Suho understood the importance of family. Despite the conditions of his upbringing, despite the fact that he probably knew more of the political leaders in the Mars Kingdom’s history than of most of his own family members, he knew of and understood the purity and strength of familial bonds. He accepted the unique love shared between kin, and, at times, even relished in that bond.

            This, however, was not one of those times.

            “Have you been eating? I don’t think you have. What did I say about under-eating? Just because it won’t kill you, doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Are you even sleeping? Or are you overworking yourself again? You better not be overworking yourself or I swear—OW! Sooyoung!”

            Suho heaved a sigh of relief when his father’s hands, which were one tightened around his shoulders as the older man smothered him with questions and worries. He flashed a smile to his mother, who was too busy grinning her cat-like grin at his father. In her hand laid a single apple quite similar to the one she had just thrown and a certain someone’s head seconds before.

            “Calm down, Wonnie,” Soo drawled, moving her other arm, which had been resting on the arm of the lounge chair, to support her head, as she allowed her whole body to lean and stretch across the chair as she laid on her side. She took a bite of the apple in her other hand before continuing. “You don’t need’ta smother the kid anymore, he can handle himself. B’sides, he looks fine to me.”

            “He does not; look at how thin he is!” Shisus retorted with a scoff, wildly gesturing to their son as though that proved anything.

            “Everyone looks thin next to you, muscle-head,” the woman continued. “Anyways, it’s been ages since he’s come to visit, shouldn’t ya be, I dunno, nicer to `im, instead of complain’ about his size?”

            “I’m just caring for him! And you’re one to talk; you haven’t even bothered to stand up and greet him!”

            Suho heaved another sigh, this time of exasperation, as he looked away from his bickering parents. Trying to distract himself with something else, he turned to locate Kris, but alas, it appeared like his fellow King wasn’t having much luck either.

            “You’d think out of the hundreds or thousands or millions or however many children I’ve had that at least one of them would come to visit me just for fun or out of the goodness of their heart, but nope!” Suho saw Jessica, Upper Council woman and Kris’s mother, ramble endlessly. “They’re all too good for their mother, apparently, too interesting and busy and professional and—”

            “I have work, you know, and responsibilities,” Kris cut off, eyebrow raised as he stared his mother with a mix of amusement, disdain, and guilt painting itself on his face. “I visited a few days prior, anyway.”

            “—It’s rude to interrupt other people when they’re talking!” Jessica shot back with a glare, arms crossed and lips downturned slightly in her sulking. “Call yourself a King but you have no manners; who taught you to be like this, huh? Certainly wasn’t me, or Han. Is it those court members of yours who are influencing you? Fire them all, and rehire better ones. They’re obviously up to no good.”

            “Keep your posture up,” Hankyung added, as though Kris’s back could get any straighter. “You visited to give a brief update, and then you left. You barely spoke to us back then. And you haven’t even given us greeting yet, that’s no good.”

            “I’d have time to give my greetings if you permitted me to speak,” Kris rebutted with a sigh, “And my posture is completely upright, thank you.” Suho rolled his eyes. Typical Kris speech.

            “Hey, stop spacing out and listen to me! You and Yifan talk enough as it is, talk to your parents, will you?” Shisus’s complaint brought Suho’s attention back to his parents, and as he saw the disgustingly adorable pout on his father’s face and the lazy smirk on his mother’s face, he could only try to constantly remind himself, family is important, family is important, family is important…

----------

            “Am I going to be stuck with you every time something happens?” Lay grumbles from the couch he’s sitting on, and Tao, who had been sitting on a windowsill with his eyes shut, looked at him with one raised eyebrow. Not in malice, but surprise, confusion, and a hint of amusement.

            “Their Majesties were under the impression that you would feel more comfortable with me than with anyone else,” Tao explained, voice soft as usual, with a calming trait that both annoyed and unwound Lay. “If that’s not the case, we could send someone else in here, based on your preference…” Lay groaned at the slightly teasing tone behind Tao’s words, and threw a tired glare at the other.

            “I mean, why do I need to be accompanied at all?” he continued, though he couldn’t help but feel just a little bit flattered that his comfort was being considered so much, even if he was a prisoner. “You’ve already got me chained up.” He shook his wrist which was connected to a couch leg by enchanted shackles. “I have no place to go, seeing as I don’t know any of the chants to break the seals on the doors here and leave, let alone get back to normal dimensional space. I’m a nonexistent threat at this point.” Hearing his words, Tao sighed, and shook his head.

            “That isn’t why I’m here,” he argued, and Lay gestured for him to continue. “People here are quite… impulsive when they see any possible danger. If someone else found you here and didn’t know the situation, you’d be dead before you could say another word.” Lay involuntarily flinched at the words. “They don’t take kindly to new faces here, so I’d need to be here to explain.”

            “But what about you? Don’t you don’t want to be there helping your King?” Lay shot back, more out of curiosity than spite, really. The other’s points were sound, and in all honesty, Lay had no desire to cause another fight. Not now, at least.

            Tao shrugged. “His Majesty gave the order, so I shall fulfill it.”

            “And you don’t mind missing out on all the political discussions and whatnot?” he persisted, but Tao didn’t seem fazed.

            “I rarely participate in them anyway, so I heed it no matter.” Lay furrowed his brows in surprise.

            “Really? Shouldn’t that be a major part of your job, seeing as you’re expected to always be by the King’s side? Besides, the little King’s Head Guard stays up there with them, doesn’t he?” If Tao was feeling frustrated by all the questions, he didn’t show it; he showed absolutely no signs of emotion in general, actually.

            “His Majesty doesn’t allow me in those discussions—he prefers I stay away from politics— and as for Baekhyun, well, it’s something that comes with being the lover of a Head Advisor.” Tao paused. “And I’ll kindly request you stop referring to His Majesty the Moon King with such degrading terms.” Lay rolled his eyes and ignored the other’s last sentence, choosing to instead pinpoint something else.

            “Wait, your king do