Come nighttime, things had settled down. Dense as usual, the Shifters had forgotten about the newcomer the moment they were shown to their room- yes, their one room. Five of them. In one room.

Gem had then proceeded to put Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Suho and Lay in the next room; Zitoa and Kris in another. JinJu was shown immediately to her own, large quarters, and despite insisting that she could share with Chanyeol and Baekhyun, Gem had flat out refused. "I 'ave values, you know missy," he'd said, "An' I could never make a pretty young lass li' yerself share a room with a crowd of dirty men."

She had no idea what he'd meant by the last bit- it'd offended Chanyeol, though- and winded up graciously accepting the space. She had her own bathroom, and a king sized double - and the minute glance she'd gotten of Chanyeol's room, before Gem had bustled her away, boasted no such luxury.

JinJu would've been lying if she'd said she didn't enjoy being treated so well. Her first impression was right- she was definitely going to like the gruff captain.

Something still bothered her, and it was the arrival of Lay. He was the living proof of their enemy's existence, and such a sudden confirmation had her head spinning. Setting aside the surrealism of the situation, the fact that he'd just been accepted like that was beyond her. Nobody really questioned it, just accepted the man as a new part of the group- but JinJu couldn't trust him, not yet.

To top it all off, she was worried to death about Zitao. It was almost depression that'd hit him; he'd stayed in his room all day, and while it was understandable, it was also strange not having that authority. What scared JinJu was the prospect of such leadership never returning- it was terrifying. Without Zitao to lead them, she genuinely worried they'd be left floundering, unable to really do anything.

"No shower," Sehun sighed, holding up a finger to the rather low ceiling. "No space. No privacy." He blew a stray hair out of his face glumly, sinking into the mattress as though willing it to just swallow him up.

"No alone time," Jongin added miserably. 

From his meditative seat, cross-legged on an ornate armchair, Luhan shot Jongin a reproachful look. Jongin returned it with a challenging lurch forward, before pulling his pyjama shirt on over his head. He locked eyes with Sehun; and like that, they'd found a victim.

"You know, you used to be fun, Luhan." 

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Jongin lowered himself onto the bed beside Sehun, and the pair of them eyed Luhan in a tandem of mock-lamentation. "For starters, you used to agree with us-"

Luhan scoffed, "That has nothing to do with... anything. You two just need someone to perpetually your egos, and since we've left behind those fawning fans the pair of you had back home you've been kinda shell shocked." He smirked over at them.

"No, no, that's not it." Much to the other's surprise, Sehun shrugged off Luhan's insult. "It's more like... You used to be- Jongin, what's the word I'm looking for?"

Jongin grinned, "Prickly?"

"Ah, yes! Prickly." Luhan scowled, but Sehun continued regardless. "Like a cactus, some would say."

"No one would say that."

Sehun hummed. "You'd be surprised." Snickering, Jongin flopped onto his back beside Sehun. "I honestly preferred cactus Luhan though. You've become all 'holier-than-thou' lately..."

"It makes it hard to carry a conversation with you, you know?" Jongin added. Luhan slumped, and in the momentary lapse that following Jongin and Sehun basked in their petty victory.

"I swear, you two waste that much time on being horrible to everybody that you practically collapse come bedtime." Luhan finally sniffed as he casted a derisive glare at the two. "You should try being a little nicer- it wouldn't kill you, you know."

"I'm not horrible," Sehun denied, and even Jongin snorted. "What? I'm not."

A long-suffering crease graced Luhan's brow, indentation so deep one would think it'd been there for eons. "Are you stupid?" he accused lazily.

"No," Sehun shook his head vehemently, as though it were obvious. "I'm not horrible- I mean, I can be a little... Demanding, I guess, but that's just my personality- right Jongin?"

Jongin snorted, and Sehun's face fell, crestfallen.

"Huh. So you are completely oblivious to your own behaviour." Luhan's eyes slid shut. "That explains a lot, actually."

"Am I really..?" 

"Have you not heard the way you speak to everybody on this ship who is not Shifter?" 

From his armchair, Luhan let loose a bark of laughter. "Please, Jongin, like you're any better."

Jongin sat up rather hurriedly at that, shooting Luhan a reproachful look that he did not see. "You're no saint yourself, you know Luhan. You talk about all this 'being nice' stuff and , but you never actually do anything."

"Small steps Jongin," he sighed exasperatedly, "Small steps."

"More like no steps."

"Mm, standstill," Sehun added helpfully.

"Ugh, this is even worse from inside the room." 

From a not-so-tucked away corner, Jongdae slammed shut his book. "I heard the bickering from the room beside you idiots on nights before- I had no idea it could get even more excruciating, but once again you've managed to outdo yourself." 

Nobody paid too much attention to his little outburst, despite the uncharacteristic raise in the Shifter's voice. "Jongdae we aren't arguing," Luhan explained, "I'm just proving a point."

"Sounded like arguing to me." In resignation, Jongdae slumped back against the sofa. "At any rate, keep it down. Xiumin's out cold, and I honestly think he'd prefer to stay that way."

All of them looked behind Jongdae- sure enough, Xiumin was already sprawled in his cot-like bed, even his frame too large for the mattress. Gone were the concerned lines he wore through the days, and his blank expression was enough to convince all of them. It looked so peaceful in comparison to his usual face of worry.

"But Jongdae," Luhan begun (more quietly), "I'm right, right?" 

Jongdae sighed. "All of you are complete pricks to anybody who is not a Shifter. Profess sentiments of acceptance all you like-" he cut off a ready-to-object Luhan, "- When it comes down to it, you make as much effort as you used to in Skinwalker studies class."

Luhan's face fell; it seemed the analogy had hit home.

Jongin didn't look too perturbed, but still shot Jongdae a quizzical look. "You know, Jongdae- and it's not that I don't agree with you, you are completely spot on- but what position are you in to be telling us this?"

Finally, the frown melted from his thin lips; the smirk that replaced it brought back to Jongin vivid memories of a certain vindictive five year old who'd thought it'd be funny to superglue his hair into a mohawk-like structure. Jongin shuddered. He'd had to shave his head, and Luhan had cruelly likened him to a monk for months.

"I've been reaching out. Granted, it hasn't been very well received," Jongdae chuckled, "That Jin