“I don’t think I’ve seen you cry like that since Sehun got Pneumonia in eighth grade and you were afraid you wouldn’t be able to afford the hospital bills.” Umma said softly, running her fingers through Luhan’s hair gently. Luhan was half-curled into her side, still sipping lightly at the tea he’d been crying into for the last twenty or so minutes. The sound had initially attracted both Lay and Kris to the kitchen, but Umma had shooed them away just as quickly. “Do you want to tell me what happened now?”

“Minseok told me to get out.” Luhan said, his voice hoarse. “Then when I was leaving, he begged me not to go, but I was so upset I couldn’t stay. I dropped Sehun off at the Byun’s. Jongin will be delighted when he gets home from dance.”

“Yes, I’m sure he will be..” Umma agreed softly, not hearing Kris’ door close as he stepped out of his room, heading toward the kitchen again. “Now what were you two fighting about?”

“Kris.” Luhan said honestly, his tone soft, and Kris stopped just out of sight, his eyes going wide. “Well, not exactly Kris, it was more Tao. But it had to do with Kris.”

“Do you have some insight on why Tao randomly decided to shatter my son’s heart?” Umma asked, and Kris tensed a little. He wouldn’t go that far. He wasn’t that sensitive about it.

“Minseok told him to.” Luhan said softly, staring at his tea. “He told Tao that Kris has a problem with his temper, probably because of that stupid fight. I asked him if he would break up with me because I got in a fight, and, here’s the best part, he told me it’s not the same thing because Kris is a foster kid. Temporary.”

“What on earth has gotten into him?!” Umma asked, her tone utterly outraged.

Kris didn’t stick around to hear the rest. His blood was cold, but he felt like he was on fire, and he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see. He stumbled into Lay on his way back to his room and all but pushed the other off of him when Lay tried to ask what was wrong. He made it to his room and closed the door behind him, collapsing onto the bed and hyperventilating, dizziness hitting him so much faster than normal this time. He hoped desperately that he would pass out, because he didn’t want to think right now.

“I think he’s just scared for Tao. I think he’s trying to protect him. I don’t think he really sees Kris as a threat...he just knows Tao isn’t very strong.” Luhan said softly, looking up when he heard footsteps and sighing in relief when it was just Lay. “You scared me.”

“I’m not that ugly.” Lay said, pouting and puffing out his cheeks. “Besides, I should be the one afraid of you two.”

“And why would you need to be afraid of us?” Umma asked, amused.

“Yeah, we’re angels. Nothing to fear here.” Luhan said, smiling sweetly, and Umma rolled her eyes. Lay sighed.

“Well, I’m still not sure I want to know what you guys just said to Kris.” Lay said, pulling down a couple of mugs and grabbing the kettle, making tea for himself and Kris. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that upset. I really thought he was going to...I don’t know. Do something other than space out for once, but he just went into his room.”

“We didn’t say anything to him...” Umma said softly, looking at Luhan.

“Well he was coming from the kitchen.” Lay said, picking up the mugs and heading back toward Kris’ room. “He was just outside the doorway when I came out of my room.”

Umma’s heart stopped for a moment as she realized what Lay was telling her. Kris had heard everything. She started to stand, but Lay shook his head, and she slowly sat back down. Lay had more experience with Kris and his panic attacks, and honestly he just didn’t think Kris could handle Umma trying to baby him right then. He went to Kris’ room and pushed the door open, frowning when he saw Kris’ twitching and shaking. He closed the door and Kris’ eyes snapped open, staring at Lay for a moment before closing again as Lay set the mugs down.

“Scoot over.” Lay said, lightly tapping Kris’ leg, and the elder did just that. Lay slipped into the bed beside him and hugged him tightly, listening to Kris’ uneven breathing. “I thought you were going to cry, for a second there.”

“No.” Kris said, a breathless kind of laugh escaping him. “Just imploding.”

“You’re going to hurt yourself.” Lay said, and Kris shook his head.

“No more than usual.” He mumbled, and Lay sighed, shaking his head.

“What happened, anyway?” Lay asked. “Umma looked like she was going to have an aneurysm when I told her you heard what they were saying.”

“Tao and Minseok think I’m a loose canon, is basically what I gathered.” Kris managed to keep his voice mostly stable as he spoke, but his fingers were curled tightly into Lay’s shirt and his hands were shaking. He laughed again, and Lay realized Kris probably didn’t know how to cry. “I’m not fixable, because you aren’t going to keep me anyway. Just the usual.”

“Do you want us to keep you?” Lay asked, leaning back a bit to look at Kris and realizing he still hadn’t opened his eyes. “Look at me, ge.”

“Head hurts.” Kris said, shaking his head and turning it slightly so his face wasn’t in the sunlight streaming through the window. Lay sighed.

“I’ll get you some headache medicine.” He said, and Kris swallowed.

“I don’t want to go.” He admitted quietly. “I don’t expect anyone to keep me. But I don’t want to go, this time.”

Lay’s heart pounded in his chest, and he nodded. “I’ll go get headache medicine. Just stay here.” He said softly, slipping out of the bed and running out of the room.

By the time he made it back, YiFan’s mug was empty and he was asleep, that same worn out book he’d been carrying around with him when they first welcomed him into their home clutched in his fingers. Lay set the medicine bottle on the bedside table and carefully read the title before taking the mugs and heading back out, deciding it might be worth it to look into this book.

Queen of misleading titles here.
This is an important (however short) chapter leading up to even more important things in the next few chapters.