Storm Chaser
Title: Storm Chaser (Part Two)
Author: his_angel16
Characters: Jongdae, Sehun, Kyungsoo, Yixing, Kris, Tao, Joonmyeon, Minseok, Luhan
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Angst
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own the plot, not the people. Any actual likeness to any given person is purely coincidental.
Summary: Kim Jongdae was able to suppress his gift for many years. It isn't until he runs into others like him that he finally realizes that he's not alone. He begins to harness his power along with his new friends. Just when things seemed good in his life, someone had to come along and wreck it.
Jongdae groaned, hearing rustling near him. He opened his eyes, sitting up quickly. He stared at the other person in the room, their movements freezing at seeing him awake. “Grumpy hyung?” he gasped, eyebrows shooting into his hairline. “W-what are you doing here?”
Kris frowned. “You're at my house.” He finished tugging on his clean shirt. “Well, the apartment is in Tao’s name, but I still live here.” He pointed to the door. “Your friends are out there.”
Jongdae got out of bed, hurrying to the living room. He smiled when Kyungsoo and Sehun saw him, both bolting off of the couch. They bombarded him in a group hug, Sehun nearly bawling again while Kyungsoo merely sniffled. “Are you okay, Sehunnie?”
Sehun nodded. “I'm okay, hyung. But what about you? Kyungsoo hyung told me that you had your arm broken.”
Staring at his arm, Jongdae frowned. “It was broken. All I remember really is being in a lot of pain. Then there was this light and, poof, the pain was gone.”
“I'm glad to see you awake,” Yixing stated. He smiled at Jongdae, walking over to press his hand to the younger's forehead. “Your fever is gone, too.”
Tao stood up, clearing his throat. “We need to think of the next course of action.” He looked at Yixing and Kris before looking at the younger three. “Do you want to stay here or would you like to go somewhere safer? Somewhere that there are others like us.”
“I want to go to the other place,” Kyungsoo answered, pointing over his shoulder at the map. “I want to go to the place where the blue pin is at.”
Tao glanced at the map, eyes fixating on it when he noticed three pins had been added. “Yixing, did you do that?”
“Yes and no.” He grinned. “I put the purple one there, but Kyungsoo put the brown and green ones there.”
“What do they mean?” Jongdae stared at the map, finding two groups of three pins and one group of two.
“It's us,” Kris replied. “Each pin is a different power. There's twelve total.”
“There's only three left.” Tao closed his eyes, falling back onto the couch. He opened his eyes again, staring at the map in front of them. “Kris, Yixing.” He waited until they both looked at him. “I'm leaving these children in your care. I’m going after the last three.”
“What? Shouldn’t we stay together?” Yixing frowned. “What if you run into trouble?”
“If there's twelve of us, why are there only eleven pins?” Sehun asked, head cocked to the side.
“Because I haven't had the need to track myself.” Tao got up from the couch, going into the bedroom. He hurriedly packed a backpack, slinging the straps over his shoulders as he walked back to the living room. “We can use this as a safe house. I'll keep paying the rent on it, but I want all of you to head for Joonmyeon's place north of here. I'll keep heading south.”
“Should we leave the map here? We've always taken it with us.” Kris leaned against the wall. “And what do you plan on doing exactly? How will you find them?”
“The same way I found you and Yixing in China. I'll sniff them out if I have to.” Tao pulled open the desk drawer, snatching two new maps from it. “We'll leave this one here. You guys take this one.” He placed a map aside, stuffing the other one into a side pocket on the backpack. “I'll send word whenever I completely search a city. If they aren’t there, I'll keep moving.” He pulled a red pen from the drawer, sticking it in his back pocket. “Whenever I send word, mark off that city on your map, too. You'll know where I’ve been and where I still have to search.”
Yixing nodded. “Okay. What should we tell this Joonmyeon when we meet him?”
Tao paused, chewing on his lip as he tore a piece of paper from a notebook. He scrawled a quick message, folding it up before handing it to Yixing. “Give this to him. It explains things a little.”
“Is Joonmyeon nice?” Kyungsoo asked, frowning. “Or is he more like Kris hyung?”
“He's not like Kris hyung. In fact, he's the kindest person I’ve met since Suho.” Tao blinked, sighing when he gained confused looks from the younger three. “When you get to Joonmyeon's, have him tell you the stories of our past. It's best if you hear it from Suho's descendant than from anyone else.”
Tao went to the door, slipping his shoes on. “Make sure you mark on your map where we've found each person. And mark their current whereabouts with more pins.” He waved once before slipping out and closing the door behind him.
Jongdae frowned. “When are we leaving?”
“As soon as we can,” Yixing told him. He looked at the three younger ones. “Why don't you guys sit on the couch while we get some things packed?”
Jongdae pulled Kyungsoo and Sehun with him, climbing onto the couch with them. They put Sehun in the middle, like they always did, as they watched the older two start packing. They packed extra clothes and blankets, snacks and drinks for their trip north, and Kris carefully marked their locations on the map. He placed it in his backpack before slipping it onto his shoulders.
“Don't forget Tao’s note. He'd be pissed if we forgot it after all this.”
Yixing nodded, making sure he had it in his pocket. “We'll take the subway, but it'll still take two days to get there.”
Jongdae nodded as they followed Kris and Yixing to the door. He pulled on his shoes, turning as Sehun and Kyungsoo slipped theirs on. He took their hands as they walked out of the apartment. The walk was quiet, Kris walking in front of them while Yixing walked behind them. It made him feel like he had gotten in trouble, but he was glad for it. It made his friends feel safe and that's all that mattered. It took ten minutes to walk to the subway and five to board the underground train. So many people were trying to squeeze inside, but they all managed to stay together. Sehun had fallen asleep against him, Kyungsoo kicking his feet against the ground in boredom. Yixing and Kris stayed on either side of them, eyes scanning the other passengers as they searched for the other powers.
At every stop, more people got off than on, so the crowd thinned out, making room on either side of the younger ones for Kris and Yixing to sit down. Jongdae wasn't sure when it happened, but Kyungsoo had snuggled up to Yixing, weaseling his way under his arm and he had started leaning on Kris. He hadn’t felt tired, but his eyelids were heavy. He tried to keep them open, but it was inevitable when they closed and didn’t open. The next thing he remembered was being rocked side to side, not violently, but at a steady rhythm. Opening his eyes, he found that they were walking. Well, he wasn't walking. He was being carried on Kris’s back while Sehun and Kyungsoo walked with Yixing, holding hands. Kyungsoo had Kris’s backpack on, looking perfectly fine despite the weight of it. Then again, what was he to expect from a kid that threw boulders around all day?
“How far are we?” he mumbled, voice thick with sleep.
Kris peered back at him before looking back to the front. “We're about seventeen hours away. We're going to get a hotel and stay there for the night. Yixing doesn't want to push Kyungsoo and Sehun too much. And you kept dozing off, so we figured it was a good idea.”
Jongdae blushed. “It's not like I fell asleep on purpose!”
“We know you didn’t. You've had a rough day. All three of you have. So, we're getting a hotel so you can all rest.” Kris nodded toward the large building in front of them. “We stayed here on our way down. Tao was a room on constant reserve.”
“How much money does he have? He throws it around like it's nothing.” Jongdae was glad that Kris put him down before they entered the hotel. He was already embarrassed that his friends saw him like that, but if other people saw him, he was certain he would die of embarrassment.
“Quite a bit. But he's had a lot of time on his hands. He's lived long enough.” They fell quiet as Yixing checked them in, all heading up to their room. It only had two beds, but it was good enough for one night. “His power is time, so he hasn't aged in a couple hundred years.”
Jongdae nodded, acting like he understood everything Kris had said. Sure, he understood that Tao was most likely really old, but a part of him didn’t want to believe it. How could someone so old still look so young? He didn’t ask any more questions as he curled up in the same bed as Kyungsoo and Sehun. Sehun was once again in the middle, curled up right against Kyungsoo's side as the elder hugged him. Jongdae was behind him, arm on top of Kyungsoo's. He looked up as Yixing pulled the blanket up around them.
When the room fell quiet, he feigned sleep once the elder two began talking. He barely breathed as they spoke to each other. They hadn’t bothered being overly quiet since they assumed the three younger ones were sleeping, but Jongdae was almost wide awake since he had slept for hours.
“How do you think they'll adjust being away from their hometown?” Yixing asked, sipping on his glass of water. He sat back against the end of the bed.
“I don't know,” Kris replied, leaning on the table in between them. “All I know is that they're tough when it comes down to it. If what Tao said was true, than by the end of all this, even Sehun will be able to shift into a wolf. I’ve already done it, you've done it, the people we're still missing have probably done it.”
“Perhaps only one person that's missing has been able to change. If so, then I think Jongdae might be next. Tao said it goes in order of oldest to youngest. And he did say that there should have been one person older than Jongdae, but younger than me.” Yixing set his water on the table, stretching his arms about his head. “I'm going to head to bed, Kris. Don't stay up too late.”
Kris nodded, watching as Yixing crawled into the empty bed, burrowing down into the blankets. He turned around, getting up to head to the couch on the far side of the room. He plopped down on it, closing his eyes. Hearing the soft patter of feet, he cracked one eye open. “Something wrong, Jongdae?”
“Am I really going to turn into a wolf?” he whispered, staring at his feet.
Kris frowned. “Probably, yeah. But it isn't too bad. Your senses intensify and you can change back and forth really easily.” Seeing that his words gave the younger little comfort, he rolled onto his side, back pressed against the back cushions of the couch. He pat the space in front of him. “Come here.”
Jongdae crawled next to Kris on the couch, staring at his collarbone. It was slightly awkward, but once Kris began running his fingers through his hair, his eyelids became heavy. Why am I so easy to put to sleep? I’m almost fifteen, yet I still act so much like a baby. I need to get stronger so I can protect Kyungsoo and Sehun. I can't let them get hurt again. The last thing he heard was Kris humming to himself before he drifted off.
When he opened his eyes, he found that Kris was still sleeping in front of him, arm draped over his waist to keep him from falling off of the couch. Rolling over, Jongdae froze at seeing Sehun and Kyungsoo staring at him. Yixing wasn't in the room.
“Um, good morning?” he said, walking over to them. He sat down on the end of the bed, feeling more awkward than he had the night before. “Did you sleep well?”
Sehun nodded. “Yeah, hyung. Did you? Kris hyung looks like he took up most of the space on the couch.”
“I was fine.” He looked away from his friends, eyes falling on a familiar decorative gift bag. Gasping, he jumped up, running over to it. “They aren’t lost!” He reached inside, pulling the two studded animals out. Grinning, he hurried back to his friends. “The bunny is Sehun's and the cow is Kyungsoo's!” He held them out to the younger two.
Sehun instantly snatched his, crushing it to his chest. “Thanks, hyung! I'll keep it forever!”
Kyungsoo reached out, taking the plush cow from Jongdae. “You bought me a cow? Why a cow?”
“Because I thought it was cute!” Jongdae felt his face heat up so he turned around, arms crossed over his chest.
Giggling, Kyungsoo dove at Jongdae, tackling him in a hug. “Thanks, Jongdae hyung. I'll treasure it until I die.” He thought for a moment before he grinned at the elder. “Or until I lose it. Whichever comes first.”
Yixing came back into the room, towel draped over his shoulders. “Oh, you're all awake?” He pointed to the bathroom. “I saved some hot water. Why don't you guys get cleaned up?” He paused, looking over at Kris. “He's still asleep?”
Jongdae nodded. “Yeah. He snores really loud.” He looked at Sehun and Kyungsoo. “Which one of you want to clean up first?”
Kyungsoo glanced at Sehun before sighing. “Come on, Sehun. We'll go together.” He pulled the younger from the bed with him, towing him toward the bathroom.
“Yixing hyung, we don't have any clothes except the ones we're wearing.” Jongdae frowned. His clothes were still dirty in spots from the fight and Kyungsoo's had little drops of blood on them. Sehun's was just as dirty, and slightly cobwebby from the warehouse. “What are we going to change into?”
“I'll stay here with the kids, Yixing,” Kris mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He looked over at him. “You take Jongdae out and get them some clothes.”
Yixing nodded, tossing the towel onto the bed. He led Jongdae from the hotel, going to the nearest store. They browsed through the younger teen's department, both a little frustrated when they didn’t find anything appealing.
“How can people pass this off as clothing?” Jongdae whined, fingers running over the rough material. “It would rub your skin off.”
“How about something like this?” Yixing held up a rather plain ensemble, but Jongdae decided it would fit Kyungsoo perfectly. The kid never liked flashy clothes. They went to work trying to pick something out for Sehun, selecting a blue hoodie with orange strings and a pair of dark wash jeans. They browsed a little more, Jongdae unable to find something he really liked.
He frowned, wondering if they were ever going to find something for him to wear. He was turning around when he saw it. It wasn't anything special, but it was his style. A black sweatshirt with a silhouette of a wolf on it it white. He walked over to it, fingers running over the fabric. It was soft and upon closer inspection, it was just his size. “Yixing hyung, I want this.”
Joining the younger, Yixing nodded thoughtfully. “It'll look nice on you.” He ruffled the younger's hair, smiling a little. “Sorry. You seem a lot younger than me. I keep forgetting that you're only a year younger.”
“It's okay, hyung.” Jongdae pulled the shirt toward himself, finding a slightly larger size behind it, but in a different color. “Get that one, too.”
Yixing didn’t argue, only slightly curious as to why he wanted another, but he didn’t voice it. Paying for the clothes, he carried the bags back to the hotel. Kris had ordered them room service, the younger two watching a rather goofy movie as they ate pizza. They were wearing a couple of Kris’s shirts and looked incredibly small in them, but Jongdae and Yixing held back their laughter.
“Hey,” Kris said absently as he noticed they were back. He was wedged in between Kyungsoo and Sehun as they laughed at the movie. Every so often, Kris would crack a smile, reminding Yixing that he really wasn't all that old either.
“I'm going to go shower,” Jongdae explained, taking his clothes from the bag before darting off. He closed the door behind him, hurrying to get into the shower. The water pelted him as he stood there staring at the wall. He mechanically shampooed his hair, rinsing it before scrubbing himself down. After the bubbles had swirled down the drain, he stood there until the water ran cold. It raised goosebumps on his arms, but that's not why he finally got out. He wanted to see how Sehun's and Kyungsoo's clothes fit them. He dried quickly, dressing in his new outfit before exiting the bathroom.
Sehun was lying across the one bed, his making his plush bunny bounce in front of him. Yixing was busy cleaning up after their little pizza party while Kris wrestled with Kyungsoo on the floor. The elder almost won before Kyungsoo managed to through him off, pinning him down.
“Gotcha!” Kyungsoo laughed, smiling down at Kris.
“Hey, you cheated,” Kris replied. He meant for is to be an accusation, but it held no real threat.
“We should probably get ready to go,” Yixing stated, pushing the last of the trash into the can. He looked up at seeing Jongdae there. “Feel better?”
Jongdae nodded. “Yeah.” He helped the elder two move all of the clean clothes to one backpack while placing all of the dirty ones in another. After they were all packed up, they checked out of the hotel before heading toward a bus station. It would take them to the little city where Joonmyeon lived and then they would walk the short ways from the bus station to his house.
They huddled together on the bus, claiming the entire back seat. Yixing and Kris sat on the ends, Sehun sandwiched in between Kyungsoo and Jongdae. He was still holding his bunny, staring at it with fond eyes. Kyungsoo had stuffed his cow in the pocket of the coat Yixing had given him to wear. It wasn't overly cold out, but he didn’t want the younger to catch a cold.
“So, have either of you met Joonmyeon?” Sehun asked, kicking his feet back and forth. He was happy sitting there, in the presence of his friends. He felt small sitting in the middle, his friends seeming to tower over him, but he didn’t mind. It made him feel safe. He peered sideways at Jongdae before looking beyond him to Yixing. He smiled as he slumped a little lower, Kyungsoo reaching over to drape his arm across his shoulders. They really were good people. He felt lucky to have them.
“No, but Tao spoke of him frequently,” Kris answered, staring out the window. He felt Kyungsoo shift before a weight was added to his arm. He glanced down to see the younger leaning against him. He rolled his eyes and contemplated pushing him off, but decided against it. He figured the younger was probably scared being far from home. “He said that Joonmyeon has a good heart, that he's willing to open his home up to any one of us.”
“Tao met Joonmyeon when he was a child,” Yixing added. He turned to speak more directly to the younger three. “He doesn't age so he stayed away from Joonmyeon, deciding he would search for all of us and send us back to him. He hasn't seen Joonmyeon in ten years.”
“How do we know he's still there?” Jongdae questioned. He looked up at Yixing. “What if he moved or something and we can't find him?”
“Tao wouldn't send us if he didn’t believe Joonmyeon. And if Tao has placed his faith in him, so have I.” Yixing smiled, staring at their surroundings. “I think we're almost there.”
Jongdae fell quiet as Kyungsoo and Sehun began to ask little questions here and there about their background. They had both come from China, as had Tao, but they've traveled for a few weeks together. Sehun held Kyungsoo's hand as they walked, suddenly feeling very nervous. It was a twenty minute walk to Joonmyeon's house from the bus station, but they were glad to stretch their legs after the bus ride. Jongdae was the only one quiet while they walked, listening halfheartedly to the conversations. He looked up, stopping when they saw a house a little ways back.
“Is that it?” he asked, pointing.
Yixing nodded. “Yeah, I believe so.” He sighed, relieved that their journey here was nearly over. Sehun had gotten tired, so Kris was carrying him, Jongdae having taken over handling his backpack.
He gripped the straps tightly, taking shaky steps forward. Kyungsoo slapped him on the back. “I'll race you!” he shouted, taking off.
“Hey!” Jongdae hollered, hurrying to catch up to his friend. He grinned as the backpack bounced against his back, shooting little bolts at Kyungsoo's feet to slow him down. He passed the younger easily, grinning over his shoulder at him. Facing forward again, his eyes widened at seeing someone staring at him. He tried to stop, feet slipping out from under him. He fell to the ground, hands scraping against the rough texture. Kyungsoo slid to a stop next to him, large eyes even wider than usual. Kris and Yixing walked up, Sehun clinging to Kris’s back.
“Hello,” Yixing greeted, bowing politely. “I'm-”
“Zhang Yixing,” the other replied, smile tugging up the corners of his lips. He watched as the small group exchanged looks before he put his hands up in mock surrender. “We've been waiting for you. I’m Luhan and I’m telepathic. I’ve seen your arrival for a couple of weeks now, but I wasn't sure when you'd actually get here.”
Two more people showed up, coming outside to stand beside Luhan. “Hi, I’m Minseok,” the first one said, waving a little.
“And I’m Kim Joonmyeon. It's nice to finally meet you.” He grinned at them.
“Ah!” Yixing pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, holding it out toward Joonmyeon. “This is from Tao.”
Joonmyeon's smile faded, eyes wide as he accepted the paper. He unfolded it, reading it over. He could barely concentrate on the words, his mind too focused on the fact that the note was from Tao. “Tao sent you?” He looked up suddenly. “Did he tell you where he was going?”
Jongdae stood up, Kyungsoo helping to dust him off. “Nope. Tao hyung simply said he would send word back on whether or not he found another one of us.” He inspected his hands, pursing his lips. Little scratches covered them and he wondered how badly it would hurt to have Yixing clean them. Deciding he wouldn't tell the elder, he shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Luhan, can you see where he went?” Joonmyeon turned hopeful eyes on his friend, but seeing the apologetic expression on his face, he frowned. “Sorry. I keep forgetting that you don't choose what you see.”
“Don't worry, Joonmyeon,” Minseok said, patting his back. “He'll come back.”
Joonmyeon nodded, fingers brushing over the bracelet on his wrist. He didn’t know why he hadn’t remembered it until recently, but he dug it out of the bottom of his desk drawer. He stared at it, seeing the little hourglass dangling from it. “Why don't we show our guests to their rooms?”
Minseok and Luhan nodded, both smiling at the younger ones. “Follow us.”
Jongdae looked at Kyungsoo before looking toward Sehun. He was hiding his face in Kris’s shirt, barely peeking out. “Sehunnie, are you okay?”
Sehun nodded, fingers buried in the fabric around Kris’s neck. “I'm okay, hyung.”
Kris cracked a smile. “Are you sure? From the way you're digging your nails into me, you seem a little spooked.”
“He doesn't like new people,” Kyungsoo said. He reached up to tuck a lock of brown hair behind Sehun's ear. “Do you want to walk with me or stay with Kris hyung?”
“I'll walk with you.” Sehun waited as Kris set him down. He grabbed Kyungsoo's hand, squeezing it tightly in his own as he hid behind his shoulder. He watched as Yixing walked in front of them, Jongdae walking a little to his right while Kris walked behind them. He could tell he was making Kyungsoo's fingers numb, but he was too scared to let go.
Jongdae kept glancing at Sehun, worried that he might faint from being scared. He walked up the stairs behind the others, stopping when they did. “Are we allowed to share rooms?”
Minseok nodded. “The white and black door leads to my room. I share it with Luhan. And the blue door is Joonmyeon's.”
“I think Sehun would feel safer if Kyungsoo and I stayed with him.” Jongdae looked over at Sehun, finding that the younger hadn’t relaxed at all.
“Kris and I can share a room for now,” Yixing stated, knowing he wouldn't really protest. He turned to Jongdae. “Maybe later we'll take you out and expand your wardrobes. You'll need more clothes.”
Jongdae nodded before he slipping the backpack from his shoulders. He held it out for Yixing to take, turning to grasp Sehun's other hand. “Let's go nap, okay?” Sehun nodded as he allowed his friends to pull him into a spared bedroom, all three of them climbing into one bed.
“Don't worry,” Luhan stated, smiling. He crossed his arms before looking over at Yixing and Kris. “He'll adjust. He's going to be just fine.”
“How can you tell?” Kris asked, forcing himself to tear his gaze away from the younger three. He hated to admit it, but he had started liking the three younger ones. He wanted to protect them.
Luhan rolled his eyes before he leaned against Minseok. “Because I saw it the other night. He warms up to all of us.”
“I'm not too worried then,” Joonmyeon stated. He motioned toward the stairs. “You want to go down and chat? I still have a while before I can visit my grandpa.”
“Joonmyeon's grandpa is really sick,” Minseok explained, leading the way downstairs. “He fell ill a few weeks ago, but the doctors claim that it was nothing major.”
“What does he have?” Yixing sat down on the couch as Minseok went to get glasses for all of them.
“He has cancer, but it's in one of the late stages. There's not much they can do for him.” Joonmyeon looked down, leaning his elbows on his legs. “He's been sick since I was a kid. Had Tao not turned back time a little, he would have died a few years ago.”
“Tao used his power on him?” Yixing looked at Kris before looking back to Joonmyeon. Minseok set their glasses down on the table, Joonmyeon absently waving his hand over them. They filled with water right before their eyes.
“Yeah. Why?” Joonmyeon picked up his glass, sipping at the water.
“We've never seen him use his power. All we've ever seen him do is shift into a wolf. Actually, we've witnessed him doing that a lot.” Yixing hit Kris in the arm just as he picked his glass up. “Shit, Kris! I forgot to tell him to change the dressing on his side every few hours.”
Eyes wide, Kris sighed when none of the contents of his glass spilled. “He's grown, Yixing. He can take care of himself.”
“So you claim, and yet he still managed to get stabbed.” Yixing crossed his arms over his chest.
Kris winced. “It was more my fault than his. We should have coordinated better on getting Sehun back.”
Luhan tipped his head to the side. “Getting Sehun back?” he repeated, bottom lip jutting out in a small pout. “Get him back from where?”
“It's a long story.”
“We have some time to kill. I want to know how you guys met each other.” Luhan sat back as if hearing a fairytale as Yixing and Kris began telling their story. They started with how Tao found them before speaking of their travels a little. It all led up to how they found the three upstairs and figured out that they were some of the ones they were searching for. Yixing placed the map in front of them while they talked, pointing to each of the places. He recalled every detail, not withholding any of it.
“So, Sehun is wind, Kyungsoo is earth, and Jongdae is lightning?” Minseok nodded. “Not bad. But I’d like to see them go against us.” He smiled a little as he looked at Joonmyeon.
“No way!” Joonmyeon shouted, throwing a pillow at him. “Your first time using your power, and I mean really using your power, you nearly killed Luhan! I am not throwing those kids in the same room as you!”
Minseok pouted, turning toward Luhan. “You trust me, don't you?”
Luhan snorted. “Sorry, Minseok, but I have to agree with Joonmyeon. Maybe if, and that's a big if, he and I were on their team, we could try it. We've gotten a lot better at our powers, too.”
Kris leaned over, lowering his voice. “Yixing, stay close by. I have a feeling more than one person is going to end up hurt after all this.”
Yixing nodded, picking up his glass and drinking from it. “I'll let Jongdae, Kyungsoo, and Sehun go against Minseok hyung on one condition.” He waited as they all turned their attention to him. He set his glass back down, smiling. “Kris and I are on their team.”
Minseok laughed. “You're on!”
Upstairs, Jongdae could hear the older ones laughing and carrying on. He rolled over, finding Sehun curled up against Kyungsoo, both of them asleep. He slipped out of bed, going downstairs. He cleared his throat upon entering the living room, all of the others falling quiet. “You can only spar with us if you play our game first,” he stated.
Minseok nodded “Okay. Pick your poison, Jongdae.”
Jongdae grinned. “I choose tag with a few added rules.”
Author: his_angel16
Characters: Jongdae, Sehun, Kyungsoo, Yixing, Kris, Tao, Joonmyeon, Minseok, Luhan
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Angst
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own the plot, not the people. Any actual likeness to any given person is purely coincidental.
Summary: Kim Jongdae was able to suppress his gift for many years. It isn't until he runs into others like him that he finally realizes that he's not alone. He begins to harness his power along with his new friends. Just when things seemed good in his life, someone had to come along and wreck it.
Jongdae groaned, hearing rustling near him. He opened his eyes, sitting up quickly. He stared at the other person in the room, their movements freezing at seeing him awake. “Grumpy hyung?” he gasped, eyebrows shooting into his hairline. “W-what are you doing here?”
Kris frowned. “You're at my house.” He finished tugging on his clean shirt. “Well, the apartment is in Tao’s name, but I still live here.” He pointed to the door. “Your friends are out there.”
Jongdae got out of bed, hurrying to the living room. He smiled when Kyungsoo and Sehun saw him, both bolting off of the couch. They bombarded him in a group hug, Sehun nearly bawling again while Kyungsoo merely sniffled. “Are you okay, Sehunnie?”
Sehun nodded. “I'm okay, hyung. But what about you? Kyungsoo hyung told me that you had your arm broken.”
Staring at his arm, Jongdae frowned. “It was broken. All I remember really is being in a lot of pain. Then there was this light and, poof, the pain was gone.”
“I'm glad to see you awake,” Yixing stated. He smiled at Jongdae, walking over to press his hand to the younger's forehead. “Your fever is gone, too.”
Tao stood up, clearing his throat. “We need to think of the next course of action.” He looked at Yixing and Kris before looking at the younger three. “Do you want to stay here or would you like to go somewhere safer? Somewhere that there are others like us.”
“I want to go to the other place,” Kyungsoo answered, pointing over his shoulder at the map. “I want to go to the place where the blue pin is at.”
Tao glanced at the map, eyes fixating on it when he noticed three pins had been added. “Yixing, did you do that?”
“Yes and no.” He grinned. “I put the purple one there, but Kyungsoo put the brown and green ones there.”
“What do they mean?” Jongdae stared at the map, finding two groups of three pins and one group of two.
“It's us,” Kris replied. “Each pin is a different power. There's twelve total.”
“There's only three left.” Tao closed his eyes, falling back onto the couch. He opened his eyes again, staring at the map in front of them. “Kris, Yixing.” He waited until they both looked at him. “I'm leaving these children in your care. I’m going after the last three.”
“What? Shouldn’t we stay together?” Yixing frowned. “What if you run into trouble?”
“If there's twelve of us, why are there only eleven pins?” Sehun asked, head cocked to the side.
“Because I haven't had the need to track myself.” Tao got up from the couch, going into the bedroom. He hurriedly packed a backpack, slinging the straps over his shoulders as he walked back to the living room. “We can use this as a safe house. I'll keep paying the rent on it, but I want all of you to head for Joonmyeon's place north of here. I'll keep heading south.”
“Should we leave the map here? We've always taken it with us.” Kris leaned against the wall. “And what do you plan on doing exactly? How will you find them?”
“The same way I found you and Yixing in China. I'll sniff them out if I have to.” Tao pulled open the desk drawer, snatching two new maps from it. “We'll leave this one here. You guys take this one.” He placed a map aside, stuffing the other one into a side pocket on the backpack. “I'll send word whenever I completely search a city. If they aren’t there, I'll keep moving.” He pulled a red pen from the drawer, sticking it in his back pocket. “Whenever I send word, mark off that city on your map, too. You'll know where I’ve been and where I still have to search.”
Yixing nodded. “Okay. What should we tell this Joonmyeon when we meet him?”
Tao paused, chewing on his lip as he tore a piece of paper from a notebook. He scrawled a quick message, folding it up before handing it to Yixing. “Give this to him. It explains things a little.”
“Is Joonmyeon nice?” Kyungsoo asked, frowning. “Or is he more like Kris hyung?”
“He's not like Kris hyung. In fact, he's the kindest person I’ve met since Suho.” Tao blinked, sighing when he gained confused looks from the younger three. “When you get to Joonmyeon's, have him tell you the stories of our past. It's best if you hear it from Suho's descendant than from anyone else.”
Tao went to the door, slipping his shoes on. “Make sure you mark on your map where we've found each person. And mark their current whereabouts with more pins.” He waved once before slipping out and closing the door behind him.
Jongdae frowned. “When are we leaving?”
“As soon as we can,” Yixing told him. He looked at the three younger ones. “Why don't you guys sit on the couch while we get some things packed?”
Jongdae pulled Kyungsoo and Sehun with him, climbing onto the couch with them. They put Sehun in the middle, like they always did, as they watched the older two start packing. They packed extra clothes and blankets, snacks and drinks for their trip north, and Kris carefully marked their locations on the map. He placed it in his backpack before slipping it onto his shoulders.
“Don't forget Tao’s note. He'd be pissed if we forgot it after all this.”
Yixing nodded, making sure he had it in his pocket. “We'll take the subway, but it'll still take two days to get there.”
Jongdae nodded as they followed Kris and Yixing to the door. He pulled on his shoes, turning as Sehun and Kyungsoo slipped theirs on. He took their hands as they walked out of the apartment. The walk was quiet, Kris walking in front of them while Yixing walked behind them. It made him feel like he had gotten in trouble, but he was glad for it. It made his friends feel safe and that's all that mattered. It took ten minutes to walk to the subway and five to board the underground train. So many people were trying to squeeze inside, but they all managed to stay together. Sehun had fallen asleep against him, Kyungsoo kicking his feet against the ground in boredom. Yixing and Kris stayed on either side of them, eyes scanning the other passengers as they searched for the other powers.
At every stop, more people got off than on, so the crowd thinned out, making room on either side of the younger ones for Kris and Yixing to sit down. Jongdae wasn't sure when it happened, but Kyungsoo had snuggled up to Yixing, weaseling his way under his arm and he had started leaning on Kris. He hadn’t felt tired, but his eyelids were heavy. He tried to keep them open, but it was inevitable when they closed and didn’t open. The next thing he remembered was being rocked side to side, not violently, but at a steady rhythm. Opening his eyes, he found that they were walking. Well, he wasn't walking. He was being carried on Kris’s back while Sehun and Kyungsoo walked with Yixing, holding hands. Kyungsoo had Kris’s backpack on, looking perfectly fine despite the weight of it. Then again, what was he to expect from a kid that threw boulders around all day?
“How far are we?” he mumbled, voice thick with sleep.
Kris peered back at him before looking back to the front. “We're about seventeen hours away. We're going to get a hotel and stay there for the night. Yixing doesn't want to push Kyungsoo and Sehun too much. And you kept dozing off, so we figured it was a good idea.”
Jongdae blushed. “It's not like I fell asleep on purpose!”
“We know you didn’t. You've had a rough day. All three of you have. So, we're getting a hotel so you can all rest.” Kris nodded toward the large building in front of them. “We stayed here on our way down. Tao was a room on constant reserve.”
“How much money does he have? He throws it around like it's nothing.” Jongdae was glad that Kris put him down before they entered the hotel. He was already embarrassed that his friends saw him like that, but if other people saw him, he was certain he would die of embarrassment.
“Quite a bit. But he's had a lot of time on his hands. He's lived long enough.” They fell quiet as Yixing checked them in, all heading up to their room. It only had two beds, but it was good enough for one night. “His power is time, so he hasn't aged in a couple hundred years.”
Jongdae nodded, acting like he understood everything Kris had said. Sure, he understood that Tao was most likely really old, but a part of him didn’t want to believe it. How could someone so old still look so young? He didn’t ask any more questions as he curled up in the same bed as Kyungsoo and Sehun. Sehun was once again in the middle, curled up right against Kyungsoo's side as the elder hugged him. Jongdae was behind him, arm on top of Kyungsoo's. He looked up as Yixing pulled the blanket up around them.
When the room fell quiet, he feigned sleep once the elder two began talking. He barely breathed as they spoke to each other. They hadn’t bothered being overly quiet since they assumed the three younger ones were sleeping, but Jongdae was almost wide awake since he had slept for hours.
“How do you think they'll adjust being away from their hometown?” Yixing asked, sipping on his glass of water. He sat back against the end of the bed.
“I don't know,” Kris replied, leaning on the table in between them. “All I know is that they're tough when it comes down to it. If what Tao said was true, than by the end of all this, even Sehun will be able to shift into a wolf. I’ve already done it, you've done it, the people we're still missing have probably done it.”
“Perhaps only one person that's missing has been able to change. If so, then I think Jongdae might be next. Tao said it goes in order of oldest to youngest. And he did say that there should have been one person older than Jongdae, but younger than me.” Yixing set his water on the table, stretching his arms about his head. “I'm going to head to bed, Kris. Don't stay up too late.”
Kris nodded, watching as Yixing crawled into the empty bed, burrowing down into the blankets. He turned around, getting up to head to the couch on the far side of the room. He plopped down on it, closing his eyes. Hearing the soft patter of feet, he cracked one eye open. “Something wrong, Jongdae?”
“Am I really going to turn into a wolf?” he whispered, staring at his feet.
Kris frowned. “Probably, yeah. But it isn't too bad. Your senses intensify and you can change back and forth really easily.” Seeing that his words gave the younger little comfort, he rolled onto his side, back pressed against the back cushions of the couch. He pat the space in front of him. “Come here.”
Jongdae crawled next to Kris on the couch, staring at his collarbone. It was slightly awkward, but once Kris began running his fingers through his hair, his eyelids became heavy. Why am I so easy to put to sleep? I’m almost fifteen, yet I still act so much like a baby. I need to get stronger so I can protect Kyungsoo and Sehun. I can't let them get hurt again. The last thing he heard was Kris humming to himself before he drifted off.
When he opened his eyes, he found that Kris was still sleeping in front of him, arm draped over his waist to keep him from falling off of the couch. Rolling over, Jongdae froze at seeing Sehun and Kyungsoo staring at him. Yixing wasn't in the room.
“Um, good morning?” he said, walking over to them. He sat down on the end of the bed, feeling more awkward than he had the night before. “Did you sleep well?”
Sehun nodded. “Yeah, hyung. Did you? Kris hyung looks like he took up most of the space on the couch.”
“I was fine.” He looked away from his friends, eyes falling on a familiar decorative gift bag. Gasping, he jumped up, running over to it. “They aren’t lost!” He reached inside, pulling the two studded animals out. Grinning, he hurried back to his friends. “The bunny is Sehun's and the cow is Kyungsoo's!” He held them out to the younger two.
Sehun instantly snatched his, crushing it to his chest. “Thanks, hyung! I'll keep it forever!”
Kyungsoo reached out, taking the plush cow from Jongdae. “You bought me a cow? Why a cow?”
“Because I thought it was cute!” Jongdae felt his face heat up so he turned around, arms crossed over his chest.
Giggling, Kyungsoo dove at Jongdae, tackling him in a hug. “Thanks, Jongdae hyung. I'll treasure it until I die.” He thought for a moment before he grinned at the elder. “Or until I lose it. Whichever comes first.”
Yixing came back into the room, towel draped over his shoulders. “Oh, you're all awake?” He pointed to the bathroom. “I saved some hot water. Why don't you guys get cleaned up?” He paused, looking over at Kris. “He's still asleep?”
Jongdae nodded. “Yeah. He snores really loud.” He looked at Sehun and Kyungsoo. “Which one of you want to clean up first?”
Kyungsoo glanced at Sehun before sighing. “Come on, Sehun. We'll go together.” He pulled the younger from the bed with him, towing him toward the bathroom.
“Yixing hyung, we don't have any clothes except the ones we're wearing.” Jongdae frowned. His clothes were still dirty in spots from the fight and Kyungsoo's had little drops of blood on them. Sehun's was just as dirty, and slightly cobwebby from the warehouse. “What are we going to change into?”
“I'll stay here with the kids, Yixing,” Kris mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He looked over at him. “You take Jongdae out and get them some clothes.”
Yixing nodded, tossing the towel onto the bed. He led Jongdae from the hotel, going to the nearest store. They browsed through the younger teen's department, both a little frustrated when they didn’t find anything appealing.
“How can people pass this off as clothing?” Jongdae whined, fingers running over the rough material. “It would rub your skin off.”
“How about something like this?” Yixing held up a rather plain ensemble, but Jongdae decided it would fit Kyungsoo perfectly. The kid never liked flashy clothes. They went to work trying to pick something out for Sehun, selecting a blue hoodie with orange strings and a pair of dark wash jeans. They browsed a little more, Jongdae unable to find something he really liked.
He frowned, wondering if they were ever going to find something for him to wear. He was turning around when he saw it. It wasn't anything special, but it was his style. A black sweatshirt with a silhouette of a wolf on it it white. He walked over to it, fingers running over the fabric. It was soft and upon closer inspection, it was just his size. “Yixing hyung, I want this.”
Joining the younger, Yixing nodded thoughtfully. “It'll look nice on you.” He ruffled the younger's hair, smiling a little. “Sorry. You seem a lot younger than me. I keep forgetting that you're only a year younger.”
“It's okay, hyung.” Jongdae pulled the shirt toward himself, finding a slightly larger size behind it, but in a different color. “Get that one, too.”
Yixing didn’t argue, only slightly curious as to why he wanted another, but he didn’t voice it. Paying for the clothes, he carried the bags back to the hotel. Kris had ordered them room service, the younger two watching a rather goofy movie as they ate pizza. They were wearing a couple of Kris’s shirts and looked incredibly small in them, but Jongdae and Yixing held back their laughter.
“Hey,” Kris said absently as he noticed they were back. He was wedged in between Kyungsoo and Sehun as they laughed at the movie. Every so often, Kris would crack a smile, reminding Yixing that he really wasn't all that old either.
“I'm going to go shower,” Jongdae explained, taking his clothes from the bag before darting off. He closed the door behind him, hurrying to get into the shower. The water pelted him as he stood there staring at the wall. He mechanically shampooed his hair, rinsing it before scrubbing himself down. After the bubbles had swirled down the drain, he stood there until the water ran cold. It raised goosebumps on his arms, but that's not why he finally got out. He wanted to see how Sehun's and Kyungsoo's clothes fit them. He dried quickly, dressing in his new outfit before exiting the bathroom.
Sehun was lying across the one bed, his making his plush bunny bounce in front of him. Yixing was busy cleaning up after their little pizza party while Kris wrestled with Kyungsoo on the floor. The elder almost won before Kyungsoo managed to through him off, pinning him down.
“Gotcha!” Kyungsoo laughed, smiling down at Kris.
“Hey, you cheated,” Kris replied. He meant for is to be an accusation, but it held no real threat.
“We should probably get ready to go,” Yixing stated, pushing the last of the trash into the can. He looked up at seeing Jongdae there. “Feel better?”
Jongdae nodded. “Yeah.” He helped the elder two move all of the clean clothes to one backpack while placing all of the dirty ones in another. After they were all packed up, they checked out of the hotel before heading toward a bus station. It would take them to the little city where Joonmyeon lived and then they would walk the short ways from the bus station to his house.
They huddled together on the bus, claiming the entire back seat. Yixing and Kris sat on the ends, Sehun sandwiched in between Kyungsoo and Jongdae. He was still holding his bunny, staring at it with fond eyes. Kyungsoo had stuffed his cow in the pocket of the coat Yixing had given him to wear. It wasn't overly cold out, but he didn’t want the younger to catch a cold.
“So, have either of you met Joonmyeon?” Sehun asked, kicking his feet back and forth. He was happy sitting there, in the presence of his friends. He felt small sitting in the middle, his friends seeming to tower over him, but he didn’t mind. It made him feel safe. He peered sideways at Jongdae before looking beyond him to Yixing. He smiled as he slumped a little lower, Kyungsoo reaching over to drape his arm across his shoulders. They really were good people. He felt lucky to have them.
“No, but Tao spoke of him frequently,” Kris answered, staring out the window. He felt Kyungsoo shift before a weight was added to his arm. He glanced down to see the younger leaning against him. He rolled his eyes and contemplated pushing him off, but decided against it. He figured the younger was probably scared being far from home. “He said that Joonmyeon has a good heart, that he's willing to open his home up to any one of us.”
“Tao met Joonmyeon when he was a child,” Yixing added. He turned to speak more directly to the younger three. “He doesn't age so he stayed away from Joonmyeon, deciding he would search for all of us and send us back to him. He hasn't seen Joonmyeon in ten years.”
“How do we know he's still there?” Jongdae questioned. He looked up at Yixing. “What if he moved or something and we can't find him?”
“Tao wouldn't send us if he didn’t believe Joonmyeon. And if Tao has placed his faith in him, so have I.” Yixing smiled, staring at their surroundings. “I think we're almost there.”
Jongdae fell quiet as Kyungsoo and Sehun began to ask little questions here and there about their background. They had both come from China, as had Tao, but they've traveled for a few weeks together. Sehun held Kyungsoo's hand as they walked, suddenly feeling very nervous. It was a twenty minute walk to Joonmyeon's house from the bus station, but they were glad to stretch their legs after the bus ride. Jongdae was the only one quiet while they walked, listening halfheartedly to the conversations. He looked up, stopping when they saw a house a little ways back.
“Is that it?” he asked, pointing.
Yixing nodded. “Yeah, I believe so.” He sighed, relieved that their journey here was nearly over. Sehun had gotten tired, so Kris was carrying him, Jongdae having taken over handling his backpack.
He gripped the straps tightly, taking shaky steps forward. Kyungsoo slapped him on the back. “I'll race you!” he shouted, taking off.
“Hey!” Jongdae hollered, hurrying to catch up to his friend. He grinned as the backpack bounced against his back, shooting little bolts at Kyungsoo's feet to slow him down. He passed the younger easily, grinning over his shoulder at him. Facing forward again, his eyes widened at seeing someone staring at him. He tried to stop, feet slipping out from under him. He fell to the ground, hands scraping against the rough texture. Kyungsoo slid to a stop next to him, large eyes even wider than usual. Kris and Yixing walked up, Sehun clinging to Kris’s back.
“Hello,” Yixing greeted, bowing politely. “I'm-”
“Zhang Yixing,” the other replied, smile tugging up the corners of his lips. He watched as the small group exchanged looks before he put his hands up in mock surrender. “We've been waiting for you. I’m Luhan and I’m telepathic. I’ve seen your arrival for a couple of weeks now, but I wasn't sure when you'd actually get here.”
Two more people showed up, coming outside to stand beside Luhan. “Hi, I’m Minseok,” the first one said, waving a little.
“And I’m Kim Joonmyeon. It's nice to finally meet you.” He grinned at them.
“Ah!” Yixing pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, holding it out toward Joonmyeon. “This is from Tao.”
Joonmyeon's smile faded, eyes wide as he accepted the paper. He unfolded it, reading it over. He could barely concentrate on the words, his mind too focused on the fact that the note was from Tao. “Tao sent you?” He looked up suddenly. “Did he tell you where he was going?”
Jongdae stood up, Kyungsoo helping to dust him off. “Nope. Tao hyung simply said he would send word back on whether or not he found another one of us.” He inspected his hands, pursing his lips. Little scratches covered them and he wondered how badly it would hurt to have Yixing clean them. Deciding he wouldn't tell the elder, he shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Luhan, can you see where he went?” Joonmyeon turned hopeful eyes on his friend, but seeing the apologetic expression on his face, he frowned. “Sorry. I keep forgetting that you don't choose what you see.”
“Don't worry, Joonmyeon,” Minseok said, patting his back. “He'll come back.”
Joonmyeon nodded, fingers brushing over the bracelet on his wrist. He didn’t know why he hadn’t remembered it until recently, but he dug it out of the bottom of his desk drawer. He stared at it, seeing the little hourglass dangling from it. “Why don't we show our guests to their rooms?”
Minseok and Luhan nodded, both smiling at the younger ones. “Follow us.”
Jongdae looked at Kyungsoo before looking toward Sehun. He was hiding his face in Kris’s shirt, barely peeking out. “Sehunnie, are you okay?”
Sehun nodded, fingers buried in the fabric around Kris’s neck. “I'm okay, hyung.”
Kris cracked a smile. “Are you sure? From the way you're digging your nails into me, you seem a little spooked.”
“He doesn't like new people,” Kyungsoo said. He reached up to tuck a lock of brown hair behind Sehun's ear. “Do you want to walk with me or stay with Kris hyung?”
“I'll walk with you.” Sehun waited as Kris set him down. He grabbed Kyungsoo's hand, squeezing it tightly in his own as he hid behind his shoulder. He watched as Yixing walked in front of them, Jongdae walking a little to his right while Kris walked behind them. He could tell he was making Kyungsoo's fingers numb, but he was too scared to let go.
Jongdae kept glancing at Sehun, worried that he might faint from being scared. He walked up the stairs behind the others, stopping when they did. “Are we allowed to share rooms?”
Minseok nodded. “The white and black door leads to my room. I share it with Luhan. And the blue door is Joonmyeon's.”
“I think Sehun would feel safer if Kyungsoo and I stayed with him.” Jongdae looked over at Sehun, finding that the younger hadn’t relaxed at all.
“Kris and I can share a room for now,” Yixing stated, knowing he wouldn't really protest. He turned to Jongdae. “Maybe later we'll take you out and expand your wardrobes. You'll need more clothes.”
Jongdae nodded before he slipping the backpack from his shoulders. He held it out for Yixing to take, turning to grasp Sehun's other hand. “Let's go nap, okay?” Sehun nodded as he allowed his friends to pull him into a spared bedroom, all three of them climbing into one bed.
“Don't worry,” Luhan stated, smiling. He crossed his arms before looking over at Yixing and Kris. “He'll adjust. He's going to be just fine.”
“How can you tell?” Kris asked, forcing himself to tear his gaze away from the younger three. He hated to admit it, but he had started liking the three younger ones. He wanted to protect them.
Luhan rolled his eyes before he leaned against Minseok. “Because I saw it the other night. He warms up to all of us.”
“I'm not too worried then,” Joonmyeon stated. He motioned toward the stairs. “You want to go down and chat? I still have a while before I can visit my grandpa.”
“Joonmyeon's grandpa is really sick,” Minseok explained, leading the way downstairs. “He fell ill a few weeks ago, but the doctors claim that it was nothing major.”
“What does he have?” Yixing sat down on the couch as Minseok went to get glasses for all of them.
“He has cancer, but it's in one of the late stages. There's not much they can do for him.” Joonmyeon looked down, leaning his elbows on his legs. “He's been sick since I was a kid. Had Tao not turned back time a little, he would have died a few years ago.”
“Tao used his power on him?” Yixing looked at Kris before looking back to Joonmyeon. Minseok set their glasses down on the table, Joonmyeon absently waving his hand over them. They filled with water right before their eyes.
“Yeah. Why?” Joonmyeon picked up his glass, sipping at the water.
“We've never seen him use his power. All we've ever seen him do is shift into a wolf. Actually, we've witnessed him doing that a lot.” Yixing hit Kris in the arm just as he picked his glass up. “Shit, Kris! I forgot to tell him to change the dressing on his side every few hours.”
Eyes wide, Kris sighed when none of the contents of his glass spilled. “He's grown, Yixing. He can take care of himself.”
“So you claim, and yet he still managed to get stabbed.” Yixing crossed his arms over his chest.
Kris winced. “It was more my fault than his. We should have coordinated better on getting Sehun back.”
Luhan tipped his head to the side. “Getting Sehun back?” he repeated, bottom lip jutting out in a small pout. “Get him back from where?”
“It's a long story.”
“We have some time to kill. I want to know how you guys met each other.” Luhan sat back as if hearing a fairytale as Yixing and Kris began telling their story. They started with how Tao found them before speaking of their travels a little. It all led up to how they found the three upstairs and figured out that they were some of the ones they were searching for. Yixing placed the map in front of them while they talked, pointing to each of the places. He recalled every detail, not withholding any of it.
“So, Sehun is wind, Kyungsoo is earth, and Jongdae is lightning?” Minseok nodded. “Not bad. But I’d like to see them go against us.” He smiled a little as he looked at Joonmyeon.
“No way!” Joonmyeon shouted, throwing a pillow at him. “Your first time using your power, and I mean really using your power, you nearly killed Luhan! I am not throwing those kids in the same room as you!”
Minseok pouted, turning toward Luhan. “You trust me, don't you?”
Luhan snorted. “Sorry, Minseok, but I have to agree with Joonmyeon. Maybe if, and that's a big if, he and I were on their team, we could try it. We've gotten a lot better at our powers, too.”
Kris leaned over, lowering his voice. “Yixing, stay close by. I have a feeling more than one person is going to end up hurt after all this.”
Yixing nodded, picking up his glass and drinking from it. “I'll let Jongdae, Kyungsoo, and Sehun go against Minseok hyung on one condition.” He waited as they all turned their attention to him. He set his glass back down, smiling. “Kris and I are on their team.”
Minseok laughed. “You're on!”
Upstairs, Jongdae could hear the older ones laughing and carrying on. He rolled over, finding Sehun curled up against Kyungsoo, both of them asleep. He slipped out of bed, going downstairs. He cleared his throat upon entering the living room, all of the others falling quiet. “You can only spar with us if you play our game first,” he stated.
Minseok nodded “Okay. Pick your poison, Jongdae.”
Jongdae grinned. “I choose tag with a few added rules.”