A/N: This is just the prologue so nothing that exciting really happens. Also it's only 1.4k words.

Sehun stared at the main gates with the other hundreds of people waiting for their loved ones to return. It had only been a few days since he had last seen the man he was waiting for but it felt like a lifetime. Especially when he never knew if Zitao would be returning or not.

He had done this countless times before, always standing in the back of the crowd tensely waiting for the gates to open, but today felt different. He felt like there was something off.

There was a breeze in the air which kicked up old leave and dust. Children were playing in a pile of raked leaves just down the hill from where Sehun was standing. The kids were chatting rambunctiously about something and laughing. Sehun shifted his gaze down the hill a little ways and saw a few people he knew. One of those so happened to Baekhyun surely waiting for Chanyeol to return.

Sehun wanted to move down the hill and stand with the others but he didn’t. Instead he decided it was best to stay away from the crowd. He was feeling anxious enough already.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

Sehun turned his head to see a small little boy staring up at him with wide bright blue eyes. His hair was white blonde and had leaves stuck in it from playing.

Sehun smiled warmly at the boy. “Yes my best friend,” he replied easily.

The boy’s face lit up. “That’s so cool that you know someone in the scouting legion!” He started to bounce on his heels in excitement. “Does he get to fight the titans?” He asked making a punching motion.

Sehun nodded. “I know for a fact he’s killed over a hundred!” Sehun exclaimed.

The boy’s jaw dropped. “That many?” He asked in pure wonder.

Sehun nodded. “Maybe even more.”

“Wow. I wanna join the scouting legion when I get older,” the boy’s face got suddenly serious. “I want to protect everyone I know and keep the titans form hurting another person. I want to kill them all.”

Sehun opened to his mouth to speak but the boy cut him off.

“HERE THEY COME!” He yelled deafeningly.

Sehun’s head whipped forward and his eyes locked onto the, now open, main gates. He watched, body tense as could be, as the scouts one by one came inside.

Chaos broke out near the gates below. Sehun cringed at the sounds of people yelling. Luckily the boy and himself were far enough away they couldn’t make out the words being thrown at the scouts. Sehun knew for a fact that the words of those men and women yelling were harsh and hateful. They were taking their frustrations out on the scouting legion.

“Why is there so much yelling down there?” The boy asked sounding confused. “Those people are heros and everyone sounds angry at them.”

Sehun didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say to the boy. Was he going to tell him the truth? That most of the population hated the scouting legion? He didn’t want to be the one to break the boy’s heart, he would find out on his own soon enough.

The crowd near the gates finally began to separate and let the scouts through. Sehun’s eyes locked onto the first horse in the line of them and then went from there searching for Tao.

Fifth in line and blood covered from head to toe, Tao sat on his midnight black mare. He looked exhausted, Sehun could see the bags under his eyes even from a good distance away. The horses were moving very slowly up the slight incline clearly just as exhausted as the humans who rode them.

“They look bad,” the boy stated as the group drew closer.

“Yeah they do.”

As the scouts drew closer Sehun grew tenser. He didn’t know what to say to Tao, he never did.

Tao spotted Sehun a minute later and smiled at him. Sehun could tell the smile was forced and it hurt him inside a small bit.

Tao jumped off his horse when the scouts were finally near Sehun and the boy.

The boy grabbed onto Sehun’s shirt and stood behind his leg as Tao and his horse walked towards them.

“Sehun,” Tao’s voice was rough and very tired sounding.

“Tao,” Sehun breathed. “You didn’t get hurt right?”

Tao smiled. “I’m just tired.” After he spoke he finally seemed to spot the boy behind Sehun. “Well hello there,” he said crouching down a little.

The boy squeaked out a quick hi and hid his face in Sehun’s pants.

“Don’t be shy,” Sehun said to the boy. “He only hurts the titans.”

The boy peeked around Sehun and looked Tao up and down. “Is it scary?” He asked.

“At first but then you remember everyone you want to keep safe and it’s not so scary anymore.” Tao said.

The boy stepped out from behind Sehun and immediately began to pummel Tao with questions which he answered as best he could. Sehun just watched the two with a smile on his face. It wasn’t everyday that Tao got asked questions about his job from anyone other than Sehun.

A little less than an hour later the boy’s mother came to tell the boy it was time for dinner. As the woman passed Tao she didn’t even bother to acknowledge his presence. Tao ignored her back and waved to the boy who had a huge smile pinned to his face.

When they were out of sight Tao finally turned back to Sehun. “I have something to tell you,” he said light sparkling in his eyes.

“What is it?” Sehun asked curious.

Tao shook his head. “Let’s go to your house first,” he said. “It’s not something I’m supposed to tell anyone.”

-

An hour later Sehun found himself sitting at the table in their sparse kitchen. Sehun made Tao some beef stew and he was currently wolfing it down.

Sehun ate slowly as Tao got up for thirds and then fourths. Who knows how long it had been since he had eaten a proper meal. Clearly some time.

When they were finally finished eating they moved into the sitting room. Sehun was even tenser now then he had been while waiting for Tao to arrive earlier.

“What is you need to tell me?” Sehun asked picking at his sleeve.

Tao yawned. “We finally found something outside the walls,” he said sounding sleepy.

This caught Sehun’s full attention. “What did you find? Do you know where the titans are coming from?”

Tao shook his head. “Nothing that exciting I’m afraid,” he said yawning for a second time.

“Then what did you find?”

Tao looked over his shoulder as if someone was eavesdropping on the conversation. He turned back around and locked eyes with Sehun.  “There’s--”

“PLEASE REMAIN CALM.”

Sehun’s blood turned to ice. Tao jumped to his feet.

“THE NORTHWEST WALL HAS BEEN BREACHED. I REPEAT NORTHWEST WALL HAS BEEN BREACHED.”

“Sehun,” Tao was already throwing on his jacked and running towards the closet where he kept his three dimensional maneuver gear. “Get to safety.”

“Tao,” Sehun was on his feet following Tao toward the closet. “Where are you going?”

Tao turned and gave Sehun a dark look. “Don’t ask me stupid question Sehun,” he said. He looked away from Sehun and began gearing up. “I have to go do my job.”

“Tao don’t,” Sehun said.

Tao finished putting his gear on and turned. He grabbed Sehun by the shoulders. “Sehun you are my best friend and I want you to be safe,” he said. “Please evacuate with everyone else. I’ll be fine.”

Tao let go out Sehun and moved to the front door. He didn’t even bother to look back at Sehun as he wrenched the door open and fled Sehun’s home.

Sehun stood in the middle of the room in a daze. He knew he needed to move now or he was going to become titan fodder but he couldn’t get his legs to move.

It wasn’t until a piercing scream sounded just outside did he shake himself from the weird daze.

It was too late though.

Sehun could hear the heavy footsteps of a titan making it’s way right toward his home. His body flew into motion and he flung himself through the doorway.

Sehun stood just outside his door staring.

He had thought there was only one titan inside the walls. He was so, so, wrong.