What Doesn't Kill You: Chapter 11
Title: What Doesn't Kill You Chapter 11
Pairing: HanChul, KyuChul, KangTeuk, YeWook, EunKiHae
Genre: Superhero AU, action
Rating: PG-13
Chapter 10 < ------ > Chapter 12
Character Profiles
Siwon's Story
Hangeng's Story
Yesung's Story
Henry's Story
Sungmin's Story
---Eunhyuk didn’t know quite how to describe the new dynamics of their apartment, except that it was tense and awkward, like a plate set too far on the edge of the counter that threatened to crash to the ground at any moment.
Even stranger to him was the relationship-or lack thereof-that developed between Kibum, Donghae, and Henry. Donghae seemed attached to the boy to the point that it was becoming suspicious even to Eunhyuk. But no one else noticed. Perhaps he only noticed because he was jealous and when it came to Donghae and Kibum, Eunhyuk was always paying attention.
Donghae stuck to Henry like a leech. He invited him everywhere. Time that was normally for only the three of them became time for the ‘four’. Donghae said he didn’t want to leave Henry out, not when it was so hard for the younger boy to adjust to living there.
Henry didn’t seem to mind Donghae’s attention, although Eunhyuk wondered if he even noticed it in the first place. He, after all, didn’t look at anyone but Kibum.
It was a childish kind of hero worship, of course. Henry wasn’t gay and he didn’t seem to have any romantic feelings for Kibum. That should have made Eunhyuk feel better, but it didn’t make him any less jealous of the fact that one of his lovers spent most of his time attached to Henry and the other spent most of his time trying to avoid him.
Kibum and Donghae had fought over it a week after Henry had arrived. Eunhyuk and Kibum had gotten up from the couch to head to their bedroom because Kibum wanted to read in a quiet place and Eunhyuk wanted to take a nap. Donghae had stood as well with a cheerful grin and a, “come on, Henry!” and Kibum had turned with a quick glare.
“I don’t want him in our room.”
It had ended with Henry quietly slinking back to the couch and Donghae telling Kibum to lighten up. Kibum had stomped off to the bedroom and Eunhyuk had followed, unsure which side he needed to choose.
He didn’t like Henry, though, that much was clear to him.
He’d never thought of Kibum as a jealous person before that point either. Kibum was cold on the outside and warm and oddly sensitive on the inside. But apparently there was some hot, possessive core they hadn’t known about up to that point that surfaced as Donghae spent more and more time trying to make Henry feel “welcome”.
But Eunhyuk found out quite clearly that Kibum was staking territory when he and Henry (he’d been given babysitting duty that day) walked down the hall to find Donghae shoved against Kangin and Leeteuk’s door with his hand down Kibum’s pants as the other man devoured his neck.
Henry had let out a strangled sound and Kibum had turned with a heavy-lidded gaze that was enough to make Eunhyuk embarrassingly hard.
“Oh.” Kibum had murmured in a husky timbre that made Eunhyuk’s throat go dry. “I thought you were inside.” His eyes went from Henry to the door and the implication was obvious. Henry had looked uncomfortable-and perhaps a little turned on and ashamed of the fact-and had run back out into the living room.
Eunhyuk had wanted to scold Kibum, but Kibum had grabbed him and tugged them both into Kangin and Leeteuk’s room and he couldn’t find it in himself to feel guilty over the fact that they had sex on Kangin’s bed (the bed that Henry had taken over during his stay).
Now spending time with Henry became awkward for Eunhyuk. Kibum acted like nothing was wrong, and Donghae seemed more cheerful than usual. Eunhyuk supposed it was because Kibum’s jealous sex was pretty fucking amazing.
Henry just seem genuinely horrified of men making out in front of him and more than a little confused as to why Kibum had become an exhibitionist.
But Eunhyuk had noticed that something was off with Henry. Henry seemed jumpy, always looking for an escape route. Was he trying to leave the apartment? Kibum was always watching him and Eunhyuk guessed that Leeteuk had put him on guard duty. Eunhyuk didn’t think that Kibum’s constant public display of their sexual escapades was going to make Henry more inclined to live with them, however.
But more than his paranoia over Kibum’s newfound sexual fervor or Henry’s suspicious jumpiness, Eunhyuk found himself wondering more and more about Donghae and the rest of the “usefuls”.
Sometimes he’d lie awake in bed, listening to Donghae and Kibum sleeping, and he was afraid that if he fell asleep he’d wake up to Donghae no longer being Donghae. Donghae had been acting suspicious lately with his interest in Henry and the Usefuls in general were acting oddly.
Sungmin and Kyuhyun locked themselves in the computer room every day for hours.
The fact that Kyuhyun had joined them made Eunhyuk’s paranoia grow, and he found himself asking Kibum what he thought. Because the two of them were in this together, weren’t they? They were both worried about Donghae.
“So what exactly are you worried about?” Kibum murmured, flipping a page of his biochemistry book.
Eunhyuk twiddled with his thumbs. He’d been trying not to fidget but he’d given up on that by this point. He looked up at Donghae and Henry playing video games at the other end of the living room and then back to Kibum, who watched him expectantly.
“I…” Eunhyuk paused, cleared his throat, and continued. “What happens if Donghae has to choose?”
“Choose what?” Kibum turned another page.
“Between us and them.” Eunhyuk answered, glancing up again to make sure that Donghae wasn’t listening. He seemed much too engrossed in beating Henry in Gears of War. “He’ll choose them…won’t he?”
Kibum watched him for a few moments in silence, his face unreadable before he answered truthfully, “I didn’t expect you to be the one to suggest it.”
Eunhyuk bristled, “Why not? Because I’m naïve and too trusting? Because I’m stupid?” He didn’t know why he was getting defensive.
“Because you love him.”
Eunhyuk blinked, caught off guard a bit. “…don’t you?”
“That’s why I never suggested it.” Kibum replied softly. Eunhyuk watched Kibum’s gaze follow Donghae and wondered for a moment if Kibum loved Donghae more.
Eunhyuk had never doubted or distrusted Kibum, but he’d always wondered about Donghae. Was it because of their disconnection with the useful…or had he really not loved Donghae enough?
“You don’t think they’re planning something?” Eunhyuk leaned back against the couch.
Kibum let out a soft laugh. “I’m sure they are.”
“Then…?”
Kibum closed the book and rested his gaze fully on Donghae. His expression softened. “Just because I know something is happening doesn’t change anything.” When you love someone enough, you become blind to those things.
Eunhyuk was reminded that Donghae and Kibum had been together before he’d arrived. It had been awkward at first, fitting in a relationship that had been established years before. Even though it hadn’t been much of anything other than relieving sexual tension (Donghae and the others had still been at the facility and had only visited on occasion) there’d always been something there.
Eunhyuk used to think of Kibum as a serious person. He had his playful side, but when it came down to dangerous situations Eunhyuk had always trusted Kibum to make a clear, level-headed decision. Now he began to wonder. And he also wondered, did Donghae think the same way as them?
And even if he did, Heechul would not, and Donghae would listen to him in the end, wouldn’t he?
Sometimes Eunhyuk thought that Heechul liked him. He’d saved him (more times than he liked to admit) and he got him strawberry milk and sometimes he teased him affectionately. But was that real? Eunhyuk didn’t know who to trust anymore.
He’d thought he could trust Kibum, but Kibum didn’t even seem to trust himself.
---
A week into working with Sungmin made Kyuhyun realize that they probably weren’t friends anymore. They were more on the borderline of barely veiled enemies. Whether or not it was because Heechul had lectured Sungmin and he thought that Kyuhyun had tattled about threatening to kill him-which was totally justified, even if he hadn’t actually done it-or because Sungmin had always been harboring a secret hatred of the acne covered boy was unknown.
Decoding the information had taken a week because Sungmin refused to allow Kyuhyun to use his powers, which meant they were trying to crack the encryption manually.
Kyuhyun didn’t know if Sungmin simply didn’t trust him, or if he just hated the fact that Kyuhyun could do something so easily that would take Sungmin weeks. Either way, Sungmin’s vindictive streak was getting unbearable.
And what was worse, Heechul rarely talked to him. When he wasn’t getting his daily check-up from Kibum or trying to sleep off the painkillers he was holed up downstairs in the small room off of the shooting range with his laptop.
Hangeng had attached himself to Heechul’s hip during this "recovery stage". Kyuhyun had thought the two were close before, but now they were inseparable. Hangeng used Heechul’s injury as a chance to take care of him. He wheeled him around the apartment, he got his meals and his medication for him, and he took him into the shower to bathe. The only time they were separated was when the others had their “useful” meetings.
It made Kyuhyun angry, and that made him confused and then he made mistakes and Sungmin snapped and Kyuhyun wanted to cry because his best friend now hated him and the person he was attracted to was avoiding him.
Also, Leeteuk and the others were treating him differently now. Kangin and Shindong watched him. Eunhyuk and Ryeowook seemed worried and jittery. Leeteuk would send him a look of disappointment that made his stomach clench and Kibum…Kibum judged silently like he’d always done.
And the “usefuls”…well. Siwon and Donghae seemed indifferent. They treated him the same as they had before, which he was thankful for. Yesung didn’t seem to mind him, but he watched him as if waiting for a reaction from the others. And Sungmin, Kyuhyun knew how he felt.
He didn’t know how Heechul or Hangeng felt, of course, because the two locked themselves up away from everyone else and were either already asleep when he went to bed at night or came in late after he’d fallen asleep.
Kyuhyun leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh of frustration. He turned his head and his neck popped. He winced at the sensation and opened his eyes to see that Sungmin hadn’t looked away from his own computer.
“…what are you listening to?”
Sungmin’s gaze flickered from the screen to Kyuhyun. “What?”
“Your headphones.” Kyuhyun motioned to the iPod lying on the desk.
Sungmin shrugged and went back to his work. Kyuhyun sighed. Why did Sungmin hate him so much? He’d never done anything wrong! They’d been such good friends in the beginning. Just because of Heechul…it wasn’t even like Sungmin liked Heechul that way. Or did he? Kyuhyun raked a hand through his hair.
“I’m not listening to music. It’s white noise.” Sungmin continued typing. He didn’t look to Kyuhyun again. “Have you found anything?”
Kyuhyun shook his head and then remembered that Sungmin wasn’t looking. “No.” He answered truthfully. “Not yet.” Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sungmin nod.
“Why don’t you want me here?” Kyuhyun clamped his mouth shut in horror. Had he said that aloud?
Sungmin seemed surprised at Kyuhyun’s comment as well. He eyed him for a moment, and his expression didn’t change as he spoke, “We can’t afford to have a snitch.”
“I would never tell.” Kyuhyun bristled in anger.
Sungmin shrugged, “You don’t understand.”
“I’d understand if you told me.” Kyuhyun defended. He wasn’t going to tell anyone anything! If Heechul trusted him then he would definitely do everything he could to keep that trust.
“No you wouldn’t.” Sungmin glared. “You and the others are always saying that if we just told you, you’d understand but it isn’t that simple. It isn’t something you can understand without living it, so stop trying to sympathize.”
Kyuhyun bit his lip and stared down at his keyboard. He certainly hadn’t intended for Sungmin to hate him even more.
A water bottle was placed loudly on the corner of his desk and he turned to see Sungmin wiping the excess water off of his hands onto his jeans. He noticed Kyuhyun’s glance and shrugged, giving an apologetic frown. “It’s not your fault. If it had been anyone else I would have acted the same way.”
“Thanks.” Kyuhyun croaked out, and the sarcastic tone didn’t go unnoticed by Sungmin.
The other man snorted and went back to his screen. “…you know, Heechul hyung is the one who doesn’t want you using your powers on it.” He held up the flash drive for emphasis.
Kyuhyun blinked. “What do you mean?”
“He thinks there’s something on here that you shouldn’t see.” Sungmin let out a grunt. “Not like…a secret. But with your power you wouldn’t be able to forget it for a while and he thinks it’s something pretty bad. I don’t know.” He pressed a few keys idly.
The next few hours were spent in relaxed silence. Sungmin seemed less hostile, and even if he’d been screaming Kyuhyun didn’t think he’d notice. He was too focused on the fact that Heechul had been worried about him.
---
Kim Hyun Shik seemed to have become comfortable living in the Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel. He hadn’t left the building all week, and the only people going in or out were staff and tourists. It had gotten to the point that Siwon almost wished something bad would happen, just so they could do something.
Almost, of course, because Siwon would never actually wish for anything bad to happen to anyone.
Siwon watched a blonde woman walk down the street below him. Mostly he eyed her green tea frappuccino and wondered how someone could drink something that cold in this kind of weather. He realized he’d been distracted when Yesung nudged him with his foot.
“Were you listening?”
“Huh?” Siwon blinked, tearing his gaze from the woman to his hyung. “Did you say something?”
Yesung watched him silently for a moment. “Do you think it’s ok to trust Kyuhyun?”
Siwon bit the inside of his cheek before he gave a small grunt. “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a bad idea for him to be working with us.”
Yesung nodded. “Sungmin and Donghae don’t like it.”
Siwon’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Donghae? I noticed that Sungmin seemed angry, but not Donghae.” He’d never been good at reading Donghae, but he’d assumed he was fine with it. He usually followed whatever Heechul asked of them without question.
Yesung took a sip of his water. “He’s been tense lately.” Yesung was always watching people, so any small difference in attitude and demeanor was noticed, even in someone as outwardly cheerful as Donghae.
“Do you think they’ll do anything?” Siwon asked worriedly. They wouldn’t hurt Kyuhyun would they?
Yesung shook his head, screwing the lid back onto his bottle. “As long as hyung says he’s with us they’ll be fine.”
“When are we going to tell Leeteuk hyung and the others?”
“When we find the list.” Yesung answered readily. “Everything will be fine then.”
Siwon nodded. Once they found the list, they’d be able to set everything right. They wouldn’t have to hide anymore. He didn’t like hiding things from Leeteuk hyung but he knew the reasons behind it. Heechul knew what he was doing. They all just needed to trust him.
Siwon had always had a strong faith.
Yesung handed over his water bottle and Siwon took it gratefully. Yesung had seen Siwon eyeing the blonde girl and her coffee and made a mental note for them to stop at Starbucks before they headed back to the apartment.
He shifted his binoculars toward the entryway with a sigh. It was going to be a long day, he could tell. “How are the security feeds?”
“Nothing yet.” Siwon swallowed a mouthful of water and tapped a few keys on the laptop. “All the CCTVs are clean. I’ll check the stairwells again-”
Yesung heard Siwon’s sharp intake of breath and put his binoculars down. “What is it?” Siwon was staring at the screen with a mixture of disbelief and horror. Yesung sat up and leaned over to see the screen.
“…how can he be here?” Yesung paled. “That isn’t possible.” Sungmin took him out, didn’t he?
“Call hyung.” Siwon whispered, before fumbling for his own phone. “We have to tell hyung now.”
Yesung continued to stare at the screen as he heard Siwon dialing Heechul’s cell. They were talking, but he couldn’t hear what Siwon was saying. He was much too focused on the man on the computer screen.
He wasn't supposed to be alive.
---
Sungmin was still in the computer room when Kyuhyun offered to get them something to eat. Sungmin had waved him off with a gruff nod that Kyuhyun took as an “ok”. Even if the air didn’t feel as tense, Kyuhyun still didn't feel comfortable being alone with Sungmin after seeing that side of him.
It surprised him, since he’d seen Heechul cut a man apart with a butterfly knife and his opinion of him had only risen. He didn’t know how to describe it, but he was relieved when he finally made it out of the computer room and into the other apartment. It seemed safer.
The apartment was oddly empty. He knew that Siwon and Yesung were out per Heechul’s instructions, and guessed that Donghae, Eunhyuk, and Kibum were in their room. Shindong was sitting on the couch, flipping through channels boredly. He looked up when Kyuhyun entered before switching his attention back to the screen.
He entered the kitchen to find Ryeowook, Leeteuk, and Kangin inside. Ryeowook was in the middle of cooking something, looming over the stove. Leeteuk and Kangin sat at the dining room table.
“Oh, Kyuhyun.” Leeteuk smiled, “Hungry?”
Kyuhyun nodded. “Ah, yeah. I was going to get something for Sungmin and I to eat.”
“I’m almost finished.” Ryeowook called from the stove. “I made extra for the two of you.” Kyuhyun didn’t know if Ryeowook was trying to make him feel better or was just pretending that everything was normal, but he was grateful for it either way.
“Thanks hyung.” Kyuhyun sat down at the table to wait. Kangin eyed him warily from over the top of his crossword puzzle.
Leeteuk placed his mug down on the table with a soft ‘clink’ and looked up with another tired smile. “While the food is cooking, I’d like to have a talk with you.”
Kyuhyun nodded warily. “…alright hyung.”
“Alone.” Leeteuk stood. “We’ll go to my room.”
Kangin shot Leeteuk a confused glance that the other man brushed off, and Ryeowook stiffened, hand tightening on the pot handle. Kyuhyun stood slowly, and for a brief moment he was worried. But that was ridiculous. This was Leeteuk hyung. He wouldn’t hurt anyone.
He followed him out of the kitchen and down the hallway.
He could hear the soft murmur of voices coming from Donghae and Eunhyuk’s room. The door opened and Kibum walked out with a towel slung over his neck. He eyed both Kyuhyun and Leeteuk stoically for a moment before walking past them to the bathroom.
“Kibum…” Eunhyuk walked out a second later, looking torn. He looked back inside the bedroom before giving a sigh. “Stop egging him on.” Then he followed Kibum, knocking into Kyuhyun on the way, “Ah, sorry Kyuhyun…” He trailed off and walked into the bathroom.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t…” Kyuhyun heard Henry begin, but Leeteuk had led him into his bedroom before he could catch the end of Henry’s apology.
It was Kyuhyun’s first time in Leeteuk and Kangin’s bedroom. It was set up the same as all the others. Neat and tidy. The bed he assumed was Leeteuk’s was already made, and Leeteuk sat down on it, motioning for Kyuhyun to do the same.
Kyuhyun did so, and waited like a child anticipating a scolding from his mother.
“How have you been lately? We don’t talk as much.” Leeteuk began softly, “Henry has been taking up most of my time.”
“Good.” Kyuhyun answered shortly. “I’m good.”
“You’ve been training with your gift?”
“Yeah.” Kyuhyun shifted uncomfortable, hands in his lap. He tugged on the edge of his right glove.
“The others have been nice to you?”
Kyuhyun didn’t answer, simply looked up at Leeteuk and waited for him to continue. Leeteuk eyed him hesitantly, before he began with a soft sigh. “Kyuhyun, have you noticed the tension between all of us?”
“It’s because of Henry.” Kyuhyun answered automatically.
“No.” Leeteuk shook his head. “This has been going on for a while. It isn’t just Henry. You’re part of the reason too.” He seemed to read the confusion and denial on Kyuhyun’s face. “Kyuhyun, they’ve never let anyone join their meetings before.”
Kyuhyun shrugged. “Heechul hyung just needed my help for something.”
“It’s not that simple.” Leeteuk replied. “Heechul is letting you join them.”
Was that a bit of jealousy Kyuhyun saw? Leeteuk had been at the training facility and yet he was still useless. Did he hate the fact that he wasn’t welcomed like Kyuhyun had been? The mixture of pleasure and guilt in Kyuhyun’s stomach made him feel queasy.
“Kyuhyun…I need you to tell me what’s going on. Heechul won’t tell me anything but I know you will.” Leeteuk reached out and placed a hand on Kyuhyun’s shoulder. “I know you want to protect everyone here.”
“So does Heechul hyung.” Kyuhyun tried to deflect the question.
“Kyuhyun…”
“You want me to spy on him?” Kyuhyun shrugged off Leeteuk’s hand. “I’m not going to be a snitch. There’s nothing to snitch about.”
Leeteuk eyed him with barely veiled frustration. “You don’t owe him anything. Why do you trust him?”
“Why don’t you?”
“That isn’t what this is about.”Leeteuk let out a frustrated sigh. “You know that isn’t what this is about.”
“It is.” Kyuhyun shook his head. “If you don’t trust hyung he won’t trust you.”
“He already doesn’t trust any of us.” Leeteuk called out exasperatedly. “He doesn’t trust me. He doesn’t trust you. He doesn’t trust Hangeng. I don’t know if he’s even capable of it.”
Kyuhyun thought that was a lie. Heechul was cold, and sometimes he was ruthless, but he cared, didn’t he? Kyuhyun remembered his conversation with Hangeng before, about how he couldn’t understand why anyone liked Heechul. Hangeng had said Kyuhyun didn’t understand; that Heechul had saved them. Kyuhyun wondered if he’d begun to realize what Hangeng had been talking about now.
The only reason that Heechul wouldn’t trust them was if he were afraid…and in Kyuhyun’s mind, Heechul wasn’t afraid of anything.
“Kyuhyun…” Leeteuk looked torn. “I don’t want to distrust him. I want all of us to be in this together. But I can’t do that if I don’t know what he’s doing.”
“He’s doing it to protect everyone. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt any of us.”
“Why did he only save us, Kyuhyun?” Leeteuk whispered fiercely. “There were hundreds of others he could have saved but he didn’t. Why?”
Kyuhyun swallowed. That…he didn’t know the answer to that. But there had to be one. A reasonable answer. Leeteuk was looking at him with a mixture of worry and pity. He didn’t need that. He didn’t need pity. He didn’t want pity. He wanted revenge. Heechul had offered him that. And he wanted Heechul.
“I think we’re done talking…”
“Kyuhyun.” Leeteuk sighed tiredly. “Kyuhyun, let’s just talk this out, ok?”
Kyuhyun shook his head. “No hyung. I don’t want to talk anymore.” He turned to walk away, but Leeteuk’s words stopped him.
“You’re just like him.”
Kyuhyun rested his hand on the doorknob and looked back. Leeteuk was sitting on his bed, his gaze oddly cold. Kyuhyun ignored the twisting in his gut and opened the door, closing it behind him.
He headed down the hall as quickly as possible, as if he were scared of being followed. Perhaps he was. He needed to tell Heechul what Leeteuk was doing so that Heechul could explain things to them and then everything would be fine. But if Leeteuk saw him…he opened the door to their shared bedroom and closed it with a click.
At first he thought the room was empty, until he saw a figure on the bottom bunk wrapped in Hangeng’s blanket. A strand of blonde hair peeked out from its recesses.
Kyuhyun walked further into the room and paused at the edge of the bunk bed. He reached out and pulled the blanket off of Heechul’s face, expecting him to wake up and scold him for it. But Heechul didn’t move at all, and his breathing remained steady.
He lifted out a hand to touch Heechul’s shoulder to wake him but stopped.
He found himself staring down at his lips.
One kiss…wouldn’t be wrong, right? He’d never get to do it if Heechul were awake. Heechul loved Hangeng and if he didn’t love Hangeng than he wasn’t capable of love and neither of these alternatives worked in Kyuhyun’s favor.
He leaned forward.
He could feel Heechul’s breath on his face. Small puffs of air that smelled like peppermint toothpaste and coffee. Kyuhyun swallowed, before closing his eyes and closing the distance between them.
The sound of the door opening made him jerk back and he looked up to see Hangeng in the doorway. There was a moment of silence as Kyuhyun stood, frozen like a thief caught in the act, before Hangeng charged forward. “What were you doing!?”
“I-” Kyuhyun took a step back and Hangeng grabbed his shirt, throwing him up against one of the dressers. The picture frame atop it fell over before crashing to the ground, and the entire dresser seemed to rattle with the force. Kyuhyun winced.
“What were you doing?” Hangeng repeated, and there was more than just fury in his voice-although it was certainly the most obvious. There was some fear there too, and that confused Kyuhyun. Then he was shouting in Chinese that Kyuhyun didn’t understand, his fingers digging into Kyuhyun’s shoulders.
“…what…what’s going on?” Heechul tried to sit up, wincing as he clutched at his stomach. “Hankyung, what are you doing?”
“He tried to kiss you!” Hangeng shouted, and shoved Kyuhyun back against the dresser more forcefully this time.
“What?” Heechul paled slightly, eyes narrowing before his gaze centered on Kyuhyun. “…what the hell were you thinking?”
Kyuhyun swallowed. “I…” He looked from Hangeng’s fury to Heechul’s panic and it didn’t seem to connect in his mind. “I…”
“Let him go.” Heechul ordered Hangeng softly. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Heechul-”
“Go Hannie.”
Hangeng stared at Heechul for a few moments before he directed his glare at Kyuhyun. There was more than fury there. Fear, jealousy, and betrayal flickered in his eyes before he let go of Kyuhyun and took a step back with a shaky exhale. He headed for the door and closed it softly behind him.
Heechul began fixing his bed head with a soft sigh. “Don’t ever do that again.” He tucked an errant strand behind his ear.
Kyuhyun’s throat tightened painfully. He leaned on the dresser that Hangeng had shoved him against and tried not to cry. He’d known this would happen. He knew better than to try and kiss Heechul when Heechul didn’t love him.
“Anything I touch with my lips is destroyed. If I kiss someone they die. Don’t ever try that again.”
Kyuhyun blinked. What…was Heechul saying? That wasn’t the flat out rejection he’d expected. But Heechul was watching coldly, a reminder that it hadn’t been a welcomed action either. Kyuhyun didn’t know what to think.
He wasn’t given a chance to retort, because Heechul’s phone began ringing and the older man picked it up. “Hello?”
Kyuhyun watched the last vestiges of color drain from Heechul’s face as his grip tightened on his phone. “…get back here. I’ll talk to the others.” Heechul clicked his phone shut. “SUNGMIN!”
The other man appeared at the door in a matter of moments, looking worried. “Hyung, I saw Hangeng leave.” He looked to Kyuhyun. “What happened?” As if already deciding it was Kyuhyun’s fault.
“Get me to the debriefing room. Where’s Donghae?”
Sungmin grabbed Heechul like he weighed nothing.
“Aish, this is embarrassing. Get my chair…”
“Later.”
He left the room, leaving Kyuhyun alone and confused and hopeful.
---
Sungmin didn’t ask what had happened in the bedroom with Heechul and Kyuhyun, because the look on Heechul’s face said enough.
Donghae looked from Heechul to Sungmin with a dubious expression. He obviously knew something was up but he didn’t know what it was. “Hyung.” He eyed Heechul like a puppy. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” Heechul answered roughly, leaning back in his chair with another wince.
“Did you take your pain medication?” Sungmin noticed the wince.
Heechul didn’t answer right away. Instead he fiddled with the tabletop computer and avoided both Donghae’s and Sungmin’s expectant glances. They heard the footsteps long before the door to the debriefing room opened and Siwon and Yesung walked in.
“Hyung.” Yesung sounded breathless as he walked toward the table and slumped into one of the chairs with a loud sigh. The two had obviously run as fast as they could from the car, although Siwon looked as normal as usual.
He took one look around the room. “Hyung, is Kyuhyun here?”
“He won’t be here for this meeting.” Heechul answered back. “Both of you sit down and tell us what it is that you found at the hotel.”
Siwon did as he was told, seeing that something had obviously happened while they were away that had put Heechul in a foul mood. “We were investigating Kim Hyun Shik and going over the CCTV feeds.”
The group nodded.
“At first everything looked normal. Kim Hyun Shik hasn’t moved from the apartment and the Gifted with him haven’t revealed themselves either. The only people in and out are workers and tourists.” Siwon swallowed. “Then I checked the CCTV again and I saw someone walking up the twelfth floor stairwell.”
“Who was it?” Donghae leaned forward.
…
…
…
“Attack was there.” Siwon spoke gravely.
Sungmin blinked. “What…are you talking about?” That wasn’t possible. The damage he’d dealt should have left Attack permanently disabled if he’d been able to survive at all. “You must have seen someone else.”
Siwon opened his mouth to object, but closed it when Heechul spoke, “If what Yesung and Siwon saw is correct, it means that all of Squad 12 is still alive.”
The group went silent.
“If they’ve been training at the facility this whole time…we don’t know if they’ve figured how to strengthen or change powers.” Yesung murmured, dark eyes troubled as he peered out from behind his bangs.
“They haven’t perfected changing powers.” Heechul shook his head. “If they had, they wouldn’t continue to kill those they see as useless.”
“But we don’t know if they’ve amplified their powers.” Sungmin put in.
“That’s true. We’ll need to be careful. If the facility has discovered how to amplify preexisting powers then we are at a disadvantage.” Heechul bit his lip in thought. “We’re upping training. I’ll talk to Kangin and suggest a new training regimen for the others based on Squad 12’s known strengths.”
Everyone nodded, looking half convinced. None of them looked forward to whatever new training program that Heechul was concocting, but it would be necessary. The question was…would it help? Heechul stared down at his interlaced fingers, blonde bangs hiding his face from view.
It seemed like forever before Heechul gave a soft sigh and sat up fully, giving a smile. “Well now that we’ve gotten that out of the way,” Heechul turned to Donghae. “How is Henry?”
Donghae shrugged, a little taken aback at Heechul’s change. He figured it was because Heechul had a plan, and that made him more at ease. “He’s tried to escape three times already. I heard Leeteuk and Kangin hyung stop him. He won’t tell me anything about his life either, even though I’ve been extra nice to him.” It ended in a disappointed pout.
Heechul smirked. “Luckily I’ve run across something interesting. I thought I recognized him, so I did some background research on our little dependent.” Heechul tapped the table top and a photo appeared on the screen. It was a newspaper clipping.
“…what?”
“A report three years ago about a new geneticist working on the GAM project. To the rest of the world he’s the CEO of a government pharmaceutical company.” Heechul smirked. “And this was at a press conference where he introduced his family.”
“Henry is his son?” Yesung stared at the black and white picture. Even though he was younger, it was obviously Henry standing next to the man.
“There have been rumors recently that a new strain of the GAM virus is being created at a hidden facility and Mr. Lau will be in charge of its development.” Heechul leaned back in his chair. “But the fact of the matter is that we can use Henry to find the location of the facility.”
“How? He won’t tell his son anything. Henry is just a civilian.” Siwon looked worried.
“If Henry were to return to his home he would very likely ask his father about us and then, well, one thing would lead to another…” Heechul trailed off with an arched eyebrow, as if to say, “do you get where this is going?”
Siwon did, and he didn’t know if he quite liked it. “You want…you want Henry to tell his father about us? That’s insane!”
Yesung also looked slightly concerned, although it was less obvious. “What if word got out? What if he kills Henry?” Because they all knew that someone like that didn’t care about familial ties. They would kill anyone to keep their secret.
“The list will be at the new facility.”
The entire room went silent.
Sungmin spoke first, gaze serious. “…how do we follow him?”
Heechul smiled. “We send someone along.” Everyone turned to Donghae, who looked excited at the idea of a mission. He wasn’t the type that enjoyed sitting still and being forced to sit back and watch everyone else while his injuries healed.
“We’ll have to kill everyone who he tells.” Sungmin looked momentarily troubled, whether it was the thought of killing or the thought of doing it on such a large scale with the fear of being caught. “And what about Henry afterwards?”
“We’ll bring Henry back and deal with him in time. We need to plan the details first.” Heechul turned off the screen, erasing the picture of Henry and his father.
“Donghae will be traveling with Henry?” Siwon looked at the shape shifter. “He isn’t healed yet.”
“We have a lot to plan. He’ll be healed by the time we’ve fleshed out the details.”
“Are we giving up on Kim Hyun Shik?” Yesung wondered if perhaps they weren’t waiting for Heechul to heal as well. He didn’t think that even Heechul would be able to move normally in that short amount of time, however.
Heechul gave a cold smile. “No. We’ll get him. Leave that to me.”
---
Later that night, Heechul wheeled himself into the bedroom to find the lights off. Donghae had gotten him the spare wheelchair from the medical room so that he wouldn’t have to be carried back.
He’d already been forced to take another dose of his pain medication, he didn’t think his pride could take much more of this.
He looked to Kyuhyun’s bed and it was empty. Heechul was oddly thankful for that. He didn’t know if he had the energy or desire to confront the boy about what happened earlier. He’d deal with that in due time.
There was a lump on Hankyung’s bed that Heechul knew was the Chinese man. He wheeled himself over and let out a sigh. This part was always painful. He lifted himself out of the chair and onto the edge of the bed, ignoring the tug of pain in his midsection.
He managed to fumble in the dark for the edge of the blanket and pull it over him as he laid down on his side, too tired and in pain to grab for the pillow. It was quiet, and he could hear his own strained breathing clearly.
And then something was holding him, arms pulling him taught against a hard body.
“Hannie…”
He was shaking, his grip painful against Heechul’s wound. Heechul shifted uncomfortably but didn’t move Hangeng’s hands. It was a bearable pain, and Hangeng seemed to need this.
“…do you love him?” It was a soft whisper in the dark. Heechul found himself staring at the empty bed across from Hangeng’s.
Heechul interlaced their fingers and slowly closed his eyes. The painkillers made him feel numb and tired, but he could still feel the trembling of Hangeng’s hands in his and his shaky exhalations against his neck. He didn’t like having to express himself. He liked to assume that people could read how he felt and act accordingly. But if he had to, he would. “Wo ai ni.”It wasn’t an easy thing to say, but it was easier in Chinese. He'd never said it in Korean and didn't know if he could.
There was silence after that, but Hangeng’s grip tightened. “I know.” He finally whispered. “But do you love him too?”
Heechul gave a soft laugh. “The rest of the world would have you believe I’m a heartless, unfeeling bastard. I wouldn’t have the time to love one person, let alone two.”
“That doesn’t…”
“He’s useful.” Heechul answered truthfully. He just wanted to sleep, but he didn’t know if it was the painkillers or because he wanted to avoid the situation. Lately he seemed to be avoiding a lot of them.
“And I’m not.”
“Oh you’re very useful.” Heechul murmured, leaning back and arching his neck. “If I need to feel up some nicely chiseled abs you’re very convenient. Siwon runs too quickly.”
Hangeng let out a soft laugh against his neck, a puff of hot air that traveled down Heechul’s spine. “And?”
“You give amazing blowjobs.”
“Oh really?” His voice had taken on that edge that mad Heechul’s stomach tie itself in knots. It was an amazing sensation. Hangeng was nibbling on his earlobe, and Heechul purred in approval.
“You should convince me of you usefulness right now, I think.” Heechul reached back to tug playfully on a lock of hair.
Hangeng shifted, pushing himself onto his elbows. In the darkness Heechul could barely see the outline of his face but he knew that Hangeng was frowning. “You’re injured.”
Heechul grinned. “It’s alright; I’ll let you do all the work.”