'Should've snapped a picture,' Tiffany muttered, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger, 'for the next time she tries to get all bossy.'

'Should've.' Raina nodded, peeking her head out to see if Xiumin and Lily had gone. 'Bet a lot of people would pay…'

'How very sly of you two.' The sarcastic statement made both girls gasp and Tiffany backed up in a hurry, pulling Raina in between herself and the speaker. Raina grinned in Sehun's face. 'Well, I don't mind me a little bit of black money … good for the overhead expenses, you feel me?'

He arched a brow at her before leaning to the side. 'How long are you going to hide, baby? I can smell you, you know?'

Tiffany squeaked, wrapping an arm around Raina's waist. 'Stay away from me!' Her voice was muffled.

Sehun made a face at that. 'You can't sleep in the corridors; come on, it's already late.'

'I'm not sleeping with you.' Tiffany shook her head vehemently.

'You've already done that so there's no point trying to resist.'

'Ya!' She peeked her head over Raina's shoulder, pulling the girl down to her level. Raina her arms out to keep her balance, 'You swore you would never bring that up again.'

'I wouldn't if you weren’t being an idiot – which you are. Come on, we need to be up early.'

'Can I stand?' Raina choked out, beginning to feel a little blue in the face because of Tiffany's death grip around her top. Tiffany ignored her.

'I'm not an idiot!' She shrilled.

'Then come with me.' Sehun asserted.

'No.'

'Then you're an idiot!' 

They glared at each other from over Raina's shoulder as she choked a bit more. She waved her arms around, hoping one of them of would heed her silent call for help.

'Let her go!'

Tao's long arms leaned around Sehun, grabbing Raina and pulling her out of Tiffany's grip easily. Tiffany squeaked as her shield was taken away and jumped to hide behind Tao. Sehun rolled his eyes. 'Ya…'

'Let's have some snacks.' Tao suggested. Raina nodded vehemently, 'Yeah, let's!'

Sehun eyed the hidden figure one last time before straightening. 'Fine.'

They went quietly into the kitchen, carrying various bowls back to Tao's room. It was littered with workout tools, a mattress piled in one corner, several machines in another and a multitude of weapons decorating the wall.

'Wow!' Raina glanced around, awed and even Tiffany slid out from behind Tao to stare around, bug-eyed. 'Do you use all that?' She gestured at the weapons.

Tao, who'd been bent over, placing the food on the sheet he'd spread out, straightened, pulling his shirt down to cover his . Both girls averted their eyes, unwilling to admit they'd been ogling him. He nodded. 'I practice daily.'

Sehun threw a soft ball at Tiffany's head. She turned to glare at him. 'Eyes on me.' He told her, annoyed at her obvious staring. She rolled her own but didn't glance up again, even though it was really tempting because let's face it, Tao had one hot booty.

Finally, they all sat around and Tiffany took care to put Raina in between them again as they started on their late night snack. She observed, with some bemusement, that Raina was acting quite normally around the boys. Even after she'd seen what they were.

So when Tao went off to get water and Sehun followed to warn him to stay away from Tiffany and cover up his properly – how she knew that, she didn't know, only that she knew – she poked Raina's side. 'Doesn't it bother you?' She asked.

'Hmm?' Raina met her eyes with a smile. 'No.'

'At all?' Tiffany was a bit… well, in need of reassurance. If Sehun had powers, it wasn't that much of a stretch to assume Kai had them too and the rest of his family – indeed, it would explain a lot of things, maybe even Kai's sudden surges of desire and their rather over-the-top reaction to it – but she needed reassurance that she wasn’t being foolish, accepting it all so easily. It was dangerous, what had happened tonight but she couldn't bring herself to think she'd never see Sehun again or run off because she was scared.

That scared her more.  

Raina eyed her for a moment. 'I have a bestfriend who can see the future with such accuracy that it's scary and my other bestfriend claims she can control the wind. How is their situation any different?'

'I can't control the wind.' Tiffany muttered, feeling relieved.

Raina snorted, 'Right. And who was it who threatened to blow everything apart if anyone dared to bully her again?'

'I was high, alright?' Tiffany shook her head. 'It's Sehun's power.'  

When the boys came back again – after a big argument apparently, both of them were a bit red in the face, looking pissed off – Tiffany didn't try to avoid his eyes anymore. Sensing she was okay with his presence, Sehun scooted closer and closer, finally pushing Raina out of the way and leaning his weight against Tiffany. She pretended not to notice, paying attention to the food but ignoring him was harder than ignoring Tao's spectacular . Sehun smirked as if hearing her thoughts.

Raina, meanwhile, was busy quizzing Tao. 'So… you control time, right?'

He nodded his head, obviously happy to show off. 'I can stop it, make it slower or faster… when I mature, I'll even be able to reverse it!'

'Sweet!' Raina shook her head in amazement. She looked at him with a grin, 'And here I thought I was falling in love with you.'

Tao choked on the sip he'd taken. Nor was he the only one. Tiffany knocked a fist against her chest to get her breathing right, having swallowed the bite of her sandwich wrong. She eyed her friend despairingly, what the hell was she thinking? You never let on you liked a guy. She'd taught Raina better.

Sehun, on the other had, leaned forward with interest. 'Really?'

Raina nodded happily, oblivious to Tiffany's warning glares and Tao's shocked eyes trained on her. 'He slows the time down… and I thought I was experiencing true love.'

Sehun covered his laugh with a cough. 'Yeah?'

'Uh hu… Mei said that only happens – you know, the time slowing down and then speeding up thing – when you're in love. I knew it wasn't him!' She punched a fist in the air, then offered a high five that Sehun returned enthusiastically. She turned to look at Tao. 'So, why'd you do it?'

Tao was looking distinctively green and he put his half-eaten sandwich away. Sehun nudged his Shadow, poking his side painfully. 'Yeah Tao, why'd you do it?'

'What the hell are you talking about?' Tao shook his head, not looking up, 'I didn't do anything.'

'Hey, I don’t mind.' Raina reassured him, placing a palm on his shoulder and making him jump, 'I'm just curious.'

Tao shook his head again, a bit desperately. 'I'm serious, I didn't do anything.'

Raina shook her own head. 'Ya, don't play around. You're doing it even now.'

Tao stilled; then all three of them looked at Raina with identical expressions of shock on their faces. 'What?'

She backed up, getting a little defensive. 'What do you mean, what? Look at him, he's doing it right now.' She gestured at Tao, who looked like he'd seen a ghost as he stared at the girl in front of him, 'See?'

Sehun looked at Tiffany who shrugged, then stared closely at Tao before shaking their heads simultaneously. 'I don't see anything.'

Raina's smile faltered. 'No, look closer… you know what, Tao, eat that sandwich!' She the food in his hands. He raised it slowly, still coming to terms with what was happening. Raina eyed him intensely, then clapped her hands. 'See that?' She looked at her friends for confirmation.

Sehun shook his head. 'Cuckooo…' he fake-coughed. Tiffany elbowed his stomach, making him cough for real. She addressed Raina who, like Tao, looked like she'd seen a ghost as well. 'I'm sorry honey but everything's moving at normal speed.'

'No…' Raina shook her head, whining, 'No!'

'Yes.' Tiffany nodded firmly. 'Tao, tell her.' she ordered.

Tao looked at Sehun desperately, silently asking his help and Sehun backed up, surprised despite himself.

Tao's eyes were red.

……………………………….

'Let them handle things on their own.'

'But they won't talk to each other…'

'They'll have to. Eventually.'

Tiffany and Sehun had sneaked out, leaving the traumatized duo alone in the room to observe them in silence. Tao was facing the wall, shock evident on his face and Raina… she was sobbing quietly in another corner. 'Look at her,' Tiffany gestured inside, feeling for her friend.

'Well, she needs to accept it, doesn’t she? Some things are meant to be.' Sehun shrugged his shoulders. Tiffany glared at him. 'Don't be insensitive.'

'I'm not being insensitive – there's nothing she can do about it.'

'Why not?' Tiffany eyed him suspiciously. She'd been getting the feeling that the revelation about the time-thing happening only with Raina was a lot more significant that Sehun was letting on.

Sehun sighed. 'Look, you'll understand when Suho explains everything tomorrow, I promise. Trust me, leaving them together is for the best.'

She narrowed her eyes. 'Why?'

'Ugh, stop asking so many questions.'

'Fine, I'm going ba—argh! Let go!' She punched her fists on his broad back, kicking her legs around.

'We're going to sleep.' Sehun ignored her struggles as he carried her off to his own room, dumping her unceremoniously on the bed. She bounced a bit before quickly sitting up.

'What are you doing?' she asked, staring at him apprehensively as he grasped the hem of his shirt, pulling it up.

He cocked a brow, not missing the way her eyes dropped to the exposed sliver of skin, nor the sudden spike of interest in her eyes despite her obvious efforts not to be affected.

'Changing.' He replied, smirking a little when she gulped and deliberately slowed his movements, putting on a show for her benefit and basking in the obvious admiration that was screaming loudly in her head. Oh yes, nothing was better than the feeling of his mate doting on him.

'Y-ya…' she stuttered, unable to tear her eyes away from his defined, washboard abs, 'Put on a shirt.'

'Why?' He sauntered towards her slowly, subtly posing so she could admire him some more. She opened , then shut it. Ha, he didn't think so either.

'Scoot.' He told her, pulling the covers back. Her eyes widened, coming back to her senses quickly. 'What are you doing?'

'Are you stupid?' He snapped, annoyed by her constant questioning, 'I'm getting into the bed.'

'Alright, I'll just…' she started to crawl off, so he leaned over and grabbed her ankle, yanking her back. She squealed, twisting and turning and landing a kick on his mouth. He backed up, eyes watering as he rubbed a hand over his lips. It came away bloody.

He glared at her but she ignored it, hurriedly sitting up and grabbing his face to look closely at the wound. 'I'm so sorry…' she sounded contrite, looking upset when she met his eyes. 'I didn't mean…'

'I won't do anything.' he told her, holding her hand to his face when she tried to take it back, 'So you don't have to worry about that.'

She shook her head, a bit ashamed that she was assuming the worst of him when she knew how much of a gentleman he really was. 'I don't-'

'And everyone,' he spoke over her words, tilting her chin up so she could meet his eyes, 'including Mei, knows you belong with me now. They're not going to judge you for anything.'

She held his eyes, feeling mesmerized, unable to look away. He always seemed to read right into her mind. He smiled a little, eyes crinkling. Her lips curved in response.

'It's because I can.'

'Hmm?'

'I can read your mind.' She blinked, shocked out of her hypnotic trance.

'What?' She backed quickly. What else was he hiding?

He an arm out, catching her again and pulling her close. 'Nothing, I swear.'

She looked at him in surprise, then narrowed her eyes. 'Stop doing it.'

'Stop screaming your thoughts – you're too loud.'

'Ya!' She smacked his shoulder. He grinned unrepentantly, 'What? You are!'

She pouted, not resisting when he wrapped his arms around her properly, hugging her to his bare chest. In fact, it felt really, really good.

'You can sleep on it if you like.' He muttered, voice low and tempting.

She flushed. 'Stop it!'

'Why?' He nuzzled her ear, breath fanning over her neck and making her shiver. 'You want to, you know that you do.'

Her face burned because she did want it and he could apparently hear her thoughts loud and clear. Why was that again?

'You're my mate.' He told her, not loosening his hold around her and lying down in the bed. She let him adjust them so that she really was resting on his chest before pulling the covers up so they were tucked in.

She looked at him. 'What does that mean?'

He pouted, then winced as the movement pulled at the coagulated blood. She resisted the urge to kiss his mouth and his lips twitched as if he'd heard that too.

'It means…' he smiled down at her, 'that you belong with me and I belong with you. Forever.'

She swallowed. 'Really?'

He nodded, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She cleared , feeling suddenly awkward, highly aware of his shirtless form underneath her, fingers itching to trace over the expanse of his chest and abdomen.

'Do it…' he loosened his hold around her, pulling his arms up to rest underneath his head. 'What's stopping you?'

She giggled a little, flushing profusely but took his advice. If they were indeed 'mates' – belonging to each other, forever – then she didn't see any reason why she shouldn't. Her fingers spread over his abdomen, relishing the feel of his muscles rippling underneath her touch. It suddenly felt a bit too hot underneath the covers.

'Atta girl.' He her hair like she was a kitten when she buried her face against his chest, blushing like crazy. She felt like purring, too, so maybe he wasn't all that far off the mark. 'Its all yours so do what you want, okay?' He forced her chin up, 'But no more ogling at Tao. Or anyone else. I don't like it.'

She nodded, sure steam was coming out of her ears. He smiled at her blushing face, pulling her up so she was face level with him. He pouted, ignoring the pull in his lips, widening his eyes, knowing she couldn’t resist his puppy eyes. 'Kiss me better?'

She nodded, giggling again and dropped a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. Then shifted to kiss his lips fully, putting a hand up to trace her fingers along his jaw, trail them down over his shoulders and chest. His hands rested around her waist, fingers digging in the pliant flesh as he flipped them around, so that he was leaning over her and kissing her passionately. When they parted, he rested his forehead against hers. 'Let's sleep now, okay?'

He didn't say that it was because he was getting uncomfortable and wouldn’t be able to hold back if they continued but she could've sworn she'd heard him.

He smiled sheepishly. 'That's because you can read my mind too – it’s a two-way thing.' He dropped a chaste kiss on . 'And we really should stop now.' 

She grinned widely as he got off, heading out to calm himself down, leaving her under the covers, and resisted the urge to curl up in a ball of fluff. This night was turning out to be more amazing than she'd thought. He could fly and he belonged only to her. What girl didn’t want a superman of her own?

She pretended to be asleep when he came back in, slipping in beside her but he turned her, throwing his arms around her and nuzzling into her hair. 'You can stop pretending; I know you're awake.'

She laughed, feeling very excited. This was so much fun. 'Yes, it is. Go to sleep.' Sehun grumbled. She nodded. 'Okay… just one question.'

'Just one?' He opened one eye, looking suspicious. She nodded again, 'Promise.'

'Shoot.'

They stayed up the entire night.

……………………………

A/N

Aren't they cute? :3