~Chapter 16 – Palpable Tensions~

            The air is chilly as Sehun sits on the roof of the inn that they're staying at, the sun had long set a while ago and he still hadn't returned to the others since he left the room. He's wrapped up in past memories as his mind tries to clear the fog that's seemed to have covered it.

            "Luhan, we'll always be together right?"

            Sehun and Luhan are having a sleep over tonight and it's really late past their bedtime but the two can't really sleep, maybe it was all the sugar they had that evening or their excitement over being able to spend the night together. Either way the eight year old and the four year old are now laying in bed whispering to one another so they don't get into trouble.

            The question Sehun asks hangs in the air for a but and Luhan bites his lip, he doesn't want to make promises he might not be able to keep especially to Sehun who's still young, "We'll be together as long as possible Sehun. I won't leave you."

            Sehun frowns, "Why as long as possible? Why not always?"

            "Mmm because things get more dangerous when we get older, we'll have missions like mommy and daddy and uncle and aunty and they always tell me in school that ninja are always risking our lives for our missions and sometimes missions can go wrong," replies Luhan.

            Sehun frowns not really understanding Luhan completely, "But what if I become really strong so the missions can't go wrong? Does that mean everything will be okay?"

            "That's not for sure though," Luhan opens his arms, lifting the blanket they're sharing lightly. Sehun instantly gets the message and snuggles in closer to Luhan happily as his short arms try to wrap themselves around the older's torso while Luhan returns the embrace just as tightly. "No matter what happens missions are something that you can't always be sure of."

            "Mmm, being a ninja doesn’t sound as cool as it did before," mumbles Sehun with a pout.

            Luhan smiles lightly, "But you'll be starting ninja school soon too, next year actually, don't you want to go to the same school as me?"

            Sehun nods against Luhan's chest eagerly, "Yes! It gets boring at home when you're gone and I don't have anyone to play with!"

            Luhan laughs at Sehun's response, and tucks his chin on top of Sehun's head, "You'll be a great ninja Sehun it's in your blood. If you become really great then we can even go on missions in the same squad and we'll always be able to watch out for each other."

            Sehun doesn't say anything for a while and Luhan thinks the younger has fallen asleep but Sehun proves him wrong when the younger squeezes him, "Always?"

            "…Always," answers Luhan quietly after some hesitation, he kisses the top of Sehun's head and once more on the cheek for good measure, "Now let's go to sleep before Uncle or Aunty come in and see us awake."

            Sehun yawns and buries closer to Luhan, "Okay."

            "Always…" the word slips Sehun's lips as he begins coming back from his memories, he sighs and rubs his head, "Ugh, I ed up real bad and now I'm hiding like a coward."

            "Yeah you did."

            Sehun's instincts kicked in at the sound of another voice and he withdrew a shuriken, ready to throw it at the supposed threat but when he twisted his body to throw it, he saw it was only Kyungsoo.

            Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow at the shuriken in Sehun's hold, "Do that and I swear I'll push you off this roof. Leader or not."

            Sehun grimaces and quickly places his weapon back in it's pouch. He didn't want company right now, he wanted to sit and sulk in peace.

            "Huh, and here I thought you were going to tell me to go away," Kyungsoo takes a seat beside Sehun and dangles his legs over the edge.

            "Even if I did you wouldn't leave anyways."

            "You're right about that."

            Silence sits between them for a few more moments before Sehun loses his patience with waiting for Kyungsoo to leave.

            "What do you want? Or would it be better if I asked why are you here? The other two are injured and I'm sure Kai wants your attention," Sehun sounds completely off putting but Kyungsoo brushes it off.

            "When I came up here I expected to see you pissed off and cranky as hell but what I saw instead was a more reminiscent type of look, what were you thinking of?"

             "…" Sehun sighs, "A time easier than now and so much more simpler."

            "But you're no longer in that time, this is your now."

            "I know."

            "You know yet you're not embracing it, you're fighting it."

            Sehun pauses as he chooses to ignore Kyungsoo's statement and asks quietly "Did Luhan tell you what happened?"

            Kyungsoo shakes his head, "No, but from the commotion you two were making and the fact that you still haven't come back yet meant something did happened. Luhan shut the door and said he was tired and didn't want to be bothered, he hasn't opened the door since you left. Kai and I guessed he's pretty pissed about something."

            "I know," mumbles Sehun as he pulls his knees up to his chest, guilt twisted itself painfully in his gut.

            There's silence again as Sehun continues to brood quietly over his actions while Kyungsoo tries to gather his thoughts for what to say next to their young leader.

            "You know I'm probably the last person who should be telling you this but," Kyungsoo takes in a deep breath and sighs, "being a ninja, a leader of a squad at that, is one thing and being you is another."

            Sehun's forehead crinkles in confusion, "What?"

            "If you think about it that way doesn't that simply solve all your problems?" Kyungsoo turns to see Sehun still staring at him in confusion, "And I thought you were smarter than Kai."

            Sehun makes a face at the insult, "Yeah, yeah, will you just explain. My brain doesn't feel like comprehending any riddles today."

            Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, "Answer me this, would you do anything to protect Luhan and keep him safe?"

            There's no hesitation in Sehun's answer, "Yes."

            "Do you have no doubts that Luhan would do the same for you?"

            Sehun frowns a bit at the idea of Luhan risking himself for him but answers nonetheless, "Yes."

            "Aren't you in love with him since you were kids?"

            "…" Sehun doesn't answer out loud.

            Kyungsoo gives the younger a look, "Fine, don't answer I already know the answer anyways."

            Sehun opens his mouth to argue but Kyungsoo brings a hand up to stop him.

            "Whether you're scared of our world's dangers or not, you have each other to watch out for. I'm sure Kai already talked to you and you should know by now that practically everyone in the village knows about you and Luhan and your annoyingly stubborn relationship. Sehun it's obvious, there's no point in you holding back. You want to keep Luhan as safe as possible by not exposing him as your ultimate weakness, we understand that but sometimes it becomes so