“Mommy!” Chanyeol yelled, running up to his mother, “it’s today!”

“Yes,” she smiled, fixing his hair as best she could with her hands before trying to do the same with his white wings, “it’s today.”

“Do you think my new sister is going to like her room?” he asked, looking in the direction of the bedroom before turning back to face his mother, “I think it looks really girly, but she’s a girl so I bet she’ll like it.”

“I’m sure she will,” his mother laughed at how excited her son was, “now go get some breakfast. We’ll be heading to the ISBIP adoption office soon and it’s a long drive. I don’t want you to get so hungry that your tummy grumbles. You could scare your new sister if it grumbles too loud.”

Chanyeol looked visibly worried about such a thing happening and ran off to the kitchen so he could eat something. No way was he going to let his tummy scare his new sister.

As he ate, he thought about his new sibling. When his mother and father first told him that they were going to adopt another child, he was only four and had no idea what they were talking about. When they’d explained it too him, he’d rejected the idea. He didn’t want a sibling. He didn’t want to share his room, his toys, or his parents with anyone.

It took a full year before he decided that he liked the idea. All of his friends had siblings. While his friends sometimes fought with their siblings, over all they seemed to have no problems with having another child or two in the house. Deciding he wanted a little brother, he went to his parents and told them as much. His mother stressed that they might not be able to get a little brother, but Chanyeol was adamant that he wanted one.

Two years later his parents were finally cleared to adopt a child. Chanyeol was still stuck on the idea of a little brother, so he told them to find his a little brother he could play with before they went off to the ISBIP adoption office to see the children up for adoption. While they were gone Chanyeol told his babysitter exactly what he wanted for a little brother. She smiled and told him that she hoped he got what he wanted.

When his parents got home, they sat him down at the table and showed him a picture of the child they had picked.

The first thing Chanyeol realized was that the picture was of a girl. He’d wanted a little brother. But before he could say as much, he noticed how sad she looked. She was miserable and alone. She looked so small and fragile. Chanyeol’s complains died in his throat.

“What’s her name?” he finally asked.

“Lina,” his father said, “Kim Lina. She’s a fallen like us. She was raised by human relatives who rejected her when she got her wings.”

Chanyeol didn’t really know what that meant. Why would her family reject her because of her wings? He thought her black wings looked pretty. Chanyeol couldn’t understand at all why humans would react negatively to a girl with wings because he’d grown up among other fallen. Wings were normal to them.

“She’s going to be my little sister,” Chanyeol announced before his parents told him that Lina was actually a year older then him.

Yeah, Chanyeol couldn’t wait to bring his new sister home. He’d be the best brother ever. He’d never let her get hurt and he’d never let her cry. She’d smile all the time because of him loving her and protecting her.

--

“Welcome home,” Lina’s new mother smiled down at her, “do you want me to show you to your room?”

Lina nodded silently. She really liked the couple that had adopted her. They were nice. Most of the other parents who had looked at her had just scoffed or ignored her. Either they weren’t looking for child with wings or hated how quiet she was. This couple had smiled at her and tried to get her to talk. When she didn’t talk or shrunk away, they backed off just enough to make her feel comfortable again but no enough to make her think that they’d lost interest.

And now here she was. In their home. Legally part of their family.

“Come on,” their son, Chanyeol, smiled, “you’re going to love your room. It’s really girly, but you’re a girl so I’m sure you’ll love it.”

She wasn’t sure what to make of Chanyeol yet. He was loud. He talked a lot. He smiled a lot. He was so different from her in every way.

Silently, Lina followed Chanyeol and her new mother to her room. Chanyeol was right; it was very girly. Lots of pink and frills and everything else little girls tend to love. Lina turned to her new mother and bowed, thanking her for such a beautiful room. She’d never had anything like this with her aunt and grandparents. They hadn’t had the money to afford anything this nice.

“We’ll let you get settled,” her new mother smiled, gently pushing Chanyeol out of the room, “I’ll come get you when dinner is ready, alright sweetie?”

“Yes,” Lina nodded, managing a small smile before the door closed.

The little girl set down her small suitcase at the end of her bed before opening it up and starting to unpack. Lina didn’t have much, just a few little trinkets, but what she did have meant the world to her. It was all she had left of the family who’d rejected her. Even if they had called her a demon when she grew her wings, she still loved them. In a way she wished that she didn’t love them anymore. That would make everything easier. But she did love them and that’s why their rejection of her hurt so much.

After putting her things away, Lina cuddled up in her new bed. She fixed her pillows so that they formed a little nest around her. then she added a few of the stuffed toys her new family had given her to make the walls of her ‘nest’ taller before finally pulling her blankets over to hide her from the world. To anyone passing by, it looked like a big lump hidden under the blankets instead of an actual person trying to hide from the world that had hurt her.

--

“Lina?” Chanyeol asked a few hours later, opening her door, “are you awake? It’s time for dinner. Mom said to hurry or it will get cold.”

He got no response, so he ventured farther into the room so he could look for her. It wasn’t hard, the lump on the bed gave her location away really quickly. Silently, Chanyeol made is way over to her bed, pulling back the blankets hiding Lina.

She looked so tiny. She was curled up into a ball, her body tense even in sleep. Chanyeol might not understand her story, but he knew it had to have been bad if she was like this. It broke his heart to see his new sister like this. He’d promised to look after her when he saw her photo that he would never let her get hurt or cry. He was going to make good on that promise.

Careful not to wake Lina, Chanyeol crawled into the bed beside her. He pulled her into his arms, stretching out his wings to form a shield around them, before falling asleep beside her.

A little while later, Chanyeol’s mother came into the room. She saw her son and new daughter cuddled up in the bed and smiled. She hadn’t been worried about Lina’s transition into the family, she’d known the young girl would come around in time. Chanyeol was a different story. She’d been so worried that he wouldn’t like Lina, that he’d find her too quiet and lose interest in her.

Clearly, she worries were misplaced. She already knew that the two children would get along perfectly.

A/N: cute fluff. Bit of a 180 from special chapters about Chen and Hyuk’s younger years, but I like it. Who’s gonna be the focus of the next special chapter? Suggestions are always welcomed, so suggest away!