The scene that Kris and Kai stepped into within the M dorm was certainly one they wouldn’t forget for a long time. Tao, the picture of calm and cute at all times, was throwing nothing short of a fit. The leader’s eyes roamed until he found Xiumin, looking like he was only a few seconds from tears.

“What’s going on in here?” Kris asked, watching as Tao stormed into his room and slammed the door. Xiumin took a shaky breath and started to follow the maknae, but he was stopped by the leader. Dongsaeng or not, Kris was still the boss. “What the hell just happened?”

“He’s just upset.” Xiumin said, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself than anything else. Kris’s chronic case of face gave way to concern as he looked over Xiumin.

“What did he get upset about?” Kris asked, and Xiumin bowed his head slightly before shrugging.

“I think it’s my fault.” Xiumin said, his eyes watering. “He was sending texts to Mir...I took his phone away. He’s just upset right now.”

“You know him better than that.” Kris said. Xiumin looked up at him, more than a little upset. “Even when you two fight, he doesn’t act like this.”

“Well I don’t know what’s wrong with him! And I don’t know how to fix it!” Xiumin snapped, looking frustrated. His features softened suddenly, melting into an expression of guilt. “Kai...don’t cry.”

Kris turned quickly, but Kai was hiding his face. It took a moment of prying to get Kai’s hands to release, but when they did Kris was met with the reality that his tough, hard, and sometimes just a little abrasive boyfriend was in tears. The leader was completely at a loss for words, and he pulled the younger into his arms, allowing him to tug at the elder’s shirt while he tried to reign in his emotions.

“Xiumin, go check on Tao.” Kris said softly. “If you need us, we’ll be in my room.”

Xiumin nodded, heading over to the door Tao had gracelessly closed not long before. He turned the handle, almost expecting it to be locked, but relieved that it wasn’t. He stepped into the room, deciding he would worry about the small mess Tao had made in the kitchen after he took care of the mess inside the maknae’s head.

“Yeobo?” Xiumin said softly, and Tao peeked out at him from under a pile of blankets on his bed. Xiumin offered him a small smile, and his emotionless facade began to falter, before eventually crumbling away.

“Dui bu qi...” Tao said, looking as though he meant it. “Did I hurt you?”

“A bit.” Xiumin said, taking a seat on the bed. “But only because you wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Dui bu qi.” Tao repeated, opting to lower his head. Xiumin tugged the blanket back and slid under the covers.

“It’s fine.” Xiumin said. “I know you’re upset. But you know there are better ways to handle it.”

“I’ve never been this angry.” Tao admitted. “I actually wanted to hurt him.”

“Ani.” Xiumin scolded softly. “It would do no good.”

“I know..” Tao said, scooting over and resting his head on Xiumin’s shoulder. The elder wrapped his arms around the maknae silently, and a moment later he had a puddle-eyed maknae hiding his face in his chub. Xiumin sighed, realizing two things in that moment.

The first; Tao would not be calming down for a while.

And the second; He needed to go on a diet.

“When can I have my phone back?” Tao finally asked. Xiumin pressed his nose into the younger’s hair.

“When you calm down.” Xiumin replied. Tao squirmed, then pressed himself more forcefully against the elder. “Tao, stop it.”

“I can’t calm down.” Tao said, grabbing Xiumin’s shirt. “He put chemicals in my body. They could have changed my entire personality.”

“You’re still feeling the after effects, Tao, it’s-” Tao shook his head adamantly.

“What if I’m not? What if this is how I am now? Are you going to stick around for that? Is anyone?” Tao asked, his eyes overflowing. Xiumin’s eyes widened, and he hugged Tao closer to him.

“I’ll always love you, Tao.” Xiumin said.

“But will you stay?” Tao asked, his voice small.

“Stop it.” Xiumin said, running his fingers through Tao’s hair. “You know better. I’m not that kind of person.”

“I know.” Tao said, nodding. It did nothing to slow his tears, however, and Xiumin found himself chewing his lip as he tried to think of a way to help the nineteen year old.

“Do you want some water?” Xiumin suddenly asked. Tao looked surprised, and more than a little confused, by the question.

“Water?” He echoed. Xiumin nodded.

“When you get a massage, or see a doctor, or anything really they tell you to drink a lot of water to help your body filter toxins.” He explained, and Tao’s eyes widened slightly.

He nodded quickly, pouncing on Xiumin easily and pressing their lips together quickly before squirming out of the bed. Xiumin couldn’t help but smile as he stood up, his arm easily going around Tao’s waist while the maknae’s found itself at home around the elder’s shoulders.

They made their way out to the kitchen in comfortable silence, but Xiumin couldn’t prevent his eyes from darting over to Kris’s door. He wondered silently if Kai was doing alright, but quickly redirected his attention to Tao, and the messy kitchen. He had enough on his hands without worrying about Kai, especially considering he had Kris with him...

“Yeobo.”

Kai looked up at the elder silently. He was embarrassed, more than anything else, but he didn’t turn away. Kris tugged the younger closer to him, and Kai curled up under his arm silently as the elder focused on his phone for a little while, then set it down in favor of inspecting Kai. The younger felt eerily , but he didn’t shy away.

“Are you done crying?” Kris finally asked, and Kai shrugged, finally dropping his gaze. Kris pressed his lips into the younger’s hair. “Will you tell me why you got so upset?”

“Do I really need to explain it?” Kai asked softly, and Kris nodded, his chin resting on the other’s head. Kai sighed. “Tao-hyung is acting all weird and making everyone upset. Sehun’s not even on this planet anymore. Taemin-hyung hasn’t spoken to me once since he was here.”

“What else?” Kris asked. Kai sighed, resting his head on Kris’s chest.

“I don’t want you to leave.” Kai finally admitted. Kris rested his head on top of Kai’s, and silence fell around them for a long time. Kris’s phone buzzed occasionally, but he didn’t bother to check it. He just held Kai in the most comforting way he could.

“I don’t want to go, either, you know.” Kris finally said, and Kai nodded, absent mindedly tracing Kris’s tattoo with his pinky. He wished the manager wouldn’t make him hide it. “Are you feeling a little better now?”

“Not really. Nothing’s changed.” Kai said, releasing a heavy sigh. “I’m just calmer now.”

Kris nodded, then reached for his phone quietly. He looked through the texts he had been ignoring, then set his phone back down and hugged Kai again. The younger let out a little puff of air and looked up at Kris with sad eyes.

“What’s going on?” He finally asked. Kris’s phone didn’t usually go off quite that often.

“Well...” Kris sighed. “Taemin locked himself in his room. And, Sehun and Luhan are both pretty miserable. Ren’s not talking to anyone.”

“And Tao’s still mad.” Kai finished. Kris sighed, then nodded.

“More or less.” He confirmed, and Kai sniffed softly.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom.” He said, getting up.

Kris watched him go without protest, turning back to his phone to see if he could convince the manager to let them stay a little while longer. He was surprised when his phone started ringing just after he sent the text, but he answered it anyway, not sure what to expect.

“Yoboseyo?” He greeted, and he heard a frustrated sigh on the other end of the phone.

“Can you please make Kai stop?” It was Mir’s babysitter, for lack of a better term. Boyfriend certainly didn’t cover it.

“What is he doing?” Kris asked, and Thunder groaned.

“Mir, just give me that! Stop reading them!” Kris sighed as he listened to a small struggle on the other end of the phone. Finally, he was addressed again. “I’ve got Kai and Taemin and Tao and Baekho and Ren and JB and JR and Kyuhyun and everybody else on the damned planet blowing up his phone, telling him all kinds of horrible things, and I just want it to stop so I can take care of him, so please. Just make Kai stop.”

“What did Kai say?” Kris asked. It was quiet for a moment, then he was offered a reply.

“You ruined everything. I hate you.” He told him, and Kris sighed.

“I’ll talk to him.” Kris finally said, then hung up. He was about to drop his phone on the bed when it went off again, and he glared at the incoming text for a moment before opening it, certain it was just more bad news. He was surprised to find that something was finally going right, however, and he got up quickly and headed out to the main area to knock on the bathroom door. “Kai?”

“I’m not apologizing.” The teen’s voice came from the other side of the door. Kris sighed.

“I didn’t ask you to. But will you come out? I need to tell you something.” Kris said, and slowly the door opened. Kris held his hand out to Kai, and the younger dropped his phone into it with shaking fingers. Kris rolled his eyes, stuffing the mobile device into his pocket, then pulling Kai into his arms. “We got an extension.”

“A what?” Kai asked, looking up at Kris with puddly eyes. Xiumin and Tao, who were sitting on the couch surrounded by empty water bottles, looked up at him in confusion.

“We’re staying in Korea for another two weeks.”

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Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I decided to go to school for massage therapy, and it's just been a whirlwind. No time for anything anymore, but here it is.

Also, I did start another EXO fic, if anyone is interested. It's called Cry Baby, so click it and check it out if you wanna. :3