” He sat by his bedside and gently placed his hand over Yeong's left hand that lay flat on the bed. “I'm so so...sorry.” He squeezed it gently as he looked at the pale face of his oldest friend. Gon laid his head down on the bed near their joined hands as he cried. “Please, forgive me.” He pleaded through his tears but there was no reaction from the Unbreakable Sword.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jo Yeong came back into consciousness aware of three things. He wasn't cold anymore, he hurt everywhere and someone was holding his hand. He groaned as he opened his eyes and saw a white tiled ceiling above his head. He could hear a constant beeping sound, like a heartbeat throughout the room and he realized he was in the hospital. He glanced down and saw that His Majesty was holding his hand. The king's head and upper body were sprawled on his hospital bed in an awkward position in sleep.
Relief spread through him as he looked at his friend. He was here. He had protected him. He glanced back at the ceiling as his eyes filled with tears. When he closed his eyes they cascaded down his cheeks. He felt warm fingers wipe them away. “Are you in pain, Yeongie?” He heard his king ask him softy.
He shook his head indicating no. He opened his eyes to see his friend looking at him with concern. “I'm happy to see you.” His voice sounded thick with both sleep and emotion as he squeezed his hand. “You're here. You didn't disappear.”
“Oh, Yeong-ah!” Gon exclaimed in relief. “I'm so glad you're awake. I was so scared that I would lose you.” His voice wavered. “If you would have died. I would have never forgiven myself.”
“I don't have any regrets,” Yeong interjected.
“You should have let me fix this. Given you another life where you don't get hurt because of me.”
“You would condemn me to live in a world without you?”
“You wouldn't because I wouldn't exist. There would be no memories of us...”
“Are you sure I wouldn't retain my memories of our life together?” He pressed his right hand to his forehead.
“Are you all right?” Gon asked alarmed. “Should I call for the doctor?”
Yeong exhaled sharply. ““I still remember everything that happened in the Republic of Korea. Everything we did to prevent the Manpasikjeok from being split.” He told him. “So my memories would still be intact and I'd be here without you...”
“I remember everything too,” Gon confessed. “Even the memories from my younger self when you saved us. How you held us tight in your arms and how our hand reached up to touch yours. We felt safe...I felt safe.”
“I will always protect you,” Yeong vowed softy. “Even if I have to protect you from yourself.”
“You've always been loyal, Yeong-ah,” Gon smiled. “I'm glad I could always count on you, my friend. I love you dearly.”
Yeong took their interlocked hands and placed it on his chest, right above his heart. “I love you too, Your Majesty.”
The End