"Even a wolf knows how to be polite when animalistic humans have no clue about politeness" - Munia Khan.

"Baekhyun" Hands stopping mid adjustment of his shirt, the young man looked to the one looking to him. Her eyes were wide and her bottom lip trembled, his eyes were able to pick up the swallow that had bobbing as she tried to contain her emotions. With the cycle reversed, Baekhyun moved closer to her with slow actions, feeling like he had to take caution in what he was doing. He crouched in front of her, wrapping his arms around his knees as he lowered his head to hide his face in his knees. Swallowing thickly, a shaky hand reached out and Minah let out a deep breath when Baekhyun didn't flinch at the fingers weaving through his long hair.

"Baekhyun," She spoke his name again and Baekhyun hummed as her fingers detangled his hair as gently as they could.

"Look at me Baekhyun" Baekhyun's eyes became visible and Minah breathed out again, brushing away the hair that she really wanted to take some scissors to.

"What you just did," She started and Baekhyun's eyes blinked at her, "we have to keep a secret, ok?"

"A secret?" Baekhyun spoke through his knees and Minah nodded.

"Only you-" She pointed to Baekhyun. "-and me, never tell anyone else, ok?"

"A secret" Baekhyun sat up, looking more sure of what he was saying. Minah nodded in agreement.

"To keep you safe" Her worried voice explained as Bakehyun moved closer to her.

"Baekhyun?" She spoke carefully as his nose got closer to hers, then to the crook of her neck. Baekhyun's arms wrapped around Minah as he dropped to his knees and hid his face in the crook fo her neck, breathing in.

"Safe" He breathed out and Minah swallowed, telling her body to relax.

"Exactly" Nervous movements had Minah wrapping her arms around Baekhyun, holding him tight despite how uncomfortable their position was.

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"Minah?" The worry in Baekhyun's tone was so painstakingly obvious that it was only then that Minah realised she was probably breathing to heavily to be considered normal.

"Baekhyun" Minah turned away from the door to look at Baekhyun.

"We have to go grocery shopping" She explained and Baekhyun's head made a tilt to the side.

"Grocery shopping, what's that?" Baekhyun frowned and Minah breathed in through her nose and out through .

"Grocery shopping, we go to the supermarket to get food and other things" Baekhyun's eyes widened and he scampered over to his shoes with his eyes lighting up and his mouth moving.

"Oh, grocery shopping for food" He hummed, slipping his feet into his sneakers. Minah could feel a lump growing in all over again as she sat down on the ground next to Baekhyun and did the same, only being slower at untying her shoelaces and getting her feet into the shoes.

"Minah?"

"Hm?" Minah snapped out of her daze and blinked her eyes heavily, turning her head to Baekhyun.

"You, does you not remember how to tie?" Baekhyun's finger pointed to Minah's feet, where her hands weren't moving any further to tie her laces.

"Oh" Her fingers twitched and held a tremble as she did up her laces and put her hands on her knees, just looking at the front door with distant eyes.

"Is Minah scared?" She nodded and Baekhyun's lips turned down in a frown.

"Why scared?" 

"Because, outside doesn't feel safe-" She hitched in a sharp breath with her eyes unable to move from the door that felt like it would slam open at any moment. "-because it feels like Damon, or someone bad is waiting outside, so now it's just danger" Her voice trembled out an explanation to him and Baekhyun reached his hand out, putting it over Minah's and prying her fingers away from her pants so that he was holding them with his own.

"But Minah has Baekhyun now. Baekhyun safe for Minah" The tone of his voice held a million promises and sincerity that Minah didn't know what to do with. She looked down at her fingers laced with Baekhyun's and squeezed.

"I don't know why, but it's very easy to believe you Baekhyun" Her quiet voice admitted and Baekhyun smiled.

"Baekhyun is honest" He proudly informed her.

"Will Baekhyun always be honest?" Minah found herself asking, other hand tentatively reaching to trace over Baekhyun's knuckles, then his fingers and hers clasped together.

"Always?" Baekhyun blinked and pursed his lips in thought. He changed to a smile and gave a brisk nod, truthful eyes turning back to her.

"I always will do honesty with Minah"

"Your sentences, they're getting better" Minah stated in a warm voice and Baekhyun's fingers squeezed unconsciously, sending warmth from him to Minah, it trailed from her hand, up her arm and through the rest of her body, giving her a surprise as she breathed out nervously.

"Thank you," Baekhyun's eyes creased as his smile grew, then he pulled his hand from hers to clap, the same way Minah's mother would when she wanted them up and moving.

"Food shopping time?" Once he was facing her on his feet, he was grabbing both her hands and pulling Minah to stand up. Anxiety bristled within her again and her hands tightened their grip, shocking Baekhyun but not making him pull away.

"Yeah, uh, food shopping time" Minah nodded, pulling her hands back and reaching for her keys. Baekhyun looked at her then opened the door, revealing the hallway of the apartment complex.

"Go go!" Baekhyun merrily pulled her into the hall and Minah's throat clamped as a high pitched yelp came from .

"My god Baekhyun!"

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"The supermarket?" Baekhyun pointed to the big bright sign of the building they were walking towards. Minah nodded briskly and held onto Baekhyun's hand, repeating the same mantra in her head as she answered him.

"Yes, this is the supermarket" For one of his first proper outings in public, Baekhyun was doing a good job at staying by her side. Minah felt bad that her irrational jerks and tight grip were stopping Baekhyun from indulging in all his curiosities because he was more worried about her.

"This way" Minah didn't dare let herself be separated from Baekhyun, not when she felt like she had to look in every direction before making a single move. Baekhyun hummed and watched her curiously as she put her hands on a shopping cart and dumped her shopping bags in it.

"This is a shopping trolly, we put our things in this that we want to buy" Her quiet voice explained as they officially made their way into the store. Baekhyun still heard her clearly but moved closer as his head nodded, carefully looming behind her.

"Just tell me if there's anything you want" Minah took out a list from her pocket and Baekhyun took it from her hand before she could begin reading.

"I'll read," He told her and Minah shrugged, body naturally leaning closer to him.

"What's first?" She questioned and Baekhyun's brows drew closer to each other.

"Cereal?"

"Cereal, let's get it then" Minah turned the shopping trolly in a specific direction and Baekhyun reached out, latching onto her sweater.

"Oh," Minah looked down with a sharp breath in and Baekhyun smiled sheepishly, taking his hand away.

"Sorry" He apologised and Minah reached out for his hand, putting it between hers on the handle of the shopping trolly.

"It's ok, I'm not that good with people touching me anymore" She hadn't even realised that she had added that last word to her confession that she would never have said if it was anyone else. Everything seemed to just slip out when Baekhyun spoke to her. Reminiscing on a time when she would openly indulge in hugs with friends, a playful tug and wrestle in the mud, when a lover reaching for her hand or putting an arm around her waist was enjoyable, Baekhyun had to pull her out of her daze of when she felt life was simpler.

"Cereal" Baekhyun's finger pointed to the small label stuck to the shelf.

'Corn Flake Cereal' 

"Right-" Minah's head nodded, "good job" She praised and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, unable to help himself from smiling.

"What one should we get?" Minah gave Baekhyun the opportunity to pick something that he thought looked good and Baekhyun looked at the choices, pondering his options.

"There's more along here," Minah told him as she pushed the shopping trolly forward. She stopped at the canned fruits, pursing her lips and pondering if there was anything she needed from the options in front of her.

"Yo Kim Minah!" The boisterous voice crept up on her from out of nowhere and Minah found herself caving in immediately.

"I'm sorry!" Baekhyun's head snapped to see Minah jumping back, pushing the shopping trolly away as her hands protected her face and her height shrunk defensively. He was in front of her in the next second, his hands rough when they collided with the other male's chest so that he went stumbling back too.

Baekhyun's growl was met back with an equally as defensive growl and Minah looked up, finding him towering in front of her defensively. He bared his teeth and