chapter fourteen           
✧✦Clipped Wings✦✧

They closed up the flower shop early in the afternoon, KiBum getting the feeling that KyuJong was really not comfortable waiting any longer than that to get back to JungMin's house. And he could understand why. Not saying a word about how they'd actually planned to lock up an hour later than they were right now, KiBum went around shutting off all the lights before joining KyuJong at the front door, cap on.

"Well I wasn't worried before, but now they aren't answering," KyuJong said, hanging up his cell phone and putting it back in his pocket. "I'm sorry, I know you prefer to leave when the sun's lower."

"It's fine, it's...special circumstances," KiBum said, stepping outside. "They're probably fine. Shatterwave is capable of taking care of himself."

"I know, but he was rather vague on the phone earlier," KyuJong said, hugging his arms as they started down the street. "I shouldn't have left them alone together, who knows what YoungSaeng's doing."

"Probably drawing on the walls again," KiBum said, watching him with a frown. "It was one incident. He's shown no other real problems, and most of the problems he does have seem to be always directed at KyuHyun."

"One incident doesn't mean it couldn't happen again," KyuJong said. "What he managed to lock JungMin out? Or won't come down off the roof.. or who know what... JungMin has to put up with him because I made him. He shouldn't have to deal with all this."

"We're not the ones calling the shots here," KiBum said. "It's not your fault any more than it's his. You're going to work yourself into a panic."

"You can't blame me for being worried," KyuJong said, his pace having picked up a little. "I'm supposed to take care of JungMin, and I'm not doing a very good job."

KiBum frowned, quickening his own pace to catch up. "We'll be there soon. Just relax."

"You know what is the worst thing to do to someone who is panicking? Telling them to relax," KyuJong said. Turning another corner, he could see JungMin's house up ahead. At least it didn't look to be on fire, there was one thing to cross off his list of possible horrible things.

"Noted," KiBum sighed, resolving to just stop talking, it was so much easier. They were just about there anyways. Reaching the house, he fell in behind KyuJong.

Hurrying up the stairs, KyuJong already his key out and quickly unlocked the door. "Min?" he called as he pulled off his shoes. "JungMin? YoungSaeng?" There was no answer, the house eerily quiet. "I'll check upstairs," he said, glancing at KiBum as he started towards the stairs.

Blinking and looking around, KiBum nodded. "Check the roof too." He walked along the main floor, checking the kitchen and side rooms. There was no sign of the two anywhere. He even sent his shadows down into the dark basement; they reported back nothing.

Even if there were only a couple of rooms upstairs, KyuJong checked them twice as well as the roof before he came back down. "They're not here... Why aren't they here?"

"Not sure," KiBum frowned. "There's no note. Would JungMin need to leave the house for something?"

"No, he doesn't even like going to the corner store," KyuJong said, looking for his phone again. "And he wouldn't leave without YoungSaeng and YoungSaeng shouldn't be going anywhere at all. What if that wolf whoever got them?" he asked shakily, dialing JungMin's cell number again.

"The attacks were mostly during the night," KiBum frowned, knowing he wasn't helping the situation at all. "I'll be right back." He headed to the front door: he couldn't use his shadows to search outside with the sun still high in the sky, but he could still look.

"Come on Min, pick up," KyuJong paced nervously. His heart stopped when the line connected and there was a shuffling sound on the other side.

"Don't panic KyuJong," YoungSaeng said on the other end. "The bird is chirping at us, we'll find the answers." With that the line went dead.

"YoungSaeng? YoungSaeng?!" KyuJong looked down at his phone and dialed again.

KiBum came back a few minutes later, frowning. "They're not in the area," he said, looking at KyuJong and seeing the panicked expression. "Any luck?"

"YoungSaeng picked up, and said something about birds..." KyuJong stopped, blinking a few times as he looked up at KiBum. "Birds... RyeoWook. They're with RyeoWook," he said, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Oh," KiBum frowned. "You said JungMin called earlier trying to reach RyeoWook." Glad that was at least solved, he closed the door behind himself and walked into the house.

"Yes, but I didn't think JungMin would risk taking YoungSaeng out," KyuJong said, slumping over onto the couch. "And he could have at least called me and let me know. I'm going to strangle him when they get back, making me worry."

KiBum sat down beside him. "You do that. Maybe it'll make you feel better. Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm fine," KyuJong smiled patting KiBum's arm. "Thank you for putting up with my crazy panic mode."

"I've seen worse," KiBum grinned. "Though I hadn't seen you panic like that yet."

"And it won't be the last time either, I'm sure," KyuJong sighed. "Ever since the... accident... I've had really bad anxiety. Especially when it comes to JungMin. I'm afraid something will happen to him if I don't know where he is or what he's doing."

KiBum frowned, watching the older man. "The anxiety is a result of losing one of your friends?"

"Partly," KyuJong said. "And partly because I came close to losing my best friend as well. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have JungMin in my life, and it scares me to death to think of it."

The younger of the two nodded slowly. "...Do you like JungMin?" he asked after a moment.

"... Why wouldn't I?" KyuJong blinked at the question. "I wouldn't spend all my time worrying about him if I didn't like him. He's my best friend..." Frowning slightly he turned in his seat to look at KiBum. "You're asking if I like him as more than friend, aren't you."

"The way you talk about him, it doesn't seem like you think of him as just a friend sometimes," KiBum nodded.

"As someone who lived for a very long time with two lives, there are only so many people who you can share both of those with," KyuJong said. "JungMin was there with me at the beginning till the end, and he will always hold a special place in my heart for that. As far as if I like him more than a teammate, an ally, and a friend? No. Most definitely not."

"Ah," KiBum said in understanding. "It wasn't just my misunderstanding, by the way," he chuckled. "DongHae was theorizing last night that you were both dating and were trying to hide it from the rest of us through...rather elaborate means."

"... DongHae thinks too much," KyuJong made a face at that. "You can tell DongHae that I am not with JungMin, or with anyone for that matter. Now, I suppose I should get dinner started, they'll want to eat when they get back."

"Need help?" KiBum asked, lips curled into an amused smile. "I'm surprised you're still going to feed them after taking off without telling you."

"And leave them to cook for themselves? YoungSaeng would probably burn the kitchen down and JungMin's idea of cooking leaves something to be desired," KyuJong said, getting to his feet. "But I'll gladly take some help. You seem to know which end of the knife to use."

"It was either that or let DongHae do all the cooking, and he doesn't exactly stick to the recipe books." KiBum stood up to follow him into the kitchen.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," KyuJong laughed.

They were halfway through cooking dinner before the front door unlocked, JungMin walking in ahead of YoungSaeng. "KyuJong?" he called.

Coming out of the kitchen, KyuJong scowled at him, hands on hips. "When I call, you answer," he said. "And that doesn't mean letting YoungSaeng answer."

"Sorry," JungMin looked cowed. "He knew you were going to call and snatched my phone away. I didn't know we were going to take that long or I would have left a note."

"Should have left me a note, or called me, or something anyway," KyuJong said, his expression softening. "Don't make me worry about you any more than I already do."

"I know, I'm sorry Kyu." JungMin walked to the kitchen entrance to wrap his arms around the other man in a hug. "Don't be mad?"

"I'm not mad," KyuJong said, returning the hug.

"Not now," YoungSaeng put in, sliding around them and coming up behind KiBum. "Why is it so dark in here? I told you, turn on the lights."

KiBum looked over his shoulder at YoungSaeng, frowning. "The lights give me migraines, and there's enough daylight coming in still."

"It's not even dark in here YoungSaeng," KyuJong said, glancing over at them.

"Not listening again," YoungSaeng sighed, shaking his head. "Hiding in the shadows, become the shadows... It's dark in the shadows."

"You have any idea what he's babbling about, KiBum?" JungMin asked over KyuJong's shoulder.

"...No." KiBum turned back to what he was doing, cutting up vegetables methodically.

"I have to get back to dinner making," KyuJong said, pulling away from JungMin's hug. "Go keep YoungSaeng entertained, before he starts really bugging KiBum."

"If DongHae couldn't drive him up the wall, I'm not sure YoungSaeng has a chance," JungMin rolled his eyes, heading into the kitchen and steering YoungSaeng back towards the living room. "Come on, leave the people work."

YoungSaeng didn't protest being guided out, going to sit down in front of the tv. "JungMin, I can't see," he said, frowning at the blank screen.

"The tv isn't on, of course you can't." JungMin went to grab the remote before joining YoungSaeng, sitting down on the floor.

"No... no not that," YoungSaeng said, looking slowly up at him. "I... can't see. I can't see you."

"Me?" JungMin blinked, confused and a little worried. He placed one hand on YoungSaeng's shoulder. "I'm right here Saeng, you're looking right at me. Or...do you mean, in the future?"

"Min... I..." the tears were building in YoungSaeng's eyes. "I don't know... I... it's gone."

JungMin immediately wrapped his arms around YoungSaeng. "Hey, it's okay. Kyu, can you come out here?" He called towards the kitchen. "Something's wrong." He tilted YoungSaeng's face up towards him, brushing away tears. "What's gone, YoungSaeng."

"Everything," YoungSaeng whispered, his fingers curling into JungMin's shirt. "I can't see anything past this moment."

"Something wrong?" KyuJong leaned out of the kitchen, frowning slightly. "Is he okay?"

Frowning, JungMin ran his fingers through YoungSaeng's hair slowly. "His precognition," he looked up at KyuJong. "It just...stopped. He said he can't see the future anymore."

"That's not possible," KyuJong said, coming towards them and kneeling down in front of YoungSaeng. "It's not possible, right Saeng?"

YoungSaeng closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Never saw, never saw this. Shouldn't happen."

"Can you take a look at him?" JungMin asked KyuJong, eyes concerned. "Maybe you'll be able to find something." KiBum had come to the kitchen entrance behind them, frowning.

"I can try," KyuJong nodded, reaching forward to press his fingers against YoungSaeng's temple. "The ability is still there, but something is..." KyuJong pulled his hand away quickly, looking at YoungSaeng with wide eyes before he looked up at JungMin. "Someone is blocking it. A telepath."

"What?" JungMin blinked, startled. "It can't be RyeoWook's doing...we just finished seeing him and he said it would take a couple days for him to go through his contacts. So there's someone else messing with his head, but who?"

"He might be nearby," KiBum frowned, going to the door. "I'll search the area."

"Be careful," KyuJong said, glancing over his shoulder before looking back at JungMin. "There isn't much I can do for him. My abilities are so weak that I could just end up hurting YoungSaeng. Call RyeoWook, tell him it's an emergency."

JungMin nodded, fumbling to pull out his phone. "Saeng, we're going to fix this...okay? Are you holding up okay?"

YoungSaeng had buried his face in JungMin's shirt, and he nodded slowly when asked. For as much as he wanted the visions to stop, this was too sharp of a cut off from them and it had him reeling.

The redhead didn't let go of YoungSaeng, absently pressing a kiss to the top of the precog's head as he held his phone to his ear. The call was short, JungMin trying to get across to RyeoWook just what was going on and why they needed that telepath now, not in four days, not in a week. Sounding harried, RyeoWook replied he was going to do the best he could before hanging up.

"He can't make any guarantees," JungMin sighed, hanging up the phone.

"RyeoWook will pull through for us, he always does," KyuJong said quietly. There was a slight tightness to his eyes as he watched the two, and he gave JungMin a questioning look.

"Yeah, but he still can't make miracles, it'll take him some time to find us a telepath," JungMin said, ignoring the look he was getting as he looked down at YoungSaeng. "Do you want to go lie down or something?"

YoungSaeng nodded again, his fingers curling tighter into JungMin's shirt. "Stay with me," he whispered.

"I will." JungMin helped YoungSaeng to his feet, supporting him with one arm around his waist. "I'm bringing him upstairs to lie down, we'll be back for dinner," he gave KyuJong a tight smile.

"Okay, let us know if anything new happens," KyuJong nodded, watching them go up the stairs. The smell of smoke caught his attention and he cursed as he jumped back up to his feet. In all the excitement, he had forgot about dinner completely. Hopefully it wasn't completely ruined.

DongHae looked up from his computer the next day to see a familiar figure make his way from the elevator through the rows of cubicles. He chuckled to himself, changing songs on his iPod and watching out of the corner of his eyes as SungMin snuck up behind KyuHyun to blow lightly on the back of his ear.

"You do that again and I'm sewing your lips shut," KyuHyun said, scowling over his shoulder. "Then what use would HyunJoong have for you?"

"I'm sure he'd think of something." SungMin rested his arms against the back of KyuHyun's chair, grinning at him. "Hi. I'm bored."

"Good for you, I'm busy," KyuHyun said, turning back to his computer.

"..." SungMin stuck his tongue out at the back of KyuHyun's head. "Let's go for dinner after." He rested his chin on KyuHyun's shoulder. "I'll pay."

"I know this is going to be a foreign concept for you, but they're called working hours for a reason," KyuHyun said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not off for another hour, and then I have to go home and change first. Okay? Can you wait that long?"

"I said after for a reason," SungMin grumbled before grinning, straightening. "I'll meet you at the Jungnang subway stop. Don't take too long!" He headed back towards the elevators.

"I'll take however long I want to take!" KyuHyun called after him, returning to his work and grumbling to himself. Unfortunately he was only able to get another half hour of work done before he called it a day, turning off his computer and heading out. He didn't bother telling DongHae he was leaving since DongHae hadn't been letting him know where he was going the past few days anyway.

Before he was going to meet SungMin though, he needed to go somewhere, and he wasn't sure how well he'd be received if he showed up. Not that he wanted to go there in the first place, but he needed something. Climbing up the steps to the house, he rang the bell and waited.

A minute later the door unlocked and opened. JungMin raised one eyebrow at KyuHyun. "I thought you were through showing up here." He stepped aside to let KyuHyun in.

"So did I, but I need something," KyuHyun said, looking around as he carefully stepped in. "I heard about what happened... the crazy hobo okay?"

"He's...getting there," JungMin sighed, closing the door. "The visions have been coming and going, he's been really out of it as a result. We're just going to have to hold tight until RyeoWook finds us that telepath. What do you want?"

"I need something to wear," KyuHyun said, crossing his arms. "Those clothes I gave him, I need some of them back."

"...Huh?" JungMin raised an eyebrow. "What, all your other clothes burned or something? Why'd you give them to him if you were going to want to wear them?" He shook his head, heading towards the stairs. "Stay quiet, he's asleep."

"Well I didn't know I was going to need them now did I?" KyuHyun muttered, following him up the stairs.

"I give up trying to figure you out, you're worse than the precog sometimes," JungMin wrinkled his nose. Reaching the bedroom door, he looked inside and saw YoungSaeng was still asleep on the bed, the curtains drawn. JungMin went to the closet and opened it to what YoungSaeng had, stepping aside.

"Don't you compare me to him," KyuHyun whispered, poking through the clothes. Picking out a pair of slacks, a gray undershirt and a black sweater to go over it, he closed the closet when he was finished. "Thanks, don't tell-" he didn't get out the last of that sentence when YoungSaeng sat upright in bed and started screaming.

"What the—" JungMin rushed to the bedside after jumping nearly a foot off the ground. "Saeng? YoungSaeng, what's wrong?" He climbed up next to YoungSaeng, holding onto the precog's shoulders and trying to get the older man to look at him.

"Stop the wolf! Stop the wolf!" YoungSaeng cried, wide eyes fixing on JungMin's before looking up at KyuHyun. "Hurts the bird, blood and feathers, glass shatters. Glass everywhere! Go, Spark, stop the wolf!"

"Is he talking about RyeoWook?" KyuHyun frowned, setting the clothes down on the table. "Where Saeng?"

YoungSaeng pointed towards the window. "Hurry."

"Call RyeoWook," KyuHyun said, looking to JungMin as he reached over to the bedside lamp. Electricity arced off of the bulb to his fingers and he was gone.

JungMin scrambled for his phone, getting off the bed and calling RyeoWook's cell phone. His heart plummeted when the call went straight to voicemail: RyeoWook was already in the air.

The sun was setting outside, most birds setting down for the night with a few flying back to various nests. A falcon circled high overhead, clearly looking for something as it went up and down the rows of buildings.

Perched high on a rooftop, a figure waited. A muffled gun was loaded, the safety released as the hooded silhouette sighted on the falcon.

The figure didn't notice the shower of sparks on a nearby rooftop, KyuHyun dropping and crouching down behind the cement edge. His eyes narrowed as he saw the cloaked figure and the gun. Whether this was the wolf or not, KyuHyun couldn't take the chance that it wasn't. Not if RyeoWook's life was at stake. Glancing upward, he traced the electrical lines over to the roof the figure was on and smirked. He wouldn't see it coming.

Scooting over to the corner of the building where the lines were attached, he pressed his hand against the junction. Over the head of the figure, an arc of electricity shot from one of the towers, striking the figure like a bolt of lightning.

The shooter fired the gun just as the lightning struck, body jerking at the electricity. Up in the sky, a dull thwack echoed the falcon's screech as RyeoWook spiraled in a rapid descent, wings flapping crazily. The falcon disappeared below the rooftops, his shooter collapsing onto the roof unmoving.

Walking to the window, JungMin yelled in shock as the falcon crashed through the closed window of his bedroom. The bird landed on the floor in a mess of glass, feathers and blood, writhing in pain.

"... ," KyuHyun swore under his breath even as he disappeared, reappearing next to the shooter's still form. He hoped RyeoWook was okay, but his concern now was the wolf. Crouching down, he slowly rolled the person over, his jacket smoking a little from the impact. KyuHyun had made sure to limit the force of the electricity. Couldn't get answers out of a dead man.

Pushing back the hood and slowly pulling away the mask, KyuHyun swore and nearly fell over when he saw who the wolf really was. ".... No."

Back at the house, YoungSaeng had stopped screaming, staring down at the bloody mess on the floor. "He'll be okay," he said, looking up at JungMin.

"He doesn't look okay, , call KyuJong!" JungMin tossed his phone to YoungSaeng as he crouched next to the agonized bird. When he got too close, RyeoWook snapped at him, in too much pain to tell who he was. "Wookie, Wookie it's me, you have to shift back, we can't help you like this. Come on RyeoWook, you're going to be okay."

The falcon shuddered before it's form grew, expanding back into a human shape. RyeoWook curled up on the floor, half-screaming, half-sobbing as he clutched at his bloody side. JungMin got up and ran for his first aid kit.

YoungSaeng calmly dialed KyuJong's number and explained what happened. He hung up even as KyuJong was yelling for more answers. He would just ask the same questions when he got here, no use in repeating the answers again. Scooting to the edge of the bed, he looked down at RyeoWook. "Wolf bites hurt," he said with a sad smile. "I know."

"Move Saeng." JungMin got back with the first aid kit, dropping it on the floor. He swatted RyeoWook's hands away and lifted the man's shirt to look at the wound in his side, wincing. RyeoWook was lucky: any more to the side and he'd be dead right now. "Just hang in there Wook, you're going to be fine." He set about quickly cleaning and binding the wound.

"I was...I was high up, out of range," RyeoWook whimpered, gasping at the pain. "How did he hit me?"

"Wolf has good eyes, good aim," YoungSaeng said. "Spark stopped him, could have died. You were lucky. Only clipped your wings, could have got your heart."

RyeoWook breathed in and out erratically, blinking blearily at YoungSaeng. "You're the precog...I found...I found..."

"Talk later, just relax," JungMin said, placing one hand on RyeoWook's head before continuing to secure the binding. RyeoWook shut his eyes, shuddering. It wasn't long before the bird shifter was unconscious.

YoungSaeng frowned slightly, tilting his head to the side. "Give me his cellphone, it's in his pants pocket. Should have called earlier."

"Maybe we can worry about this when he's not bleeding all over the floor?" JungMin did fish out RyeoWook's cell though, passing it to YoungSaeng before working on the cuts and gashes left from the crash through the window.

"Or maybe we can call the healer he has in his contacts," YoungSaeng said simply, turning on the phone. "She has a nicer bedside manner than you at least." Finding what he was looking for, he dialed the number and put it to his ear.

"Hey, I have decent bedside manners," JungMin grumbled, trying to fix as much of the injuries as he could. There wasn't much else he could do besides make sure RyeoWook was comfortable, so he carefully lifted the injured man off the glass-covered floor and onto the bed.

YoungSaeng swayed slightly back and forth as he listened to the line ringing. A smile curled on his lips when the person on the other end answered. "Hi, you don't know me, no this isn't RyeoWook. Hm? Oh, he's been shot. You should get here soon, he's hurt really badly. Address? Yes, here," he held the phone out to JungMin. "She needs the address."

JungMin took the phone away, wrinkling his nose at YoungSaeng as he held it to his ear and gave the woman his address, unhappy about having someone else in his house but realizing there was little choice. RyeoWook needed a doctor. "I've bound up his wounds but he's lost a lot of blood, the sooner you can get here the better." He hung up once she confirmed she was on her way.

Soon as JungMin had hung up there was a crashing noise from the first floor. "KyuJong's here," YoungSaeng said, easing off the bed and going to the door. "I'll get the broom, picking glass out of feet hurts," he said as he disappeared.

"Min?!" KyuJong ran up the stairs, nearly falling into the bedroom before he caught himself on the doorway. "What... what happened?"

JungMin looked up at KyuJong, eyes still wide after what had just happened. "RyeoWook was attacked by the wolf. YoungSaeng said KyuHyun stopped the shot from being lethal but we haven't heard back from KyuHyun yet. A healer RyeoWook had in his phone contacts is on her way here."

"Oh... is that all," KyuJong said, exhaling heavily. "I... I should call KyuHyun, see if he's okay," he said, pulling out his cell phone. "Are you okay Min? You didn't get hurt did you?"

"No, I'm fine," JungMin shook his head. "Going to need a new window though," he looked at the shattered window, and the blood stains soaked into the carpet. "Maybe a new carpet." He double-checked RyeoWook's bandages to make sure they were secure and not soaked through already.

"Could use new carpet anyway," KyuJong said, listening to the phone ring.

KyuHyun let the phone in his pocket ring, not feeling up to talking to anyone. Sitting in a chair in his room, he watched the person currently laying on his bed. He knew who was calling, and what they wanted, but he wasn't ready to talk to them yet. Not until he had some answers.

It was a few minutes before the man stirred, brow furrowing in discomfort. Trying to lift one arm, he was brought up short, tied by his wrists and ankles to the bedposts. Pulling on his arm again, he opened his eyes slowly to look up at his hand in dazed confusion.

When it clicked that he was tied down, pink-colored eyes narrowed slightly before he looked around the room and spotted KyuHyun.

"Well, nice to see you're awake," KyuHyun said, watching him with an expressionless stare. "I'd hoped to get you here in my bed, but just not under these circumstances." He leaned forward. "So, should I tell your boyfriend you're a murderer, SungMin?"

Almost at 500 views =D You guise rock! And thank you to sweetsmirk137 for upvoting the story!

Please comment, subscribe and/or upvote if you enjoyed the story!

@Forest_pixi: Lol I'm debating what should be posted here next after Sworn...Proteus/Pandora verse, or Decerto/Decerto Road to Freedom verse. Thoughts? And we actually WERE trying to ignore the KyuMin pairing here...did we tell you already that when plotting this, we didn't set any specific pairings, but just waited to see what would happen? And the ONE pairing we said we definitely would NOT do was KyuMin? Well, look what happened /points at them/ This is what happens when your muses mutiny. And I'm never forgetting about the Tweety Bird name~~~ =P

@katiemae01: I'd hope you'd be mad if he pulled a knife on you? O.o LOL