They never noticed that Minseok returned to the room with warm tea. “Kris...” Minseok whispered to him. Kris looked up from Tao and gave a really small smile. “Thank you Minseok, just put it on the nightstand” Minseok nodded and placed two cups of tea next to Kris and took one cup of tea to his side of the room and started sipping on it. Tao picked his head up from where he was laying on Kris and looked over towards Minseok. “Gege...” he mumbled. “Tao, what happened.” He said as firm as could. Kris felt Tao flinch a bit in his arms. “Nothing did…” He twisted himself out of Kris’ arms and went to go and cover himself completely with the blankets. He did not want to tell them.

“It’s none of your business. Leave it and me alone!” He squeaked from under the blanket. Kris could feel how bad he was trembling because the whole bed started shaking after a bit.

"You know, I hate seeing you like this..." Kris' voice shook. "... Ever since you came home, looking all defeated and torn, all I've wanted to do was protect you. Please, Zitao... I just want to help..."

Kris tried to pull the blanket off of Tao, but it wouldn’t move, not even a little. “Zitao, come out.” He said as rough as he could without scaring the poor boy. He was never the one to comfort, it made him feel too awkward. “Can you at least tell Minseok?” He tried. He saw the head part shake, not agreeing with what was offered. Kris looked towards Minseok, he needed help with Tao. “Tao, please, we’re here for you. Just tell us what happened.”

“YOU WEREN’T THERE WHEN I WAS . YOU WEREN’T THERE WHEN I WAS NOT TORTURED. DO NOT TALK ABOUT BEING THERE FOR ME.”

Although he was mostly silent, this seemed to push Minseok over the edge. "HUANG ZITAO, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN. YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT BEING AND TORTURED, BUT HERE YOU ARE HAVING NIGHTMARES. IF YOU'D JUST TELL US INSTEAD OF KEEPING EVERYTHING A GODDAMNED SECRET, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING." Minseok's rant woke everyone up, as well as made Tao start to cry.

“What’s with all the screaming?” Suho said in their doorway, the rest of EXO in the hallway, listening in. “Nothing much, just Tao being a big baby and not wanting help.” Minseok grunted with a lot of attitude.

Kris didn't want to agree with Minseok, but he had no choice. He was mad about the fact that he made Tao cry, but it was the actual reality of things. "Kris gege, do you agree with Minseok gege...? Am I really that much of a bother...?" Kris glanced at Minseok, then looked at Tao. "I don't think you're a bother, but he could have said that differently." Minseok scoffingly said "Really? I think I've couldn't have said it any better." Kris grabbed a pillow and threw it and Minseok. He then said in broken Korean "Hey, Minseok hyung. Be nicer."

“I’m done with this. I’m going to bed, goodnight.” Minseok put himself under his covers and faced himself away from Tao and Kris.

“I am not!” Tao cried. “I just do not want to experience what I went through again and Minseok gege doesn’t understand! I do not wish to remind myself of what happened. I wish to leave it alone.” Tao explained to Suho with tears gathering in his eyes.

"All we want to do is help. We can't stand seeing you like this. Even though Minseok's being a about this, he's right." Kris looked at Suho, nodding. "We're getting to the bottom of this."

"But Kris gege--"

"No buts."

"Minseok, go sleep with Chen. I want to talk to Tao alone." Kris said to him. He just grumbled a bit and left the room. "Please, leave." Kris grumbled. The rest of EXO just looked at him and Tao with eyes of pity. Sighing, they left.

Closing the door behind them, Kris walked up to Tao and sat next to him on the bed. "Tell me Tao, please." Tao just shook head, hiding his face in shame. "Please... I do not want to."

"Tao, how come you won't accept our help? I understand that you do not want to share what happened, but we're doing this to help you. How come you won't trust us, Zitao? We won't hurt you. We promise. I on top of everyone. We just want the normal you back--" Kris was cut off with an angered Tao. "So I'm not normal... I'm even worse."

"No Tao, I didn't mean it like that--"

"So what did you mean, huh? Did you mean that I've changed? Changed to the point that Minseok gege thinks I'm a bother? I bet you think the same thing too, don't you Wu Fan..."

"That's not what I'm saying!"

"That's basically what you were trying too."

"No! Listen! I'm saying we want it when you weren't scared of anything and everything. It hurts us to know that you're suffering! It hurts us to know that we don't KNOW what to do! Tao, we will love you always and forever."

When Kris explaining to Tao, he had tears in his eyes. He hated when anyone he loves suffers and he hates it more when they do not seek help. It makes him feel useless and to Kris, that is the worse feeling in the world. It's worse than heartbreak to him.

"Gege..." Tao whispered. "Can I tell you when I'm ready...?"

"....Fine" Kris said. Kris really wanted Tao to tell him, but he couldn't force him.

Tao shifted himself so that he was straddling Kris. He wrapped his legs around Kris’ waist and laid his head in the crook of Kris’ neck. If anyone saw Tao and Kris in this position, they would have immediately thought he was sleep, but that wasn’t the case. He was just sitting there, comfotably. Kris positioned their bodies to that Kris was lying down and Tao was on top of him. “Tao… you need some sleep.” “So do you duizhang.” “I’m not as tired as you should be though, I didn’t have a nightmare” He felt Tao flinch a little, but it was expected.

Kris hugged Tao, not wanting to let him go. "Kris gege, you're very warm. I was wondering..." Tao then deadpanned "... sleep with me tonight." Kris laughed at Tao's bluntness. "Anything for my sweet princess." Kris cooed. He then started pressing kisses all over Tao's face. "I love you, Zitao."

He rubbed Tao’s lower back, helping Tao to relax finally after a harsh night. After a few minutes of massaging Tao gently, he felt the weight on his become heavier and Tao’s breathing became slower. He looked slightly to his right and saw Tao’s eyes closed. Tao was asleep.

Not soon after, Minseok rushed in the room grabbing something from his drawer. Suho comes in right after him, trying to tackle him down. "YOU CAN'T CATCH ME GRANDPA." He darts out of the room, going to his now shared room with Jongdae. Chanyeol tackles him down, and with his deep- voice says "NO. I WANT TO SLEEP YOU BULLDOG." Minseok wiggles out of his grip and continues running. "Minseok hyung is losing weight, fast. He's outrunning Chanyeol." Suho whispers to Yixing. Minseok safety makes it to Jongdae's room, with noises soon beginning. "... You can sleep with me, Yixing." Yixing facepalmed at Suho's offer.

Kris growled at them and quickly looked at Tao. He was surprised he was able to sleep through that, but then he remembered how much of a heavy sleeper Tao is when he is exhausted.

Kris looked at his clocked and noticed how late it was. He knew he was going to be tired the next morning because they had to get up in just a few hours.

He sighed and relaxed on his bed, slowly falling asleep. ‘I will take care of Tao and make sure that nothing else happens to him. I will protect him.’ His final thoughts were as he finally fell asleep.

The next morning, a limping Jongdae, a smiling Minseok, a restless Chanyeol and Baekhyun, chattering Kaisoo, a tired Yixing resting on a blushing Junmyeon's shoulder, and the nowhere to be seen HunHan couple were eating breakfast. Upstairs, Taoris was still asleep. Tao smiling while hugging Kris in his sleep and Kris relaxed with his arm around Tao’s waist.

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