We are okay for now

When Chen passed out Lay and Xiumin were the first to reach him. They were both incredibly relieved that Kai was alive, and well, but they worried as Chen hit the ground. Lay checked his pulse and breathing immediately, and felt with his powers over Chen’s energy, and sighed with relief as he carried Chen to the corner of the room with Xiumin behind him.

”He is fine” he said and Xiumin looked about as relieved as he felt like. ”He just used up too much of his power to stay awake. He just needs rest, and then he’ll be as good as new.”

Xiumin nodded. ”You should go check on Kai.”

Lay smiled a bit. ”I don’t need to. I can feel from here that Chen gave him the push he needed to wake up. He’ll be fine, thankfully.” His face fell. ”I am so happy, but angry. Why does it always have to be Kai?”

Xiumin nodded. ”I know, I thought the same thing before. It worries me, but I guess it’s because he is the teleporter. They always have to work extra hard, since their power really doesn’t help them kill something. It has to be other skills to do that.”

Lay agreed. ”Yeah. You’re right. We’ll just have to take better care of him from now on. I don’t think any of us thought he was going to die, but he did, and without Chen his life would've been lost. We can’t let that happen again.”

”No. We’ll have to train him harder. He needs to be able to teleport for a longer amount of time with bigger objects without this happening to him. Since it seems it’s a fall he’ll never get rid of we have to work around it. Once he’s fine enough to train again we’ll start. We need to push him to the limit.”

”Mm. I agree. And I think that applies for all of us. We all need to learn further, we need to push ourselves harder. Because we are okay for now, but I think we can all feel it. Something is coming, and if we don’t get any stronger, we’ll die when it does.”

Both Xiumin and Lay looked at each other, in a mutual understanding, knowing that what they said was true, and they asked Luhan in their heads to tell the rest when everything had calmed down. Said boy just looked at them and nodded, before turning back to Kai, who was smothered by D.O and everybody else. 

Once Xiumin had hugged him, the rest did too, and Lay ordered Kai into bed arrest for a couple of days, until he was fully recovered. Kai, who seemed to tired to complain, nodded and let D.O carry him to their room. Xiumin smiled at the sight, since D.O was much shorter but still strong enough to easily carry the younger, and then he turned towards Lay again.

”I’ll take Chen back into our room, if that’s okay with you?”

Lay looked like he was about to say no, but then Suho came and nudged him in the side, and he sighed and complied. ”Okay, fine. I’ll come check on him in a moment.”

Xiumin nodded, and lifted up Chen carefully in his arms, the second time in just a few days. It was strange how right it felt to have him there, in his arms, they fit together, in a way. But it concerned him how light Chen was, and he furrowed his eyebrows. ”Lay. Has he always been this light?”

Lay looked at his brother worriedly, and took him in his arms for a short moment, and then swore lowly. ”No. He hasn’t, at least not since I saw him last time before he arrived here. I didn't think of it the other night, but now that you say it, he is way to light. We’ll have to get him to eat more.”

”That’s probably a good idea” Luhan said, with his usual soft voice, and the other’s looked at him. ”He weights less than me, and that says a lot.”

”Do you know why, Luhan?” Sehun asked, worry evident in his voice. 

Luhan smiled a bit. ”There could be many factors to that. I think we’ll just have to ask him when he wakes up.”

The other’s agreed, and then Xiumin carefully took Chen back into his arms, carrying him to their shared room. As he went inside, he could feel the other’s looks on his back, and he understood why. Before Chen had arrived Xiumin didn't really want people to much him, hug him, or even pat his shoulder. Contact while fighting was one thing, but when it came to contact by showing affection for each other Xiumin hated it. 

It had always pained him, as well as it had pained the other’s. Because he really did love EXO as his own family, they meant everything for him, but he just couldn't bring himself to hug any of the other’s when they had done anything well. Hell, he could barely stand Lay touching him when he healed him. It reminded him so much of his own past, and he just couldn't handle that.

So therefore he was just as shocked as everyone else that he was able to touch Chen, carry him even, and that he had hugged Kai once he knew he was alright. By some unknown reason, when Chen ad arrived, something in Xiumin had woke up once more. That need to protect someone. He always wanted to protect the other’s as well, but they didn't really need it. So when Chen came, just like a Bambi on ice, his protective instincts were put in full mode. Just like head done with his sister once. 

Thinking about his sister pained him a lot, he missed her so much, so so much, and Chen reminded him of her incredibly much. It wasn't really their personality, or how they looked. No, it was more that delicateness and sensitivity. They were both careful of other’s feelings, caring and loving. And they saw things that other’s did not. Chen had seen that Xiumin was as pained as him when they had met, his eyes had torn through Xiumin the same way his sister’s had when she knew Xiumin was upset by something. 

But at the same time, he was very different from his sister. He carried that hidden strength inside himself, the one that said you can step on me all you want, but I’ll still just get up again and laugh at you. His sister never had that trait. When someone told her something mean, she was always cried and took it to heart. And she had never been able to forget when something said anything mean, never. 

Chen wasn’t like that at all, Xiumin knew that from what Lay had told him. He had always been the weak one, just like his sister had been, but he had never let it come to him. He had fought on, had protected his friends even though they much easier could protect him. That was just what he was like, and would always be like. Xiumin knew that Lay hated that trait, because it made it much more difficult to protect the stupid boy, but Xiumin couldn't help but like it. That someone so small, still could be so strong in his own way. That he could hold his ground.

Xiumin smiled as he looked down on the sleeping body. In his sleep, Chen looked peaceful and free from worries. His hair was laying soft around him, skin pale, but still beautiful. It made Xiumin’s heart clench just to look at him. He was very thankful of Chen now. In the beginning he had hated that Chen made him feel like he wanted to protect that much again, that he wanted to touch again, but when he had seen s’ chocked faces when he hugged Sehun made it all worth it. He realized that he didn't have to be afraid of touching those around him, that he could still protect them if he did. 

He would never let anything like his past happen again. No, he would protect his friends with his life. He would protect the lightning boy.

”Hyung” was the weak word that woke him up from his thoughts, and he looked chocked at the eyes of the now awake Chen. ”Is he alright? Kai I mean. I saw him wake up when I passed out, but I just..”

Xiumin smiled. ”He is fine Chen. You saved his life. Thank you for that.”

Chen smiled back, obviously relieved. ”Good. I was so worried that I wouldn't make it to him before anything happened, and when I got inside and everyone was crying I got so scared that it would be too late.”

Xiumin gave him a reassuring pat on the head. ”But you weren't too late. He will be perfectly restored with some rest.”

”Do you guys have any idea why his body does that”?

Xiumin shook his head, frowning. ”No, we have no idea, and it’s very concerning. We won’t let this happen with Kai again, that’s for sure, but then we need to make him stronger. We all need to be stronger if we are going to be able to face what’s coming for us. I have a feeling this whole evolved magma deal is just the beginning.”

Chen nodded. ”I agree. I feel uneasy all the time now, and that usually doesn't mean anything good. And don’t get mad, but… I went to the forest before.”

”What!?”

”I’m sorry, but I was just as desperate at everyone else. I went to ask Magnus if he knew of anything that could help, but he didn't have a clue. What happened to Kai had never happened when he was alive. I got the idea about that perhaps I could restart Kai by myself. It was a lucky guess, really. But anyways, that’s not what I wanted to say. When I went back, something was chasing me again, but I got annoyed and my power came out a bit like it did when you and I were training, and I told the creature to come out or to beat it.. and surprisingly, it did. I didn't even see it, and it just turned around and left. This time it wasn't Sungjae, I’m quite certain of it. It felt like something else.”

Xiumin let out a row of curse words. ”Well, it’s good that you're telling me, I’ll tell Luhan to tell Alice to strengthen the procession around the school. But your really have to stop going in there by yourself. What if you get lost, and can’t find your way out? What if a magma attacks you? Lay would kill me if something happened to you, seriously. Please make my life easier by telling me when you're about to pull a stunt like that.”

Chen sighed, but nodded reluctantly. ”Fine. I am sorry, really, but I didn't know what to do. And it bought that, if Magnus didn't know no one would.”

Xiumin let out a smile. ”Well, that wasn't exactly right, now was it? You knew what to do.”

Chen blushed. ”That was just a lucky guess. I didn't know if it would really work. But it thought it was better to try.”

”And we’re thankful you did. If you hadn’t, Kai would've been dead now. You saved his life.”

Chen’s eyes widened. he hadn't even thought of that he, for once, had helped someone. He had saved someone’s life. He smiled. ”This has always been my wish, you know. To be able to help someone, to not alway have to be the one who needs to be protected.”

”Well, but it’s not bad to be protected, is it? That shows that people really care about you.”

”I know, but sometimes I just wish that I could be stronger. That they wouldn't have to always worry about me, and do their own job properly. I don’t want someone else to die because of me.”

Xiumin frowned. ”Sometimes, that’s not something you can avoid. We all, as a group, would give our lives to save the other’s, and I have a feeling you would do the same. Then it’s only fair that we get to protect you too.”

Chen pouted a bit, but he realized Xiumin was telling the truth. ”Fine. I give up. You’re right.”

Xiumin grinned. ”I am almost always right, so I’m not surprised.”

Chen snorted. ”Yeah, that’s the biggest lie I’ve heard yet. If we are talking about someone who is almost always right, we are talking about Luhan.”

Xiumin smiled wider. ”I guess so, but Luhan is always right. Not almost always.”

Chen couldn't help but smile too. ”Luhan is scary when he says something you’ve just been thinking.”

This time, it was Xiumin who snorted. ”Please. Luhan is always scary.”

”I HEARD THAT!”

Xiumin and Chen looked at each other in chock, hearing Luhan’s voice tearing through the walls. Then they started laughing, both at the same time. It was nice, to finally be able to laugh after the day they’d had. But as the laughter died down, they could hear footsteps towards their room, and then the door was pulled opened, revealing a relieved looking Lay. 

”Chen! You are awake!” He went up and hugged his brother, the younger hugging him back immediately. 

”Yeah, Lay ge, I am fine. I feel good, just a bit tired.”

Lay pouted. ”Well, that’s not a surprise since you used so much energy on Kai.” Then his face softened. ”Thank you” he whispered. ”For saving him. I have never felt so helpless in my entire life. It’s just like when I can’t heal you, there is nothing I can do except watching the person in front of me fade away. And the there you were all of a sudden, knowing exactly what to do.”

Chen looked away, embarrassed. ”Stop praising me, you guys. I just did what anyone of you would've done. And I go the idea by an accident, I was just hoping it would work. I was just as scared as the rest of you.”

Lay nodded, and hugged his brother tighter. ”Well, of course. But you did save him, and you deserve some praise for that. Oh, and that reminds me. D.O sends me his regards. He wants to talk to you himself, but Kai is sleeping on him, so he can’t really slip away right now. he doesn't want to, either.”

Chen grinned. ”I understand that. tell him it’s fine.”

”Sure. Well, from what I can feel from you, you are quite fine. Rest today and tomorrow, and you'll be as good as new. Then we’ll start training again, and this time we’ll all work hard to become stronger.”

Chen made an okay sign, to show he had understood, and Lay smiled, ruffled his hair and left the room as sudden as he had came. Chen sighed. 

”I guess I have to tell i made another trip to the forest.”

Xiumin laughed again, evil glint in his eyes. ”Well that’s what you get when you do that. But don’t worry I don’t think he’ll be more than furious. You did do it for Kai.”

Chen groaned. ”Furious is enough for me. Urgh, I don’t have the strength for this.”

Xiumin snorted loudly. ”That’s your only fault. You could have told any of us that you went instead of sneaking by yourself.”

”Everybody was busy!”

”That’s not an excuse!”

Chen smiled sheepishly, and gave up. He knew XIumin was right, unfortunately. ”Sorry.”

”Yeah yeah, I know.”

The room fell into a very comfortable silence, and Chen buried himself under his covers. It was cozy under there, but as he closed his eyes, the nightmares started again. They hadn’t bothered hum when he fainted, but now they were there, right as he was about to fall asleep. Because of that, he sat up quickly, shaking his head, trying to get rid of the pictures playing inside his head.

Xiumin, who heard the sound of Chen sitting up again, looked over, and sighed when he saw the fright in the boy’s eyes. He slowly stood up and went over to Chen’s bed. ”Hey. You okay?”

Chen looked up. ”I think everything that happened with Kai today triggered the nightmares to become worse than usually.” His eyes were a bit teary. ”I don’t think I want to fall asleep.”

Xiumin looked at him for a long while, then he nodded and went over to his bed, picking up his iPad. ”Scoot over” he said. ”We’re going to watch a movie.”

Chen smiled immediately, and scooted over, glad that Xiumin didn't force him to sleep, and also a bit excited since they were sharing a bed again. It was weird, but he had become very attached to Xiumin, very quickly. At first the older hadn't liked him at all, so he was glad he had warmed up to him quickly. He hated being enemies with someone, especially if he didn't know why.

Xiumin slipped down beside Chen under the covers, putting extra pillows under their heads. ”What do you want to watch” he asked as he was settled in.

Chen thought for a moment. ”Ever seen a movie called the maze runner?”

Xiumin shook his head. ”No.”

”No? Well, lets watch that then.”

”Okay.” Xiumin looked around for a bit, then found the movie and started it. They watched it in silence at first, but then they found themselves commenting every little thing.

”This movie is so old.”

”It’s horribly done, I know. But it was really good at the time it was made.”

”That was like forever ago.”

”Should we shut it off then?”

”No. I still want to know what’s gonna happen.”

”You are just thinking the girl is hot, don’t you?”

”I’m more looking at the boys really. Girls have never really been my thing, and hell, the guys’ asses are nice.”

”I know right. Ki Hong Lee was really good as Minho. And I’m like you. Why girls when you can have boys?”

Then they went quiet again, but as the movie progressed, they still kept commenting.

”OMG RUN!”

”Chen you’ve seen this movie like a million times, why are you so excited?”

”Because it’s good! And you’re excited too!

”I’ve never seen it before. What’s your excuse? RUN DAMMIT!” 

”YES ES RUUUUN.”

As the movie was ending, Xiumin frowned. ”I don’t get the ending. Why is it so y?”

”It’s a movie based of a book, and this was just the first part. I think there are other movies, but I’m afraid they will ruin the first one so I’ve never watched them.”

”Well, that’s just weird.”

”Oh shut up, you.”

Xiumin let out a low chuckle, and Chen did the same.

”How comes you like this movie so much?”

”I find it amusing how people thought this place would be like in the future. I know it’s fictive, but still. It’s really weird.”

”Tsk. Have you ever seen the hunger games? There we’re talking weird.”

Chen laughed. ”Hell yeah!” Then Chen’s smile fell, and he brought up his courage. He had been thinking of asking ever since the movie started. ”Hyung? Can I ask you a question?”

”You just did, but fine.” Xiumin smiled, and Chen punched his arm. Then he got serious again.

”Well, I just want to know why you disliked me so much in the beginning?”

He felt Xiumin tense up, and immediately understood that the question was far more serious than he first had thought. ”Sorry. You don’t need to answer if it’s hard for you.”

Xiumin looked at Chen, and smiled a bit. He deserved to know the truth after all he had done. ”It’s not that I didn't like you Chen, it was that you reminded me of someone important, and I didn't want to remember that. It’s a painful memory.”

Chen looked, worried. ”I’m sorry. It was never my intention.”

Xiumin laughed, but the supposed to be happy sound didn't really sound real. ”I know that. And after we spent time together I realized you two were quite different after all. You are much… stronger, in a way. You don't lay down just because someone is mean, you stand on your own.”

Chen smiled, sadly. ”Well, I don’t know that. It’s true I ever give up, but I still get hurt.”

”Yeah. But you fight on. There’s the difference.”

Chen was quiet for a while, and then he took a deep breath. ”I have promised I won’t force you to tell me anything of your past until you want it yourself, but can you tell me who I remind you off?”

Xiumin was quiet for many, long seconds, but then he opened his mouth, voice coming out in only a whisper. ”Mellie. My sister.”

Chen heard on Xiumin’s voice, he was almost crying, so he turned in the bed, putting the iPad away, and hugged XIumin tightly, melting into his body. 

After a while, Xiumin hugged back, breathing in the smell of Chen. He smelled, strangely, of oranges. It was a very nice smell.

”You know” Chen said softly. ”It’s okay to cry.”

Xiumin took a deep breath. And another. And another. The tears were coming out, and he couldn't stop them. 

And there they laid, and Chen held Xiumin as he cried, much like Xiumin had done with Chen. He affectionately patted his back, and started humming soft songs in foreign languages, until Xiumin calmed down.

”I’ll tell you one day” he whispered quietly. 

Chen just held him tighter. ”I’ll wait.”

Then they two boys, both tired, felt their eyes get droopy, and without knowing it themselves, they fell asleep.

Author’s note:

I don’t know why every chapter always ends so angsty… I guess I’m just weird. Tell me what you think, if you want! Thank you for reading! <3