✏ project exo {chapter ten}
⇢ authors: illegiblesigns and mouthwash
⇢ fandom: exo
⇢ pairings: various
⇢ 4572 words
⇢ R (language, violence,[spoiler]character death)
p r o j e c t e x o : chapter ten
It was barely 9 AM. The daybreak news report broadcasted an accident in a textile warehouse in Phoebes. Athenian media always hid the truth. The news anchor questioned the reporter on the scene for the chance that this might have been a premeditated attack. The reporter denied immediately. Athena was safe. Or so they say.
"What do you mean-he left?" Kai overheard Chanyeol say from the other side of the table. His eyes left his scrambled eggs. Baekhyun shushed the large boy sitting across from him loudly.
"Quiet, you moron. Yes, Luhan went away last night. He left Sehun a note. He's devastated," Baekhyun replied, his voice hushed but still loud enough for Kai to hear.
"But why the fuck would he leave?" Chanyeol's voice echoed in the kitchen. Baekhyun struck him in the arm with his spoon.
Kai tuned them out. Not actually surprised by the discovery. In fact, he was amazed Luhan had lasted so long. After his outburst in Lake Flora, he knew it was only a matter of time before this happened.
Kyungsoo entered the kitchen; his face colorless, almost blending with the walls.
"Did you hear-?"
Before he's able to finish, Yunho appeared in the doorway, a bewildered Sehun by his side. Yunho had a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Sit. I'll fix you something," Yunho told him, and Sehun sat on the chair across from Kai, head lowered. His eyes never left the ground.
Kyungsoo stared at him warily. He played restlessly with his fingers, squeezing his lips into a line, as if he was attempting to hold back words. Kai decided to give him a little push.
"Can we just put it all out in the open?" he said nonchalantly. Kyungsoo nodded in accord while Sehun remained blank. Yunho dropped what he was doing and faced them. He paced over to Sehun's side and waited for him to give him a signal.
"It's fine," Sehun croaked.
"As some of you already know," Yunho began, his voice bleak. All the eyes in the room were on him now; Kai could see how attached he was to them already. He could read Yunho well, and his eyes screamed of concern. As if he didn't have enough of a burden to carry. The fate of a nation rested on his shoulders and he still managed to make room for these boys and their issues. Now and then, Kai wondered if one day the weight on his shoulders would come to be too much for him. "Luhan decided to no longer be with us. It's his choice, and we'll respect it."
"I don't understand," Chanyeol blurted out. "Why would he leave? Where would he go?"
"That's not our business," Yunho said. "However, I've already alerted our eyes all over Athena. I swore to keep you safe, even if it's not under my roof."
"I'm gonna go to the garden to catch some air. I'm not really hungry," Sehun announced, getting up from the table. Yunho gave him a soft pat on the shoulder before he went.
"Hang in there, kid," he whispered, watching as Sehun left the kitchen.
Kai did feel sorry for him. Even without knowing them exceptionally well, he could tell Luhan was Sehun's entire world, Another thing to add to the list of reasons to dislike Luhan. Abandoning the one person who always stood by his side was a very shitty thing to do.
"I'm worried," Kyungsoo murmured dejectedly, his eyes lingering on the doorway. "Do you think he'll be okay?"
Kai pondered it for a second. The issue was not quite his area of expertise. "Yunho told me once," he looked up to face the man who leaned on the kitchen counter, eyebrows knitted together in concern. "The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists."
Yunho smiled at him softly. "Do I always sound like that? Like I only speak in quotes and Japanese proverbs?"
They all chuckled shyly. Kai nodded, his eyes taunting. "Yeah, it gets kind of irritating sometimes."
"Brat," Yunho said, messing up Kai's dark locks. "You all should get ready. We'll be leaving to help set up Lay's birthday party at the Jazz Club in a few hours."
"We could use a little bit of fun?" Kyungsoo responded, eyes down on his bowl of cereal. Kai snickered at his optimism.
--
Jessica inflated a red balloon, rolling her eyes at the process. She couldn’t accept that in the middle of one of the most critical moments of the war, the oh-so-mighty-Resistance-members were gathered together to throw a party for a kid.
“Oh, come on, Jess!” Yoona flung an extra bag of balloons at her, a smile brightening up her beautiful face. “Cheer up! This is a party, not a funeral.”
It could be a funeral soon, she thought. Images of darker times haunted her mind. I don't need this right now.
She dug in her pocket, finding the pink note Yunho stuck to her door that morning. The simple vision of Tiffany’s neat handwriting made her smile.
Jessica wasn’t expecting a response; she wasn’t even expecting for the red haired girl to receive that message - I have Krystal. My little sis is back home - so the answer took her by surprise.
Now be a good big sister to her.
“I will,” she whispered to the note, her smile getting bigger when she flipped the paper. On the corner, in tiny letters, a rushed I miss you was written.
To avoid the tears, she looked back at her friends, speaking the first thing that came to her mind. “Did you hear anything else about Operation Bastille?”
Yuri sighed. “All Yunho said was that Zhou Mi was laying low for now.”
“This is ridiculous.” The blond threw the sack of balloons back on the table, crossing her leg. “Throwing a fucking party right now is inappropriate. With the Operation day getting closer by the-”
“Can you please be a little more supportive? This kid hasn’t had a birthday party since his parents were arrested!” Yuri argued, shaking her head at Jessica.
“Well, Krystal hasn’t had one in years too, and you don’t see her complaining.”
“Lay hasn’t asked for anything. It was all Yunho’s idea. And mine,” Victoria added, when she saw Jessica’s mocking smile, “and about the operation, Yunho said something about gathering blue orchids.”
“The man loves to be all theatrical, doesn't he?” Jessica stood up. “Seriously, why can’t we just go on with this operation and break into that damn-”
She stopped when the door suddenly opened, two boys appearing in front of them. She recognized them as the Kronian spies. She still couldn’t believe Yunho actually trusted them so easily. Jessica didn't have any kind of prejudice towards people from Kronos, she couldn’t care less about someone’s nationality, but she couldn’t trust anyone who had Kronian military education. Those boys were taught in the arts of war and lies, and above all else, to hate Athena and its people.
“So, who asked for some beers?” The boy named Chen was all smiles, holding a large box in his hands.
“Just put them in the fridge,” Jessica answered, and the boys hurried to oblige. They came back right after, sitting side by side, taking a pack of balloons for themselves.
“Are you going to sing for us tonight?” Victoria asked Chen, smiling. “The girls keep talking about how talented you are, but I never had the opportunity to hear it.”
“Of course I will!” Chen looked back at her, and Jessica noticed a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, “after all, this is my party too. A farewell party.”
“You’re leaving?” Yoona exclaimed, looking upset. “We’ll miss you, really!”
Jessica tilted her head, suspicious. “Where’re you going?”
“I have some stuff to settle at home,” his smile to her was well calculated, and Jessica didn’t fail to notice. He turned his head back to Yoona, winking at the brown haired woman. “And don’t worry. I’ll be back to pester you all again soon.”
--
Loud music blasted through speakers and bounced off the walls of the jazz club. A small crowd gathered in front of the stage. Chen belted out notes, which sounded almost inhumanly possible. His voice was so full of emotion. Soon enough, Lay was tapping his foot to the beat.
Well, his plan to look utterly miserable went down the drain because a group of great individuals decided to throw him a surprise birthday party.
He took off the stupid birthday hat they made him wear as soon as the glass door of the club opened, revealing both familiar and strange faces. The woman named Yuri was responsible for the foolish head attire. Placing it firmly over his head as they sang happy birthday and Tao laughed wildly, pointing at him.
There was cake, of course. Chocolate. Something Lay had only tasted when he was three, maybe four years old, when his mother bought him a piece of the luxurious sweet. Lay could still remember how it had melted in his mouth.
One second the cake was there, lying innocently on the bar, and the next it was all over his face. Sugar sinking into his eyes as laughter erupted all around him.
The music faded from an upbeat rhythm to a ballad, and Chen’s voice accompanied the melody beautifully.
“You still have cake in your ear,” a voice said. Without any warning, there was a soft touch on Lay’s earlobe and Suho came into view with icing on the tip of his finger.
“Thanks,” Lay offered, taking a sip of his beer. He extended the bottle over to Suho who waved his hands dismissively.
“I hate how this stuff tastes,” Suho declared, making a face. Lay couldn’t help but smile at him. Sometimes Suho resembled a child with the wisdom of a thousand years.
“Me too,” Lay acknowledged as he lifted the bottle over to his lips again. There was no way he could get through his party sober.
“Hey,” Suho called, taking the empty seat on the bar next to Lay. His eyes trailed off to the stage where Chen swayed from side to side, a love song twirling from his lips as he sang with eyes closed. “You told me once that you knew how to dance. Can you show me?”
Lay groaned in response. This was the last thing he needed, because he simply could not say no. Maybe it was the alcohol, or the festive mood. Before he could even deny him, Lay was dragged to the dance floor.
“Can’t believe you’re making me do this,” he complained, setting his beer on a neighboring table.
Suho placed a firm hand on his waist, eyes watching curiously as Lay took the lead, his gaze down to their feet as he counted the steps. Suho followed him diligently, a little awkward at first, as his fingers trembled against Lay’s. He bit his lower lip, attention fixed on their strides. Lay sneered when he shot an absurdly apologetic look at him as Suho’s left foot crushed Lay’s right.
“Sorry,” he yelled over the music. Lay spun him around, letting Suho’s laugher tickle his ear as he did so.
Suho twirled Lay as well, to his discontent. When he coiled Lay back around, their faces ended up close, way too close. Suho shrugged, pulling away and they resumed their nervous steps.
After that Suho’s moves became rigid, not as fluid and carefree as before. Lay placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders, shaking him a little.
“Don’t be so stiff,” he ordered and Suho looked up at him with inquiring eyes. “Feel the music.”
As soon as the words come out of his mouth, Lay slapped a hand over his lips. Not believing how cheesy he sounded. Suho threw his head back, cackling loudly. Lay noticed that tears had formed at the corners of his eyes.
He had never seen him so happy.
“Alright,” Suho said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “I’m feeling the music.”
Lay turned his eyes to the ceiling, feeling Suho’s hand linger on the small of his back again. His touch was different this time. His eyes were different.
The song reached its climax and Chen let out a series of high-pitched yelps that resounded around the room. A drum solo supplemented his musical screeches, followed by the weeps of an electric guitar.
Suho’s breath was on Lay’s neck, hot and welcoming. His free hand traveled up his arm, cupping his cheek. Their eyes were glued to each other, and Lay felt as if his heart were about to climb up his esophagus and explode right there on the splintered wood floor.
No.
The other dared to come even closer, licking his lips. That was when Lay drew the line, laying his palm on Suho’s chest and pushing him away lightly but with a heavy heart.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want this. As a matter of fact, Lay didn’t know what he wanted. He wanted Suho’s well being, his happiness, and he was glad to see him smiling and out of that metal cage.
Why complicate things? Why take that step into troubled waters when there was a storm coming? Maybe it was a better idea to wait for the rain to clear. Maybe sunshine would help him see things more clearly.
Lay wasn’t ready to take the plunge.
"I'm-I'm sorry. I don't- I don't really think this is okay," Lay spluttered. Suho grimaced and stuttered an apology.
"Can we still dance?" he requested. Lay agreed and was happy to see that a smile returned to the boy’s lips.
The music changed to something upbeat.
--
This was the last place Sehun wanted to be.
He pressed his palm against his forehead in a futile attempt to alleviate a monstrous headache, feeling as if his brains were about to implode inside his cranium. Part of him thought it was because it was missing the existence of the soft voice that meddled with his thoughts. Luhan worked almost like a parasite, leeching off his mind, and Sehun was stupid enough to let him.
For many years, they were each other’s everything. Sehun was the first person Luhan had opened up to. Their minds became one. One touch and Sehun could travel the troubled roads of Luhan’s thoughts. Drowning in his vulnerabilities. The exterior facade of composure didn’t match the frightened child that lived inside him. Sehun learned that Luhan was just like all of them in the end.
Nevertheless he craved admiration, approval from the higher-ups. Luhan always did what he was told, even if it hurt him. That earned him power and prestige, which he so often denied having, but it was there. A house of cards carefully built. One blow and it would be gone, so he guarded it with his life.
Sehun understood him. Still, he was furious. The taste of Luhan’s flesh still lingered on his tongue. It was all too soon, too fast. The red scratches the other had left on his back still ached. How could he hold on to him so tight one second and desert him in the next? Maybe the marks were a warning; red and blaring like a siren.
You didn’t want to let go, didn’t you? You didn’t plan for this to happen.
Sehun thought he would spend the rest of his life wondering why.
“Drink this.”
Sehun lifted his head to find Kai standing over him with a glass in his hand.
“What is it?” He questioned, beholding the crystal clear liquid inside the cup with mock interest.
“Vodka?” the golden boy answered, pushing the glass into Sehun’s hands. “It’s medicine. It helps heal broken hearts,” he concluded with a laugh.
Sehun rolled his eyes, taking a sip of the strange drink. It burned down his throat and made his eyes water. Kai grinned at his twisted expression.
“Why are you being nice all of a sudden?” Sehun asked when his gullet recuperated. He took another swig. It was better this time around.
Kai raised an eyebrow, “Yunho says we should all form some kind of bond. I’m trying?”
“You don’t seem like the type who likes to take orders,” Sehun retorted, and Kai shook his head in disbelief.
“Fine, I’ll leave you alone to mope,” he said, raising both hands in defeat. “Just- Don’t think this is the end of the world, okay? I mean, this world has ended once. Nothing is final. We’re still here, aren’t we?”
He nodded, absorbing Kai’s words. The boy shrugged and walked away, rejoining the crowd that had gathered in front of the stage.
Sehun finished his drink, stowing the empty glass on the bar and calling the attention of one of the unknown faces behind it.
“More, please?”
--
Chanyeol laughed when Kyungsoo fell on the floor again, taking Baekhyun with him. Kai had been right. Giving alcohol to these kids ended up being kind of fun.
“That’s weird,” Kyungsoo began to mumble, while Baekhyun held his stomach, laughing on the floor, “I feel weird. This drink has weird properties.”
“Yes, it has,” Kai replied with a chuckle, helping him to get back on his feet, “but you feel good, right? A little lighter?”
Kyungsoo beamed as he held on to Kai’s shoulders to regain his balance.
“You smell good,” he said innocently, and Chanyeol almost spit all of his beer when he noticed Kai’s surprised look. “What cologne do you use? Or do you just smell good naturally?”
“I-That’s kind of an awkward question,” Kai stammered, making Kyungsoo sit down.
Chanyeol noticed the slight shade of pink on his cheeks. He felt Baekhyun’s hands on his knees.
“Why didn’t you help me go get up,” he questioned, his words all stacked together. Chanyeol laughed, taking the boy by his elbows and helping him up.
“You’re a grown man,” he answered as Baekhyun pouted at him, “you should know how to handle your alcohol.”
He got closer, their noses touching, and Baekhyun laughed again. The Prototype tilted his head, lifting his chin, and Chanyeol licked his lips. He knew Baekhyun was drunk, and he promised him that they’d take it slow, but he always could argue that they were tipsy and reckless and in love. Maybe Baekhyun wouldn’t be that mad if he gave him just a tiny kiss, just for a few minutes and-
Baekhyun looked to the side, at the direction of the door being open abruptly. A tall, handsome man stood by the door way, his breath uneven. Chanyeol recognized immediately.
“Changmin,” he heard Victoria say amidst the music, “what are you doing here?”
“You need to leave,” the General said, his eyes fixed on Victoria in a feverish way. “You all need to get the fuck out of here right now.”
“What are you talking about?” Yunho stepped up, and Chanyeol held Baekhyun by his hand, leading him through the crowd. The band stopped playing, and he could hear everyone whispering, all heads turned toward the man in the blue Athenian army uniform.
“I don't have time to explain. Just. Listen to me. You need to leave right now.” He took Victoria by the hand, looking around the room, “where’s Sehun?”
Yunho lodged an arm in front of Sehun, protectively. “No, you can't take him like this. First you’ll explain yourself-”
“THEY ARE COMING!” The General shouted, the anguish on his voice filling Chanyeol’s consciousness.
And then, he heard the sound of gunshots.
His first reaction was to kneel down, hands covering his head. Screams and the sound of glass being shattered by the bullets filled the room. Panic struck him when he looked around and noticed Baekhyun wasn’t by his side anymore.
Chanyeol stood up just enough to be able to see the place. He saw people running and screaming, bodies dropping to the floor, gore spreading all around them.
“Baekhyun!” he yelled to nowhere. Faces he didn’t even know bumping into him in their desperate attempt to find a way out. He found a group of men holding weapons, their attackers. There were at least ten of them, all wearing civilian clothes, but Chanyeol could observe their Military posture. At that moment, he felt a hand on his shoulder, pushing him down behind an overturned table. Jessica looked at him as she loaded her Glock pistol.
“Stay hidden,” she ordered, standing up and unloading shots against the attackers. Chanyeol obliged, hearing the sound of bullets zipping above his head. The place was now filled with dust, smelling of blood and destruction. A body collapsed on the floor just a few steps from where he was, and Chanyeol felt his heart ache. They’re dead because of us.
Gaping at the mass of people fleeing, he found Kai in the middle of the mayhem. He teleported everywhere, taking whoever was within his reach. Chanyeol saw Tao, Suho and Kris hidden behind the stage. He winced when he noticed that Kris had blood gushing from his arm, his face contorted in pain. Kai teleported in front of them, quickly taking Suho’s hand. He pushed him away, motioning to Tao and Kris, while saying something Chanyeol could not hear. He saw Kai disappear with the other two.
Chanyeol felt bullets shattering the wood behind him, and he started to crawl on the floor. He reached the bar, taking covering behind it. Kai appeared in front of him, taking his hand without saying anything, but Chanyeol pushed him away.
“What are you doing?” the boy hissed, sounding strained. Chanyeol noticed how pale he looked. “If I don’t take you now, Baekhyun will have a heart attack.”
So he’s safe, he thought, sighing in relief. That was all he wanted to know.
“Take everyone you can, but do it quick,” he said in a rushed tone, “and then meet me in the library.”
“But-”
“Just do it!” he shouted back, already on his way towards the red door he already knew well. Chanyeol made his way through the corridor, trying to take his mind away from the horrid sounds of ammunition and cries echoing in the room he left behind. He tried to focus on the idea he was working on. When he reached the library, his eyes lingered on the green arm chair Baekhyun always used to sit, marveled by the number of books Yunho had.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered to the dark, just a few seconds before Kai materialized right by his side, inhaling deeply.
“You got everyone out?” he inquired, and Kai diverted his gaze. Chanyeol felt a shiver run down his spine.
“I took everyone to a safe place,” he said, not exactly answering his question. They heard people at the corridor, and Chanyeol knew he had to be quick.
He got closer to the books, his eyes scanning all of them. He picked one at random, keeping it in his pocket, before setting fire to the whole shelf. Kai stood by his side, his eyes wide at the flames, watching as Chanyeol walked towards the opposite wall, setting fire to another set of books.
“What are you doing?” Kai screamed at him, and Chanyeol held a flame on his hand.
“Whoever sent these people want our bodies. If they noticed we escaped, they won't stop hunting us.”
It took some time for Kai to let what he said sink in, but he ended up nodding, helping Chanyeol by throwing more books in the middle of the room. The fire started to spread, but Chanyeol did not fear it. It lived inside of him, it was a part of him. He watched as the flames ate the books, the flowery wallpaper, the photos glued on the walls.
“Let’s go,” Kai said, placing a hand on his shoulders. Chanyeol felt himself being pulled, darkness engulfing his own existence, but it all only lasted a second.
Just like a blink of an eye, he found himself on the margins of a lake. The same lake on which they had spent countless beautiful moments together now witnessed their tragedy.
He unconsciously held his breath as he looked around; the only source of light was the moon. He noticed Kris' tall shadow, his whole arm tainted crimson. Tao was right by his side, tears staining his cheeks, and his mouth shut in a thin line as he tried to stop the bleeding.
“Let me do this,” Xiumin said, gently taking the piece of cloth away from Tao's trembling hands.
He saw a body sprawled on the ground, hollow eyes staring at stars. He remembered his face, even though they never spoke. Yuri kneeled by his side, closing Kyuhyun’s eyes, sobbing quietly.
Chanyeol marked unfamiliar faces as well, Resistance members he still hasn’t met. He saw Changmin holding Victoria in his arms, caressing the top of her head, and his other hand holding Sehun’s shoulder. His gaze was fixed on the small group gathered closer to the lake’s waters.
He marched towards them, his heart pounding inside his chest when he spotted Baekhyun. His face was stained with blood, a cut on his cheek. Ashes cover his body. His wide eyes were glued somewhere else.
He stared at the stagnant figure extended on the grass.
Baekhyun called Chanyeol's name and ran towards him. Embracing him tightly while burying his face against Chanyeol’s shirt. His fingers slowly caressed the back of Baekhyun’s head, as Baekhyun murmured something to him, but Chanyeol couldn’t hear it. His full attention was on Suho. His chest was covered with bullet wounds.
“I tried to get him,” Kai slurred by his side, he looked extremely weak. “I tried to save him, but it was too late.”
Abruptly, he collapsed. Yoona ran to his rescue. “He tired himself out,” she said, running her fingers through his dark hair. Chanyeol noticed the blood tickling down her face from a gash on her temple. “If it weren't for him, we’d all be dead now.”
So it’s true, our powers do have a limit, he thought. This was part of his father’s research. Exertion due to overuse of their powers could lead to fatigue, lethargy, or even heart failure on extreme cases.
Kai stirred in Yoona’s arm and Chanyeol let out a sigh of relief. Baekhyun tightened his grip on him, and Chanyeol returned the embrace.
“SOMEONE HELP HIM!” Victoria screamed, kneeling down by Lay’s side, who was calmly trying to cease Suho’s bleeding, applying pressure to Suho’s wounds. The Prototype was still breathing, Chanyeol noticed, but barely. His face was paler than he had ever seen. Suho's eyes fluttered open from time to time, agony all across his face.
“Yixing,” he tried to speak, spitting red all over the grass. Lay simply nodded to that name, softly tranquilizing him. A small smile crossed Suho’s face.
“We should take him to a hospital,” Krystal began, being cut off by her sister’s angry grunt.
“Are you stupid? We have nowhere to go. They are hunting us-”
Yunho moved forward, and Chanyeol felt his skin crawl when he noticed how desperate he appeared. “Yuri, go get some medical supplies. I think we-”
“It’s too late.” Lay's low whimper brought total silence.
Suho’s eyes stared at nothing, and Chanyeol buried his face in Baekhyun’s hair, listening to the boy’s sobs.
“It’s too late,” the boy repeated, holding Suho’s lifeless hand.
⇢ next: chapter eleven
a/n: ...i can't?
see you next week :(
⇢ fandom: exo
⇢ pairings: various
⇢ 4572 words
⇢ R (language, violence,[spoiler]character death)
p r o j e c t e x o : chapter ten
It was barely 9 AM. The daybreak news report broadcasted an accident in a textile warehouse in Phoebes. Athenian media always hid the truth. The news anchor questioned the reporter on the scene for the chance that this might have been a premeditated attack. The reporter denied immediately. Athena was safe. Or so they say.
"What do you mean-he left?" Kai overheard Chanyeol say from the other side of the table. His eyes left his scrambled eggs. Baekhyun shushed the large boy sitting across from him loudly.
"Quiet, you moron. Yes, Luhan went away last night. He left Sehun a note. He's devastated," Baekhyun replied, his voice hushed but still loud enough for Kai to hear.
"But why the fuck would he leave?" Chanyeol's voice echoed in the kitchen. Baekhyun struck him in the arm with his spoon.
Kai tuned them out. Not actually surprised by the discovery. In fact, he was amazed Luhan had lasted so long. After his outburst in Lake Flora, he knew it was only a matter of time before this happened.
Kyungsoo entered the kitchen; his face colorless, almost blending with the walls.
"Did you hear-?"
Before he's able to finish, Yunho appeared in the doorway, a bewildered Sehun by his side. Yunho had a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Sit. I'll fix you something," Yunho told him, and Sehun sat on the chair across from Kai, head lowered. His eyes never left the ground.
Kyungsoo stared at him warily. He played restlessly with his fingers, squeezing his lips into a line, as if he was attempting to hold back words. Kai decided to give him a little push.
"Can we just put it all out in the open?" he said nonchalantly. Kyungsoo nodded in accord while Sehun remained blank. Yunho dropped what he was doing and faced them. He paced over to Sehun's side and waited for him to give him a signal.
"It's fine," Sehun croaked.
"As some of you already know," Yunho began, his voice bleak. All the eyes in the room were on him now; Kai could see how attached he was to them already. He could read Yunho well, and his eyes screamed of concern. As if he didn't have enough of a burden to carry. The fate of a nation rested on his shoulders and he still managed to make room for these boys and their issues. Now and then, Kai wondered if one day the weight on his shoulders would come to be too much for him. "Luhan decided to no longer be with us. It's his choice, and we'll respect it."
"I don't understand," Chanyeol blurted out. "Why would he leave? Where would he go?"
"That's not our business," Yunho said. "However, I've already alerted our eyes all over Athena. I swore to keep you safe, even if it's not under my roof."
"I'm gonna go to the garden to catch some air. I'm not really hungry," Sehun announced, getting up from the table. Yunho gave him a soft pat on the shoulder before he went.
"Hang in there, kid," he whispered, watching as Sehun left the kitchen.
Kai did feel sorry for him. Even without knowing them exceptionally well, he could tell Luhan was Sehun's entire world, Another thing to add to the list of reasons to dislike Luhan. Abandoning the one person who always stood by his side was a very shitty thing to do.
"I'm worried," Kyungsoo murmured dejectedly, his eyes lingering on the doorway. "Do you think he'll be okay?"
Kai pondered it for a second. The issue was not quite his area of expertise. "Yunho told me once," he looked up to face the man who leaned on the kitchen counter, eyebrows knitted together in concern. "The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists."
Yunho smiled at him softly. "Do I always sound like that? Like I only speak in quotes and Japanese proverbs?"
They all chuckled shyly. Kai nodded, his eyes taunting. "Yeah, it gets kind of irritating sometimes."
"Brat," Yunho said, messing up Kai's dark locks. "You all should get ready. We'll be leaving to help set up Lay's birthday party at the Jazz Club in a few hours."
"We could use a little bit of fun?" Kyungsoo responded, eyes down on his bowl of cereal. Kai snickered at his optimism.
--
Jessica inflated a red balloon, rolling her eyes at the process. She couldn’t accept that in the middle of one of the most critical moments of the war, the oh-so-mighty-Resistance-members were gathered together to throw a party for a kid.
“Oh, come on, Jess!” Yoona flung an extra bag of balloons at her, a smile brightening up her beautiful face. “Cheer up! This is a party, not a funeral.”
It could be a funeral soon, she thought. Images of darker times haunted her mind. I don't need this right now.
She dug in her pocket, finding the pink note Yunho stuck to her door that morning. The simple vision of Tiffany’s neat handwriting made her smile.
Jessica wasn’t expecting a response; she wasn’t even expecting for the red haired girl to receive that message - I have Krystal. My little sis is back home - so the answer took her by surprise.
Now be a good big sister to her.
“I will,” she whispered to the note, her smile getting bigger when she flipped the paper. On the corner, in tiny letters, a rushed I miss you was written.
To avoid the tears, she looked back at her friends, speaking the first thing that came to her mind. “Did you hear anything else about Operation Bastille?”
Yuri sighed. “All Yunho said was that Zhou Mi was laying low for now.”
“This is ridiculous.” The blond threw the sack of balloons back on the table, crossing her leg. “Throwing a fucking party right now is inappropriate. With the Operation day getting closer by the-”
“Can you please be a little more supportive? This kid hasn’t had a birthday party since his parents were arrested!” Yuri argued, shaking her head at Jessica.
“Well, Krystal hasn’t had one in years too, and you don’t see her complaining.”
“Lay hasn’t asked for anything. It was all Yunho’s idea. And mine,” Victoria added, when she saw Jessica’s mocking smile, “and about the operation, Yunho said something about gathering blue orchids.”
“The man loves to be all theatrical, doesn't he?” Jessica stood up. “Seriously, why can’t we just go on with this operation and break into that damn-”
She stopped when the door suddenly opened, two boys appearing in front of them. She recognized them as the Kronian spies. She still couldn’t believe Yunho actually trusted them so easily. Jessica didn't have any kind of prejudice towards people from Kronos, she couldn’t care less about someone’s nationality, but she couldn’t trust anyone who had Kronian military education. Those boys were taught in the arts of war and lies, and above all else, to hate Athena and its people.
“So, who asked for some beers?” The boy named Chen was all smiles, holding a large box in his hands.
“Just put them in the fridge,” Jessica answered, and the boys hurried to oblige. They came back right after, sitting side by side, taking a pack of balloons for themselves.
“Are you going to sing for us tonight?” Victoria asked Chen, smiling. “The girls keep talking about how talented you are, but I never had the opportunity to hear it.”
“Of course I will!” Chen looked back at her, and Jessica noticed a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, “after all, this is my party too. A farewell party.”
“You’re leaving?” Yoona exclaimed, looking upset. “We’ll miss you, really!”
Jessica tilted her head, suspicious. “Where’re you going?”
“I have some stuff to settle at home,” his smile to her was well calculated, and Jessica didn’t fail to notice. He turned his head back to Yoona, winking at the brown haired woman. “And don’t worry. I’ll be back to pester you all again soon.”
--
Loud music blasted through speakers and bounced off the walls of the jazz club. A small crowd gathered in front of the stage. Chen belted out notes, which sounded almost inhumanly possible. His voice was so full of emotion. Soon enough, Lay was tapping his foot to the beat.
Well, his plan to look utterly miserable went down the drain because a group of great individuals decided to throw him a surprise birthday party.
He took off the stupid birthday hat they made him wear as soon as the glass door of the club opened, revealing both familiar and strange faces. The woman named Yuri was responsible for the foolish head attire. Placing it firmly over his head as they sang happy birthday and Tao laughed wildly, pointing at him.
There was cake, of course. Chocolate. Something Lay had only tasted when he was three, maybe four years old, when his mother bought him a piece of the luxurious sweet. Lay could still remember how it had melted in his mouth.
One second the cake was there, lying innocently on the bar, and the next it was all over his face. Sugar sinking into his eyes as laughter erupted all around him.
The music faded from an upbeat rhythm to a ballad, and Chen’s voice accompanied the melody beautifully.
“You still have cake in your ear,” a voice said. Without any warning, there was a soft touch on Lay’s earlobe and Suho came into view with icing on the tip of his finger.
“Thanks,” Lay offered, taking a sip of his beer. He extended the bottle over to Suho who waved his hands dismissively.
“I hate how this stuff tastes,” Suho declared, making a face. Lay couldn’t help but smile at him. Sometimes Suho resembled a child with the wisdom of a thousand years.
“Me too,” Lay acknowledged as he lifted the bottle over to his lips again. There was no way he could get through his party sober.
“Hey,” Suho called, taking the empty seat on the bar next to Lay. His eyes trailed off to the stage where Chen swayed from side to side, a love song twirling from his lips as he sang with eyes closed. “You told me once that you knew how to dance. Can you show me?”
Lay groaned in response. This was the last thing he needed, because he simply could not say no. Maybe it was the alcohol, or the festive mood. Before he could even deny him, Lay was dragged to the dance floor.
“Can’t believe you’re making me do this,” he complained, setting his beer on a neighboring table.
Suho placed a firm hand on his waist, eyes watching curiously as Lay took the lead, his gaze down to their feet as he counted the steps. Suho followed him diligently, a little awkward at first, as his fingers trembled against Lay’s. He bit his lower lip, attention fixed on their strides. Lay sneered when he shot an absurdly apologetic look at him as Suho’s left foot crushed Lay’s right.
“Sorry,” he yelled over the music. Lay spun him around, letting Suho’s laugher tickle his ear as he did so.
Suho twirled Lay as well, to his discontent. When he coiled Lay back around, their faces ended up close, way too close. Suho shrugged, pulling away and they resumed their nervous steps.
After that Suho’s moves became rigid, not as fluid and carefree as before. Lay placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders, shaking him a little.
“Don’t be so stiff,” he ordered and Suho looked up at him with inquiring eyes. “Feel the music.”
As soon as the words come out of his mouth, Lay slapped a hand over his lips. Not believing how cheesy he sounded. Suho threw his head back, cackling loudly. Lay noticed that tears had formed at the corners of his eyes.
He had never seen him so happy.
“Alright,” Suho said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “I’m feeling the music.”
Lay turned his eyes to the ceiling, feeling Suho’s hand linger on the small of his back again. His touch was different this time. His eyes were different.
The song reached its climax and Chen let out a series of high-pitched yelps that resounded around the room. A drum solo supplemented his musical screeches, followed by the weeps of an electric guitar.
Suho’s breath was on Lay’s neck, hot and welcoming. His free hand traveled up his arm, cupping his cheek. Their eyes were glued to each other, and Lay felt as if his heart were about to climb up his esophagus and explode right there on the splintered wood floor.
No.
The other dared to come even closer, licking his lips. That was when Lay drew the line, laying his palm on Suho’s chest and pushing him away lightly but with a heavy heart.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want this. As a matter of fact, Lay didn’t know what he wanted. He wanted Suho’s well being, his happiness, and he was glad to see him smiling and out of that metal cage.
Why complicate things? Why take that step into troubled waters when there was a storm coming? Maybe it was a better idea to wait for the rain to clear. Maybe sunshine would help him see things more clearly.
Lay wasn’t ready to take the plunge.
"I'm-I'm sorry. I don't- I don't really think this is okay," Lay spluttered. Suho grimaced and stuttered an apology.
"Can we still dance?" he requested. Lay agreed and was happy to see that a smile returned to the boy’s lips.
The music changed to something upbeat.
--
This was the last place Sehun wanted to be.
He pressed his palm against his forehead in a futile attempt to alleviate a monstrous headache, feeling as if his brains were about to implode inside his cranium. Part of him thought it was because it was missing the existence of the soft voice that meddled with his thoughts. Luhan worked almost like a parasite, leeching off his mind, and Sehun was stupid enough to let him.
For many years, they were each other’s everything. Sehun was the first person Luhan had opened up to. Their minds became one. One touch and Sehun could travel the troubled roads of Luhan’s thoughts. Drowning in his vulnerabilities. The exterior facade of composure didn’t match the frightened child that lived inside him. Sehun learned that Luhan was just like all of them in the end.
Nevertheless he craved admiration, approval from the higher-ups. Luhan always did what he was told, even if it hurt him. That earned him power and prestige, which he so often denied having, but it was there. A house of cards carefully built. One blow and it would be gone, so he guarded it with his life.
Sehun understood him. Still, he was furious. The taste of Luhan’s flesh still lingered on his tongue. It was all too soon, too fast. The red scratches the other had left on his back still ached. How could he hold on to him so tight one second and desert him in the next? Maybe the marks were a warning; red and blaring like a siren.
You didn’t want to let go, didn’t you? You didn’t plan for this to happen.
Sehun thought he would spend the rest of his life wondering why.
“Drink this.”
Sehun lifted his head to find Kai standing over him with a glass in his hand.
“What is it?” He questioned, beholding the crystal clear liquid inside the cup with mock interest.
“Vodka?” the golden boy answered, pushing the glass into Sehun’s hands. “It’s medicine. It helps heal broken hearts,” he concluded with a laugh.
Sehun rolled his eyes, taking a sip of the strange drink. It burned down his throat and made his eyes water. Kai grinned at his twisted expression.
“Why are you being nice all of a sudden?” Sehun asked when his gullet recuperated. He took another swig. It was better this time around.
Kai raised an eyebrow, “Yunho says we should all form some kind of bond. I’m trying?”
“You don’t seem like the type who likes to take orders,” Sehun retorted, and Kai shook his head in disbelief.
“Fine, I’ll leave you alone to mope,” he said, raising both hands in defeat. “Just- Don’t think this is the end of the world, okay? I mean, this world has ended once. Nothing is final. We’re still here, aren’t we?”
He nodded, absorbing Kai’s words. The boy shrugged and walked away, rejoining the crowd that had gathered in front of the stage.
Sehun finished his drink, stowing the empty glass on the bar and calling the attention of one of the unknown faces behind it.
“More, please?”
--
Chanyeol laughed when Kyungsoo fell on the floor again, taking Baekhyun with him. Kai had been right. Giving alcohol to these kids ended up being kind of fun.
“That’s weird,” Kyungsoo began to mumble, while Baekhyun held his stomach, laughing on the floor, “I feel weird. This drink has weird properties.”
“Yes, it has,” Kai replied with a chuckle, helping him to get back on his feet, “but you feel good, right? A little lighter?”
Kyungsoo beamed as he held on to Kai’s shoulders to regain his balance.
“You smell good,” he said innocently, and Chanyeol almost spit all of his beer when he noticed Kai’s surprised look. “What cologne do you use? Or do you just smell good naturally?”
“I-That’s kind of an awkward question,” Kai stammered, making Kyungsoo sit down.
Chanyeol noticed the slight shade of pink on his cheeks. He felt Baekhyun’s hands on his knees.
“Why didn’t you help me go get up,” he questioned, his words all stacked together. Chanyeol laughed, taking the boy by his elbows and helping him up.
“You’re a grown man,” he answered as Baekhyun pouted at him, “you should know how to handle your alcohol.”
He got closer, their noses touching, and Baekhyun laughed again. The Prototype tilted his head, lifting his chin, and Chanyeol licked his lips. He knew Baekhyun was drunk, and he promised him that they’d take it slow, but he always could argue that they were tipsy and reckless and in love. Maybe Baekhyun wouldn’t be that mad if he gave him just a tiny kiss, just for a few minutes and-
Baekhyun looked to the side, at the direction of the door being open abruptly. A tall, handsome man stood by the door way, his breath uneven. Chanyeol recognized immediately.
“Changmin,” he heard Victoria say amidst the music, “what are you doing here?”
“You need to leave,” the General said, his eyes fixed on Victoria in a feverish way. “You all need to get the fuck out of here right now.”
“What are you talking about?” Yunho stepped up, and Chanyeol held Baekhyun by his hand, leading him through the crowd. The band stopped playing, and he could hear everyone whispering, all heads turned toward the man in the blue Athenian army uniform.
“I don't have time to explain. Just. Listen to me. You need to leave right now.” He took Victoria by the hand, looking around the room, “where’s Sehun?”
Yunho lodged an arm in front of Sehun, protectively. “No, you can't take him like this. First you’ll explain yourself-”
“THEY ARE COMING!” The General shouted, the anguish on his voice filling Chanyeol’s consciousness.
And then, he heard the sound of gunshots.
His first reaction was to kneel down, hands covering his head. Screams and the sound of glass being shattered by the bullets filled the room. Panic struck him when he looked around and noticed Baekhyun wasn’t by his side anymore.
Chanyeol stood up just enough to be able to see the place. He saw people running and screaming, bodies dropping to the floor, gore spreading all around them.
“Baekhyun!” he yelled to nowhere. Faces he didn’t even know bumping into him in their desperate attempt to find a way out. He found a group of men holding weapons, their attackers. There were at least ten of them, all wearing civilian clothes, but Chanyeol could observe their Military posture. At that moment, he felt a hand on his shoulder, pushing him down behind an overturned table. Jessica looked at him as she loaded her Glock pistol.
“Stay hidden,” she ordered, standing up and unloading shots against the attackers. Chanyeol obliged, hearing the sound of bullets zipping above his head. The place was now filled with dust, smelling of blood and destruction. A body collapsed on the floor just a few steps from where he was, and Chanyeol felt his heart ache. They’re dead because of us.
Gaping at the mass of people fleeing, he found Kai in the middle of the mayhem. He teleported everywhere, taking whoever was within his reach. Chanyeol saw Tao, Suho and Kris hidden behind the stage. He winced when he noticed that Kris had blood gushing from his arm, his face contorted in pain. Kai teleported in front of them, quickly taking Suho’s hand. He pushed him away, motioning to Tao and Kris, while saying something Chanyeol could not hear. He saw Kai disappear with the other two.
Chanyeol felt bullets shattering the wood behind him, and he started to crawl on the floor. He reached the bar, taking covering behind it. Kai appeared in front of him, taking his hand without saying anything, but Chanyeol pushed him away.
“What are you doing?” the boy hissed, sounding strained. Chanyeol noticed how pale he looked. “If I don’t take you now, Baekhyun will have a heart attack.”
So he’s safe, he thought, sighing in relief. That was all he wanted to know.
“Take everyone you can, but do it quick,” he said in a rushed tone, “and then meet me in the library.”
“But-”
“Just do it!” he shouted back, already on his way towards the red door he already knew well. Chanyeol made his way through the corridor, trying to take his mind away from the horrid sounds of ammunition and cries echoing in the room he left behind. He tried to focus on the idea he was working on. When he reached the library, his eyes lingered on the green arm chair Baekhyun always used to sit, marveled by the number of books Yunho had.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered to the dark, just a few seconds before Kai materialized right by his side, inhaling deeply.
“You got everyone out?” he inquired, and Kai diverted his gaze. Chanyeol felt a shiver run down his spine.
“I took everyone to a safe place,” he said, not exactly answering his question. They heard people at the corridor, and Chanyeol knew he had to be quick.
He got closer to the books, his eyes scanning all of them. He picked one at random, keeping it in his pocket, before setting fire to the whole shelf. Kai stood by his side, his eyes wide at the flames, watching as Chanyeol walked towards the opposite wall, setting fire to another set of books.
“What are you doing?” Kai screamed at him, and Chanyeol held a flame on his hand.
“Whoever sent these people want our bodies. If they noticed we escaped, they won't stop hunting us.”
It took some time for Kai to let what he said sink in, but he ended up nodding, helping Chanyeol by throwing more books in the middle of the room. The fire started to spread, but Chanyeol did not fear it. It lived inside of him, it was a part of him. He watched as the flames ate the books, the flowery wallpaper, the photos glued on the walls.
“Let’s go,” Kai said, placing a hand on his shoulders. Chanyeol felt himself being pulled, darkness engulfing his own existence, but it all only lasted a second.
Just like a blink of an eye, he found himself on the margins of a lake. The same lake on which they had spent countless beautiful moments together now witnessed their tragedy.
He unconsciously held his breath as he looked around; the only source of light was the moon. He noticed Kris' tall shadow, his whole arm tainted crimson. Tao was right by his side, tears staining his cheeks, and his mouth shut in a thin line as he tried to stop the bleeding.
“Let me do this,” Xiumin said, gently taking the piece of cloth away from Tao's trembling hands.
He saw a body sprawled on the ground, hollow eyes staring at stars. He remembered his face, even though they never spoke. Yuri kneeled by his side, closing Kyuhyun’s eyes, sobbing quietly.
Chanyeol marked unfamiliar faces as well, Resistance members he still hasn’t met. He saw Changmin holding Victoria in his arms, caressing the top of her head, and his other hand holding Sehun’s shoulder. His gaze was fixed on the small group gathered closer to the lake’s waters.
He marched towards them, his heart pounding inside his chest when he spotted Baekhyun. His face was stained with blood, a cut on his cheek. Ashes cover his body. His wide eyes were glued somewhere else.
He stared at the stagnant figure extended on the grass.
Baekhyun called Chanyeol's name and ran towards him. Embracing him tightly while burying his face against Chanyeol’s shirt. His fingers slowly caressed the back of Baekhyun’s head, as Baekhyun murmured something to him, but Chanyeol couldn’t hear it. His full attention was on Suho. His chest was covered with bullet wounds.
“I tried to get him,” Kai slurred by his side, he looked extremely weak. “I tried to save him, but it was too late.”
Abruptly, he collapsed. Yoona ran to his rescue. “He tired himself out,” she said, running her fingers through his dark hair. Chanyeol noticed the blood tickling down her face from a gash on her temple. “If it weren't for him, we’d all be dead now.”
So it’s true, our powers do have a limit, he thought. This was part of his father’s research. Exertion due to overuse of their powers could lead to fatigue, lethargy, or even heart failure on extreme cases.
Kai stirred in Yoona’s arm and Chanyeol let out a sigh of relief. Baekhyun tightened his grip on him, and Chanyeol returned the embrace.
“SOMEONE HELP HIM!” Victoria screamed, kneeling down by Lay’s side, who was calmly trying to cease Suho’s bleeding, applying pressure to Suho’s wounds. The Prototype was still breathing, Chanyeol noticed, but barely. His face was paler than he had ever seen. Suho's eyes fluttered open from time to time, agony all across his face.
“Yixing,” he tried to speak, spitting red all over the grass. Lay simply nodded to that name, softly tranquilizing him. A small smile crossed Suho’s face.
“We should take him to a hospital,” Krystal began, being cut off by her sister’s angry grunt.
“Are you stupid? We have nowhere to go. They are hunting us-”
Yunho moved forward, and Chanyeol felt his skin crawl when he noticed how desperate he appeared. “Yuri, go get some medical supplies. I think we-”
“It’s too late.” Lay's low whimper brought total silence.
Suho’s eyes stared at nothing, and Chanyeol buried his face in Baekhyun’s hair, listening to the boy’s sobs.
“It’s too late,” the boy repeated, holding Suho’s lifeless hand.
⇢ next: chapter eleven
a/n: ...i can't?
see you next week :(