Not this again, Chen thought, staring at the ceiling.

Both Baekhyun and Lay were fast asleep, even before the whole time-warp thing started. Chen had decided to wait until either he dozed off or if it got too much, he would join Kris for the night duty.

But that had been before Tao decided to everything up. If Chen had to guess, Raina’s plan for their 100-day anniversary (she’d taken him and Baekhyun into confidence to help her) had gone very well.

And he was happy for the couple but give him a break. How long was he supposed to stare at the ceiling? He’d lost count and the clocks weren’t working but it had to have been a couple of hours.

After tossing and turning some more, he threw off the covers and got up. Enough was enough.

It was extremely jarring to step into the utter silence that only occurred when everything stopped. It was unpleasantly reminiscent of Abyss and he made a face.

Not like he needed reminders of that place when his whole being was one. Even the fact that Tao’s powers weren’t effecting him was a clear sign that he was tainted.

He made his way through the living room and was about to cross to the other side when there were… footsteps?

He whipped around, fingers sparking with electricity as he merged with the wall. Who-?

‘Chen?’

Rose’s eyes widened at his aggressive pose. He lowered his hands, his heart dropping. Why was this Rose? Where was Star?

‘What’s going on?’ Rose asked, the cadence of her voice so distinct, he couldn’t even pretend it wasn’t her.

He shook his head. It wasn’t the girl’s fault that she was Star’s vessel… or that Star had decided to hide herself. Even now, even when it was just the two of them, with no danger of being caught or exposed… Star was still hiding. He tried pushing against their bond but when he looked up, it was still Rose who was watching him.

Brown eyes wide, worried, confused.

‘Nothing… Tao’s powers are acting up.’ he answered shortly, turning around.

He could feel her disappointment. Rose was very expressive, at least to him. He’d observed her so closely all this time, watching Star from a distance, that he didn’t need to look at her to know how she was reacting.

Rose was disappointed that he wasn’t looking at her but he didn’t want to lead her on. He’d never looked at her, only Star. And Star wasn’t here.

‘Does- does this mean everyone is stopped in time?’ she asked, bravely rallying.

He nodded, resuming moving towards Tao’s room.

‘Why not us?’ she asked aloud. He glanced over his shoulder. ‘You know why.’

She met his gaze before looking away, sad. ‘Star?’

He nodded, making to move. She stopped him again. ‘Wait!’

He sighed. It was painful to see Rose struggle like this, to try and keep his attention on her when he was clearly not interested. But it was better to hurt her now than to play with her feelings. Things were complicated enough already.  

‘Look, Rose,’ he began, turning around to face her. In the dim moonlight, she looked like a scared little girl, nothing like the vibrant person he knew her to be. ‘I’m sorry you got dragged between us but-‘

‘Chen.’

His skin pebbled at the sudden shift in her voice, her tone changing completely. He looked at her face, taking in the red-gold speckled eyes, the gold-tinted smoke that swirled around her like a halo.

‘Star?’ he whispered, wondering if he had actually fallen asleep.

This had to be a dream, right? Star hadn’t possessed Rose fully since coming here; partially because it would be too dangerous and compromise their plans. Mostly, he knew it was because Star didn’t want to hurt Rose’s body. And she’d been actively hiding for some time now.

But it also made sense. What better time (oh the irony) for them to meet than now? With everyone else frozen and Tao preoccupied, nobody would know.

He took one step towards her, then another, then he pulled her into a tight hug, his heart finally settling. She hugged him back, arms curling around his waist as she buried her head into his chest.

He tilted her chin up, pressing their foreheads together. ‘Why are you hiding?’

She shook her head, not saying anything. He knew she still found it uncomfortable to communicate like regular people, not used to voicing her thoughts. He could hear her in his head perfectly. It’s nothing.

He pushed her away to observe her, holding her shoulder. ‘What is it?’

She shook her head again, a stubborn look crossing her eyes. She wouldn’t say anything. He sighed.

We need to be on the same page, he reminded her, gently caressing her hair.

She nodded. The plan is safe.

He stared at her, aghast. I’m not worried about the plan! If it’s anything dangerous-

Star knows how to fight Bad Things from Bad Place, she countered smoothly. It made him simultaneously happy to see how much she’d progressed with her communication and frustrated because that wasn’t the point.

What is? she countered, grinning mischievously when he sighed.

I don’t like this attitude, he informed her.

No, she responded, blinking innocently. Chen loves it.

He tried to hold on to his stern act but he felt too happy to keep it up. He grinned instead. ‘You’re right, I do.’

She came easily when he pulled her close again, arms going back around his waist. The beast purred with satisfaction inside him, content with its mate close and safe.

‘Are you happy?’ he asked after a long moment.

She nodded against his chest. He tutted. ‘Let me hear you.’

She was silent for some time before replying. ‘Star is happy.’ Sadness dripped in her voice. ‘Very happy.’

He tried to back up to look at her face but Star could be extremely strong if she used even a fraction of her power. He couldn’t move an inch.

‘Star found Choomin… and Chen… and Lose,’ she whispered lowly. ‘Star knows they love her… and Star loves them.’

‘Star-‘

‘And Star doesn’t want to hurt them.’

‘You won’t,’ he reassured her.

She finally loosened her hold, stepping back and smiling at him sweetly. ‘Star knows.’

He couldn’t help but feel like he was missing something. He tried to catch her eyes but she had turned around already.

‘Lose likes Chen,’ she said nonchalantly.  

Chen sighed. ‘I know…’ He wished she didn’t.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. ‘Chen should like Lose too.’

He stared at her before huffing. Not happening, he snapped irritably. You are my mate.

She let out a sigh, slowly turning around.

Star loves Chen, she told him seriously, very much.

The intensity of her emotions belied the childishness of her tone. It always caught him off guard because it was easy to pretend that Star was just a child, the same one who’d hidden in the Abyss to wait for her older brother. But she was so much more and she had grown up so much – she was probably far more mature than he could ever be.

I love you too, he replied, taking a step in her direction. Very much.

She smiled and closed the distance between them.

‘Good.’ she whispered, eyes drawing him in. She leaned in and his eyes slipped shut as she kissed him.

He knew the moment she left because something in the kiss changed and he immediately broke it.

Rose  blinked at him confusedly, cheeks blushing red. ‘Chen?’

He cursed and turned away.

…………………………………………..

It had been a while since Star had shown up. These days, she was little more than an afterthought, at the back of her mind.

Rose had been staring at her ceiling for so long, she’d lost track of time. Lily finally forgiving Xiumin meant that they’d moved (back) in together, which left Rose to her own devices at the HQs.

And she loved the people here, don’t get her wrong. But a sense of alienation stayed with her.

She couldn’t help but feel like an outsider, couldn’t help but feel that Star was the one who should be here. Xiumin was Star’s brother, and Chen was Star’s mate and they were all connected through a bond that went beyond anything Rose could offer.

Her thoughts were too loud, as always, and there was no one to offer comfort or distract her. Her eyes teared up as she stared, slipping down the sides of her face and into her ears.

After a while, the unnatural silence sank in. It was strangely familiar and thinking about it, Rose realized that it reminded her of the Bad Place from Star’s memories.

There was a rustle, unnaturally loud in the stillness, and she sat up, heart thundering.

Not knowing what else to do, she tried to urge Star awake.

Star, she called. She could sense the girl but Star didn’t respond. I’m going out to see what is going on, Rose said, just in case.

She tiptoed out, slowly closing the door and straining her ears. There was some movement close to the living room and Rose crept up, not sure what she would do if it was something dangerous. She had a feeling that screaming for help wouldn’t really work.

Chen was the simultaneously the person she most and least wanted to see at any given time. Mostly because she really, really liked him, and least because of the same. He’d made it clear to her, without so much as a word, that he only cared for her because she was Star’s host.  That hurt and she felt humiliated that she was so obvious. But it wasn’t like she could stop herself from blushing whenever he was around.

He lowered his hand from his offensive stance. She tried to talk to him but his disappointment that she wasn’t Star was blatant. He didn’t want her there. She tried to be brave about it, tried not to let his dismissal hurt as much as it did.

Then, for some wonderful reason, Star woke up.

Surprisingly though, she didn’t push Rose back. Rose could still see, hear and feel everything, even as Star took over. Her heart soared and broke at the same time when Chen hugged her- no, hugged Star..

She could feel Star’s empathy wrapping around her like a warm hug even as she hugged Chen back. Rose tried to tune them out as much as she could. But with her body on fire wherever they touched, it was a plan destined to fail.

She tried to focus on Star instead. Star, who had been hiding for so long, she almost felt like a stranger. There was a sense of maturity around her that Rose had not noticed before, like she’d aged years in the days she’d been hiding. There was a sense of determination around her, like she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

It seemed like she wasn’t the only one who picked on it because Chen called her out on it but Star was stubborn.

And coy.

They flirted so easily before Chen hugged her again and Rose tried to brace herself for the overwhelming sensations that flooded her body once again. Rose felt like her breath had stopped by the time he finally let her go. It was getting too much for her.

And then, Star said those damning words. Even pushed back like this, Rose protested vehemently. Star ignored her.

‘Lose likes Chen,’ Star said nonchalantly. 

Chen sighed, looking and sounding tired. ‘I know…’ 

Rose wanted to die. Star’s feelings surrounded her comfortingly once again, reassuring. ‘Chen should like Lose too.’

Rose started. What are you doing? she demanded. Star ignored her again.

Chen was clearly offended, his face a mask of  irritated anger. Not happening, you’re my mate.

Rose felt the indescribable sadness that rose inside Star at that statement. Star loves Chen very much, she told him.

He stared for a moment before responding. I love you too, very much.

‘Good,’ Star said aloud, closing the distance between them. All the sensations Rose had been working so hard to keep at bay flooded in, setting her on fire.

And mid-kiss, right when Rose was completely drowned in the sensation of finally kissing Chen, Star vanished.

The change was so abrupt, it jarred her. And Chen obviously felt it too. He broke away immediately, looking a complex mixture of sad, angry, and disappointed. It hurt Rose to look at him.

Thankfully, he turned away, cursing and heading back. Rose stared after him, heart beating hard like she’d been running. But the glow of kissing him had been completely doused under the knowledge that she would never be the one he loved.

With heavy steps and a heavier heart, Rose returned to bed.

………………………………………………

Back in bed with Lay and Baekhyun, Chen stared at the dark ceiling sightlessly. Something in the way Star had vanished bothered him.

She was planning something, probably something dangerous. And she was keeping him away.

He pushed against their bond like he’d been doing since coming back here. And like before, it held, not letting him see or feel anything. 

He sighed, feeling his heart wobble in his chest. Nothing could happen to Star.

………………………………………

Rose stared at the ceiling of her room, feeling more tears wet the pillow beside her ears. Her heart ached with rejection.

Especially since Star, for some inexplicable reason, was still letting her feel their connection.

Chen presence felt like a phantom touch right against her heart, the worry spilling through their link as he wondered what Star was planning and how he couldn’t let her get hurt.

If Star’s intent was to make her feel better, she was failing spectacularly.

Rose only felt worse, knowing Chen felt nothing for her except pity.

………………………………………

A/N

Sad times are on the horizon T_T