“Jongin, can we talk?” Kyungsoo asked from where he stood in front of Jongin, Sehun and Luhan. He was twiddling with his thumbs rather nervously and looking at the wall behind where the trio were sat.

Jongin got to his feet, “Sure” he said, gently taking Kyungsoo’s wrist and leading him to a quiet part of the room, “What’s wrong?” he asked softly, taking one of Kyungsoo’s hands between his  own and playing with the elder’s fingers as they stood facing one another.

Kyungsoo looked far too nervous for things to be peachy, but he shook his head to tell Jongin it was nothing bad, “I um, I’m not sure how to, uh… word this,” he said awkwardly, fidgeting as he did and shifting his weight from one foot to the other in nervousness, “This is going to be really sudden, but, um, I’ve been thinking. I don’t like this… thing between us. I don’t like that we’ve been kissing and fooling around and then just pretending it never happened for the sake of our friendship. I said to you that I wouldn’t do this because I didn’t want to miss all the things we would have done, and we… Despite that I’ve still, we’ve still done those things. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve let things go too far with us…”

“Oh…” Jongin swallowed the lump in his throat, “I see. Okay, it’s okay. I underst-”

“So why not just go the extra step?” Kyungsoo cut him off, looking up at Jongin with a small, yet hopeful smile.

Jongin paused, “I… Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” he asked in surprise.

“What do you think I’m saying?” Kyungsoo prompted with a small grin, finding Jongin’s reaction slightly amusing.

Jongin gripped more firmly onto Kyungsoo’s hand, “That you want to try this? Me and you? A relationship..?”

“Then, yeah. Yeah I’m saying what you think I’m saying” Kyungsoo nodded, “So what do you say? Shall we give it a go?”

Jongin smiled wickedly, “I mean, I don’t know,” he teased, “Could you convince me a little better?”

“You’re already making me regret this and it isn’t even a thing yet” Kyungsoo deadpanned, making the younger boy laugh.

“Oh, Kyungsoo” he grinned, “You sure know how to sweet talk a guy” he winked, “So yeah. Let’s give it a whirl”

“Yeah?” Kyungsoo bit his lip sheepishly, fighting back  smile as he looked up at Jongin through his lashes.

Jongin nodded, “Of course. You’ve been well worth the wait, Kyungsoo. You really have”

“Stop being sappy” Kyungsoo laughed, “But, I’m… I’m still kind of iffy about this, it’s really hard for me to just… I don’t even know how to word it. I’m just probably going to be a nightmare, that’s all”

Jongin smiled, “I don’t care. It’s not gonna be a smooth run, Jesus, what is? I’m just really happy that you’re giving us a chance, because I think that it’ll work out better than you expect”

Kyungsoo couldn’t help but smile sweetly in return, “Shall we start kissing now to freak everyone out?”

“It’s like you know just how to make my heart race” Jongin snorted, but it didn’t stop him from dropping Kyungsoo’s hand in favour of cupping the shorter boy’s face then leaning in and kissing him firmly on the mouth.

Kyungsoo grinned as he melted into the kiss, his hands gripping loosely onto the hem of Jongin’s jumper.

“WHAT THE ?!”

“NO WAY?!”

“I’m so confused…”

“Ha! Nice!”

Kyungsoo could feel Jongin’s lips curl into a smile as the room became loud with confusion. He let himself be pulled ever closer by Jongin, whose hands moved from his face to his lower back to pull Kyungsoo more firmly against him. In return, Kyungsoo let go of the bottom of Jongin’s jumper in favour of holding onto the younger’s firm biceps.

In all honesty, Kyungsoo didn’t really know what he was thinking by agreeing to go steady with Jongin. The thought of it genuinely terrified him but there was something in him that knew, or at least hoped that giving them a chance would be well worth it. Even if it was scary.

He stayed securely in Jongin’s arms as they kissed and the noise in the room grew ever louder until they finally pulled apart and turned to face the gawping faces of their ten friends.

“Can we help you?” Kyungsoo raised a brow, doing his best to remain indifferent.

“When the bloody hell did this happen?!" Demanded Junmyeon, who looked thoroughly confused at what was being played out before them.

Jongin grinned, “Like a few seconds ago” he announced proudly, making Kyungsoo inwardly face-palm.

Yixing laughed, “I honestly didn’t think you’d cave this soon” he told Kyungsoo.

“This soon?!” Jongin huffed, “It’s been months!”

Yixing rolled his eyes but otherwise ignored him, “What made you give in?” he asked the owl-eyed boy.

“He wouldn’t leave me alone until I did” Kyungsoo half-joked, laughing when Jongin whacked him on the arm in retaliation, “That and if we’re gonna die, I might as well enjoy it”

Baekhyun snorted, “Ever the romantic, ‘Soo”

“I know, I’m so loving like that” Kyungsoo sniggered, letting himself lean into Jongin as the younger wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“Is it weird that I like him more for being like this?” Jongin asked lightly.

“Yes” Sehun deadpanned, glaring through the crowd of boys at Kyungsoo.

“What’s up with you?” Kyungsoo asked defensively.

Sehun pursed his lips, “You are” he said, “You’ve been running him around since day one and now it’s like ‘hey, we’re together so let’s pretend things have always been fine’ or something?”

“Sehun!” Jongin said warningly.

“No. It’s not okay” Sehun shot back, “It’s not fair that it’s all just his way or nothing. A relationship is about give and take, not just giving, Jongin”

“If you wanna think that,” Kyungsoo said lowly, “you go ahead and think that. But you really don’t know anything, Sehun”

Sehun scoffed, “Right, I forgot that only you know things in this place. Sorry, shall I go get your crown polished, your highness?”

“Hun, mate,” Jongin sighed, “I get that you’re just trying to look out for me, but it really isn’t like that” he said, “I promise you. He and I… this is something we’ve been talking about for ages. It isn’t just me falling at his feet because he said I could. It’s us trying working past a lot of ed up and trying to make this work despite the things that are holding us back. We’re in a bad place, man, with this war… And if we start turning against each other, where is it gonna get us?”

“So I’m just supposed to be happy that you let him walk all over you?” Sehun raised a brow at his life-long best friend.

Jongin let out yet another sigh, “You’re supposed to be happy that I’m happy for once in this miserable life!” he said in frustration.

“Wow. Wow, okay” Sehun laughed bitterly.

“Oh, come on. You know I didn’t mean it like that!” Jongin huffed, “You’re just making a mountain our of a mole hill and you know it”

Kyungsoo shrugged out from under Jongin’s arm and walked out of the room. He couldn’t deal with it. Maybe it had been a mistake to give them a chance. Maybe Sehun was right, he did treat Jongin like a toy to be played with. Maybe he didn’t deserve to be with Jongin.

The others watched in shock as the door closed quietly behind Kyungsoo. And the silence that followed was more deafening than if Kyungsoo would have slammed the door in anger. The quiet hurt hit them all harder than an angry Kyungsoo ever could.

“Well done, Sehun. Really, you’ve outshone yourself this time!” Jongin snapped, “I hope you’re proud of yourself, I really do!”

“Oi, don’t talk to him like that!” Luhan shouted, “Watch what you’re doing, kid”

Jongin scoffed, “Kid? Please, you don’t scare me, Luhan, and I’ll talk to him how I damn well please. I didn’t see you getting on your high horse when he spoke to Kyungsoo like !” he shot back pointedly, “Oh, but I forgot, you’re not ing Kyungsoo so I suppose he doesn’t matter, right?”

“Jongin, you need to calm the down, right now!” Luhan warned, his eyes narrowed at the younger boy, “And watch what you say to me.”

“I’m shaking. Really, I am, Luhan. So ing frightened of you, right now” Jongin rolled his eyes.

Luhan half growled in return, “I swear to ing god! Don’t talk to me like that, you little !”

“Or what?! Huh?!”

“ENOUGH!” Everyone in the room turned to look at Baekhyun in shock, “are you ing kidding me right now?! Luhan, Jongin, off! Nobody gives a about your little ing power battle! And Sehun, you had no right to speak to Kyungsoo like that! So you had better start working on an apology, or so ing help me. Now, everyone get back to what you were doing before this. Jongin, you come with me to find Kyungsoo,” he commanded, “. You’re a bunch of ing pricks sometimes!” with that, he grabbed Jongin by the wrist and lead him out of the room to find Kyungsoo.

As it turned out, Kyungsoo had taken refuge in the library, far into the stacks, housed between the history books. He was crying when they reached him, though his face was buried in his arms, the shaking of his shoulders gave him away.

“Kyungsoo. Hey, ‘Soo, don’t fret. I’m here” Baekhyun soothed, moving in to sit beside the younger boy and pull him close to his chest in a tight embrace, whilst Jongin stood and watched sadly.

Kyungsoo sniffed, “Why can’t I get all right?” he asked sadly, “This is why I kept saying no. This is why I knew this was a bad idea. It doesn’t matter what I do, it’s always wrong. It’s never good enough! I’m sick of never being able to do anything. I couldn’t do anything but watch when my parents got killed. I couldn’t help you when you were hurt, or when Key… And now everyone hates me because of how badly I treated Jongin. I swear, I never meant to. I just… I’m such a ty person, Baek!”

“Don’t say that” Jongin spoke up, surprising them all. His heart clenched when Kyungsoo looked up at him with puffy red eyes and tear stained cheeks, “You never treated me badly. You’re not a ty person at all. There was nothing you could have done to help your parents, you were a child, and you have done more than you could ever know to help Baekhyun. Do you know how highly this guy talks of you?”

Baekhyun hummed, “People probably think you’re the reincarnation of Jesus or something” he nodded, making Kyungsoo laugh through his tears.

“Kyungsoo,” Jongin said, crouching down in front of the elder, “You are wonderful, okay? Sehun was totally out of order. He doesn’t know how much we talked this over. Or the arrangements we agreed on. He might have my best interests at heart, but he knows all about our relationship. All that matters is that we’re happy together, okay? So please don’t let him set us back ten miles when we’ve just climbed five. I have a lot of belief in me and you. And I hope soon you will too” he said softly, brushing away Kyungsoo’s tears as Baekhyun continued to hold him.

“You’re just being nice because I’m all gross and snotty right now” Kyungsoo joked lamely.

Jongin chuckled, “And I still find you insanely attractive” he winked.

“Gross” Kyungsoo said, but there was a tiny smile on his plump lips.

Jongin laughed softly, “I try” he shrugged.

“He’s trying… that much is true” Baekhyun snorted at his own joke, making the other two groan.

“How about the three of us go and do something fun?” Jongin suggested, “We could go destroy the East Wing again?” he grinned at Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo laughed, “Or we could go watch a film? I’ve not seen one in ages, and I hear that Legend is really good”

“The Tom Hardy one? About the Krays?” Jongin asked.

Kyungsoo nodded.

Baekhyun grinned, “Paranoid schizophrenic walks into a bar” he laughed, earning confused looks from the other two, “You’ll see” he rolled his eyes.

“I feel like a complete ” Sehun sighed.

Kris hummed, “Well, you should. Kyungsoo didn’t deserve that” he said simply, finding no reason to sugar coat it.

“Yeah, thanks” Sehun deadpanned.

“What? I’m not gonna try and make you feel better about it,” Kris said, “You were really hurtful to him and I’m not cool with that. And anyway, it’s not me that needs to forgive you. You have some serious grovelling to do”

Sehun sighed, “I know. And I know it was a move, but I just don’t want to see Jongin get hurt.”

“None of us do” Kris reminded, “but we also don’t want to see Kyungsoo get hurt either. Honestly, I’m surprised that Baekhyun didn’t beat the out of you after that”

“Same, to be honest” Sehun frowned.

“Same” Chanyeol pipped up from where he was sat on his own bed, “I doubt anyone would have stopped him if he had too, so you got off really lucky”

“Wait, you really wouldn’t have stopped him?” Sehun asked incredulously.

Chanyeol hummed, “If he uses powers, I’m happy to fight him, but just pure hitting and … No thanks. He’s a violent little er when he wants to be, and I value my life” he laughed, shaking his head as though it was the funniest thing going.

Sehun’s face was a picture at Chanyeol’s outburst before he let out a sigh, “Guys. Come on, do you think Kyungsoo is gonna hate me now?”

“No” Chanyeol said without missing a beat, “but he will hate himself a bit more, so it’s kind of worse when you think about it”

Sehun opened his mouth to reply, only to be cut off by Jongdae walking into the room looking less than thrilled at having to be there. He glanced around the room at the three of them before his eyes settled on Sehun. Sehun had never seen the joker look disappointed before, and it was a horrid feeling knowing that it was his fault.

“Kyungsoo’s downstairs” Jongdae announced, “He wants to talk to you. Now.”

Sehun blinked, “He wants to talk to me?” he asked dumbly.

“No. The Queen of England, since she likes to pop over for tea from time to time. Brings Will and Harry sometimes, makes a party of it” Jongdae drawled out sarcastically with a roll of his eyes, “Yes, you!”

Sehun stood with a nod, “Alright, well, I’ll just…” he pointed towards the door before awkwardly plodding out of the room and down the stairs.

Kyungsoo was waiting for him at the bottom step of the ‘E’ staircase, looking rather downtrodden and slightly cautious.

Sehun bit his lips, “You um… wanted to talk?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo nodded, “Let’s go up to my room, there’s nobody up there at the moment and this is awkward enough without an audience.” He said, then turned and began to make his way up to the ‘X’ dorm, knowing that Sehun would follow.

Once they were there, they both sat down on Kyungsoo’s bed and faced one another slightly.

“So…” Sehun said nervously.

“I want to apologise” Kyungsoo blurted, not beating around the bush was the best option as he figured it. Sehun looked confused, but Kyungsoo needed to get it all out, so continued before the youngest had a chance to interrupt. “I know you must think I’m awful, and I don’t blame you for that. I know I could have handled this better, but truth is, I didn’t know how to. I know that Jongin is like a brother to you and if it were me and Baek, I’d have acted exactly the same as you did. So I understand your point of view, I really do. But I don’t want you to hate me, Sehun. I like Jongin a lot, and this has been really hard for me to wrap my head around, so I just… I hope you’ll be able to see it from my eyes like I can from yours. I’m really sorry that I upset you, and that I made you feel like I was treating Jongin badly. That’s the last thing I’d ever want, because he means the world to me. All of you guys do” he said softly, “So I hope you can forgive me and we can just go back to being friends because I don’t want to fight with you, Sehunnie”

Sehun smiled slightly, “I don’t want to fight either,” he admitted, “but I also don’t want you to apologise. Jongin was right by saying I didn’t know about your relationship and it wasn’t my place to be horrible to you like that, so I’m sorry for hurting you, hyung. I really love you, and I don’t ever want to make you feel like I don’t, because you’ve been nothing but caring for me since I got here. So I’m the one that’s sorry. You don’t need to be” he told the other.

Kyungsoo smiled back, “Friends, then?”

“Friends” Sehun nodded before the pair of them moved in to hug it out.

“I see your game, Oh Sehun!” Jongin’s voice had them darting apart, “Yell at him for dating me just so you can steal him for yourself! The nerve!” it would have been intimidating had it not been for the blooming grin on his face.

Sehun smiled back widely, “You caught me” he joked, then laughed as Jongin dived forward, landing over Sehun and Kyungsoo and pulling them into a hug.

“We’re all good then?” Jongin asked, looking between the other two.

“We’re good” they affirmed.

“Brilliant”

Sehun paused, “Did you and Luhan fix your ?” he asked carefully.

Jongin hummed, “Well we argued a bit more, but then he said sorry, so I bit the bullet and did the same. He feels bad for not sticking up for Kyungsoo too. He went on this whole thing about being a bad friend, so I was like ‘yup’ and then he hit me and said I was the worst, so I was like ‘nah’ and then he hit me again and now we’re chill, so all’s well that ends well. Am I right?” he grinned easily, just glad that everyone was back on good terms again.

“A for effort, I suppose” Sehun rolled his eyes, blowing a gentle gust of wind through Jongin’s hair affectionately.

Jongin smiled down at his best friend, “And A-Plus for execution, yeah?”

“Sure, if you wanna think that,” Sehun snorted, “Now gerroff me, you fat lump”

Together, Sehun and Kyungsoo shoved Jongin off of them and onto the floor where he landed with a thump.

“Why is it always me that ends up down here?” Jongin groaned, “Not cool, guys”

Sehun snorted, “Because you’re the annoying er and you get what’s coming to you”

“Bit rude” Jongin scoffed, “Just because you two have kissed and made up doesn’t me you can team up against me now”

“Sure it does” Kyungsoo smiled, shifting so that he was lying on his stomach across the bed so that he could peer over at his new-found boyfriend, “we just want to drive you a wee bit insane!”

Jongin smirked up and him, shifting up onto his knees and pressing his face close to Kyungsoo’s teasingly, “You already drive me crazy, ‘Soo” he purred, catching the elder’s bottom lips between his teeth and giving it a gentle tug.

“” Kyungsoo smirked back as Jongin let go of his lip, “But we have a guest, and I’m not an exhibitionist” he said lowly, bringing his hands up to clutch the collar of Jongin’s jumper and pulling him back in for a lazy kiss.

“As much as I’m enjoying the show…” Sehun said pointedly from where he’d turned to lay on his back, his head turned towards the couple as he looked on amusedly.

“Nobody said you had to look” Kyungsoo grinned, looking back at Sehun, though his hands remained gripping Jongin’s collar, “Unless you’re hinting that you’d like to join in?” he raised a teasing brow at the youngest.

Sehun laughed, “Oh gee, you caught me” he laughed, “I just really, really want to get it on with the pair of you. It’s a life-long dream of mine”

“Knew it” Kyungsoo laughed as Jongin pressed soft kisses to his cheek and neck.

“Did I just walk into something I shouldn’t have?”

Kyungsoo looked up to see Jongdae and Baekhyun stood in the door way, the latter rolling his eyes whilst the former looked on in amusement – though Kyungsoo knew it was more at his own question that the situation itself.

“Is this where it turns into some weird that none of us are ever going to want to remember?” Jongin joked poorly, batting his eyelashes at Baekhyun, who had walked over and sat down on the floor beside him, whilst Jongdae had opted to sit on the bed.

Baekhyun snorted, “Oh please, you can stay in whatever sick fantasy you’ve cooked up on your own, pal”

“I dunno, I’m game” Jongdae winked down at his best friend over-dramatically.

“Is that so?” Kyungsoo asked pointedly, watching as Jongdae shot him a look that just screamed ‘shut the up’, making him laugh.

Jongdae rolled his eyes, “Any chance to feel you up, ‘Soo” he joked once he was certain Kyungsoo wasn’t going to blab about him and Minseok.

“Only I’m allowed to do that now!” Jongin objected, his hand coming to rest on the back of Kyungsoo's neck, as though to further emphasise his point.

Baekhyun looked up at Kyungsoo, “He’s getting a bit possessive already, isn’t he?” he asked, smiling slightly at the chuckle that left Kyungsoo.

“He tries to be all tough” Kyungsoo told his best friend, “But he just ends up being all cute instead, bless him”

“Sounds like Chanyeol around spiders” Baekhyun laughed, “Only Jongin’s like it all the time”

“I’m right here…” Jongin whined, looking between the two as they began to laugh.

Despite it being a Saturday, the twelve of them found themselves in the common room surrounding the open fire, all wrapped up in blankets and nursing hot chocolate. It was a pretty dreary day, but spirits were high.

It had been a week since the minor fall out and it was almost as though it hadn’t happened at all. Sehun was happy that Jongin was happy, and their friendship was stronger than ever.

Kyungsoo still had his weary moments, but for the most part he’d let himself fall wholeheartedly into his relationship with Jongin, and he felt genuinely happy that he’d given it a chance, because Jongin was one of the most understanding, supportive people that Kyungsoo had the pleasure of knowing.

“And my Gran just turns to me and goes ‘Oh crap. I forgot to tell you, you’re going to school tomorrow. It’s the one your parents learned at, so it’ll be as though they’re there with you’ and I was just like… ‘oh… okay…’ since I didn’t really know how to handle that sudden information” Yixing was telling them whilst the others smiled on fondly.

“At least we know where you get it from now” Luhan teased.

Kris laughed, “He’s got a point, Xing”

“I’m not that forgetful! I don’t forget important things!” Yixing objected.

Luhan snorted, “Dude, you forgot your own age last week”

“And your own birthday” Kris added.

“And my birthday” Tao put in.

Kyungsoo chuckled, “And you got trapped in a clothes horse last week because you forgot out to open it properly”

“You also forgot you’d eaten the other day and yelled at Baekhyun because you thought he’d stolen your food” Chanyeol reminded.

Yixing looked far from impressed, “I said important things! Besides, if it weren’t for me, half of you would be dead by now” he said, “You’re lucky to have me!”

“We are” Junmyeon agreed, “But you are a tad forgetful sometimes, love” he smiled in an attempt to bite back a laugh.

They could have gone out and frolicked in the rain for a while, but it had been so long since they’d all just had a cosy day in together as a whole unit.

They hadn’t really been doing much of anything at the start of it, just piling the room high with blankets and pillows to make it comfortable and give off a cosy atmosphere, and then they’d just started to chat, about nonsensical things at first, but somewhere down the line it had turned into an exchange of stories and experiences that they’d faced in their lives, be they heart-warming, or sad, or funny, and as a result they all felt closer than ever.

It was a strange feeling, to feel at home when really, you didn’t have one. The school was just that, a school, and no matter how long they stayed there it wouldn’t be home. Though Kyungsoo found that it didn’t matter all that much because he’d started to realise that home wasn’t just a place. Home was where you kept your heart, home was the people that picked you up and made you feel like you had a place in the world. Home was a complex idea that spanned from something so simple.

Kyungsoo knew that a large chunk of his home was gone, that it had been torn away from him in the worst way possible, but despite that he also knew that he was building a new home with these eleven friends, brick by brick, from the rubble of their previous lives.

That he was afraid was a given, they were all afraid, even if they’d show it in different ways, but they stood strong together, they were each other’s defence, and they’d remain that way no matter what happened in this war.

A burst of laughter snapped Kyungsoo back from his thoughts, making him focus back on the warmth of the room as they sat together, cheeks flushed from the heat of the fire.

“It wasn’t even that bad” Sehun was grumbling as Kyungsoo tuned back into the conversation.

Jongin snorted, “Dude, it was pretty bad for the first few years, let’s be real. The kids used to call him ‘Thehun’ until he cried” he told the others as Sehun flushed in embarrassment.

“That’s adorable!” Luhan cooed, pinching at Sehun’s cheeks whilst making kissy faces at him.

“It’s bloody well not!” Sehun hugged, “Quit it” he batted Luhan’s hands away from his cheeks and sought refuge by hiding his face in Junmyeon’s shoulder.

“Kids are cruel, man” Junmyeon shook his head, “What’s the point of teasing someone for something they can’t control?”

Kris chuckled, “Are you just saying that because you’re still sore about the height thing? Because I didn’t get tall on purpose, you know”

“I feel like we’re missing something here” Tao raised a brow.

Kris grinned, “up until we were like ten, ‘Myeon and me were the same height, then I had some crazy growth spirt and Junmyeon got real moody about it. He’d throw a fit if I so much as stood next to him, ha!”

“Well if you hadn’t of rubbed it in every five minutes, I’d have been fine!” Junmyeon bellyached.

Kris rolled his eyes, “Zip it, shorty”

“I may be short, but I can be lethal!” Junmyeon warned.

Kris laughed at his best friend, “I’m sure you can, Myeon”

Junmyeon opened his mouth to retort, but Yixing beat him to it.

“I like your height, thought” He said sweetly, pressing a kiss to Junmyeon’s cheek, “It’s part of your charm”

Junmyeon smiled back at his boyfriend, “Then what should I care what anyone else thinks? Eh?” he said warmly, leaning in and pressing his lips against Yixing’s in a chaste kiss.

“Could you not do that when I’m using you as a pillow?” Sehun whined.

“Like it or lump it, face” Junmyeon scoffed, earning himself a roomful of chuckles.

Sehun lifted his head to look at Junmyeon in shock, “You don’t swear! You’re… you… no?!”

“You do realise I’m like three years older than you, yes?” Junmyeon asked in amusement.

“That’s so far beside the point” Sehun rolled his eyes. “You’re like a… a pops. A grandad. A grandpa! You’re not meant to swear?! You’re supposed to tut and scold us when we do before saying ‘kids these days’ and doing that defeated look that old people do” he stressed.

Junmyeon laughed, “Sehun, you’ve put far too much thought into this”

“Have I, hyung?! Or are you just not putting enough thought into this?!” Sehun demanded dramatically, “think of the children!” he cried out then collapsed against the older lad, who laughed and ruffled his hair fondly.

“I’m starting to think he wants you to adopt him or something” Jongin snorted, throwing an arm around the back of Kyungsoo and resting it along the back of the sofa.

Sehun shot Jongin a less than polite gesture in return, “He’d be a great dad either way!” he huffed at his best friend, his eyes slightly narrowed at the teasing.

“Aw, thank you, Sehunnie” Junmyeon smiled happily at the compliment, “I always wanted to have kids someday. Granted, I was aiming for when the war was all in the past and life was a little more peaceful, but I guess I have to accept that I have a son already” he chuckled, “A cute son at that!”

Sehun smiled, “You’d really like to have me as a son?” he asked hopefully, his eyes practically sparkling.

“Of course,” Junmyeon nodded, poking Sehun on the nose fondly, “You’re too cute not to want as a son”

“If you’re not careful, he’ll cry” Jongin warned lightly, biting back a smile as he looked at his best friend.

Sehun huffed, his eyes already watery, “Will not!” he said with a shaky voice.

“That’s okay, Sehunnie. You’re my favourite son. Unlike your mean brother. Be nice, little Nini” Junmyeon teased, making the others laugh.

The laughter came to an abrupt stop as the door was thrown open at an alarming speed.

They all jumped, turning to face where Changmin was stood in the doorway looking like he was about to give them some very bad news.

Just like that, the lively atmosphere dwindled away and a heavy sense of dread weighed down over them.

It was obvious that this was something big, that a spanner had been thrown in the works. They were all acutely aware that whatever was about to leave Changmin’s lips would essentially change their lives forever.

Changmin looked around at the terrified faces staring back at him in anticipation for the worst. The faces of boys forced into manhood too soon. The faces of twelve people that had seen many terrible and horrific things in their short lives, but had no idea of what they were about to be plunged into.

They had no idea how much, despite their sad lives, they had not seen and now they had no choice but to see it.

See it all.

There was nothing the guard wanted more for these brave lads to be able to go home to parents that loved them, and you take care of them. But they lived in a world where a simple life wasn’t an option. Had things been different, had the Rogues never come into play, who would have known what life would have been like. Maybe none of them would ever have met. Maybe they’d be living their own lives and making friends with people that would change their lives in a way that wasn’t going to be a chance that their lives would come to an abrupt end and any moment.

He would have loved nothing more than to smile and tell them that the war was over, and that they could graduate and move on with their lives, maybe start families and have that cheesy life that everyone secretly wanted, no matter how much they denied it.

Kris stood, “Well,” he said gravely, “there’s no point in beating around the bush. Lay it on us.”

But this wasn’t a cheesy sit-com where everything worked out in the end. This wasn’t one of those stories where everyone got their happy ended and the world kept on turning.

This was real life, and real life didn’t have time for silly notions or farfetched ideas. These years that they’d been training meant nothing if they couldn’t put it into practice, then they were as good as dead.

The silence of the room was growing suffocating as the air grew thick with tension.

They all needed him to just say it.

Needed him to just tell them.