Yoochun moved in his sleep, making a soft noise. Changmin rolled his eyes, mumbling about the damn man and his growls. Still, it was enough to get him to look at Yoochun and finally allow his thoughts to go to the man he knew since he was a little kid. It just didn’t seem to kick into place in his mind that Yoochun was his Linked One. It felt weird, out of place. Yoochun? They had nothing in common. Nothing.

…

Changmin thought back to the first day he met Yoochun. 

He was five, same as Junsu. Jaejoong and Yunho were six and Junsu’s brother was seven. He knew them because he had seen them playing around before and from the different groups he saw that first day at school, he wanted to be a part of that one. 

The only thing he found odd was how Yunho seemed to be making sure a little girl joined them. Long hair covering shy eyes, full pouty lips and clinging to an impressive pile of books; the pretty girl seemed to be only four to little Changmin. 

He was sure the teachers would tell her to go home because she was too young for this school yet. 

It was only when the teacher was calling their names and he heard “Park Yoochun” that he realised the little girl was actually a little boy. That surprised him. Pissed hi off too. How could he had been fooled? Changmin had a lot of pride in being smart. Not even Jaejoong with his long hair and pretty face had fooled him.

Changmin glared at Yoochun’s back. Later he supressed a pleased chuckle when he found out that Yoochun was six. That made his morning. He was only five but already as tall as Junho who was seven.

When they were allowed outside to play, he approached the group feeling they would be only too happy to welcome him. However, they paid him no attention. Junsu the only one who studied him with curious eyes. Changmin was offended. How dare they? 

Then he spotted Yoochun sitting nearby reading a book and he took out his frustration on the smaller boy. 

Changmin felt a little guilty when surprised eyes stared up at him but that didn’t stop him. Yunho did. The older boy, almost as tall as he was, gave him a lecture. Changmin pouted and turned his back on them.

…

Over the next few days it became almost a routine. He teased Yoochun who would only hide his eyes. He would run before Yunho and Junho came to lecture him and then run back and seize the opportunity to tease Jaejoong and Junsu, who would yell at him to go away while trying to comfort Yoochun. 

Some of the other kids at school noticed what Changmin was doing and started copying him. Jaejoong fought back easily; he was strong and lost his temper fast. After some yells and well-aimed kicks he was left alone. Besides Yunho was always near Jaejoong and the tall kid had a way of making the other kids respect him. Junsu couldn’t fight back but he also had Junho always with him and his easy ways made him a favourite with everyone. That only left Yoochun who liked to isolate himself to read his books. That meant he could be found alone several times, while the other four kids were playing. And Yoochun didn’t even talked back. He would just shrink his small frame, keep quiet and, on occasion, cry if someone damaged his books.

Changmin felt pissed when he saw that. However Yunho would usually arrive and lecture the kids. Some listened and stopped. But a small group continued, not caring what Yunho said. Changmin watched that from a distance. He couldn’t even tease Yoochun anymore because what was the fun in teasing someone that was already near tears?

…

One day Changmin went after them as usual. Yunho, Jaejoong, Junsu and Junho were playing football and ended up moving away from where Yoochun was calmly reading his book. Changmin smiled happily and hopped to where the smaller kid was. This time he was going to be the one to tease Yoochun. 

Suddenly, two older kids came from the bushes and pushed Yoochun to the ground, making him cry in pain. 

-That’s it! Enough with that! Who said you guys could do that? Didn’t you heard Yunho and Junho? Well, this time you are going to hear me!

Changmin punched and kicked the two kids until they ran away. He felt really pleased with himself and looked down at Yoochun full of pride.

-See? That’s how you do it, little girl!

Yoochun had his eyes full of unshed tears, wet cheeks and was hugging his left arm. He was also wearing a very surprised face looking up at Changmin. 

Yunho was the first to reach them.

-Changmin, what have you done this time?

Changmin ignored the older kid and reached a hand to Yoochun who cowered a little.

-Don’t you dare touch him. Get out of here. I am going to report you!

He shrugged his shoulders and walked away, not even bothering to try and tell the other kid he hadn’t been the one to hurt Yoochun.

…

When they all joined back at school, Yunho went to the two kids with busted lips and warned them seriously to stay away from Yoochun. As he approached Changmin, the younger kid pretended to be very focused on his own books. 

-Thank you.

Yunho offered his hand but the younger kid stubbornly ignored it. With a sigh, Yunho returned to his seat. Yoochun was nowhere in sight. Changmin was sure the little boy would still be crying somewhere. 

At the end of the day, as Changmin waited for his parents to pick him up, he finally saw Yoochun. The smaller kid had a cast on his arm and was being led away by his moms. They had pulled the long bangs away from Yoochun’s eyes and Changmin could finally fully see those eyes staring at him as the kid disappeared from his sight. He was hit with a wave of guilt. The other kids had started to tease Yoochun only because he had started it first. He had never meant for anyone to get hurt. Changmin pouted and hit the floor with his heel. He had only wanted friends to play with. Refusing to cry, the young boy put on a forced smile to meet his parents.

…

When Yoochun returned to school, two purple cycles later, he seemed different. For one, there was no books with him since he couldn’t carry them with a cast on his left arm. Second, his eyes, visible with a new haircut, kept going in the direction of Changmin who would squirm in his seat under the unexpected attention. 

When they were allowed outside, Yoochun approached Changmin, whose eyes went wide with surprise. For the first time in his short life, the tall kid was lost for words. Yoochun grabbed his hand and walked in the direction of the other four kids. Only Yunho and Junsu looked curious, the other two looked angry. As for Changmin, he was still too shocked to even know what to think.

-Can he play with us, Yunho?

Yunho stared at Yoochun, barely hiding his surprise. Then, with a glance at Changmin’s open mouth expression, the older kid looked back at Yoochun’s quiet determination. He liked whatever new thing he saw on Yoochun’s eyes. 

-Sure. But we’re going to play football. That means we’ll need another player.

-I’m playing too. I read the rules last night. I want to try if you guys let me.

-Ok.

Before he could understand what was going on, Changmin found himself teamed up with Yoochun and Junsu against Yunho, Jaejoong and Junho. He grumbled that it wasn’t a fair way of splitting the teams but fell silent when Yoochun told him he was going to really try his best. 

The game turned out much better than any of them could have hoped for. Yoochun clearly wasn’t used to physical exercise but he compensated with a surprising good tactical reading of the game, positioning himself where he could be useful to pass the ball and giving good directions and tips. When the teacher had to come and call off the game, not even Changmin was keeping score of the goals anymore, too busy laughing and having fun. 

That was the day they all became inseparable.

…

Yochun moved slightly in his sleep again, another soft sound escaping his lips. That brought Changmin back from his trip into his childhood memories. And to make him wonder exactly how much Yoochun had changed without him noticing. The man that was before him had very little left of the young boy he could easily tease. In fact, Yoochun had somehow started to mostly ignore his taunts, even teasing him right back. And he could keep up with them physically with little effort. What was still innately Yoochun was his love of books and spaceships.

Changmin studied Yoochun’s face and body. They had grown up together; all five of them after Junho had started to have his own group. Seen each other countless times. He knew exactly how his friends looked like; knew exactly what he’d see underneath Yoochun’s clothes. That knowledge gave him no different feeling than before. 

Shouldn’t he be pointing up?

Then again, even during that damn kiss he could almost swear that none of them had been pointing up. Changmin cursed himself. He should have paid more attention. It had never seriously crossed his mind that he could end up paired with a man. He had honestly been expecting some obedient quiet girl. Now, not only he was paired with a man but with Yoochun of all people. 

Dear sweet smart Yoochun who had been researching everything he could, like he always did. 

And here he was, thinking himself so smart but knowing nothing. Nothing except that pairs kissed, that involved penetration and that the girl or mather was the one who had the babies. Yoochun would be able to make fun of him until they both had grey hair. 

Changmin decided he needed to take matters into his own hands, no more leaving things for The Connection to sort out. So what if Yoochun had realised they were Linked Ones sooner and knew a lot more than he did? So what?

He was still Changmin.

…

Yoochun blinked, consciousness returning and with it a jumble of confused emotions. As he stared up at Changmin he realised it was mostly his Linked One’s emotions that he was feeling. His friend was still in shock and maybe a bit of denial. As for himself, Yoochun had always tried to be practical. He picked his fights. It was part of the reason why he was able to deal with Changmin since they were little kids. His mind went over the last events at rapid speed. He had suspected the other purple cycle over his reaction to that video; then he had convinced himself he had been imagining things, only to have it confirmed today. The second time he just didn’t bother trying to rationalise it or fight it. If it was Changmin, then it was Changmin. 

But his friend had found out pretty much only when he had given in to that insane overwhelming urge to touch. A need that was slowly returning because of the way Changmin was so close to him and looking at him so intently. 

Before Yoochun could decide what to do, Changmin kissed him.

…


Jaejoong was getting much better and so far the doctors had found nothing wrong with him. Yunho was getting a bit restless. For the first time in his life, he was understanding exactly why Jaejoong complained so much about his family. It was just too many people and he could not find a way to be left alone with his friend. 

There was something bugging him but he couldn’t pinpoint that. He was sure that Jaejoong didn’t exactly remember why he had fallen. And for sure it would not be so easy to get Jaejoong to accept that he was going to have another Linked One besides Lydia. His friend liked things neat and uncomplicated to compensate for his insane family life. However, none of that seemed to be what was nagging him. 

Jaejoong noticed how Yunho kept trying to be alone with him and for once in his life, he was happy to have a family large enough that he could easily have someone with him at all times. He had no idea what was happening to Yunho; why he had fallen from his dragon of all things; or why he was feeling so uneasy. He was just absolutely sure he didn’t want to be alone with his friend.

…

Junsu realised he was flying over the city when he became aware of Yunho’s presence. However, he could tell that his friend was worried. That struck him as weird. They had been less aware of each other’s since the adulthood ceremony and Yunho was never one to worry.

As he tried to approach where Yunho could be, Junsu found himself at the hospital and looking at two huge dragons. 

“Mira, what’s happening?”

“Sailor and Blur say your friend Jaejoong is hurt.”

Junsu raced inside. He could feel Yunho clearly but he could not feel Jaejoong anywhere. That was leaving him absolutely scared. It was almost impossible to completely stop feeling someone when connected to that person, especially this close by. 

Yunho came down to meet him halfway. Then Yunho froze.

…

-I can’t feel him! Junsu, I can’t feel him!

-Yunho, what is going on? Where’s Jaejoongie?

-Oh, Lhara! I can’t feel him. Why can’t I feel him? 

-Yunho! Talk to me!

…

It took Junsu some time until he could get Yunho to calm down enough. Finally he got out of the man enough pieces of the story to understand what was going on. The two went in to see Jaejoong.

-Junsu!

-Hi, Jaejoong. How are you?

-Eager to get out of here and fly with my dragon. He’s outside the window. Have you see it? It’s purple like I always wanted.

-Ah, so the blue one is Yunho’s. 

-Yes. Wait… Yours is that pinkish one? Quite a catch. Rainbow dragons are very rare. 

Junsu sat next to his friend and took on a very serious look that made Jaejoong sit down as well. 

-Ok, I never saw you use that face. Is that your doctor’s face?

Jaejoong automatically searched Yunho’s face when Junsu remained silent. Yunho was looking very worried. He tried to read his two friend’s feelings. Then he tried again And again.

-I… I don’t… I can’t… 

-We need to do more tests on you, ok? Calm down. I might be a temporary effect from the blow to your head. I’m the best doctor in the entire colony. I’ll help you, Jaejoong.
Jaejoong’s parents and sisters who were nearby suddenly wanted to know what was going on. Junsu was able to send them out and have another doctor talk to them. He slowly returned to Jaejoong and Yunho who were looking at each other as if they were lost.

-Yunnie…?

-It’ll be ok, Jaejoongie. Whatever is happening, you’ll be ok.

-I feel no one. Not even my dragon. No one. My head is completely empty. There’s no one there. Not even my sisters. How come I didn’t realise this when I woke up?

-I didn’t either. 

Junsu approached them and sat down again.

-We are going to have to run a series of tests to understand what is happening. Your links to everyone, even your family, friends, your dragon… it seems to be gone. I don’t believe it is permanent. The telepathic links are almost written in our DNA code. It is part of who we are, what we are. 

-Junsu…

-Like Yunho said, it will be ok. We’re here.

-But what about Lydia? Sailor? They are my most recent connections and the most important of all. Sailor is right outside that window. I don’t hear him. I’ve been screaming in my head and he doesn’t answer.

Yunho felt a pain deep in his heart. Jaejoong didn’t remember what had happened before he had fallen. He had no idea he had lost one more connection. 

…