Having spent the last couple of days out of the office, HyunJoong had a mountain of paperwork waiting for him. So many things to sign and verify that he wished he could just take another day off to get away from it even if that didn't make much sense. He'd made DongHae go to JungMin's to report in and see how things were going. Despite DongHae's objections to staying right at his side, HyunJoong didn't want him here while he talked with SungMin.

It wasn't long before SungMin arrived at the office, stepping out of the elevator and looking around the familiar building. He was alone, KyuHyun back at his apartment. It was weird coming back to the office knowing it was now unfamiliar ground, not a safe spot to relax.

Adjusting his bag, SungMin lifted his chin and walked to SeoHyun's desk. After a quick confirmation HyunJoong wasn't in a meeting, he stepped around the desk to the door and knocked.

"Door's open, come in," HyunJoong said, glancing at the clock. "This is a first SungMin, you knocking on doors like you don't own the place."

SungMin rolled his eyes, stepping into the room. He stopped on the other side of the desk, not coming closer than that. "Things change. You wanted to talk?"

Setting his work to the side, HyunJoong finally looked up at SungMin, his expression unreadable. "I do. I don't like leaving things unsettled, we've known each other for too long to not at least have a conversation."

"I'm not sure what there is to say." SungMin tilted his head to one side. "We both know something about each other we were never meant to know."

HyunJoong's lips pursed at that, leaning back in his chair. "How long had you known who I was? Since the beginning? Is that why you sought me out in the club?"

"Two years ago?" SungMin blinked. "No, I didn't know when I met you." He sat down in the chair opposite HyunJoong. "I didn't know until three months ago who you were."

"Why didn't you kill me? I was on that list," HyunJoong asked, watching SungMin. "Obviously not for the money since you have your own, or the penthouse, and definitely not the ... So why keep me alive?"

SungMin's lips twisted slightly as he thought about the question. "Honestly, I'm not sure. Of course I could say something about killing the guy I'm sleeping with bringing unwanted attention to me, but that wouldn't be the real reason. Maybe because even though you were a crappy boyfriend, you were something stable to hold on to."

"I'm sorry," HyunJoong said, sighing heavily. "I should have treated you better. Even knowing what you are now, I still feel guilty for how I treated you. You deserved better than me." Standing up, he walked around to the front of the desk, taking the other chair next to SungMin. "Why didn't you tell me what you were?"

"Why would I?" SungMin turned his head to look at HyunJoong. "I didn't feel like getting kicked out or hypnotized into stabbing myself. You should know nothing good ever comes of giving yourself away."

"I wouldn't have done that," HyunJoong said. "I can understand your feelings though, which is probably why I didn't say anything either. I wanted you to come here because I don't want any ill-feelings between us. We obviously weren't right for each other, but you were a part of my life at a time when I needed someone."

SungMin's lips quirked slightly. "I guess I could say the same. So maybe we can end this on a good note." He leaned back in the seat. "One plus about dating a former villain is that you're not trying to give me the whole 'morality' talk. Which is a bit of a relief."

"I'm not remotely qualified to talk to anyone about morality," HyunJoong chuckled. "I'm sure you're getting enough of it from KyuHyun. DongHae says he's been with you since this all started. How's that going?"

"Well enough. He's your typical super hero all right," SungMin shook his head. Reminding himself about yesterday's conversation made him sigh softly. "Sorry about taking away your office worker, by the way."

"Not a big deal, he wasn't that good at his job anyway," HyunJoong said, watching SungMin. "Something wrong?"

SungMin blinked, shaking his head. "There's just some things superheroes won't get about people like us," he chuckled quietly, glancing at HyunJoong.

"Could you be a little more specific?" HyunJoong tilted his head slightly. "There's a number of things they don't get, but you have something in mind."

The assassin's lips quirked back and forth. "Let's just say that I doubt whatever we have is going to last past this whole 'darkness' situation, and I start taking up hits again."

"Probably not, if that's what you want to happen," HyunJoong said cautiously. "Do you not want what you have with him to last? Or are you having a bit of fun with the good guy for once to see what it's like."

"I resent that," SungMin sniffed. "And I didn't come here to ask for relationship advice. Just going to have to see what happens."

"Alright," HyunJoong smirked, getting to his feet. "I'm a little surprised you did come here," he said, leaning up against his desk. "Wasn't sure if you were going to kill me or not."

"And I wasn't sure if you were going to hypnotize me out the window, so I guess we're even," SungMin chuckled, standing as well.

"You must not know me that well if you think I would want any harm to come to you," HyunJoong said. "Despite what you may think, I still care about what happens to you. I don't think KyuHyun will ever understand you the way I will."

"Why would I go through all that trouble with my client to keep you alive, if I was just going to kill you after?" SungMin smirked at him. "No, he probably won't. I could say the same about DongHae."

"True," HyunJoong nodded, pushing slightly away from the desk to stand closer to SungMin. "You and me, we had a lot of fun," he murmured, lifting a hand to curl a lock of SungMin's hair around his finger. "Didn't we?"

SungMin looked up at the other man through his bangs, lips curled slightly. "We did. I still think you liked it when you didn't always get your way."

"Maybe, but where's the fun in telling all my secrets?" HyunJoong chuckled, sliding his hand further into SungMin's hair to the back of his head. "This is probably another one of those bad ideas, isn't it," he whispered, leaning down to ghost his lips slightly over SungMin's.

"Probably," SungMin murmured, eyes half-closing. Before the kiss could get too deep, he pressed one hand to HyunJoong's chest and pushed him back slowly. "But it's a bad idea I'm going to pass on."

"Why?" HyunJoong's expression flickered slightly in confusion. "Because of KyuHyun? You like him that much?"

"Maybe I do." SungMin's eyes opened fully again, lips curling. "Even if he's infuriating sometimes. I didn't come here to cheat on him."

"Then you're a far better person than me SungMin," HyunJoong said, letting his hand drop and turning around. "Thank you for coming to see me. I'm sorry I tried to do that."

"Do I look mad?" SungMin adjusted his bag on his shoulder. "I just took a closer look at my priorities, and isn't at the top of them. Shocker, I know." He looked up at the back of HyunJoong's head. "Hey. I'm glad you're okay."

"It wasn't..." HyunJoong took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Thank you. I'm glad you're okay as well. Say hi to KyuHyun for me. Tell him he can come back to work if he wants, up to him."

"I'll let him know." SungMin turned towards the door. "If you ever get tired of talking to the good guys...you have my number." He left the room, heading back towards the elevator. He wasn't sure why he'd turned HyunJoong down really, considering he doubted he and KyuHyun were going to be together much longer. But it had still seemed important to declare where he stood with HyunJoong.

Thinking about it all the way back to KyuHyun's place, he let himself into the apartment, looking around for the younger man.

KyuHyun was on the couch, scowling at the tv when he saw SungMin come in. "I'm bored."

"Why aren't you playing a game or something," SungMin blinked, closing the door and dropping his bag. They hadn't talked much since the conversation the previous night.

"Tried, wasn't really into it," KyuHyun shrugged, drawing his knees up to his chest. "Kept getting distracted, was worried about you."

Surprised by that, SungMin's lips quirked slightly and he sighed before sitting down next to the younger man. "Well, I'm back."

"Good, that's good," KyuHyun said, looking down at the top of knees and absently picking at a loose thread. "So... what... um... what'd he want?"

"To close up some loose ends," SungMin shrugged, glancing at him. "He didn't want to leave it without some sense of closure. We just talked for a bit."

"Oh... okay, well that's good," KyuHyun said. "And were you... did he..." his brow furrowed in frustration. "He didn't want you back?"

"He didn't want me back," SungMin wrinkled his nose a little before he shifted a little on the couch to face KyuHyun. "Nothing happened. I made sure of it."

KyuHyun glanced over at him, the confusion evident until it dawned on him. "... He wanted ," he stated, not really a question. "You turned him down... why?"

"Because I didn't want to have with him," SungMin replied simply, meeting KyuHyun's eyes.

"Any particular reason or..." KyuHyun asked, looking away. "What are we, SungMin?"

"That depends on what you want us to be," SungMin said, keeping his gaze on the other man.

"I don't know," KyuHyun admitted. "I've never had like a... boyfriend or anything, and that just seems weird to say because I don't know if that's what you want or if you just want something not so serious." His mouth clicked shut to keep himself from rambling.

"Every 'relationship' I've been in has been not so serious," SungMin sighed, "My question for you is, do you even want a hitman for a boyfriend? Because you can avoid it all you want, that's what I am. As much as I like you, if you can't accept that then I can't be in a relationship with you."

KyuHyun was quiet after the question, closing his eyes and taking a few slow deep breaths. "I like you SungMin... I like you more than I've liked anyone. You're the first guy I slept with, first guy I kissed... even knowing you're an assassin and have killed people I can't help but like you." He opened his eyes and looked at SungMin. "But I can't accept that you'll kill more people. Even if they're not my friends, even if I've never met them before. I swore an oath to protect the people in this city, and even protect them from you if I have to."

SungMin met his eyes for a long moment before looking away. "...I'm not sure what else there is to say, then," he said quietly. "This is all I know."

Turning to face him, KyuHyun reached out a hand to touch SungMin's arm. "But that doesn't mean it has to be," he said. "You can do so much more SungMin, you don't have to kill people. Do you want to kill people?"

"What would I do? I don't even have a high school diploma, and assassin-for-hire doesn't look good on a resume," SungMin rolled his eyes, gaze lowered. "I'm not a good person, KyuHyun. I've been doing this for so long that killing people doesn't bother me anymore."

"You could be one of us," KyuHyun said quietly, pulling his hand away. "I don't want you to kill people SungMin, because I want to be with you... but I can't be with someone who kills people, I just can't."

"Me, a superhero?" SungMin shook his head. "I was never superhero material." He slumped lower into the couch, closing his eyes. "It's not that easy to stop. This isn't a job I can just stop showing up to one day, or forget how to do."

"Why not? What's involved? Being hired right?" KyuHyun said. "Unless you like killing people for fun, you can stop taking jobs."

"That won't stop people from coming after me," SungMin frowned. "This isn't the first time someone's sent other assassins to kill me, and it won't be the last. It won't stop clients from finding me with jobs, even trying to blackmail me into taking them if they have the guts. And it won't stop this." He tapped his fingers lightly against his temple. "The fact that even sitting here right now, I can't stop listening for a lockpicker at the door, or footsteps in the next room, or body movements in case the person sitting next to me has a weapon and means to use it."

KyuHyun sighed heavily, his head dropping and rubbing a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to do SungMin. You've got my head all twisted around in different directions. Do you want this? Do you truly want this life?" he asked, looking up at SungMin again. "Not because it's all you've known, but because you've decided that's what you want."

"I don't know." SungMin opened his eyes, looking at KyuHyun. "I just don't know. I've never met someone who I'd want something more than just casual from before. I need some time to figure this out...but even if I stop taking jobs, I'll always be a trained killer."

Scooting forward, KyuHyun took SungMin's cheeks in his hands and looked into his eyes. "But you can be more, not something else, but more," he said softly. "That's all I want for you... for us. Because I don't want to give you up, not now."

Meeting KyuHyun's dark eyes, SungMin sighed softly, one hand covering KyuHyun's lightly. "Let me think about it...okay? I don't want to give you up either."

Nodding, KyuHyun leaned forward to brush his lips lightly over SungMin's, lingering just long enough to get a taste before pulling back. "Even if it's not casual... I like the part," he said softly, resting his forehead against SungMin's. "But that's not the only reason why I like you."

"It must be my taste in clothing," SungMin smirked tiredly, resting his hands against KyuHyun's shoulders.

"... No," KyuHyun chuckled. "Your taste in clothes is awful," he said, pulling back and letting his hands fall away. "Not that I'm one to talk."

"No, you're not," SungMin smiled. When KyuHyun's hands dropped, SungMin closed his eyes and tipped forward to rest his forehead against KyuHyun's shoulder, exhaling softly.

"Tired?" KyuHyun asked quietly, an arm going around SungMin's shoulder. "You didn't get much sleep last night."

SungMin's lips quirked slightly at the observation. "Just a little," he murmured. "Just need a moment."

"Maybe you should get some proper sleep," KyuHyun frowned. "Come on, let's get you back to bed."

"But I'm comfortable here," SungMin pouted a little, not moving.

"You'll be more comfortable in bed," KyuHyun said softly, shifting so he could hook his arms under SungMin's knees. "... Would it be completely awkward if I carried you?"

"It will be if you drop me," SungMin opened one eye to look at KyuHyun in amusement. He leaned against the younger man, one arm looping loosely around his neck.

"I won't drop you," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, putting an arm around SungMin's back and shifted enough so he could get to standing. As he said, he didn't drop SungMin, though he did consider it as a joke, one that probably wouldn't go over well. Getting into his room without banging SungMin's head into any walls or doors, he lay the man down and settled the blankets around him. "Just try and sleep okay? It's been a rough few days."

SungMin had closed his eyes again at some point, but opened them again once he was settled. "What about you?" he frowned up at KyuHyun.

"Me? I'm fine, I'll just go play on the internet for a bit," KyuHyun said. "Too wound up to sleep."

The older man's brow furrowed slightly. "...Okay. I guess I'll be here." He shifted to curl up on his side, watching KyuHyun.

KyuHyun blinked. "What, you want me to stay?" he asked. "I can if you want."

"If there's somewhere else you want to be, I'm not going to stop you," SungMin murmured.

"... You sound like a girl," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, lifting up the covers and scooting closer to him. "If you want me here, you can just say so," he said when he'd settled on his side, looking at SungMin.

"I'm not a girl," SungMin frowned at KyuHyun, though his expression eased when KyuHyun got under the covers. Wrapping his arm around KyuHyun's waist, he rested his forehead against the other man's and closed his eyes, smiling.

"I know," KyuHyun smiled, closing his eyes and breathing a small sigh. Somehow, some way, he'd figure out how they could be together. This was too important to lose, too important for both of them.

*********************************

It was finally the weekend again, which meant everyone was in JungMin's house. JungMin himself had retreated to the roof with YoungSaeng after a mini-yelling match with HeeChul, and they left him there to cool off. KiBum had to stay beside KyuJong and reassure him every now and then that the two were still there and hadn't fallen off the roof.

Helping KyuJong make lunches (along with RyeoWook who had escaped from the chaos of the basement), KiBum glanced over his shoulder to see Yixing standing at the top of the stairs. The telepath was staring at KyuJong again, something he had been doing ever since he showed up with Zhou Mi.

Seeing KiBum looking behind them, KyuJong looked back as well, frowning. "What?" he asked, setting down the knife and turning. "Is there something wrong? Where's Mi?"

"Zhou Mi ge?" Yixing blinked at him, then pointed down the stairs to the basement. He frowned and leaned from side to side, looking at KyuJong from different angles. "Kuizhong ge, are you okay? Feel okay?"

"I feel fine," KyuJong said, walking towards him to call down the stairs. "Mi, get up here, he's acting weird again."

Zhou Mi popped his head around the corner, looking up at KyuJong with a frown. "What? Oh..." he noticed Yixing, starting up the stairs he spoke to him in Mandarin, his expression confused.

Yixing looked agitated, making wide elaborate motions with his hands as he babbled before pointing at KyuJong. KiBum frowned, looking between them and wishing he understood Mandarin. Though judging from the expression on RyeoWook's face right beside him, the bird shifter knew Mandarin and still didn't get whatever the telepath was saying.

Even Zhou Mi, who was fluent in Mandarin, looked at Yixing in confusion. He looked at KyuJong, then back at Yixing, asking him something and pointing at KyuJong.

"What is he saying Mi?" KyuJong asked, looking a little uncomfortable.

"I'm not really sure, something about... weird... breaks? Fractures?" Zhou Mi shook his head, struggling for the right word in Korean.

"Fractures?" KiBum frowned, glancing at KyuJong.

Yixing, apparently tired of not being understood, ran out the back door. He returned quickly, a small pebble in hand. He rambled at RyeoWook, the bird shifter spooked into grabbing a bowl out of the cupboard and filling it with water.

Yixing grabbed the bowl and put it down on the table. "This Kuizhong," he said, pointing at the pebble in his hand. "This air," he pointed at the water. He dropped the pebble into the bowl, ripples expanding outwards from the point of contact and bouncing around the bowl as he looked up at KyuJong expectantly.

"I'm a pebble?" KyuJong frowned, not entirely following, looking to Zhou Mi. "What does he mean?"

Zhou Mi was asking Yixing already, the telepath motioning to the ripples and saying something over and over. "Ah... he says, you... are like the pebble and... the ripples are echoes through time." Something else Yixing said had Zhou Mi puzzled and he looked at KyuJong. "You did something, and it's still following you to now."

"Did what?" KiBum blinked, looking at KyuJong. "Do you have any idea what he's talking about?"

"When was the last time you used your time bending?" RyeoWook asked, confused.

"Since the accident? Three times," KyuJong said, crossing his arms and feeling uncomfortable. "Once on SungMin, once to save YoungSaeng, and then once to stop a mugger. That's it."

"Accident..." Zhou Mi's eyes widened and he looked at Yixing, speaking rapidly to him.

Yixing stopped shuffling back and forth to listen, frowning. He turned around and stared at KyuJong again, or more precisely, something just to KyuJong's left, before asking something.

"He...wants to know what you did, during the accident," RyeoWook said quietly, glancing at KyuJong.

KyuJong looked uncomfortable, not wanting to relive that accident. "When... JungMin's bombs went off, I put up a time bubble to keep myself safe."

"That's it?" Zhou Mi frowned, looking to Yixing. They spoke back and forth for a moment. "Was there anything else?"

"I tried to extend it to ChangMin but it didn't work, he died," KyuJong said. "What does this have to do with anything?"

Once that was translated to the telepath, Yixing's eyes widened. He reached out and grabbed KyuJong's sleeve, speaking eagerly in Mandarin.

"Oh, that's a horrible question," RyeoWook paled.

"What? What is it?" KyuJong looked from Yixing to Zhou Mi.

"He wants to know if there... if his body was recovered," Zhou Mi said, looking away.

KyuJong's lips pursed and he pushed Yixing away, scowling at him. "What kind of question is that? Of course there isn't, he was... he was blown up," KyuJong said, the tears b in his eyes. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Yixing looked at KyuJong, confused by the push. RyeoWook said something to him in Mandarin and he saddened. "Sorry," he said, hands up. "Sorry."

KiBum took KyuJong by the arm and steered him away. "Come on, let's go sit down," he murmured.

KyuJong eyed Yixing coolly as he left the kitchen, going to sit down on the couch. "I don't know what he's playing at, but that wasn't funny," he said, hugging his arms.

KiBum shook his head, wrapping his arm around KyuJong. "I don't know either," he sighed softly, watching shadows move from inside the kitchen doorway. Yixing was talking in loud, agitated Mandarin.

"He had better not do anything like that, or bring it up around JungMin," KyuJong said, looking towards the door. "Min would kill him." Zhou Mi appeared at the doorway, his eyes wide. 

"Kyu... you really need to hear what he has to say," Zhou Mi said, pulling Yixing into the living room. "I know this is upsetting... but..." he looked at Yixing again, frowning, "...he says he's seeing something outside of time, following you around. It's possible, that... it's ChangMin."

"...What?" KiBum's eyes widened, looking between them.

"Fracture," Yixing said slowly, eyes on KyuJong. "Fracture."

Seeing movement near the stairs, KiBum glanced to the side. JungMin was standing at the top of the stairs, frozen with one foot off the step.