CONFRONTATION

"Good work this time everyone. Rest assured today, and I'll make sure that our
next few days will be free for us to enjoy. While you guys enjoy it, remember to not
get killed."

Everyone simply nods their head, contrary to Myungho who only rolls his eyes.
They've heard this prep talk every time.

"Dismissed. Dino, stay." Dokyeom shifted his eyes to the quiet Chan ever since
the meeting started. Jun stopped by Seungcheol's shoulder and whispered slowly.

"Don't be too hard on him Cheollie," Seungcheol's face remains passive as he
stares at the younger man still sitting waiting for him.

"Scoups, still Scoups." Jun's eyes flicker and he understands. Whatever
personal will be kept for later, and this scolding is where their professionalism lay,
where Scoups needed to give his stand as the leader.

"Dino." Dino perks up at the sound of his name. Seungcheol rarely call him Dino out of miaaion.

"As much as I appreciate your determination to finish the mission, your action
before results jeopardize our team. Vernon, Kwan and even Han had to find their own
initiative to let you out. I thought I made it clear from the very start, the team before
the mission. We can find another time, another opportunity, but could we easily replace
another member?"

Dino still remains passive.

"Hyung, I am sorry. But we were so close-"

"To die." Seungcheol snap. His calm demeanor as the leader slowly slipped away.

Leaving the vulnerability of Seungcheol, his hyung, his boyfriend.

And Lee Chan knows how to deal with the uptight leader, with the soft but
domineering Scoups, he knows how to fight back. But in front of vulnerable Seungcheol,
the only response he could think of is to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness.

Lee Chan's eyes move to the still bleeding ears, and his heart clenches when he
knows he is the reason for it.

"Hyung-."

"You'll be sent back into training, Dino. You'll be back in the team after three
months of training." Now he is back to being the leader. And more than anything, he
feels the gripping fear of the older getting away from him. He is stubborn, he always
gets his way, and Seungcheol always gives in to him. Could he once again get his way?

"But Cheol hyung, I could train here. We have members who can-."

"Solo close combat. None of them specialize in that."

"Jun and Joshua hyung are-."

"They will not always be available Dino. You'll go and train. Three months, prove
to me I can trust you to go on field without endangering your life."

Chan knows he messed up, he knows it so well. To go against the leader's order,
to jeopardize his teammate and to put their life in danger. But- three months.

"Cheol hyung. What about us?" Lee Chan raised his eyes towards his hyung, and
the man's eyes softened for him. The expression of adoration calms Chan down.

"I'll be waiting for your return, Chan. And you can decide whether you want me
or not." And the calm that he had felt turned into a raging storm once again.

"Hyung, what do you mean by-."

Seungcheol walks out of the room and takes a deep breath. He was hesitant
about this decision. The training will be harsh, it will stoned up Lee Chan. Maybe in the
process, he'll hate him, he'll hate his gut. And when he comes back, he might never
want him back, he'll hate him for sending him there.

But he had too. Chan had said he wanted to be a good member, and he'll make
sure he will get that. More than his feelings, Chan's safety is more important. He
needed to know that Chan would be fine.

"I'm sorry Chan, see you in three month." Seungcheol went into his room and
locked himself up. The leader is so sure to send Chan away, but him as Seungcheol? He
is so afraid of letting him go there. But Lee Chan's life is the most important.

He sat down on his bed and restrained himself from running out and just hugged
Chan and never let him go. He can't, he won't.

He hissed in pain when he lay down, and only then did he remember that his ears
were wounded.

Seungcheol sighed before turning on the other side, and went to a deep
slumber. 
**
 

"Hyung, you need to eat. Hyung? Can you open the door please? Cheollie hyung?"
Mingyu looks at their youngest member in pity. Dino is a badass on field, but when it’s
outside of their mission, and in front of Seungcheol, he is just a boy in love.

"Chan, maybe you should give him space? You could talk to him tomorrow."
Chan grip the first aid kit on his right hand.

"Hyung, Cheol is injured. And he hasn't eaten since he came back. He should be
taking care of himself even when he's angry with me." Chan clenches his jaw and Mingyu
relates.

Being soft hearted for the younger, Mingyu offers him the home backup keys.
Chan thanked him and unlocked the door. He was greeted by a dark room and
through the darkness he saw a lump in the middle of the bed. Chan smiles seeing Cheol
so deep in sleep.

He walked closer and he saw Seungcheol's ears that had been hit by the bullet.
He was lucky it was a graze.

He quickly took a cotton and wet it up to clean the dry blood. Seungcheol's face
scrunched up when the cotton hit the wound.

But only when he applied the antiseptic did Seungcheol open his eyes because of
the pain. He knows his hyung is a light sleeper.

"Chan," Seungcheol's gruff voice calls him out. He hummed to answer as he put a
small gauze over the wound.

"Hyung is sorry to send you away. I am worried about you Chan. I was afraid."

Chan let his finger thread through his hair, as Seungcheol snuggled closer to him.

"Dumb hyung, I am the one who is sorry. I understand why you need to send me
away, hyung. I'll do my best in training. But I want you to wait for me hyung. Please?
Send me away for training, I don't care, but don't send me away from your life." Chan
heard a small sniffle on his waist where Seungcheol was snuggling his face.

"You're dumb to think I have the will power to send you away from my life. I am
barely able to send you away for training." Chan chuckles as he continues to pet
Seungcheol's hair.

"Wait for me hyung?"
"Always, keep me in your future Chan, and I'll meet you there. I love you."

Lee Chan bent down and kissed Seungcheol's head.

Seungcheol might be the leader, but now, he is just somebody's boyfriend.