well! I've had an interesting week. experienced my first big earthquake (6.9!) and was wrapped up for a few days following the news about the fissures opening up down in puna (yes I live on Hawai'i Island, yes I'm on the east side, no I'm not in any danger from the current outbreak, I live on another volcano) and then my murder babies (aka dreamcatcher) had a comeback!!!! also, kara got inspired!! she's doing an offshoot (lmao pun intended) for Jongin and Taemin - Jongin's Home for Wayward Supernatural Creatures. Go smother her in love, bc if it wasn't for her, you guys wouldn't have this story XD

Donghae didn’t really feel any pity or remorse as he trailed behind Eunhyuk and Cael, listening to Taemin’s cackling that could be heard across the entire school. The bastards had scared Siyeon, hit her hard enough to send her to the floor, and had threatened her life. Kyuhyun could have them as far as he was concerned.

Donghae was literally doing nothing else, since the combination of Cael, Eunhyuk, Jongin, and Taemin had cleared out the first floor in less than two minutes. There were only five on the first floor, which meant that there were ten upstairs with the girls, and he really hoped that Hani was playing things safe.

The eerie silence as they met up at the staircase was both worrying and relieving, but as soon as they had started up the stairs, Donghae got the creepy feeling of being watched. Looking over his shoulder, he shook his head as he saw no one there.

“Donghae?” Eunhyuk asked, finally breaking the silence.

Donghae looked at Eunhyuk, suddenly aware that he had frozen in place in the middle of the stairs, feeling like he couldn’t move. “I –“ He closed his eyes as he suddenly realized what was happening. Blowing out his breath, he focused on Siyeon, feeling the frozen and watched sensations fade back. “The girls,” he said by way of explanation.

Eunhyuk grabbed his hand and Donghae smiled, feeling the sensations fade even farther away. Eunhyuk’s skin felt hot enough to burn him, but Donghae didn’t want to let go.

“What are they doing?” Taemin asked from the top of the stairs, his bat at the ready.

“Waking nightmares, I’m pretty sure that was Sua and Handong there, so there’s going to be more from the other girls. Hani must have distracted everyone enough that the girls could actually start to do it.”

“You know all of their nightmares?” Eunhyuk asked curiously as he tugged Donghae along.

“Yeah, I’ve met all of them a few times. They’re not allowed to stay all together when they come home, but they can come by and hang out with Siyeon for a while,” he explained. The focus on talking and walking as they wound their way through hallways that seemed to both go nowhere and everywhere helped him ignore the feelings of being lost and panicked.

They all jerked as a sharp whistle sounded. Hani was leaning against the wall, her arms folded, next to a sharply dressed man that could have passed for a normal businessperson if it wasn’t for the two curving horns that cut a path through his hair.

Kyuhyun sniffed at the air, an appreciative smile starting to appear. Hani immediately whipped her arm out, punching him in the upper arm. “Don’t even think about the girls, brat. You have enough new toys,” she warned.

The smile on Kyuhyun’s face faded back into what Donghae knew was a habitual smirk. “Don’t fault me for my nature,” he replied smoothly as he straightened his cuffs. “Shall we, gentlemen?” he asked, waving a hand towards the door.

Eunhyuk blew the double doors inwards, which seemed to wake everyone in the room out of whatever dream they had been in or had been creating. Everyone in the room seemed to be moving sluggishly, as though they were sti