Ghosts

Luhan's smile seemed like a flickering candle against harsh winds Jongdae observed days after the front lawn kissing incident. He had been shocked at what he witnessed. He didn't think Yifan left with his wits intact that early evening. The alpha looked hurt but murderous although as to whom he wanted to strangle or decapitate, Jongdae wouldn't even dare guess.

Jongdae watched as Luhan became spaced out more often. He also watched how Yixing would give Luhan a light nudge at random times and Luhan would respond by giving a small smile and an even smaller shake of the head. He thought it was beautiful how the two communicated and said so much without the need for words. If truth be told Jongdae felt envious and maybe just that tiny little bit jealous. He never had anyone like how Yixing and Luhan had each other. And if he had any say on it he would give anything to be in that world of theirs.

In Jongdae's opinion Luhan is a very beautiful person inside and out.

Even as a man he could acknowledge that Luhan was beyond handsome, bordering between ethereal and surreal. Jongdae however, was of the thought that Luhan's physical beauty was overshadowed by his tender heart despite his mischievous nature.

 It was as if Luhan's heart refused to grow up and remained that of a child's. He was kind and mindful about other people's feelings and always did his best to make others smile. When he had been the reason why others were happy or smiling his smile would be the brightest and he would be breath-taking.

Yixing had a different beauty about him.

Yixing's body moved with a certain grace and smoothness that can only be pulled off by dancers, his lithe frame flexible. Jongdae found that whenever Luhan was happy Yixing would smile that beautiful dimpled smile and every time, no matter how many times Jongdae has seen it, it took his breath away like a solid punch in the gut. The two always had mischief up their sleeves whenever they put their heads together and talked in whispers. It appeared as though Yixing's own happiness depended so much on Luhan's.

It worried Jongdae that the two omega had been quite sad.

Surely they can't both be sad about that incident involving Yifan? It had been a week ago. Luhan had avoided Yifan after that and Jongdae had only seen the alpha twice since that incident. It was beginning to frustrate him how little he knew of his saviours. He had tried asking Jinki in the hopes that the older man could shed some light on his predicament but the other only looked at the calendar and gave a sigh before saying it was that time of the year again and that he would know soon enough.

Soon enough came the next morning.

 Yixing and Luhan woke up like zombies, dark circles under their eyes evident from even a hundred meters away. Yixing had tossed and turned in bed the previous night so Jongdae wouldn't be wrong to think that Luhan did too. Breakfast was a silent event inside the house that made Jongdae really uneasy.

The atmosphere was so somber, so forlorn Jongdae felt like crying.

"Are we going somewhere, Luhan hyung?" Jongdae asked as Yixing packed some food in containers together with the sticky rice dumplings that they had made last night. Luhan looked up from where he was cutting the stems of roses and marigolds so they would be short enough to fit in the paper bag without sticking out.

"Ah.... Yeah. Sorry we forgot to tell you.  We are going to the beach." Jongdae nodded and decided to just keep silent for the moment although he thought it was weird that they seemed to be preparing for a picnic when they were encased in such a gloomy mood. He'd ask later or maybe find out when they get there.

Soon enough they set off to a brisk walk to the seaside not too far away from the house. They passed by Yifan's house where the alpha stood outside talking to an equally tall guy with a slightly tan skin and dark brown hair who smiled and waved at them.

"Are you guys off to the beach?" The guy asked when his eyes landed on the basket and flowers.

"Yeah. The usual." Yixing answered and raised the basket a little.

"Don't stay too late. Weather forecast said there will be rain in the evening."

"Thanks, Minho. We'll get going now." It was Luhan who spoke this time and urged Yixing and Jongdae to get moving as they have stopped a few meters from the house when Minho greeted them. Luhan smiled at the tall man before bowing slightly but completely ignored Yifan who just stood there with furrowed eyebrows and an unreadable expression in his eyes. Jongdae bowed politely to both men before following Luhan and Yixing.

It seemed as though the wind and the waves picked up the mood and decided to go with it as the ocean reflected an overcast sky and barely blowing breeze and the water surface calm with just the occasional lapping of water on the shore.

Yixing spread out a blanket on the sand where he set down the basket of food. It didn't surprise Jongdae when Luhan took off his shoes and folded his pants up to his knees before he took the flowers and gave Yixing a nod. Jongdae would have followed them too if not for Yixing shaking his head and telling him to sit down. So Jongdae did as he was told. He sat on the blanket beside the basket of food which then had only half of its contents as Yixing had taken some of the food with him before he joined Luhan who was now knee-deep in the calm waters.

Jongdae watched silently as Luhan plucked the petals of the marigolds and roses before scattering them on the water surface. While Luhan stood knee-deep into the cold water Yixing was crouched just beside him letting the pieces of rice dumpling and buns float atop the water surface. Jongdae’s curiosity gnawed at him like an itch waiting to be scratched but he knew he had to be patient. It felt like hours where in truth it was just minutes until the stems of the flowers were devoid of petals and Yixing’s hands were empty but the two did not budge from their positions in the water.

 Jongdae watched in fascination as Yixing threaded his fingers in between Luhan’s and both stayed silent looking far into the horizon until the sun begun to set. The sky had then turned reddish with the sun low in the sky when the pair decided to turn back to the shore and to where Jongdae sat waiting. Once again he found himself marvelling at how the two could communicate so efficiently without the necessity of words and wondered if he could possibly reach that level of familiarity with them. It would be nice to talk without speaking because sometimes words can be misunderstood so easily when they have lost their meaning.

The first thing that Jongdae noticed when Yixing and Luhan decided to join him back on the blanket wasn’t the wetness of their clothes. Sure, their pants legs were wet and dripping and the scent of the salty seawater attacked his nose but the redness of their eyes was more conspicuous. He had the urge to ask if they had been crying all those time that they stayed in the water but he held back his tongue aware that if they wanted him to know, they would tell him without him asking. As much as he wanted to know everything about them, Jongdae knew he had no right to ask as the two had never asked him anything about his past. They knew he would tell them when he was ready so it would only be appropriate if he waited for them to tell him whatever they deemed he should know.

“Today is my mother’s birthday.”

 It was Luhan who broke the silence. He had his chin on his knees and his arms wrapped around his thighs. Jongdae turned to look at him but Luhan just kept staring into the orange horizon.

“We should celebrate for her then.” Jongdae wasn’t able to hide the curiosity in his voice upon hearing that they should be celebrating a joyful occasion but they looked like mourners in a poorly attended funeral.

“But today is also the day she died.” Luhan blinked a few times to hold back some tears that threatened to fall but his efforts were in vain as soon as he saw Yixing silently weep. It alarmed Jongdae and made him panic. He wanted to comfort them but he didn't know how. He opened his mouth to say something after swallowing the lump that formed in his throat but Yixing spoke first.

"They all died." Yixing's choked voice broke at the last word and Jongdae was struck to silence, eyes wide in horror.

They?

"Who... What.... What do you mean ‘they’?" Jongdae managed to stutter after a moment of disbelief and hesitation.

“All of them. Our families. Our pack. Our village. Everyone we knew. Everyone we loved.”

It was Luhan who spoke this time, his eyes unfocused and his voice barely above a whisper. Jongdae thought for a while that Luhan looked like he was back in time on that day and that place where it all happened. Jongdae didn't want to hear it. He didn't want Luhan to recall and suffer once more of what appeared to be a horrific past experience. Luhan radiated of sorrow through every pore of his body but even that didn't mar his beauty. Luhan's eyes were red and flowing with tears that cascaded continuously and yet he was still breathtakingly gorgeous. Yixing was crying too and it only made his features softer and more delicate that Jongdae just wanted to hold him in his arms and comfort him.

"It's been so many years. I was seven and Yixing was six."

Luhan said in a shaky voice. He took a deep breath to collect himself before pulling up his knees and wrapped his arms around them. He stared at the blood-tinged horizon with so much sorrow Jongdae thought nobody should experience. Jongdae wanted to stop Luhan from saying anything more. He wanted to say he didn't want to hear it but it seemed as though the omega had broken down the dam containing all the painful memories and emotions he was holding back for who knows how long. He had given up on controlling his tears as they now fall freely down his cheeks.

"I was happy that day. We all were. It was her birthday after all. My mother was well loved by everyone in our village so they were all happy as well. There was so much food coming from different people. Yixing's mom made rice dumplings and his father had caught a good haul of fish just the night before. I helped my mother stir the taro pudding she was making before my father came back with the elk he caught from his hunting. "

 Luhan stopped to swallow, his throat dry.

"I wanted to give her something, a gift, anything. I wanted to tell her in my own simple way that I love her and I'm thankful for everything she does for us. There wasn't enough time to go and find something special so I asked Yixing to go with me so we can get her some flowers from the meadow across the river just beyond the woods. She told us to take our time but be sure to come back before sunset and to be careful of the rabbit holes. I promised her we'd be back before she knew it. She even kissed me on both cheeks before I dragged Yixing away. I... I didn't realize that would be the last I'd see her alive."

Luhan stopped as a sob made its way out of his throat and Jongdae noticed how hard he was clenching and unclenching his fists, short fingernails digging into his palms. He understood how painful it is to remember.

Oh, he understood too well.

Jongdae was no stranger to painful memories. He has his fair share of sorrow and anguish that haunt him at night and more often than not wake him up drenched in cold sweat and tear-soaked pillow. He's heard Luhan whimper at night when they have all gone to bed. He just didn't know why but now....now he knows.

Jongdae was jerked back from his thoughts when Luhan spoke once again.

"Only after we had taken so much flowers that both our arms were full did I decide that we should get back. Yixing had difficulty holding the flowers. He always had been scrawny but he would always do anything that I asked. Even if some of the flowers had thorns he held on to them and didn't complain. We were going back when we heard some noises that seemed to come from our village. Soon enough we heard some howls. I recognized my father's howl amongst them. Then there were more loud noises. We were scared, Yixing and I. Those noises and howls weren't of the happy kind. We ran. We ran as fast as our legs allowed us still clutching the flowers. We didn't mind that we were bleeding from the thorns."

Luhan gasped for air as Yixing whimpered.

 That day was something they both remember vividly despite the years that have passed. It has been a long time and yet the pain never diminished, it never dulled. Having Luhan say it out loud just seemed to have magnified the pain, made it raw like a newly opened wound.

"I smelled blood even before I saw it. It was so strong it made me dread what we were about to see. I was scared... So scared that for a while I wished it was just a nightmare... But it was worst. Houses were burning left and right. Our neighbours' bodies laid askew on the ground. I ran to our house hoping foolishly that I would find my mother and father alive. I hoped and wished that my brother was okay, that he would giggle at me and call my name."

Luhan choked and thumped his chest with his fist. It was too painful just thinking about his innocent baby brother. Jongdae fought against the urge to clamp a hand on Luhan's mouth to stop him from speaking but he knew that even if Luhan did stop spewing out the words that would not stop the memory and the pain from flooding back.

"I found my father first, just in front of our house. Shot with a bullet through the head, the blood still warm from his wound. I.... I..." Luhan's body shook with each sob that emitted from him just as it did that day when he held his father's limp body in his small arms. "I didn't think he'd die like that. He must have put up quite a fight. There was blood in his hands and wounds on his arms." Luhan paused as he took a breath and wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

Jongdae's hands hurt from how harsh he had been clenching them all this time that Luhan told their story. He didn’t understand how humans could massacre an entire village. A murder or two is easily explained although it is not something acceptable, but a pack, a village; that was just beyond horrific. What kind of people would do such a thing?

Humans can be repulsive Jongdae now knows that to be a fact.

Jongdae was pulled back from his thoughts as Luhan spoke once again.

“I didn’t know how I left my father’s body but the next thing I knew was finding my mother. She was behind our house facing the woods. She was shot three times at the back but she was still alive when I found her. Barely. I didn’t know what to do when I saw her. It was supposed to be a happy day. She was supposed to smile and laugh and remind me that her happiness is our family. She wasn’t supposed to lay in a pool of her own blood and struggle for breath! She was supposed to watch me and my brother grow up. But there she was, barely breathing, barely alive. I kneeled beside her and she forced herself to smile. I told her not to leave me. I begged her. I begged her to stand up. But she only smiled at me...and breathed my name. Her last breath was my name. Luhan. That was the last thing she said before she went limp and closed her eyes.”

Jongdae envisioned a tiny Luhan clinging to his dying mother while begging her, pleading her not to die and leave him alone. A helpless child clutching on to his fading hope was a pain Jongdae knew too well.

He was in the same situation years ago.

Luhan lost his voice as his emotions took over him. He shook like a leaf in the wind as sobs poured out as freely as the tears that fell from his eyes. Yixing crawled to his side and wrapped an arm around his shoulder to which Luhan reacted by burying his face in the other’s chest. Yixing carded his fingers through Luhan’s hair as they cried together. Jongdae didn’t know what to do. He thought it was beautiful how the two omegas clung to each other like one would to a lifeline and probably that was what they were to each other. Jongdae opted to watch in silence as they cried and comforted each other. He felt just how much of an outsider he was at the moment. He just hoped he wouldn’t be one for too long.

Jongdae has never felt more at home anywhere else since his mother died than here with these two total strangers who thought that saving a dying enemy was a good idea. They had not known that they were not only saving Jongdae’s life but they have also given him a new reason to live for.

He so desperately wanted to die when his mother was killed and has since lived his life like it meant nothing at all, not that it meant anything to him anyway. Sure he did go to school, and went on surviving, but that was that. He just merely survived, existed, just because he had promised his father that he would not waste away his life even if his mother wasn’t there anymore to guide him. Not that Jongwoon was a neglectful father, on the contrary he cared a lot about his sons, but being the alpha of a pack that was constantly at odds with other packs over territorial rights amongst other things had taken up almost all his attention and had worn him out undeniably. Jongdae missed him though and his guidance but most of all he missed the warmth of a home with his parents.

 For years he felt sorry for himself, he felt lost, and anguished that his mother's killer was unpunished. But as he listened to Luhan recount that terrifying day of their past, Jongdae thought he should have met them long ago so he could maybe follow their lead and live his life fully.

Jongdae's gaze on the two man in front of him softened as he recalled how they would nudge each other when either one of them looked troubled. His eyes landed on Yixing's face as the latter rubbed soothing circles on Luhan's back. He would give anything to be part of the tight bond the two shares but it might not be possible. They have been together their entire life and Jongdae's just a new friend.

Yet, deep in his heart, Jongdae couldn't help but hope.

Yixing felt the heavy stare and remembered that it wasn't just him and Luhan. Unlike the previous years, this time they had come for their annual payment of respect with another person in tow. He lifted his head from where it was rested on Luhan's shoulder and gave Jongdae a watery smile. Jongdae gave a slight nod in response seeing Yixing's attention was now on him.

"I found my mother beside my father. They both were shot multiple times. Whoever had shot them made sure they wouldn't survive. It took me a while before I realized what fate had fallen on my family. I laid beside my mother wishing I was gone with them, that they had taken me with them instead of leaving me an orphan. I don't know how long I just laid there holding her hand and staring at her face, committing every line to my memory but when I heard Luhan shouting I realized I wasn't really alone. I still had Luhan. I stood and ran to where his voice was coming from. I got mad when I saw him. He was trying to go inside their burning house. We struggled until we both fell to the ground. I... I could not have lived with myself if I had let him go. I'd be truly alone by then because I knew he didn't stand a chance against the fire. It was .... I don't even have words to describe it to you, Jongdae."

Yixing looked up and made eye contact with Jongdae, his eyes clouded with sadness brought about by the memory. Jongdae gave a slight nod in response; his lips pressed into a thin line as his own memories flood him and make his blood boil.

"Luhan is all I have, my friend and my brother. I would never forgive him if he left me. We were like lost children in the streets. No home. no relatives, not even a coin in our pockets. We lived and slept in the streets. We’d be lucky if we had a meal for the day.”

“One time when I was starving that my stomach hurt I thought it would kill me, I stole some steamed buns from a vendor in the market. Unfortunately, he caught me just as I grabbed the buns from the steaming tray. He was so angry his face was all red. I would have run for it if he didn’t hold me by my hair. He told me to pay and got even more furious when I told him I didn’t have money. He started shouting and attracted the attention of nearly the entire crowd in the marketplace that day. He kept saying parents like mine who didn’t work to feed their kids should be put in jail and kids like me who stole from hardworking folks like him should have their hands cut off.”

“I got so mad when he talked about my dead parents. No one should talk ill of people they didn’t know. I was shaking with anger and tears started to cloud my vision so even though I was small and skinny I managed to upturn  the steaming tray loaded with the buns and make them all fall on the ground the same time I started crying. He got angrier and took the bamboo pole they used for carrying heavy loads. I knew he was going to hit me but I just stood there and waited. I didn’t care anymore. My dead parents had just been insulted by someone who didn’t even know them and I have disgraced them and their memory by stealing.”

Yixing looked ashamed of himself even if the story he was telling happened years ago. He expected to find Jongdae looking at him with disgust or revulsion but the younger man only looked at him with sad understanding in his eyes.

“I closed my eyes and waited for the pain. I heard the sound of wood hitting flesh but never felt the pain. I even heard the gasps of onlookers but I never felt anything. When I opened my eyes I just cried more. Luhan had gotten in between me and that man. It was him the man had hit. He stood facing me with his arms spread open to protect me. He got hit and I knew it was painful judging by the grimace on his face. But he didn’t say a word nor complained. He just protected me. He always does.”

Yixing nuzzled Luhan’s hair, his affection for the latter evident in his voice and action.

“Despite the big crowd that gathered around that little scene, no one dared to stop the man from hitting Luhan. Maybe that was why he hit him again. I knew the man had hit him hard that Luhan shouted from the pain. The people around us murmured but no one stepped forward to intervene. The man then aimed for a third hit but before he could bring down his hand a voice shouted from somewhere.”

“We smelled him before we saw him. A tall man with a stern and slightly scarred face but with gentle eyes that made us immediately feel secure. He commanded attention and the people parted to clear a path for him. He looked at us and at the angry man. He asked what happened and the man went on about how my parents were irresponsible and lazy and undeserving of having a child because they couldn’t feed me that I had to resort to stealing. While they were talking, the boy who was with the tall man came nearer to ask us if we were alright. He introduced himself as Yifan and the older man as his grandfather.”

Yixing smiled at the memory of their first meeting with the alpha.

 It wasn’t what one would call an ideal first meeting nor did they make a good impression but it was a fond memory none the less, the fact that the meeting had their lives change for the better. Jongdae noticed that Luhan was smiling too, flooding his insides with relief seeing that the two had stopped crying and the sombre mood has lifted.

“Maybe it was Luhan’s face, or maybe it was the fact that we were orphans, or maybe it was just the goodness of their hearts, Yifan and his grandfather took us back home with them. They were just visiting some relatives for the holidays so they asked us to come here with them. We didn’t have anyone else there so we agreed in the end.”

“It was difficult, being in a foreign country especially when you are kids with nothing but the clothes on your back. It could have been worse of course but Yifan’s family took us in as if we were their own. The fact that Yifan was smitten with Luhan was pretty obvious too.”

There was now a teasing smile on Yixing’s face as he nudged Luhan’s elbow.

“Love at first sight?”

“Love at first sight?” Yixing repeated the question with a raised eyebrow, once again nudging Luhan,

“Was it?”

“Shut up.” Luhan grumbled on Yixing’s shoulder unwilling to either deny or confirm it.

Yixing gave out a chuckle that sounded so melodious to Jongdae’s ears.

“Maybe it was. Whatever it is, it has made Yifan unable to look at anyone like how he looks at Luhan. It isn’t one sided though. Luhan here for his part has never dated anyone. Except for Yifan of course. I’ve lost count of the broken hearts that shattered in front of him when he rejected confession after confession from both male and female species.”

“They weren’t that many! And why were you even counting?” Luhan smacked Yixing’s arm and pouted thereafter making the younger one chuckle.

Yifan nearly popped a vein in the past whenever Luhan received love letters when they were students. Luhan naturally attracted people with his looks and his personality. The handsome boy who played soccer like he enjoyed every minute of it easily made friends and always had a cheerful smile for those who approached him. Yifan had trouble keeping Luhan’s admirers away long enough to make his school life enjoyable.

“Well, they surpassed the number of toes and fingers that I have so I’d say they were that many.” Luhan glared at Yixing but his tear-streaked face only looked pouty and petulant, once again smacking Yixing by the arm before burying his face in the latter’s chest, grumbling.

“You shouldn’t have counted. I don’t even remember the names of half of them.”

Jongdae found himself smiling at the two omegas.

Their closeness and bond as life-long friends is something undeniable and he doubts that anything would be able to break it. He finally understood the depth of their connection, they were more than friends and brothers; they were soulmates. Yixing caught his gaze and smiled at him, that dimpled smile that made Jongdae’s heart quiver in a pleasant way.

“What would you do if any of you found your mates?” Yixing raised a brow at the question so Jongdae hastened to explain, “I mean, when one of you is bonded, wouldn’t it be awkward then?”

Yixing's fingers found their way to Luhan's jaw and tilted his chin up from where he had buried his face into Yixing's chest. "You would never leave me, right?"

"Never." Luhan whispered as he shook his head as if the mere idea of leaving Yixing was preposterous.

"You're stuck with me. Even when you have a mate you’re still stuck with me.” Luhan looked Yixing in the eyes before turning to Jongdae and gave the younger man a knowing look. Jongdae looked at him, confused, but decided to shrug it off. Luhan was sometimes weird.

“I might not even find a mate at all, all things considered. But I don’t mind.” Yixing’s smile directed at Luhan made Jongdae’s chest ache just that little bit. “I have you and Yifan. I’m sure the both of you will take care of me just like you’ve always done.”

“Well, your future mate better know in advance that we are a package deal and accept it. Otherwise I’ll kick his sorry little and keep you to myself.” There was that hint of a pout in Luhan’s voice that his seriousness couldn’t hide but Jongdae was thrown off by the look Luhan was giving him.

Was Luhan implying something?

“I’d kick his sorry little myself if it would make you happy.” Yixing chuckled heartily at his own statement.

He knew Luhan’s teasing nature, knew it so well that he rarely got affected anymore but the prospect of him having a mate who wouldn’t accept Luhan as an irreplaceable part of his life would be troublesome. Yixing sometimes thought he would be better off not finding his own mate if such mate will separate him from Luhan.

“Your future mate should be thankful. You are a wonderful person with a wonderful friend and brother in Luhan hyung.”

Luhan and Yixing looked at each other before breaking into twin satisfied grins.

They turned to look at Jongdae who did not fail to notice the glint in Luhan’s eyes. Jongdae smiled at them, glad that finally the sombre mood had loosened its grip on them. He sighed in relief as he glanced at them before directing his eyes to the sea; the wind had picked up and now carried the salty smell of the teeming life under the surface. He took a deep breath and slowly let the air out through his nose, feeling the anxiety imbedded in every fibre of his body seep out.

“What about you, Jongdae-yah?”

“Huh? Me?” Jongdae looked  at Luhan.

He had not expected any question will be thrown his way nor did he understand what was being asked about him. Luhan and Yixing looked at him with gazes that held so much meaning and understanding that it dawned on him what that simple question meant. He cleared his throat that he found dry all of a sudden before he opened his mouth again.

"I ... I'm not an orphan but I may as well be. Mom ... My mom died when I was six. She was..." Jongdae trailed off as his eyes begin to sting with the tears that usually accompanied his memories.

"She was poisoned, I saw it, watched it, and I wanted so much to stop it but I couldn't. I watched as the poison was shoved down by someone she trusted and cared for. Sometimes I feel like I was the reason she died, like it was my fault, like I was the one who killed her. Sometimes I had nightmares where I had blood in my hands.” Jongdae let out a shuddering breath as he ran his hand down his tear-soaked face.

“I grew up hating almost everyone after that. I don't even know if I have anyone I can trust anymore."

Luhan and Yixing pulled Jongdae towards them and engulfed him in their hug as they tried to comfort the sobbing alpha. Luhan had been right from the beginning. Jongdae was someone like them.

"We are here now, Jongdae. You can trust us." Yixing's voice was soft and soothing just like the warmth of his hand on Jongdae's shoulder.

“We can be your family if you want. We can’t offer you much but know that we are here for you.” Luhan’s hand rubbed soothing circles on Jongdae’s back as the latter let out the tears he had not let anyone see.

They remained in that circle for quite some time just holding each other and sharing the comfort of having someone close until Jongdae's sobs subsided. He sighed and cleared his throat once again before lifting his head from Luhan's shoulder.

Much to Jongdae's surprise Luhan's head lolled to the side, eyes shut and on the edge of tired sleep.

"He's asleep." Jongdae looked at Yixing who smiled at him expecting the other to shake Luhan awake.

"I know. He hasn't slept much the last few days so the fatigue was bound to catch up”.

"Shouldn't we wake him up? Or should we carry him home?"

Home.

The thought of calling Luhan and Yixing's house ‘home’ made Jongdae feel warmth spread in his chest. Yixing chuckled and it sounded like music to Jongdae's ears.

"Don't worry. He will carry him home."

"He?" Jongdae turned his head abruptly to the direction of Yixing’s gaze.

 Sure enough there was a figure slowly emerging from the shadows behind the trees. As the figure of the man drew nearer and the last ghosts of light illuminated his figure, Jongdae realized it was Yifan.

 Jongdae suddenly felt uncomfortable and looked at Yixing who just smiled at him as if everything was in order. He was about to question Yixing about this but the tall alpha was already in front of them in a matter of seconds. Long limbs sure had their advantages.

“Yixing. Jongdae.”

Yifan spoke their names as greeting in that low voice of his that Jongdae can now identify even if he only heard the former instead of see him. Yifan's tone was conversational but it had Jongdae's eyes widen in surprise. The mere fact that Yifan acknowledged him and his presence to greet him was another thing he didn't expect.

"You could have approached us sooner, you know? You didn't really have to wait until Luhan fell asleep." Yixing's voice was light and Jongdae couldn't help but notice the teasing note in it.

"I thought he might still be mad at me because he'd been ignoring me." Yifan sighed dejectedly.

"Aww…for someone who knows Luhan inside and out, you should know by now that he can't really stay mad at you for a long time."

This time Jongdae clearly caught the innuendo beneath Yixing's words so he chanced a glance at Yifan's face. Even with the deepening darkness of their surroundings the flush that coloured Yifan's face was clearly visible.

 Jongdae watched with interest as Yifan shifted on his feet while Yixing chuckled at the alpha's flustered state. Jongdae wouldn’t have thought it possible for the scary looking alpha to be reduced to awkwardness and mumbling about silly teasing best friends if he had not seen and heard it for himself.

Who would have thought?

“We really should get going.” Jongdae piped up. He could smell the rain in the air already. If they head back soon they might just make it before it rained cats and dogs.

“Yeah, we should.” Yifan was quick to agree, thankful for the diversion.

He crouched just in front of Luhan and had Yixing help him get the sleeping man on his back. Jongdae gathered their things while Yixing helped secure Luhan’s position on Yifan’s back. Yixing kept a hand on Luhan's back as Yifan stood up and took a tentative step.

Yifan took long strides effortlessly as they hurried to reach the omegas' house.

Luhan weighed more like a child than grown man on Yifan's back and it made him uneasy. He turned his head to the side to look at Yixing but found himself faced with Luhan's sleeping face. With their faces merely a breath apart, Yifan had the sudden urge to kiss Luhan's closed eyelids which were puffy from all the crying a while ago. Even Luhan's slightly parted lips beckoned to Yifan, so tempting, so enticing that he wanted to take and claim all that was his. Yifan was so close to giving in when Yixing suddenly cleared his throat.

"I don't think Luhan will appreciate having a bump on his head or bruises on his body if you stumble and fall, Yifan."

Yixing really did like teasing Yifan especially after he and Luhan had a fight or misunderstanding because that will be when the alpha will be too easy to provoke. Yifan glared at him but Yixing just grinned.

 “And you might want to hurry because I am sure too that Luhan wouldn’t appreciate waking up drenched in the rain.”

Grumbling, Yifan decided he will just get Yixing back for his remarks later when they are all safely under a roof. He walked faster, still keeping Luhan’s legs wrapped around his waist. He could hear Yixing and Jongdae walk faster as they tried to keep up with his pace.

Yifan had half the mind to take Luhan to his own place but thought against it so after pausing for a while in front of his yard he proceeded to walk towards their house. It started to drizzle just when the house came to view. Yifan stood at the porch while Yixing opened the door. Yifan had to duck to get through the door and walked directly to Luhan’s room. Yixing came after him and helped him to settle Luhan on the bed.

Once Luhan was lying on the bed Yixing went out of the room and came back with a basin of warm water and towel which he placed on the bedside table.

"Thank you, Xingxing." Yixing smiled warmly at the fierce-looking but soft-hearted man before him before patting him on the shoulder.

"I'll just be in the kitchen if you need anything. You should stay for dinner. Luhan will probably sleep until morning."

Yifan nodded in response and waited for Yixing to leave the room before he returned his attention back to Luhan. With the wet towel, he started cleaning Luhan’s face and neck, making sure to wipe his cheeks carefully. He could see the puffiness of Luhan’s eyes and it made his heart clench painfully.

When he first saw Luhan many years ago, he thought that Luhan was an angel, an ethereal being so perfect he was unworthy to touch him or even be near him. Now that years has passed he still thought of him as perfect albeit sometimes too mischievous and stubborn. But he doesn’t think he could love his mate more than he does now.

When Yifan deemed Luhan's face as clean enough, he bent down and kissed Luhan's forehead.

Luhan sighed and shifted and Yifan thought for a while that he had awoken the smaller man but he just continued sleeping. Yifan then proceeded to take of Luhan's shirt so he could wipe the chest and arms. It was no hard task as Luhan was as light as a kid. Yifan shook his head in disapproval. He would make Yixing ensure that Luhan would eat more.

Yifan sat beside Luhan after he had managed to clean the sleeping man and put on a clean set of boxers and tank top for him. Luhan looked exhausted but peaceful sleeping with his pink lips slightly parted and emitting soft snores. He brushed Luhan's fringe away from his forehead and gave it another kiss. Luhan grunted and started mumbling in his sleep but Yifan didn't understand any of it, not until he heard his name.

“Yifan….idiot...Yifan.”

Despite the fact that he was being called an idiot Yifan couldn’t help but grin at the sleeping man beside him. Luhan had that little frown on his face as his lips twitched and pouted and it took all of Yifan’s self-control not to kiss those lips that he had missed badly. He settled for a peck on the nose and to the corner of Luhan’s lips instead.

“Wait for me a bit more, Luhan. Just a bit more. Just be a little more patient.”

Yifan pulled the blanket up to Luhan’s chest so the latter won’t be cold later before he picked up the basin of water and the towel. Yifan would have loved to spend hours just watching Luhan sleep but he had things that he needed to handle. He threw Luhan another glance while at the door. Luhan had now shifted to lie on his side with his hands next to his face. Yifan switched the lights off and proceeded to the kitchen where Yixing said he would be.

Yifan walked with quiet steps down the hallway towards the kitchen and tried to listen to the sounds coming from them. Aside from the sound of sizzling of food being cooked on the pan he could hear Yixing and Jongdae’s voices.

“You mean you knew all along that he was there?” Jongdae sounded incredulous. He had not heard or smell the alpha follow them after they passed by his house.

“Luhan and I knew. He must have followed us after a while so you didn’t know. He always does anyway, without fail. And just like you’ve seen; if Luhan fell asleep he’d carry Luhan back here. It’s nothing out of the ordinary really.”

Jongdae was about to say something else when Yifan deliberately made his proximity known by making his footsteps noisy. He entered the kitchen and immediately saw Yixing turn over the pieces of meat on the pan while Jongdae stood at the sink washing lettuce. The table had been set for three but as both Yixing and Jongdae turned to face him he shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Xing. I have to go soon. We can have dinner together some other time.”

“But I cooked food for three people, Duizhang!”

“Keep that for Luhan. He’d be hungry in the morning. And please make sure he eats more every day. He is light as a feather now!”

Jongdae looked on with interest at the exchange.

Yifan did appear cold and scary when he first laid eyes on the alpha but today was a surprise to say the least. He didn’t think Yifan was the caring and gentle type.

“Don’t worry too much, Yifan. You know Luhan always loses weight when he is stressed. I’ll make sure he eats more starting tomorrow, ok?” Yixing gave Yifan a reassuring smile and a pat on the shoulder. Yifan gave him a toothy smile in response, the understanding between them evident.

“I should get going now. Err…” Yifan looked at the basin he was holding as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Just give that to Jongdae.”

Jongdae’s eyebrow rose at the mention of his name but stretched out his hand anyway to take the said basin from Yifan. Yifan gave him a nod a small smile and Jongdae tried with all his best to return the smile. Yifan turned to nudge Yixing with a sharp elbow to the side.

“I guess you wouldn’t be going to Minseok this time.” Yixing looked at Yifan, confusion written all over his face.

“Huh? What?”

“I mean you wouldn’t be going to Minseok this time when the need arises. Guess someone else is going to take care that for you.”

Yifan’s smile was all gums and teeth and cheeky. Yixing made to kick him when the realization hit him but the tall alpha was quick to dodge and put enough distance between them.

“I swear you are worse than Luhan!” Yixing huffed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“What? What’s wrong with it? Luhan seems to approve. I do too!”

“Don’t you need to go already?” Yixing glared at the laughing Yifan who raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Ok, I’ll go. But..” Before Yifan could say anything more Yixing turned him around and started pushing him towards the door.

“Take an umbrella with you. Luhan will have my head if he knew I let you leave in this downpour without an umbrella.”

“I don’t need an umbrella. I’ll just run from here.”

“No, Yifan. You will take an umbrella and Luhan will say I am a good friend for making you do so.”

Yifan stopped by the shoe rack and grabbed one of the umbrellas hanging beside it. He gave Yixing and Jongdae another gummy smile before he bade them good night and went on his way. Jongdae shook his head at the little exchange he just witnessed. Even just the mention of Luhan made Yifan smile warmly.

“Whipped.” Yixing chuckled upon hearing Jongdae’s remark, the warmth that spread in Jongdae’s chest made him think that being whipped didn’t seem too bad at all.

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A/N: OMG *bows profusely*

We are so so sorry that this took over three months to come out. Both your authors are busy people who live crazy busy lives.

We hope you all enjoy this 7600+ update.

<3

midnight:- Profuse apologies from me as well….it’s my fault to, but 7,735 is not bad right? lol