ii. "Promise."

     Everyone Luhan had ever loved left him one way or another.

     He had watched his mother’s death firsthand; the screaming and blood still haunted him. He had watched the last of his father’s sanity escape him. He had watched his old friends pretend that he didn’t exist. It never mattered who it was, they always left. The more he loved them, they faster they’d be ripped away from him. It was a feeling he had become numb to; watching the people he loved leave him forever. 

     But there was a single person who stayed in his life, one person he had clung onto for so long, and a person that promised to always be at his side. 

     Sehun was the only lasting thing in his life, the only person he had left. 

     So Luhan decided to make a promise of his own. He promised that nothing would ever take Sehun away from him. He promised that he would protect him, even if it killed him, even if he had to kill someone else.

     And Luhan never broke his promises.

     Seuta High had a reputation of being unbelievably predictable. Everyday was the exact same as the past one, and would be the exact same the next. Per usual, the school hallways were filled with life. Students clustered around their lockers passing on recent gossip and rumors. Luhan had a hard time weaving his way through the groups of kids. Most of them were familiar faces, 'friends’, that tried to grab his attention or say hello. Luhan ignored them.

     It was Tuesday; the only morning he had soccer practices. Morning practice meant that the angelic figure waiting for him by his locker at the end of the hallway had to walk to school without him, without his protection.

     Soccer practice were always too long for Luhan's heart to handle. For him, every minute Sehun wasn’t at his side was another opportunity for him to get hurt. At the end of every practice, he couldn’t even focus. He was just a ball of nerves threatening to unravel at any second.

     “Sehunnie!” Luhan called out to him, hinting tints of relief in his voice.

     The taller boy swiveled his way with a smile set on his face, and extended his arms out for a hug. “Luhan-ah,” Sehun said, exaggerated but sweetly, just the way he knows Luhan likes his name to be called.

     Luhan was quick to pull Sehun into his arms. With Sehun’s arms wrapped tightly around him, Luhan felt complete, he felt at home.

     They were in their own little world, basking in each other’s warm embrace and unapologetically ignoring one of their friends, Jongin, as he stood off awkwardly to the side, nose crinkled up and a look in his eyes. Luhan could tell by the way he looked at him; Jongin thought he was strange. He had never really understood why people always thought that. 

     Luhan had even seen it even when he was younger; the doctor’s notes his stepmother hid in the cabinet, the whispering behind his back, the uneasy looks in other's eyes. People thought he weird, creepy, crazy. Luhan never saw himself as anything of these things. In his eyes, he was protective of what was his, and Sehun was definitely his own.

     That was why Luhan was the way he was, protective. His mind followed the perfect routine; checking up with him in the mornings, texting him every half hour and an arm permanently attached around Sehun's waist whenever they were together. If there was a single hair out of place, Luhan would be the first person to know, and he would make sure that someone would pay for it. Somebody always does.

     Just like back in their elementary school days, when Sehun was still tinier than him and still saw the world through rose-colored glasses. There was a time when Sehun’s homeroom teacher had tried to keep him afterschool for extra help. Luhan had caught the way she looked down at him; dark foxy eyes, like something she was going to devour, like prey. Luhan knew better.

     With a bloody pair of scissors in one hand and a dead teacher lying on the floor in front of him, he knew Sehun would be safe, protected. It was the only way to keep him safe, getting rid of the people who gave him problems. There was nothing wrong with it in his eyes, it was just protection. It was the only way he could function. He was sure it was how anyone's mind would work if they had someone as close to them as Sehun was to him. 

     As Luhan pulled himself away from the nook of Sehun's neck and looked up to see his crescent eye smile, he wondered how anyone couldn’t be as protective as he was. Twinkling eyes, a chiseled jawline, everything about him was perfect. Luhan wanted nothing more but to keep himself hidden away in the curve of his chest, but a scoff drew him out of his peace.

     Both boys turned their heads to see their long forgotten friend’s nose wrinkled in disgust, “Ew, . Get a room.”

     Jongin was one of the only other people he trusted to be friends with Sehun. When they had first met, Luhan had hated him because he thought Jongin liked Sehun, but as it turned out, Jongin was too caught up with his own crush to bother with him.

     A couple years and two blood vows later, they had become the best of friends.

     “Step-brother Jongin, he’s my step-brother,” Luhan grumbled with emphasis, but Jongin just let out a small snicker and waved him off. He always like this.

     Just before Sehun could in, the warning bell chimed.

     Jongin let out an irritated hiss, “I can’t be late again or my mom’s gonna kill me!” and with that, sped off down the hall.

     “Well, we should probably start to get going too Luhan-ah,” Sehun finally spoke up, detaching himself from Luhan’s grasp, “I’ll meet you again at lunch, okay?”

     Sehun was blind to the way Luhan reacted when they were apart. Luhan’s chest would clench up painfully, his breathing would speed up, he’d break into cold sweats, and most importantly, he usually refused on letting it happen. 

     Words clouded his mind, filling all of his thoughts.

     'Bad things happen when he seperate,' 

     In a blind panic, Luhan grabbed Sehun’s wrist before he could take another step, not even bothering to ask for his permission before dragging him off. “No, it's fine. I’ll take you to class.”

     “But Luhan, you’ll be late to class again …” Sehun let his trail off as Luhan stubbornly ignored his words. He knew the one sided conversation was meaningless anyways. When Luhan’s mind was set on something, nothing could change it, not even Sehun himself.

     Sehun just silently prayed Luhan wouldn’t get detention for walking in class late for the second time this week.

     The first two periods of the day were a living hell.

     Horrible thoughts were an understatement to the things that came across Luhan’s mind when Sehun wasn’t in his sight. Nightmares plagued his mind; each one more gruesome than the last, on a constant never-ending circle, taunting him. 

     ‘Someone could beat him. Someone could touch him. Some could slit his throat. He’ll end up dead. He’ll end up dead and it’ll be my fault.’

     Luhan choked down his anxiety and his thoughts by rubbing at the bracelet Sehun had bought for him a couple Christmases ago for comfort. He knew he couldn’t last much longer before he snapped; he needed to see him.

     The bells chiming for dismissal sounded like a choir of angels in his ears. As soon as he heard them, Luhan took off out of his class and made his way through the hallways as fast as he could to find Sehun’s homeroom door.

     Now came waiting. Sehun had always been one of the last ones out of the classrooms. The longer people clamoured out of the classroom, people who weren't Sehun, the closer Luhan felt himself being pushed to the edge of his sanity.

     Sehun soon walked out of the classroom the exact same way he was a couple of hours before, but Luhan immediately noticed discomfort and trouble flashing in his innocent looking eyes. There was something wrong. 

     “Oh, you're here. Luhan-ah, let’s go to lunch now.” Sehun spoke hurriedly, tugging on his arm with urgency.

     “Sehunnie, is something bothering you? You look upset.” Luhan asked in a semi cheery tone that contradicted his dark eyes spotting out the remaining kids leaving the classroom. 

     Luhan noted the shaking in Sehun’s voice, “N-no. Let’s just go to lunch, okay? I was just checking something- ”

     Another deep voice cut him off, “Ah, there you are Sehun.” A boy strolled over, hand immediately going to wander at his waist. “We never got to finish our conversation.”

     Luhan looked up to see a boy dressed up with sleek, slicked back hair, a seductive tone in his voice and a teasing smile.

     “Donghae.” Sehun mumbled so quiet it was barely audible.

     “What’s wrong Sehun? Don’t you want me to take you out for lunch today?” Donghae asked, mouth lingering so close to Sehun he could feel his warm breath down his neck. Luhan bit back all of his emotions. 

     Sehun swallowed thickly, moving out of his grip. “No, I don’t. I-I already have somewhere to go, remember?”

     Donghae’s gaze floated over to Luhan for a moment before turning back to Sehun’s, lips tugging into a lopsided smirk. “Ah, I see. I’ll see you in class tomorrow then.” And with that, he headed down the hall.

     As soon as he had turned his back, Sehun rushed for an explanation, “L-Luhan, I-I wasn't trying to - ”

     “Sehun, it’s fine.” Luhan waved him off with blank eyes. “Let’s go to lunch now, yes?”

     “But Luhan …”

     “Sehun, it’s fine. Really, it is.” Luhan mumbled. He had been in situations in this before. Sehun always seem to hide the truth from him; he never wanted to be seen as a burden. One thing Sehun didn’t know was that Luhan was just as good with his lies too. With a soft sigh, Luhan brushed some of Sehun's bangs away from his eyes and smiled to him. “Sehunnie, go wait for me in the lunchroom with Jongin, okay? I just have to take care of something.”

     Sehun sent him a distraught look, one he always gave him when they had to be separated. “Can’t I just come with you?” he asked unhappily, bottom lip slightly pulled out into a pout.

     “I’ll only be a couple minutes, okay? Don’t frown.” Luhan chirruped, “Is that okay?”

     After a few more seconds of pouting, Sehun gave up. “Fine,” he grumbled, “But only a few minutes.”

     “Thanks Sehunnie,” Luhan told him cheerfully.

     The second Sehun had turned the corner; Luhan’s smile fell back into his blank gaze and he headed off in the other direction with only one thought on his mind.

     ‘Donghae hurt Sehun. Donghae would pay.’

     Autumn had always been Sehun’s favorite time of the year and Luhan could understand why. He stepped outside of the musty building to warm, fresh air surrounding him, just like on the day they had first met. Luhan’s mood brightened instantly as he thought about the precious memories that held him and Sehun bonded together.

     He spotted Donghae outside like he thought he would be. He was leaned up against the school’s wall with phone held loosely in his hand, looking as smug as ever. Another thought crossed Luhan's mind.

     Sehun had grown up to be much taller than he was, and Sehun was his own person, who was perfectly fine of handling his own issues. So why was Luhan being so protective in the first place? 

     Luhan quickly answered his own question as he remembered the innocent look in Sehun’s eyes during the worst of times, the way that he stuttered when he was nervous, the way he shied away from new people so easily. The world didn’t deserve Sehun. He was too perfect, too pure, and people never treated him properly. That was why he was so protective; he needed to teach others how to treat Sehun. People needed to pay for hurting Sehun, his Sehun.

     Luhan strutted up to the boy who stood leaning against the school wall and grabbed a fistful of Donghae’s collar; the dead look returning to his eyes.

     Donghae’s eyes widened and he stuttered, “W-What the hell are you - ?"

     Luhan was sick of hearing his voice. He held him suspended off the ground for a couple of seconds to hear his pathetic stuttering before slamming him into the brick wall behind them, pounding the air out of him.

     “You didn’t touch Sehun, did you? Which hand did you touch him with?” Luhan spoke out at him, voice dead to emotion.

     Donghae only replied with another one of his lopsided grins, seemingly unfazed.

     “Geez, Sehun never told me he had a cute boyfriend. And what if I touched him? What would you do?” Donghae said with the seductive drawl he always carried in his tone. It was clear he was used to flirting with other people. 

     Luhan let go of his collar and smashed his knee into the other’s stomach. He watched with cold eyes as he crumpled into a heap at his feet.

     “You’re not very good at listening. Do you want me to repeat the question?” Luhan asked with barely a batter of his eyelashes. 

     “W-What?” Donghae said shakily, trying his best to stand up. Luhan was losing patience.

     With both hands, Luhan stooped down and wrapped his hands tight around his neck, squeezing hard, “I said which hand? Do you understand now?”

     Donghae tried to wheeze out a response, face turning red.

     Luhan kept him like that for a couple more seconds, watching him writhe around in panic, before finally releasing him and looking down at him as he collapsed at his feet for the second time. 

     “Y-You’re crazy,” the boy below him sputtered out after he found his breath. 

     “How original.” Luhan muttered with a roll of his eyes, raising his foot and letting it hover over Donghae’s balled up hands. “Don’t make me repeat myself again. Now, which hand was it? Left or right?”

     Donghae paused for a moment longer before giving in to his glare. “Left hand.”

     Luhan brought his foot down without a moment’s hesitation. There was a snapping sound as hit foot made contact, the sound of bones crunching at the sudden impact, and a shriek of pain from Donghae. Luhan was hardly fazed.

     “Stay away from Sehun, and maybe I won’t break your other hand. Understand?” Luhan spat out. "Next time you talk to Sehun, I'll choke you to death." 

     Donghae couldn’t even make any noise; his mouth hung open in a painful shock. 

     Luhan almost felt pity for him. Almost.

     With a final glare, Luhan headed off to the cafeteria, leaving Donghae to writhe in agony.

     As Luhan made his way to the cafeteria, his mind had already shifted away from the incident outside to what mattered to him the most, Sehun.

     In a sea of student faces, he instantly found Sehun's. He was at the table in the middle of the cafeteria, sitting right across from where Jongin sat.

     Luhan slid into his usual spot beside Sehun, one arm hooked around his waist. Sehun smiled over at him cutely before returning to his conversation, something about the way Jongin was flirting with another guy. Luhan didn't care enough to listen into the conversation since the topic didn't revolve around Sehun.

     In moments like this, Luhan wondered what he did to deserve somebody as perfect as Sehun. But if there one thing he did know, it was that he wouldn’t let Sehun slip away like everyone else in his life. Maybe it was selfish, or maybe it was just protection, but because of Sehun, he felt whole, he felt like someone. 

     And maybe a couple people got hurt while he was being protective, and maybe a couple of people ended up dead, but it was all for the greater good, Sehun.

     He promised he would keep him safe for the rest of his life.

     Luhan would never break his promise. 

-- 

a/n:

So, I finally decided that the way the chapters are going to work~~ The next chapter is going to be another Luhan/Sehun one, then it's going to be Yixing! Thanks again for HappyPistachio cause shes the best editor in the entire world! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. (ﾉ∀`♥)

[Update]: I altered this chapter just a 'lil and added a bit more. Also, Luhan and Sehun are not in a relationship, and they are also not related, but they are step-siblings, just to make it a little bit clear as your reading. Enjoy! (♡´艸`)