“You rush and I’ll kill.” Jongdae ordered, earning a nod from Minseok.

“I’ll be rushing from a high angle so stay in the tree to the north.”

The two were currently catching their first live prey and intended not on losing their opportunity. The prey was a short pudgy gamey looking bird that for some reason flew incredibly fast from Minseok‘s perspective. They had been eyeing the flock for the past hour and managed to pick off a weakling to kill. Yet the bird was very agile and the slightest screw up could cause it to slip from their hands and that meant no food. Minseok watched as Jongdae skillfully scaled the tree until he reached a branch that he felt comfortable with.

“Ready.” Jongdae mouthed.

Minseok turned, sprinting into the distance until he found the weakling; the bird with a small right wing. Minseok charged into the flock, waving his hands like a madman and hollering and hooting strange words that animals could not comprehend. The flock zoomed into the distance leaving the weakling behind. The weaker bird struggled to fly after them, but Minseok hurled his axe at it, forcing it to fly in the direction where Jongdae was currently waiting. Minseok almost lost focus as he watched his axe fly into the distance towards the trees, he chased after the fleeing bird, driving it to where Jongdae was currently waiting. He crashed into the trees to see the tree that Jongdae was previously in. Empty.

“The heck Jongdae!” Minseok roared, seething in rage as he spun around looking for the bird and the younger idiot. “Where are you?”

“Here,” Jongdae answered as he leaped down from another tree, one hand holding the dead bird and the other Minseok’s axe.

“But,” Minseok stammered, “The plan!”

“Your axe almost chopped my head off.” Jongdae huffed, “Luckily I changed trees just in time because the bird flew a little more to the right than expected, and it almost crashed into me.” Jongdae handed Minseok the axe, “Try not to kill me next time.”

“I had to scare it away somehow!” Minseok held up his hands in defense. “Wasn’t going to throw my shoes at it because how scary are boots?”

“This bird better taste freaking fabulous.” Jongdae sighed, “We need to start a fire somewhere.”

“Hey look a swan!”

“Shut up.” Luhan spun around and hit Sehun on the head, “I was a child, a mere child!”

“You still look like one.”

“I will end you.” Luhan growled, up the front of Sehun’s shirt and forcing the younger to bend his back sharply. Normally, if Luhan was taller than Sehun, he would lift him up by the shirt and threaten him with all sorts of fun ways to die. But dragging him down was what he could do at the moment and one cannot complain. Sehun bent down low, and met Luhan’s angry face in maximum proportion.

“What can’t tell the world your swan-phobia?” Sehun teased.

“Do you want to die?” Luhan asked Sehun’s shirt more and drawing the younger unintentionally closer, “Because I can arrange that.”

Before Sehun could answer his face collided with Luhan’s in a painful manner, causing both boys to groan in pain. Their foreheads resting numbly together as they tried to shake away the miniscule pain.

“Darn it Jongin!” Chanyeol hollered, “You ruined a good moment!”

“Jongin!” Kyungsoo yelled, “You fool!”

“I’m sorry!” Jongin exclaimed, throwing his hands up in shock, “Kyungie forgive me!”

“I should punish you for ruining such a thing; it was like watching a live romance novel.”

“What are you going to do, whip him?” Chanyeol asked with a smirk. “Oh wait, he’s already whipped.”

“Chanyeol I’m going to punish you too.” Kyungsoo frowned. “Hurry up and fill the flasks.”

They had received also flasks from the sponsor after Sehun and Luhan’s little moment the day before, which was quite surprising because Sehun was threatening to throw Luhan into the lake with the swan-like creatures that he hated. The flasks were enough to carry enough water around for about three days or four, but they would soon need to look for water again. Once they were all good to go, they set off again.

“Should we make more progress in the games?” Luhan asked suddenly while grudgingly walking next to Sehun.

“What you two kissing,” Jongin asked. “That’d be a nice touch for the viewers, something to coo over while the rest of the tributes die.”

“I’m not going to kiss Sehun,” Luhan rolled his eyes; “I meant should we go end some people to hurry up the games?”

 “Nope,” Kyungsoo shook his head, “I have a plan, but we just need to conceal ourselves till the end.”

“That’s my Kyungie, smart and takes authority.” Jongin smiled, winding an arm around Kyungsoo.

“Save it for later!” Chanyeol laughed, “PDA police! Someone save me from being a fifth wheel!”

“Stop it Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo hissed, “We draw enough attention being a party of five but with you crashing throughout the woods we practically scream come kill us!”

Chanyeol nodded obediently like a puppy, “I know Baekhyun wants me to be quiet too.”

They all looked at each other strangely as Chanyeol continued to prance about, “Baekkie stop walking so fast! Kyungsoo wants us to be quiet!”

“What the…” Sehun looked at Chanyeol’s odd behavior and turned to Luhan, “Is he mentally insane now?”

“Baekkie~ Baekkie~ Baekkie ~” Chanyeol singsonged as he seemed to grab an imaginary hand, “Let me hold your hands they’re so small and cute I could hold them all day!”

“Is he okay?” Luhan asked Kyungsoo who seemed to be writing something on his palm with his finger. “Are you okay?”

“I’m just trying to remember where I’ve read about this before.” Kyungsoo frowned, “It seems that he is not in a mental depression with losing Baekhyun, but he seems to be going mentally insane because the fact that Baekhyun is not here right now.”

“I knew he would crack eventually.” Jongin answered making a tsking noise with his tongue. “I just didn’t know when.”

“Baekkie is right here!” Chanyeol exclaimed pointing to the direction in the right, “I swear!”

“Should we kill him now or put up with his insane persona.” Sehun turned to Chanyeol drawing his sword, “He’s freaking me out.”

“Don’t kill your friends!” Luhan huffed, smacking the blade away. “Besides Chanyeol is perfectly normal.”

“Normally insane,” Kyungsoo corrected he walked over and shook Chanyeol’s shoulders, “Hello? Baekhyun isn’t here anymore! Look don’t fall for this hallucination! Wake up!” He knocked on Chanyeol’s head abruptly, “Anyone in there? WAKE UP!”

Chanyeol turned to the side, “Baekkie he’s bullying me.”

“I don’t know how to cure him.” Kyungsoo sighed, “We need something else a shrink or something. I’m not qualified to be a doctor.”

“It’s okay,” Jongin comforted, “You still have me.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kyungsoo laughed, “Anyways let’s just go.”

“Baekkie asks if he can come along!” Chanyeol asked.

“Yeah, Baekkie can come along.” Kyungsoo nodded, “Just go with it.”

“Chanyeol you’re insane.”

Chanyeol looked and saw the figure again in the distance. “Baekkie you came back!” He grabbed Baekhyun by the shoulders and pulled him close.

“I was never gone.” Baekhyun answered, “But you really need to stop freaking out our friends.”

“But it’s true that you are alive.” Chanyeol cocked his head to the side confused, “It’s not a lie.”

“You’re the only one that can see me,” Baekhyun said sadly, “Do you know how insane you look to them right now?”

Chanyeol thought back to earlier when he was holding Baekhyun’s small hands with his and how he kept chanting Baekhyun’s name as they walked because the harsh world was too much. “I guess I did look a little insane.”

“You’re stressing Kyungsoo out,” Baekhyun added as he hugged Chanyeol closer. “I can read his brain waves and they’re all jumbled up.”

“How are mine?” Chanyeol asked.

“Pretty empty.” Baekhyun smirked.

“Hey!”

“You asked!”

“I have to go.” Baekhyun said as he pulled away and retreated, “I’ll see you again soon.”

“Aww but we didn’t see each other that long!” Chanyeol whined.

Baekhyun laughed and pressed a soft kiss on Chanyeol’s pouting lips, “Bye Channie.” He said as he walked into the distance.

Chanyeol sat up and stretched his arms and yawned, only to be met by the faces of his friends.

“How you feeling?” Luhan asked, his doe eyes staring into Chanyeol’s soul.

“Fine!” Chanyeol piped, “Why are you all looking at me?”

“No reason.” Kyungsoo answered.

“Where’s Baekhyun?” Jongin questioned as they set off for the day.

“In a safe place.” Chanyeol answered with a smile, “Safer than here and he doesn’t need my protection.”

Okay i hope this chap doesn't confuse you lol.

But coming up is more Hunhan and Kaisoo fluff and some angst. Be prepared.

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