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

[seokmonsters]

A Place to Call Home Part 2

 

            Minseok grimaced as he checked through their supplies.  They'd been lying low for a couple weeks, trying in vain to gather more clothes and food.  The first snow had fallen on the ground, leaving everything icy and cold.  The city's supplies had been exhausted, and it was time to move on, but with winter in full swing, they would freeze to death before they could settle down in a new city.  Even if Jongin teleported them directly to a new city, they wouldn't survive the harsh wind or snow long enough to set up a new base.  It would be nice if they had a little more food in case they needed to dig in and wait out a storm, but Minseok really didn't think they'd get that lucky.

 

            Minseok had sent a smaller group along with Jongin to scout out the stores for remaining supplies.  They'd found some food, though not as much as Minseok would have hoped, but winter clothes were sparse.  Losing the clothes they'd gathered to the human gang had hurt them a lot.  They wouldn't survive another season in this town, but the chances of them getting out safely weren't looking so great either.  As Minseok considered their options, there was one that kept crossing his mind, tempting him even though he knew it was just as risky as staying in the city and fighting the cold unprepared.  They could fight the human gang and steal some of their supplies.

 

            The humans had fought them and taken from them time and again, but Minseok didn't like confrontation, especially meaningless confrontation, so they usually kept to themselves and just counted their losses.  This time though, confrontation seemed unavoidable.  Minseok didn't know how many supplies they would be able to salvage, but he knew the humans were hoarding them, so they no doubt had a stash available for taking.  And they definitely still had the clothes they'd stolen.  The humans wouldn't be foolish enough to squander warm clothing in the middle of an unforgiving winter.  It was a dangerous idea, but it was seeming like the choice with the largest chance of survival.

 

            He didn't bring the idea up with the rest of the group immediately.  Instead, he pulled Kris and Luhan aside and asked for their opinions.  They had been with Minseok longer than anyone, and he trusted their judgment wholeheartedly.  They were wary of the idea initially as well, but they couldn't deny the merit in it.  The humans in this area had given them more than enough trouble, taking countless supplies and inflicting numerous injuries.  Stealing back the clothes they lost was the only way they were going to survive the winter and the journey to a new city.  They didn't want a blood bath, but it was the only way they could live.

 

            The years of struggling to survive had desensitized them to the thought of death and murder.  The thought of killing humans had appalled each of them at one time, but enough betrayals and life or death situations had taught them that morality was often unrealistic.  Not only that, the humans had long since stopped treating them as humans themselves when their powers had awakened.  If the power users were their own kind, feared and loathed by humanity, then they would protect themselves.  Minseok would protect his family, humans be damned.

 

            When they had agreed that attacking the human gang would be their next line of action, they finally brought it up to the others.  Minseok watched as Baekhyun's eyes widened with fear as he explained they would be attacking the human hideout directly.  This wasn't the first time the others had attacked a human gang, after all, that was how they saved Sehun from certain death, but it was the first time Baekhyun would be diving straight into battle of their own choice.  It was the first time he would be participating in a fight that was for the purpose of killing, rather than fleeing.

 

            Truthfully, Minseok didn't like the idea of Baekhyun even coming with them to the gang's base.  His powers were developing, but he still didn't know how to fight well. That wasn't an excuse to keep Baekhyun away from the fight though.  He would probably do just fine raiding the human's supplies while the others fought instead.  They needed all the help they could get and Minseok couldn't let his own personal feelings make his decisions for him.  He knew this, but he still found himself pulling Baekhyun aside after explaining everything to the others so they could talk in private.

            “You don't have to come,” Minseok said softly, the words coming out on their own before his brain could stop them.

            “What?” Baekhyun asked skeptically.

            “You can stay here if you want to.  It's going to be a dangerous battle.”

            “Isn't that all the more reason I should go?  I can help...Maybe not with fighting, but with something!  Besides, I'm the reason we lost those supplies in the first place.”

            “Baekhyun, this is different from a supply run.  We're going there to kill.  To kill and steal from them.  There will be death, and I...I don't want you to get caught in the middle of all that.”

            “I'm not helpless, Minseok...I can gather the supplies.  I don't want to be given special treatment.  I'm part of the group now, right?”

            “Yeah, I just...”  I care about you, Minseok wanted to say, but he didn't dare speak those words out loud.  He wasn't ready yet.  “I just didn't want you to be afraid or feel like you had no other choice.”

            “Thank you for that,” Baekhyun said gently.  “I appreciate it...But I want to become someone reliable.  I want to help you and the others.  Let me do this.”

            “Alright,” Minseok sighed.  “But I'm going to make sure someone is with you at all times to protect you once we're in the base.  We do the same with Jongin and Yixing, anyone who doesn't have an offensive power.  Will you be ok with that?”

            “Definitely!” Baekhyun exclaimed.  “I would appreciate that.”

 

            Minseok nodded and smiled.  He had the sudden urge to pull Baekhyun close and hold him, but he forced himself not to act on it.  While he'd already decided to allow himself to feel things for Baekhyun, he couldn't just embrace the boy at any given time.  They weren't in that kind of relationship.  He would just watch over and protect him from afar, and love him secretly.

 

            Knowing Baekhyun was going to be in the middle of the fight left Minseok feeling anxious all day.  He knew it was probably just him being overprotective, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong.  Perhaps it was because the whole situation felt dire and hopeless.  He hated that they had no other choice but to do this.  He hated that Baekhyun had no other choice in his life but to live this way.

 

            They didn't waste time and quickly began preparing for the fight that evening.  The first snow had fallen and the second wasn't far from it, Minseok could sense it.  They needed to strike before the next storm hit, otherwise it would be too cold.  The humans had probably already started fortifying to survive the winter.  Minseok's group needed to act now if they wanted to stand a chance at winning.

 

            Later in the evening, when everyone was ready and the sun had set, giving them a stealthier route, they gathered around Jongin.  Minseok was right beside Baekhyun, clinging to his hand with an iron grip, using teleportation as an excuse.  Minseok knew once they were in battle, he would need to shift his focus to leading the fight rather than fretting over Baekhyun.  It was so hard to wrap his mind around though.  Caring for someone was more exhausting than Minseok realized.

 

            As soon as they landed outside the gang's hideout, Baekhyun's hand slipped from Minseok's, and he knew it was time to shape up and become the heartless killing machine he'd been conditioned into.  He quickly and quietly directed everyone on their path of entry.  After that, he designated who would be fighting and who would be hunting for and stealing supplies.  Minseok had always been methodical, a planner.  He didn't leave any plan incomplete.  As such, he very quickly pulled Luhan aside to give him one last order.

            “You're in the supply group,” Minseok stated, then paused for a moment.  “Protect him.”

 

            Luhan seemed confused at first, but as he followed Minseok's line of sight to Baekhyun, who was shuffling his feet nervously beside Jongin, he realized exactly what Minseok was asking, and why he'd seemed more on edge.  Luhan nodded and Minseok placed his hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze as a thank you.  Luhan walked over to Baekhyun and Jongin, who were part of the supply gathering team along with Kyungsoo, then nodded at Minseok, who in turn nodded and raised his hand, giving the signal to rush in.  The battle was about to begin.

 

            The supply group stayed behind while the others rushed in.  It didn't take long for the hideout to come to life, loud noises, shouting, and gunshots filling the silent, night air.  Baekhyun gripped at his thin jacket nervously, hoping Minseok would be ok.  Baekhyun wouldn't be by his side to mess things up again at least.  He shivered as a sudden gust of icy wind blew past them.  Luhan let out a shaky sigh and wrapped his arm around Baekhyun's shoulders, pushing him forward.

            “We should get moving,” Luhan whispered quietly.  “The others are going to keep them busy while we sneak in.”

            “Should I teleport us?” Jongin asked.  Luhan shook his head.

            “You might teleport us in the middle of the battle.  It's too risky.  We'll sneak in through one of the windows where we can't hear fighting.  Kyungsoo and I will take out whoever crosses our path.  You and Baekhyun are strictly to gather supplies.”

            “Alright,” Jongin agreed.  He glanced at Baekhyun and smiled, which set the latter at ease.

            “Let's go,” Luhan urged.

 

            He led the others around the building, finding a dark, quiet window.  He listened for a while to make sure there was no one on the other side, then pulled the window from the wall using his power.  Luhan and Kyungsoo slipped in first, making sure there was no one waiting to ambush them.  After that, they helped Jongin and Baekhyun slip inside, and they began creeping through the hideout, searching for where the supplies would be kept.

 

            They could hear the battle raging somewhere in the building and Baekhyun cringed when a particularly pained cry echoed over the others.  He could only take relief in the fact that the cry hadn't belonged to Minseok or one of the others.  It felt odd, being so separated from the battle, but it didn't last as long as he would have liked it.  Soon, they were spotted by a couple humans, who immediately called for backup.  Luhan and Kyungsoo cursed under their breath and instantly began fighting the men who'd called for help.  Luhan turned to Baekhyun and Jongin and pushed them away from the fighting.

            “Run!  Keep going!” He shouted.  “We'll cover you!”

 

            Jongin grabbed Baekhyun's hand and ran in the opposite direction, teleporting them in order to dodge bullets and other attacks.  Baekhyun was getting somewhat nauseous from how quickly Jongin was teleporting around, but it was keeping them alive.  Finally, Jongin teleported completely away from the battle, finding a quiet area within the hideout.  He and Baekhyun bent over to catch their breath, and Baekhyun used that time to close his eyes and bid his nausea away.

            “Sorry about that,” Jongin said softly.  “I know it's hard on everyone when I teleport so much...”

            “You kept us alive, so I can't complain,” Baekhyun shrugged.  “What do we do now?”

            “We keep looking...but proceed with caution.”

            “You're really good at keeping calm in situations like this...”

            “You'll get used to it,” Jongin said, smiling at him sadly.

 

            Baekhyun sighed and nodded, wondering if he really wanted to get used to these sorts of situations.  Jongin motioned for him to follow, and the two began looking once more for any hint of the gang's supply stash.  They must have been deep within the hideout, because there wasn't a human to be found.  Baekhyun preferred it that way, seeing as how he and Jongin weren't exactly in the best position to defend themselves.  At least Jongin knew how to fight.  Baekhyun could probably flail around pathetically and call it fighting.

 

            Baekhyun glanced up from his thoughts and gasped quietly when he no longer saw Jongin in front of him.  The hallways of the building had started branching and Baekhyun had taken a different path than Jongin without realizing it.  He called out to him quietly, but Jongin made no response back.  They'd gotten separated, and Baekhyun was alone.

 

            He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm despite his shaking legs and pounding heart.  Jongin was probably nearby, Baekhyun just needed to look for him.  He took a few steps forward, continuing down the hall and glancing in everyone room, hoping he would see Jongin.  Instead, he reached the end of the hall, finding a staircase leading down to the darkness.  Baekhyun sighed, figuring that was probably where their storage was.  Basements seemed to be the easiest place to keep supplies.

 

            He held his finger up and created a small orb of light on the tip and began cautiously walking down the steps.  When he got down to the basement, he made his orb larger, then sent it up to the ceiling, providing enough light for Baekhyun to glance around.  There were crates stacked high along the walls.  In the corner of the room, Baekhyun spotted a very familiar looking plastic bag, containing the clothes they'd lost during their last raid.  He walked over, checking inside one of the crates beside the bag.  It was full of supplies shipped directly from the city: nonperishable foods, water, and other basic hygienic items that Baekhyun hadn't seen or used in months.  The humans were living in luxury compared to them.  There was no reason to steal supplies from Minseok's group other than pure malice, but that was to be expected.

 

            Baekhyun reached over and opened the trash bag, his mouth falling open as he realized the humans hadn't even taken any of the clothes out to use them.  Everything they'd collected was still there.  The clothes they desperately needed to survive were just sitting there, rotting away in the dark basement.  Baekhyun had never felt so bitter and angry before.

 

            A hand landed on his shoulder seconds later and ripped him away from the bag, throwing him on the ground forcefully.  Baekhyun groaned and coughed, rolling on his side and trying to get back to his feet to face whoever was now in the room with him.  Unfortunately, a man far larger and stronger than Baekhyun was looming over him in seconds, pinning him to the ground using his own body while his large hands were pressed tightly against Baekhyun's neck.  Baekhyun tried to call out, but all he managed was a pathetic gasp.

            “I thought there was one more of you little fuckers snooping around.  You can split up all you want, but we'll always find you.  I commend you for getting this far.”

 

            Baekhyun tried to struggle, but that only caused the man to tighten his grip on his neck.  It was getting harder to breathe.  He needed to do something to get away or he would be killed.  He looked to the side, trying to find anything that could help him.  There was a large chunk of wood that had broken off one of the crates laying on the ground not far from him.  If he could just reach that, he could use it to defend himself.

            “It's too bad you're one of them.  You're quite cute,” the man sneered.

 

            Baekhyun tried to reach for the piece of wood, but the man shoved his arm down painfully onto the ground with one of his hands.  He put a majority of his weight onto Baekhyun's neck, blocking most of the air from his lungs.  Tears gathered in Baekhyun's eyes  as fear set in.  He was going to die if he didn't do something.  His power wasn't good for much, but it could at least blind the man above him.

 

            Baekhyun closed his eyes and tried to produce as big a flash as he could.  He heard the man shout and the hands restraining him left his neck and arm as the man shielded his eyes.  Baekhyun used that opportunity to grab the piece of wood, and using the jagged, sharp edge, he smacked the man across the head with it, knocking him off of Baekhyun and drawing blood.  The man seemed stunned temporarily after Baekhyun's blow, so the latter took full advantage of that and slammed the wood down onto the man's skull again.  And again.  And again.

 

            Baekhyun lost track of how many times he'd hit the man, adrenaline, fear, and the need to survive controlling his movements now.  It wasn't until blood splattered across Baekhyun's face that he snapped out of his buzz, his eyes slowly traveling down to the piece of wood in his hands.  The jagged end was soaked in blood, looking like pieces had broken off from the repeated impact.  Baekhyun's eyes slowly shifted from his bloody hands down to the man on the ground.  Upon seeing him, Baekhyun let out a small cry and dropped the wood as if it burned him to touch it.  He'd beaten the man's head into a bloody mess.

 

            Baekhyun felt a fresh set of tears gathering in his eyes as he shakily held his fingers in front of the man's nose.  He wasn't breathing.  Of course he wasn't.  Baekhyun had beaten his head in.  He was dead.  Baekhyun had killed him.  He'd killed someone.  As the reality set in, Baekhyun felt like he was going to throw up or pass out, completely disgusted at himself.  He was afraid of himself.  He stared down at his bloody hands again, and finally, the tears started to fall, landing on his fingers and mixing with the blood.

            “Minseok...” He whimpered.  “Minseok, help...”

 

~*~

            Minseok groaned, leaning against the wall and gripping his bloody arm.  He'd been hit with a bullet earlier, but Yixing was exhausted, so Minseok wasn't going to bother him with an injury that wasn't dire.  Instead, he ripped some of his shirt and used the fabric to tourniquet the wound.  He glanced around, noting that most of his friends weren't in much better shape.  The room was littered with dead bodies, but thankfully none of them belonged to Minseok's group.  He'd lost track of how long they'd been fighting.  He knew it wasn't going to be easy, but he hadn't expected there to be so many in the gang.  For a while, Minseok had started to worry that they would be overrun, that they wouldn't survive.

 

            As he stared at the destruction before him, his mind slowly started to piece back together what they were really doing here.  They needed supplies.  They'd just slaughtered the entire gang to take their supplies.  Baekhyun was currently searching for those supplies with Luhan, Jongin, and Kyungsoo.  Baekhyun wasn't at his side.  Minseok needed to check on him and make sure he was alright.

 

            Minseok pushed himself off the wall and limped further into the building.  He grimaced as he found more dead bodies, practically creating a path.  Luhan and Kyungsoo had taken care of these humans, which worried Minseok.  Were they alright?  What if they'd gotten hurt?  What if Baekhyun was hurt?  Minseok didn't even want to think about that.

 

            He spotted Luhan and Kyungsoo sitting against the wall and rushed over to them.  Luhan was pressing a piece of torn cloth against Kyungsoo's leg, trying to slow its bleeding.  They both looked like they'd been through hell, though that was probably a common look for all of them.

            “Where are Baekhyun and Jongin?” Minseok asked, his voice surprisingly airy and tired.

            “They went on ahead when we got attacked,” Luhan explained.  “I'm sorry we split up.”

            “It's alright...Is Kyungsoo ok?”

            “Deep cut on his leg, but otherwise yeah, he'll be fine.”
            “If you can, get him to Yixing.  If not, I'll have him come to you.  I'm going to find Baekhyun and Jongin first though.”

 

            Luhan nodded and turned his attention back to Kyungsoo, who was conscious, but Minseok had a feeling he was ready to pass out.  As Minseok kept walking, he found himself in a series of corridors.  He came to a split in the hallway and glanced both directions, trying to decide where to go.  He heard noise coming from the right and glanced over.  Jongin had teleported a few feet from him, looking like he'd gotten quite the beating.

            “What happened!?” Minseok gasped, rushing over to him and checking him for serious injuries.

            “Baekhyun and I got separated...A few humans jumped me when I was distracted trying to find him...I killed them, but I don't know where Baekhyun is...”

            “I'll find him...Go find Chanyeol, ok?  And bring Yixing to Kyungsoo.  He's hurt and I don't think Luhan will be able to move him easily.”

            “Alright...I don't think Baekhyun went this way.  I already checked the whole hallway.”

            “Thanks for letting me know.  I'll look for him down the other path.  Are you going to be ok on your own?”

            “Yeah.  Once I find Kyungsoo and Luhan, I'll be even better.  I'm sorry I couldn't take care of Baekhyun...”

            “It's alright.  Just take care of yourself.”

 

            Minseok squeezed Jongin's shoulder then turned around and headed in the other direction, praying that Baekhyun was still alive.  He was supposed to be safe with Luhan, not somewhere on his own, possibly hurt or worse.  Anxiety was eating away at Minseok the more he thought about Baekhyun alone in this place.  He needed to find him now.

 

            He limped as quickly as he could down the other hallway, calling for Baekhyun frantically.  He was losing hope as he received no response, despite how many rooms and dead ends he'd searched.  The only comfort was that he hadn't found Baekhyun's dead body yet either.  Finally, he reached the end of the hallway, finding a staircase that led down into the darkness.  The scene was a bit too familiar to Minseok.  Baekhyun wouldn't have gone down there, would he?

 

            Minseok leaned forward a bit, trying to make anything out in the vast darkness.  That was when he noticed a soft light shining through what seemed to be a doorway at the bottom, just barely visible in the heavy darkness.  Minseok gulped and took a step forward, calling out for Baekhyun again.  It was completely silent, and Minseok was losing hope by the second, but then he heard a faint sob.  That was all it took for him to bolt down the stairs, ignoring the pain in his leg, and turn the corner into the dark room, lit only by an orb of light near the ceiling.

 

            The instant Minseok's eyes landed on Baekhyun, kneeling on the ground sobbing, he rushed forward, falling harshly onto his knees and pulling him into an embrace.  Baekhyun practically went limp in his arms, sobbing just a bit harder.

            “Minseok,” Baekhyun cried, voice weak and cracking.

            “What happened?” Minseok asked frantically.

 

            He pulled away and cupped Baekhyun's cheeks, gently lifting his face so he could look him in the eyes.  That was when he noticed the blood splattered across Baekhyun face, along with how red his eyes were from crying.  Minseok ran his thumb across some of the blood, noting that it didn't belong to Baekhyun, wiping off his cheek to reveal no injuries underneath.  Minseok stared into his eyes again, noticing how they were trembling, tears welling up and flowing over as Baekhyun searched for words.

            “Minseok, I...” He started, but his voice cracked again.

 

            Unable to find it in himself to tell Minseok what happened, Baekhyun looked away, down at the ground and the still, clothed lump beside him.  Minseok followed his eyes, taking in their surroundings finally.  In his concern and tunnel vision, he'd failed to notice the dead body beside Baekhyun.  Minseok's eyes widened and Baekhyun choked on his words again, only managing to cry even harder.  Immediately, Minseok pulled him closer, hugging his head against his chest, rubbing his back and trying to silence the growing cries.

            “It's ok,” Minseok said softly but firmly.  “You're safe now.  I'm here, it's ok.”

            “Minseok, I...He...I-I k-killed him, Minseok, I...”

            “Shh, it's ok.  You were defending yourself.”  He pulled away and lifted Baekhyun's face to stare in his eyes again.  “This was self-defense, Baekhyun.  It was either him or you.  It's always either them or you.  This is how you survive.  You can't blame yourself.”

            “I-I know...I know, but I still...”

            “It still is upsetting,” Minseok whispered, finishing his sentence.  He wished it didn't hurt him this much to witness Baekhyun's first kill.  “It's still hard to accept that you did it, and it's always going to be hard to accept.”

            “I was so scared,” Baekhyun sobbed out.  “I was so scared and then I...”

            “Shh, you don't have to say it if it's too hard.  I can't even imagine how scared you were.  I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you...But you protected yourself, Baekhyun.  You're so strong.”
            “I don't feel strong.  I feel disgusting...” Baekhyun cried.

            “You're strong,” Minseok reiterated sternly.  “You're so, so strong.  You aren't disgusting for trying to live, Baekhyun.  It's the world we live in that's disgusting.  But we can't escape that, so we have to try and survive it instead.”
            “I hate this,” Baekhyun whimpered.

            “I know.  I do too,” Minseok said shakily.  “I hate that we have to resort to this kind of thing.  I hate that you had to get involved in this and fight for you life.  But I'm so glad you're still here.  It's ok to be upset, and it's ok to cry.  This was traumatizing for you.  I'm here now.  I'll take care of you.  I'll protect you from now on, I promise.  I promise...”

 

            Minseok held Baekhyun tighter, rocking from side to side a bit as Baekhyun cried into his chest.  He felt arms wrap around his waist and squeeze him tightly, as if Baekhyun was holding on for his life.  Minseok wished he'd never left Baekhyun's side.  He wished Baekhyun had stayed away from this whole fight, though it probably would have created strain within the group if he showed favoritism.  As unrealistic as it was, Minseok hated that Baekhyun had to kill.  They were all killers.  They had to be to survive, but he never wanted this life for Baekhyun.  He deserved so much better than this.

 

            Minseok didn't know how long he'd held Baekhyun, letting him cry without restraint.  Minseok glanced around the room, finally taking in the rest of the surroundings, but purposefully ignoring the carnage beside Baekhyun.  He'd seen enough of his own slaughters to know what it probably looked like.  His eyes widened when he saw the crates, labeled with the official logo of the capital.  The humans had been receiving supplies from the city, yet they felt the need to try and starve Minseok's group out of what little supplies the abandoned city held for them.  At least Baekhyun had managed to find a treasure trove of supplies and clothes.  They would have everything they needed to pack up and move on now.  It had come at the cost of Baekhyun's innocence though, and Minseok wasn't sure anything was worth that price.

 

            Finally, Minseok heard Jongin call out to him from the top of the stairs.  He must have gone searching for Minseok and Baekhyun when they hadn't resurfaced.  Minseok sighed and called back to Jongin to guide him to where the were.  He pulled away from Baekhyun and wiped his eyes.

            “I need you to stand up for now, ok?  We need to get the supplies back to the base, then we'll talk some more, ok?  Can you get up?”

 

            Minseok reached for Baekhyun's elbow and tried to stand up with him, but Baekhyun pulled away, looking at him with worried eyes.

            “Minseok, my hands...The blood,” he whispered.

 

            Minseok glanced down and noticed how bloody his hands were.  He grabbed his shirt and started cleaning them off, earning a gasp from Baekhyun.  Minseok simply smiled.

            “My shirt is torn up and covered in blood as it is.  What's a little more?” He asked bitterly.

 

            As soon as Minseok had gotten the blood off Baekhyun's hands, some red stains remaining that would need to be washed off later, he helped Baekhyun stand up, wincing slightly as he put weight on his leg.  Not long after, Jongin practically charged down the stairs, Chanyeol and Jongdae following behind him.

            “Minseok!” Jongin shouted.  He then noticed Baekhyun.  “You found him, thank goodness!”

 

            Baekhyun gasped and immediately clung to Minseok again.  He knew Jongin was worried about him, and he appreciated that, but right now, he didn't think he could look any of them in the eyes, still too shaken up from what had happened.  Thankfully, Minseok just wrapped his arms around him, earning curious glances from the others, and began giving out orders.

            “Jongin, go get the others so we can teleport these supplies back to our hideout.  These are straight from the city.  They're full of food, water, medicine, you name it.  The clothes we scavenged last time are here as well.  We're going to need as many of these crates as we can bring back.”

            “I'll go get the others and bring them here,” Jongin said before teleporting away.

 

            Chanyeol and Jongdae started stacking the boxes, paying no mind to the dead body in the middle of the room.  They'd all gotten so used to seeing death that it no longer fazed them.  Minseok would have helped them with the task, but he was still holding Baekhyun, and he wasn't going to let him go in this state.  The others thankfully seemed to understand by how clingy Baekhyun was being that he wasn't in a good place emotionally.  Baekhyun had never clung to Minseok so desperately like this in front of them.

 

            Minseok rubbed Baekhyun's back and whispered more comforting words while they waited for the others to arrive.  When Jongin brought Luhan down, the latter took one look at Baekhyun before giving Minseok a guilty look.  Minseok wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but he figured it was best to talk to Luhan in private.  He didn't want Baekhyun or the others to hear.

 

            As soon as they were all gathered there, beaten and exhausted, Minseok instructed everyone to hold onto each other with one hand while holding a box in another, and Jongin teleported them directly into their hideout storage.  As soon as they'd gotten the boxes stacked, they each took out some clothes and jackets to change into from the bag of clothes, and Jongin teleported them out of the storage, since they wouldn't have been able to get out with the padlock on the door.

 

            Most of the group headed to their rooms to change, and Chanyeol and Suho mentioned something about cooking some food since they all needed to eat.  Minseok immediately took Baekhyun back to his room, after grabbing some water and a rag from their supplies that they kept in their makeshift kitchen, a small room connected to the main room of their hideout.  When they were inside, Minseok instantly poured some of the water onto the rag and grabbed one of Baekhyun's hands, washing the bloodstains off of it.  After he was done with Baekhyun's hands, he washed his face, then pushed a pair of clothes to him.

            “Change into those,” he said tiredly.  “I'm gonna treat my arm and leg.”

            “I'll help you,” Baekhyun whispered before pulling his old clothes off, happy to rid himself of the bloody fabric.

 

            Minseok smiled, turning away to get his medical supplies from his dresser and give Baekhyun some semblance of privacy.  When he turned back around, Baekhyun was in a new set of jeans, this pair without any holes to Minseok's relief, and a large sweater.  It was an adorable look for Baekhyun, and Minseok couldn't help but find himself smiling at the boy.

 

            Baekhyun stared worriedly at Minseok's arm and the latter sighed, walking over to his mattress and carefully sitting down.  Baekhyun was beside him in an instant, helping him peel off his jacket.  Minseok hissed as the fabric stuck to his skin from the dried blood.  After his jacket came his shirt, and sitting there bare in his room, Minseok was freezing.  It didn't help that there was a giant hole in his wall only covered by a sheet and no heating in the building.  Baekhyun must have noticed his discomfort because he quickly grabbed the rag and began dabbing at the wound.

            “You'll get blood on your hands again if you do that,” Minseok said softly.  “I can take care of it...”  Baekhyun shook his head.

            “I'll roll up my sleeves and I can wash my hands later.  I want to take care of you.”

            “Ok.”

 

            Minseok couldn't say no to Baekhyun.  Not when he looked at him with those eyes, filled with so much emotion that Minseok couldn't even begin to comprehend what he was thinking.  He loved those expressive eyes.  He just wished he didn't see so much sadness in them now.

 

            Minseok gasped when Baekhyun pressed the rag down directly on the wound.  The bullet was probably still lodged in his arm.  Luhan would be able to take care of it in a matter of minutes, but he was probably exhausted and needed rest.  Minseok would have to deal with it himself.  He grabbed a small dagger that he kept in the kit for occasions like these.  He pulled out a small bottle of alcohol and poured it on the knife.  After, he sighed and looked at Baekhyun nervously.

            “Ok, this part you really don't have to help me if you don't want to,” he warned.

            “You're going to pick the bullet out?” Baekhyun asked, his voice almost squeaking.  “What about Luhan?”

            “I wouldn't be surprised if he was already passed out on his mattress by now,” Minseok sighed.  “Really Baekhyun, I've done this before.  It's ok.”

            “You've done it before,” Baekhyun mumbled sadly.  “No, I'll do it.  It'll be easier for me to do it.”

            “If it's too much, just stop, ok?  I don't want you to be uncomfortable.”

            “You're the uncomfortable one,” Baekhyun said quietly, taking the knife.

 

            He took a deep breath and carefully slid the dagger into the wound.  Minseok let out a small whimper and covered his mouth.  Baekhyun paused and rubbed his back encouragingly, then returned to digging around in the wound for the bullet.  Minseok was surprisingly disciplined, forcing himself to keep still since he knew it would only be worse if he jerked away.  After some struggling, Baekhyun finally managed to get the bullet out, a sigh of relief leaving his lips as it fell to the ground.  Baekhyun quickly grabbed the alcohol and poured it on some gauze, dabbing it on the wound.  Minseok whimpered as it stung, but he still didn't pull away.  This needed to happen.  Finally, Baekhyun placed a new piece of gauze on it and wrapped a bandage around his arm.

            “That should do until Yixing can heal you,” Baekhyun said softly, running his fingers up and down Minseok's arm.  “Put your new shirt and jacket on.  You're freezing, right?”

 

            Minseok smiled and happily slipped his shirt over his head, with Baekhyun's help so that he didn't move his arm too much.  Once they had him happily nestled in a thick jacket, Baekhyun helped him stand up long enough to remove his pants.  It would be easier to treat the cut on his leg that way.  Minseok paused for a moment, realizing that he hadn't ever really stripped down like this in front of Baekhyun before.  He'd seen Baekhyun this way since he'd watched Lay take care of his injuries when they first brought him in, but he hadn't put himself in this situation before.  A strange, fluttery but uncomfortable feeling started to grow in his chest.  He was getting embarrassed.  Baekhyun didn't seem to notice his inner struggle though, because he just continued to pull the jeans down without Minseok's help, supporting him as he sat back down.

 

            Thankfully, Minseok's cut on his leg wasn't deep and Baekhyun just had to clean it and wrap it.  When they were done, Minseok pulled on his own 'new' pair of jeans and sighed contentedly.  He glanced at Baekhyun again and noticed he was looking at him with that same mixed expression.  He was probably tired and still pretty upset from what happened earlier.  He was just masking it well.  Minseok pushed him down on the bed, forcing him to lie down.

            “I'm going to get us some food, alright?  Lay down and rest a bit.  You look exhausted.”

            “I can come too,” Baekhyun mumbled, trying to get up, but Minseok pushed him down by the shoulders.

            “It's ok.  I'll take care of it.  Stay here and rest a bit.  You're not really in the mood to socialize, right?  So I'll go out and deal with the others.”

            “Alright...Thank you, Minseok.”

 

            Minseok nodded and pressed his forehead to Baekhyun's, closing his eyes and resting his head there for a moment.  He had expected Baekhyun to pull away, but the boy relaxed against him, closing his eyes as well.  It was oddly intimate, even when they pulled away.  They both needed and craved intimacy and reassurance right now, especially Baekhyun.  If Minseok could calm him in any way, he would do so.

 

            He got to his feet and quietly left the room, heading to their 'kitchen' as quickly as he could.  While Baekhyun might not want to eat right now, he knew they were both exhausted and they had to eat to keep their strength up.  When he got there, most of the others had already gone back to their rooms.  Chanyeol and Joonmyun were heating up some soup and noodles from the crates they'd stolen, and Minseok was never more grateful to have people who could 'cook.'  The food and supplies from the city looked so much more filling and appetizing than anything they'd eaten in months, even years.

 

            Chanyeol sighed as he let his fire die down and he set the old pot on a counter in the center of the room.  After that, he grabbed some bowls, which also seemed to have come from the supply crates they'd stolen, and dished out bowls for himself and Jongin, who was stuck to his side as always, then set bowls out for Luhan, Joonmyun, and Minseok to serve themselves.  Chanyeol and Jongin gave them all a wave before leaving the room.  Minseok sighed and walked over, smelling the soup.  It was heavenly.  The humans certainly lived luxuriously, even surviving on standardized supplies from the city.

            “If it weren't so dangerous and exhausting, I'd want to steal their supplies all the time,” Minseok said sarcastically, trying to lighten the obviously heavy atmosphere.

            “We'll definitely savor this while it lasts,” Joonmyun agreed.  Luhan glanced around nervously then placed his hand on Minseok's forearm.

            “Is Baekhyun ok?” He asked.  Minseok frowned slightly.

            “He's pretty shaken up, but I think he'll be ok.”

            “I'm sorry.  If I had been there...”

            “It wasn't your fault, Luhan,” Minseok sighed.  “Every one of us had to kill someone to survive.  Baekhyun was no exception to this...But you remember how scary it was the first time, especially when we almost died.  It's just going to take him some time to get over the shock.  So don't blame yourself for something like this.”  Luhan nodded.

            “Take care of him...I'm going to get some food and head back to my room.”

 

            Minseok nodded and let Luhan dish out some of the soup and noodles from the bowl.  After that, they exchanged silent nods as a way of parting and Minseok stepped forward to start dishing some of the soup into bowls for himself and Baekhyun.  Joonmyun walked over to his side, watching him curiously.

            “What?” Minseok mumbled, not glancing up from the food.

            “Nothing...I was just thinking about something.”

            “And that is?”

            “You really care about Baekhyun,” Joonmyun said softly, wearing his usual warm smile.

            “Of course I do.  He's part of our group now.”

            “It's more than that, and you know it,” Joonmyun huffed.  Minseok let out a sigh.

            “I care for him a lot,” he admitted.  “It's a little scary actually...Is it always like this?  Feeling so anxious and worried about them?”

            “Sometimes it's like that,” Joonmyun agreed.  “But sometimes it's not.  Sometimes, it's the only thing that keeps you going.  The only thing that gives you happiness.  Do you feel like that with Baekhyun?”

            “Yeah...I do.”

            “That's good.”

            “Isn't it dangerous though?  To get so attached...”

            “I think it's worth it,” Joonmyun shrugged.  “You're much gentler now that Baekhyun is here.  It's a nice change.  I think you two are good for each other.”
            “I can't see how I'm good for him,” Minseok practically whispered.  “I feel like I'm dragging him down and suffocating him with this kind of lifestyle.”

            “There's nothing we can do about it, Minseok.  None of us were given a choice but to live this way.  We've all had to kill because it meant we wouldn't be killed.  Even if Baekhyun hadn't joined our group, that would have been his fate the instant his power awakened.  Except he probably would have died a lot earlier on if you hadn't saved his life.  He would be dead without you, Minseok.”

            “I just want his life to be so much better than it is.  I don't want him to suffer through this hell.”

            “Of course you don't want the person you love to suffer,” Joonmyun said simply.  “And sadly, no one lives a life without suffering.  But you do make his life better.  And he makes yours better.  There will be times when you're the only thing keeping him going and vice versa.”

            “Do you ever feel that way with Sehun?”

            “All the time,” Joonmyun muttered.  “He's probably the only reason I've tried to live this long.  He gives me something to fight for...and someone to come back to.”

 

            Minseok nodded in thought.  He couldn't say for sure that he was of that much significance to Baekhyun, but he knew that Baekhyun was that important to him.  Even if Minseok had only known him for a short time, Baekhyun was precious to him, and Minseok would be damned if he let something happen to him.  Talking to Joonmyun was finally putting everything into perspective.  He was finally starting to accept his feelings for the boy wholeheartedly.

 

            Before they could say much more about the subject, a third person walked into the kitchen silently.  Joonmyun seemed to have a sixth sense for this sort of thing because he instantly looked up, his smile growing tenfold on his face.  Minseok followed his gaze, his eyes landing on Sehun as the latter quickly walked over to Joonmyun's side, wrapping his arms around his waist.

            “Hey,” Joonmyun greeted.  “I was just getting food for us.  Sorry I was taking so long.”  Sehun shook his head.

            “It's ok.”

            “I'm gonna go now.  Baekhyun's still waiting for his food too,” Minseok sighed.  “You two can have the rest.  Thanks for talking to me, Joonmyun.”

            “Of course.  I'm always here for you.  We all are.”

 

            Minseok smiled, something he was doing a lot more often these days, and nodded.  He ruffled Sehun's hair gently before picking the bowls up and leaving the couple alone in the room.  It was a little hard to get his door open carrying two bowls of soup, but thankfully, he managed to get in without any disaster.

 

            Baekhyun was lying on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling when he entered the room.  Minseok walked over and set one of the bowls down on ground before patting Baekhyun's thigh and sitting down on the edge of the mattress.

            “I know you probably aren't hungry, but you need to eat, ok?”

 

            Baekhyun let out a deep breath and pushed himself up off the mattress.  He nestled right beside Minseok, timidly grabbing the bowl and swishing the contents around with the plastic spoon Minseok had acquired for him.  Minseok waited until Baekhyun took a bite before taking one himself.

 

            Most of the meal was spent in silence.  Minseok still finished his food long before Baekhyun did.  The boy kept staring off into space, sometimes shuddering against Minseok.  He was probably reliving the incident in his mind.  Still, any time Minseok felt like Baekhyun might break down again, the boy always snapped out of it and took another bite, as if using it as a means to think about something else.  When his food was done, he set the bowl down in front of him and stared straight ahead.

            “I feel weird,” Baekhyun whispered after a couple minutes.

            “I'm sure,” Minseok said softly.  “Do you want to talk about it?”  Baekhyun nodded lifelessly.

            “I went there, knowing I would probably kill someone...After all, we were there to kill them and steal their supplies right?  But I still feel so...disgusted and empty.  Is it stupid of me to feel that way?”

            “Of course not.  Bracing yourself mentally for the possibility and actually going through with the action are two very different things...Feeling disgusted is normal too.  We all feel that way, but we don't have the luxury of morals out here.  We'd die if we worried about whether something was right or wrong.  All of this is wrong, but we have no choice.”

            “I know that too,” Baekhyun sighed.  “He would have killed me...He was in the middle of doing that.”

 

            Baekhyun ran his fingers along his neck and Minseok noticed some bruises starting to form. He would have killed that man for hurting him if Baekhyun hadn't.  His feelings were getting the better of him again.

            “He would have killed me...So I panicked and killed him instead.  Part of me feels guilty and horrible...but another part of me feels relieved.  I'm glad he's dead...And that makes me feel even worse.”

            “It's ok to feel that way,” Minseok soothed.  “I'm glad he's dead too.  I'm glad you're alive  and he's dead and not the other way around.  You survived, Baekhyun.  There's nothing wrong in being relieved about that.”

            “Even if I killed someone?”

            “Even if you killed someone,” Minseok agreed.  “I told you, we don't have the luxury of morals.  Everyone is going to die anyway.  We just won the battle and get to keep living for today.”

            “It was so scary,” Baekhyun whispered.  Minseok reached over and grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers.

            “I know...I'm really sorry I wasn't there to protect you...but it's over now.  You don't have to be scared while I'm here with you.”  Baekhyun nodded and leaned his head on Minseok's shoulder.

            “Was it this scary the first time you...you know.”

            “I threw up,” Minseok said with a bitter laugh.  “It was rather gory since I'd gotten a bit out of hand...I was scared just like you.  Luhan, Kris, and I ended up supporting each other through everything that happened.  It was hard to come to terms with it all, you know.  We had nightmares for months.  So I don't blame you for feeling lost and confused.  We all felt that way.  Take your time and don't be so hard on yourself.  We're all here for you...I'm here for you.”

 

            Baekhyun sighed and snuggled closer.  Minseok cursed himself as his heart began to beat faster.  Now wasn't the time to let his stupid feelings get the better of him.  He was trying to comfort Baekhyun, not woo him.  Why were feelings so hard to control?

            “I want to become stronger,” Baekhyun mumbled suddenly.  “Then I can protect you too.”  Minseok flushed slightly.

            “You don't need to push yourself to do something like that for me...”

            “I want to,” Baekhyun said softly, glancing up with a small smile.  “Because it's you.”

 

            Minseok bit his lip, but nodded.  The thought of Baekhyun fighting for him made him a little uncomfortable, mainly because he didn't want Baekhyun caught up in any of this, but the fact that he felt that way about him also made his heart flutter.  Perhaps Joonmyun was right when he said they were both good for each other.

            “You're a good person, Minseok,” Baekhyun muttered, as if reading his mind, and he snuggled closer still.  “I know you don't feel like a good person and this is hard for you, despite how strong you act...But you're a good person.  I would be dead without you...I'd be lost without you.  Thank you for everything.”

            “You're welcome,” Minseok whispered shakily.  “You're a good person too, no matter how you feel right now...Don't forget that.  I'll keep being a good person for you, I promise.  I'll be someone for you to come back to at the end of the day, so will you be someone I can come back to?”

            “I will, I promise,” Baekhyun whispered, nuzzling against Minseok's neck.  The latter let out a shaky breath, his feelings getting painfully hard to control.

            “You're probably tired.  Let's get some sleep, ok?  Tomorrow's a new day.”

            “Yeah...”

 

            They broke apart from each other and scooted further onto the mattress.  Minseok laid down first and seconds later, Baekhyun was laying beside him, facing him.  Without thinking, Minseok wrapped his arm around Baekhyun and snuggled him close again, nuzzling into his hair with a sigh.  Nothing felt better than having Baekhyun pressed against him like this.  He was always so warm and comforting.

 

            Baekhyun cuddled closer to Minseok and clung to his jacket.  They were quiet for some time, and Minseok was almost convinced Baekhyun had gone to sleep, but then the other boy spoke up again.

            “Hey, Minseok?  Can I tell you something?”

            “Anything.  You can always talk to me.”

            “I...I love you,” Baekhyun whispered, clinging tighter to him.

 

            Minseok let out a little gasp, and he was sure his heart was pounding so hard Baekhyun could feel it.  It wasn't just one-sided.  Minseok's feelings were returned.  All this time, it hadn't just been him experiencing this growing affection.

            “Does that bother you?” Baekhyun asked nervously.  Minseok hugged him tightly and shook his head, pressing a kiss into Baekhyun's hair.

            “No, not at all.  I love you too...I think I have for a while.”

            “Really?” Baekhyun asked, looking up at him hopefully.

            “Really.”

 

            A smile finally graced Baekhyun's face, and he pressed his nose into Minseok's chest, hugging him tightly.  Minseok rubbed his back and whispered for him to get some rest.  It had been a long, horrible day, even if it had ended in a moment like this.  After a good night's sleep,  Minseok would worry about all the anxieties flooding his mind about giving Baekhyun his love and being good enough for him.  For now, he would just sleep and watch over Baekhyun.

 

            Baekhyun seemed to understand Minseok's exhaustion and remained silent, snuggled against him.  Minseok gradually let himself drift off to sleep once he knew Baekhyun had done the same.  It ended up being a rough night, since Baekhyun's sleep was fitful and wracked with nightmares of what had happened.  Minseok was always there when he woke up though, comforting him and lulling him back to sleep.  The night was hard and exhausting, but tomorrow was a new day.

 

~*~

            Minseok knew they wouldn't be safe in the town for much longer.  They had eliminated the human gang, which took away one threat, but Minseok had a feeling it would lead to even bigger problems.  The humans had been getting regular deliveries from the capital.  As soon as they missed a delivery or couldn't be contacted, the capital would get suspicious.  Minseok wouldn't be surprised if they sent hunters to investigate.  He needed to get his group moved out of the city as fast as possible.  They could deal with a human gang, but dealing with an abundance of hunters was something entirely different.  Unlike humans, they were trained to kill.

 

            Minseok was taking full advantage of the supplies they'd gotten from the human gang.  He'd even sent Jongin and a few others back to collect more.  They now had several backpacks from the city that they were trying to stuff as full of supplies as they could.  They would definitely try to keep the backpacks in decent shape, since it made traveling much easier.  They were prioritizing water, since it was hard to come by in abandoned cities and Minseok didn't like to rely solely on Joonmyun for their supply, but he didn't want to let the food go to waste either.  Even if they each had to lug around 2 to 3 backpacks, it would mean they had everything they needed for a while.  That meant once they got to the next city, they could spend some time fortifying and finding a new place to call their own rather than scavenging for their next meal.

 

            Baekhyun had been attached to Minseok's side ever since the raid on the human gang.  He'd become a bit more withdrawn, to Minseok's dismay, but he always stayed close, usually clinging to his arm.  He needed emotional support, and Minseok didn't know how to do that really other than through physical actions and staying close to him.  Reassuring Baekhyun that he loved him and was still there with him seemed to help, but Minseok had never tended to someone else's feelings before.  He wished he could do something more for Baekhyun, but he knew it would also take time for him to recover from the whole event.  All he could do in the meantime was look out for him and protect him as best as he could.

 

            Minseok had started to come off to the others as overprotective, but he didn't care.  He wanted to be out of this city so Baekhyun could put everything behind him and Minseok wouldn't have to worry about impending attacks.  Leaving soon was in everyone's best interest.  Unfortunately, nothing ever went the way Minseok wanted it to go.

 

            They were in the middle of maneuvering more supplies into a few more backpacks that they'd stolen when Jongin teleported frantically into the storage room.  Minseok had asked him to carefully patrol the area, making sure they were still safe and alone.  He'd been feeling anxious and on edge for days, and now he was grateful he'd taken precautions.

            “There are hunters coming!” Jongin shouted fearfully.  “A whole squad of them!  More than we've ever faced!”

            “What are we going to do?” Joonmyun asked, turning his attention to Minseok.

 

            Minseok let out a shaky sigh.  The hunters were already on their way and his group wasn't ready to leave just yet.  Even if Jongin teleported them out at the very last second, they wouldn't be ready.  They'd end up leaving half their supplies behind, which would negate the effort that went into getting them.  Still, could they risk their lives to the hunters just for supplies?  It seemed like a lose-lose situation regardless of what they did.

 

            While Minseok was debating everything in his head, Baekhyun crept closer to him, nervously clinging to his arm.  Minseok jolted out of his thoughts and stared into the other's eyes, seeing nothing but fear and concern.  He needed to protect Baekhyun.  That was what was most important.  Keeping Baekhyun and the rest of his friends safe.  They would have to accept the losses and just move on.

            “We need to leave,” Minseok said quietly, grabbing Baekhyun's hand and intertwining their fingers.  “If what Jongin is saying is true, we're completely outnumbered.  This is different from fighting a human gang.  This many hunters really could kill us.”

            “What about the supplies?” Luhan asked.  Minseok shook his head.

            “What good are supplies when we're lying dead in the dirt?” Minseok sighed.  “Grab as many as you possibly can and let's get out of here.”

 

            The group started scrambling to pack what they could, but the loud sound of a siren stopped them in their tracks.  The hunters were here.  The sounds of gunshots rang through the air along with the shattering of windows.  They wouldn't be able to escape like this.  They would have to fight.

            “Change of plans,” Minseok whispered.  “Jongin, Yixing, panic room tactic.  Now!”

            “Right!” Jongin gasped, grabbing onto Yixing and teleporting away.

            “Everyone else, get ready to fight!  We need to keep the supplies safe!  Watch each other's backs and stay on your guard at all times!”

 

            The others nodded and started charging up the stairs and out of the storage.  Baekhyun clutched Minseok's hand in an iron grip, looking at him in complete horror.  Minseok let out a deep breath and hugged him close.  Baekhyun couldn't participate in this battle.  Minseok hadn't taught him how to properly defend himself and he would be easy prey to trained hunters.  Minseok couldn't lose him.

            “Listen to me,” he started quietly, feeling Baekhyun tremble against him.  “Yixing is barricaded in one of our rooms.  Jongin will teleport us to him if we get hurt, but we need to protect him from the hunters.  I want you to do the same thing, do you understand?”
            “You mean hide while all of you fight?”

            “This is different from the human gang, Baekhyun.  These men are like the ones that attacked you when we first found you.  They're trained to be soldiers and they're cruel.  They'll kill you and I can't...I can't lose you.”

            “What about you!?”

            “I can fight.  I haven't taught you how to fight yet.  Please understand, I'm not trying to look down on you.  I don't want to lose you, Baekhyun, and this is how I'm going to protect you.  We'll do our best to keep them away from the rooms, so get in one of them and barricade the door.”

            “Alright...Promise me you'll be safe.”

            “I will.  Stay out of sight, please.”

 

            Baekhyun nodded and slowly pulled away from Minseok, their hands lingering together for as long as they could make it last.  When they finally parted, Baekhyun rushed up the stairs to get to safety.  Minseok heard more gunshots and ran up the stairs to join the others.  They would need every single fighter present at the battle to get through this.  Minseok really didn't know if they would even get through this.  He felt afraid, more afraid than he had in years.  Were they facing their death?  If so, they wouldn't go down without a fight.

 

            Baekhyun flinched as he reached the top of the stairs and a bullet hit the wall nearest him.  He needed to hide quickly.  Minseok was right, he was a sitting duck in this mess.  He'd barely managed to kill one human who was unarmed.  He was no match for so many trained, armed soldiers.  He stayed low to the ground and crept past the others, who were already creating shields of earth and random objects in the room to prepare for the fight, and headed to the rooms in the back of the building.

 

            Baekhyun glanced around, trying to decide which room would be best to hide in.  His normal action would be to go to Minseok's room, but with the giant hole in the wall, he would hardly be protected.  A hunter could easily walk through it from the outside.  His safest bet was the room that had once been his before he basically moved into Minseok's room.  He ran down the hall and shut himself into the room, using the small, empty, rusted metal bookshelf in the room to barricade the door.  His heart was pounding, and he could hear shouts and the sounds of battle.  He was condemned to waiting alone for it all to end now.

 

            He couldn't stop thinking about Minseok.  He knew he would become a burden if he tried to stay by Minseok's side, but not knowing if he was hurt or dying or worse was almost unbearable.  Baekhyun wished he could fast forward time, but not even Tao with his power was capable of that.  Baekhyun was completely helpless, hiding in an isolated room.

 

            Time seemed to blur, and Baekhyun found himself covering his ears and closing his eyes, afraid to hear the pained cries of his friends.  It was only when two foreign voices sounded much closer to Baekhyun than the rest of the battle that he snapped out of it, suddenly alert.  The hunters must have gotten past the others in the main room.  Did that mean everyone was dead?  Baekhyun cupped his mouth in panic, but as he heard distant explosions, he knew the others were still putting up a fight.  These hunters were alone, but why were they searching the seemingly empty part of the building?  Were they looking for castaways like Baekhyun or was there something else?

 

            The voices got closer and Baekhyun swore his heart had never beat so loudly before.  He practically held his breath when he heard the two men outside his door.

            “This one's jammed with something.  Let's break it open.”

 

            Baekhyun's blood ran cold.  They were going to force their way into the room.  He was completely cornered.  Fighting two of them at once in this tiny room was impossible.  His best bet would be to run away.  If he created a flash as soon as they opened the door, he might be able to slip past.  It would be risky, and he might not make it to the others before the men recovered, but it was better than being shot to death in the small room.

 

            He braced himself as the first kick to the door sounded.  He honestly wanted to cry, but he knew he needed to save himself first.  Three more kicks and the bookshelf fell backwards as the door burst open.  It was now or never.  Baekhyun had to act.

 

            He let out a large flash, feeling a small sense of relief wash over him as he heard the men curse and groan.  Baekhyun quickly charged forward, jumping over the bookshelf and between the two men, bolting out of the room.  He glanced around as he ran, trying to figure out where to go.  If the men were patrolling the hallway, they would find Yixing in no time.  Baekhyun had to lead them away from him, back to the battle where the others could finish them off.

 

            Unfortunately for Baekhyun, he didn't make it very far down the hall before both men were hot on his trail.  They caught up in no time and shoved Baekhyun to the ground, both men pinning him in place on his stomach so he couldn't move.  Baekhyun grunted in frustration and thrashed about, trying in vain to get away.  One of the men pulled out a dagger and held it to Baekhyun's throat, halting his movement easily.

            “You've got quite a lot of fight for having such a pathetic power,” the man growled.

 

            Baekhyun bit his lip, trying to think of any way he could get out of this.  The man pressed the dagger into his skin, just enough to draw a drop of blood, and a shiver ran down Baekhyun's spine.  They were going to toy with him before they killed him, it seemed.

            “Somehow it's hard to believe a group of kids like you could slaughter a group of fully armed humans...Then again, perhaps it's not surprising.  This is why you monsters have to be annihilated.”

            “You're the monsters,” Baekhyun whispered.  The second man shoved his head roughly into the ground.

            “What was that?” He shouted.  The man with the knife shook his head at him, then turned his attention back to Baekhyun.

            “Rumor has it, there's a group of power users in this area traveling with a healer.  A saving grace amid the monsters.”

 

            Baekhyun clenched his hand into a fist.  They wanted Yixing.  They wanted to kill the rest of them and capture him.  Baekhyun could only imagine the harsh treatment Yixing would be subjected to if the hunters succeeded.  They would probably force him to use his powers until he collapsed, or worse.  Baekhyun couldn't let them find him.

            “Tell us where he is,” the man demanded, sliding the knife along Baekhyun's neck.  “If you tell us, we might let you live.”

 

            They wouldn't.  Even Baekhyun wasn't stupid enough to believe that kind of manipulation.  He was grateful he didn't know which room Yixing was in.  He wouldn't be able to tell them anything when he inevitably cracked under the pressure of their threats.  This would probably be the end for him, but it meant Yixing would be safe, at least until they patrolled the rest of the hall and found him.

            “Tell us!” The man shouted, smacking Baekhyun across the head with the back of the knife.

            “I don't know,” Baekhyun whimpered.

 

            The man scoffed in disbelief.  This was it.  They were going to kill him.  Baekhyun could try and flash again, but he doubted the same trick would work against the hunters.  He was stuck, waiting for whatever cruelty they had in store for him.

            “Maybe you'll remember where he is if I give you a reason to,” the man said darkly.

 

            He removed the knife from Baekhyun's neck, only to plunge it into his shoulder and drag it down across his back, down to his hip.  Baekhyun let out a piercing scream as pain seared through his body.

            “Tell us where the healer is!”

 

            Tears gathered in Baekhyun's eyes.  His back ached unbearably from the wound and the men were still pressing him harshly into the ground.  There was no way he was going to escape, and he didn't even have the information these men wanted.  He was going to die.  He would never see Minseok again.  He would never hold him again.  Minseok would be left behind all alone, and Baekhyun would die alone.  He hated that thought.  This couldn't be the end.  He had to do something.  Anything to get back to Minseok.

 

            Baekhyun focused every last ounce of strength he had into creating a huge flash.  As everything became white and Baekhyun closed his eyes, he faintly smelled burning flesh and registered the screams of the men above him.

 

~*~

            Minseok froze when he heard a scream sound above the battle, despite being farther away.  It was Baekhyun.  He was in trouble.  Minseok's heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest and his lungs struggled to take in oxygen.  They'd been fighting so hard to keep the hunters pushed back and away from Baekhyun and Yixing, yet Baekhyun had cried out in obvious pain.  How badly was he hurt?  What had those demons done to him?  Minseok needed to go, but he found himself rooted to the ground in fear, an easy target in the middle of the battlefield.  It was Luhan that finally snapped him out of his inner turmoil.

            “Minseok!” He shouted.  “Go!”

 

            Luhan threw a chunk of rubble up in front of Minseok just in time to catch a bullet aimed at his face.  Minseok turned his gaze to meet Luhan's, feeling oddly far away from the battle despite being in the middle of it.

            “Go to him!  We'll take care of things here!  He needs you, Minseok!  MOVE!”

 

            Minseok didn't need to be told twice.  He bolted out of the main room, heading back to the hallway leading to all their rooms.  As soon as he turned the corner into the hall, he had to stop and shield his eyes from the painfully bright light.  There was no doubt that was Baekhyun.  Minseok had never seen him shine so brightly though.  It was actually burning his eyes and making them water just to look in that direction from the other side of the hall.

 

            As Minseok shielded his eyes and tried to find the men that had hurt Baekhyun through the bright light flooding the hall, he finally spotted two figures on their knees.  They were gripping their faces, groaning and crying out in agony.  As Minseok's eyes adjusted slowly to the light, he noticed blood dripping in between the fingers of the men as they held their faces.  Then he saw it.  Their eyes had been burned out.  Much of the skin on their faces that he could see through the obscured view was actually burned.  Minseok wasn't sure how Baekhyun had done it, but he'd used his light to burn their eyes out, in a similar way to Chanyeol's power, but much more concentrated and accurate.  Baekhyun had seriously injured them.

 

            It wasn't a shock to Minseok that Baekhyun had done it.  The biggest shock really was that Minseok still didn't know just what Baekhyun's power was capable of, even after the past few months of working with him.  These men had hurt him though.  They deserved the pain they were experiencing, and Minseok would be damned if he let them live.  Baekhyun had taken away their sight, so they wouldn't even see Minseok's attacks coming.  They were the sitting ducks now.

 

            Minseok sent icicles flying at them, hitting them both in the forehead.  Their writhing in pain stopped immediately and they collapsed to the ground, barely visible through the intense light.  Minseok had at least been merciful and given them quick deaths.  He took a step forward and hissed as the light burned his eyes.  He needed Baekhyun to stop, otherwise he would suffer the same fate as those hunters.

            “Baekhyun, it's me!” He called.  “I need you to stop, I can't see you.  Please, I want to come to you...”

 

            Slowly, the light began to dim.  Minseok gradually took steps forward, not wanting to wait any longer.  When Baekhyun's light completely faded, Minseok finally got a good look at him.  He was flat against the ground, breathing harshly and trembling, tears rolling down his cheeks.  Minseok sprinted the rest of the distance, needing to be by Baekhyun's side that instant.  He fell roughly to his knees beside the boy and carefully placed his hand on the back of his head, brushing through his hair.  His eyes landed on the bloody gash running across Baekhyun's back and he felt a wave of nausea hit.  He was hurt really badly.

            “Oh God...Baekhyun, I'm so sorry,” Minseok whispered, fingers carefully pulling away the bloody fabric of Baekhyun's sweater away from the wound for closer inspection.

            “It's not your fault,” the other responded weakly, trying to shift slightly so that he could see Minseok better.  It only ended up sending another jolt of pain through his back, causing him to whimper.

            “Don't move!” Minseok gasped, holding his shoulder to try and still him.  “I was supposed to keep them away from you...You were supposed to be safe.”

            “I am safe...You're here now.”

            “I need to get you to Yixing.  This is bad.”

 

            He'd failed to keep Baekhyun safe from harm, but that didn't mean he couldn't get him taken care of and make sure the hunters would pay for putting them in this position.  Minseok would make sure every single one of them died.  First, he needed to get Baekhyun to Yixing though.  He was bleeding badly and the wound was deep.  Minseok knew he wouldn't last much longer at this rate.

            “Baekhyun, I'm going to lift you up, ok?  I'm going to do it slowly, but if it hurts too much, let me know.”

 

            Baekhyun nodded in reply.  His vision was blurry and he was in so much pain, he was starting to lose consciousness.  The blood loss probably didn't help his case.  Minseok carefully lifted one of his shoulders, and Baekhyun hissed in response.  It hurt just to breathe, so moving like this was agonizing.  Minseok was gentle and slow, just like he said he would be.  As soon as he had managed to turn him so they were facing each other, Baekhyun's arms wrapped around Minseok's neck, clinging to him in an attempt to push through the pain.  Minseok hooked his arm carefully around his back, resting his hand on Baekhyun's hip.

            “It's ok,” he soothed.  “I've got you.”

 

            Baekhyun pressed his forehead to Minseok's neck, whimpering and letting himself cry freely now that he was in the other's arms.  Minseok always came when Baekhyun needed him most.  He'd always been there to save Baekhyun from whatever cruel fate life tried to thrust upon him.  Baekhyun really would be lost without him.

            “I'm going to lift you up,” Minseok said gently.  “Bear with this just a little longer, ok?”

 

            Baekhyun whined quietly as Minseok hooked his arm under his legs and lifted him off the ground.  Minseok's arm was supporting Baekhyun's back, but it hurt to have it pressed against his wound.  Baekhyun knew it was necessary though.  He was hurting way too much to walk on his own, let alone keep his back straight or stand up.  This was probably the most painless way to move him around.

 

            Minseok leaned his cheek against the top of Baekhyun's head, attempting to comfort him, then let out a sigh.  The easiest way to get to Lay would be to walk down the hall and ask him to let him in, but that would compromise his position.  Bringing Baekhyun out in the middle of the battle to find Jongin so they could teleport was too risky and inconvenient though.  Baekhyun was in no shape for that.  Minseok would have to risk Yixing's safety.  He would make sure they were both safe and hidden again before getting back to the battle.  He wasn't going to lose anyone today.

 

            Minseok began walking down the hall, trying to hold Baekhyun as still as he could in his arms.  Blood had already soaked his sleeve that was pressed against Baekhyun's back.  Yixing needed to heal him quickly or it would be too late.  As they were walking, Baekhyun lifted his head from Minseok's neck so he could look up at him.

            “Minseok...They were asking about Yixing,” he said tiredly.  It was hard to keep focus, but Minseok needed to know this.

            “What?”

            “They know we killed the human gang...But they also know we have a healer in our group.  They want Yixing.  They were trying...to get me to tell them where he was...but I didn't know.”

            “They won't be getting him,” Minseok growled darkly.  “They won't be getting any of us, dead or alive.”

 

            Baekhyun rested his head tiredly in the crook of Minseok's neck again.  He could only hope what Minseok was saying was going to be the outcome.  Minseok reached a door at the end of the hall and knocked on it with one of his hands, carefully balancing Baekhyun in the process.

            “Yixing...It's me, Minseok.  I need you to let me in, I'm sorry...”

 

            There was a moment of silence, then Minseok heard the dull sounds of heavy objects being dragged across the floor, away from the door.  Finally, after a moment, the door cracked open, Yixing staring at him warily from the other side.  As soon as he confirmed that it was really Minseok and he was alone, he let out a relieved sigh.

            “I thought we were doing operation panic room,” Yixing mumbled, opening the door just enough to let them in before shutting it again.

            “We are, but Baekhyun got hurt and I didn't want to bring him to the battlefield just to find Jongin.”

            “I was worried it was his scream I heard earlier,” Yixing said sadly, looking nervously at the boy in Minseok's arms.

            “Can you heal him?  They cut his back open, Yixing...”

 

            Minseok was surprised how shaky his voice was as he explained.  He hadn't realized he'd been on the brink of tears the entire time, too caught up in taking care of Baekhyun, but explaining his injury to Yixing was making it sink in even more that he'd let Baekhyun down and the boy had gotten injured as a result.

            “Set him down on the ground and I'll start working right away.”

 

            Minseok nodded and carefully squatted down, placing Baekhyun's legs on the ground.  He tried to pull the boy away from him so he could flip him on his stomach and give Yixing better access, but Baekhyun refused to let go, arms clamped tightly around Minseok's neck.  Yixing seemed to notice the struggle and placed his hand on Minseok's shoulder.

            “I can heal him like this, just hold him up so I can see his wound.”

 

            Minseok nodded again and held Baekhyun still, trying to keep his back straight and visible so Yixing could work.  As green light flowed from Yixing's fingers and Baekhyun began to relax against Minseok, the latter finally felt himself calming down.  Yixing was taking care of Baekhyun now.  He would pull through.

            “He's lost a lot of blood, but with some rest and my power, he'll be fine,” Yixing said gently.

            “Thank you.  I'm sorry for wearing you out taking care of all of us,” Minseok sighed.  Yixing shook his head.

            “You're my family.  I'd happily die for all of you, even Baekhyun.”

            “No one's going to die today,” Minseok stated.  “We'll get through this.”

            “I trust you,” Yixing mumbled.

 

            It took some time to heal Baekhyun, and Minseok was fairly certain the boy passed out in the middle of it, because his grip on Minseok's neck gradually went limp, but Minseok kept him pressed against his body all the same.  Finally, Yixing sighed and gave Minseok a tired smile.

            “He's fine now, but it left a pretty nasty scar,” the healer explained.  Minseok nodded lifelessly.

            “A scar is fine as long as he's alive.  We all have plenty of scars.”

            “That's true.”

            “Look after him for me,” Minseok asked next, handing Baekhyun over to Yixing.  When the boy was rested against Yixing's chest, Minseok got to his feet.

            “I'll keep him safe, I promise.”

            “Look out for yourself too.  They know we have a healer.  They were hounding Baekhyun for information.”

            “I will.”

            “As soon as I leave, barricade the door.”

            “I will,” Yixing repeated.

            “I'm going now.  I have some hunters that need to be taught a lesson.”

            “Be careful.”

 

            Minseok turned around, ready to leave the room in an absolute rage.  Now that he'd taken care of Baekhyun, he was furious, and he was going to make every damn hunter pay for what had happened.  A hand suddenly clamped around his wrist and Minseok stopped in his tracks, turning his head to find a barely conscious Baekhyun clinging to him.

            “Minseok,” he called out quietly.

 

            Seeing Baekhyun like this was agonizing.  Minseok didn't want to leave him, but he had to help the others fight.  Minseok sighed and turned to face them again, squatting beside Baekhyun and cupping his cheeks, seeming to forget Yixing was also in the room.

            “It's ok,” Minseok soothed, rubbing Baekhyun's cheeks with his thumbs.  “I'll be back soon, I promise.”

            “Don't leave...”

            “I have to help the others.  I need to protect you and Yixing still, Baekhyun.”

            “What if you get hurt...What if you die?”

            “If I get hurt, I'll come here, and you and Yixing will take care of me.  I won't die.”  Baekhyun looked like he wanted to protest, but he bit his lip instead and held it in.  “I'll be fine.”

            “Promise you'll come back to me,” Baekhyun whispered, his words surprising Minseok.  “You have to come back!”  Minseok smiled and pressed their foreheads together.

            “Of course I will.  I promise.”

 

            He pulled away only to leave a soft kiss on Baekhyun's forehead.  Baekhyun seemed willing enough to let him leave after that, so Minseok got to his feet.  He ignored the obvious smirk on Yixing's face after he'd witnessed everything while holding Baekhyun.  Minseok didn't have time to deal with his embarrassment or his friend's teasing stare.  Now he had to fight.  He had to kill.

 

            Minseok shut the door behind him, listening and waiting for the sound of Yixing scooting the heavy objects back in front of it.  As soon as he knew they were barricaded inside again, he walked down the hall, letting his anger fuel his power.  The walls began to frost over and crack under the pressure of the ice.  Minseok wouldn't hold anything back anymore.  They were all going to die.

 

            When he turned the corner back into the main room, he sent icicles out in all directions, taking down several hunters at once.  That turned the eyes of both friends and foes his way.  Several hunters aimed and took fire, but Kyungsoo, Tao, and Luhan were faster, lifting up chunks of the ground to act as shields or knocking the bullets away while time was paused.  As soon as his friends were out of the line of fire, Minseok let another round of icicles fly out.  He was fighting recklessly, but he didn't care.  His powers were always stronger when he channeled his fury into them.  Luhan cursed under his breath.

            “Watch Minseok's back!  He's angry!”

 

            That was all the others needed to know to understand.  It wasn't the first time Minseok had lost himself to his anger and gone on a killing spree.  It had happened before when they were attacked by hunters and someone had been hurt badly.  As distant as Minseok acted, they all knew that nothing hurt him more than seeing his friends suffer.  They always made sure to act as his defense when he got like this.  It was a drastic, dangerous fighting style to resort to, but when it happened, it was usually necessary.

 

            The bodies piled up on the floor of their base and the waves of hunters seemed endless.  Many of Minseok's friends received injuries far worse than what the human gang had inflicted.  Finally, the last hunter fell to the ground, burned to a crisp from a joint effort of Chanyeol's fire and Jongdae's lightning.  They'd finally won the battle, and they were all alive, even if badly injured.

 

            Minseok had taken a bullet to the stomach near the end, Luhan's rubble shield not fast enough to block it.  Luhan had immediately pulled him to shelter behind a pile of debris and applied pressure on the wound.  As soon as the battle had ended, Luhan began extracting the bullet while Jongin teleported to Yixing and Baekhyun to bring them out.  When he returned, the two rushed over to Minseok's side.  Baekhyun was wobbly on his feet, so Yixing was doing his best to support him.  As Yixing began to heal the bullet wound, Baekhyun clung to Minseok's hand, watching in horror as the wound slowly closed up.  The only thing that broke his worried stare was Minseok squeezing his hand.

            “I'm back,” Minseok said softly, a smile finally gracing his face.

 

            Baekhyun let out a sigh, and all the tension, fear, and worry seemed to leave his body with it.  Minseok was safe, and they were together again.  They had all survived the attack.  They could keep living for that day.  He'd never felt so relieved before in his life.

 

            Once Yixing had finished with Minseok, he moved on to the others' injuries, healing the ones that needed healing and leaving some of the lesser injuries for later after he'd recharged a bit.  Minseok tenderly got to his feet again, glancing around the room at his friends.  Everyone looked pretty worse for wear.  They would all need new clothes not covered in blood and bullet holes.  Minseok grabbed Baekhyun's hand, leading him down to the storage.

 

            They went through their bag of clothes, choosing out enough to make sure all their friends were clothed.  After that, they handed them out in silence.  Nothing much was said between the two until they went back to Baekhyun's small room to change.  Minseok didn't feel safe about his room since it had a gaping hole in the wall.  Baekhyun figured the other was being paranoid, but after everything that happened, he wasn't going to complain.

 

            As they were changing, Baekhyun pulled his sweater and shirt off, revealing the entirety of his scar to Minseok, causing the latter to gasp quietly.  He knew the scar would be there, but it was still alarming to see the whole thing span from Baekhyun's shoulder down to where it wrapped slightly around his hip.  Minseok could only imagine how much pain it must have caused him.

            “Is it bad?” Baekhyun asked quietly.  “I can only see a little bit of it on the back of my shoulder and my hip...”

            “It's...It's a scar,” Minseok sighed.  He walked over and wrapped his arms around Baekhyun's waist, pressing a kiss into the beginning of the scar on his shoulder.  “Having it just means you're still alive here with me.”

 

            Baekhyun flushed, not used to Minseok being this affectionate.  Then again, they'd both almost died that day, so perhaps they were on edge and extra emotional as a result.  He leaned against Minseok and let himself be held from behind until goosebumps started appearing on his skin from the cold.  Then, Minseok sighed and let go.

            “Put your clothes on before you freeze.”

 

            Baekhyun smiled and did as told, then watched as Minseok did the same.  Baekhyun had never noticed before just how many scars Minseok had on his body.  He had survived a lot over the years.  Baekhyun would probably look similar to him in three years' time.  It was saddening to think of how much they would have to endure just to keep living, but Minseok was right.  Every scar just meant they'd survived one more battle.  It meant they could be together for one more day.

 

            When everyone had their new clothes on, they quickly got back to packing supplies.  There was no way the hunters would end with just one wave.  They had to escape before more came, or else they really would all die.  They weren't able to pack all the supplies, but they managed to take a large majority of them.  Everyone had at least 2 backpacks, one on their back and one in their arms.  Some of the physically stronger members, Kyungsoo especially, carried 3 backpacks, one on their back, one on their front, and however many they could carry in their hands.  When they were ready to leave, Jongin held his hands out to teleport, but Minseok shook his head.

            “You're too tired.  We're going to have to move on foot for a while until we can rest a bit.”

            “And how do you suppose we do that safely!?” Jongdae gasped.  Minseok tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace.

            “How we usually make our natural escapes...”

            “The sewers?” Jongin asked, but it came out more as a whine.

            “The sewers,” Minseok confirmed.

 

            A collective groan sounded from the group, but they didn't fight against Minseok's command.  They knew just as well as he did that Jongin was too tired to teleport them.  They didn't want anyone or anything to get left behind, nor did they want Jongin to overuse his powers and something terrible to befall him.  They would have to make do with walking.

 

            They left through the back of their hideout, moving as swiftly and quietly as they could.  They kept to the shadows for the most part, afraid to be seen in case any other hunters were still patrolling the area.   Finally, they reached a manhole and Luhan lifted it with his power, since none of them really had many hands to spare.  Chanyeol went down first, using his fire to check if the path was clear.  After that, they carefully tossed their backpacks down and began to descend the ladder.  When they were all down in the sewers, Luhan used his power again to cover the manhole back up.  Jongin groaned and covered his nose.

            “The sewage smells bad enough, but with Chanyeol's fire, it smells like burning sewage.”

            “Be thankful there's a pathway so you don't have to walk through the sewage!” Luhan snapped, not dealing with the complaining well.  Minseok glanced at Baekhyun and grabbed his hand.

            “Do you want to help?” He asked the boy quietly.

            “How?”

            “Well, your power is light, right?”

 

            Baekhyun made a quiet 'oh' at the remark, then held his hand out in front of him, slowly forming a ball of light.  The others stopped their bickering and glanced over in awe.  Baekhyun gently pushed the orb in the air, where it hovered over them.  Chanyeol let his fire fade, and gradually, the heat and nasty smell disappeared.

            “That's better,” Kyungsoo mumbled, glancing up at the small orb that seemed to hold so much light in it.

            “Baekhyun's been training hard,” Minseok said proudly.  “Shall we go?”

 

            The group agreed and picked up their backpacks, walking down the pathway.  Minseok kept his hand intertwined with Baekhyun's, each of them holding their second backpacks with one hand.  It was tiring to do so, but Minseok didn't want to let go of Baekhyun.  Not again.

 

            They walked down the pathway for what was probably a few hours.  Minseok could feel Baekhyun's hand trembling in his, probably from exhaustion from using so much of his power.  After all, he hadn't mastered his power nearly as much as the others, and Minseok was sure he used a massive amount of energy to hurt those two hunters earlier.  Baekhyun truly was amazing for having so much hidden strength.  Thankfully, they reached a dead end of the sewers, a ladder leading up to a manhole in an unknown location.  They hadn't had any plan of where to go next.  They only knew that they needed to get away as soon as possible.

 

            Luhan cautiously removed the lid of the manhole and peered out.  They were just outside the city bounds, miles away from where their old hideout was and near what seemed to be a forest.  They would be safe if they started traveling on the surface now.  One by one, they lugged their backpacks up and began walking through the forest.  Baekhyun kept his light as dim as possible, just enough so they wouldn't trip over the thick brush, since Minseok didn't want them to be spotted.

 

            They must have walked for another few hours, until they were deep into the forest.  The hunters wouldn't get this far looking for them, not for a while.  They would be safe long enough to rest.  When morning came, then Jongin would teleport them as far away as possible, and they would travel until they reached another abandoned town.  For now, everyone was exhausted, however, and Baekhyun looked like he wouldn't be able to produce much more light without collapsing, so Minseok called it a night.

 

            The lesser injured decided to take turns keeping watch so that everyone could rest and sleep, even if it was just a few hours.  Baekhyun had offered to keep watch, but Minseok immediately turned the idea down, pulling him over to the spot where they would lay down and rest.  Minseok could see some of the stars sparking through the leaves of the trees as he glanced up, and he was glad he'd lived to see such a scene.  It had been so long since he'd stopped to just appreciate the natural beauty of the world.

 

            Finally, after giving up on trying to help, Baekhyun laid down beside him.  He, as well as Jongin and Yixing, had been ordered to rest for the entirety of the night so they could recover their energy.  Baekhyun didn't really see why it was so important that he rest as much as the other two, but as he laid his throbbing head on Minseok's shoulder, he realized just how exhausted he was.

            “You used a lot of power today,” Minseok whispered.  Most of the others had instantly fallen asleep, so he didn't want to wake them up.

            “I can still keep watch...”

            “No.  Between fighting off those two hunters, getting injured, and lighting our way, there's no way we would let you keep watch.  You earned your rest, Baekhyun.”

            “What about you?”
            “Well, everyone seems to want me to rest too.  Something about a bullet to the stomach really taking it out of me.”

            “Of course it would,” Baekhyun mumbled sadly, his hand rubbing the spot where he knew a new scar had formed on Minseok's body.

 

            Minseok sighed and pulled Baekhyun closer, wrapping his arms around him and snuggling him close.  He'd gotten so used to sleeping with him like this, he didn't think he could suddenly stop, even if all his friends noticed.  The cat was already out of the bag with a couple of them.  Minseok would no doubt be admitting his relationship with Baekhyun in the next 24 hours.  It didn't matter anymore if they snuggled in front of everyone else.  Minseok wasn't even ashamed of their relationship or trying to hide it, he was just shy and new to the whole 'love' thing.  Baekhyun let out a contented sigh and wrapped his arm around Minseok's waist.

            “You scared me today,” Minseok whispered into his hair.  “I really thought I was going to lose you.”

            “I thought I was going to die too,” Baekhyun said sadly.  “When I thought about never seeing you again, I panicked and...”

            “It's ok, you don't have to think about it anymore.  Everything that happened today is in the past.  We're alive...That's all that matters.”

            “Thank you for coming back to me,” Baekhyun whispered.

            “I promised I would.”

            “I'll always come back to you too...No matter what.  You're my home now, Minseok.”

 

            Baekhyun flushed and Minseok stared at him in shock.  He hadn't realized how badly he needed to hear Baekhyun say those words, that he had found his own version of 'home.'  That it was Minseok of all people.  Then again, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that Baekhyun had become his home along with the others.  He was a special place that Minseok would do anything to protect, anything to return to.

            “You're my home too,” Minseok whispered before pressing his lips against Baekhyun's.

 

            It was a gentle kiss that was over soon after it started when Minseok pulled away, but the flush in Baekhyun's checks still grew tenfold, and he still stared up at Minseok with those eyes full of love and admiration.  A smile grew on Baekhyun's face and he pressed their noses together.

            “I love you,” he murmured.

            “I love you too,” Minseok replied happily.

 

            Baekhyun was the one to connect their lips again.  This kiss was just a bit more intimate, with them softly nibbling and pulling at each other's bottom lips.  They didn't dare get too heated while all their friends were there.  Minseok didn't feel the need to though.  Slow, soft kisses with Baekhyun were heavenly, and Minseok felt happier than he had in years.  Baekhyun was always the one that made Minseok feel like he was above the clouds, that life was worth living again.

 

            They cuddled together for the rest of the night.  Minseok's old mattress had been much more comfortable than the cold, forest floor, but with how tired they were, it wasn't hard to sleep through the discomfort.  Morning came sooner than any of them were ready for.  They got up with pained and tired groans, stretching sore limbs and rubbing eyes in order to try and stay awake.  They pulled out their supplies and had a quick breakfast consisting of some granola bars they'd found in the human supply stash.  When they were done, they started pulling backpacks on and preparing for another exhausting day of traveling.  Jongin would be teleporting them this time at least.  That would save their feet some of the pain.

 

            Baekhyun yawned and rubbed his eyes, still feeling exhausted from the day before.  His headache had calmed down a bit, so he was grateful for that.  Everyone began gathering around, backpacks in hand, and Baekhyun let out a sigh.  He didn't know where they would be going after this.  None of them knew.  Their lives would always be this way, never knowing what laid in store for them.  It was terrifying, and for a brief moment, Baekhyun felt like his surroundings were closing in on him, anxiety of what the future held crashing down on him.

 

            But then Minseok turned around and smiled at him, reaching out his hand for Baekhyun to take, and all the anxiety seemed to flow away.  He was scared of what would happen in the future, but he wouldn't be alone.  He had a family now, and someone that loved him.  Someone that he could return to at the end of each day, and someone that would return to him each day.  That was more than enough for Baekhyun to face the future with his head held high.

 

            He grabbed Minseok's hand without any hesitation, and the other pulled him to his side, intertwining their fingers.  They shared shy smiles, earning loving teases from their friends.  This was Baekhyun's life.  This was what mattered.  No matter where they ended up or how many times they fought for their lives, this was what he would come back to.  For the first time in months, Baekhyun felt genuinely happy, and he knew Minseok felt the same way.  Even if the world around them became hell on earth, they would find a way through.  They would be happy, together.

 

            Everyone held onto each other as Jongin teleported away, taking them to the next destination.  To new, unexplored territory.  Anxiety and excitement loomed in the air as they disappeared into smoke.  It was the beginning of a new day.

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