Mei was getting annoyed with all the company they had.

Not that she didn’t appreciate the gesture, all of them showing up this early in the morning – Tiffany, Lily and Raina had been travelling all night – just to welcome her home.

But still, she wanted to be alone with Luhan. Was that too much to ask?

Argh, I’m such a at times!

Even with that thought, she wanted to push everyone away. Hell, they were meeting after so long and didn’t everybody have like, stuff to do?

‘Yeah, now that you mention it.’ Kai smiled at her grumbling – he was the one she was venting off to, seeing as Sehun had engaged Tiffany in a typical argument about something silly.

This time, it was how she had grown tinier in the time he’d been away. Of course, she wouldn’t let it go at that – both of them had to have the last word, so they were going strong and the fight, apparently was entertaining – or worrying – enough that Luhan had decided to interfere. And here she was, complaining to Kai. Who’d just found something else to do.

‘Let’s have breakfast.’

‘Seriously?’ Mei tapped her foot. ‘How’s that going to help?’

‘I don’t know… maybe you guys can sit together? It might stop their fight, though.’

‘Why does she flare up so easily?’ Mei complained again. ‘You’re her boyfriend, talk some sense into her!’

Kai merely grinned at her. ‘But she looks cute when she’s irritated.’

‘Aish!’ Mei pouted, earning a laugh from Kai. ‘Okay, okay, I’ll just draw her away – you can go back to your precious Luhan…’

‘Ya!’ She slapped his arm but he just grinned and stalked away. Tiffany shut up in the middle of a very inventive insult she was chucking at Sehun soon as Kai stepped beside her, looking mortified. Kai muttered something to her and she nodded quickly before throwing a ‘this is not over’ look at Sehun and walking away.

Sehun glared at the retreating couple before scowling at the arm on his shoulder. Luhan had his older brother face on, obviously ready to reprimand when a cellphone rang. Glaring at it like it had personally offended him by ringing, Sehun barked. ‘What?’

Lily and Raina, who’d been avid bystanders of Sehun and Tiffany’s fight – a SeTiff tiff as Raina dubbed it – found their way beside her. ‘They really don’t get along, do they?’ Raina commented. ‘I thought she was joking when she said she couldn’t stand him.’

‘Yeah, well they don’t have a good history.’ Mei sighed, accepting the gum Raina offered. ‘Bad words and a whole lot of insults – you just heard ‘em.’

‘I personally hoped they’d mature over the break…’ Lily pondered, ‘obviously I was wrong.’

Mei opened to add something but Sehun’s face caught her eyes. His eyebrows were furiously furrowed and he was staring at the floor like he could burn holes in it with the intensity of his stare. Luhan’s shoulders had tensed as he listened in to the conversation and bit his lip worriedly.

She started hurrying towards them, hoping everything was okay.

‘I’ll get to it right away.’ Sehun was saying when she reached their side. ‘Yeah, I got it. Don’t worry…’ his scowl deepened. ‘No, I’m not taking Kai with me. Nor Luhan. I’m not a kid, Suho!’

Whatever Suho said on the phone made him roll his eyes. ‘Whatever.’ He hung up.

‘Everything okay?’ Mei asked, slipping beside Luhan. His arm wound around her waist.

‘Tao’s gone missing.’ Sehun directed his words to Luhan, looking stoic enough though his eyes were worried. ‘He didn’t come with us but no one else has seen him either so Suho wants me to go look for him.’

Mei had wondered why Tao hadn’t shown up with the other two since he was part of their group as well. And now, he was missing.

‘Should I...?’ Luhan began but Sehun cut him off. ‘I’ll find him. I have a good idea where he might be… you guys have fun.’ He smiled at Mei, Lily and Raina. ‘I’ll see you later.’

‘Say hello to him for me!’ Mei called after him. He shrugged it off, running away.

Luhan stared after him until he’d vanished from sight, then let out a sigh. Mei put her own arm around his waist, figuring he could use the comfort. ‘Is Tao okay?’

Luhan nodded. ‘Just… upset.’

‘Oh… okay.’ She hoped he would get over whatever had upset him. Luhan smiled at her. ‘So how about we get some breakfast?’

‘Thank you but we should get going.’ Lily shook her head apologetically. ‘I have to set things up and take inventory and stuff… so, busy day ahead.’

‘It’s Sunday.’ Mei pointed out.

‘I know.’ Lily smiled back. ‘Which means I can relax.’

‘You relax with work?’ Raina sounded as horrified as Mei felt.

‘You, miss, have no room to talk.’ Lily reprimanded Raina sharply. ‘I’m not the one dancing at six in the morning.’

‘That was just one time!’ Raina protested. ‘I usually start at seven.’

Mei failed to see how that was any better but whatever tickled her peach. Raina turned to her and Luhan. ‘It’s been a pleasure meeting you guys in person.’ She gave her best bashful smile. ‘I’ll see you guys around, I hope. Don’t be strangers.’

‘Sure.’ Mei smiled and nodded, waving as the girls walked away.

Finally, she was alone with him. It seemed like Luhan had realized that too. He grabbed her hand and smiled down at her. ‘So… how about we grab some breakfast? Sehun put the luggage in the car already so…’

She smiled back. ‘Sounds like a plan.’

……………………

Tao’s shoulders were shaking as he tried to stifle the sniffles so no one else would hear him.

He knew everyone was going through so much right now, he knew he wasn’t the only one suffering. So he’d decided not to add his own worry to everything else the elders were trying to deal with, be mature for once. He’d taken off when Luhan, Sehun and Kai had announced they were going to the airport to pick Mei. Thankfully, Suho hadn’t been around or he would’ve insisted Tao go with them.

Tao wanted to be alone, to cry in peace. He was getting tired of holding it together when he was just breaking apart at the seams. He’d lost his family when he’d been really young and the Legends had been his family ever since. Kris had been his mentor, his friend and the only fatherly figure in his life. With Chen’s death and others’ injuries and mostly, Kris’s departure, it was like his whole family was being torn apart again.

His hand tightened in his hair as another sob wracked his body. He was sick of this – he was sick of Evil trying to harm his family, he was sick of his loved ones getting hurt but most of all, he was sick of being abandoned yet again.

If he had the power, he would’ve turned back time and gone back to where everything was alright. He would’ve stopped Kris from going away the first time – he would’ve gone back in time to save his mate so he wouldn’t leave them.

But he was still a cub, dammit. He didn’t have the power, not yet. All he could do was stop everything, speed things up or slow them down. Time reversal, warping it or doing all the things Kris had told him he could one day accomplish – all of them resided on his coming to maturity.

Thing was, nothing had happened.

Tao knew Sehun was going through it right now – there were unpredictable power surges inside him, his increasingly short temper and rapid mood swings only confirming what he already knew.

Tao also knew that he should’ve been the one to go through it first. Heck, he’d even begun. Before they had headed to Jaz, when they’d still been wandering the streets of Oulphesden, he’d felt it. Both he and Sehun had been so excited – they’d even planned a sort of celebration that would continue over hours on end because Tao would slow down time and make it last as long as they didn’t get tired.

But now…

Tao lifted his head, staring at the leaves blowing past him as clouds rapidly gathered, covering the early morning sun. Probably Suho’s doing since he had gone to meet with Angel last night. Tao had put on a normal front last night because he knew the leader was under most pressure with everything that was going on and if anyone deserved to relax, it was him.

He was sort of regretting his decision though because crying alone hurt more. Suho’s hand rubbing on his back was a gesture he relied on every time he broke down but now…

He didn’t notice when his Shadow joined him, only that before he knew it, the guy was holding him as he cried his heart out. Tao’s head was beginning to ache and he was hiccupping so much, it was hard to breathe.

But eventually, his tears dried out. Feeling a lot more lighthearted than before, he sat up. Sehun patted his back and stretched his arms above his head before settling down beside him.

‘How…?’ Tao asked. He had been masking his powers in his fit of maturity. Sehun shrugged. ‘You always hid on the roof back at the old place, so I figured I’d better check here first.’

Nodding, Tao twisted his fingers and bit his lips. ‘Mei?’

‘She’s fine – was saying hello to you.’

‘Oh? I’ll call her then.’

‘Yeah, okay. Are you done?’ Sehun asked.

‘With what?’

‘Your crying session. Cause everyone’s freaking out and I need to tell them you’re okay.’

Tao smiled. ‘Yeah, I’m done.’

‘Good. Don’t start it again, ‘kay?’ Even though he sounded brusque, Tao knew his Shadow was worried about him. He nodded obediently. ‘’kay.’ Wrapping an arm around him, Sehun put his cellphone to the ear and waited for Suho to pick up the phone.

………………………

‘He’s hiding on the roof.’ Suho sighed, wondering how the cub had climbed up there before deciding he really didn’t want to know.

The others nodded, relaxing once they knew where their brother was. These days, everyone was on edge – thankfully, the cubs will have to start university from tomorrow, so they would have more distraction. It would be a nice change of pace.

They would still have to continue their vigil though – and they had the advantage of having Lay as a sort of Evil detector. His clones could be a problem but Suho had a feeling they wouldn’t be around too long, not with Kris on their tail.

The only thing they had to ensure now was the mates’ safety – both the ones that had been claimed – Mei and Angel, so far – and those that remained – that Seer from the funfair whom D.O had failed to find despite his efforts. And all the others were as likely to bump into their mates soon, since Lay had kind of already predicted that.

It’s nature’s way of preparing us for the Evil…

It seemed so distant now but he’d met Angel that same day, hadn’t he? It wasn’t too hard to imagine one of their number finding their mate just like that.

His thoughts were fast become stressful but thankfully he was distracted by Tao’s arrival – and he really didn’t want to know how Sehun had climbed up there as well and even more, come back down while holding on to his Shadow since there weren’t any ladders around and the roof was all but inaccessible. He was sure he might get a heart attack or something.

Tao’s eyes were puffed up and swollen, his nose red and his hair standing on end – a look he was all too familiar with, given the cub’s penchant for tears. He looked so forlorn – and even though he loomed above most of the elders – tiny, frail like a little child. Suho felt a swell of affection for Sehun as he patted Tao’s back – acting like the big brother. Both of them deserved a hug.

So he went over to do just that. Sehun hurriedly backed off, looking pleased but flustered, muttering ‘Geez, I’m not a baby anymore!’ under his breath. Tao, meanwhile, had found his place on Suho’s shoulder, his head – and most of his weight – leaned onto the leader while the other tried to wrap his arms around this overgrown baby and still keep his balance.

Chanyeol found them hugging it out and wrapped his gigantic arms around all of them, Sehun included. Baekhyun wouldn’t be left behind and he never let his Shadow get left behind either – and D.O, Suho figured, probably needed a hug just as much as Tao. Even if he acted a lot older – and downright creepy at times – they were the same age and he’d been through hell these past months. The only people being left out were Xiumin – who’d been too sleepy after the healing to stay awake – and Chen, obviously.

Tao sniffed, overcome by the love and started crying again. But they all made sure to pat his back and whisper soothing nothings and promises never to leave him and Chanyeol planted a kiss on the cub’s head, making his blush and giggle despite his tears.

It was sad to see that even though he’d succeeded in cheering Tao up, Chaneyol himself had yet to crack a smile. It was hard to miss the downward curve of his lips, so out of place on his cheerful face. Baekhyun’s eyes followed his friend as he left the room on the premise of whipping something up for everyone – followed by a cheer from the cubs because whatever he cooked tasted good – before meeting Suho’s in silent communication. Suho nodded.

They needed to figure out something for him as well.

So much to do already, Suho thought rubbing his neck where Tao had put his head, and it’s still before noon. On a Sunday too…

Ah well, he’d managed to see Angel first thing in the morning. Things were bound to get better.

Smiling a little, he followed the others into the kitchen.

………………...