"I'll be fine," KyuHyun said, handing the key to him and heading out the door. "I don't need someone protecting me." Letting himself out, he grumbled under his breath pretty much the entire time he walked down the stairs and out the building. He was probably blowing the whole thing out of proportion, but the way SungMin was smirking at him and the tone of his voice set KyuHyun on edge. He wasn't a child and didn't need his hand to be held to walk across the street.

It only took him a few seconds to get to JungMin's house, using the electrical wires to jump across town easily. Climbing up the steps, he knocked on the door and waited, looking down at his boots.

The door unlocked and opened, JungMin standing on the other side. "Hey Sparky," he smiled, stepping aside to let KyuHyun in. "Fancy seeing you around here."

"Well you practically begged me to, how could I refuse?" KyuHyun smirked, stepping in and pulling off his boots. "It's kind of noisy... who all is here?"

"Let me remember the list," JungMin rolled his eyes, closing the door. "RyeoWook, Zhou Mi, Yixing, Heechul and Han Geng. KyuJong and KiBum are at work, it's even more crowded when they're here. I'm surprised everyone's staying downstairs."

"You need a bigger house," KyuHyun said, peeking his head down the stairs but couldn't see anyone. "HeeChul annoying you yet?" he asked, glancing at JungMin.

"What do you think," JungMin shoved lightly at KyuHyun's shoulder before heading to the living room. "Come on, we need to talk—gwah!" He ducked as something bright and colorful flew over him.

The canary circled back around and targeted KyuHyun, pecking his head and making a racket.

KyuHyun let out a very undignified shriek, falling to the floor and covering his head. "What the hell Min, that crazy hobo of yours is letting vermin in!" he said, peeking out from around his arms.

"That's not—!" JungMin cracked up laughing, leaning against the wall.

"You!" The bird disappeared and RyeoWook took its place, looming above KyuHyun with his hands on his hips. "Not a visit, not a phone call, not even an email! What is this!? Do you know how worried we were?"

"... Uh... RyeoWook?" KyuHyun blinked, shuffling back up to his feet and looking him up and down. "I see you're feeling better. You're welcome by the way," he wrinkled his nose. "Is this what you told me to come over for? To get lectures from a bird shapeshifter half my size?"

"No, I didn't even know he was awake," JungMin snorted.

"You deserve worse for not contacting us for two years," RyeoWook sniffed. "But I'll let it go seeing you saved my life." He pulled KyuHyun into a tight hug.

KyuHyun returned the hug awkwardly, scowling at JungMin over his shoulder. "Sorry for not contacting you Wook... I was a little busy. Work and stuff."

"You aren't allowed to go that long without talking to me ever again," RyeoWook said, pulling back and pushing his finger against KyuHyun's chest.

"Hey Wook, could you do me a favor?" JungMin said to get the bird shifter to stop bothering KyuHyun. "Go check on the three upstairs? I'm sure Mi would be glad for some company anyways."

"I'll do that," RyeoWook smiled, turning towards the stairs and going up. JungMin turned towards the living room before any more crazy people could come up the stairs.

Breathing a little easier now, KyuHyun followed JungMin into the living room, sitting down in one of the chairs. "Okay, so what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked.

JungMin dropped onto the couch, frowning at KyuHyun. "First thing's first...what is going on with you and the assassin? Your moral code is almost as rigid as KyuJong's, so what's going on?"

KyuHyun tried not to squirm under the question and the look he was getting, shifting in the chair. "Honestly... I'm not sure how to answer that," he said, looking down at his hands. "Before I found out who he was, HyunJoong had been paying me to keep SungMin company, to protect him because he thought someone was after SungMin, right? And I didn't know, I didn't know who or what he was until it was too late... but I liked him. Still like him even. We... we've been sleeping together."

The older man watched him, eyes narrowed slightly. "But you know what he is now. And you still think this is a good idea? I'm not talking about the fact he's not killing anyone else for the moment. I'm talking about how he's killed several people we know, including almost killing two people in this very house, and from the earlier phone call you can't be certain he has any intention of stopping. You've got to know we're just worried about you, especially with how you've been acting recently."

"I know, and I know how all of this looks," KyuHyun said, rubbing at his forehead. "But look at this from my point of view. If I had turned my back on SungMin, chosen to kick him out of my life then he wouldn't have stopped. I know it seems a little self serving to be involved with the person who was trying to kill YoungSaeng and sit here and tell you that I'm doing it for that reason but... it is part of it. I don't want him hurting anyone else, especially not my friends."

"So you think you can turn him away from being an assassin?" JungMin shook his head. "And what if you can't?"

"Then I'll do what I have to," KyuHyun said, his expression serious. "I'm still a member of the Sworn, and I'm still committed to protecting lives. Personal feelings can't get in the way of that."

JungMin took in his expression for a long moment before sighing, leaning back. "If you're sure you can handle it...then we'll leave it to you. But leaving you alone with an assassin is...nerve-wracking. Check in more often. You know we've got your back in case something happens."

"To be honest, it didn't feel like you did," KyuHyun said, looking down. "But thank you."

"We'll always have your back," JungMin's lips quirked, and he leaned over to clasp KyuHyun's shoulder lightly. "Getting into arguments and pissing each other off is just what you and I do. Remember?"

"Yeah, guess I needed a little reminder," KyuHyun smirked, shaking his head. "That was something I didn't miss." He glanced towards the stairs up to the bedroom. "How's the hobo doing? Not throwing knives at people still I hope."

"He's...doing better. He's as anxious as KyuJong though, not being able to see what's going to happen next is putting him on edge," JungMin said, looking towards the stairs as well. "He's up there having a control lesson with Yixing again, with Zhou Mi as translator. Who knows when they'll be done."

KyuHyun eyed JungMin suspiciously. "So I spilled my secret... what's going on with you and him?"

"Oh, that's apparently old news since the whole house knows," JungMin rolled his eyes. "We're together."

"... Really?" KyuHyun's expression was unreadable about that, but he knew fairly well he had no right to say anything about that. "Gone a couple days and the world goes topsy turvy. Anything else I don't know about?"

"Probably, but not all of it's my secret to tell," JungMin snorted. "How long you sticking around for? You can ask KyuJong yourself when he comes in."

"Can't really stay, I sent SungMin to my place alone," KyuHyun said. "I'll be back though... maybe when YoungSaeng can see things again and... sees SungMin isn't a threat, then I can bring him too."

"There's an idea." The redhead watched KyuHyun's expression. "You're absolutely confident in this?"

"I'm... about ninety-nine percent confident," KyuHyun admitted. "That has to be enough for now."

"Well...just be careful for that remaining 1%," JungMin frowned.

"I will," KyuHyun nodded, getting to his feet. "Thanks for not yelling at me and stuff... Maybe that crazy precog is doing you some good, mellowing you out."

"Yah, I'm not mellowed out," JungMin snorted, standing as well. "And I'll let you know it next time you do something stupid."

"I don't doubt that," KyuHyun rolled his eyes. "Tell RyeoWook I said bye, and... what is that noise?" he tilted his head slightly and looked towards the staircase to the basement.

"...Oh for 's sake," JungMin groaned, turning to yell down the stairs. "Yah! This isn't a hotel! You can either shut the hell up or go have somewhere else, HeeChul!"

KyuHyun's eyes widened at the response HeeChul called back up the stairs, looking at JungMin with a disgusted face. "I really don't envy you right now. That's just gross... I'll call you later." Turning on heel, he tried to rush past the door to the basement to get to his shoes.

"I can't wait to get all these people out of my house," JungMin grumbled, stomping after him to lock to door after KyuHyun. "See you around. Say that again and I'll cut off your hair and feed it to you, Medusa!" He yelled down the stairs.

More than a little glad to be out of there, KyuHyun wasn't looking forward to going home either. Not that he had anywhere else to go. Sighing a little, he headed across the street to an accessible junction box that he could hitch a ride on, wondering if SungMin would beat him to the apartment by then or not.

In fact SungMin had gotten to KyuHyun's apartment by then, leaving his luggage to one side since he wasn't sure where to put his clothes (and weapons, but that was another story). Sprawled on the couch waiting for KyuHyun to come back, he frowned at his cell phone. Scrolling through the contact list, his thumb paused on HyunJoong's name.

Most likely, the call wouldn't be answered. If it was answered, it wouldn't be a very pleasant conversation. Best to make it brief.

Glancing towards the closed front door again, SungMin pressed 'dial' and held the phone to his ear, exhaling slowly.

The call did pick up though, and after a few seconds of silence, HyunJoong spoke quietly. "SungMin."

SungMin closed his eyes. "HyunJoong." He paused. "I heard what happened."

There was a long pause on the other end. "I'm sure you did. I'm fine, not the first attempt on my life. Won't be the last."

"...You sound fine," SungMin confirmed quietly. "Just thought I'd call. Check for myself."

"And that's the only reason you called?" HyunJoong asked.

"Yeah." SungMin murmured after a moment. "So I guess I'll go now. Glad to hear you're okay."

"We need to talk," HyunJoong said. "Face to face I think would be best."

SungMin exhaled softly. "...Yeah, I guess so. Where and when?"

"Tomorrow, my office," HyunJoong said.

"I'll be there," SungMin replied.

The apartment door opened, KyuHyun stepping in and shutting the door behind him. "Hey," he said, seeing SungMin on the couch. "...Who are you talking to?"

Hanging up the call, SungMin let his phone drop onto the couch, not opening his eyes. "HyunJoong. He wants to meet tomorrow."

"Oh... okay," KyuHyun frowned slightly. "Why? What's going on?"

"I just called to check up on him," SungMin shrugged. "Guess he feels we need to talk. How did that thing at your friend's house go?"

"Good I guess," KyuHyun said, walking towards the couch. "Are you upset with me about earlier?"

"No." SungMin opened his eyes to look up at KyuHyun. "Are you upset?"

"No, I'm not," KyuHyun shook his head, kneeling down next to the couch. "Hearing about HyunJoong getting attacked just put me on edge. He lives in a luxury condo with security and private elevators and everything and someone still broke into his place. I worry that someone could get in here without any problems."

The other man's lips quirked slightly, and he tilted his head to look at KyuHyun. "If they had a mind to, probably. But they'd be stupid to try," he said quietly.

"Yeah, but doesn't mean I can't worry," KyuHyun said quietly, leaning forward. "I should be worried, because they're just going to keep coming until we face this darkness YoungSaeng talks about."

"Then I guess we better face it, hm?" SungMin murmured, reaching out and brushing his fingers lightly against KyuHyun's cheek.

"Yeah... just not right this second," KyuHyun whispered, leaning in and kissing SungMin.

Returning the kiss, SungMin slowly shifted on the couch so the kiss wasn't half-sideways. After a moment he broke the kiss to sit up, fingers curling into KyuHyun's sleeves to tug him up onto the couch too. "Would that be considered a make-up kiss?"

"I guess, long as you're not mad at me," KyuHyun said, climbing onto the couch. "Maybe we should try again, make sure?"

"Maybe," SungMin grinned, pulling KyuHyun closer and kissing him deeply, one hand twining into the younger man's hair.

Not bothering to reply, KyuHyun slid over onto SungMin's lap, knees straddling SungMin's lap and returned the deepened kiss. His hands were sliding up the front of SungMin's shirt, fingers dragging along the skin.

Groaning lowly, SungMin's lips fell away from KyuHyun's to mouth along his jaw and neck, biting just enough to leave a mark. His hands found KyuHyun's hips and rocked the younger man against him slowly.

KyuHyun gasped, his jaw dropping and eyes closing. Too much more of that and he was going to come apart. He didn't want it to stop though, and the bedroom was just too far away to suggest a change of location. Leaning back, his shirt came up and off before he went right for SungMin's pants, ing them and trying to help him get them off without either of them having to move.

Focusing on what KyuHyun was doing, SungMin chuckled breathlessly, hooking his fingers into KyuHyun's belt loops to pull him up just enough so he could get out of his own pants. Kicking them off, he quickly disposed of his shirt before undoing KyuHyun's pants, leaning forward to kiss KyuHyun's chest and stomach.

Whining a little, KyuHyun realized he wouldn't be able to get the rest of his clothes off with how he was sitting, and he didn't really want to move. Trying to work his pants down one leg, he ended up teetering over onto the couch. Kicking off his jeans, he sat up enough to hook his arm around SungMin's neck and pull him down roughly into another searing kiss.

SungMin had no complains about that, returning the deep kiss as he shifted position on the couch to hover over KyuHyun. He hooked the younger man's legs around his waist, leaving KyuHyun's lips red and puffy from bites.

It was only after they had both collapsed against the couch afterwards, SungMin keeping half-off the other man to avoid crushing him, that he though to ask. "...Did you go all the way to JungMin's without any underwear on?" he murmured against KyuHyun's neck, amused.

"...I couldn't find them," KyuHyun admitted, closing his eyes. "I was supposed to come home first... not that I really care. Just underwear."

Chuckling, SungMin absently pressed kisses to KyuHyun's neck. "You mentioned earlier you'd never been on a date before...does that mean you've never had a boyfriend? Girlfriend?"

"If you count high school, then yes, I've had a girlfriend," KyuHyun said. "You're the first guy I've dated."

"Ah, I feel special," SungMin smiled. "I'm surprised, it's not like you're bad-looking."

"I wasn't really looking," KyuHyun shrugged. "Too many other things to do, didn't really get a whole lot of personal time."

"'Things to do', like playing hero and watching over a former villain?" SungMin opened his eyes to look up at KyuHyun.

"Yeah, something like that," KyuHyun sighed. "I just wasn't interested in anyone else."

SungMin hummed lowly in acknowledgement, staying sprawled out against KyuHyun for a minute. Then he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "We need to talk about what we're going to do next."

"I thought a nap would be good," KyuHyun said, closing his eyes. "Maybe some dinner."

"Well, that too." SungMin's lips quirked. "I'm talking about your 'darkness' problem."

"What about it?" KyuHyun opened one eye to look at him. "You have something in mind?"

"I do, but first I think you should see something." SungMin reached down and grabbed his boxers from where they'd been dumped along with his pants, pulling them on. He stood and went to where his luggage still was, picking up the newspaper from on top of a bag before returning to the couch. "The guy who went after HyunJoong was confirmed dead, right?"

"Yeah," KyuHyun frowned, sitting up.

SungMin sat down. "My client didn't give the list to just one person this time." He held the paper out to KyuHyun, opened to one of the main stories detailing a gruesome murder. "Say goodbye to Pyrotech."

KyuHyun looked away from the paper, his expression grim. "Well we knew that was an option right? That there would be others and they were going to keep coming."

"Of course they're going to keep coming. But I don't think you realize how the underground works. Someone going around hiring a bunch of trained killers at the same time, word's going to get out. Especially if The Voice is hiring some of the more...special cases." SungMin eyed the newspaper. "Most assassins don't bother disemboweling people, it's messy. And showy, which will work in our favor at least."

"How do you figure?" KyuHyun looked over at him.

SungMin put the newspaper down. "Because I'm going to get in touch with some of my contacts, get them sniffing around for answers, and do some searching of my own. Find our hired hitmen, who they've been in contact with, what gangs if any they affiliate with, who their families are. Then we can use them to get to The Voice."

"That doesn't seem like the smartest thing to do since these same people are after you," KyuHyun said, eyes narrowing.

"So what would you suggest we do? Hide out here and watch the list get smaller and smaller?" SungMin glanced at KyuHyun. "I'm counting on them coming after me. By the time they do, I'll know exactly how to handle them."

"You know how to handle this better than me," KyuHyun said, rubbing at his eyes. "As long as you're absolutely sure you can do this without drawing that much attention to us."

SungMin frowned slightly, turning towards the other man. "I'm not gonna lie...it will be dangerous. I wanted to ask for your help, but maybe it's better if I just...go back to my place for a while. That way there'll be no reason for anyone to come after you: you're not on the list, and the less I'm seen around you the less danger you'll be in."

"I'm already in danger, you said so yourself," KyuHyun said, shaking his head. "I'm a superhero that's not on that list, that means what? I'm a target by something other than the assassins. I'm not letting you do anything on your own."

"If you're sure," SungMin sighed. "If you're going to help, you're going to have to stop acting like a superhero. We're going to have to go to some shady places, and meet shady people, and acting like a 'good guy' will get you killed. That means no lightning either, because all we need is one person who remembers the only known guy with electricity manipulation in the city is a super hero. Do you think you can act along?"

"Yes, I can act along," KyuHyun said, frowning slightly. "I need to ask you something though... When this is all over, are you going to continue to be an assassin for hire?"

A flicker of apprehension appeared in the older man's expression before SungMin looked away. "Do we have to talk about this now?"

"Yeah, we do," KyuHyun said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because if I'm going to help you in any way, I need to know."

"...This is who I am, KyuHyun," SungMin said. "This is how I've lived my life."

"Then you're not going to stop," KyuHyun said to confirm, closing his eyes and looking away. "You have to."

"Why?" SungMin glanced at him. "You said it yourself when you found out about me: I'm not going to just stop being an assassin."

"I... had hoped by now you would..." KyuHyun shook his head, getting to his feet. Finding his clothes, he started to pull them on. "Nevermind. We'll get through this, and then figure things out later."

SungMin's lips twisted slightly and he looked down. "I guess we will." He slowly started to dress as well, silent.

KyuHyun collapsed in a chair, covering his face with his hands and his elbows resting on his knees. Despite what he told JungMin, he wasn't as confident that he could really do anything to SungMin. He didn't know if he could really hand SungMin over to the police to answer for his crimes, or hurt him in any way to prevent him from killing anyone else. His strong code of morals was being tested now, and he was reminded of the warnings YoungSaeng had given him... Not to trust the wolf. Was it too late, or had he fallen too far to get back out?