Fallen Angel

[his_angel16]

Title: Fallen Angel
Author: his_angel16
Characters: Kris, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, others mentioned briefly
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Angst
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own the plot, not the people. Any likeness to any given person is purely coincidental.
Summary: Kris was suffocating in his fears. He wasn't used to so many people being around him, liking him, looking up to him. He knew he was probably being stupid, irrational, but he couldn't handle it. He did the only thing he could to make himself feel better. He ran away, but it ended up being for the good of someone else.



Kris stayed inside while the others went outside to play Jongdae's version of tag. He said that he was tired, that he didn’t want to take the fun out of it. He watched out of the window as Jongdae, Sehun, and Kyungsoo teamed up against Minseok. Luhan's laughter carried across the large space as Joonmyeon dove to avoid being hit by a lightning bolt. The younger kids snickered before they were attacked in return. He heard Sehun squeal as he barely dodged a water ball. Kyungsoo had thrown a wall of rock up as Minseok threw ice toward him. Sighing, Kris turned around to face a darkening room. The sun was fading, but he didn’t feel like getting up to turn on a light.
  “Maybe I should have joined them,” he mumbled.
  “Then why don't you?” Yixing asked.
  His voice made Kris jump. “You didn’t go outside with them?”
  Yixing shook his head. “No, I thought I’d go to the library Joonmyeon told us about. Want to come?”
  Kris shrugged, getting up to follow the younger down the hall. They entered the library, going straight to the door Joonmyeon told them about. Since his first time in it, he refused to lock it after that. He kept it open while he kept the key on a chain around his neck for safe keeping. Seeing the large portrait of twelve people, they both stopped, staring at it.
  “This is unreal.” Kris looked at the first Wu Yi Fan, the resemblance scaring him a little. He blinked, looking over at Yixing. “Do I really look that much like him?”
  “Yes and no.” Yixing reached out, tapping Kris’s ancestor's face. “His eyes are darker.”
  Kris frowned. “They're the same color as mine.”
  “Not dark in color.” Yixing smiled a little, shaking his head. “They hold no light, no spark. Whenever I look at your eyes, they have this inner light that shines in them. Yeah, they're identical in color and size, but I think he gave up before this was painted.” He looked at Kris, biting his lip. “Your eyes see the good in this world, they're still able to find it even when no one else can.”
  Kris looked over, finding Yixing staring at him. The younger looked away suddenly, the atmosphere growing heavy. If he didn’t know better, he would have sworn that Yixing's face looked a little flushed. He followed Yixing through the door, the torches lighting before them. When they reached the large room, they found the large table with the sigils on it.
  “So, I guess all of this means it's all real,” Kris murmured, touching the table. He stared down at the one in front of him, finding that it was his. He looked around at each one, finding that Joonmyeon's was at the head of the table. “I think a part of me was hoping that this was all just a dream.”
  Yixing nodded. “I think all of us secretly wished that none of this was real.” He moved to stand beside Kris, on the side with the unicorn sigil. He pulled the chair out, slowly sitting down. “What's going to happen when all of us are here, around this table?”
  Kris sat down next to him, staring at the tabletop. “I don't know. Maybe with all of us here, that thing will come back. The one that Tao always spoke of.”
  Leaning forward, Yixing placed his head on the table, facing Kris. He watched as Kris mimicked his movements, staring back at him. “Are you scared?”
  “I think a part of me is, even if I don't really feel it at the moment. But isn't everyone scared the moment they have to face something that might be stronger than them?” He felt fingers wrap around his own, seeing the fear beginning to bubble up in Yixing's eyes.
  “When Tao first found me, he said that Joonmyeon's grandfather almost died when he fought that thing. He said if they had time and healing, they might have won.” Yixing frowned, trying to fight back tears. “What if I can't help them? What if I end up turning on them like the first healer did?”
  “That's not going to happen. Yixing, you're different than their first one.”
  “How do you know that?”
  Kris smiled a little. “Because Tao said you were. He said the other healer didn’t have the hart for it. But you, you stood up for Jongdae and his friends when you had no business to. You're good, Yixing.”
  Yixing nodded, blinking away the tears in his eyes. “But what if that thing tries to hurt one of them and I can't help them?”
  “That's when you lean on the others.” Kris pulled their hands onto the table, letting go of the younger's long enough to wipe away the tears in the corners on his eyes. “You can lean on me.”
  “I found them!” Sehun shouted, bouncing over. Jongdae and Kyungsoo came running in, stopping at seeing the sigils on the table. Kris and Yixing sat up, looking behind them.
  “Whoa! This is so cool!” Kyungsoo shouted, reaching out and touching one. “It looks like a little sun.”
  Joonmyeon came into the room, Minseok and Luhan following him. “Each of us has our own symbol, our own mark that represents us,” Joonmyeon explained. He sat down at the head of the table, where the water drop was. He pointed to the empty chair to Kris’s left. “That's Tao’s place and Sehun's is next to it. Kyungsoo, yours is to the left of me.” He waited as they sat down, Minseok sitting down at the snowflake and Luhan sitting one chair over.
  “Jongdae, you sit here,” Luhan stated, patting the chair in between him and Minseok. They waited as Jongdae sat down in between them. They were all quiet until Sehun shrieked as the sigil next to Joonmyeon lit up. He felt his face flush before he buried his head in his arms.
  “What does the glowing mean?” Jongdae asked, staring at it.
  Joonmyeon frowned. “Our theory is it glows whenever one of us changes into a wolf for the first time. I witnessed Minseok hyung's sigil glow right before he changed. It was a little creepy.”
  “So, the person that controls light just changed into a wolf?” Jongdae frowned. “What if he's all by himself? What if Tao hasn't found him and he has to deal with being like that all alone?”
  “It's scary to be by yourself when it happens,” Yixing stated. He chewed on his lip. “I changed for the first time when Kris and Tao were out getting food. They came back and half of the apartment was destroyed.”
  Jongdae frowned. “Does it hurt?” He stared at the light sigil, wondering how the stranger was faring.
  “Not really,” Kris replied, speaking up for the first time since they all sat down. He folded his hands together on the top of the table. “It's hard to explain to someone that hasn't changed yet.”
  “If it happens in succession by age, will Sehun change last?” Kyungsoo frowned, worried for his best friend.
  Sehun remained quiet, shrinking back into his chair. He finally picked his head up from the table, but seeing the worry in Kyungsoo's eyes, he really wished he hadn’t. “I don't want to turn into a wolf.”
  “Tao said it wasn't supposed to happen right away, but he sort of put it all in motion.” Yixing's eyes widened and he slowly looked at Joonmyeon. “You didn’t know that, did you?” When the other shook his head he smiled sheepishly. “Oops.”
  “They were going to find out eventually.” Kris leaned back down on the table. “Tao said he sped time up a little on Minseok, making him change into a wolf. But he only sped it up like a week or so. It wasn't like he made him skip years.”
  Minseok stared at the table. “Tao did it?” He looked at Joonmyeon. “Wasn't he one of the ones that betrayed Suho? Are you positive we can trust him?”
  “Tao betrayed someone?” Jongdae repeated, looking at Joonmyeon with confused eyes. “He's a traitor?”
Sehun frowned. “But he seemed so nice.”
  Joonmyeon glared at Minseok. “I know we can trust him.” The elder shrank back a little from the intensity in Joonmyeon's eyes. “He sent us five people, hyung. Five. When he brings the other three with him when he comes back, we'll have a chance at killing that monster. What I don't get is why did the power of fire fight alongside my grandpa and then vanish.”
  “Because he was a traitor, too.” Minseok crossed his arms over his head. “Have you ever wondered about that, Joonmyeon? Tao brought us Yixing, Kris, and Sehun. One traitor bringing in the others. It's like being a tattletale when you're little. You tell on everyone that was being bad so your own punishment is lessened.”
  “What?” Sehun croaked, eyes misting over. “The power of wind was evil?” He sniffled. “I don't want to do this anymore.” He got up from his chair, hurrying out of the chamber.
  Jongdae frowned at Minseok. “Nice job, hyung.” He and Kyungsoo stood up, running after Sehun.
  “Look, all I’m saying is that we need to keep an eye on him. He could be working to double cross us like he did our ancestors.”
  Luhan shook his head. “No, he won't. Minseok, he doesn't betray us. I’ve seen all of us together, as friends. I even showed you the picture!” He pouted at Minseok. “I didn’t come all the way from China by myself for nothing. I know all twelve of us will be friends. You believe me, don't you?”
  Minseok sighed. “I don't know, Luhan. Like I said, you've known me longer than I have you. Hell, you practically stalked me for who knows how long.” He looked over, seeing the hurt in his eyes.
  “That's low.” Luhan stood up, hands balled into fists. “I really thought you and I could get along. I thought you trusted me. But I guess you really had me fooled, huh?” He looked over at Joonmyeon. “Can I move into your room?”
  Joonmyeon nodded, holding his hand up when Minseok was about to protest. “For now, it seems like what's best. We all need a little space and maybe this will help smooth things over. Come on, Luhan. I'll help you move your things.”
  When they left, Minseok left after them, grumbling under his breath about how he was going to a practice room. Yixing and Kris sat quietly at the table. Minutes slowly ticked by before wither of them spoke.
  “This was one of the things I was afraid of,” Yixing whispered. “We haven't even been faced with that thing yet, and we can't manage to stay unified.”
  Kris frowned. “Maybe none of us should even be here,” he replied, voice quiet. He kept gaze away from Yixing, not wanting to see the look on his face. “I'm starting to think that all of this is impossible.” He got up from the table, leaving Yixing sitting there as he left the library. He saw Minseok in the practice room, tears streaming down his face as he attacked one target after another, trying to work out his frustrations. Jongdae and Kyungsoo were in the kitchen, making Sehun the largest ice cream sundae the twelve year old had ever seen. Upstairs, he found Luhan venting to Joonmyeon in their now shared room. He could hear in Luhan's voice that he was fighting back tears, Joonmyeon nodding every so often to tell him he was still listening. He went into his room, closing the door behind him.
  I don't think I can do this, he thought to himself, frowning as he threw himself across his bed. He stared at the window, watching as birds flew high overhead. He could feel the weight of the situation beginning to press down on him and he felt as if he was suffocating. Sitting up, he shook his head. “No,” he said, running a shaky hand through his head as his conversation with Yixing came back to him. “No, I can't do this. I can't.” He stood up, throwing the window open before taking one look back over his shoulder. “I'm sorry.” Turning around, he jumped through the window, flying off into the sky.
  Yixing sat alone in the room, eyes staring at the sigils, but not really seeing them. He heard someone come back into the room, looking over to find Joonmyeon. “Is something wrong?” he asked, voice a little tight. He didn’t want the other to know he had just gotten down crying, but he was certain he already knew.
  “Have you seen Kris? Luhan and I were going to go to the store. We were wondering if he wanted to come, too,” Joonmyeon replied.
  “He left a little while ago. He might be in his room.” Yixing stood up, going with Joonmyeon upstairs. They knocked on Kris’s door, frowning when they didn’t get an answer. “Maybe he's sleeping. I'll go with you instead.”
  “Okay.” Joonmyeon smiled as Luhan came out of the bathroom.
  “Let's go,” he stated, leading the way downstairs. Joonmyeon told Minseok to look after the younger kids while they were going out, Luhan refusing to turn toward him. He was still hurt by Minseok's words.
  Outside, they started to walk down the road, Luhan and Joonmyeon chatting about different things. They reached the little store at the corner, going into it. Yixing barely recalled anything as he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He tried to ignore it, but it was more than his mind telling him something happened. It was his heart. It was thudding dully in his chest and he didn’t understand the reason for it. After they paid for their items - simple things like toothbrushes, toilet paper, a few CDs and movies - they headed back to Joonmyeon's house. Well, Luhan supposed they could call it home since they were living there, too.
  When they got there, Minseok had started cooking their dinner, frowning the entire time he did so. Luhan went to put their purchases away, still giving him the silent treatment. Yixing sat with the younger ones in the living room as Joonmyeon helped Minseok finish their food. He watched as Sehun and Kyungsoo raced to the kitchen when they were called, Jongdae rolling his eyes before rushing after them. Luhan came bouncing down the stairs, whistling to himself. He looked over at Yixing.
  “You coming to eat?” he asked, stopping mid-stride.
  Yixing shook his head, pulling at a loose thread on his shirt. “I'm not feeling up to it.” He got up, offering Luhan a smile before heading upstairs. He stopped outside Kris’s door, chewing on his lip. His heart was beating painfully against his ribs as he reached for the handle. Pushing the door open, he was faced with an empty room. He closed his eyes before the first tear fell. A part of him already knew Kris wasn't going to be there, but it didn’t keep the other part of him from hoping. He pulled the door shut, turning to go to his room across the hall. He didn’t bother closing his, knowing the others were going to open it anyway. He climbed onto his bed, hugging his pillow tightly against himself.
  “Why does this hurt so much?” he whispered, tears soaking into his pillow. The feeling was foreign to him, something he had never felt before and something he never wanted to feel again.

Kris stood atop the building he landed on over an hour ago. The noises of the city were quiet way up there. He had gone off in a random direction, unsure as to where he wanted to go. Leaving Joonmyeon's felt liberating and imprisoning at the same time. He tried to push away the thoughts of the others potentially waiting for him to go back. He shook his head, clearing his mind for the moment.
  “I can't be there,” he told himself simply. He had felt suffocated while he was there, but after traveling with Tao and Yixing for a few weeks, he felt lonely. He thought back to Minseok's words, about how none of them could be trusted, that they had the blood of traitors. He pursed his lips as he thought about it. Does running away make someone a traitor? Or was there more to it than that? “Am I like my ancestor?” He watched as a lightning bolt streaked through the sky, eyes wide as it hit the lightning rod of a taller building a couple blocks in front of him. The wind picked up as the rumble followed the lightning. He could feel the familiarity of it all even when the rain began to fall. It was as if they were still with him, even miles away. He smiled to himself before turning around.
  “Just this once, I'll face my problems.” He closed his eyes, taking a step back until his feet were on the edge of the building. “Just this once, I'll believe that they're right in front of me.” He could see them clearly, laughing and smiling just in front of him. Jongdae was glaring at him, calling him grumpy hyung; Kyungsoo was watching him with wide eyes; Sehun was staring at him, scared of him. He cringed a little at that, remembering him from the warehouse. Minseok and Luhan were simply smiling at him, leaning on each other while Joonmyeon waved. He could even see Tao there, arms crossed over his chest as the three missing people stood next to him, their faces taking on the traits of their ancestors. He frowned as he counted them in his head. Someone was missing. Where was Yixing?
  Behind his closed lids, he was the only one that wasn't there, wasn't in front of him. He felt the feather light touch of fingers wrap around his own. He opened his eyes, head whipping to the side. No one was there. He looked at his right hand, still able to feel the warmth of fingers lingering there. “Yixing...”
  He closed his eyes again, picturing Yixing next to him, holding his hand. Why do I feel lost when you aren’t next to me? Why does everything seem empty inside when you're not there? He knew the younger wouldn't answer, but it was nice to see him smiling at him, looking at him with eyes full of an emotion Kris wasn't sure he knew the name of. He allowed himself to fall back, rain pelting him as he fell through the air. He could still see Yixing, but he wasn't beside him anymore. He was in front of him, falling with him. Kris reached out, eyes opening slowly when he grasped at air. Frustrated, he turned around, flying off in another direction. Why had he thought of Yixing falling with him? Was he scared of being alone?
  “I'm not afraid of solitude,” he muttered, something catching his eye. He stopping flying, just floating there in the air as he stared at the lights a little ways away. They looked like the northern lights, but that wasn't in Korea. Frowning, he decided to investigate. He saw a kid about Jongdae's age, lying in an empty field. He flew down straight at him, the kid's eyes going wide.
  “Who the hell are you?” the kid asked, scooting away a little. His hair was drenched from the rain, as were his clothes.
  “Are you the one that did that?” Kris asked, pointing at the light show. The kid nodded.
  “Yeah, I did. What of it?” He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to look tougher than he was.
  “So, you control light?”
  The kid nodded again. To prove his point, the lights vanished as quickly as they appeared. “I only do big scenes like that during storms. People are stupid enough to call it a natural phenomenon.” He rolled his eyes. “If they only knew what really happened.” He eyed Kris, frowning. “You look older than me.”
  “I'm sixteen. What about you?” Kris sat down, staying a short distance away so he didn’t scare the kid.
  “Fourteen.” He looked down. “You wouldn't happen to have any food, would you?” He sighed when Kris shook his head. “Figures. A guy flies in out of nowhere and I expect him to have food? Stupid.” He scoffed at himself.
  “What's your name?” Kris found this kid to be a little amusing, talking to himself like he was alone.
  “Byun Baekhyun.” He didn’t raise his eyes from the ground, choosing to stare at the puddle forming by his shoes.
  “I'm Kris.” He stood up, raising an eyebrow. “Shouldn't you be getting home? You're getting soaked.”
  Baekhyun shrugged. “There's no one waiting for me there. Mom died a couple years ago and dad left one day and never came back. It's just me.”
  “Then how about I walk you home?” Kris frowned when he shrugged again. “Are you always so depressing?”
  “I guess so.” Baekhyun stood up, rubbing his hands on his torn jeans. “Follow me. My house is this way.”
  Kris nodded, following the younger to a rundown building. To call it a house would be a compliment, an undeserving one. The paint was chipped and peeling on the outside, the gate in the front was stuck open from rust, and the yard was overgrown and nothing but weeds. Going inside, he stopped right in the door when Baekhyun simply walked in with his muddy shoes on. The roof was leaking in several places, half of the lights didn’t work, and there were holes in the walls. The floor was clean for the most part, but Kris watched as a mouse scurried across it.
  “Is it healthy to even live here?” he asked, following Baekhyun.
  “Don't know. All I know is that it's the only place I’ve lived and I can't really afford to move anywhere else.” He placed a faded pillow on a chair, motioning for Kris to sit down. He opened the fridge, pulling out two water bottles before sitting down across from the elder. He pushed the one toward him before opening his and drinking some.
  Kris sipped at his water, wondering how long Baekhyun has lived like this. “Where do you go to school?”
  “I don't.”
  “But you're fourteen.”
  Baekhyun nodded, smiling sourly. “I couldn't afford to go to school. When mom died, everything crumbled after that. And when dad took off, I knew he didn’t plan on coming back. I saw him once, when I was in the city, but I walked away. He was with some woman, holding their son's hand.”
  Kris thought about Joonmyeon's place, wondering if he should tell Baekhyun to go there. He sat up straighter when he remembered the light sigil glowing on the table. “Did you turn into a wolf?”
  Baekhyun blinked before he slowly nodded. “How did you know?”
  “I can do it, too.” Kris looked down, listening to the rain dripping through the ceiling. “And the place I came from, there's a table with these markings etched into it. The one symbolizing light was glowing a little bit ago.”
  “Where did you come from?”
  “The east. I felt like I was suffocating, so I left.” He smiled wryly. “I guess meeting you wasn't really a coincidence, but more like irony. I was being a brat. I was overwhelmed by the people willing to be friends with me, by them being so nice and caring toward me. And then, I run into you.”
  Baekhyun chuckled. “Isn't that how it normally goes?” He yawned, scratching his head. “I think I'll go get some sleep. Feel free to stay if you want.” He stood up, shoes squishing. “I wonder if there's any dry clothes that would fit you.”
  Kris followed him from the little kitchenette, going down the hallway. The walls were falling apart, spiderwebs spun in every corner. He stood in the doorway of Baekhyun's room, frowning as the younger sifted through a pile of clothes. He was guessing it was the cleanest pile out of all of them. “Aren't you tired of living like this?”
  “Yeah, but how else am I supposed to live? I don't have any money. Whatever food I get is usually from people feeling sorry for me. It's okay, though. I’ve lived like this for a few years.” He turned back to the pile, rummaging through it for a shirt.
  “Do you want to leave this place?” Kris’s voice was quiet while he asked, almost getting drowned out by the rain, but Baekhyun still heard him.
  He stilled, keeping his eyes low. “I don't have that option.”
  “What if you did have the option? Would you leave then?”
  He nodded without hesitating. “I've lived by myself for three years, barely getting by. I haven't had new clothes or a proper meal since then. And my showers are whenever I can sneak into the creek a few miles away.” He sniffled, abandoning his search. “I'm surprised I’m not sick or something from the way I’ve been living.” He walked over to his mattress, plopping down on it.
  Kris stared at him. “Do you want me to take you away from here?”
  Baekhyun stared back at him. “Where would we go?”
  “Anywhere you want.” Kris pulled his wallet from his pocket, holding up a credit card. “A friend of mine has an unlimited supply of money. It's bit sitting in a bank account for decades.”
  “Your friend must be ancient.”
  “He is. He's like us. He has the power of time. He hasn't aged in a couple hundred years.”
  “When can we leave?” Baekhyun didn’t want to sound too hopeful, but he couldn't keep the emotion from his voice.
  Kris shrugged. “Whenever you want.”
  Sitting up, Baekhyun pulled a picture out of his pillowcase. It was an old picture of him and his parents, but he was still very fond of it. He folded it, going to put it in his pocket when Kris stopped him. “What?”
  “It'll get wet in your pocket. Here.” He gently took it, placing it in his wallet before folding it up and putting it in his pocket. “Now, is there anything you want to take with you?”
  “No.” he motioned around him. “Would you take any of this junk with you?”
  He couldn't help but chuckle. “No, I suppose I wouldn't. Come on, let's go.”
  Kris led Baekhyun out of the room, waiting patiently as he looked around, saying a final goodbye to the only home he's ever known. He reached out, letting the younger take his hand as they walked. Two hours later, they carried shopping bags into their new, fully furnished apartment. Kris told Baekhyun to use the shower and to not worry about using all of the hot water. He merely changed into dry clothes, tossing the damp ones into a laundry basket. He was putting their groceries away when Baekhyun finally came back out. He was wearing sweatpants and a matching sweatshirt.
  “All of this is ours?” he asked, staring at the bags. He knew the elder had picked up quite a bit, but he didn’t know how much it really was.
  “Yeah. What do you want to eat first?” Kris closed the fridge, turning to put their plates in the cupboard.
  “I don't know. I don't even know what I like anymore.” He stared at the packages, wondering how the two of them would eat all of the food.
  “How about I make something and if you don't like it, I'll make something else.” Kris smiled when Baekhyun nodded eagerly, moving to help him put the rest of the things away. He went to sit on the couch, looking over at their door. He had a new pair of shiny black shoes that fit him perfectly, new clothes that didn’t have holes chewed in them, and a roof that didn’t leak. He thought he would cry from having so much stuff. “Ah, I almost forgot.” Kris pulled something from his pocket, bringing it over to Baekhyun. “This is yours.”
  Taking it from Kris, Baekhyun's eyes went wide. “You got me a cell phone?”
  “I got me one, too.” Kris held his up. “My number is already in yours.” He sat down next to the younger, holding his phone out. They smiled as the picture took, saving to Kris’s phone. He sent it to Baekhyun's the younger saving it before making it his wallpaper. “Oh, I hired a private tutor, too.”
  “A private tutor? For what?” Baekhyun tore his eyes away from his phone to look at the elder.
  “So you can catch up on what you've missed and go to school.” He made it sound so nonchalant, but he could barely keep the smile off of his face.
  “I can go back to school?” Baekhyun blinked, diving at Kris to hug him. “I'm going to school!”
  Kris chuckled, patting his head. “And if you don't let go of me, I'll be overcooking our dinner.”
  Baekhyun backed up, watching Kris go to the kitchen to check on their food. He spun the phone in his hands, smiling down at it. He looked up when Kris called for him to come eat. He sat down opposite the elder, mouth watering at the food. He watched as Kris gave him the larger portions before he finally began eating. It was as if he had never tasted food before that day. It was delicious. He nearly cried as he shoveled the food into his mouth, eating quickly. He gulped down his water, sighing in contentment after his plate was empty.
  “Thanks, hyung.” Baekhyun smiled at him. “I think that's the best meal I’ve ever eaten.”
  “Including when your parents were around?” Kris finished his meal, stacking the plates on top of each other.
  “Even better. Mom never really liked cooking and dad always worked late, so we usually ate take-out or instant foods. The only time we had meals like this was on birthdays.”
  “That's sort of depressing.” Kris finished clearing the table, placing the dishes in the sink. He turned toward the younger. “So, what would you like to do?”
  Baekhyun shrugged, looking a little lost. “I'm not sure.” He stared a Kris, biting his lip. “Can we watch a movie?”
  Kris nodded. “Sure. Go pick something out.” He watched as Baekhyun went to their living room area, looking through their movies. Kris’s phone rang and he looked at the screen. He turned, answering it. “Tao, hi.” He chewed on his lip as he listened. “Yeah, I know. I never should have left, but I found one. His name is Baekhyun. I’m going to be living with him for a little while. Mark it off on your map that one's been found. No, it's okay. You don't have to come. No, I haven't called any of them.” He finished listening to Tao’s telling him that he would send word to Joonmyeon that Kris was fine before they ended the call.
  “Hyung, come sit or you'll miss it!” Baekhyun pat the space next to him on the couch. He waited for Kris to sit down before he leaned against him, getting comfortable.
  Baekhyun had chosen a comedy, which helped Kris a lot more than he thought it would. Once the movie had ended, Baekhyun yawned. He stretched as he stood up to head to his room. He turned around suddenly, giving Kris a very quick peck on the cheek before he raced off. His face was red as he dove onto his bed. Blinking, Kris remained unmoving on the couch. He reached up, touching his cheek. He could still feel the touch of Baekhyun's lips.
  “Why did he do that?” Kris sat there as the seconds melted into minutes; the minutes into hours. He finally got up and went to his bedroom, lying down on top of the blankets. Sleep eluded him, so he stared blankly at the ceiling. He just began to doze off when their doorbell rang. It woke him up and he groaned, wanting to ignore it, but he got up. Going to the door, he yanked it open. There was a pretty lanky boy standing there, smiling nervously.
  “Hello,” he greeted, bowing. “I'm Park Chanyeol. You hired me to be a tutor?”
  Kris nodded. “Come on in.” He closed the door behind Chanyeol, walking down the hall to Baekhyun's room. “Hey, your tutor is here.” He waited as Baekhyun rummaged around inside, opening his door.
  “Really? It's seven o'clock!” He whined, pouting. “I wanted to sleep some more.”
  “Not right now. You have a few years to catch up on.” He grabbed Baekhyun's collar, towing him to the living room. “You two can sit in here and study.” He walked to the other side of the room, leaning on the counter. “Baekhyun, what do you want to eat?”
  “Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, waffles, pancakes, sausage, bagels, and orange juice.” Baekhyun sat down at the coffee table, Chanyeol sitting on the other side. His eyes were wide with shock.
  “You don't really eat that much, do you?” he asked, voice low.
  Baekhyun shrugged, leaning on his hand while Chanyeol unpacked all of the textbooks and workbooks. “I haven't had them in a really long time. I don't remember what I like.”
  “I'll make some of it, not all of it. I know we bought a lot of groceries, but I don't want to continually spend Tao’s money.” Kris turned to the fridge, getting out the egg carton, the bacon, and the sausage. He pulled the bagels from the cupboard, setting them on the counter. Frowning, he went back to the fridge, pulling out strawberry flavored cream cheese. He took the container, the bagels, a plate, and a knife to Baekhyun. “Don't spoil your breakfast.”
  He returned to the kitchen after placing them on the table. He quickly scrambled the eggs, pouring them into a skillet before he diced the sausage, adding it to another skillet. He browned the edges before lowering the heat. He placed a pan on the stove top, tossing the bacon inside. He watched it sizzle, wondering vaguely on how he learned to cook. It wasn't something he picked up from his mother, he never watched her cook. Deciding he most likely learned it from Tao or Yixing, he finished breakfast. He plated the food before carrying the plates to the dining table.
  “Do you understand it?” Chanyeol asked, pointing at something in one of the textbooks. Baekhyun nodded, scribbling down little reminders.
  “Breakfast is done.” Kris leaned on the back of a chair. “I made a lot, Chanyeol, in case you were hungry, too.”
  “Really?” He smiled, following Baekhyun to the table. “Wow. This looks really good.”
  They ate in silence, the only conversation being Baekhyun asking questions about their studies. After they devoured the food, Kris cleared the table while the younger two went back to studying. He loitered in the living room after he washed the dishes, picking at his nails. Baekhyun sighed a few hours later, rubbing his temples.
  “I think we've covered a lot of ground today,” he muttered. “Hyung, do we have any painkillers?”
  “Bathroom cabinet.” Kris was busy playing a game on his phone, looking over only when Baekhyun was out of the room. “So, how behind is he?”
  Chanyeol turned around, pursing his lips. “Not too far. He actually knows quite a bit for not having gone to school for a few years. I figure just a few more sessions and he'll be ready.”
  “Thanks.” Kris pulled his wallet out, handing money to Chanyeol. “I guess we'll see you again tomorrow?”
  Chanyeol nodded, packing up a few things. “Have him study a little bit later. Quiz him, too, on what was covered today just to make sure it sank in.” He looked up when Baekhyun reappeared. “I'm leaving you some of the books so you can continue studying.” He bowed politely, picked up his bag, and left.
  The next two weeks came and passed with them falling into a regular schedule. Chanyeol arrived early to have breakfast with them before they hit the books, Kris sitting in on a few study sessions. A few nights, Chanyeol stayed for dinner, having called his mother to make sure it was okay. She was delighted that he had made new friends, which he later explained that he was a rather shy kid and was sort of bullied in school. It wasn't until the middle of the third week that Kris and Baekhyun sensed something a little off with him. He reassured them that he was fine, but they could see that it wasn't. The look in his eyes was different, almost dejected. But he still smiled at them all day, having brought over his birthday cake to share with them. When he left in the early evening, Baekhyun turned to Kris.
  “Didn't something seem off?” he asked, frowning.
  Kris nodded. “Yeah, he seemed sad. That kid is never sad.” An hour later, Kris’s phone rang. It was Chanyeol's mother. She asked if they could meet her at the hospital. Chanyeol had been committed to the psyche ward. They rushed right over, finding her pacing the waiting room.
  “Is he going to be okay?” Baekhyun asked her, forehead creased with worry.
  Chanyeol's mother shrugged. “This isn't the first time he's done this. The first time, he was ten. He overheard my husband and I arguing about him. You see, he's different than most people. I know it sounds crazy, but I believe that he has some strange gift. My mother used to be like him, always happy and playing around. When my mother passed, he began playing with fire, getting burned. When my husband told him to stop, he pulled this stunt where he slit his wrists.”
  “He's a cutter?” Kris frowned, leaning against the wall.
  “Yes, but that's not the whole story. He did it again two years ago when he found out my husband and I were having marital issues. It scared us half to death. Today, he came home and found that his father left us. Poor boy. He's really hurt over it.” She frowned, turning when the doctor came up.
  “You son is stable, but we'd like to keep him overnight. This isn't the first incident and we're afraid he would try to harm himself again,” the doctor stated.
  Chanyeol's mother nodded. She turned back to Kris and Baekhyun when the doctor left. “I know I have no business asking this, but he talks of you two often. I was hoping he could stay with you until things smooth over.”
  Baekhyun looked at Kris, eyes hopeful. “Can he, hyung? It'll only be for a little while.” He pouted, hoping he looked cute enough to make the elder say yes. He noticed the familiar look of resignation in his eyes, grinning as he turned back to the woman. “He can stay with us.”
  “Okay.” She pulled her jacket closer to her petite frame. “How about I sign temporary custody over to you?”
  Kris tapped Baekhyun. “I'll be right back, okay? Go visit with Chanyeol.” He went with Chanyeol's mother to a close courthouse. She asked for the papers, filling them out quickly. Kris signed them, too, right before the judge stamped them. He took his copy of the papers and folded them up, putting them in his pocket. She thanked Kris a million times, parting ways with him as soon as they left the building. Frowning, he returned to the hospital. He pulled the papers out of his pocket, reading over them. He stopped, leaning against the hall wall.
  “Hyung?” Baekhyun approached him, frowning. “What's wrong?”
  Holding up the papers, Kris looked at him. “His mother signed permanent custody of him over to me.”
  Baekhyun's eyes went wide. “What? I thought it was just going to be a temporary thing.”
  “So did I.” He scanned the papers, finding that she hadn’t left anything out. He turned the page, finding a letter tucked away inside. “When did she do this?” He read over it, frowning even more. “She said she's sorry toward him and that she wants him to live happily. And that he needs to open up to people a little more.” Kris sighed. “Damn it. Why did she pick me?”
  “Maybe because he was always spending time with us?” Baekhyun looked up at the tiny television mounted to the wall. His eyes widened even more. He tugged on Kris’s sleeve, pointing to it.
  “...shots were fired in a hotel room off of the main road,” the newscaster was saying, reading from the cards in his hands. “As far as we know, there have only been two fatalities. A male in his mid forties and a female in her late thirties. The only information we can disclose at this time is that they were a recently separated couple and their surname is Park. Please stay tuned for more updates.”
  “Chanyeol's parents maybe?” Baekhyun looked at Kris, finding him nod slowly. They watched the rest of the coverage, seeing the gurneys wheeled out with body bags strapped to them. Their names were finally mentioned and Kris fell back against the wall.
  “She left her son to us so she could kill her husband and then herself.” Kris stared down at her name scribbled on the papers in his hand. “This is totally insane.” He looked over when a doctor approached them.
  “I was told that you are the patient's new legal guardian.” When Kris nodded, he continued. “You can sign the release forms tomorrow and pick him up right after.”
  They returned home, Baekhyun sitting on the couch instead of going to bed right away. Kris frowned as he leaned against the wall. “Byun Baekhyun, go to bed.” He sighed when the younger didn’t respond. “Hey.”
  Baekhyun turned teary eyes toward him, biting his lip to keep himself from breaking down completely. “Hyung,” his voice cracked.
  Kris walked over to him, stopping in front of him. He waited as the younger leaned forward, burying his face against his stomach. He could feel the tears soaking into his shirt and he sighed. “Do you want to sleep in my bed with me?” He watched as Baekhyun nodded. “Come on.” He pulled the younger with him to his room, keeping the hall light on. Baekhyun snuggled up to him, keeping his face pressed against Kris’s shirt. He was lying on top of the elder's right arm, but neither seemed to mind.
  “How is Chanyeol going to feel after hearing about his parents?” Baekhyun's voice was muffled by the fabric, but Kris heard him perfectly fine.
  “I don't know. But we can protect him, right? After all, we're not normal people. I can fly and you're a human flashlight.” He felt Baekhyun smile against him and he smiled, too. Smoothing his hair back, he pressed a kiss to the younger's forehead. “Try to sleep, Baekhyun. Chanyeol is moving in tomorrow.”
  The next few days passed in a blur. Chanyeol had been told about his parents while he was still in the hospital. He had moved into Baekhyun's room and Kris had ordered a second bed. They were all sitting around the coffee table listening to the television when Chanyeol spoke. He had spoken the previous days, but not this much.
  “There's something you two should know about me,” he started, eyes shifting to the tabletop. “I'm not normal.”
  Baekhyun snorted. “I could have told you that, Chanyeol.” He fell quiet when Kris glared at him.
  Chanyeol shook his head. “It would be better if I showed you.” He held out his hand and a moment later, flames erupted from it. It wasn't a large fire, but it was enough to give off heat. “I've been able to do this since I was little. I don't know why, but I just can.”
  Baekhyun looked at Kris, grinning. He held his own hand out, a ball of light forming. The look on Chanyeol's face was priceless and he laughed. “You aren’t weird, Chanyeollie. You're like us. You're special.”
  Kris nodded. “I can fly,” he stated, face serious. Chanyeol laughed at him. “What?”
  Shaking his head, Chanyeol waved his hand to dismiss it. “Nothing, hyung, it's just you said it with such a serious face. I almost didn’t believe you.” He looked at them, biting his lip. “What do these powers mean?”
  “It means we're awesome!” Baekhyun laughed, giving Chanyeol a high five.
  “It means we're the descendants of chosen heroes,” Kris replied, crossing his arms to place them on the table. “I think it's time for you both to hear this.” He took a deep breath before he continued. He knew it was going to be hard to make them believe him, but he hoped they kept open minds. “A long time ago, there was this big war. In that war, a being from another planet, another galaxy, came to earth. It bestowed twelve unique powers upon regular people, turning them into the first of many. They were chosen, specifically selected by this magical being. They didn’t have any special qualities before that, but they knew what they had to do.”
  “There's twelve if us?” Baekhyun interrupted, voice filled with awe.
  Kris nodded. “The twelve were the first ones to use these powers, the first to change into wolves. They fought for this creature, protected it. And in return, they kept their powers when the war ended. Another being appeared before them, this one wasn't so nice. It convinced the wielders of five powers to turn their backs against the rest, to leave them when they were needed most.”
  “They betrayed their friends?” Baekhyun winced. “That's low.”
  “I know. They were wind, healing, time, flight, and fire.” He watched as Chanyeol pointed at himself. “Yeah, you and I have the blood of traitors running through our veins. It's why I left the others. I couldn't handle being there while Minseok hyung was against trusting Tao.”
  “Who's Tao?” Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun. “Do you know Tao?” He frowned when the other shook his head.
  “Tao is the one that controls time. He's the only remaining original hero. Since his power is time, he doesn't age. He's centuries old, but he still only looks to be in his early twenties.” Kris cleared his throat. “He's been out looking for the remaining powers for a few weeks. But I think I’ve had more luck than him.”
  “How many have been found already?”
  “Eleven.” Kris smirked at the younger two's shocked expressions. “I was contemplating on taking Baekhyun back to Joonmyeon's place, but I figured I’d wait a little bit.”
  “Why wait? If there's a whole group of people like me, I want to meet them!” Chanyeol pouted when Kris shook his head.
  “We should wait a little bit.” He looked at Chanyeol. “Have you changed into a wolf before.” When the younger shook his head, he nodded once. “We'll wait until after you do. Baekhyun changed into a wolf by himself. I don't want you alone when it happens to you, too.”
  “When will it happen?”
  “Soon. Baekhyun, when were you born?” Kris looked at him.
  Baekhyun looked toward the ceiling, chewing on his lip. “May sixth.”
  “Chanyeol was born November twenty-seventh. He just turned little while ago.” Kris frowned. “Jongdae is fourteen.”
  “Who's Jongdae?” Chanyeol leaned over toward Baekhyun. “Do you know Jongdae?” He frowned when the other shook his head. “I want to meet these people!”
  “You will. As soon as you change for the first time, I'll take both of you to Joonmyeon's place. We'll live there with them as we wait for Tao to find the last person.”
  “Before you ask, no, Chanyeol, I don't know Joonmyeon either.” Baekhyun smiled when Chanyeol sulked. “So, all we have to do it wait for him to change, right? That's easy.”
  Kris sighed. “When Yixing changed, he destroyed half of the apartment we were living in. I think there's still claw marks on the one wall.”
  “But Chanyeol will be different, right? He kind of knows when it should happen.” Baekhyun glanced at Chanyeol, scooting to sit on the side of the table beside Kris. “Just in case, I’d like to have this table in between us.”
  “Trust me, Baek, this table won't protect us.” Kris laughed at the scared look Baekhyun gave him. He formed a ball of light in his hand, ready to shoot it at Chanyeol. If nothing else, he could blind him.