[Round 3] #308 (R1 Archive) A Place to Call Home Part I

[seokmonsters]

Title: A Place to Call Home
Pairing:  Xiubaek
Side Pairings: Minor Seho and Chankai if you squint
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 32k
Warnings: Violence, death of unnamed (not main) characters

Summary: In a world wrought with war between those with powers and those without, Minseok lived his life on the run and in constant danger.  He'd learned the ways to survive, but he'd never found a place he could call home.  That is, until the group saved a certain boy and took him under their wing.

Author's Notes: I hope everyone enjoys this if they read it, and if the prompter reads it, I hope I did some justice to the idea you had!  A massive thanks to G for helping me through all the times I got stuck writing this.  And thank you to the lovely seokmonster mods for being such a joy and running this fest!

 

 

 

            Minseok blew hot air on his fingers, trying in vain to warm them up a little in the cold, night air.  The season was starting to change, and soon it would be too cold for them to get by without thick jackets.  They would have to raid another store at that point and hope they could find enough for everyone in their group.  Otherwise, they would be really hurting come winter.  Perhaps it was finally time to move on to a new place.  They'd exhausted most of their resources in this city.  All that was left was ruin.

 

            Minseok couldn't remember a time when there was peace, when there wasn't a divide.  When the humans with special powers emerged, fear consumed society and war broke out.  The government reacted to the widespread fear, setting up a capital city and refuge for all 'regular' humans, while the 'monsters' were slaughtered the instant they were found or their powers became active.  Many of the humans with powers fled, hiding in older, rundown cities that had been abandoned when everyone moved closer to the capital.  Minseok and his gang lived in one of those very cities now.

 

            Unfortunately, the government wasn't keen on letting them live, even if they were far from regular civilization.  They trained soldiers into cold-blooded hunters, then sent them throughout the land, turning up every rock just to find them.  As if that weren't enough of a threat to them, many regular humans decided to take advantage of the fear and chaos and formed gangs, hunting for the power users and taking over cities, claiming them as their turf.  They were usually the cruelest when it came to catching power users.  After all, the hunters usually gave them swift deaths.  To be killed by a gang was to be slowly tortured, sometimes maimed beyond recognition.

 

            That was the life they lived, one of constant running and turf wars.  To experienced power users who lived in groups, they could usually fight off the human gangs and even the hunters, if not just push them back long enough to escape.  The fact of the matter was though, most of the time, their powers were dormant and untraceable until they were in their adolescent or teenage years, which meant they were inexperienced and hardly independent when they finally activated.  They were easy prey for hunters and gangs, and most never even made it out of the capital before being caught.  The future was bleak for most of them, and it was hard to come across other power users.

 

              No one knew what caused a person to be born with powers.  It was commonly thought of as a birth defect, but there was no real explanation for it. Minseok's powers were activated around the time when he was 15.  He had picked up a glass to take a sip of water, only to freeze it.  In his moment of fear, he shoved the glass into the freezer to hide the evidence.  He'd locked himself in his room after that, trying to calm down and process what was happening.  He practically screamed when he accidentally frosted over the doorknob.  When he headed into his bathroom, he spotted a small, snowflake-like insignia on his forehead that hadn't been there before.  At that moment, he realized his fate was sealed.  He was a power user.

 

            He hid his symbol with cover up for the next few years, slowly learning to control his power while finishing up his years in school.  It was in his final year of high school, shortly after he'd turned 18, when everything came crashing down.  The school security camera had caught snowflakes falling from his fingers as he walked through the halls, and the school instantly alerted the government.  When Minseok got home later that evening, there were military trucks in front of his house, and several hunters waiting in his driveway.  It was in that moment that he decided to run for his life, as fast and far away from the city as he could.  He never even got to tell his parents goodbye, but he wondered if they would even care, learning that their son was a monster.

 

            Minseok couldn't even remember how far he'd run.  He went days without food, only managing to get water from melting the ice he formed.  He collapsed from exhaustion the instant he reached an abandoned town not far from the capital city.  He was far from safe, but he couldn't push himself any further.  That was when he'd met Kris and Luhan, two other power users around his age that had run away from the city about a month beforehand.  Minseok was wary at first, but soon, the 3 became inseparable, like brothers.  After that, they gradually started picking up and rescuing other kids around their age that had managed to run away from the city.  It had been 3 years since Minseok had run away and joined them.

 

            Minseok's current gang consisted of himself and 10 others.  They were precious to him, his new family that he would protect at all costs.  Their powers varied, but they made a well-rounded group.  Minseok controlled frost.  Luhan had powers of telekinesis.  Kris could levitate, and to some degree control the effects of gravity on other objects.  They'd found a healer, by the name of Yixing, about 2 years ago.  Healers were a rare occurrence, and their powers were highly sought after for obvious reasons, so Minseok's gang was particularly protective over him.

 

            Following Yixing, the group found Chanyeol, who was in charge of flame.  He initially refused to join their group, and no one understood why, until Chanyeol finally let it slip that he was looking after another boy, who'd been severely injured by hunters when they were leaving the city.  The reason he was refusing to join their group was because he didn't want to abandon the other boy, and he didn't trust Minseok's group not to leave the boy for dead when they saw the state he was in.  In their time together, Chanyeol hadn't learned that Yixing was a healer, and Minseok regretted hiding Yixing's power, since they could have helped Chanyeol's friend much sooner.  After the misunderstanding was sorted out, Chanyeol brought them to his friend, and Yixing spent a great deal of time healing him.  The hunters hadn't been merciful.  That was how his family gained not only Chanyeol, but Jongin, a teleporter aged 15 at the time.  The two were inseparable, even within Minseok's group, but it added a sense of warmth that the group had been missing until then.

 

            The next people they found were Joonmyun and Jongdae.  Joonmyun had a power similar to Minseok, except he controlled water in a liquid form.  Jongdae was a lightning user, which would have explained the strange, random storms the group had been traveling through prior to meeting the two.  They were in a city notorious for being ruled by a cruel human gang.  Minseok thought it was suicide for the two to be there, but then he learned from Joonmyun and Jongdae that the human gang had found a young power user and were torturing him, and they were trying to rescue him.  That was all it took for Minseok's gang to band together with Joonmyun and Jongdae and take down the entire gang.  It was a bloody affair, and if they hadn't had Yixing, there would have been casualties, but they managed to kill the entire gang.  It was the first massive battle the group had experienced together, though they were no strangers to death and fighting by that point.

 

            When they finally found the power user that the group had been torturing, he was barely alive.  Yixing healed the worst of his wounds, but he was too tired to fully heal him after the massive battle they'd fought.  They stayed in the prior gang's lair that night, taking care of each other and resting.  It took quite a while to get a name out of the young boy that had been held captive, but finally, Joonmyun managed to learn it.  He was Sehun, a wind user not much younger than Jongin.  Minseok wanted to throw up when he realized just how young he was and what a traumatizing experience he went through.  They couldn't leave them alone in this world.  So Joonmyun, Jongdae, and Sehun all joined Minseok's family as well.  It was a long process to get Sehun to open up and feel safe again, but everyone in the group doted on him and loved him as he was.  Minseok was proud of the people he'd learned to call family.

 

            The final two people in their group joined only half a year ago.  They'd found Tao running for his life from hunters.  They couldn't begin to comprehend what his power was until Tao stopped a bullet in mid air, knocking it to the ground seconds later.  He controlled time, another rare and easily abused power.  It took a lot of convincing after rescuing him, since Tao had been betrayed by his own mother and reported, but gradually, their words and kindness won him over.  They found Kyungsoo a month later, living well on his own in an abandoned city.  Minseok was surprised at how well he functioned on his own, and was even more surprised when he easily agreed to go along with their group, deciding that having a few friends might not be so bad.  They later learned that Kyungsoo's power was inhuman strength, when he accidentally punched a hole in the wall of their hideout.  Kyungsoo had expected them to kick him out of the group after that, which led Minseok to wonder if the reason he was alone wasn't because he could handle it, but because he'd been abandoned previously.  Instead the group just decided the wall looked better with a hole, and they'd be leaving the place soon enough.  The look of relief on Kyungsoo's face made Minseok happy they'd picked him up.

 

            Their group had recently moved to a new city, their last one having been overrun by hunters.  This new one wasn't bad, but they were finding resources were scarce and competition with a rivaling human gang was high.  Raiding stores was always an exhausting affair, and they never got out of it without a fight.  They were always cautious, and half the group checked the premises before even attempting to steal whatever they could find from an abandoned store.  There was usually never much, but they would take anything they could find at this point.  They didn't have the luxury to be picky.

 

            That was how Minseok found himself circling the premises of a small convenient store.  Everything was quiet, and Minseok could only assume the humans weren't hurting for supplies, so they weren't out on raids tonight.  The humans could always go back to the capital if they really needed something though.  Whenever a human gang interrupted one of their raids, it was usually for the purpose of thwarting their efforts or trying to kill them off.  This night would probably be a fairly easy raid, but Minseok had learned never to let his guard down.

 

            A hand landed firmly on his shoulder and he turned to find Kyungsoo looking at him with a serious expression.  He nodded at Minseok, a signal that it was all clear.  Minseok rubbed his hands together again before motioning for them to head into the store.  He saw the other members of his group approach the store with caution from their hiding places.

 

            Despite Minseok's power to control frost, he didn't have an immunity to the cold.  He still found himself shivering uncontrollably.  In fact, his power usually made things worse because his body temperature was always colder than that of a normal human.  The same could be said for Chanyeol, but his problem was the worst in summer, when his body heat was so immense it was like he had a fever the entire season.  Perhaps Minseok would try to find a jacket on this raid so that he wouldn't get sick within a week's time.

 

            As soon as they got into the store, the group split up to find as much salvageable food and other supplies as they could.  The idea of fresh food was nothing more than a memory.  Anything 'fresh' they found had long since gone bad, so they stuck to nonperishable items.  They could probably steal fresh food from the capital, but it was far too high of a risk.  They'd managed to survive this far on what they scavenged.  They would make it work.

 

            Minseok browsed the aisles, grimacing at how messy everything was.  This store had been raided before, so the odds of finding a lot of supplies were probably slim, but it wasn't empty, so it would still be a worthwhile trip.  He managed to find a small section dedicated to clothing, and picked up a few jackets that didn't seem too tattered and torn.  After that, he decided to peruse the medicine aisle, grabbing bandages for smaller wounds that didn't require Yixing, and any medicine he could find.  When he was finished, he decided to head to the food aisles in an attempt to find one of the others.  They'd brought massive trash bags along with them and that was usually how they carried all their supplies back.  Minseok needed to drop his load off before he could scavenge for more.

 

            What he didn't expect to find was a boy, looking similar to his age, standing in the middle of the aisle, staring at a pack of ramyun in his hands.  Minseok had never seen him before.  Was he a human?  He didn't look like he was part of the gang in this turf.  Was he a stray then?  Was he a power user?

 

            Minseok approached cautiously.  The boy must have been extremely focused on the ramyun, because he didn't even notice him until Minseok spoke up.

            “You might want to grab a few more packs unless you want to come back here every night.”

 

            The boy jumped and dropped the pack of ramyun, taking a few steps away from Minseok.  His eyes were wide and Minseok saw pure terror in them.  His expression instantly softened and he felt a twinge of sadness in his chest.  He'd seen that look in so many others before now, and he was sure his own face had reflected that terror before.  Whoever this boy was, he was scared and seemingly alone.

            “I-I...” The boy started shakily.

 

            Minseok sighed and bent down, managing to pick up the ramyun despite his full arms.  He walked slowly over to the boy and held it out, nodding at the boy to take it.  Very, very slowly, the boy reached his hand out and took the pack from Minseok, his hand shaking in the process.  Minseok gave him a gentle smile.

            “It's ok.  I'm not going to hurt you.  I'm serious when I say grab a few more.  That won't even last you through the day.”

            “Is it...” The boy mumbled, jumping a bit when Minseok raised his eyebrows at him in question.  “Is it really ok to just...take these?”

            “Are you serious?” Minseok blurted out, feeling a little bad when the boy cringed at his remark.  “Do you see a cashier to pay for it?  It was abandoned, just like the rest of this city.  Just take what you want.”

            “But still...”

 

            Minseok rolled his eyes and walked over to the shelf.  He shifted things around in his arms, then with his free hand, grabbed more packs and shoved them into the boy's arms.

            “Take them,” he hissed.  “I can't believe you're actually sitting here feeling bad about stealing.  Have you been living under a rock all this time!?  This is how we live, unless you're in the capital!”

 

            Minseok wasn't trying to be harsh, but this boy seemed far too naive for his own good.  He wouldn't last a day on his own if he was this stupid.  Human or not, Minseok wasn't going to let him walk out of the store with no food.  It was obvious this guy wasn't connected to the human gang.  Minseok was pretty sure he was all on his own, which was probably why he was so scared.

 

            The boy opened his mouth to say something, but Minseok's name was called in the distance by Kris.  He sighed and gave the boy one last smile.  He walked around him, towards where Kris's voice had come from, then glanced over his shoulder one last time.

            “I'm serious!  Take as many of those as you can, alright?  You've gotta survive.”

 

            He quickly left the aisle, not waiting to see if the boy would take his advice.  When he found Kris, they were loading items into the trash bags.  Minseok deposited his load into the one Kris was holding.

            “Looks like we got a lot,” Minseok said.  “I'm surprised.”

            “Yeah.  We were gathering everyone up so Jongin could teleport us back with the supplies.”

 

            They heard a sudden siren and Minseok cursed under his breath.  Hunters had arrived, blaring their signature alarm.  It seemed they liked the chase when it came to killing power users, so they always blared sirens upon their arrival.  Minseok pointed at the bags and snapped his fingers.

            “Pack the supplies up as fast as you can!  We need to get out of here!”

 

            They worked together, stuffing the bags.  As soon as they finished, they started holding hands so that Jongin could teleport the whole group plus the supplies back to their base.  Minseok was about to join the circle when his mind flashed back to the boy he'd met in the food aisle.  Were they just going to abandon him to the hunters?  If he was a human, the hunters would probably take care of him, but if he was a power user, they would kill him.  If the boy was struggling to steal food, Minseok doubted he would have the guts to fight against the hunters.  He couldn't just leave him here alone.

            “You guys go ahead.  I have to do something.”

            “What!?” Luhan practically shrieked.

            “Minseok, we're not leaving you here,” Kris urged.

            “There was another boy in the food aisle,” Minseok explained.  “He seemed really scared.  I can't just leave him here.  If he's one of us, you know what they'll do to him!”

            “Then we'll stay and help,” Chanyeol suggested.

            “You'll risk losing our supplies!  Get them back to the base,” Minseok demanded.

            “At least let one of us stay with you,” Kyungsoo pleaded.  “I'll stay and the others can leave.”

            “Are you sure 2 of you is going to be enough?” Joonmyun asked.

            “It doesn't seem like there are a lot of hunters.  I only heard 1 siren.  It's probably just a traveling group.  They're never that big.”

            “Alright,” Kris sighed.  “Are you going to bring that boy back to the base?”

            “If he's one of us, I'll definitely give him the option.”

 

            Kris nodded solemnly and gestured at the rest of the group to grab the supplies.  Minseok and Kyungsoo rushed away, heading back to the aisle where Minseok had met the boy.  His heart sunk when the aisle was empty.  Of course the boy had run off as soon as he'd heard the siren.  He might have run straight into danger as well.

 

            Minseok bolted away from the aisle and out of the store, a very confused and surprised Kyungsoo following behind him.  As they ran around, looking for any sign of another person, be it the boy or the hunters, Kyungsoo finally started to question Minseok's actions.

            “Why are you so obsessed with this boy?  You don't even know if he's a power user!”
            “I have a bad feeling,” Minseok responded back, stopping to catch his breath.  “That kid was too scared to steal fucking ramyun.  How do you think he's going to handle hunters coming after him?”

            “Not well,” Kyungsoo muttered, starting to understand why Minseok was so worried.

            “We don't even know what his power is if he has one.  Maybe he'll be able to fight, but I don't see him doing that if he was still questioning the morality of stealing.”

            “He's a pure one,” Kyungsoo commented.  “I didn't think there were still pure people left in this world.”

            “He's an idiot,” Minseok snapped bitterly.

 

            His further remarks were cut off by the sound of a gunshot in the distance.  He met Kyungsoo's wide eyes with his own.  The hunters had found someone.  The question was, who?

            “We need to go!” Minseok urged.  Kyungsoo nodded and the two began running in the direction of the gunshot.  Minseok could only pray they weren't too late.

 

            A short distance away, two hunters were chasing the boy Minseok had seen.  He was quick on his feet, giving them quite the chase, but unfortunately, one of the hunters was good at shooting moving targets.  A bullet to the calf succeeded in stopping the boy in his tracks, and he fell to the ground with a pained cry.  The hunters approached him slowly, and the boy tried to back away, not making much progress with an injured leg.  He looked up at them with teary eyes and pulled one of the ramyun packs out of his jacket, setting it on the ground in front of him.

            “I'm sorry,” he whimpered.  “I-If you'll let me go, I won't do it again...Please!”

 

            The hunters merely sneered and laughed at him.  One stepped closer, grabbing the boy by his bangs and yanking his head back, causing him to yelp.  The hunter's eyes narrowed as they settled on a small, sun-like insignia on the boy's forehead.

            “A power user.  Did you think your innocent act would fool us?  Did you take us for idiots, you scum!?”

            “Please...let me go...” The boy begged.  The hunter holding his hair laughed coldly and held the gun to his forehead.

            “Can't do that.  I won't let any of you sick bastards live.”

 

            The boy closed his eyes, tears falling down his cheeks.  He didn't want to watch anymore of the situation unfold, not that he would be alive much longer.  He heard the man in front of him gasp and gag, then felt warm liquid spray over his face.  That was enough to cause the boy to open his eyes again.  His jaw dropped when the man who'd been antagonizing him had been completely impaled by an icicle, blood leaking from the wound.  He was kicked away seconds later by the familiar face of the person the boy had met in the aisle.

 

            He scooted away, letting out a small scream, as the hunter fell lifelessly beside him.  The second hunter had been attacked by someone else, and the boy watched in horror as that person easily snapped the hunter's neck.  He screamed again when the two newcomers turned to look at him, and tried to back away.  The person from the aisle slowly knelt in front of him, reaching his hand out.  The boy slapped it away almost instantly.

            “NO!” He shouted.

            “I'm not going to hurt you,” the person soothed.  “My name is Minseok.  This is Kyungsoo.”

            “Y-You killed...You're murderers...” The boy stuttered out, trembling visibly.

            “Excuse me?” Kyungsoo hissed.  Minseok raised his hand to stop him.

            “He was going to kill you.  I don't know what rock you've been living under, but we live in a kill or be killed world.  We don't have a choice but to be killers.  It was either him or you.  Which would you have rather died?”

            “I-I don't know...”

            “Well, I chose to save you.  So I would try to be a little more tactful with your words.”

            “I'm sorry...Please don't kill me!”

            “I won't,” Minseok sighed.  He tried to reach for the boy again, but the latter flinched.  “I'm not going to hurt you.  I'm just going to check your forehead.”

 

            Slowly, he moved his fingers to the boy's bangs, brushing them aside gently to check for his insignia.  Minseok let out a relieved sigh when he spotted it.  He was glad he'd stayed behind to save him.  As rough as things had already been between him and the unknown boy, he was grateful he hadn't left one of his own kind behind to die.

            “You're one of us, see?” Minseok said, lifting his bangs to reveal his own snowflake insignia.

            “So what happens now?” The boy asked fearfully.  “Will you let me go?”

 

            Minseok's hand dropped from the boy's forehead, brushing through his bangs gently.  He was trying his hardest to be gentle, since the boy was clearly shaken up.  Minseok glanced over his body and his eyes settled on the bleeding bullet wound on his leg.  They needed to get that treated soon.  He glanced back up at the boy's eyes and noticed how dazed and unfocused they seemed.  Minseok had a guess that between shock, fear, and the injury, the boy was about to pass out.

            “We can take care of you,” Minseok offered cautiously.  “We have a healer.  He can take care of your leg.”

            “Will you...throw me out after?” The boy asked tiredly, rocking forward a bit.  Minseok grabbed him by the shoulder to steady him.

            “No, we'll look out for you.  I promise.”

            “I don't believe you,” the boy muttered before falling against Minseok, unconscious.  The frost user sighed and snuggled him closer, rubbing the boy's back.

            “I can't believe it,” Kyungsoo said in awe.  “This guy's really something else...Calling us murderers after we saved his life.  Where does he get off saying that?”
            “He was scared.  And we did kill two people in front of him,” Minseok figured.  “We don't know what he's been through, Kyungsoo.  Maybe he hasn't killed someone before.  Maybe his power can't be used to kill someone.  We don't even know his name or his power.”

            “So are we bringing him back to the base?”

            “His leg was shot and it's bleeding pretty badly.  We need to have Yixing look at it.  We'll see what the boy wants to do after that when he wakes up.”

            “Jongin is supposed to come back and wait for us at the store.  We should probably head back.”

            “Yeah.  Will you carry him for me?  You're a lot stronger,” Minseok teased.

 

            Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and carefully lifted the boy over his shoulder.  He frowned at how light he was.  A few packs of ramyun fell out of the boy's jacket and Minseok sighed, staring at them sadly.  He picked them up, then motioned for Kyungsoo to follow him.

 

            Jongin was waiting for them, frantically pacing back and forth, when they got back to the store.  Chanyeol was there as well, and Minseok could only smile.  Those two really didn't go anywhere without each other.  When their eyes met with the boy draped over Kyungsoo's shoulder, their jaws dropped.

            “Is he ok?” Jongin asked worriedly.

            “He's hurt, so we need to take him back to Yixing,” Minseok explained.

            “And you two are ok?” Chanyeol asked next, surveying them for injuries.

            “Yeah.  The assholes were too busy tormenting this guy to even notice us sneaking up on them,” Kyungsoo grumbled.

 

            Jongin grimaced and Chanyeol pulled him closer almost out of instinct.  They both knew very well what cruel things hunters were capable of doing to their kind.

            “It's good that you were able to save him,” Jongin said softly.  “Let's go home so we can take care of him.”

 

            Minseok nodded and they all held hands.  Seconds later, Jongin teleported them back to the abandoned building the group had learned to call home.  The others rushed over as soon as they appeared, eager to see if they were ok and who the boy was that Minseok had saved.  Almost immediately, Minseok grabbed Yixing's wrist and looked at him pleadingly.

            “He's hurt.  Will you take a look at him?”

            “Of course!”

 

            Minseok had Kyungsoo carry the boy to his room, laying him gently down on the old mattress that Minseok slept on.  Kyungsoo left the room as Yixing entered, and Minseok closed his door to give them some privacy.  He made sure to reassure everyone that they were alright first though.  As soon as he turned around, he was surprised to find Yixing carefully peeling the boy's pants off.

            “What are you doing?” He asked, feeling his face flush slightly.

            “The wound is on his leg.  His pants are a little too tight to roll up, so I'm taking them off so I can get a closer look.”

 

            Minseok walked over cautiously, keeping distance so Yixing could work, but his worry definitely got the better of him.  Looking at the boy's legs, Minseok could tell he was thin, scarily so.  Minseok glanced at the wound next.  There was only an entry wound, so the bullet was probably still lodged inside his leg.

            “I'm going to need Luhan to help me get the bullet out,” Yixing said softly.  “It hit his bone and cracked it.  He's probably in a lot of pain.”  Minseok gulped.

            “I'll go get him.”

 

            Minseok left the room and returned shortly after with Luhan.  The latter was able to pull the bullet out with ease and Yixing began healing the broken bone and the bleeding hole.  Minseok decided to wipe the hunter's blood off the boy's face with his sleeve in an attempt to distract himself.  He had seen far worse injuries, even on his own family members and himself, but something about seeing this boy in pain really upset him.  He didn't even know his name, but Minseok's protective instincts had already kicked in.

            “I've healed his wound,” Yixing finally sighed.  “But he's still in pretty bad shape.  He'd been starving, Minseok.  He's malnourished and weak, and I can't really fix either of those.”

            “We'll get him some food when he wakes up.”

            “Start with rice,” Yixing suggested.  “His stomach probably won't be able to digest anything heavier than that.  Then we'll try to get something with more substance into him later.”

            “I'll go tell Chanyeol and Joonmyun to start cooking it,” Luhan stated, getting up.  “It's about time we eat anyways, and I think the others have finished sorting the supplies by now.”

            “Thanks, Luhan,” Minseok said.

 

            Luhan waved him off and left the room, closing the door once more.  Minseok watched as Yixing carefully pulled the boy's pants up and fastened them.  There was silence between them, but their feelings had been communicated all the same.  Yixing was just as sullen about the whole situation as Minseok.  It was never easy seeing someone reduced to this state.

 

            Eventually, Yixing left the room as well.  Minseok remained, wanting to be there when the boy woke up because he would no doubt panic at the change of location.  As Minseok watched the boy sleep, he couldn't help but hope that he would choose to stay with their group.  Minseok knew a lot would be expected of the boy if he were to join, since everyone in his group was expected to pull their own weight, but it would be better than wasting away on his own.

 

            The smell of rice and instant ramyun was starting to flood the abandoned building and Minseok took a deep breath, closing his eyes and relaxing at the smell.  That was when he heard the soft mumble coming from the boy beside him.  Quickly, Minseok got to his feet and stuck his head out the door, asking someone to get him a bowl of rice.  When he turned around, the boy on the mattress was trying to push himself up, and apparently having a hard time doing so.

            “Hey,” Minseok greeted gently.  He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, causing the latter to jump.  “It's ok.  Let me help you up.”

 

            Minseok carefully grabbed the boy's other shoulder and lifted him up the rest of the way with ease.  He really didn't weigh all that much, and that worried Minseok.  The boy stared with unfocused eyes for a moment, then gradually recognition crossed his face as he focused on Minseok in front of him.

            “You...” The boy started.

            “I'm Minseok,” he reminded.  “I brought you back to my home.  My friend took care of your leg already.  Does it feel better?”  The boy nodded.

            “Thank you...”

 

            At that point, Luhan came in the room holding a bowl of rice and some chopsticks.  He handed them to Minseok then gently smiled at the boy before taking his leave again.

            “We made you some food,” Minseok said softly.  “You're hungry, right?”

            “You didn't have to...”

            “I said we'd take care of you, remember?  Here.”

 

            He handed the boy the food and nodded at him when he stared at it hesitantly.  The smallest smile graced the boy's face, and Minseok's heart might have skipped a beat at the sight.  There was something weird about this boy, perhaps his innocence in light of a dark situation.  It was a nice change compared to the usual bleak world Minseok saw.

            “Will you tell me your name?” Minseok asked as the boy was finishing the rice.

            “Baekhyun...”

            “It's nice to meet you, Baekhyun.  Would you like to stay with us?  You'd have to gather supplies and help out, but we'd look out for you.  We're all one big family here, and we'd love to have you too, I'm sure.”

            “Would I have to kill?” Baekhyun asked sadly.  Minseok grimaced.

            “I can't promise that you wouldn't.  We run for our lives on a daily basis...But we'd look out for you.  There's strength in numbers after all.”

            “My power can't kill...Does that mean I can't stay?”

            “No.  Jongin's power can't kill.  Neither can Yixing's.  In fact his does the opposite.  We still keep them around.  What's your power?  I'm sure we can find something you'll excel at.”  The boy frowned.

            “It's pretty useless and I'm not good at controlling it.”

            “Show me.  It'll be ok.”

 

            Baekhyun sighed and closed his eyes.  His entire body began to glow and Minseok's eyes widened slightly.  Then the lights in his room flickered rapidly before going out along with Baekhyun's own light.  A second later, they came back on, and Baekhyun let out a disappointed sigh.  There was a knock on the door and soon Kris had opened it, looking around nervously.

            “We saw flashing lights under the door and got nervous...” He explained somewhat guiltily.  Minseok simply smiled and rubbed Baekhyun's back.

            “Guys, meet the newest addition to our team.  This is Baekhyun, and he controls light.”

 

            The group muttered small greetings and a heavy, nervous tension seemed to loom, but that was normal whenever someone was introduced into their group.  Minseok was certain that they would come to love Baekhyun just as they had everyone before him.  As he watched Baekhyun fidget nervously and greet them back, he really hoped the boy would come to like their group too.  As long as he wasn't going to be on his own starving to death anymore, Minseok was content.

 

~*~

            Getting Baekhyun to open up and be part of the group proved to be a challenge.  He wasn't as shut off as Sehun had been, but he was close.  He mostly stayed in the small room they'd given him in their abandoned building and only ever came out when it was time for meals.  Yixing was pretty insistent that Baekhyun receive certain types of food so that he could recover faster, but unfortunately, their group only had so much they could provide.

 

            As per rules of the group, Baekhyun always ate last.  New recruits had to earn their share and rights to eat along with the others.  It was mostly in case the new recruit was only there for supplies and betrayed them and ran off later.  They kept them on tight leashes until they could prove their trust.  Minseok wished that didn't have to be the case, but he'd learned well that it was hard to find trustworthy people.

 

            Still, even if Baekhyun ate last, Yixing always made sure they set his share aside first, not wanting the boy to not get enough to eat while he was so weak.  Minseok made sure no one saw, but he also saved some of his food and secretly added it to Baekhyun's plate before bringing the food to the boy's room.  Sadly, Baekhyun still preferred to eat alone, so half his meals were spent in solitude.  That is, solitude with Minseok's poor company.

 

            He didn't like to leave the boy alone, and he really did want Baekhyun to open up somehow, so he usually sat in his room with him while he ate.  Minseok wasn't sure why he was acting this way.  He'd never tried this hard to get the others to come out of their shells.  It had always just happened naturally.  There was something different about Baekhyun.  Something that made Minseok want to look after him and make sure he was doing well and eating enough.  That was why he was sneaking him some of his food when he'd never done that for anyone else.  Minseok had never felt this way about someone before, so determined to make them feel safe and happy.  This Baekhyun kid really was an anomaly to Minseok.

 

            Still, Minseok was glad to see him gradually getting better.  Baekhyun had been so weak that Yixing had wanted him to rest in bed most of the time.  Now, some color had returned to his face and he was able to get up without Minseok or Yixing needing to be beside him to possibly catch him if he got dizzy or lost his balance.  Minseok wished there wasn't always a lack of food.  None of them were eating as well as they should be, but they just couldn't afford to.  Supplies were too scarce to eat well.

 

            Minseok sighed as he looked at their supply stash.  They'd been feeding an extra mouth for the past few weeks, so naturally they went through their food way faster than usual.  They were going to have to make another supply run in a few days.  They needed more food as well as clothes.  They'd given Baekhyun a new set, but he'd been wearing it for a while now and they didn't even have enough jackets for their initial group, let alone having extras to give Baekhyun.  Minseok was dreading the next supply run, since they never went smoothly, but there was no other option.

 

            Minseok gathered everyone into the main room of their hideout a few days later, Baekhyun included.  He did his usual rundown of which store they'd be raiding, which subgroups they would be traveling in to make sure no one was alone, and what kinds of items they'd need.  The others were used to supply runs, but to Baekhyun, this was terrifying.  Minseok must have realized this, because he told Baekhyun that he wasn't to leave his side while they were on the raid.  Knowing he'd be with Minseok seemed to calm the boy down a bit.  Baekhyun's power wasn't made for fighting in the first place, so he had no problem staying with someone who could protect him.

 

            When they were ready, they gathered close and held hands so Jongin could teleport them.  They would be going to an old mall this time since they desperately needed clothes as well as whatever food they could find.  Baekhyun's hand trembled as it clutched tightly to Minseok's.  The latter looked at him gently and squeezed back, trying to provide some sort of comfort and reassurance.  They landed outside the mall, and the group split up, making sure the surroundings were clear.  When they were done checking, Minseok gave the signal for everyone to move in.

 

            It was a strange sense of déjà vu to be walking beside Baekhyun and gathering clothes.  Minseok kept him close by and within eyesight at all times.  It wasn't hard, since Baekhyun was terrified, especially of being alone.  He naturally clung to Minseok's side.  Minseok couldn't help but pity him and wonder just what the boy had been through up until now.  He hadn't tried to ask since Baekhyun was extremely jumpy and skittish.  He figured he would try to reassure him and gain his trust first before prying into possibly dangerous, emotional territory.

 

            Minseok and Baekhyun headed upstairs and started scavenging some of the old clothing stores for anything they could use.  Minseok was looking for warmer clothes, since the weather was only going to get colder.  Baekhyun mostly held the bag open for Minseok to deposit items into.  He would stare down at the clothes in the bag every now and then and Minseok could only smile softly.

            “It's alright.  They're lying on the ground and a lot of them have small holes in them.  You don't have to feel guilty about taking them.”

            “Ok,” Baekhyun answered quietly.

            “This town is abandoned except for us and a human gang.  We compete for supplies, but other than us, nobody wants these clothes.”

            “How long have you been in this town?” Baekhyun asked.  Minseok was surprised at the sudden conversation, but grateful that the boy was talking to him.

            “Not long.  Maybe a few months?  What about you?”

            “I've only been here a week or two.  Most of that time was spent with your group.”

            “Really?  Where were you before?”
            “In a city near the capital.  I would have stayed there, but...”

            “It's even riskier near the capital,” Minseok sighed.

            “Something like that...So do you guys always stay in places for a long time?  Isn't it risky to settle down?”

            “We usually try to completely exhaust a city of resources before we leave since they're so hard to find, but you know, with hunters and gangs, sometimes we leave cities pretty early.  The resources aren't worth the constant risks.  We never stay somewhere for more than a couple months.  That's just how it works out.”

            “So is the human gang that lives here not a threat to you?  You said you compete for supplies...”

            “They're just petty battles.  The humans can always go to the capital for supplies, but the world is out to see us perish, so they try to take what little we have.  But the humans here aren't the worst gang we've dealt with, that's for sure.”

 

            Baekhyun looked fearful and Minseok mentally punched himself for making it sound like there were far worse things out there.  It was the truth, but for whatever reason, he wanted to break that to Baekhyun slowly and keep him protected from those worse things.  Besides, he was trying to settle Baekhyun down, not make him more worried.

            “It's alright.  I'll take care of you,” Minseok whispered, reaching for Baekhyun's wrist to hold it.  Somehow, those words held more weight than any other time Minseok had said them.

 

            Baekhyun bit his lip, looking unsure, but finally he nodded and offered the smallest hint of a smile at Minseok.  It was strange how Minseok's heart seemed to beat just a little faster.  It was probably just because Baekhyun was finally smiling, which made him happy.

 

            They continued to gather clothes in silence, but it was much more comfortable than before.  Baekhyun seemed to have relaxed just a bit.  That is, until they heard the sounds of gunshots in the distance and shouting.  Minseok cursed under his breath and shoved a few more shirts into their bag.

            “We need to go!  The human gang is here!”

            “You're sure it's not hunters?”

            “No, there was no siren.  Hunters always announce their presence like jackasses.  The human gang just starts shooting.  And even if it were hunters, we still need to get out of here, right?  Let's go find Jongin and the others!”

 

            Minseok grabbed Baekhyun's hand and began leading him quickly back down to the first floor, Baekhyun dragging their massive bag of clothes behind them.  Minseok was very careful in moving around, opting to try and sneak and hide, but it was hard with the massive bag.  Finally, they spotted the others hiding and sending attacks at humans who were shooting at them while taking cover.  Minseok clicked his tongue and turned to Baekhyun.

            “I'm going to join the fight.  Stay here.”

 

            Baekhyun watched nervously as Minseok rushed over to the others, dodging shots and shooting icicles out of his hands.  Baekhyun looked away when one of those icicles pierced through the chest of one of the humans.  He hated seeing this.  No amount of telling himself that this was the world they lived in would ever make it easier to watch.

 

            As the battle grew more violent, soon the humans came out of hiding and were getting physical with the other members of their group.  Baekhyun would have figured close combat put the humans at a disadvantage, but with the amount of knives and other close ranged weapons they had, the group was having to stay alert at all times.  Baekhyun was having trouble keeping track of everyone, and he'd managed to lose Minseok in the fray.  He was so preoccupied looking for the other, he didn't notice the human sneaking up on him.

 

            He screamed as a blade slashed across his arm and he dropped the bag of clothes.  Out of fear and instinct, he began to glow, praying that it would deter the man attacking him.  Unfortunately, he lost control and ended up creating a massive flash and destroying all the lights in the room.  He cowered on the ground while the fighting continued in the darkness.  Eventually he heard Minseok shout for Chanyeol, and several fireballs shot into the air and hovered there, lighting the battle once more so they weren't fighting blindly.

 

            More humans rushed at Baekhyun and he closed his eyes, waiting for their attacks to hit.  To his surprise, he heard dull thumps and grunts, and he glanced up to see Minseok back by his side, kicking and punching the humans away before sending out more icicles at them.  He was really protecting Baekhyun, like he said he would.  Baekhyun watched Minseok struggle to keep the men away.  Their bag of clothes had long since been taken by the human gang.  Baekhyun tried to look for it, but all he could see were men fighting.

 

            He glanced back at Minseok and noticed that he seemed worn down and possibly hurt, gripping his shoulder from time to time.  The men just kept coming.  Baekhyun needed to help him somehow, right?  One of them charged for Minseok and Baekhyun quickly flashed brightly, hoping to deter him.  His heart raced when the man grimaced, stopping in his tracks.  The only problem was Minseok also groaned and covered his eyes.  Baekhyun cursed himself for blinding Minseok as well.

 

            The most horrifying event happened while Minseok was still recovering from Baekhyun's flash.  One of the other men came charging at him, knife ready to strike.  Baekhyun gasped and shouted out, but Minseok was still squinting to see.  Baekhyun flashed once more, and the man staggered, missing his aim for Minseok's chest and instead striking him in the side.  Minseok groaned as the knife plunged into his skin, but he grit his teeth and forced himself to form an icicle, impaling the man that had attacked him.

 

            Minseok wobbled on his feet, clutching at his bleeding side.  The knife had fallen out when the man collapsed before him, so now his side had a gaping, bleeding hole.  His vision blurred as the pain began to set in and he lost his footing.  Rather than hitting the ground, however, he collided with a soft body, that held him close and lowered him gently to the ground.  He heard Baekhyun calling his name, whimpering and begging for him to hold on.  Minseok wanted to comfort him and tell him that he was ok and that he'd been through worse, but it was hurting his side just to breathe.  Instead, he let himself be held closer by Baekhyun.  It surprised him when the other whispered to him.

            “Close your eyes.”

 

            Minseok wanted to ask why Baekhyun would make a request like that, especially in the middle of battle, but when the boy began to glow, Minseok had no choice but to close his eyes.  Minseok felt nervous, not being able to see what was happening, but even with his eyes closed, he could tell that Baekhyun was painfully bright.  None of the humans would be able to get near them or be able to see who they were hitting.  They could still shoot at them from a distance though.  Minseok could only hope his friends had taken care of the men with guns.

 

            Baekhyun was surprisingly warm.  Minseok didn't think he'd ever felt this warm before, except for when Chanyeol was near him in the summer time.  It was pleasant though, and it was lulling him to sleep.  The blood loss and pain weren't helping his case of course.  It was strange being held and protected like this.  Minseok had never experienced it before.  He'd always fought stubbornly or tried to protect one of his friends.  Baekhyun was different though.  Minseok felt this need, this urge, to protect him at all times.  Being protected by him now was doing equally strange things to Minseok's heart.  Then again, maybe that was because of the blood loss as well.

 

            As time went on, Minseok felt Baekhyun shaking and heard his struggled breathing.  Baekhyun was wearing himself out, and he was no doubt having a hard time keeping his power under control.  Minseok wanted to tell him to stop, but he didn't even have the strength to open his eyes anymore.  He was losing consciousness.  The last thing he heard was Yixing's voice, though he couldn't make out what he said.

 

            Baekhyun groaned as his head ached, but he was so afraid to stop.  If he was glowing, they were at least out of sight and somewhat safe.  It was only when he heard another voice that he finally relaxed.

            “Baekhyun!  It's me, Yixing!  Stop glowing, I can't see!”

 

            Baekhyun let out a sigh of relief and let his glow fade.  He was trembling and exhausted and his cut ached, but that didn't much matter when he remembered Minseok bleeding out in his arms.  Baekhyun looked pleadingly at Yixing, and the healer started working on Minseok in a matter of seconds.  As Baekhyun studied Yixing's features, he noticed how worn out Yixing looked.  Baekhyun glanced around at the others and noticed they were injured as well.  Yixing must have healed the worst of their wounds.  Taking a closer look at the others, he didn't fail to notice the accusatory or angry glances.  He'd almost gotten Minseok killed.  It made sense that they'd treat him like this, but it still hurt.  His attention was redirected when Yixing sighed and rubbed his temples.

            “I've healed the worst of it, but he's still hurt.  We'll take him back and treat him with some medical supplies.  When I'm rested I'll heal him and everyone else the rest of the way.”

            “Thank you,” Baekhyun whispered.  Yixing smiled and gave Baekhyun's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

            “It's what I do.”

 

            Yixing got to his feet after that and tiredly walked over to the others.  Baekhyun was surprised when Kris suddenly came over and lifted Minseok out of his arms.  He almost protested, not wanting to part from the boy, but a single glare from Kris was enough to shut him up.  The group gathered around with the supplies they'd managed to protect and Jongin teleported them back to the base.

 

            Minseok was taken to his room, while a few of the more injured members also headed off to their rooms, and Baekhyun stayed with the rest to unload the supplies.  The entire time, he felt irritated glares digging into his back, and even heard murmurs that he'd lost valuable supplies and had been more harm than help.  It was the last thing Baekhyun needed to hear at that moment, but he knew it was true.  The odds of him staying in this group for much longer seemed pretty low.  Minseok would probably throw him out the instant he woke up.

 

            As a few people began preparing what would be dinner for the night, Baekhyun managed to slink out of the main room.  He didn't want to be around any of them right now.  He couldn't handle the glares and the cruel words.  He was afraid he'd get kicked out before he got the chance to say goodbye to Minseok and apologize.  He at least had to do that much.

 

            He was about to go back to the room they'd set aside for him, but he felt afraid to return.  After all, that was where they'd expect him to be.  Instead, he walked down the hall, peaking into the open rooms and trying to find Minseok.  He finally stumbled upon a closed door.  Normally, he wouldn't open random doors in a place he didn't consider his home, but this door was different.  There was a cold draft coming from underneath the door, and Baekhyun was sure it was Minseok's room.

 

            He quietly turned the knob and opened the door, thankful when he saw the unconscious boy sleeping on the mattress.  Baekhyun closed the door behind him and cautiously walked over to Minseok.  His breathing seemed labored, but his side was no longer dripping crimson, having been properly patched up, and a little color had returned to Minseok's face.  Baekhyun sighed and sat against the wall, hugging his legs to his chest.  He knew Minseok would probably be angry that Baekhyun was in his room without permission, but Minseok's room felt like the safest place for Baekhyun to be.  Minseok was the only person that made Baekhyun feel safe, and he'd almost gotten him killed.

 

            Tears streaked down Baekhyun's cheeks and he hated himself for being so weak.  All he ever did these days was cry.  He'd never felt so useless before.  He had a special power, didn't he?  He should have been able to do something with it.  Instead, he just got in the way.  Minseok and his group didn't need to carry his dead weight around.  He probably wouldn't survive on his own, and the thought terrified him, but it would be better than dragging everyone else down with him.  Perhaps Baekhyun should just leave on his own before the group kicked him out.  First, he had to talk to Minseok one last time though.

 

            Eventually, Baekhyun heard Yixing calling his name and he panicked.  He looked around the room for a place to hide and spotted a ragged old curtain covering what Baekhyun assumed was a window.  He crept behind it, thankful that the fabric draped down to the floor.  His eyes widened when he noticed the giant hole in the wall instead of a window.  He wondered if it had been there before or if Kyungsoo had made it on accident.

 

            Soon enough, the door cracked open and Baekhyun held his breath, trying not to move and give away his location.  Yixing called for him quietly, trying not to disturb Minseok, but he sounded worried.  When he received no response, Yixing sighed, and Baekhyun felt a little guilty for hiding.  Yixing had been nothing but kind to him so far, but Baekhyun was so afraid to face him.  He didn't think he could look any of them in the eyes.

 

            Baekhyun relaxed when he heard the door shut.  He groaned quietly and leaned against the wall.  His cut hurt and his stomach was begging for food, but he ignored them.  He had gone without food for days before, and he would have to do it again soon enough once he left.  He needed to get used to this feeling.  He dared to crawl out of his hiding spot a little while later, and he resumed sitting against the wall, waiting for Minseok to wake up.

 

            It was much later in the night when Minseok finally stirred.  Baekhyun had started dozing off, but a pained groan had him wide awake again.  He stared in horror as Minseok shifted on the bed and slowly started to lift himself off the mattress.  He hissed and gripped his injured side and Baekhyun moved forward just a bit, hands out and ready to catch Minseok if he collapsed.

            “Y-You probably shouldn't move...” Baekhyun stuttered nervously.  Minseok's gaze shifted to him, eyes wide in surprise.

            “Baekhyun?”

            “I'm sorry...I entered your room without permission.  I just wanted to make sure you were ok.”

            “It's fine,” Minseok breathed, finally managing to sit up on the bed, still holding his side tenderly.  “I'm glad you're ok.  I was worried about you.”

            “Why?” Baekhyun asked before he could help himself.  Minseok raised an eyebrow at him.  “I almost got you killed,” Baekhyun added quietly, looking away.

            “You protected me,” Minseok comforted.

 

            Minseok felt an odd warmth in his chest and he couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face.  Baekhyun really did strange things to him.  The boy seemed to be pretty choked up over his words, and that was when Minseok noticed the tear tracks on his cheeks and the watery eyes.  He wished there was something he could do to cheer him up.

            “I'm sorry...They took half our supplies,” Baekhyun whispered, still not looking Minseok in the eye.

            “It's alright.  As long as we're all alive, we can get more.”

 

            Baekhyun looked up at him with quivering eyes, and Minseok was about to ask him why he was so upset, but a sudden gurgle broke the silence.  Baekhyun turned bright red and Minseok stared at him curiously.

            “I-I haven't eaten yet,” Baekhyun admitted.  Minseok's eyes went wide again.

            “Why not?  Did Yixing not bring you any food?”

            “I...I hid from him...”

            “Why would you do that?”

 

            Minseok looked genuinely confused now, but when he noticed Baekhyun's fearful, shifty eyes, he had a feeling his friends had something to do with it.  He forced himself off the bed, wincing and cursing under his breath as his side ached.

            “Those assholes,” he growled.  “Come on, we're getting food.”

            “You really shouldn't push yourself...I'm ok, really!”

            “You were starving to death when we found you,” Minseok said bluntly.  “That wasn't that long ago.  You need to eat.  Besides, I'm hungry too.  Come on.”

 

            He held out his hand and Baekhyun stared at it worriedly.  Minseok shook it a bit and Baekhyun finally gulped and grabbed onto it.  After that, Minseok led them down the hall and into the main room.  As soon as Minseok turned the corner, Yixing was there to greet him frantically.

            “Minseok!  You're awake!” He gasped.  “About Baekhyun, I've looked for him but-”

            “He's right here with me.  Don't worry,” Minseok stated, tugging Baekhyun into the room behind him.  The latter cowered behind him, despite being a little taller.

            “Oh thank God,” Yixing groaned, holding his chest in relief.  “Where were you earlier!?  I was so worried!”

            “He was hiding in my room somewhere,” Minseok answered for him.  “Seems a few assholes scared him.”

 

            He glared at some of the other in the room and they didn't meet his gaze.  After Minseok had instilled some fear and remorse into them, he turned back to Yixing.

            “What supplies did we get?”

            “We have plenty of food but all the clothes you two gathered were stolen.”  Minseok sighed and nodded.

            “Alright.  At least we got the food...Baekhyun and I haven't eaten since this morning.  Think you could whip something up for us?”

            “Happily,” Joonmyun said, tugging on Chanyeol's arm and heading to their food supply.

            “Do you want me to finish healing your side?” Yixing asked.

            “Later.  You're still tired, I can tell.  I'll be fine.”

            “Alright...Just don't push yourself.  Your wound was deep.”

            “I won't,” Minseok reassured.

 

            After that, Yixing retired to his room.  It seemed the only thing that was still keeping him awake was looking for Baekhyun.  The latter felt really guilty now for causing so much trouble.  Minseok gave his hand a firm squeeze and smiled at him again, which helped him relax just a bit.  Only Minseok seemed to calm him down in this place.

 

            Minseok glanced Baekhyun over, noting the bags under his eyes and how his body trembled slightly.  He couldn't tell if it was from exhaustion or fear, or both.  His eyes stopped when he spotted the cut, bloody fabric of his sleeve sticking to his arm and he gasped quietly, using his free hand to gently peel the fabric away from Baekhyun's skin.

            “You got hurt,” he whispered, looking at Baekhyun with a worried expression.  “Why didn't you say anything?”

            “It's just a cut,” Baekhyun mumbled.  “It was nothing compared to...to you.”

            “It doesn't matter, if we don't clean it up and treat it, it's going to get infected and then it will be a big deal.  I'll take care of it after dinner, alright?”

 

            Baekhyun nodded and stared down at his feet.  For having ruined their supply run and almost gotten Minseok killed, he was being uncannily nice.  Baekhyun didn't know what to make of it.  Minseok had seemed so intimidating before, but he'd save Baekhyun twice now and was taking care of him.  Perhaps he was a much better person than Baekhyun realized.

 

            When Joonmyun came back out with their instant ramyun, a staple in their diets unfortunately, Minseok gave him a quick thanks and handed one of the bowls to Baekhyun.  After that, he motioned for the boy to follow him back to his room, shutting the door so they were alone.  Minseok walked over to his mattress and plopped down on it, patting the spot beside him.

            “Come on.  Don't eat standing up!”

 

            Baekhyun timidly sat down beside him and waited for Minseok to take the first bite before eating himself.  The room was silent other than the sounds of slurping noodles.  When Baekhyun had reached the end of his bowl, he sighed and glanced nervously at Minseok.

            “Why are you being so nice to me?” He asked softly.  Minseok raised an eyebrow.

            “Because you're part of our family now.  I want to take care of you.”

            “The others don't want me here,” Baekhyun whispered.  Minseok sighed.

            “They were scared because I haven't gotten hurt like that in a while.  It's not the first time that's happened, nor will it be the last.  And literally every single one of us has messed up a supply run, so they can shove it up their asses if they're gonna give you hell for it.”

 

            Baekhyun smiled softly.  Despite how much Minseok had scared him in the beginning, he was really starting to like him.  He was a good person.

            “Thank you for saving me,” Minseok said gently, nudging Baekhyun's shoulder.  “You've got some fight in you, I can tell.  You just need a little more practice with your power, and you'll be great!”

            “How many people will I almost get killed working on that though?”

            “None.  I'll train you in the evenings here,” Minseok stated.  Baekhyun looked at him with wide eyes.

            “You'll train me!?”

            “Of course.  We all learned how to use our powers somehow.  I'll help you figure out yours.”

            “Thank you...” Baekhyun whispered.  “I-I'll try not to let you down...”

            “I know you won't.”

 

            Minseok patted his shoulder and got up from the mattress.  He walked over to a dingy dresser in the corner of the room and pulled one of the drawers out.  After some fiddling, he pulled out a box and smiled at Baekhyun, holding it up proudly.

            “Medical supplies.  We each have a box in our rooms.  We'll probably get one for you soon too.  Yixing is good for the bad injuries, but smaller ones I like to treat naturally so we don't wear him out.”

            “You care a lot for your group, don't you,” Baekhyun commented.  Minseok shrugged and sat down beside him.

            “If we don't take care of each other, no one will.  Now let me see your arm.”

 

            Baekhyun held his arm out slightly and Minseok gently grabbed his elbow, turning his arm so he could inspect the damage.  Minseok rolled Baekhyun's sleeve up carefully, then took out some antiseptic and began cleaning the wound.  Baekhyun winced, but he tried to stay still while Minseok took care of his arm.  Finally, Minseok put some gauze on it and wrapped a bandage around his arm.  He gave Baekhyun a pat on the back and started putting his supplies away again.

            “There.  Feel better?”

            “Yeah...Thank you again.”

            “No problem!”

 

            Minseok got up and put his box back in his drawer.  When he turned around, Baekhyun was yawning and rubbing his eyes.  Minseok found it ridiculously endearing, and a wide smile was on his face again.  How long had it been since he'd smiled like this?  It was a little sad that he couldn't remember.

            “We had a rough day and you used a lot of power.  I bet your exhausted,” Minseok said, walking back over to Baekhyun and sitting beside him once more.

            “Yeah.  I guess I should go back to my room, huh?”  He made to get up but Minseok grabbed his wrist, surprising both of them.

            “Wait...” He started.  “You don't have a mattress yet.  They're hard to find, so I don't know when we'll be able to get you one...You can sleep on mine for tonight.”

            “I couldn't!  You need to rest...and you're injured.”

            “So are you,” Minseok said cheekily.  “There's room for both of us.  I won't force you, but if you'd like to sleep on something other than the floor, you're welcome to stay in here.”

            “A-Alright...”

 

            Minseok wasn't sure why his heart skipped a beat, but a huge wave of relief washed over him.  He scooted to one side of the mattress, leaving space for Baekhyun.  When they were laying beside each other, it was a tight fit, but Minseok didn't mind.  It was warm, and he was always so cold in the winter.  Baekhyun was especially warm for some reason.  Minseok didn't even notice the fact that he didn't have a blanket that night.

 

            Baekhyun was nervous at first, and he was afraid to get too close to Minseok, lest he overstep his boundaries and get kicked out of the room.  He still couldn't believe he hadn't gotten kicked out of the group.  He was far from comfortable with the others, but laying beside Minseok, he felt just a bit more at ease.  Maybe he could trust Minseok when he said he would take care of him.  Baekhyun knew one thing for sure.  It had been so long since he'd slept next to another person, and he'd missed it beyond belief.  Curled up safely beside Minseok, Baekhyun had no troubles sleeping that night.

 

~*~

            Minseok's group laid low for the next few weeks.  They'd gotten enough food to last them for a while, and they were trying to make do with what clothes they had.  Minseok had managed to sooth whatever irritation the group had with Baekhyun as well, mostly by proving that he was still alive and there was no reason to be angry at the boy.  They were all extremely protective of each other, and Minseok understood that, but that didn't mean they could disregard Baekhyun.  By protecting Minseok, Baekhyun had proven that he was loyal to the group, or at least to Minseok.  He was an official member now, and Minseok would make sure he was treated well.

 

            Even though Baekhyun was allowed to eat at the same time as everyone else and wasn't forced to the confinement of his own room, he still ended up only eating when Minseok ate, and only interacting with him and Yixing when the latter came to check on his health.  Baekhyun knew the group was trying to accept him and become closer, but he was still scared.  The last thing he wanted to be was a burden, so the less people he became close with in the group, the better.  He didn't really have much choice with Minseok because the other was usually stuck to his side, pestering him if he'd eaten, or talking about training his powers.  That was another reason Baekhyun was so close to Minseok.

 

            Every other night or so, Baekhyun would visit Minseok's room in the evening and they would sit on his mattress, talking about their powers and how Minseok learned to control his.  There was no universal method, since all their powers were different, but Minseok focused on the feeling that flowed through their bodies as they used their powers.  It was like there was an energy that was part of their very blood, pulsating whenever their power manifested itself.  Minseok spent the first few evenings trying to help Baekhyun understand and feel that sensation.  When he finally felt it, that was when the real training began.

 

            Minseok started by teaching Baekhyun to focus his power into a specific part of his body, rather than just a bright flash.  Baekhyun struggled at first, more often than not causing Minseok's room light to flicker dangerously.  Finally though, he managed to concentrate it into his hand, forming a small ball of light.  Minseok was so proud of him that he patted his back and hugged him briefly, shouting congratulations.  Baekhyun lost control immediately after, flustered from the sudden hug, and his ball of light quickly expanded, filling the room with light.  Minseok pulled away and rubbed his eyes with a small groan.  When he could open them again, he saw Baekhyun looking panicked through the bright spots still clouding his vision.

            “I'm so sorry!” He gasped.  Minseok shook his head.

            “No, it's fine.  I surprised you...” He soothed.  He'd surprised himself as well.  “You're doing a really good job.  Even after living with my power for almost a year prior, I almost froze myself, Kris, and Luhan to death on our first supply raid together.”

            “Really?” Baekhyun asked softly, looking up at him in a mixture of surprise and admiration.

 

            The admiration had been a look Baekhyun held for him ever since they started training together.  It was obvious Baekhyun held a great deal of respect for him for one reason or another.  Minseok could never help the smile that came to his face every time Baekhyun stared at him like that.  He really wasn't that great of a person, but when he was with Baekhyun, he felt like he could be.  Like he wanted to be, just for him.  He would never admit that to anyone though.  Baekhyun was just treating him as a mentor, and it was feeding his pride.  That was what Minseok kept telling himself.

            “Yeah, it was pretty bad,”Minseok continued.  “We were all sick for like a week after that,” he laughed.

            “When did your power awaken?” Baekhyun asked next.

            “A little after I turned 15.  I hid it until I graduated school, then I ran away.  I met Luhan and Kris then, and we slowly formed our group over the years after that.”

            “So you, Kris, and Luhan are the leaders?”

            “Yeah, you could say that.  We try to make big decisions as a group, but Kris, Luhan, and I tend to make a lot of the smaller ones, mostly because we just work well together.”

            “How long have you been together as a group then?”

            “3 years now.  It's been a wild ride.”

            “You've been surviving out here for 3 years!?” Baekhyun gasped.  “I can't imagine living through this for so long...”  His tone didn't sit well with Minseok, and the latter found himself placing his arm around his shoulder in concern.

            “It's not that bad, I promise.  It's always a little bumpy the first few months someone joins our group.  Once things settle down, it'll feel like home to you.  I promise.”

            “Home...” Baekhyun mumbled sadly, looking down at his hands.

 

            Minseok felt his heart clench as he realized that his definition of home was very unorthodox compared to most people's.  He had long since come to terms with the fact that he would never live in a decent house with a bed and fresh food, but he had the loving family here that he hadn't had back in the capital.  That was good enough for him.  He hoped it could become the same way for Baekhyun someday.  If nothing else, Minseok wanted to be some sort of home for him.  It was weird realizing he wanted such an intimate thing with the boy.  Minseok had never experienced this kind of feeling before.  It was different from what he felt for the others, and that scared him a little.  Baekhyun still looked pretty crestfallen, so Minseok gave him a gentle nudge, getting his attention finally.

            “What about you?” Minseok asked, trying to change the subject a bit.  “When did our power awaken?”

            “I was 18,” Baekhyun sighed.  “It was earlier this year...Some months ago.”

            “Did you survive in the capital until then?”

            “No, I...I left the day my power awakened.  I never went home again.”

            “Then you were living on your own until we found you?” Minseok asked sadly.  He didn't like the thought of Baekhyun struggling on his own for so long.

            “No, I had a friend with me...” Baekhyun answered softly.

 

            His lip trembled and Minseok realized this was dangerous territory.  He wanted to change the subject again, but Baekhyun continued before he had the chance.

            “He was my best friend in the capital...Just an ordinary human,” he said softly.  “The night I found out I had a power, I went to him and showed him my mark, crying and asking him what I was supposed to do...I thought they would kill me for sure.  I was so scared...”

            “Those are all justified feelings,” Minseok comforted, remembering how he felt very similarly the night he ran away.

            “My friend calmed me down, then said he'd run away with me...”  Minseok's eyes widened at this.  “It was crazy and I couldn't believe he would do something like that for me.”

            “He must have really cared for you.”

            “Or he was an idiot,” Baekhyun mumbled.  “We ran away to a nearby abandoned city, just outside the capital.  Since he was a human, he could come and go within the capital as he pleased.  He would bring supplies to me and stay with me so I wasn't alone...It was nice.”

            “So...what happened to him?” Minseok asked worriedly.  “Did he abandon you?”

            “I wish,” Baekhyun practically whimpered.  “He just disappeared one day.  He was supposed to be getting more supplies from the capital, but 3 days passed without him returning.  I was so scared that he'd left me, or that something had happened to him.  But then I thought maybe he just got caught up with something.  So I waited until a week had passed and I was completely out of supplies...then I went to look for him.”  He wiped at his eyes and Minseok realized he was crying.  He held him closer and rubbed his back.

            “You don't need to tell me anymore if you don't want to.  It's ok.”

            “I found him bloody and dead, lying in a pile of trash not far from the building we'd been hiding in,” Baekhyun whispered, breaking into a sob towards the end of his sentence.  Minseok immediately pulled him into a full hug, pressing the boy's face to his chest.

            “I'm so sorry.”

            “A human gang must have gotten to him.  After all, a hunter wouldn't have killed him like that and left him to rot...They only do that to us,” Baekhyun cried.  “The humans probably killed him and took the supplies he was bringing back to me...And I was such a coward, I just ran away to this city.  It was my fault he died...”

            “That's not true, Baekhyun.”

            “Yes it is!  If I hadn't asked him to help me that night, he would still be in the capital, living happily!  I bring ruin to everyone that's around me...I almost got you killed too...”

            “Baekhyun, listen to me,” Minseok said seriously, cupping the boy's cheeks and making him look him in the eyes.  “You didn't kill him.  You did not hurt him and leave him in a pile of trash.  You didn't pull his final breath out of his lungs.  You did not kill him.  What he did was courageous and strong, and I can't believe there was someone like him left in this godforsaken world, especially in the capital.  He cared for you, Baekhyun.  That's why he helped you, even when he knew it was dangerous.”

            “But still...”

            “You can't blame yourself,” Minseok cut him off.  “There are so many horrible, cruel things in this world, Baekhyun, and I'm so sorry you have to live through them now.  But people get hurt.  People get killed.  You're going to see a lot more of that now that you're banished here with us.  Humans will want you dead, hunters will want you dead.  They'll want you to suffer, and they'll want the people close to you to suffer.  You need to learn to protect your heart as well as your body.  You need to learn that you'll make mistakes, and you'll need to forgive yourself.  You have to survive, Baekhyun...You have to look out for yourself.”

            “It's so hard,” Baekhyun whimpered, tears streaking down his cheeks again.  Minseok sighed and held him close.

            “It is,” he agreed.  “But you're not alone.  We're here with you, and we'll take care of you.  I promise you won't have to be alone anymore.”

            “What if you all get hurt?”

            “As long as we're still breathing, we'll keep going on.  And I promise as long as I'm still here, you won't be alone.”

            “You'll really promise something like that?” Baekhyun asked softly, his hand clinging to Minseok's shirt unconsciously.  The other could only smile and hug him closer.

            “I promise.  I'll protect you from now on.”

            “I don't want you to get hurt...”

            “I've been hurt more times than I can count,” Minseok laughed softly.  “Asking that is asking for the impossible.  But I'll be fine.  I always am.  Besides, we've got Yixing.  He usually saves our hides when we really need it.”
            “You can't die,” Baekhyun mumbled, clinging closer.

            “I won't die,” Minseok sighed.  “But if I can't die, you can't either.  That'll be our deal, alright?”

            “I'll try...”

 

            Minseok smiled and squeezed him tighter, feeling a few tear drops soak into his shirt.  It was strange that holding Baekhyun in his arms like this was calming to Minseok.  In general, he felt a sense of relief wash over him.  He knew now what Baekhyun had been through on his own, painful as it was.  The boy had finally opened up to him, something Minseok was afraid would never happen.  He'd also promised Minseok that he would try to survive.  The hardest part of living the way they did was finding the will to live, and Minseok knew just by watching Baekhyun closely over his past few weeks in their group that he struggled with that.  Baekhyun wouldn't survive if he didn't fight to live, and Minseok wanted him to survive so badly.

 

            He couldn't explain what it was that drew him so closely to the boy, but he knew he wanted to protect Baekhyun at all costs.  It wasn't out of pity or some sense of comradery now that Baekhyun was part of the group.  It was deeper than that.  Baekhyun was special.  He made Minseok feel things he hadn't felt in years.  He made Minseok feel alive.  He couldn't let someone like that down.

 

            Baekhyun yawned into Minseok's shirt, a sign that he was drained both physically and emotionally.  They laid down on his mattress shortly after, Baekhyun's forehead pressed againsr Minseok's back in between his shoulder blades.  It was a common position given his mattress was so small.  Baekhyun still didn't have his own mattress, and Minseok wasn't sure they would get one for him before it was time to leave all their mattresses behind.  It was too hard to move them when they went to a new city, so mattresses were usually a luxury depending on what they could find in the new place.  After a few nights of trying to sleep on the ground in his room, Baekhyun had taken Minseok up on his offer to share the mattress.  The floor was too hard and cold, and Minseok made him feel safe.

 

            As Minseok was drifting off to sleep, something landed on his side, causing him to jump.  He glanced down and noticed Baekhyun's arm sprawled over him, and he couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself.  The boy was already sleeping, evident by the soft snores behind him.  Baekhyun's arm then wrapped tighter around Minseok's waist, and he snuggled closer, mumbling something incoherent into Minseok's back.  That had the latter's heart pounding much faster than before.  Minseok didn't mind Baekhyun's action though.  If he could give the boy comfort while he slept, he would gladly do so.  Besides, Baekhyun was so warm, and Minseok was especially cold in the winter.  This was mutually beneficial.

 

            As Minseok held his chest, waiting for his heart to calm down, he started to wonder if his need to protect Baekhyun was related to this feeling more than anything.  He'd wanted so desperately not to get attached to anyone like this, in fear that he would lose them someday, but with Baekhyun, that was almost impossible not to do.  Despite only just meeting, Minseok already cared for him so much.  He didn't think he could stop the emotions welling up slowly in his chest.  All he could do was try his best to make sure nothing happened to the person that was making him feel so many new, amazing things.

 

~*~

            Training Baekhyun became a nightly occurrence for Minseok.  Baekhyun always stayed in his room afterward as well, so Minseok quickly got used to sleeping with him.  Sometimes hands would wander and Minseok would wake up with Baekhyun clinging to him, or even more surprising, with his own arms wrapped tightly around Baekhyun's waist.  They never said anything about it, but the way Baekhyun always looked at him with a subtle blush and shining eyes, Minseok was starting to wonder if his feelings of attachment were mutual.  He knew one thing for sure, he didn't like when Baekhyun was out of his sight or out of his reach.

 

            Waking up in the middle of the night without Baekhyun in his arms was probably the scariest experience Minseok had had in a long time.  He sat up rapidly, glancing around his room and calling for Baekhyun.  The boy was nowhere to be found in the room.  Minseok got to his feet, trying to keep calm.  Maybe he just went to his own room because he needed some time alone.

            Minseok left his room, walking quietly through the hall so he didn't wake the others, and went to Baekhyun's small room.  To his dismay, the boy wasn't there either.  Where had he gone?  Had he left their hideout?  Was he alone somewhere?  What if he was in trouble?

 

            Minseok crept back down the hall, then headed to the main room.  He looked for Baekhyun in every nook and cranny of their hideout that he knew of.  He was just about to give up when he finally spotted the door to the supply room cracked open just a bit.  He gulped and his heart began pounding even harder.  He kept the key to the padlock for that door in his room.  Had Baekhyun found it and snuck in there?  Had he stolen their supplies and run off?  Had Minseok been completely fooled by him?  His chest ached just thinking of that reality.

 

            He pulled the door open quietly and crept down the stairs.  Their supply room was technically the basement of the building, so there were no windows.  The light switch had long since broken, so it was always extremely dark inside.  Minseok was surprised when he saw a hint of light, however.  There was someone inside.  What would Minseok do if he caught Baekhyun in the middle of stealing their supplies?  Would he be able to punish him?  Or would he be weak and let Baekhyun go?  Why was it coming to this?

 

            When he got down the stairs, he turned the corner into the room and gasped quietly.  Floating in the air were several orbs of light in different sizes.  Some were brighter than others, but it looked like a mass of fireflies lighting the room.  Even in the midst of his panic, Minseok couldn't help but find it beautiful.

 

            He glanced around the room and noticed their supplies were all as they were when he had checked them earlier that day.  In the corner, Baekhyun was crouched, huddling over an orb of light in his hands.  He looked like he was struggling to form it, but finally, he released it up into the air with a sigh and collapsed forward onto his knees, panting heavily.  Minseok walked over to him slowly, not understanding why he was here of all places if he wasn't planning to steal their supplies and make a run for it.

            “Baekhyun...” Minseok said in a quiet, somewhat accusatory voice.  The boy glanced up at him and gasped, cupping his hand over his mouth.

            “I-I'm not stealing anything, I swear!” He gasped.  “You can pat me down if you want!  I don't have anything on me, I promise!”

 

            Baekhyun got to his feet and began removing his jacket so Minseok could search him.  That made Minseok rush forward and force the thin cloth back on him.

            “Keep it on!  It's too cold to take your jacket off,” he said softly, pulling the jacket back onto his shoulders.  “I trust that you weren't stealing anything.  I just want to know why you're here in the middle of the night.  What are you doing?”

            “Practicing...” Baekhyun mumbled weakly.

            “Why here?  You could practice in my room.”

            “I didn't want to bother you while you slept.  My light can get pretty bright, and I still have a hard time controlling it, so I wanted to go somewhere where no one would be bothered.  This place has no windows and is always dark, so I thought it was the best place to practice...I'm really sorry...”

            “It's ok,” Minseok whispered, pulling Baekhyun into a hug.  “I'm glad I was the one that found you and not one of the others, because they might have misunderstood your intentions...I didn't like waking up without you though.  I really thought something had happened to you or you'd run away...It was really scary.”

            “I would never run away,” Baekhyun mumbled into his shoulder.  He wrapped his arms around Minseok's waist.  “I don't want to leave you...I just wanted to be better so I could help more.”

            “You are getting better, Baekhyun.  There's no need to put so much pressure on yourself.”

            “But we get into fights every time we go out, Minseok.  The last fight, I blinded you and almost got you killed.  I don't want that to happen again.  I need to get better so I don't let you and the others down...”

            “You've got so much control over your power already.  Look at what you managed to do here tonight.”  Minseok pointed at the floating orbs and Baekhyun pulled away to look at them.  “They're beautiful,” Minseok complimented.  A faint blush grew on Baekhyun's face.

            “Thanks...but they won't help anyone in battle...”

            “Sure they will.  We don't always have good visibility when we fight, Baekhyun.  Yeah, Chanyeol can create fireballs, but those emit heat and the chances of something catching on fire are pretty high.  You can light our way without any risk.  Visibility is extremely important when it comes to fighting, I'll have you know.”  A faint smile appeared on Baekhyun's face.

            “I can't fight anyone off though.  Even Jongin and Tao can fight in some way...”

            “I think it would be wise to teach you some self defense,” Minseok agreed.  “Jongin and Tao are very good at sneaking up on enemies.  I think with enough training and practice, you could be good at blinding and distracting them, then attacking.”

            “But I'd blind you guys too...”

            “Not if you learn how to target specific people with your light.  We'll get there, Baekhyun, but it doesn't have to happen tonight.  You've already shown amazing growth.  It's ok to be patient and take things slowly.  Practicing late at night on your own like this is exhausting, right?  You need to keep your strength up as well.”

            “I'm sorry...”

            “There's nothing to apologize about,” Minseok soothed, rubbing his back.  “Don't try to do everything on your own, Baekhyun.  I'm here for you.”  The other boy nodded into his shoulder and squeezed his waist tighter.  “I think you've practiced enough for tonight.  You seem really tired.  Let's go back to bed, alright?”

            “Ok...”

 

            Minseok let go of Baekhyun's body only to take his hand and lead him to the stairs.  As they left the room, the orbs of light slowly began to fade.  When they were upstairs, Minseok put the padlock back on the door and Baekhyun handed him the key.  After that, they quietly headed back to Minseok's room.

 

            As soon as they were inside, Baekhyun plopped tiredly down on the mattress.  Minseok hid the key in his dresser then sat beside Baekhyun.  The boy looked exhausted, probably from making so many light orbs.  Minseok really had to commend how fast Baekhyun was learning.  He obviously had a lot of power at his disposal.  He just had to learn his strengths and weaknesses.

 

            When Baekhyun started teetering to the side, falling asleep sitting up, Minseok decided it was time for him to lay down and get some sleep for real this time.  He gently pushed Baekhyun onto the mattress and laid beside him.  Baekhyun then rolled onto his side so he could face Minseok.

            “What's up?” Minseok asked in a hushed voice.

            “Thank you for looking after me...I promise I won't let you down.”

            “I know you won't.  You'll be just fine, Baekhyun.”

 

            Baekhyun smiled at him and mumbled a quiet goodnight, then closed his eyes.  Baekhyun always looked so innocent when he slept, it made Minseok want to hold him close.  Then again, he held Baekhyun close when they were awake more often than he liked to admit.  Baekhyun made him clingy, but it was nice to hold someone else.  He understood why Chanyeol and Jongin as well as Sehun and Joonmyun were so attached to each other now.  He was starting to think he felt the same way about Baekhyun that they all felt about each other.

 

            Hesitantly, Minseok lifted his arm and wrapped it around Baekhyun, pulling him close.  They'd woken up cuddled together plenty of times, but this was the first time Minseok had initiated it while they were both still awake and in control of their actions.  Baekhyun's eyes opened again and he glanced up at Minseok in surprise.  The latter bit his lip and cleared his throat awkwardly.

            “It comforts me to hold you like this...Is that ok?” He asked.  Baekhyun broke into a smile and nodded.

            “I like it too,” he answered.  Minseok let out a sigh of relief.

            “You won't leave my arms, right?  I really don't want to wake up without you again.”

            “I won't, I promise.  I'm sorry I scared you...”

            “It's alright.  I'm just glad you're ok.”

 

            Baekhyun let out a sleepy sigh and nuzzled into Minseok's chest, wrapping his arm around his waist.  It didn't take long for his breathing to even out, letting Minseok know he'd fallen asleep.  He ended up staying awake a little longer, watching Baekhyun rest.  He'd become so soft and protective with the boy, he honestly didn't recognize himself anymore.  Minseok had always been a little cold and distant with people, even if he really cared for them.

 

            As he closed his eyes, trying to get back to sleep, Minseok couldn't help but think about the conversation he'd had with Baekhyun that night.  He knew it was imperative that Baekhyun learn to protect himself, but the thought of Baekhyun fighting, killing, still made him cringe.  It was unrealistic to think that Baekhyun would get through his life without needing to do either, and he'd already been through a fight as part of Minseok's group, but Minseok still hated the cruel reality of it all.  For the first time in a while, he truly resented being forced into this way of life.  He'd left those bitter feelings behind shortly after he ran away, knowing that there was nothing he could do to change it.  But for Baekhyun, Minseok wanted something different.  He wanted the boy to be safe and happy, not having to fight for his meals and his right to keep breathing.  Minseok didn't want to fight just to stay by his side.  He wanted happiness and simplicity, but those were dangerous things to wish for.  They were unrealistic.

 

            Still, holding Baekhyun in his arms like this was a form of happiness.  Minseok knew he couldn't be greedy and wish for a happier life, but he could enjoy what little had been given to him, right?  Even if it was risky and broke him in the end, he could love Baekhyun and enjoy his presence in his life.  He was the only bit of happiness Minseok would ever selfishly cling to.

Continue onto Part II here. Remember to leave comments, likes, and kudos on the original entry or on AO3.