break it down, red beat down (aka everyone gets superpowers except siwan)
break it down, red beat down (aka everyone gets superpowers except siwan)
gen, hinted sikwang + kevshik
2447 words
See, it all starts when Siwan wakes up to ice-cold hands pressed against his face.cliche, i know ;_;
break it down, red beat down (aka everyone gets superpowers except siwan)
superpowers:
another term for superhuman abilities, that is, any abilities that most humans on the planet Earth would not possess.
See, it all starts when Siwan wakes up to ice-cold hands pressed against his face. "Dongjun," Siwan complains, jerking upright to a sitting position. "What the hell did you do, stick your hand into the freezer for an hour?"
Dongjun shrugs. "I woke up like this," he explains, which technically isn't really an explanation at all, but well, it's not like he actually has a proper explanation to offer.
Siwan gives him a look. "Are you sick?" He asks, pressing the back of his hand against Dongjun's forehead. "Shit, you're really cold. But what - how - if you have a fever, you're supposed to be hot."
Dongjun shrugs again. "I feel fine," he says.
"Let me get manager-hyung," Siwan says, swinging his legs off the bed.
"No, really, I'm fine, don't -"
"Seriously, I don't think so," is all Siwan manages before he is frozen into a block of ice.
Everyone is gathered around the ice block that is Im Siwan, trying to find a way to salvage the situation.
"Should we, I don't know, pour boiling water on him or something?" Taehun suggests.
If Siwan could actually move, the expression would be one of pure horror, but right now his features are still frozen into an unglamorous half-scowl that one usually sees while snapping photos of someone who is halfway through talking.
"Maybe we should take him to a sauna," Hyungshik says.
Minwoo shakes his head. "How would we carry him into the van?"
Dongjun looks positively miserable. "I didn't mean to," he says. "I was just trying to stop him from looking for manager-hyung because I was feeling fine and I didn't want him to blow the situation out of proportion."
"Clearly," Kevin says. "This is out of proportion."
Heechul is looking thoughtful as he flexes his fingers. "I think," Heechul says. "I have an idea."
Everyone stares at a ball of fire emerges in the centre of Heechul's palm. He flings it in Siwan's direction as Kwanghee shrieks, and within seconds the ice melts and Siwan is collapsing on shaky legs into the gigantic puddle that is seeping across the floor.
The door opens, and their manager gives them a suspicious once-over. "Where did the water come from?"
Junyoung points at Heechul and Dongjun. "Them," he says.
"Well, then you two better clean it up," their manager says. "The rest go get breakfast."
As the other seven members file out, Heechul gives the puddle a vicious kick.
Then they're off for schedules and Heechul is sulking in the back of the van. When Junyoung leans over the seat in an attempt to apologize, Heechul promptly reaches out and tugs at the top of Junyoung's hair, a gigantic smirk flitting across his face. After a severe mental battle, Junyoung smartly goes with the decision of not yelling at him.
"Cool," Minwoo comments. "It's like a reflection version of Siwan-hyung's hair. You know, black on top, blond below."
Later on Kevin wants to know how in the world Junyoung managed to burn his hair ("I can smell it all the way from here, just so you know," Kwanghee yells across the room), and Junyoung just offers him a pained grimace.
They are backstage in their dressing room eating dinner when Dongjun starts the conversation by saying, "Why are all of us getting superpowers?"
Kwanghee rolls his eyes. "It's just you and Heechul, don't speak for the rest of us." He looks slightly disappointed that he's not included into the group of people with superpowers though, which is understandable, really, because Kwanghee has always loved attention in every form.
"Well," Junyoung says, straining to reach the cutlery that is all the way at the other end of the table. "Hey, Taehun, would you mind passing me the chopsticks?" He turns back to Dongjun. "Anyway, we're Children of Empire, which means we're, you know, awesome and magical and whatnot."
Heechul snorts rudely, and Junyoung is about to retort when the chopsticks clatter to lie perfectly above his bowl of noodles. Junyoung stares, then looks up to meet Taehun's gaze where he is sitting four seats away from Junyoung. There is a beat of painful silence.
"Where are my superpowers," Kwanghee wails, distraught. "This is so unfair!"
The three youngest members are filming for Idol United when Hyungshik trips and collapses on the ground, his face pale. "Hyung," Dongjun says worriedly, hovering over him. "Are you okay?"
Hyungshik waves a hand. "I'm fine," he says, rotating his ankle. He winces. "I hope I'm fine."
"I can be your human icepack," Dongjun offers, wiggling his fingers with a grin.
Hyungshik glances up, startled. "No thanks," he says. "I don't want my ankle to turn into a block of ice."
Minwoo squats down beside Hyungshik, reaching out to wrap his fingers around Hyungshik's ankle. Hyungshik stares as the pain slowly starts to ebb away, before disappearing completely. "Hyung," Hyungshik breathes.
Minwoo just smiles mysteriously.
One minute everything is normal and then Kevin slips his hand around Hyungshik's and suddenly they are standing at the beach with the waves crashing over their feet. Hyungshik blinks.
"Cool, isn't it," Kevin says, smiling with his eyes crinkled up. He reaches for Hyungshik's hand again, and then just like that, they are on the rooftop of a high-rise building below a sea of stars.
"Beyond," Hyungshik responds. "But just so you know, we're due to go on stage in five minutes and I was going to get the make-up noona to give me a touch up, I think I smudged my eyeliner a little."
Kevin's smile falters.
Junyoung declares that they need an emergency meeting ("Because this situation is getting out of hand!" He yells amidst the bustle of Heechul throwing a fireball in mid-air while Dongjun freezes it and Taehun making his basketball bounce against the ceiling and Kwanghee bugging Kevin to take him along to Seo Inyoung's house), so they are all gathered around the dining table.
"No powers," Junyoung says, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. "Just for ten minutes, please."
"Go on," Kevin tells him. "We're all listening."
"Right," Junyoung says dryly, giving Dongjun a pointed stare. Dongjun meets his gaze, makes a face, then stops trying to cool a cup of milk. It's starting to work, though - the exterior of the glass is now sweaty with condensation.
Siwan sighs. "I think what we need," he says. "Are rules."
"We're not stupid, we know the rules," Heechul answers. "Don't use your powers in public, don't do anything to harm anyone, don't ruin ZE:A's image. Simple."
"Yeah," Siwan shoots back. "But do you actually follow them?"
Heechul falls silent. "Rules," Siwan repeats, a triumphant smile sliding across his face. "Written down word for word."
Kwanghee raises up a hand, and Siwan beams at him proudly. "You have a suggestion?"
"I want my superpowers," Kwanghee says pitifully, and Taehun makes a pillow slam against his head.
"Be careful when going down the steps later," Junyoung advises Siwan before they go on stage.
Siwan nods, but still manages to trip and fall flat on his face after their performance. Minwoo immediately hurries over, asking if he needs any help.
Siwan chalks it up to pure coincidence, but then Junyoung manages to predict that the door is going to slam onto Dongjun's finger and Kevin's fried eggs are going to get burnt and well, maybe Moon Leader has finally gotten his superpowers.
"I am psychic," Junyoung declares.
"I think the correct term is premonition, hyung," Taehun supplies.
"Ah well," Junyoung says, shrugging. "Whatever, I am like, amazing." Then he freezes up and throws a suspicious look at Heechul. "You're planning on burning my hair again, aren't you?"
Heechul raises an eyebrow. "Does that mean it's actually going to happen?"
"No," Junyoung says, but he sounds uncertain.
Junyoung wakes up the next morning with burnt hair anyway.
There are two Kevins at breakfast. "Hello," says one of them pleasantly.
"What the hell," the second one says, sounding absolutely terrified. "This is a dream, right?"
Minwoo supposes that the terrified one is the real Kevin, and the pleasant one is the... other Kevin. Probably. Unless Kevin has somehow conjured up his split personality into real life, except that Kevin doesn't have split personalities unlike (cough) Kwanghee.
"No, it's not a dream, hyung," Minwoo says, helping himself to the terrified Kevin's ramyun while he's too busy staring at his doppelganger.
Then the second Kevin starts growing taller and his hair changes colour. "Hi," Hyungshik says, beaming at all of them. "Isn't this the best?"
Heechul manages to coax Hyungshik into shapeshifting into the boss to tell their manager that the boys need rest, they have too many schedules! For once, neither Siwan nor Junyoung complains about excessive use of their superpowers.
Kwanghee has taken to jumping at chances to claim a superpower ("Oh my God I swear, I made the lights come on with my thoughts!" "Um, no, I turned them on.") which would actually be endearing, really, if he didn't whine like an annoying brat everyday.
Siwan's the only one who can stand him since he doesn't have a superpower either - but then again, Siwan's been the only who could stand him right from the very start. Which means that basically, nothing much has changed since Kwanghee is as irritating as ever.
Except that now Heechul can threaten to burn Kwanghee's nose off, and Hyungshik can shapeshift into Siwan to distract Kwanghee, and Junyoung can get out of the way before Kwanghee can latch onto him. Yeah, other than that, everything is normal.
Heechul is minding his own business when a ghost talks to him. Seriously. Either a ghost or God, since there isn't anyone in sight, but you know, what are the chances?
"Helloooo," says the mysterious... thing. "Jung Heechul, can you hear me?"
Heechul glances around furtively. "Um," he says. "Yes?"
"You," says the non-existent person very seriously. "Have sinned."
"What?"
"Don't lie to me," snaps the ghost. "I know what you did."
"I didn't do anything!" Heechul insists. He pauses. "Well, except maybe I, uh, burned Kwanghee-hyung's favorite T-shirt?"
And then Kwanghee pops into view out of nowhere cackling evilly at him and Heechul screams bloody murder.
After a week, Siwan is still stuck as the only member without superpowers. He doesn't go on and on about it like Kwanghee did (which he doesn't do now because he has the powers of invisibility, dammit, and now Siwan always has to wave his hands around in the bathroom to check for Kwanghee before going in to bathe, just in case Kwanghee is crouching somewhere watching him take his clothes off), but he does allow himself to wear a look of utter despair now and then when the others are talking about the new stuff they found out they can do.
"It's okay," Minwoo says.
Siwan scowls. "Don't tell me that, you're not the only one who is normal. And boring. And a failure."
"Maybe that's your superpower," Heechul says. "Being a failure."
Kevin throws him a look, and Heechul makes a face and turns away. Siwan turns to Minwoo and says, "You'll help him fix his nose back if I break it, right? So I won't get into trouble?"
"Right," Minwoo says agreeably.
Heechul glances at Junyoung. "Is he going to?"
"I have to let nature take its course," Junyoung says wisely. "Do not meddle with the forces of... um, nature. That will bring disastrous consequences."
"Can I punch him instead?" Heechul wants to know.
"You're not going to," Junyoung says, and Heechul makes a noise of contempt.
Then the door opens and a second Junyoung comes in asking why Heechul is going to try and throw a fireball at Hyungshik, and there is a pause as Heechul turns towards Junyoung-who-is-really-Hyungshik-in-disguise.
"Oops," Hyungshik says, morphing back into himself.
"I knew it," Siwan says knowledgeably. "Junyoung would never say stuff like that."
Heechul does throw a fireball (which Junyoung had predicted, but then again if Junyoung hadn't come in talking about his prediction Heechul might never have thrown it, and everything is confusing and mindboggling and Siwan would rather not go there), which Hyungshik dodges, and it ends up zooming into the wall and leaving a black charred mark there.
"Who did that?" Their manager wants to know later, pointing at the mark on the wall. "Own up right now."
Heechul gives Junyoung a pointed look. Junyoung wisely keeps his mouth shut this time.
"It's okay," Kwanghee says.
Siwan sighs. "I'm sick of hearing that," he tells Kwanghee tiredly. "It's not okay. Remember how you felt when you didn't have superpowers?"
Kwanghee smiles beatifically, leaning in closer. Siwan promptly pushes his face away. "It's okay," Kwanghee says, his voice coming out all muffled since Siwan's hand is pressed against his cheek. "You have me."
"Invisible you," Siwan mutters, letting go.
"I'm not invisible now," Kwanghee points out. He slings an arm around Siwan. "See, I'm here. With you."
Siwan can't help smiling, just a little. Kwanghee shifts closer. "Want to go hide in Dongjun's room and try and figure out who his girlfriend is?" Kwanghee asks.
Siwan laughs.
bonus scene which basically makes my title void but whatever
"Good morning," Siwan says cheerfully. "What's the schedule like for today?"
Junyoung squints, then his look of confusion changes to one of horror. "Wait, what - why can't I see anymore?"
Taehun looks up from where he is staring intently at a newspaper, probably trying to will it to come flying over. "Shit, me too."
"Want me to get that for you?" Siwan asks sweetly. The newspaper zooms across the room to land perfectly in Taehun's hands.
"What's going on, why are my powers gone?" Dongjun asks, hurrying into the kitchen. "How about you guys? Are -" Dongjun doesn't manage to finish his sentence, because he is promptly frozen into a block of ice.
Siwan shrugs. "Revenge," he says, and goes back to eating his breakfast.
"He's like this force of evil," Junyoung mutters out of the corner of his mouth to Taehun, who nods in agreement.
"Junyoung," Siwan says, without glancing up from his food. "Why do I see you going to manager-hyung and pushing everything to me? I'm not the one who has been wrecking the house with my superpowers for the past week."
Junyoung pales a little. Taehun pats his shoulder comfortingly.
"How in the world did Dongjun manage to freeze himself?" Heechul wants to know as he emerges from the bedroom, giving frozen-Dongjun a weird look. He uncrosses his arms, reaching out towards Dongjun. Nothing happens.
Siwan turns towards Dongjun. "Need help?" He asks, throwing a fireball from where he is sitting. The ice melts, and Dongjun falls into Heechul's arms.
"The fuck," Heechul says eloquently, with an armful of the maknae. Junyoung just shrugs.