From the Soul to the Song - Verse Sixteen
From the Soul to the Song
Verse Sixteen
A night of sleep had not done anything to improve Kibum’s mood. If anything it had darkened further while everyone had been asleep. He walked into the dining room with a scowl on his face and left the same way with a bit of portable breakfast. When Donghae stumbled in a half an hour later he looked as though he was still comatose. It was questionable if he would be able to remain up right if Eunhyuk removed his supporting from around his waist. Heechul was in an equally dark mood, in fact the only two that seemed upbeat were Leeteuk, who bounded into the room like a toddler a half an hour later, and Kangin, who looked tired but was smiling nonetheless.
"Where is everyone?" Leeteuk asked. It was typical for everyone to remain at the table and converse every morning; however this morning Ryeowook was cooking in the kitchen with Yesung in tow. Heechul was nursing a cup of coffee like substance with a scowl, Hankyung beside him. Beyond those four, no one else was anywhere to be found.
"Well Zhou mi and Kyuhyun are discussing a strategy. Donghae is in his room resting with Eunhyuk. Sungmin and Shindong are practicing their flying. Henry is practicing his violin, the non Player kind. Kibum returned to his room and ten minutes ago Siwon said he was going to check on Donghae," Ryeowook informed him.
He carried two plates to the table and set them in front of Leeteuk and Kangin. When Ryeowook settled onto a cushion at the table with a cup of tea, Yesung immediately scooted closer. Ryeowook lifted his arms to accommodate the other man laying his head on his lap and scooting as close as he could.
Leeteuk took a bite of his breakfast and sent a questioning look their direction. Ryeowook sighed. “He said that when our group is like this, it just feels like fourteen different songs from different genres playing at the same time on top volume. It’s a lot of loud noise. He would rather just listen to mine because his own is dangerous to listen to, so I guess this is how he puts on the headphones.”
Heechul snorted. “He has you so whipped you are talking for him.” Yesung offered him a rude gesture, to which Heechul only laughed.
Leeteuk nodded. “Maybe you should go down to the beach or something, away from everyone.”
Ryeowook looked like he was pondering for a minute. “Yeah that would probably be a good idea.” Yesung nodded his agreement into Ryeowook’s stomach. Together the pair rose and crept from the room.
“Well I am not staying here with the sunshine twins,” Heechul declared drinking the rest of his coffee in one gulp. He quickly climbed to his feet and took his cup to the sink. When he returned he stared down at Hankyung until the man tipped his head back in question. “I’m returning to my room and you are going to come give me a full body massage,” he ordered.
Hankyung smiled, amused, “Alright.”
Kangin watched them leave with an amused look on his face. “Do you think that is what they are actually going to do?”
“I don’t even want to think about it. I still share a dorm with them remember? Now eat your breakfast,” Leeteuk ordered.
Kangin snickered but obeyed. “What are you going to do after breakfast?”
“I’m going to try out my new back,” Leeteuk declared excitedly.
“Just take it easy,” Kangin told him worriedly. “I don’t know how well I fixed it.”
“Don’t worry. If something happens, you’ll be there to fix it again.” Kangin sighed but finished his breakfast anyway.
By the time Kyuhyun and Zhou mi poked their heads into the kitchen, the pair was already gone. Kyuhyun threw up his hands in anger. “I swear! We are never going to win if we can’t all sit down and come up with a strategy! Where is everybody?!” he asked exasperated.
Zhou mi laughed and slung a friendly arm over his shoulders. “Off having sex probably. Would you like to do the same with me, Kui Xian?”
For a brief moment horror flashed across Kyuhyun’s face at the idea. “Not even in your dreams,” he declared, punching the Chinese man lightly in the side for his bad joke.
“Well, all this leg is here for the taking whenever you want it,” Zhou mi ran a hand down his leg in a matter that was supposed to be sexy but ended up simply looking ridiculous.
“As long as it still leads to your boy bits I’m never going to be taking it anywhere.”
Zhou mi, who couldn’t hold it a second longer, doubled over in laugher. Kyuhyun was forced to join him for a moment before he got himself back under control. “Well,” Zhou mi declared, wiping away a stray tear. “I’m off to find something to do.”
Kyuhyun grabbed the back of his collar and tugged. “I don’t think so. At least one person is going to be planning with me.” He began dragging the man back to the living room ignoring his protests the entire way.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
The next day it was clear that little to no actual planning had happened. If Chanita had to rate their performance she would certainly say it was worse than their previous attempts, and possibly worse than anything they had done so far.
Heechul seemed determined to burn everything that got close to him. Although Siwon and Hankyung fought as well as they could, there was little they could do for a Weaver who could not focus.
Yesung had been fine at first. He, Ryeowook, and Zhou mi had worked well together and seemed to be making actual progress in a forward direction. It wasn’t until half of the way through the battle when he had grabbed Ryeowook’s wrist and refused to let go, that things seemed to begin going downhill for them. That had made Ryeowook unable to do much to defend either of them which had in turn resulted in eventual defeat.
Donghae was defeated nearly before they began. The moment he had pulled in Kibum and Eunhyuk’s song, he had clenched his teeth against the roll of emotion he had felt. From that point on he had been too distracted to weave more than the very basic Weavings. Kibum had defended him viciously and Eunhyuk had nearly defeated himself from trying too hard.
The only two teams that seemed to have made any progress were the Earth team and the Wind team. Leeteuk had taken to trying as many quick and flexible stunts as he could, while Kangin smiled after him. Kyuhyun and his team had mastered the art of speed and were using it to dart from place to place, forcing Jungmin and Kyujong to keep up with them.
By the third run through that morning, Henry had given up calling his violin at all. The way he saw it he would be out before he would even have a chance to use it. Sure enough he was the first one to be caught by Yunho who gave him an apologetic smile before leaping away so that Heechul’s gout of flame would follow him.
Chanita watched Super Junior fall, until only Kangin and Leeteuk were remaining due to their shielding skills. She waited until they were overwhelmed and the battle was drawn to a close before storming to the center of the field. “I don’t know what exactly has happened to all of you but we are finished for the day. I’m going to give you one week to get your acts together. At the end of that week you will be given one opportunity to face off with your peers. If you do not win, your training will begin again from the very beginning.” Having said what she wanted to, she turned and walked silently from the field.
Leeteuk looked at his group who was standing, with the exception of Kibum, with their teams. “We are going to have a group meeting, immediately.”
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
The walk back to their dorm had been a silent one. Their friends had said nothing, but offered them apologetic looks as they went their separate ways to their activities for the rest of the day. Leeteuk led the way into the dorm and to the living room, where he crossed his arms and waited until everyone had gathered.
“What has happened to us?” he asked as soon as everyone had filed in. He was met by several blank stares while Heechul simply glared in challenge and Donghae looked guilty.
“Look,” Leeteuk continued as he settled into a chair. “I know a lot is changing but we always have been a family that could overcome anything that was happening. Why is this any different?”
Kangin sighed as no response was forth coming. Instead he laid a hand on Leeteuk’s arm. “A lot has happened lately. Maybe everyone just needs some time to adjust.”
Leeteuk sighed. It was clearly time for plan B. “Alright, everyone go do whatever it is that you do. We’ll meet up here tonight for a strategy discussion.” Seeing that they were dismissed, the members of Super Junior got up and dispersed their separate ways. Leeteuk sighed again.
“Teukie, some things you can’t force on them,” Kangin said quietly.
“I know but-“
“No. Listen. Half of our members have suddenly just turned gay for their teammates thanks to these powers. You know as well as I do every single one of them had dreams of a nice woman and a house full of children. Somehow that has changed,” Kangin explained. “That on top of everything else is making things a little strained. They will adjust, they just need time.”
Leeteuk sighed. “You’re right.” He smiled at Kangin and patted his arm gently. “You should go get some sleep. I can tell you are exhausted.”
Kangin returned his smile and offered him a slightly suspicious look, before he agreed. “I think I will do that.”
Leeteuk watched him leave before rising to his feet and stretching slightly. It was time for his second plan, divide and conquer.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
Leeteuk started with Henry, who seemed to be the easiest to corner alone. After a brief conversation and several reassurances, Henry had been both lonely and feeling useless, Leeteuk was able to leave him feeling marginally better. Ten minutes later he delivered a smiling Zhou mi to Henry’s room to keep him company.
Ryeowook and Yesung had been simple as well. Leeteuk had simply spent time with them trying to understand what was occurring in Yesung. Neither of them seemed to have much of an idea beyond what he was experiencing, but they promised to keep him up to date on any changes. Yesung seemed to be in a good enough mood, given the circumstances, and Ryeowook seemed more than willing to help, so Leeteuk let them be.
He found Siwon, Kyuhyun, Sungmin, and Shindong together in Sungmin’s room playing cards. The four seemed mostly upbeat with the exception of Siwon who was simply worried for Heechul’s foul mood. Kyuhyun was mostly upset that he couldn’t help them with a strategy to win. Leeteuk reassured him that he would be able to lead their meeting that evening to do all he could to help them before he left them to their game.
Next he had looked in on Kangin, who was peacefully sleeping in his own room, before moving on to Donghae and Eunhyuk. Donghae was clearly miserable nearly to the point of being sick. He refused to let go of Eunhyuk until Leeteuk had sent him to Sungmin and the others, saying that he needed to speak with Donghae privately. As soon as he left Donghae had looked like a child who had just had his favorite toy smashed right in front of him. With a sigh Leeteuk had suggested that he go to the kitchen and make himself something to eat, perhaps that would make him feel better. Not knowing what else to do, Donghae had agreed.
Leeteuk had left him to that and headed to Kibum’s room. The man had looked up when he entered and then returned to his book. Even direct questions resulted in the shortest possible answer from the youngest man. Finally, Leeteuk carefully sank onto the bed with a groan.
“Hyung, are you alright?” Kibum asked softly.
“Yeah it’s just,” Leeteuk winced sharply and stiffened as if it hurt to move, “my back is flaring up pretty badly. Do you think you could go brew me some herbal tea? It helps.”
“Sure. The kind Ryeowook usually makes you?” the unsuspecting man asked.
“Yes please.”
“Alright I’ll be right back,” he said as he closed his book and laid it on the bed.
Leeteuk managed to contain his satisfied smile until Kibum had left the room. Then he jumped from the bed with triumph written all over his face and snuck from the room to see the results of his plan.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
Leeteuk knew the moment that Kibum had noticed Donghae was in the kitchen. His whole body had stiffened for a moment, halfway between steps, not knowing whether to proceed of flee.
“Kibum?” he heard Donghae say softly.
“Leeteuk needs his tea,” Kibum said hurriedly, as he began to move forward into the kitchen again.
Leeteuk managed to find an angle to watch the pair from without being seen himself, a skill perfected by years of being a leader. Both men were going about their business stiffly as if the other were not there. They stayed in silence until Donghae, sniffled quietly.
“Donghae?” Kibum asked quietly.
“Just a runny nose,” he said lamely.
“Are you sure?” Kibum asked. Without thinking he stepped forward and placed his hand on Donghae’s arm. The other man couldn’t hold back a whimper and Kibum jerked his hand back as if he had been burned. “I’m hurting you, aren’t I?” Kibum’s hands clenched into fists and his face became an unreadable mask.
“No, I, it’s not your fault,” Donghae muttered incoherently. “There is just so much anger and pain and I don’t know what I did but I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to turn you gay and make you sleep with me.”
Kibum’s eyes widened. “That is what you think this is about?”
“What else could it be about,” Donghae said miserably.
“Donghae,” Kibum said forcefully. He stepped forward and grabbed Donghae by the upper arms. “I don’t know how much control you have over your empathy but if you can look past the anger and the pain, what do you feel?”
Donghae looked helpless for a moment before realization dawned on his face. “But Kibum-“
“It has never been about what you did,” Kibum cut him off, “or what we did together. I don’t regret a moment of that. I’m not gay Donghae, I’m just irrevocably in love with you.”
“But you are so angry and hurt and,” his words trailed off when Kibum pressed their lips together for a moment.
“Donghae do you remember the conversations and the bets we had over who would be more protective of their future wife? I do not share, not in this, but I have to and I’m trying.”
“Kibum I can -“
Kibum held up a hand cutting him off. “No, I know that you need him too. I’m learning to live with it. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t make me horribly jealous every time he so much as touches you.” Donghae sniffled slightly and he pulled the man in close to him, in the tightest hug he could.
“I shouldn’t have lost my temper the other day,” he continued softly. “I was just already upset with the entire situation and then you defended him and that was the last straw.”
“I’m sorry,” Donghae murmured.
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. I’ll learn to get over it,” Kibum ran his hand over Donghae’s back before he smiled. “I think I might need to remind you how much I want you though.”
“Please,” Donghae said in the most pleading voice he had ever used. Kibum didn’t say another word, but pressed their lips together so passionately it was if he was trying to express everything he felt through that alone.
Leeteuk smiled to himself and turned from the scene in the kitchen. With their problems solved he had only one more thing to take care of.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
When he had arrived at Heechul’s room, he had decided to knock. Experience had taught him that Heechul didn’t really care who was opening the door. If it was opened without a preceding knock then the offender would see what they would see. The door was answered by Hankyung who was thankfully fully clothed.
“I came to check on Heechul,” Leeteuk informed him.
Hankyung smiled, crossed his arms, and leaned against the doorframe lazily. “He is fine. He’s just moody because, as he says, ‘Kibum is a bitch with his panties in a bunch that needs to get over the fact another man is fucking the same guy he is’ and that ‘Donghae needs to grow a pair and tell them both to get over it or he will find someone else to service him’ and that ‘Eunhyuk needs to get his head out his ass and teach Kibum a thing or two’ and ‘If Yunho beats us one more time, words will not be able to describe what he will do to the man’.” During the entire speech the Chinese man used a tone somewhere between amused and bored.
“Excuse me! I am right here!” Heechul snarled from inside the room, “and I can hear everything you say!”
Leeteuk ignored the man in favor of giving Hankyung a strange look. “You know some fairly filthy Korean.”
Hankyung shrugged. “You try sleeping with him for a week. You’ll learn words you didn’t even know existed in your own language.”
“No thanks I’ll pass,” Leeteuk said quickly.
“What am I? A whore for you to sell off to whoever you want?!” Heechul’s voice carried to them again.
“Don’t worry,” Hankyung told Leeteuk with a smile. “He’ll be fine as soon as things get sorted out with everyone.”
“That is good to hear.”
“Am I yelling at myself?!” Heechul yelled.
“If you will excuse me,” Hankyung said smirking. “I have a whore that I need to take care of.”
“I heard that!”
Leeteuk simply nodded and was thankful when the door closed once more. There were some things that he just didn’t need to know. With his tasks complete, he decided to head outside to work through some exercises that he hadn’t been able to do in a long time and was dying to try with his newly healed back. In his mind, it could still prove to be a good day after all.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
After a quiet dinner, Super Junior had gathered in the living room once more. This time the mood seemed much more settled then it had before. Leeteuk figured his feeling was correct, since Yesung seemed largely unbothered by being in all of their presence. In fact he was sitting with his feet tucked under Ryeowook’s leg, but other than that he was not touching the man at all. This was a vast improvement from him trying to crawl into the man just that morning.
Donghae was sitting on the floor with Eunhyuk on one side and Kibum on the other. He had both of the men’s hands clasped in one of his own and Leeteuk was under suspicions that he was trying to figure out how to cuddle with both of them without them killing each other. Kibum only looked the slightest bit irritated, while Eunhyuk was doing his best to look normal and not as if he expected Kibum to kill him at a moment’s notice.
Heechul was grumpy but more for show then anything. He grumbled and wiggled and elbowed Hankyung who calmly put up with it until he wormed and squirmed his way in the Chinese man’s lap in the exact position he wanted. Siwon had received his feet and given no compliant at the action. Instead he was unintentionally petting Heechul’s slender ankle moments later.
The rest of the members were scattered around looking relaxed if not downright in a good mood. Kyuhyun stood in front of a white board that Yesung had pulled from home for him ten minutes earlier. He had a marker in hand and cleared his throat for attention. Leeteuk smiled and waited to see what the young man had to say.
“If you guys haven’t noticed we have been losing, badly,” Kyuhyun started.
“Tell us something we don’t know,” Heechul grumbled.
“We have been losing,” Kyuhyun said as he ignored the man, “because we have been just doing whatever we wanted and not working together as a team. I watched our opponents support each other with Weavings through the entire battle. I know for some of you that would be awkward but for Kangin and me there should be no problem. Still that is not enough. We need a strategy.”
“What do you propose?” Leeteuk asked before anyone else could speak up.
“I see it like this. It’s like when you are playing World of Warcraft,” Sungmin snickered and Zhou mi tried valiantly to hold back the same noise. Kyuhyun glared at them both before continuing. “When you do anything in a group, the members of your group have roles. They fall into three categories: tank, healer/buffer, and dps.” As he spoke he wrote each word up on the board.
Heechul laughed outright, knowing exactly what he was talking about. “The tank,” Kyuhyun continued for those that might have no idea, “is the player that holds down the enemy. They are showy and violent. They do a ton of damage all at one time as flashy as possible to keep the enemies attention on them and off the rest of the party. This is where Heechul comes in,” he scribbled the man’s name under the word tank. “Even if he doesn’t do real damage, he can create a ton of fire and therefore creating threat that the enemy won’t be able to ignore.”
“Dps is damage per second. These party members do little amounts of damage but they do it very fast. They generally use things such as sneak attacks or ranged weapons to get their jobs done. This is where my team, Yesung’s, and Donghae’s come into play.” Kyuhyun added their names to the board. “My team can move fast. Donghae’s team is designed for very fluid and quick movements and Yesung’s is great for the long ranged stuff.”
“Then we have the final groups, our healers/buffers. Kangin’s team is both but Henry is our buffer,” he added their names to the board. “Kangin is the only one with healing abilities to keep our team going and he is the strongest at shielding. Henry is the one who can take all of our Songs and tie them together while amplifying them. These are the people that the rest of us should be protecting. We should all be dead before anything can get to them, especially Henry.”
“When did you come up with all of this?” Kangin asked.
“Yesterday, when we were all supposed to be planning.”
“Hey I helped too,” Zhou mi reminded him.
“Drawing a picture of a squirrel falling out of a tree was not helping,” Kyuhyun told him, narrowing his eyes.
“So does anyone have any ideas on how to use this information,” Leeteuk asked getting them back onto track. Following that, ideas were shouted from left and right, as Super Junior got down to a true brainstorming session. Kyuhyun recorded every one studiously on the board. Leeteuk smiled. Finally they were getting somewhere.
Verse Seventeen
Masterlist
Character Information
AN: Yes I am a dork that plays WoW. Sadly I am on the US realms so my chances of ever playing with one of the boys is probably 0% (not that that had anything to do with me playing the game.) So at this point in the series what are you all thinking? Are my silent readers still hanging around for the fun? I know there has to be some of you. ^_^
Thanks guys for all of the comments this far! I love hearing what you are thinking. I love it when some of you say that you saw things coming and I also love hearing about when I totally surprise you. If there are things you don't like you can tell me that too. Or if something is confusing please let me know. I'm growing as a writer and things like that help. Feel free to ask questions as some of you have. If its not contained later in the story I will definitely do my best to answer them. Remember the Character information post exists for your benefit! Thanks guys and hope you start the new year out right!
Verse Sixteen
A night of sleep had not done anything to improve Kibum’s mood. If anything it had darkened further while everyone had been asleep. He walked into the dining room with a scowl on his face and left the same way with a bit of portable breakfast. When Donghae stumbled in a half an hour later he looked as though he was still comatose. It was questionable if he would be able to remain up right if Eunhyuk removed his supporting from around his waist. Heechul was in an equally dark mood, in fact the only two that seemed upbeat were Leeteuk, who bounded into the room like a toddler a half an hour later, and Kangin, who looked tired but was smiling nonetheless.
"Where is everyone?" Leeteuk asked. It was typical for everyone to remain at the table and converse every morning; however this morning Ryeowook was cooking in the kitchen with Yesung in tow. Heechul was nursing a cup of coffee like substance with a scowl, Hankyung beside him. Beyond those four, no one else was anywhere to be found.
"Well Zhou mi and Kyuhyun are discussing a strategy. Donghae is in his room resting with Eunhyuk. Sungmin and Shindong are practicing their flying. Henry is practicing his violin, the non Player kind. Kibum returned to his room and ten minutes ago Siwon said he was going to check on Donghae," Ryeowook informed him.
He carried two plates to the table and set them in front of Leeteuk and Kangin. When Ryeowook settled onto a cushion at the table with a cup of tea, Yesung immediately scooted closer. Ryeowook lifted his arms to accommodate the other man laying his head on his lap and scooting as close as he could.
Leeteuk took a bite of his breakfast and sent a questioning look their direction. Ryeowook sighed. “He said that when our group is like this, it just feels like fourteen different songs from different genres playing at the same time on top volume. It’s a lot of loud noise. He would rather just listen to mine because his own is dangerous to listen to, so I guess this is how he puts on the headphones.”
Heechul snorted. “He has you so whipped you are talking for him.” Yesung offered him a rude gesture, to which Heechul only laughed.
Leeteuk nodded. “Maybe you should go down to the beach or something, away from everyone.”
Ryeowook looked like he was pondering for a minute. “Yeah that would probably be a good idea.” Yesung nodded his agreement into Ryeowook’s stomach. Together the pair rose and crept from the room.
“Well I am not staying here with the sunshine twins,” Heechul declared drinking the rest of his coffee in one gulp. He quickly climbed to his feet and took his cup to the sink. When he returned he stared down at Hankyung until the man tipped his head back in question. “I’m returning to my room and you are going to come give me a full body massage,” he ordered.
Hankyung smiled, amused, “Alright.”
Kangin watched them leave with an amused look on his face. “Do you think that is what they are actually going to do?”
“I don’t even want to think about it. I still share a dorm with them remember? Now eat your breakfast,” Leeteuk ordered.
Kangin snickered but obeyed. “What are you going to do after breakfast?”
“I’m going to try out my new back,” Leeteuk declared excitedly.
“Just take it easy,” Kangin told him worriedly. “I don’t know how well I fixed it.”
“Don’t worry. If something happens, you’ll be there to fix it again.” Kangin sighed but finished his breakfast anyway.
By the time Kyuhyun and Zhou mi poked their heads into the kitchen, the pair was already gone. Kyuhyun threw up his hands in anger. “I swear! We are never going to win if we can’t all sit down and come up with a strategy! Where is everybody?!” he asked exasperated.
Zhou mi laughed and slung a friendly arm over his shoulders. “Off having sex probably. Would you like to do the same with me, Kui Xian?”
For a brief moment horror flashed across Kyuhyun’s face at the idea. “Not even in your dreams,” he declared, punching the Chinese man lightly in the side for his bad joke.
“Well, all this leg is here for the taking whenever you want it,” Zhou mi ran a hand down his leg in a matter that was supposed to be sexy but ended up simply looking ridiculous.
“As long as it still leads to your boy bits I’m never going to be taking it anywhere.”
Zhou mi, who couldn’t hold it a second longer, doubled over in laugher. Kyuhyun was forced to join him for a moment before he got himself back under control. “Well,” Zhou mi declared, wiping away a stray tear. “I’m off to find something to do.”
Kyuhyun grabbed the back of his collar and tugged. “I don’t think so. At least one person is going to be planning with me.” He began dragging the man back to the living room ignoring his protests the entire way.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
The next day it was clear that little to no actual planning had happened. If Chanita had to rate their performance she would certainly say it was worse than their previous attempts, and possibly worse than anything they had done so far.
Heechul seemed determined to burn everything that got close to him. Although Siwon and Hankyung fought as well as they could, there was little they could do for a Weaver who could not focus.
Yesung had been fine at first. He, Ryeowook, and Zhou mi had worked well together and seemed to be making actual progress in a forward direction. It wasn’t until half of the way through the battle when he had grabbed Ryeowook’s wrist and refused to let go, that things seemed to begin going downhill for them. That had made Ryeowook unable to do much to defend either of them which had in turn resulted in eventual defeat.
Donghae was defeated nearly before they began. The moment he had pulled in Kibum and Eunhyuk’s song, he had clenched his teeth against the roll of emotion he had felt. From that point on he had been too distracted to weave more than the very basic Weavings. Kibum had defended him viciously and Eunhyuk had nearly defeated himself from trying too hard.
The only two teams that seemed to have made any progress were the Earth team and the Wind team. Leeteuk had taken to trying as many quick and flexible stunts as he could, while Kangin smiled after him. Kyuhyun and his team had mastered the art of speed and were using it to dart from place to place, forcing Jungmin and Kyujong to keep up with them.
By the third run through that morning, Henry had given up calling his violin at all. The way he saw it he would be out before he would even have a chance to use it. Sure enough he was the first one to be caught by Yunho who gave him an apologetic smile before leaping away so that Heechul’s gout of flame would follow him.
Chanita watched Super Junior fall, until only Kangin and Leeteuk were remaining due to their shielding skills. She waited until they were overwhelmed and the battle was drawn to a close before storming to the center of the field. “I don’t know what exactly has happened to all of you but we are finished for the day. I’m going to give you one week to get your acts together. At the end of that week you will be given one opportunity to face off with your peers. If you do not win, your training will begin again from the very beginning.” Having said what she wanted to, she turned and walked silently from the field.
Leeteuk looked at his group who was standing, with the exception of Kibum, with their teams. “We are going to have a group meeting, immediately.”
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
The walk back to their dorm had been a silent one. Their friends had said nothing, but offered them apologetic looks as they went their separate ways to their activities for the rest of the day. Leeteuk led the way into the dorm and to the living room, where he crossed his arms and waited until everyone had gathered.
“What has happened to us?” he asked as soon as everyone had filed in. He was met by several blank stares while Heechul simply glared in challenge and Donghae looked guilty.
“Look,” Leeteuk continued as he settled into a chair. “I know a lot is changing but we always have been a family that could overcome anything that was happening. Why is this any different?”
Kangin sighed as no response was forth coming. Instead he laid a hand on Leeteuk’s arm. “A lot has happened lately. Maybe everyone just needs some time to adjust.”
Leeteuk sighed. It was clearly time for plan B. “Alright, everyone go do whatever it is that you do. We’ll meet up here tonight for a strategy discussion.” Seeing that they were dismissed, the members of Super Junior got up and dispersed their separate ways. Leeteuk sighed again.
“Teukie, some things you can’t force on them,” Kangin said quietly.
“I know but-“
“No. Listen. Half of our members have suddenly just turned gay for their teammates thanks to these powers. You know as well as I do every single one of them had dreams of a nice woman and a house full of children. Somehow that has changed,” Kangin explained. “That on top of everything else is making things a little strained. They will adjust, they just need time.”
Leeteuk sighed. “You’re right.” He smiled at Kangin and patted his arm gently. “You should go get some sleep. I can tell you are exhausted.”
Kangin returned his smile and offered him a slightly suspicious look, before he agreed. “I think I will do that.”
Leeteuk watched him leave before rising to his feet and stretching slightly. It was time for his second plan, divide and conquer.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
Leeteuk started with Henry, who seemed to be the easiest to corner alone. After a brief conversation and several reassurances, Henry had been both lonely and feeling useless, Leeteuk was able to leave him feeling marginally better. Ten minutes later he delivered a smiling Zhou mi to Henry’s room to keep him company.
Ryeowook and Yesung had been simple as well. Leeteuk had simply spent time with them trying to understand what was occurring in Yesung. Neither of them seemed to have much of an idea beyond what he was experiencing, but they promised to keep him up to date on any changes. Yesung seemed to be in a good enough mood, given the circumstances, and Ryeowook seemed more than willing to help, so Leeteuk let them be.
He found Siwon, Kyuhyun, Sungmin, and Shindong together in Sungmin’s room playing cards. The four seemed mostly upbeat with the exception of Siwon who was simply worried for Heechul’s foul mood. Kyuhyun was mostly upset that he couldn’t help them with a strategy to win. Leeteuk reassured him that he would be able to lead their meeting that evening to do all he could to help them before he left them to their game.
Next he had looked in on Kangin, who was peacefully sleeping in his own room, before moving on to Donghae and Eunhyuk. Donghae was clearly miserable nearly to the point of being sick. He refused to let go of Eunhyuk until Leeteuk had sent him to Sungmin and the others, saying that he needed to speak with Donghae privately. As soon as he left Donghae had looked like a child who had just had his favorite toy smashed right in front of him. With a sigh Leeteuk had suggested that he go to the kitchen and make himself something to eat, perhaps that would make him feel better. Not knowing what else to do, Donghae had agreed.
Leeteuk had left him to that and headed to Kibum’s room. The man had looked up when he entered and then returned to his book. Even direct questions resulted in the shortest possible answer from the youngest man. Finally, Leeteuk carefully sank onto the bed with a groan.
“Hyung, are you alright?” Kibum asked softly.
“Yeah it’s just,” Leeteuk winced sharply and stiffened as if it hurt to move, “my back is flaring up pretty badly. Do you think you could go brew me some herbal tea? It helps.”
“Sure. The kind Ryeowook usually makes you?” the unsuspecting man asked.
“Yes please.”
“Alright I’ll be right back,” he said as he closed his book and laid it on the bed.
Leeteuk managed to contain his satisfied smile until Kibum had left the room. Then he jumped from the bed with triumph written all over his face and snuck from the room to see the results of his plan.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
Leeteuk knew the moment that Kibum had noticed Donghae was in the kitchen. His whole body had stiffened for a moment, halfway between steps, not knowing whether to proceed of flee.
“Kibum?” he heard Donghae say softly.
“Leeteuk needs his tea,” Kibum said hurriedly, as he began to move forward into the kitchen again.
Leeteuk managed to find an angle to watch the pair from without being seen himself, a skill perfected by years of being a leader. Both men were going about their business stiffly as if the other were not there. They stayed in silence until Donghae, sniffled quietly.
“Donghae?” Kibum asked quietly.
“Just a runny nose,” he said lamely.
“Are you sure?” Kibum asked. Without thinking he stepped forward and placed his hand on Donghae’s arm. The other man couldn’t hold back a whimper and Kibum jerked his hand back as if he had been burned. “I’m hurting you, aren’t I?” Kibum’s hands clenched into fists and his face became an unreadable mask.
“No, I, it’s not your fault,” Donghae muttered incoherently. “There is just so much anger and pain and I don’t know what I did but I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to turn you gay and make you sleep with me.”
Kibum’s eyes widened. “That is what you think this is about?”
“What else could it be about,” Donghae said miserably.
“Donghae,” Kibum said forcefully. He stepped forward and grabbed Donghae by the upper arms. “I don’t know how much control you have over your empathy but if you can look past the anger and the pain, what do you feel?”
Donghae looked helpless for a moment before realization dawned on his face. “But Kibum-“
“It has never been about what you did,” Kibum cut him off, “or what we did together. I don’t regret a moment of that. I’m not gay Donghae, I’m just irrevocably in love with you.”
“But you are so angry and hurt and,” his words trailed off when Kibum pressed their lips together for a moment.
“Donghae do you remember the conversations and the bets we had over who would be more protective of their future wife? I do not share, not in this, but I have to and I’m trying.”
“Kibum I can -“
Kibum held up a hand cutting him off. “No, I know that you need him too. I’m learning to live with it. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t make me horribly jealous every time he so much as touches you.” Donghae sniffled slightly and he pulled the man in close to him, in the tightest hug he could.
“I shouldn’t have lost my temper the other day,” he continued softly. “I was just already upset with the entire situation and then you defended him and that was the last straw.”
“I’m sorry,” Donghae murmured.
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. I’ll learn to get over it,” Kibum ran his hand over Donghae’s back before he smiled. “I think I might need to remind you how much I want you though.”
“Please,” Donghae said in the most pleading voice he had ever used. Kibum didn’t say another word, but pressed their lips together so passionately it was if he was trying to express everything he felt through that alone.
Leeteuk smiled to himself and turned from the scene in the kitchen. With their problems solved he had only one more thing to take care of.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
When he had arrived at Heechul’s room, he had decided to knock. Experience had taught him that Heechul didn’t really care who was opening the door. If it was opened without a preceding knock then the offender would see what they would see. The door was answered by Hankyung who was thankfully fully clothed.
“I came to check on Heechul,” Leeteuk informed him.
Hankyung smiled, crossed his arms, and leaned against the doorframe lazily. “He is fine. He’s just moody because, as he says, ‘Kibum is a bitch with his panties in a bunch that needs to get over the fact another man is fucking the same guy he is’ and that ‘Donghae needs to grow a pair and tell them both to get over it or he will find someone else to service him’ and that ‘Eunhyuk needs to get his head out his ass and teach Kibum a thing or two’ and ‘If Yunho beats us one more time, words will not be able to describe what he will do to the man’.” During the entire speech the Chinese man used a tone somewhere between amused and bored.
“Excuse me! I am right here!” Heechul snarled from inside the room, “and I can hear everything you say!”
Leeteuk ignored the man in favor of giving Hankyung a strange look. “You know some fairly filthy Korean.”
Hankyung shrugged. “You try sleeping with him for a week. You’ll learn words you didn’t even know existed in your own language.”
“No thanks I’ll pass,” Leeteuk said quickly.
“What am I? A whore for you to sell off to whoever you want?!” Heechul’s voice carried to them again.
“Don’t worry,” Hankyung told Leeteuk with a smile. “He’ll be fine as soon as things get sorted out with everyone.”
“That is good to hear.”
“Am I yelling at myself?!” Heechul yelled.
“If you will excuse me,” Hankyung said smirking. “I have a whore that I need to take care of.”
“I heard that!”
Leeteuk simply nodded and was thankful when the door closed once more. There were some things that he just didn’t need to know. With his tasks complete, he decided to head outside to work through some exercises that he hadn’t been able to do in a long time and was dying to try with his newly healed back. In his mind, it could still prove to be a good day after all.
~♪~♪♫♪~♪~
After a quiet dinner, Super Junior had gathered in the living room once more. This time the mood seemed much more settled then it had before. Leeteuk figured his feeling was correct, since Yesung seemed largely unbothered by being in all of their presence. In fact he was sitting with his feet tucked under Ryeowook’s leg, but other than that he was not touching the man at all. This was a vast improvement from him trying to crawl into the man just that morning.
Donghae was sitting on the floor with Eunhyuk on one side and Kibum on the other. He had both of the men’s hands clasped in one of his own and Leeteuk was under suspicions that he was trying to figure out how to cuddle with both of them without them killing each other. Kibum only looked the slightest bit irritated, while Eunhyuk was doing his best to look normal and not as if he expected Kibum to kill him at a moment’s notice.
Heechul was grumpy but more for show then anything. He grumbled and wiggled and elbowed Hankyung who calmly put up with it until he wormed and squirmed his way in the Chinese man’s lap in the exact position he wanted. Siwon had received his feet and given no compliant at the action. Instead he was unintentionally petting Heechul’s slender ankle moments later.
The rest of the members were scattered around looking relaxed if not downright in a good mood. Kyuhyun stood in front of a white board that Yesung had pulled from home for him ten minutes earlier. He had a marker in hand and cleared his throat for attention. Leeteuk smiled and waited to see what the young man had to say.
“If you guys haven’t noticed we have been losing, badly,” Kyuhyun started.
“Tell us something we don’t know,” Heechul grumbled.
“We have been losing,” Kyuhyun said as he ignored the man, “because we have been just doing whatever we wanted and not working together as a team. I watched our opponents support each other with Weavings through the entire battle. I know for some of you that would be awkward but for Kangin and me there should be no problem. Still that is not enough. We need a strategy.”
“What do you propose?” Leeteuk asked before anyone else could speak up.
“I see it like this. It’s like when you are playing World of Warcraft,” Sungmin snickered and Zhou mi tried valiantly to hold back the same noise. Kyuhyun glared at them both before continuing. “When you do anything in a group, the members of your group have roles. They fall into three categories: tank, healer/buffer, and dps.” As he spoke he wrote each word up on the board.
Heechul laughed outright, knowing exactly what he was talking about. “The tank,” Kyuhyun continued for those that might have no idea, “is the player that holds down the enemy. They are showy and violent. They do a ton of damage all at one time as flashy as possible to keep the enemies attention on them and off the rest of the party. This is where Heechul comes in,” he scribbled the man’s name under the word tank. “Even if he doesn’t do real damage, he can create a ton of fire and therefore creating threat that the enemy won’t be able to ignore.”
“Dps is damage per second. These party members do little amounts of damage but they do it very fast. They generally use things such as sneak attacks or ranged weapons to get their jobs done. This is where my team, Yesung’s, and Donghae’s come into play.” Kyuhyun added their names to the board. “My team can move fast. Donghae’s team is designed for very fluid and quick movements and Yesung’s is great for the long ranged stuff.”
“Then we have the final groups, our healers/buffers. Kangin’s team is both but Henry is our buffer,” he added their names to the board. “Kangin is the only one with healing abilities to keep our team going and he is the strongest at shielding. Henry is the one who can take all of our Songs and tie them together while amplifying them. These are the people that the rest of us should be protecting. We should all be dead before anything can get to them, especially Henry.”
“When did you come up with all of this?” Kangin asked.
“Yesterday, when we were all supposed to be planning.”
“Hey I helped too,” Zhou mi reminded him.
“Drawing a picture of a squirrel falling out of a tree was not helping,” Kyuhyun told him, narrowing his eyes.
“So does anyone have any ideas on how to use this information,” Leeteuk asked getting them back onto track. Following that, ideas were shouted from left and right, as Super Junior got down to a true brainstorming session. Kyuhyun recorded every one studiously on the board. Leeteuk smiled. Finally they were getting somewhere.
Verse Seventeen
Masterlist
Character Information
AN: Yes I am a dork that plays WoW. Sadly I am on the US realms so my chances of ever playing with one of the boys is probably 0% (not that that had anything to do with me playing the game.) So at this point in the series what are you all thinking? Are my silent readers still hanging around for the fun? I know there has to be some of you. ^_^
Thanks guys for all of the comments this far! I love hearing what you are thinking. I love it when some of you say that you saw things coming and I also love hearing about when I totally surprise you. If there are things you don't like you can tell me that too. Or if something is confusing please let me know. I'm growing as a writer and things like that help. Feel free to ask questions as some of you have. If its not contained later in the story I will definitely do my best to answer them. Remember the Character information post exists for your benefit! Thanks guys and hope you start the new year out right!