Baekhyun’s parents are seated across the table from him and Zitao. They’re making polite conversation, asking how school is and if he enjoys living in the dorm. They ask Zitao questions as well, just general questions any parents would ask when getting to know a friend their son has brought home, but the conversations not getting anywhere because Zitao’s not saying much. Of course, Baekhyun knows how Zitao acts around other people, so him being antisocial isn’t exactly strange. On the other hand, his parents are acting far from their usual distant selves. They haven’t spoken to him this much in over a decade and even if they are being polite because he has a guest, it’s just too weird and too much for him to handle.

          “Zitao, I hope our son is treating you well. He can be a bit stubborn sometimes,” his mother says and Baekhyun can’t help thinking As if you would know, you’re never home. Baekhyun watches as his mother grins, offering Zitao more fish, which Zitao neither accepts nor declines.

          “Have you heard our Baekhyun sing, Zitao? He has the voice of an angel. It’s rather remarkable how such a big voice comes out of such a tiny boy,” his father says and normally Zitao would have made a quip about Baekhyun’s size, laughing at his roommate’s expense, but he hardly bats an eyelash at Mr. Byun’s words. Baekhyun bites his tongue because he really wants to say How would you know, you’ve never come to a recital; you’re never around to hear me. His father grins, but there’s something in his eyes as they stare over at Zitao that reflect an intensity Baekhyun’s never witnessed before.

          As he continues to watch, Baekhyun realizes that his parents eyes hardly ever leave Zitao, giving him their undivided attention and it’s sparks a sort of jealousy within him. At the same time, Baekhyun wants to yell and scream at them to stop because this is too much. They’re acting as if they are a normal part of their son’s life and this is wrong. It’s completely preposterous and Baekhyun wants to throw something to break through this ridiculous façade they’ve put up, to show Zitao the real version, the version that hardly even notices his existence.

          After a very strained half hour, Baekhyun decides to excuse himself from his parents’ extremely out-of-character company, rescuing Zitao in the process. It isn’t until he attempts to pull him away from the table that he realizes Zitao is sitting rigid, absolutely firm in his seat with his fists clenched in his lap leaving his plate untouched. Baekhyun tries not to think much of it as he coaxes his friend out of his seat. The appearance of his parents and their strange behavior had caused Baekhyun to lose him appetite as well, which is a feat in itself, but he wonders why Zitao hadn’t eaten anything.

          “Hey, sorry about that,” Baekhyun apologizes as soon as they enter the confines of his room. “I didn’t know they would be coming home and they were acting really weird.”

          Zitao finally snaps out of his daze, feeling somewhat level headed by his new surroundings. Baekhyun’s scent calms him once again and he finds himself cornering said male at the end of his bed, wrapping his arms around Baekhyun’s waist and burying his face in his neck. “You’re not like you’re parents, are you?” Zitao whispers, inhaling deeply. There’s a harshness in his voice that makes Baekhyun shiver. “You’re not one of them right? You can’t be.” His voice trails off as he keeps talking as if he’s trying to convince himself that these words are true. He sounds worried, almost afraid even and Baekhyun doesn’t know where this is coming from.

          He’s too shocked to move, pulse pounding in his ears as Zitao squeezes him a bit harder. “What are you talking about?” he eventually wheezes out, arms slowly coming up to pry Zitao away. “What’s going on?”

          They’re still close, faces inches apart as Baekhyun watches Zitao examine him intently, as if trying to figure him out. “Those people out there,” he says. “Are they really your parents?”

          Baekhyun laughs, slightly amused by the question. “Yeah, they’re really my parents,” he answers, arms sliding down from Zitao’s shoulders to his wrists. Baekhyun shakes his arms playfully. “They’re strange right? We’re not really alike at all.”

          “Are you sure you’re not adopted?” Zitao looks almost hopeful to Baekhyun, which doesn’t make much sense in the regards to the question.

          “Nope.” Baekhyun frowns before biting his lip as amusement lights his eyes. “Why the sudden interest in whether my parents are biological or not? Are we really that different?”

          Zitao pulls his wrists out of Baekhyun’s hands only to refill them with his own. “You just seem nothing like them.” He pauses, scanning Baekhyun’s face again. “You really don’t know, do you?”

          “Know what? Why are you being so cryptic and weird right now? Why is everyone acting so strange?” Baekhyun knocks their set of combined hands together, swaying them to and fro as if encouraging Zitao to speak, to explain why everyone’s acting so weird.

          But Zitao’s stuck about how to tell Baekhyun, how to break the news to him that Zitao’s not fully human and his parents would love to kill him. Actually, Baekhyun’s parents have tried to kill him, well Baekhyun’s father to be exact. Zitao hadn’t noticed at first, but after spending half an hour staring at the man he’d begun to see familiarities in the man’s build and the gruffness in his voice as he spoke. His movements were measured, eyes penetrating, calculating, and so reminiscent of the one’s that peered into his own eyes as he was being gutted. He remembers that scent being there, understanding yet again why it seemed so familiar. Putting everything together, Zitao easily realized that this man was one of the three that had attacked him on the night Baekhyun moved into the dorm, the one that almost succeeded and got away. Really, what are the odds that this man would end up being his roommate’s father? Not just any roommate at that, but the roommate that insisted on doing everything in his power to save him after being so painfully wounded. For a brief moment, Zitao finds pleasure in the fact that this bit of information would royally piss Baekhyun’s father off because it was his own son that stopped him from succeeding in killing the next alpha male in one of the strongest packs in the history of their people.

          This knowledge still worries Zitao because even with Baekhyun’s constant genuine concern about his well being, he can’t help wondering if Baekhyun will change how he views Zitao once everything is out in the open. He wonders if Baekhyun will side with his parents and his ancestral lineage once he realizes that Zitao is the enemy. It’s ridiculously stupid for Zitao to be thinking this way because in the time that he’s known Baekhyun, he’s found him to be overly righteous and far from judgmental in the way that he views people. Even when everyone is the school shied away from Zitao, giving him frightened looks, spreading nasty rumors and warnings to Baekhyun, he never once bought into it. He never once thought that Zitao was a bad person, just horribly misunderstood and maybe, just maybe, he’ll still feel that way after he knows the truth; at least, that’s what Zitao hopes for.

          Looking at everything as a whole, Zitao thinks fate is playing a cruel joke on him. It’s teasing him by finally giving him a friend, someone he actually cares about and wants to protect, someone that’s not loyally bound to him by blood and yet, their families are natural enemies. It’s frustrating. He doesn’t understand why the one person he’s decided to put interest in, to open up to just a little bit, ends up being someone who’s a potential threat. A part of him wants to believe that this isn’t really happening, that maybe he’s just dreaming and he’ll wake up to find that he’s actually safely tucked in close beside Baekhyun after having snuck into his roommate’s bed again.

          That’s not going to happen though because he’s really at Baekhyun’s house and he really just found out that Baekhyun’s parents are trackers hell-bent on killing him. He’s willingly walked into the lion’s den, led by someone who has him so bewitched out of his senses that he realized too late he was in danger. Honestly, the situation couldn’t be anymore out of his favor. He’s in their house, in the middle of nowhere, without backup. Actually, he has backup, maybe the packmate he sensed earlier in the woods is still wandering around keeping an eye out, but that’s not a given. The thought of it does, however, give him a bit of hope, along with the fact that Baekhyun’s parents obviously haven’t told or shown him what they are, so maybe they’ll choose to protect their secret rather than attack Zitao openly. Maybe this will be enough to give Zitao the opportunity he needs to get away.

          “Zitao?” Baekhyun grips his hands, shaking them to draw his attention. “What’s wrong? You’re making an ugly face.”

          Zitao would laugh if the situation weren’t so dire. “I can’t stay here.” He pulls away from Baekhyun, dropping his hands and distancing himself as he tries to decide the best way to get out. He can leave on foot, but that leaves him more vulnerable than he would like. A wide-open forest in the middle of the night isn’t exactly appealing to him at the moment, not to mention he would like to travel faster than his foot speed allows. He thinks maybe he can steal one of Baekhyun’s parents’ cars but that opens him up to a slew of dangers he would like to avoid.

          “What do you mean?” Baekhyun asks pulling him out of his thoughts. He’s stepping towards Zitao, closing the gap between them. “What’s going on?”

          Before Zitao speaks again, he steps back to turn the television on because he feels a distinct presence on the opposite side of Baekhyun’s door. The Byun’s are obviously listening in and Zitao would rather not have them growing suspicious. He keeps his voice low as he steps back towards Baekhyun. “It’s not safe for me here.”

          Baekhyun’s face contorts with confusion. “What does that even mean? Why wouldn’t you be safe here?”

          “I can’t explain it,” Zitao says, shushing Baekhyun with his finger to his lips. “There are some things you don’t know, things I can’t tell you.”

          “What things?” Baekhyun’s voice is loud and Zitao unconsciously moves in closer, silently willing him to understand.

          “Baekhyun,” he whispers, placing his hands on the other’s arms while leaning in as if to speak in confidence, as if trying to convince Baekhyun of his sincerity and the importance of this matter. “I’m sorry for not being honest with you from the beginning. There are so many things I wish I could tell you, but I can’t, not right now. There are so many things that even I still don’t understand.” He levels his eyes with Baekhyun’s, fingers tightening around his arms reflexively. “There are things you don’t know about your parents and those things are a threat to me. I’m in danger here Baekhyun. As much as I would like to stay with you, I really need to leave, okay?”

          Baekhyun’s eyes glisten in the glow of the television as he stares at Zitao, taking it all in. There’s fear and sadness in those eyes and for a moment, Zitao is face to face with a lonely child who’s being abandoned yet again by someone he cares about. It strikes him hard and before Zitao has time to think about what he’s saying he’s asking Baekhyun to come with him. He mentally slaps himself because this is a stupid idea, but he can’t take it back because Baekhyun’s already agreed without hesitation.

          They immediately start grabbing their bags that they had brought and hadn’t unpacked just yet. They’re both whispering now as Baekhyun pulls some of his old shoes out from under his bed. They plan on sneaking out of Baekhyun’s window, rather than going through the front door. “I’ll try to explain everything to you later, but for now, we need to get out of here as quickly as possible; preferably without your parents knowing,” Zitao says. “Is there anyway we can take one of the cars?”

          Baekhyun nods shrugging on his coat. “There’s usually a spare key under one of the mats and luckily the garage isn’t far from my window.”

          Zitao’s finally ready, pulling the window open just as Baekhyun finishes lacing up his shoe. He glances around, surveying the darkness with his wonderfully attuned night vision. He helps Baekhyun out first, handing him their backpacks before climbing out the window himself, shutting it quietly behind him. They pause for a moment as Zitao listens. There’s a rustling in the woods straight across the lawn from them. Only Zitao hears it, but he knows the scent in the air and feels relief flood through him at its familiarity. His packmate is still lingering around and the scent of the Byun’s isn’t as strong out here, which means their still inside, probably deciding what their next course of action is. Soon Zitao is beckoning Baekhyun to follow him to the garage situated towards the back of the premises and their rifling through the Hyundai Equus they arrived in earlier looking for a spare key. They eventually find one tucked under the driver’s seat and that’s all the encouragement they need to keep going.

          In the heat of it all, Baekhyun finds that this sudden mission exhilarates him. He’s never done anything like this before, sneaking out in the middle of the night, stealing one of his parents’ cars, and running away with a friend. To him it feels like he’s finally experiencing a right of passage through this rebellion regardless of the reasons behind their actions. A part of him has always wanted to runaway from home, to leave the horrible confines of this stupid prison, tired of being hidden away from the rest of the world. Tonight, he feels like he’s finally getting that chance.

          The sound of the car coming to life after Zitao turns the spare key into the ignition is liberating. The different but equally oppressive pressures on both of their chests finally lift as they speed down the driveway leaving the Byun’s residence in the distance.

          “This is fun,” Baekhyun practically squeals, pounding the dash with his fists energetically. The sudden loudness of his voice makes Zitao realize they’re finally out of range of prying ears. “I don’t really know what’s going on, but this is exciting. I’ve always wanted to leave that house on my own will. I’ve always done what they wanted me to. It was always about them, but this is…I don’t know but I feel like I’m finally doing something I want to do and it feels great!” He bounces in his seat, staring over at Zitao with the widest grin Zitao’s ever seen on Baekhyun’s face.

          Zitao laughs, deep and heartily before pressing the gas pedal further in as he follows the dark winding road through the forest, expertly dodging potholes here and there.

          “You still owe me an explanation,” Baekhyun says. “I don’t know what’s going on, but the look you gave me back in the room said it was serious. You don’t have to explain now, but…”

          “I’ll tell you when we get somewhere safe,” Zitao interrupts him. “It’s a lot to explain and I want you to understand it all.” He glances over at Baekhyun only to be met with a resolute gaze and an encouraging grin. “You have a decision to make?”

          Baekhyun’s turned in his seat to fully face Zitao. “What decision?”

          There’s a moment of silence before Zitao quietly says, “Whether or not you’ll stay by my side.”

          Baekhyun has that confused look on his face again before he’s swatting playfully at Zitao’s arm. “Haven’t I already decided to be by your side? I’m here aren’t I, idiot.” He’s laughing and Zitao feels like everything’s going back to normal for them. There’s no tension between them now. Even with so many things left unsaid, they’re sliding back into that groove they created when it was just the two of them back at school, that comfortable and understanding closeness they had when they knew how to communicate with each other by simply being together.

          “Can you promise you’ll still feel that way after you find out?” This time Baekhyun’s the one staring into eyes full of fear and sadness.

          Baekhyun places a hand on one of Zitao’s, guiding it off the steering wheel as he curls their pinkies together. “Promise,” he says. It’s something so childish, practically insignificant, but Baekhyun’s never made a pinky promise before and he never thought it would actually make a promise feel so steadfast. Unbeknownst to Baekhyun, Zitao’s just as new to this as he is and he feels exactly the same way. Who knew a pinky promise could feel so validating and final?

          Zitao looks to Baekhyun and smiles, feeling just a bit of relief with this childish pact. But in that moment that he takes his eyes off the road, there’s a flash of color up ahead as something large and brown darts out of the woods from Baekhyun’s side of the road. The blur of brown crosses in front of them, pausing just as it gets to the middle of the road and Zitao’s going too fast to stop in time. He slams on the brakes, turning the wheel with his left hand as he throws his right across Baekhyun’s torso, holding him secure in his seat because neither of them put on seatbelts in their haste to leave.

          The car has slowed significantly by the time it hits the tree, but it’s still going fast enough to crush the front end, shattering the windshield and surrounding windows. The crunching of the metal mixed with Baekhyun’s scream fills Zitao’s ears as they make impact. The airbags explode, dust flying as they billow into the boys’ faces, forcing them back into their seats. In the brief moment before he blacks out, Zitao hears the loud screeching of his door as it’s pried open and feels strong arms are yanking him out of the car, dragging him to safety.

          It’s the rough lapping of a tongue against the tender skin of his arm that brings Zitao back into consciousness. He finds himself shrouded in darkness as his packmate works on cleaning his wound so that it heals faster. It’s the arm he used to secure Baekhyun and it’s sporting a deep laceration down the front of it, as if it’s been scraped along something.

          When his head finally clears, he shoots up from the ground, eyes roaming the area as they adjust to the dark. “Where’s Baekhyun?” As soon as he asks, he sees Baekhyun laid out on the ground a few feet away from him, head lolled towards Zitao with a line of blood trickling down the right side of his face accompanied by tiny lacerations all of his beautiful, fair skin. His breathing is labored. Zitao pushes aside the man that was once lapping at his arm, the one that was the cause of the accident, Zitao’s packmate and personal bodyguard/right-hand man Yifan.

          Crawling over to Baekhyun’s unconscious form, Zitao inspects him further, silently hoping that nothing serious is wrong. Apart from the cuts and bruises, Baekhyun seems fine but it doesn’t matter because in Zitao’s mind Baekhyun shouldn’t have been hurt in the first place. He shouldn’t be in this predicament. Zitao had promised himself and Baekhyun that he wouldn’t let any harm come to Baekhyun and yet he’s here, lying in pain in the middle of the woods and it’s all Zitao’s fault, well mostly his fault.

          Zitao grazes his thumb across the cut on Baekhyun’s forehead, fingers trembling as he bites back anger, blood ready to boil as he looks up at Yifan. “What the hell were you thinking?” Zitao growls. “Were you trying to kill us?”

          “Sorry,” Yifan apologizes, kneeling onto the ground and bowing his head in repentance. “That was not my intention. I simply needed you to stop.”

          “And you couldn’t come up with a better plan than running out in front of me like some wild dog,” Zitao’s furious because Yifan not only placed Baekhyun in danger, but also himself. “What if I hadn’t turned the car in time? What then?”

          “I would be road kill,” Yifan answers seriously. “But my purpose would have been served.”

          “Don’t belittle yourself like that Yifan. You’re not just a pawn my father can toss around. Think about your own welfare sometimes,” Zitao scolds before pushing himself up so that he move closer to Baekhyun to reassess his wounds.

          “I’m not here on your father’s orders. I’ve been keeping an eye on you on my own. When I saw you getting close to him,” he gestures towards Baekhyun, “I checked him out to make sure he wasn’t a threat. I only just found out about his family this morning. I wanted to warn you, but I was too late so I followed you here instead, just as a precaution.”

          “Fine,” Zitao says taking in the information. “Why did you need to stop me so badly that you would place all of our lives in danger?”

          “There are trackers waiting for you near the end of the road. The Byun’s called for backup. Even if you were to get past them, that car,” he gestures towards the rising blaze at the edge of the woods, “has a tracking device. They’ll be following your every move.”

          Zitao trains his eyes on Baekhyun as he says, “What’s your plan for getting us out of here then?”

          “I have a car hidden not far from here. We need to move quickly if we want to bypass the trackers. They’ll see the flames and be on our trail soon enough.” Yifan falls silent waiting for Zitao’s approval.

          Soon Zitao is standing, pulling Baekhyun up into his arms. Yifan attempts to help, but Zitao snaps, “Don’t touch him.” There’s a clear warning in his voice and Yifan backs off, shoulders hunching slightly as a sign of withdrawal. “Lead the way,” Zitao orders, arms securely latched around Baekhyun’s limp body.

          Zitao follows Yifan further into the forest and as they distance themselves from the scene of the accident and the smell of the car’s fumes, Zitao finally catches a whiff of the trackers in the distance. He shifts Baekhyun’s weight, picking up the pace. “How much further?”

          “Just a few more minutes. I don’t think anyone’s following us but when we reach the edge of the forest, I want you to stay hidden while I get the car.” He glances back at Zitao, stride faltering in a moment of hesitation before he continues on. “That’s if you allow me to, sir, as a precaution.”

          “Sure. Sounds fine, Yifan. I trust your judgment, most of the time.” He adds that last bit under his breath. As much as Zitao trusts Yifan, he also thinks the guy can be a bit reckless in his methods because he acts on pure instinct. Yifan doesn’t think through most of the things he does. He’s strong, probably one of the most powerful in Zitao’s pack apart from himself, and can be considered his most loyal follower.

          Yifan has always been at Zitao’s side. He’s only a few years older than Zitao and from a very young age he was appointed the task of protecting young Zitao, acting as his bodyguard, mentor, and companion. They were inseparable, whether Zitao liked it or not, and truthfully, if he had to be stuck with anyone, he’s glad his father chose Yifan to be the one. Knowing Yifan, he probably took it the hardest when Zitao left home, probably felt abandoned and at a loss of what to do now that his charge was gone. Zitao knows Yifan was probably scolded harshly, probably even punished for allowing Zitao out of his sights, but Yifan could do nothing against one of Zitao’s orders; he could only obey. Even now, he can only comply with Zitao’s wishes. The only reason he’s acting on his instincts at the moment is because Zitao hasn’t given him an order not to and above anything else, Yifan believes in his duty to protect Zitao at all costs.

          When they reach the edge of the woods, Zitao stays in the shadows of the trees as Yifan verifies that the area is safe. Apparently, he had parked the car behind an old rundown outpost, which looked like it hadn’t been in use for years. They were still a decent ways into the woods down an obscure dirt road. Yifan drives the car over to the woods where Zitao is waiting with Baekhyun. He stays behind the wheel as Zitao situates Baekhyun in the back seat before sliding in himself.

          “Where to?” Yifan asks, already maneuvering his way down the overgrown road, keeping the lights off as they go to protect their position. They’re still too close to the trackers to relax.

          “Somewhere safe,” Zitao orders.

          Yifan nods keeping his eyes forward as he accelerates. “You know the safest place for you right now is headquarters. The trackers have your scent and they know you’re traveling alone.”

          Zitao knows this, but the last place he wants to go is home. He especially doesn’t want to take Baekhyun there, not after finding out his family background. If he does, he’ll knowingly be placing Baekhyun in danger. As evolved as they are, Zitao can’t guarantee that his packmates will be civilized in the way that they treat Baekhyun considering he’s not only an outsider but also the offspring of the enemy.

          As he makes his decision, Zitao places an arm around Baekhyun’s waist, holding him close to his side. “We’ll go to headquarters,” he says. “Yifan, I want you to treat Baekhyun as if he were me. Don’t let anything happen to him, okay?”

          Yifan stares into the rearview mirror, meeting Zitao’s eye before giving another firm nod. “I understand.”

          The conversation dies as Yifan focuses on the drive ahead. Now that they’re out of immediate danger, Zitao examines Baekhyun again. A part of him was relieved that Baekhyun didn’t wake up and struggle on their trek through the woods, but Baekhyun’s continued unconsciousness is beginning to worry Zitao. He eyes the gash on Baekhyun’s head. Cradling Baekhyun’s face with his free hand, he tilts the other’s head up for a better position before he slowly starts at the deep laceration. He moves from one cut to the next until he’s sure he’s healed every part of Baekhyun’s face.

          Leaning their heads together, Zitao sighs. “I really wish you would wake up. I don’t like it when you’re quiet like this,” he whispers.

          Yifan pretends not to hear. It’s safe to say that he’s stunned by Zitao’s actions, never having seen him show any signs of affection or worry before. Yifan feels as if he’s intruding on an intimate moment, so he forces himself to focus on the road ahead.

          “Baekhyun, you’re supposed to be the one telling me to wake up, not the other way around.” Zitao caresses the side of Baekhyun’s face, sliding his thumb gently over the smooth skin. As Zitao’s fondling over Baekhyun, he notices a ghastly cut down the front of Baekhyun’s right shoulder. He pushes Baekhyun into a more upright position so that they’re no longer leaning into one another. It takes a bit of effort to pull his shirt away so that Zitao can get to the wound. He has to break the seams along the collar, stretching it out so that it falls easily down Baekhyun’s shoulder.

          Zitao once again gets to work at the wound; cleaning it and helping it heal. He’s thankful in this moment that he can at least do this for Baekhyun. As the wound starts to thread together, Baekhyun rouses groggily, groaning as he’s hit with the soreness still plaguing his body. Zitao holds him still by placing a hand on his left shoulder as he finishes his job.

          “What’re you doing?” Baekhyun mumbles, feeling the wet, rough heat of Zitao’s tongue sliding repeatedly against his shoulder. “It’s weird,” he complains, weakly trying to shrug him off.

          “I’m almost finished,” Zitao says, a smile finally meeting his lips. He gives a few more , watching as the wound slowly closes up. He leans back, staring into Baekhyun’s sleepy eyes. “I’m glad you’re finally awake.”

          “Were you me again?” Baekhyun asks incredulously. His eyes flicker open as he registers his new surroundings. “The car, what happened?” Before Zitao can answer, Baekhyun jerks up. “The wolf! There was a wolf. Is he okay? Did we hit him?”

          “Calm down,” Zitao readjusts Baekhyun’s shirt so that it covers his shoulder again. “The wolf’s completely fine. You’re parents car, however, is not. What about you? Are you okay?”

          “Huh? What?” Baekhyun thinks for a moment, hands slowly coming up to touch his chest and head. He feels like he had the wind knocked out of him and his head throbbing; it feels like it’s been used as a hammer or maybe more like it’s been hammered on, like when a hammer slips and accidentally smashes a finger. Now that he’s wide-awake, the rhythmic throbbing in his head is hard to ignore and every inhale feels too shallow like he’s not getting enough air. “Everything hurts,” he finally whines, then looks to Zitao. “Are you okay?”

          “Yeah, I’m fine.” Zitao brushes his fingers gently through the back of Baekhyun’s hair, combing the stray strands down. “You might have a concussion, so it’s best if you stay awake. I know it’s late and we’re going to be in this car for a while, but I need you to try to stay up, okay?” Zitao’s voice is low and soothing as he coaxes Baekhyun into agreeing with him.

          “Where are we going?” Baekhyun asks, voice low as he mirrors Zitao’s tone.

          “Somewhere safe,” Zitao answers. “Are you comfortable?”

          Baekhyun slides down in the seat a bit, weakly pulling on Zitao’s arm to get him to lift it up draping it across his shoulder. He rests his head in the nook of Zitao’s shoulder, sighing at the relief it gives him from not having to hold his head up anymore. “That’s better,” he says, turning into his roommate’s side.

          “No sleeping, okay?”

          “Sure,” he mumbles. “Help keep me awake.”

          Now that Zitao’s facing forward again, he spots Yifan’s curious eyes as they dart repeatedly from the road to the rearview mirror.

          “By the way,” Baekhyun says pointing at the driver. “Who’s that?”

          “His name’s Yifan. I guess you could say he’s a family friend.” Zitao looks to the front, addressing the driver. “Yifan, I want you to officially meet my roommate and good friend, Baekhyun.”

          “Nice to meet you,” Baekhyun says as happily as he can muster.

          “It’s nice to finally meet one of Zitao’s friends.” Yifan smiles, turning his head just enough to glance back at them. “It’s nice to see that you two are so close. I haven’t seen him this worried about taking care of anyone before. Thank you for being his friend Baekhyun.”

          Zitao stretches over Baekgyun, kicking the back of the driver’s seat in warning while Baekhyun lets out a harsh laugh, holding his chest as his breaths struggle to flow in and out. “It’s okay. I like having him as my friend,” Baekhyun heaves.

          “Yifan, I’d advise you to watch what you say,” Zitao warns.

          Baekhyun playfully smacks Zitao’s thigh. “Don’t be mean.” He in a breath, trying to relax. “Yifan, how do you two know each other? Zitao never tells me anything about himself.”

          Zitao glares at Yifan, daring him to say something. “I believe that it’s best for Zitao to tell you.”

          Baekhyun looks up at Zitao with question marks in his eyes. “You know, you never did get around to telling me what’s going on. You said there were things I didn’t know about you and about my family. You said you were in danger because of my family and I want to know why. Considering everything that’s happened, I think I deserve to know.”

          Zitao’s ready to make an excuse as to why now’s not a good time to talk about this, but Baekhyun senses his apprehension. “You said we didn’t have time at the house. I get that we were in a hurry to leave. I know you said you’d tell me when we got somewhere safe, but I don’t think I can wait. We have time now and you need to keep me awake, so why not explain everything to me. Whatever’s going on involves my safety. Don’t you think I should know what’s going on so I can protect myself?”

          “I’ll protect you.” Zitao says, wrapping his arm a little snugger around Baekhyun’s neck, anxiety setting in because he’s not ready to tell Baekhyun everything, still worried that he might lose Baekhyun and everything he’s grown accustomed to over the past month and a half.

          Baekhyun sits up to face his roommate, struggling to disregard the pounding in his head. “Zitao, this is serious and I’m trusting you.” He pulls Zitao’s arm away from his shoulders, folding their fingers together in his lap. “I promised right? Whatever it is, I’m not going to leave you.” He pauses. “You said that my family’s a threat to you and I don’t know if that applies to me, but I really hope you won’t leave me either. I don’t think I can handle being abandoned again.”

          “Baekhyun, I’m not going to…”

          “It’s not fun being alone. When I first moved in, you told me you wouldn’t leave me, that it was okay for me to stay with you. You said I could trust you and I’m seriously trusting you right now. And I know I promised not to ask questions because you said there were things you couldn’t tell me, but I really need to know right now. Things have changed. It’s not just about you, it’s about us and I want there to still be an us.” Baekhyun’s breathing is getting worse the longer he talks and his eyes are starting to tear up, but Zitao knows once he hits his pace, he’ll just keep going. “I’m scared Zitao. I know I don’t show it and I act like nothing fazes me, but I’m really worried right now. I’m really…”

          Zitao shuts him up by wrapping his free arm around Baekhyun, allowing him to bury his face in Zitao’s chest as Zitao the nape of Baekhyun’s neck soothingly. “I won’t leave you. I promise I’ll stay as long as you want me to. I’ll explain everything, okay? Just calm down. Relax. Breathe. I’m right here.” He squeezes Baekhyun’s hand, trying to reassure him and calm him down. All the while, Zitao works on rearranging his thoughts so he can explain everything so that it will all make sense to Baekhyun because he needs Baekhyun to understand the seriousness of the situation and what he’s getting himself into by choosing to be with Zitao.

          As it all begins to settle in, Zitao soon realizes that there may be one thing slightly more troubling than telling Baekhyun the truth: Baekhyun’s going to meet his father.

A/N: I wanted to get further than this but these boys wanted to draw it out. I wonder how the next bit will go.

Well...thank you all for reading, subscribing, and commenting. I love reading your thoughts. I'll try to keep going :D