I'm just going to say right now, this is where things get weird, especially with the character connections...but I'll leave that to you.

Luhan kept a list of people who visited him, partly because it got lonely sometimes and partly because he wanted to know who to contact first when he escaped.

Or died. Whichever comes first.

The last name he would expect to see on that list was the one who woke him up the next day.

Luhan grumbled as the guards dragged him out of his cell, rubbing his eyes and complaining about how he had the right to sleep until one on a Saturday. When he sat down at the chair, though, he screamed. So loud, in fact, that one of the guards nearly dragged him right back out.

"Xingxing?"

Yixing was on the other side of the glass, smiling as sweetly as ever. He motioned to one of the guards, speaking with what looked like a stutter, and Luhan smothered a grin, knowing exactly what was happening.

When Yixing picked up the phone, he spoke in Chinese.

"I told them I didn't know English," he said, smirking. 

"You're evil."

"Of course I am." He made a dazed-looking peace sign, and Luhan laughed. 

"I haven't seen you in, what four years?"

"That sounds right."

"Where have you been?"

"Well, here, for the last two years. After I heard you got, uh, you know. Arrested."

"Yeah, that was a stupid move on my part."

Yixing sighed and leaned forward in his chair. "Listen, I've got to...I have to talk to you about something. Has Chanyeol come in recently?" 

"You know him? Park Chanyeol?"

"Yeah. I was wondering."

"Yeah. He asked me about Yifan. Well, he called him Kris, but I know it's...yeah."

"Ah. F ." Yixing chewed on his lip. "He and Baekhyun have been...together a lot...oh, Baekhyun's my roommate," he added. "I'm just...checking up on some things."

"Oh, so I'm guessing you, uh, know what he does."

"I knew it from the moment I saw him."

"What's up with Fanfan?"

"Is he back in Highmont?"

"How would I know? I've been rotting in here with heathens for the past two years."

"I...just have a suspicion. I wanted to check up on it."

Luhan frowned, then put a hand on the glass, as he usually did. Yixing put his own over it. "Xingxing, when you have a suspicion, it's usually right." Luhan breathed on the glass and made a smiley face. "Be careful."

Yixing sighed. "It's like a fing family reunion, huh?"

"Unfortunately."

Baekhyun made great omelettes.

Chanyeol scarfed down the first one without looking up, prompting a nervous warning from Baekhyun. "This is so good," he moaned, tipping his head back to get a string of cheese into his mouth.

Baekhyun smiled slightly. "Glad you like it." He picked at his own. "G-d, why am I still here being a nuisance to you? I'm--"

"Don't say sorry, because these omelettes?" Chanyeol made an OK with his fingers. "I haven't had a breakfast this good in ages." He dragged a second one off the plate in between them. "If you weren't here, I'd be eating crappy bagels and expired cream cheese."

"Do you not go grocery shopping?"

"It's mostly for more crappy bagels and cream cheese."

Baekhyun snorted and rested his chin on his hand, still prodding at the omelette on his plate. "We need to change that."

Chanyeol grinned through a mouthful of egg and cheese. "Are you suggesting that we go grocery shopping?"

"Well, I guess. You need some actual food."

"I have no idea how to cook, I'm warning you."

"I can cook."

They met eyes across the table.

"Then you'd better be around more often," Chanyeol said, smile getting even bigger. "Because otherwise I'd have nothing to eat."

In the end, Baekhyun had to to call Yixing.

"Lay, how do I pick a good watermelon?" Baekhyun said, throwing a glare at Chanyeol, shaking one of the watermelons by his ear.

Yixing was silent for a moment. "Uh, I think...it has to be heavy for its size. And look for a kind of beige spot on it. Are you still with Chanyeol?"

"Yeah. We're at the Shoprite."

"Okay. Alright. Have fun. Keep an eye on your surroundings, okay? Stay safe."

"What do you--"

Yixing hung up, and Baekhyun frowned at his phone.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol was still shaking a watermelon.

"What'd he say?" he asked.

"Heavy for its size and has a yellow spot." Baekhyun put a hand on the watermelon Chanyeol held. "I'd say this one, but at this point it's probably a smoothie."

After a lot of bickering, Baekhyun and Chanyeol walked out of the supermarket with armfuls of heavy plastic bags.

"I didn't know broccoli was this heavy," Chanyeol wheezed.

"Well, it seems like you've never had a vegetable in your life, either, so..."

"Excuse you, I had a carrot earlier this month."

Baekhyun smiled, and Chanyeol chuckled to himself.

As they loaded the bags into the car, Chanyeol's phone rang, and he excused himself to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Chanyeol. It's Yixing."

Chanyeol glanced over his shoulder at Baekhyun. "How'd you get my number?"

"From Luhan."

"You know--"

"Yes, I do. That's not really important right now. But it's...there's something urgent."

"Alright. Talk."

"I've been running around Highmont all day today. And I'm warning you: Yifan is back in town. You, uh, you probably know him better as Kris."

Chanyeol froze. "How do you--what are you--"

"He's back, okay, and from what I gather, you and Baekhyun may be in danger."

"How the f do you know all this?"

Yixing snapped. "For f 's sake, just trust me on this one! I don't want Baekhyun hurt any more than you do, okay? And I'm telling you that--" He in a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Okay. Sorry. Look. I know Yifan like I know the back of my hand. And your name isn't exactly unknown in the underground, and...and he was around our house a few days ago."

"What?"

"Be careful, okay? Yifan...Kris is not a person to mess with. Okay?"

Chanyeol stuttered something, then managed an Okay.

"Good."

Yixing hung up, and Chanyeol stood there for a long moment, unsure of what to do.

"Chan?" Baekhyun called out.

Chanyeol turned around, putting a smile on his face. He froze suddenly.

A tall man--taller than Chanyeol himself--in a dark sweatshirt and jeans stood maybe a few feet behind Baekhyun, staring quite intently at him. They met eyes for a moment, and the strange man disappeared around the corner of a car.

In two steps, Chanyeol was between Baekhyun and where the man was before. Baekhyun squeaked.

"Chan, what's wrong?"

Chanyeol looked at the shorter man and smiled. "Don't worry. Okay? But, uh, let's get back."

Baekhyun frowned but didn't press any further.

Chanyeol was awake all that night, gun in his pocket and an arm around Baekhyun.