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Chapter Text

The sun warmed Baekhyun’s skin against the cold breeze that weaved through the tall grass. It was turning golden, creating the perfect lighting for him to catch through his lens. The puttering of an old truck broke the stillness as it made its way on the road behind him, but he kept his focus on the camera. He was so focused that he didn’t notice the puttering had stopped.

“You okay?”

He jumped with a yelp at the sudden voice and spun around to find that the truck had come to a stop and its driver was addressing him. The light of the setting sun was blocking his view of the woman’s features, but he could tell she was young by her voice.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Do you need help?” she asked with a giggle that tinkled like soft bells.

“I’m okay,” he responded, the Russian still awkward in his mouth. “Just catching some photos before the sun goes down.”

“Would you like a ride back to town?” she asked. “It’s quite a walk.”

“I’m going to be taking photos for a while, but thank you,” Baekhyun said and started to turn back to the scene he was capturing.

“I don’t mind waiting,” the woman said. “I’d hate to leave someone alone on these roads after dark. They’re not the safest.”

“It could be a while,” he said, turning back to her again.

“My evening is free.”

“Well…” he thought for a second. Walking back in the dark was not the most ideal situation. “Okay,” he finally conceded. “I’ll buy you dinner as a thank you.”

“I’d never refuse a free meal,” she said with a chuckle.

He smiled at her honest response and then turned back to the scenery that was quickly changing with the sun’s descent. Faster than he anticipated, the sun was gone and he rushed to pack his gear in the lack of light, then made his way carefully through the tall grass to the road where the truck still waited.

The young woman was now hidden in the heavy shadows of twilight, but she noticed him coming before he had even left the brush.

“All done?” she asked, leaning across the truck to open his door from inside.

“Yep,” he responded as he finally made it to the asphalt. “Where can I put my gear?”

“There isn't much room in the cabin, unfortunately, but you can get in here what will fit and place the rest in the bed if you’re okay with that.”

“Better than lugging it back to town on foot,” he said. He placed his camera bag on the floor then took his tripod to the back and placed it in the truck bed as securely as possible. When he climbed into the front she started the vehicle and then held her hand out to him.

“My name’s Lara,” she said and he took her hand.

“Baekhyun,” he said after a second of hesitation.

“Korean?” she asked with surprise, her grip tightening as she pulled him closer.

He nodded, trying to pull back.

“Oh, sorry,” she said, letting go and switching to Korean. “I got excited. There aren’t really many Koreans in the surrounding towns.

The language change surprised him and he noted the lack of accent. “Are you Korean as well?”

“On my mom’s side,” she said, then put the truck in gear and started driving. “Spoke both Korean and Russian growing up, so I’m fluent in both. Your Russian is pretty good, but I can tell it’s not a natural language for you. How long have you lived here? Must be fairly new if I hadn’t heard about you yet. Word about newcomers travels pretty fast around here.”

“I haven’t been around long,” he said, adjusting in his seat as he tried to come up with answers. “I travel a lot and liked some of the scenery in the area so I thought I’d stick around for a bit.”

“Do you work for a magazine, or…?”

“Just freelance,” he responded when she trailed off. “I’ll send shots to magazine companies sometimes and find random requests online to fulfill. I’d like to set up a studio someday though if I can ever settle down.”

“Wanderlust?”

“Something like that. Nowhere really feels like home.” He shifted again and coughed. “What about you?”

“I can’t really seem to escape the small-town life,” she said with a shrug. “Moved away from home, but only made it a few towns over. I didn’t really have any grand plans, just wanted to see how I would do on my own.”

“Sounds grand to me,” Baekhyun said with a smile. “Where do you work?”

“The little bakery on the east end at the corner. I was just coming back from a delivery to the next town over.”

“I’ve been meaning to go in there. What do you recommend?”

“We’ve got some pretty good muffins,” she said. “But they’re my specialty so I might be biased.”

“I happen to really like muffins,” he said. “I’ll have to give them a try.”

They continued to chat casually as they bounced down the road. Stars became more and more visible as the light continued to fade in the horizon and the homesickness that Baekhyun had been struggling with lightened slightly at the familiar language and constant chatter.

Chapter Text

Voices. Whispers and quiet conversations mixed easily with the sound of the buzzing machinery and soft piano music. The scent of roasting beans and brewing coffee was rich and wafted around Tao like a warm hug, reminding him of the early school mornings and Xiumin's passion for fine coffee. He’d nearly chosen the traditional hot chocolate and churros for breakfast, but the homesickness that hit him after smelling the coffee had changed his mind.

Bringing the warm glass to his lips, he paused and then quickly placed it down as he lifted up the morning’s paper. A small section near the base of the newspaper’s front page caught his attention and he quickly flipped through the pages to find the full article.

His heart stuttered as he processed the words that made him feel sick. A light flickered and his eyes shot up just as a bulb shattered. He brought the newspaper up to protect himself from the flying debris as he flinched at the noise, but the debris never hit. The cafe went silent instead of beginning to clammer at the danger, and he looked around to find the cause.

His breath caught when he realized he’d frozen time without even realizing it.

The hold he had was wavering though and he knew he needed to get out. The Red Force had found a way to track them down and using his powers would likely narrow down their search parameters if they had the right tech. Chen hadn’t been able to determine how they had been found, but he and Suho had cautioned against using their powers in case that had been the cause.

He rushed out of the cafe in a daze, trying to ground himself enough to find his way back to the small room he was staying in. After what felt like forever he made his way back and stumbled multiple times as he ran up the flight of stairs and through the door, gaze darting around to keep an eye on his surroundings.

Once inside he rushed to grab his bags and throw in any essentials he had left lying around. He tried to make a mental list as he double and triple-checked everything. Unable to handle being there any longer, he prayed he had everything that couldn’t be replaced. He’d need to go by the public locker and grab a different ID and some money, and then maybe take a train to another city to fly out of. Deciding on his next location in the moment would hopefully throw off any tail he might have. Something completely random.

Slinging his bags over his shoulders, he exited the small space and quickly made his way down the stairs and outside to the sidewalk.

Someone collided with him, his fast pace and height making him completely miss their presence.

“I’m sorry,” he stumbled, arm encircling the young woman to keep her from falling.

“It’s okay,” she said, her hands fully grabbing his arms to steady herself. “You should pay more attention to your surroundings though. You could get hurt.”

A chill washed over him at her words and he tried to see her face, but she had kept her head bowed. She let go of one of his arms and grabbed the other tightly before he could move and he winced when there was a sudden prick, immediately followed by what felt like fire in his veins. Stumbling back, he found a purchase against the brick wall and dropped his bags as his head erupted in pain, making him drop to his knees. He cradled his head in his hands as the pain drowned out his other senses and his breathing became labored. It ended as quickly as it started and he slumped against the wall, his arms falling to his sides in exhaustion. Tao blinked at the young woman standing over him, but his eyes were too blurry to make out her features and drooped closed as he fell into unconsciousness.

Chapter Text

A little bell dinged above Baekhyun as he pushed open the old wooden door and he sighed as the smell of freshly baked goods surrounded him. His heart tightened slightly, remembering the smells that would fill their small home when D.O. would cook.

“Hello,” a young woman said from behind the counter. “How can I help you?”

“Umm…” he hesitated and craned his neck to see behind the counter as he took some small steps forward. “Is Lara…?”

“Oh,” the woman’s face looked surprised, but she covered it up quickly with another smile. “Just a moment.” She disappeared quickly through a doorway towards the back of the room and Baekhyun busied himself with looking at the goods behind the glass case as he tried to ease his nerves while he waited.

“Hello stranger,” a familiar voice said and he straightened to look over the glass case to where Lara now stood.

“Hi,” he said. “Thought I’d grab some breakfast before getting to work.”

“Well, everything is pretty fresh,” she said, slipping her hands into her apron pockets. “What can I get you?”

“What do you recommend?”

“Hmm…” She looked through the back of the glass case. “Well, these are the muffins that I just made,” she said, pointing at a loaded tray. “Or, if you’re wanting something with jam you should try the kolache.” She pointed at another tray that had some red-filled pastries. “And these are really good if you’re wanting something like a cookie.” She pointed at a tray of round, icing-coated desserts.

“Hmm,” Baekyun hummed as he looked over her recommendations. “I guess I’ll take a muffin for now…and a few of each of the others for later.” He met her eyes, slipping his hands into his pockets to match her stance. “Something to snack on.”

“I’ll get right on it,” she said with a wink and grabbed some tongs. “So, back to the field today?” she asked as she wrapped the muffin in a napkin and handed it to him.

“I might take some pictures in town today,” he said. “I think black and white would be nice.”

She nodded as she listened while filling a paper bag with the baked treats.

“Actually,” he said, looking around the bakery. “Would it be alright if I snap some pictures in here?”

“I’ll have to ask the owner,” she said, moving over to the counter. “He’s in the back working on another batch of bread.”

“Okay,” he said, handing over some money. “I’ll just take a seat out here and eat my breakfast.”

“It shouldn’t take long.”

~~~

After gaining permission, Baekhyun went about taking pictures of the treats behind the glass case and the breads packaged and on display in the small bakery. The lighting and decor gave the perfect vintage look he was hoping for and he was completely lost while looking through the lens.

“Would you like some lunch?” Lara asked and Baekhyun glanced up at her from where he was crouching in front of a table.

“It’s a bit early for lunch,” he said and glanced at his watch. His eyes widened in shock at how much time had passed, then he glanced at his stomach in betrayal as it chose that moment to alert him about his need for food. He looked back up at Lara and rubbed the back of his neck with a chuckle which she met with a smirk, but she spared him the embarrassment of laughing at his expense. “I guess I should go, huh?”

“We’re making sandwiches in the back,” she said, pointing her thumb behind her. “We trade our second-day goods for other food and make our lunches and dinners with that. The boss said he’s happy to trade lunch for some of your pictures. We need some better ones for advertisement. Hopefully, we can pull more business in from other towns.”

“That sounds great!” Baekhyun said, finally getting to his feet. “If he even likes any of them.” He paused for a moment as he looked over his camera. “Uh…hmm…I’ll have to come back later with my digital camera though. I’ve been using my analog camera lately, so these pictures will be physical unless they get scanned into a computer. But, they won’t look as nice.”

“Whatever you think is best. He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, but you can run it by him if you want,” she said with a bright smile. “Come on back and we’ll get you some lunch.”

Chapter Text

Suho rubbed his eyes as his alarm went off and he tried to force himself awake. He took in a deep breath and reached blindly for his phone to silence the annoying wake-up call, thinking through the things he needed to try and accomplish over the next couple of days before moving on. But his mind was working slowly and he didn’t feel like being productive.

His attempt to ignore the day was interrupted by his empty stomach, forcing him to pull his eyes away from the ceiling. A deep sigh escaped him as he pushed to his feet and attempted to rub the sleep away. When that didn’t work he shuffled to the bathroom sink in hopes that the water could do a better job than his hands. And maybe give him some comfort as well.

He felt off.

Or maybe it was just the weather.

The sky was overcast and the humidity was oddly heavy for the overly dry weather of the season. The added moisture in the air should have made him feel more at ease, but he was left feeling rather alone. He looked around his empty house and his shoulders slumped with the wish that he could hear his brothers’ laughter as they goofed around.

The longing was too heavy today and he pushed away all thoughts of productivity as he made his way out, hoping that walking through the countryside would help ease the thoughts away. The hunger that had pushed him to get up was gone now and he decided to just pick up something from one of the local shops if it came back while he was out.

He walked his normal path that was typically unpopulated, through abandoned buildings and ruins that were much older, till he came to the forest. Now that he was among more of nature, he took in a deep breath, reaching for a connection to the water in the plants and the air. The connection was numbing more and more as the days passed, but he’d grown used to it and pushed forward through the woods. Instead of helping him feel more awake, the humidity seemed to be lulling him to sleep and he exited back out of the woods, deciding to go ahead and grab some food and head home for the day.

His breathing grew heavier and he paused to take a break in an empty pool as the wind picked up. He didn’t have the energy to fight against it and he chuckled to himself, thinking about how the others would call him an old man if they could see him.

Hoping once more that he could gain a little bit of energy from the water in the air he took another deep breath and his heart stilled as his limbs began to tingle as though they’d fallen asleep. It was then that he picked up an unnatural sweetness in the air. He tried to move, but his limbs refused to respond, so he turned his attention to pulling on his powers. He could faintly feel the water in the pipes that opened in the sides of the pool and tried to pull it towards him. Whatever was in the air was dangerous, but if he could successfully submerge himself he would be able to clear it out of his system and get away.

The Red Force had found him. They’d known his location long enough to set a trap.

Had they found the others too?

He felt a flicker of hope as water suddenly surged out of the pipes. But his control over his powers quickly disappeared as his eyes blurred and his mind succumbed to unconsciousness.

Chapter Text

He scrolled through the photos slowly as the bakery owner nodded in approval at each one he liked. When he reached the end of the album Baekhyun pulled his hand away from his computer and faced the owner a bit more. “These are what I have so far, but if they’re not to your liking I can take some more,” he said.

“They seem great to me,” the baker owner said. “My specialty is art that comes out of the oven. So, I won’t pretend to know what I’m talking about when it comes to pictures. I think these will work just fine.”

“Thank you,” Baekhyun said with a slight bow of his head. “I’m glad you like them.”

The owner coughed awkwardly and placed both of his hands on his knees. If it weren’t for his large stature, Baekhyun thought he looked sheepish which contrasted heavily with his build. “You wouldn’t happen to know how to run a website would you?” he asked. “We have one, but none of us really know how to make it look nice. I’ll pay you whatever you think seems fair.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’m not an expert, but I can give it my best effort,” he said. “I’m a novice when it comes to things like that, so if you aren’t satisfied you don’t have to worry about paying me.”

The owner laughed boisterously and slapped Baekhyun on the back, causing him to grab onto the chair as he pitched forward and nearly fell to the floor. He coughed as he tried to catch his breath and laughed awkwardly.

“I like this one!” the owner shouted to any of his employees that could hear him. “You’re a good egg. But you better be careful offering something like that. A dishonest person might take advantage of you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you, sir,” Baekyun said, bowing his head again.

“I’ll go grab some fresh goods from the back,” the owner said, pushing to his feet. “Is there another day this week that you can look at the website?”

“Whenever works best for you,” Baekhyun said, standing to join the owner.

“Two days from now, same time?”

“I’ll be here.”

The owner patted him on the back before heading back to the kitchen.

Chapter Text

Chanyeol tried to hurry and finish his meal, fighting back the many emotions that had reared up at the sight of the couple that had been seated across from him. They laughed as they chatted, sharing fries and milkshakes, completely oblivious to the world around them.

He felt stupid and angry for the millionth time as he fought away the self-deprecation creeping into his thoughts. The urge to contact Myeong-suk and explain things reared its head, but the thought of the Red Force finding out his location, or about his attachment to her….

He shook away the thoughts and looked down at the unfinished meal that sat in front of him. It wasn’t the first time he’d lost his appetite and he doubted it would be the last.

–

He wandered aimlessly away from the city and people. The peace of nature gave him solace from the loneliness he had been dealing with around the crowds of people walking the streets. He could also escape the confused stares he received at his too many layers of clothing.

Chanyeol wasn’t sure what was causing it, but he couldn’t seem to stay warm even in the Arizona heat. Their powers had been gradually growing more and more unstable and he hoped the research that Chen was doing would give them some answers. But the chances of being able to find anything among human knowledge in regards to it was slim.

The sun was starting to dim and he looked up at his surroundings, realizing he’d wandered for too long and would need to find his way back soon, otherwise he would have to make his way in the dark.

A fog was beginning to settle around the forest and he fought back a shiver, surprised that there was enough moisture in the air to cause it. The setting sun reflected off of it through the trees tinging it a soft red, a cool breeze stirring it and the brush. He tried pulling on his powers for some warmth as the chill began to set into his limbs and make him drowsy. Energy beginning to wane, he leaned against a tree and then slowly took a seat on the dry brush surrounding it. The cold was sinking into his bones and he pulled harder on his powers.

His hands sparked suddenly, causing him to jump. They sparked several more times and he tried to control it, but instead, his hands ignited completely. He tried shaking them to get the fire to go out, but they only sparked again, embers falling and igniting the ground next to him. He scrambled, struggling to get to his feet without the use of his hands. Attention split between trying to stomp at the growing fire and his hands, he stumbled forward as another wave of drowsiness hit him.

The fire engulfing his hands finally died out and he stood still, surrounded as the fire he had started slowly spread. Exhaustion was weighing him down and he dropped to his knees in despair as the smoke began to mix with the red fog.

Red.

His vision started to double and he looked up at the now deepening purple and blue sky. There was no longer enough light from the sun and his brain worked slowly to piece everything together.

Chanyeol dropped his head, no longer able to fight whatever had been used to trap him. There was a glimmer of relief as his eyes closed and his body met the forest floor. Relief that the Red Force finding him alone would hopefully keep the others safe for a while longer.

And for the first time, relief that he had left Myeong-suk. Keeping her off of the enemy’s radar.

Chapter Text

Lara observed Baekhyun as she stirred her coffee. His attention was fully on his computer as he sorted out his newest batch of photos for editing. She observed him for a few more minutes before pulling out her phone and checking on notifications. Thanks to Baekhyun’s help, the bakery had taken off online and she was one of the few employees that had a good grasp on how to work the social media platforms to answer questions and requests. 

As she released a sigh it was echoed by the shutter of Baekhyun’s camera. She flinched at the flash of light and ducked her head away. 

“Sorry,” Baekhyun said sheepishly. “I should have asked. It’s just that the light was perfect.”

She looked up slowly towards him as he was lowering the familiar analog camera. His ears had turned red and the embarrassed smile was starting to fall in uncertainty. 

She smiled to ease his concern. “It’s okay,” she said. “You just surprised me and…” she shook her head, “never mind."

His brow pinched and he placed the camera down on the table. “No, no,” he said. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said quickly, fidgeting with her phone. “It’s really nothing, just silly.”

“If it bothers you this much then it’s important,” he said firmly. His eyes landed on her hands and his gaze softened. 

“I just…don’t really like having my picture taken,” she said with a sigh and dropped her hands into her lap. “I don’t really like seeing my face through the lens of a camera.”

“Ah,” he hummed with a slow nod. “I understand that to some extent. I don’t really like people taking pictures of me either.”

“But you’re a photographer,” she said, and he chuckled. 

“Ironic, isn’t it?” He smiled softly, trying to catch her eyes, and she finally met his gaze. “I won’t take any pictures if you don’t want me to. But…” he trailed off and looked away, and she noticed his ears were turning red again. “You are beautiful and make a wonderful subject for photography. I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t mind doing some photos for me.”

She sat up straighter at his confession, her eyes widening. After another couple of seconds she dropped her gaze and smiled shyly. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “I’ll think about it.”

“Really?” he nearly shouted, his wide eyes fixating on her. A blinding smile broke across his face and he bounced a couple of times in his seat. “Thank you. I promise I won’t take any you’re uncomfortable with. And there are actually a lot of really creative shots that can be done without showing a person’s face.”

She laughed at his enthusiasm and shook her head. “You don’t need to thank me. I haven’t even decided yet.”

“But you said you’d think about it,” he said with a smirk. “And that’s enough hope for me.”

~~~

The wind whistled through the field and the sunlight danced across her face as it was filtered through the tall plants. The sounds of nature were randomly interrupted by a shutter as Baekhyun snapped pictures of the golden sky across the horizon. 

Lara watched him, her arms crossed across the car window seal, cheek resting on them. The warmth of the sun and sound of the grass was trying to ease her to sleep, but she refused to give in. 

Chapter Text

Chen took a deep breath as he made his way through the empty corridors and back to the roof after another venture out to find more answers. There was something in the atmosphere today that made the wind blowing through the older building rub him wrong. The fresh air, once he reached the roof, offered him some relief, but the weather was beginning to look poor and he eyed the quickly dimming sunlight as he made his way into his alcove. 

He didn’t know the wind like Sehun but he could definitely tell it wasn’t acting normal. 

Pages fluttered from books that had been blown open and he closed them before taking a seat and opening the book he had found earlier. An old acquaintance had written it long ago as he studied the night sky, recording all his speculations on the effects of eclipses and the possibility of visitors from the stars. It wasn’t till years after the man’s death that Chen had found out about the book and he’d been hunting it down ever since. Chen had always wondered if the man had started to suspect him before he’d moved on.  

He was running out of older material and newly published scientific finds and was really considering perusing conspiracy forums online for any solutions to their growing problem. Maybe at least for some news on the Red Force. 

He’d been coming up empty every time he’d tried to pin them down lately, and it was leaving him more uneasy with each passing day. 

The sun dimmed faster than he was expecting and he looked up to the sky to find out why.

It was an eclipse.

He jumped to his feet, the book falling to the ground, unnoticed. 

Something wasn’t right.

It was early.

He’d checked and rechecked. For months. 

Every article, every website, they had said it wasn’t for a couple more days, so why….

Books forgotten, he grabbed his laptop bag and phone and ran from the roof as fast as he could, his powers beginning to churn just under the surface. Lightning crackled in the clouds, lighting up the darkness the eclipse was causing, and he made it into the main building just as it began to pour.

He needed to get to a busy public internet source and send some kind of warning to the others. 

He wasn’t sure how long the Red Force had been manipulating his research, but it had been too long, and there was no telling how much they knew.

Chapter Text

Lara did her best to ignore the clicking of the camera as she watched him work, her fingers playing with the bouquet he’d been taking pictures of earlier. When he seemed to be reviewing his shots, she turned more in her chair to watch him.

“So,” she started, breaking the silence. “When are you going to officially ask me out?”

He fumbled with the camera, nearly dropping it in surprise as he looked at her. His eyes darted to the floor, the ceiling, the windows. Anywhere but back at her. 

She chuckled nervously trying to calm him down before he built the wall back too high. “Sorry, I thought… never mind.”

Baekhyun sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then turned and walked a couple paces away to set down the camera. “I’m sorry Lara,” he said just above a whisper. “I never meant to lead you on.” 

She hopped off of the stool and walked to the edge of the table adjacent to him, placing down the flowers. “No, no,” she said, trying to keep her voice light. “I shouldn’t have assumed.”

He looked her in the eyes and she was surprised at his expression. She knew he liked her. He wasn't very subtle even though he tried to be. But she didn’t understand why he looked so…conflicted. 

“I do like you…I just can’t get in a relationship right now,” he said, then looked back at the table. “I might have to move for…work, at any moment and I didn’t want to hurt you by suddenly disappearing.”

She hummed and hopped onto the table, leaning towards him slightly. “It’s not like you would have to leave before telling me right? And…this is probably overstepping…but if we were far enough into our relationship, couldn’t I just…come with you? You know I want to get away.”

“No,” he said with deep conviction. “I won’t do that to you. I never know where I’ll be or for how long. It’s not a steady life.”

“Wouldn’t that be my decision though?” she got back to her feet and made her way to him then placed a hand on his shoulder. “It really wouldn’t bother me. We might not even decide to stay together after a couple of dates.”

“Lara.”

She removed her hand and slipped both into her back pockets. “Sorry. You’re right,” she said with a sigh and took a step back. After a few minutes of silence she spoke again. “I think I should go and just give us some space for the evening.”

“Okay,” was all he said. 

Trying to push down the frustration, she walked away and grabbed her things then headed towards the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said without looking back.

When the door clicked closed, Baekhyun dropped into his chair and sighed. 

~~~

Baekhyun clicked through the pictures he’d taken that morning, waiting for his food.

He glanced up when the empty chair scraped against the floor and Lara sat down.

“I’ll do it,” she said without a hello.

“What?” his brows lifted in confusion. They hadn’t talked for days, not since…

“I’ll be your photography subject,” she said. 

“You don’t—” he started but she didn’t let him continue.

“I want to,” she said. “I want to be with you, Baekhyun. You like me.” 

“Lara….”

“And I like you,” she declared. “I thought about what you said last night. The words ran through my head over and over and the only logical meaning behind them is that you like me but you’re too afraid to start a relationship with me because of your work. So I’ll just have to join you.” 

He sighed and finally looked away. “There’s more to it than that,” he said, trying to look for a more firm reason to turn her down.

“I’m going to convince you,” she pushed, getting to her feet and shoving her hands in her pockets. “You don’t have to agree today. But I’m determined. I’ve made up my mind. I know what I want.” Without giving him time to respond, she turned away from his table and walked back out of the restaurant. 

His food arrived a moment later, and he ducked his head at the look the server was giving him. 

She was more stubborn than him, and he wasn’t sure how to convince her to let it go.

He took a bite of his sandwich, then smiled.

Chapter Text

“Excuse me,” Minseok mumbled, ignoring the dirty look that had been sent his way. The other tenant shoved his shoulder as he sped down the stairs. Minseok followed him with his eyes in confusion before continuing to trudge up the long flight. After making it to his flat he rubbed the fluff of his hat to calm his nerves, then he tossed it and his bag onto the couch before falling onto it himself.
He was quickly running out of ideas for things to keep himself busy and wondered absently if he should move on to another identity in another city or country. This one hadn’t been very well planned, and he didn’t have many options for work. None that didn’t take a lot of effort to get anyways. And he really just wanted to work mindlessly until he could get back with the others.
His eyes landed on the football in the far corner of the room and his eyes went hazy as worry built in his throat. They didn’t have much time to talk about what had happened to Luhan, but he knew they were all thinking the same thing. He’d been taken by the Red Force, and if any of the others had been with him then they probably would have been taken too.
Trying to push away those feelings, he reached blindly for the glass on the side table and finding it empty, he forced himself to get back to his feet for a refill. Unable to handle the quiet, he allowed the music from his headphones to continue to play loudly even though they now rested on his shoulders. He debated what to drink from his limited stock, then grabbed whatever and pulled out a glass before heading back to the couch and dropping onto it again.
He emptied the glass as he flipped through the local channels, too unfocused to care what was on the screen but not feeling satisfied enough to land on anything. He finally opted for just muting it on a random channel for the stimulation from the screen, and dropped his head back to listen to his music again and maybe fall asleep.
Static suddenly came from the TV and he popped his eyes open to glance in its direction, unsure why the mute had suddenly stopped working. He wondered if the old TV had finally come to the end of its life. The static sound warped into something else and he leaned forward out of curiosity as it continued to change, then squinted. There was something behind the static, but he couldn’t quite make it out. He got close enough to touch the screen and then immediately pulled away, falling back toward the couch.
Edinburgh 15:25
Edinburgh. One of the others had an identity there. He racked his brain to try and remember as fear started to fill him. Were they asking for help? Or was that the Red Force closing in? He wasn’t waiting to find out.
He slammed the glass on the side table and got to his feet. One way or another he had to reach out to the others.

Chapter Text

“Like this?” Lara asked, tilting the bouquet closer to her face and angling her face away from him just a little bit more.
He took steps forward and fixed how her hair was draping in front of her, readjusted her arm a bit, then took a step back and lifted the camera. “Perfect,” he said after a second of checking through the lens. He snapped some pictures, moving around here and there to get different angles.
“Can you hold that a bit longer?” he asked. “I’m gonna change some of the lighting.”
“I’m good,” she said.
He moved around his lights, changing some of them out for others and adjusting the curtain over his windows till it was just what he was looking for. He took more photos, and they tried a few more poses before he called it good, then he headed to plug the camera into his computer. “It will take a bit for them to start loading, but you can see what I’ve got before I start editing and see if you’re comfortable with them,” he said. “I’m going to go ahead and take my analog camera to the other room.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed, and he turned toward her. “Look at the sky! You should go out and snap some photos before the sun goes down much more. They would go well with those ones you were showing me the other day.”
“It is really nice,” he said looking out the window she was pointing at. “Are you okay waiting longer?” he asked, turning to her again.
“Go ahead,” she said. “I’ll make us some tea.”
~~~
He pulled up several of the edited photos, the ones he had been most proud of and waited as she took a seat next to him.
“These were some of my favorites after editing,” he said and let her look over each of them. “I was right.”
She looked over at him with a question in her eyes.
“You were really inspiring,” he offered. “I think we make a great team.” He pulled up other photos that he had taken when they had been out together or shots she had recommended. “You have a really good eye for this. I was in a slump I think, and you offered a lot of ideas and fresh looks, so, I got you something.”
“You didn’t need to,” she said as he pulled open a drawer.
“I think I did though,” he said, handing over a little heart-shaped box. “You helped me find work too. I have a lot to be thankful for.”
She pulled off the lid and then gasped, slowly setting it to the side as she lifted the box to get a closer look. “A ring?” she asked. “With an L on it.” She looked at him and covered her mouth. “Is this…?”
“It’s just a simple band,” Baekhyun said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I found out that the jewelry shop offers engravings when I took some photos for them.”
“Are you asking me out finally?” she asked with a grin and his cheeks started to burn.
“My concerns are still the same,” he said. “But if you’re okay with it, I’d like to take things one day at a time.” He turned in his seat so that he was facing her more and took her free hand in his. “Lara, I really like you. But I watched my friend have to leave behind someone he loved because life doesn’t always give us a choice. I know it broke him. And it probably broke her too. I don’t want to put you through that.”
She gently took her hand back and then cupped his cheek, giving him a smile that told him she completely understood. Then, she removed the ring, put it on her finger, and grabbed both of his hands. “I really appreciate you being open with me,” she said and looked down. “I hope you won’t have to leave any time soon. But I want to be next to you until that day comes.”

Chapter Text

The streets were mostly empty at this time and Lay took advantage of it. He leaned back a bit in his seat, riding casually to the restaurant that had become his home away from home. He slowed when it came into sight, the warm lighting welcoming, and he allowed the bicycle to coast the rest of the way to a stop right outside. Slipping off, he popped down the kickstand, secured the bike, and headed inside.

“I’m back,” he called and then covered his mouth when he saw that the aging owner was dozing at a table. He went over quietly and patted him on the hand to gently wake him. “I’m back, Uncle,” he said once the man was awake enough and then gave him a hug. “Any more deliveries?”

“Not right now,” the man said, then stifled a yawn. He stood and stretched himself out then patted Lay on the back as he started to walk toward the kitchen. “Our delivery boy will be here soon, so just sit down and enjoy yourself. I’ll bring you some tea and food.”

“Again?” Lay asked. “Auntie really didn’t need to.”

“You know she does what she wants,” the man said. “But you’re more than welcome to go argue with her about it.”

“I think I’ll just go sit down instead,” Lay said, retrieving his bag of belongings from behind the counter.

“Smart man,” the owner said, disappearing into the kitchen. 

Chuckling, Lay made his way to a table and pulled out his phone to restart his music while he waited. Words came to mind in rhythm with the melody and he quickly jotted them down before they vanished.

The elder yawned as he came over with a tray of tea, gaining Lay’s attention. “Writing again?” he asked.

“Sometimes things just pop in my mind,” Lay answered.

“And I’m always amazed by it,” the man said. “We still think you should pursue it if you enjoy it.”

Lay just smiled softly. “Thank you.” He took a sip of the tea and the man patted him on the shoulder before walking away. Lay smiled at the gesture of affection that they had shared for so long he couldn’t remember who had picked it up from who.

“The food should be ready now. I’ll be right back with it.”

Alone again, Lay looked over the words he had written and thought about what his long time friend had said. He could probably produce anonymously online to make some extra money, but he’d need to talk to Chen about the logistics of it all. 

His music was suddenly interrupted by static and the screen of his phone glitched, causing him to jump.

Get out

He dropped the phone and knocked the chair back as he tried to get away from the device. As it continued to glitch he pulled the headphones out, grabbed his bag, and started for the kitchen. He paused and doubled back for the phone in order to dispose of it somewhere far away from the couple in order to keep them safe. 

He ran back towards the front, nearly barreling over the couple as they came out of the kitchen, food in hand. The smiles they wore immediately disappeared and the woman sat the food down in order to grasp his arm.

“Xiao-Gege, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“I have to go,” he said, trying to calm down. Her firm hold was grounding and her husband grabbed Lay’s other arm. 

“So suddenly?” the man asked. “What happened?”

“Can we do anything to help?” the woman asked.

Lay held back tears as fear of them getting hurt resurfaced and he pulled them into a quick, firm hug before pulling away from them completely.

“Everything will be alright,” he said to reassure them. “I just have to leave for a while, but I’ll come back as soon as I can.” He tried to smile and they mirrored him, but the concern was still in their eyes.

“Okay,” the woman said. “Be careful.”

“I will,” Lay said and then turned and walked out the door with a heavy heart.

Chapter Text

Baekhyun  turned sharply when Lara hissed in pain. 

“Are you alright?” he asked, putting down the knife and walking over to her. One of the roses had been dropped to the floor and the scissors she had been using looked like they had been tossed half hazardly onto the counter. “What happened?” 

She was looking at one of her fingers and he took her hand gently to see. The motion caused the drop of blood that had been forming to run down her hand and he quickly grabbed a towel.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Just a small prick. I was just surprised. Everyone at the flower shop is good about removing thorns.”

“Hopefully it wasn’t cursed,” Baekhyun joked, dabbing at the blood and blowing on the wound. “I’d have to look for a prince to give you true love's kiss.” He wiggled his eyebrows then dodged as she reached to whack his arm.

“Very funny,” Lara said. She took her hand back and went to the sink as he threw away the towel while trying to hold back laughter.

“I’ll get you a bandage,” he said. He paused and picked up the rose, thought about tossing the offending thing in the trash, but opted to just set it on the table.

“I heard it’s bad luck in some cultures,” she said. 

“You don’t seem like the type to believe in superstitions,” he said, handing over a small bandage. She only shrugged.

They went back to their tasks and after a minute of silence she spoke up again. 

“There are a lot of things in the world that can’t be explained.” She moved the flowers around in the vase, still focused on her task, but he paused with his knife halfway through the bread and looked back at her. “I think you have to keep an open mind about things.” With a nod of satisfaction, she picked up the vase and turned to face him. “What do you think?”

“Looks good,” he said, then finished cutting the bread as she took the vase to the other room. 

“Did you decide on what to watch?” he asked, placing the plate of bread and cheese in the center of the dining table before joining her on the couch. The TV buzzed in the background, waiting for a decision to be made as she fiddled with the remote in her hands.

She dropped her head back against the couch with a sigh and held the remote out to him. “I can’t decide.” She sat up suddenly, then jumped to her feet. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I forgot to call the bakery about something,” she said, rushing around the couch. “I’ll just call them real quick. You go ahead and decide. I won’t be long.”

He looked back at her a few times while she talked on the phone, absently trying to choose from one of the few old movies he owned, ultimately deciding to just grab one at random and throw it in the VCR when she got done. Her hastiness was carrying over to him and he wondered what she possibly could have forgotten that had made her so flustered. When she hung up he got to his feet and joined her, making her jump. 

He chuckled and took her hand. “You okay? You seem really nervous.”

“Sorry,” she said, letting out an airy laugh that he could tell was forced. “I left something sitting that has to be finished tonight in a specific time frame and just got really worried it would get messed up.” She smiled and let go of his hand. “Did you decide?”

“Random draw,” he said. “Let’s have some wine first. Maybe it will help you calm down.” Without waiting for a response he went to the kitchen to grab the bottle and opened it with a flourish, pulling a laugh out of her. He poured the glasses and then set the bottle down. 

“Do you happen to have any olives?” she asked as he walked back to the kitchen to return the opener. 

“I should,” he said then poked his head in one of the cupboards, moving around jars until he found them way in the back. “Got ‘em,” he called, then grabbed a dish to put them into before heading back to the table. 

“Thank you,” she said. Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes and she was swirling her glass more to keep herself busy than anything else.

He took the seat across from her, swirling his own glass on the table as he observed her. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked and she looked up at him with raised brows. 

“Talk about what?”

“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug as he lifted his glass. “But something is bothering you.”

Her eyes left his and she eyed his glass for a minute before shaking her head. “It’s okay,” she said quietly. “I don’t really want to talk about it tonight. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I’ll be here to talk if you want to. When you want to,” he said, taking a sip. 

“You’re too good sometimes,” she said, taking a sip from her own glass. 

“Nah,” he said. He placed the glass back on the table and reached for the bread and cheese. “I’m pretty selfish most of the time.”

She shook her head at him. “You’re not,” she said firmly. “You just think you are.” She lifted her glass and took a long drink and his eyes widened in shock. “I’m the selfish one,” she said after placing her glass down with maybe a bit more force than was necessary.

He mulled it over for a minute and then lifted his glass to her. “How about this?” he said. “We can both be selfish sometimes. That’s just how we are as people.”

She met his eyes and tried to smile before tapping her glass to his. When she did he smiled at her again and then took a long drink of his own. 

“Ah…” he sighed and observed the bottle. “We really shouldn’t be chugging such nice wine like this.” 

“It is really good,” she said, then popped an olive into her mouth. 

“One more glass after this and then the movie,” he said, relaxing into his chair, eyes drooping half closed. 

“Sounds good to me,” she said, then chuckled. “Are you going to fall asleep like last time?”

“Nope. Nope,” he said, trying to sit back up, but he was suddenly very tired. Maybe the wine was stronger than he thought it was. “I’ll just eat a bit more and I’ll be good to go.”

“You’re fixing to pass out,” she said. 

And maybe he was. Things didn’t quite look right.

“How strong…was that…” his eyes closed and he slowly descended into darkness.

Chapter Text

The hustle and bustle of the city was nice to get lost in. He could weave in and out of the crowd and disappear if need be and no one would really notice. The random chatter and road buzz somehow put him at ease and set him on edge at the same time. He knew if he escaped into a quiet cafe or any enclosure he would just feel trapped. His last trip into The Underground had taught him that. His attempts at uncrowded parks where he could be surrounded by nature left him feeling too exposed. 

There was a shudder of a camera and Jongin looked sharply over his shoulder for the source of the sound but found nothing out of the ordinary. Still, he quickly focused on getting lost in the crowd, weaving through at an angle now.

He kept his pace quick, but the feeling of someone watching him wouldn’t go away no matter how many crowds he pushed through or random corners he turned. He focused on a knot of people near a deep enclave and teleported to another part of the city. 

It was quieter and the crowds weren’t as thick — many were heading inside — but it was a good distance from the previous location. Attempting to regain some energy, Jongin rested against a building and tried to come up with a plan for where to go next. If he was being watched he would need to move on. The next city. The next country.

The thought of public transportation was not inviting. But he knew he didn’t have enough energy to make a long jump.

Something was suddenly prickling at his senses again. Telling him to get moving. But he didn’t know which direction to head in now. There weren’t enough people to hide amongst anymore. Knowing he couldn’t stay though, he picked a random direction and started walking. 

He tried not to go too fast. He wanted to run but couldn’t risk exposing himself if he was just being paranoid. 

His eyes darted around to the people, corners, shadows, as the hair on the back of his neck continued to stand on end, until he couldn’t take it anymore and jumped.

The roof he landed on looked over the area he had just been in, giving him a clear view of anyone that might have been watching him. But there were no signs of suspicious activity and after several minutes he took a deep breath, allowing himself to relax and enjoy the breeze. 

The peace was suddenly interrupted by the vibrating of his phone and he quickly pulled it out of his pocket. The only one that should be contacting him was Chen and that would likely mean it was about time for them to meet up. Or it was a warning. 

Follow @ PathcodeEXO

As soon as he read the words a familiar feeling brushed his consciousness and images rushed through his mind.

“Luhan?” he thought, reaching out. There was no response but he knew his brother’s touch and with a quick thought to the message he latched onto it and teleported, following it. 

The relief and joy he had felt were fleeting though, and despair filled him suddenly as the connection snapped and his world faded to black.

Chapter Text

His head was killing him and his whole body was stiff. He wanted to sleep longer, put off dealing with the pain. But he was being moved roughly and wasn’t sure why. He blinked his eyes a couple of times and was met with dull lighting and blurry vision. A few more blinks and he realized there was something rough obstructing his vision. It was removed suddenly and the lighting burned his eyes, making them water as he tried to blink away the pain. 

Pain blossomed across one side of his face, adding stars to his vision and he opted for squinting to try and see what had assaulted him.

“Time to wake up,” a gruff voice spoke and some of the light was blocked by a large shadow in front of him. As his vision cleared he was able to make out a man standing over him. He was wearing tactical gear and glasses and held a smirk on his face as he leered down at Baekhyun. “We finally have one of you.”

“What…” Baekhyun swallowed. His throat was dry and scratchy, and he used it as an excuse to give himself more time as he started to realize what was happening. He still wasn’t sure how he’d gotten here. The last thing he’d remembered was drinking with Lara. Lara. She had been…off.

No, no . It couldn’t have been her. He needed to focus on the here and now instead of letting his brain get carried away.

“What are you talking about?” he asked. 

Instead of answering, the man stepped to the side, allowing Baekhyun a full view of a wall covered in photos and articles. His eyes widened as they darted from one item to the next. 

“We’ve been tracking a group of anomalies that appear human but have otherworldly abilities,” the man said. “Not to mention that there is photographic evidence that dates back hundreds of years. And that’s just what’s been found. Imagine how amazing it was when we picked you up on cameras traveling into and around the country. So, what are you?”

Baekhyun tried to steady his breathing as he met the man’s eyes and then dropped them a bit. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said with a slight tremor.

“Of course, you don’t,” the man said, stepping back towards him. “Don’t worry. I didn’t think it would be that easy. I’m plenty prepared to get the answers I’m looking for.” He pulled his arm back and all of the air left Baekhyun’s lungs as he was punched in the diaphragm. He wasn’t given any time to recover as he was blinking away stars again. The taste of copper was sharp and he blinked to try and refocus. 

“Maybe a different question,” the man said. “Where are the others?”

“I don’t…know what you’re talking about,” Baekhyun said as he tried to catch his breath.

“Fine,” the man said. “A different method then. Bring her in.”

“Let me go.”

Baekhyun’s heart stopped as Lara was pulled into the room between two men. She struggled against them but her small frame didn’t stand a chance against their large militant builds. 

“What are you doing?” she shouted. “Get your hands off me.” She was shoved into a chair and the men stood to either side, keeping her in place. 

The leader walked over to her and grabbed her face, making her go completely still as she met his gaze. “What do you think?” he asked, then turned to Baekhyun. “Do you know what I’m talking about now?”

Lara’s eyes left the man to follow where he was looking and they went wide when she saw Baekhyun. The doubts he had tried to bury were coming back, but he couldn’t believe them yet. 

“B-Baekhyun?” she stammered. Her eyes darted around the room and then landed on him again. “I-I don’t understand what’s happening.” 

The man let go of her and walked back towards Baekhyun. “Answer my questions and nothing happens to her. I can guarantee you her safety.”

Of course he could. 

But if she wasn’t with them they would kill her. 

“You think I believe that?” Baekhyun said. He wouldn’t play their intimidation tactics. If he could reach his powers he could get them both out. Even without his powers, he should be strong enough and fast enough to escape. “You all work the same. Even if I don’t know anything. Or even if I do, you’ll kill us. You wouldn’t let us go after what we’ve seen.” He looked at Lara. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ll get you out of this.”

“What?” she asked. “What do you…Are you crazy? Just tell them what they want so they’ll let us go. Please, Baekhyun.”

He sat back a bit. 

Oh. 

This isn’t what he wanted. He didn’t want to be right.

He sucked in a breath and looked away from her. Trying to fight away the tears.

“Did you know the whole time?” he asked suddenly. “Is that why you approached me?” He looked up and met her eyes. She’d gone rigid and her eyes were widening slowly. 

“What are you…?” she trailed off. Then a sob was forced out of her throat and she looked down at her lap. “How could you think….”

His shoulders slumped. “Please, Lara,” he said, looking down again. “That’s not like you. You could have tried a bit harder to the end.”

“I guess he knew you too well,” the leader said. “Should have just stayed silent.”

“It’s not like I knew he would fight back,” she spat.

Baekhyun listened as her restraints were removed and her chair scraped as she stood. 

“How did you figure it out?” she asked.

He didn’t answer her. Couldn’t. He’d nearly compromised all of them because he’d let his guard down. His mind thought back to the beginning of the evening. Over the last several days. Little things that he’d ignored. 

“Fine then,” the man said. “Back to the hard way.” His heavy footsteps were all the warning Baekhyun got before he was gasping for air again as his chest ached at the new blow. Several followed and the chair creaked from the movement. Baekhyun tried to hold in the pain. Tried to pull for his connection to turn out the lights. Maybe then he could get away. 

Pain shot across his face again and he had to blink away new stars.

“I’ll stop if you just answer this question,” the man said. “Tell us how to find the others. You don’t have to be the one to suffer.”

Baekhyun spat at the man’s feet. Blood and saliva splattered onto the militant shoes.

“Fine then,” the man said, then made a motion to two of the men as he pulled out his gun. They grabbed Lara and forced her back into the chair she had previously occupied, keeping their hands on her shoulders as she started to fight back.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “I did my duty. I fulfilled my mission.”

“Perfectly I might add,” the man said. “You became his weakness.” He lifted the gun toward her torso and turned back to Baekhyun. “Tell me what I want to know or I’ll make her death long and slow right in front of you.”

“Do you think I still care about her?” Beakhyun challenged, putting as much venom into his voice as possible even as his heart ached again. “Besides, she’s one of you. Do you think I actually believe you would?” Baekhyun hissed. His eyes landed on Lara, who had stilled, eyes trained on the gun. Resigned. 

The gun went off making Baekhyun jump, but he quickly refocused on her. She groaned in pain and leaned in on herself, pulling away from the men holding her. They pulled her back straight and Baekhyun watched as blood began to spread across her stomach. His heart sank.

“That one’s not fatal,” the man said. “Provided she gets attention before she loses too much blood. You can bluff all you want, but I can tell you won’t let me kill her. Even if she hurt you.” 

He couldn’t speak. Thoughts collided in his brain as he tried to think of something and then the gun clicked. The next shot was prepared. He looked back at the leader as the gun was raised towards Lara again. 

“No! Stop!” Baekhyun screamed, pulling against his restraints. He tried to think of anything as he continued to struggle and then he felt it. Just below the surface. A whisper. He reached for it as much as he could until he felt a pressure build until it burst from him. 

Several people in the room grunted as light shot out from him, uncontrolled. The bindings dropped from his wrists and, though disoriented, he got to his feet as quickly as he could. When he was steady and focused again he watched as the leader rushed from the room, pulling Lara with him. A few of the men tried to intercept Baekhyun, but they were still recovering. He flipped the first one that came towards him and kicked out at another. Metal scraped against the ground as the man dropped his gun and Baekhyun grabbed it as he ran after Lara.  

Their footsteps echoed in the stairwell as they made their way to the roof, and Baekhyun pushed for the energy to catch up, but the speed he needed wasn’t coming. The man looked over the edge and Baekhyun spotted him just in time to dodge a gunshot. It slowed him down and he struggled to regain his momentum.

He came out onto the roof, gun ready, but stopped short. 

“Put the gun down,” the man said. His arm was wrapped around Lara’s throat, gun pointed at her head. “Put it down or I’ll shoot her.” 

Baekhyun fought the tears that were blurring his vision but kept his gun ready. 

He met Lara’s eyes which were shining with her own unshed tears.

“Please,” Baekhyun spoke carefully. “Just let her go.” 

“I’m sorry,” she mouthed silently and Baekhyun tilted his head back as a tear fell. 

“I said put down your gun!” the man screamed, pressing the gun harder against her head. She pulled against him suddenly, stepping on his foot. There was a shout of pain and then a gunshot. The man let Lara go and Baekhyun lost his breath as she fell limp to the ground. Too far away for him to reach. The man stepped away and trained his gun back on Baekhyun, and Baekhyun’s attention shifted back to the man as he pushed aside the sorrow, and anger took its place. One gunshot rang out and then another, but Baekhyun didn’t pay attention to the outcome, already moving towards Lara. 

He dropped down next to her and reached out a hand slowly to her shoulder, trying to ignore the pool of blood soaking her hair. He shook her once, twice. 

“No—,” a sob broke off his plea and he stumbled away from her as bile rose into his throat. He made it to the other side of the roof before he collapsed as sobs wracked his body, and everything forced its way to the surface. 

He panted for air as he finally calmed, leaving his body trembling with exhaustion and he looked back towards Lara and the man confirming that his shot had been fatal. 

“Aaaaaaargh!” his scream echoed across the roof and he stumbled back to his feet. He started slowly towards Lara and then stopped. He wouldn’t be able to do anything for her now. Authorities would come, or perhaps more from this group. Another sob left him and he forced his eyes away from her as he started making his way to the stairwell. He needed to get away.

Chapter Text

“Okay, that’s done,” Sehun mumbled. He checked the street signs again, chuckling to himself as he placed a mark at the proper intersection on his mobile map. Go bag checked and emergency money restocked it left him with little to do while he waited for news from his brothers.

Maybe enrolling at a university would be a good idea for the time being. Just a couple of classes to keep from getting bored. It was hard enough finding things to do now that his host family’s son was back in school and they didn’t need help with watching him most days. 

Mind made up, he changed directions, heading towards the local school to pick up some information.

We have some new guests - House mom

Thank you. I’m heading back now - Sehunie

Sehun smiled as warmth filled him. His host family was always updating him on little things. They’d started treating him as one of their family as soon as he’d arrived and it filled a little bit of the gap that the separation from the others caused. His steps were a little quicker with the news as it meant they would probably be making a large dinner. He could make himself useful in the kitchen or play with their son.

As he got closer the winds started shifting. A small storm was probably moving in. The wind ruffled his hair and he played with it around his fingers. The house came into view and a skip entered his step, but he nearly tripped when something brushed his mind. 

“Luhan?” he thought.

There was no response, but he hurried the rest of the way toward the house. They had mentioned multiple guests. Maybe one of the others had found Luhan and then they found him. Kai had been going to London, and Luhan’s powers had been acting up already. So there was a chance he could only reach for him but not converse. 

It still seemed odd though. He forced himself to slow down and enter the house from the garden instead of through the front.

“Luhan?”

He projected his thoughts louder, hoping for a response as he made his way through the house. When he rounded one of the corners a smile spread across his lips. A couple of the toys were floating in the air and he tapped a plane, making it spin slowly. How like Luhan. He was probably entertaining the son. 

“Lu-Ge,” he called out. “You’re lucky Suho hyung isn’t here to scold you for being reckless.” He paused as he entered the playroom, where the son and another young boy sat staring at him. Around their heads were several more floating toys, but there was no sign of his brothers.

“Hey kid,” Sehun said, looking around the room. “Is this your friend from school?”

“No,” the son said. “He’s a guest. He made the toys float. Isn’t that cool?”

Sehun stilled and he slowly looked back at the boys.

“You must be Sehun,” the new boy said stiffly.

Sehun took a step back. He hadn’t used that name here, so how did this boy…?

The sunlight dimmed, gaining Sehun’s attention and he forced his eyes to look outside. The sun was being blocked out. The cloud cover from the incoming storm must have hidden the beginning of the eclipse. The eclipse that wasn’t supposed to happen yet.

The atmosphere in the room changed and things began to rattle.

“What’s going on?” the son asked, covering his ears.

Sehun gave him and the other kid one look and then ran.

He ran back the way he came. He needed to get away but he didn’t have anything on him. The money in his pockets would barely be enough to get him to the next town. But could he afford to stop back by the emergency stash? If they’d been watching him….

But even if he tried to leave town like this he wouldn’t be able to get far enough away and they’d probably know that. 

He stopped at a 4-way crossroads and looked back and forth between them, weighing his options. His breath started to become uneven and he clutched at his head, thinking.

There were no options left.

Going to the next town wouldn’t give him enough space and he’d be stuck there.

If he went to the safety stash they’d catch him there or soon after.

Going back to the house would not only be walking into a trap, but also put the family in danger. 

He was at a dead end. 

Chapter Text

An animal, probably a cat, scurried somewhere in the shadows and Baekhyun turned his head sharply at the sound. Realizing what it was, he chastised his paranoid brain and tried to calm his racing heart enough to continue on his way. He navigated on muscle memory, having taken enough walks the past week to no longer need help walking the odd-shaped circle around the city back to the hotel he was staying at. 

He’d stay a couple more days then move on. Luckily there hadn’t been any chatter about him on the less than legal sites. The only thing he’d seen was one group talking about an undercover group being attacked, leaving two dead. He thought back to the conversation that had been happening and how it had been deleted when he went back to it. As well as the previous notice searching for him and the others. Either the organization or Chen had scrubbed the web of it, but it didn’t really matter.

The sound of a gunshot echoed in his mind followed by the sight of blood and he closed his eyes and increased the volume of his music to an ear-damaging level, willing it to drown out the memories. He repeated the lyrics in his mind, not daring to make a sound. 

There was another external sound that made him turn around and turn his volume back down. The tight alley was filled with inlets and houses, as well as offshoots to other allies, and he tried to reason that the sound could have come from any of those and that he wasn’t being followed. Someone who meant him harm wouldn’t get caught so easily. Still…maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get his things and head out of town early.

The music in his earbuds was replaced with static and he removed one, confused, then pulled out his phone to check the connection. It vibrated just as he pulled it out, the screen lit up with the notification of a message. 

His heart stilled. 

There shouldn’t be anyone contacting him.

He tried to breathe as he unlocked the phone to view the message.

Peek-a-boo

The sound of his heartbeat filled his ears at the words and his breath hitched.

A streetlight shut off from behind him and then as he turned to look another one shut off. One by one they started to go out closer and closer to him plunging the alley into darkness. He didn’t wait. Without a second thought, he ran. Through the alley, twisting here and there in case his memorized path had been found out. All the while, lights shut off around him, pitching his surroundings into darkness.

Eventually, his luck ran out and he collided with a gate. He shook it, hoping it was unlocked. It didn’t budge though and he frantically looked for the lock to try and force it open. 

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and he froze, goosebumps breaking out across his skin. 

The silence was broken with the clicking of heels and a whistle.

He spun around and pressed his back against the cold hard metal of the gate. His head tilted back and he let out a breath as his limbs began to go limp.

He’d nearly made it. Or, he thought he had.

Small bubbles of light seeped from him. They weren’t strong, or defensive. They wouldn’t be strong enough for him to use in a fight. But, they offered him some comfort as smoke began to fill the area and he was lulled to sleep.

Chapter Text

Kyungsoo hummed as the sun brushed across his skin and the warmth of it gently woke him. He took his time waking up, nowhere to go and nothing to do. He wasn’t sure how long he stayed like that, but the warmth started to leave and he opened his eyes reluctantly. The sunlight was now filtering in from behind a cloud cover, explaining the loss of warmth, but he stayed a little longer, fidgeting with the cool metal balls that had been filling a decorative bowl in the apartment. There were twelve and he hadn’t been able to resist.

Realizing he was ignoring a growing need for food, he let the ones he was playing with roll out of his hand and then pushed to his feet.

He still took his time, putting on some coffee and grabbing his headphones. He started a smooth guitar song and stepped onto the shared balcony to check the temperature. It was warm, but there was a chill dampness in the air, making it feel clammy. It was uncomfortable. Still, he stayed outside while he waited for the coffee, making a casual plan for the day. Well, as much of a plan as he had been making lately. He’d drive to another part of the city and find the first restaurant that looked promising, stop for a meal, and then explore. 

He prepared his coffee and then paused. Something was different. He abandoned the cooling drink and walked over to the open window, slipped off his headphones, and then felt. Something had definitely changed. Maybe the winds? It was colder, but he couldn’t say for sure that’s what it was. 

Maybe if the weather was changing he should hurry and get some food. Getting stuck out in bad weather was not an ideal situation.

~~~

Sweater changed, Kyungsoo hurried down the steps. His plan to find a new restaurant was put on hold in favor of grabbing something close by in case things got bad. There was suddenly a familiar feeling and he paused. It was coming from the room on his right and he slowly turned toward it. The two-way peephole on the door was open so, cautiously, he looked through it. Images filled his mind, memories, emotions, a warning.

Run! You’re the last one. You have to escape!

He stumbled away and then did as he was told.

He ran.

Down the rest of the stairs and out the building. 

Keys in hand and ready to open his escape-ready car.

And then he drove. Out of the city as fast as he could. He drove through the country and then stopped in a small town as soon as he dared. The gas was getting low and his body was running on fumes. 

He pulled off at a gas station, grabbed some cash, and then ran inside the shop to pick up a water and pay for the gas. He inquired after a good restaurant and a place where he could connect to the internet. 

After a decent meal, he set up at a cafe. 

He had other IDs he could use and plenty of cash, but a new car would be a good idea.

~~~

The sun was out but the air was still chilly and he wondered if a convertible had been the best idea, but there hadn’t been many options and he couldn’t afford to be picky. 

There was no use worrying over it now either. The trade-off would arrive any minute, but still, there wasn’t much else to keep his brain occupied. 

He wasn’t sure a bus stop on the edge of town was a good idea for a meet-up, but at least he was already near the highway and all that was ahead of him were winding mountain roads. A white car pulled up behind his, the make and model of the trade he was waiting for, but he didn’t move from where he leaned against his own car. There was the opening and closing of a door. But he kept his eyes forward.

“Waiting for someone?” a female voice asked. “It’ll be a while. The bus doesn’t come to this stop for another hour.”

“They’re not coming by bus,” he said, then turned to her. “But thank you for your concern.”

“Ah, I see,” she said, lowering her sunglasses to get a better look at him. “Driving into the mountains?”

“Seemed like a good idea,” he said. “Saw a recommendation online that the rainy season is the best time to go.”

She smiled and then held out a hand. “The evening sky is quite beautiful.” 

He took her hand. “Especially after a rainy day, I’m sure.” When they let go, he had a different key fob in his hand and then picked up the black duffle bag that had been sitting behind his feet. “The payment is in the trunk,” he said.

“You won’t mind if I check it first.” It wasn’t a question and he lifted a hand in consent. She spent less than a minute checking that everything was as it had been promised and then nodded, satisfied. “I always appreciate new trustworthy clients,” she said, handing out a business card. “You can call me Ailee. Let me know if you ever need anything else.”

“Thanks,” he said, taking the card. “I don’t know if I’ll be back through though.”

“Too bad,” she said, opening the driver’s door to what was once his car. “Well, good luck running from whatever you’re running from.” Without another word, she slipped the sunglasses back on, closed the door, then drove away. 

He glanced around at his surroundings then left. 

As tense as he was, the mountain drive gave him peace and he welcomed it. Once he was far enough away, he would stop for a couple of days and make a plan.