Outfit

Humans are everywhere, yet there is no humanity.

-10.27.102,014

Each of the rooms three inhabitants were looking at a separate person in the room. Minseok was sending Yifan an annoyed stare. Yifan was sending Nia the same scathing look he had since the moment they met. Nia on the other hand was looking at Minseok with astonishment.

“Yifan, you agreed to come here to make up, not to fight even more.” Minseok let out a weighted huff of air. The way he spoke made it seem as though he had given the lecture many times in the past. “Honestly, can’t you even try?” He questioned moving to stand further between the two.

“Me, you think this is my fault?” Upon receiving a short nod from the other Yifan tried glaring through Minseok’s abdomen to Nia. “All I wanted was for this little brat to look me in the eyes when we spoke and she threw herself away like I burned her!” Yifan raised his hand motioning wildly to Nia who shrank back further into her chair.

Minseok turned his gaze from Yifan to Nia. Trying to avoid their eyes Nia looked down at her own hands and when she found a hand entering her line of view she tried to pull away and fought roughly against the grip the hand had claimed on her chin.

“Please,” Called Minseok’s soothing voice.” I don’t want to accidentally hurt you.” He cooed and his grip proved that he was trying to be gentle with her, but to Nia the gentleness was not what mattered it was what he was trying to achieve.

“Minseok, I do not know you like that. ” She whispered her eyes tightly closed as he guided her face upwards. She could feel his breath wash over her face and she knew he was closer than what would be considerate. “It is indecent, do not make me.” She knew she sounded like a child, but she was being overpowered and had no other option.

“Huh, what do you mean? All we are asking for is eye-contact.” She could hear the disbelief in his voice as he questioned her. Minseok pulled away, though not as much as she would have liked, and gave her room to breath.

“It is taboo to make eye-contact here.” Nia was still refusing to open her eyes in fear that she would accidentally meet eyes with one of the males. “I do not even look my parents in the eye, please don’t make me do so with people I hardly know.” It was true, Nia could count the amount of times she had meet her parents eyes on her fingers.

Both males had gone quiet. Taking this as a cue that she could open her eyes Nia cracked her lids open just the slightest bit and upon deciding it was safe she opened them further and found two faces that held confusion, though one had more of an angry feel to it than the pure confusion on the others.

“Why couldn’t you have just told me that? Then none of this would have happened!” Yifan jeered as he made a motion that Nia knew meant he was rolling his eyes.  He truly did have one of the worst tempers she had ever had the displeasure of coming across.

“Sorry if I could not tell you while you were busy threatening to break in my door and then yelling at me for lord knows what reason.” Nia was fed up with the male and his behavior. She was going to let him get away with it because of his looks, but he had passed her threshold for the amount of rude behavior she could handle.

Yifan’s face lost some of its already scarce color as he looked at the girl sitting behind his friend. He had stopped glaring, but his gaze still held contempt has he looked over her smaller form.

“Alright,” Yifan’s voice called at after a few second of silence. “I came here to apologize and I messed that up so I’ll apologize for that as well.” His tone was clipped and it seemed like he was forcing himself to get the words to pass his lips. “I am sorry for  all of the trouble we have caused you.” Upon the words leaving his words Yifan let out a large sigh of relief.

Nia cocked her head to the side as she looked between the males. Yifan was looking at her with pure annoyance as he had gotten his apology out of the way and all she had to do was accept it. Minseok on the other hand looked thoroughly unimpressed with Yifan’s apology, but said nothing as his gaze traveled to the girl behind him.

“I’m not sure what you are meaning.” Nia admitted furrowing her brows before stopping as she realized it would leave wrinkles. “Aside from your horrible attitude, your group has caused me no problems.” It was then the male’s turn to look confused at her words as well as a bit annoyed.

“You were just saying earlier that we had caused you a lot of problems.” Minseok sounded like he was talking to a child as he spoke gently to Nia. “When we were at the table and you were asking if it was not enough.” He reminded as though she could have forgotten.

“Oh, I see.” Comprehension passed over Nia’s features as she looked at the males in a mirth. “That was not trouble caused by you, but by myself. I did all of this to myself and do not blame you all for it. Though, I might have reconsidered if I had known about Yifan’s horrible temper.” She teased looking at the tallest male whom frowned deeply at her words.

A sense of relief could be found on the faces of the three beings in the room. Nia was happy that the males would not have to look anyone in the eyes, she might have fainted if they forced her to. Minseok and Yifan on the other hand were happy to have had everything settled with the tiny girl as she had a rather sharp tongue and they needed her to keep them safe for the evening.

With everything settled and all forgiven, save Yifan’s bad attitude, Nia was able to help the males tuck in for sleep. Her apartment had three extra rooms. Two of the rooms had only one resting, but the males in those rooms claimed not to mind. Nia found it funny that the two she had pegged for not minding were actually the two who cared the most about where they slept.

“Are you sure you will be fine?” Nia questioned Minseok as she looked over to Luhan who was bouncing excitedly on one of the restings. A single glare was all it took to make the male stop his bouncing.”I could give him something to knock him out.” She joked causing both herself and Minseok to chuckle while receiving a glare from Luhan.

“I’ve lived with him for years, I think I’ll manage another night.” Minseok joked his lips parting into a gummy smile as he looked over at the other male with a soft gaze on his face and Nia could see that Minseok was truly just a caring person in general.

“Minseok,” She called to have his attention solely back on her. Nia smiled upon his gaze turning back to her, even if she could not look him in the eyes she could feel his on her. “Thank you for earlier.” She gave a slight bow to show how thankful she was. Yifan had scared her earlier and she was sure things would have gone south quickly if not for Minseok.

“Oh that, it was no problem.” Minseok gave her a slight nod as his face became solemn and he looked over at Yifan who was standing down the hallway conversing with Tao. “He’s a good guy, just a bit rough around the edges.” A small smile slipped onto Minseok’s lips as he spoke of the other.

Nia looked over to the male in question and squinted her eyes as though that would make it easier to see what Minseok saw in him. Yifan gave Tao a slight push before both laughed at something that Nia had no clue about. She could see it, if only a little.

“I think I see it.” Nia told Minseok faintly as she continued watching the other two males joke around down the hall. “Have a good night.” Nia bid Minseok as she turned to give him just one more smile before joining the two playing boys and earned a sweet bidding herself from the monolid male.

Approaching the two males Nia was slightly nervous. Tao liked Nia, that much Nia knew so she did not worry about him, rather she worried over the taller male. She and Yifan made up and she wanted to keep it that way.

“Shall we?” She questioned the two males and was immediately greeted with a cheerful agreement from Tao as he pulled her down the hallways as she directed him  Yifan quietly trailed behind them with a neutral expression coating his face.

“Goodnight Nia!” Tao called happily as he pulled her into a tight hug. It was weird, Nia had not been hugged in so long and the feeling was rather foreign to the girl. Tao’s embrace was warm and comforting causing Nia to melt into his arms.

Pulling back far too soon for Nia’s liking Tao beamed down at her, but did not attempt eye-contact as he and the other four had been told earlier not to do so. He was a rather affectionate person and it was something that Nia was not used to. He then commenced skipping off into the room and hurling himself into the resting.

“Well,” Jumping slightly Nia looked back to Yifan who she had almost forgotten was there. “Goodnight and again sorry.” Yifan gave Nia the smallest smile she had ever seen as he made his way past her and into the room. He had closed the door before Nia even had the chance to say anything in reply.

That tiny smile kept Nia up until the wail of the siren reminded her of their numbered time.

Upon dragging herself down from her room Nia found the males were congregated in the hallway that connected their rooms and were on their way to her room. They looked at her with relief washing over their features.

“Nia!” Both Luhan and Tao chimed running towards with with too much vigour for her liking so early in the morning. “You’re okay, what is that horrible sound and how do we kill it?” Questions like those rolled off of their tongues as the other four cautiously made their way over to the three in the middle of a human sandwich.

“Of course I am fine, why would I not be?” Nia raised her hand and rubbed her eyes to try and rid them of the remaining sleep and heard Yixing cooing at her. “The sound is the morning siren to tell everyone the lights will soon be on.” She threw the males a wilted look at their morning enthusiasm.

“Does it ever stop?” Jongdae questioned his hands rubbing over his face pulling it into ugly expressions. “I swear it’s gonna drive me crazy!” He looked about ready to beat the next person to look at him wrongly.

Nia chuckled and took a look at her watch. She lifted her hand and started the five second countdown. When her thumb went down so did the sound of the siren. Jongdae looked like he could pass out from happiness. At least he was not bouncing so early in the morning.

Forcing the boys down to the dining room Nia was able to make a nice breakfast for the seven of them again, this one went uninterrupted by snarky comments and they were all able to pretend like they did not know what would be coming.

It made Nia feel slightly better about having the males go when they were smiling and laughing as they got ready. They tried questioning where the rags they were wearing had went, but she carefully evaded their questions and opted to tell them how great the clothes she had given them were.

“What’s that?” Tao questioned pointing to the rebreather that Nia had pulled from her closet and set on the table in front of her couch. “Why do you need a mask?” He questioned picking it up and looking it over.

“It’s my rebreather, it will filter the air when we go below level 150.” She pulled it from Tao’s clutches as he began fiddling with the settings. Realizing she would need to reset half of the settings Nia let out a sigh and sent Tao a short glare.

Hearing a snort Nia looked over to Jongdae who tried to look away innocently, as if. She did not need them reminding her that they could go down that far without any sort of equipment, it was just too weird for her.

“Level 100 is as far as I can go though.” She told them fiddling with the straps on the mask. It was one of the latest additions, though there were not very many different additions seeing as no one ever went down so low as they never had a reason unless they worked in the levels. All who worked down below were given state of the art equipment.

“Why only that far, can’t you come down to the ground?” Luhan questioned and was backed up by Tao claiming he had so much to show her. Nia simply shook her head and told them her equipment was not made to withstand the atmosphere any lower than Level 100.

To be honest even if her rebreather could take her further she was not sure she would want to go. She had heard so many horror stories that she swore to never go below even Level 150, yet she would go as far as Level 100 just to say goodbye to some males she had never met before last night.

Grabbing her jacket and rebreather Nia shoved the rebreather into her bag before heading to the front door of her apartment with the males in tow. The air had gone from jovial to solemn in such a short time it could give one whiplash, but Nia forced herself to ignore it as she guided them through the hallways.

“How come we aren't covering up this time?” Yifan questioned raising a perfect eyebrow as he looked down at Nia who was still slightly jumpy guiding the males through the hallways, one could never know what was around each bend in the hallway.

“Well, none of you are covered in blood or dirt this time.” She taunted motioning to himself and the other males.Nodding shortly Yifan looked over his skin and seemed almost amazed at how clean he was. “Plus, you actually look like you belong with me now.” She added airily not really thinking about it.

“Did we not before?” Yixing questioned a frown falling onto his handsome features. He picked at the sleeve of the shirt Nia had put him in. “Those were some of the finest clothes we could find, we had heard the sky people had high standards so we tried our best.” She could hear the dejection in the males voice and felt slightly guilty about throwing the clothes out.

“To be frank, you did not fit in what-so-ever.” She pursed her lips into a thin line as she looked over each of the males. “You do now though. I’m sure you would all be sorted into my class too, which is even better!” She gave Yixing a gentle pat on the back to comfort him and smiled as he looked up at her.

“What class are you a part of?” He questioned looking her over. Was he serious; could he really not tell? Noticing the affronted look on Nia’s face Yixing was quick to add on the fact that he had no idea what her society had as classifications.

“Well, I am part of the desirable group, which is why everything I have is so nice.” The looks on the faces of the males told her that they did not understand what she was saying. “Desirable is very much what it sounds like, I am good looking therefore I am desirable. You all are too so I am sure you would all fit in the class, though some of you would obviously be higher than others.” Nia gave a slight nod as she continued walking along.

Realizing that there were no footsteps echoing hers Nia looked back and found the males staring at her with jaws a jar and looks of shock covering their faces. Frowning Nia motioned for them to hurry yet they simply stood where they were. They did not have time to be messing around and stopping like they were.

“So, what you’re telling us,” Minseok began looking her over differently than he had before, though she could not figure out how his gaze was different. All of the males were giving her different variations of the same look. “Is that your place in all of this is so high because you’re beautiful?  And that people are worth less than you because they aren’t?” For the first time since they had met Minseok’s voice was not comforting to Nia’s ears instead it was scornful.

Judgement, that was the look on their faces. They were judging her and suddenly Nia felt bare.

“Yes.” Nia gave possibly the smallest nod of her life and dragged her eyes to the hallway in front of them. There was nothing she could say to make the situation right. She could not say anything against it as she had no way to put it down or say how horrible it was because in truth she liked things the way they were, she benefitted from them.

“Why are you acting like this?” The strong voice belonging to Yifan questioned harshly against Nia’s ears and for a moment she thought he was questioning her. Instead of berating her, Nia could hear Yifan take a deep breath. “Do you guys really think Nia makes the rules and that she is the one enforcing them?” He questioned his remarks obviously not directed at her.

Shocked Nia looked over to Yifan who granted her a smile, one so similar to the one from the night before that she thought she might have imagined it. Feeling a gentle hand on the small of her back Nia looked up to Yifan and found he was looking ahead as he guided them down the hallway.

Hearing the soft pattering of feet behind them Nia knew that the other males were following them and that she would not need to worry about them becoming lost. Her mind however did not register that, but rather the warmth sinking into her back from Yifan’s comforting touch against her.

Maybe Yifan was not so bad after all.

Seeing the elevator Nia turned to look at the other males to find their gazes were everywhere, but her. She could see the guilt they felt even if they refused to look in her direction. It was sad for Nia to see them like that especially seeing as she could understand where their discontent was coming from.

“We should hurry, I don’t want others to see you.” Nia told them and quickened her pace towards the dingy doors of the abandoned elevator. “It won’t be safe for any of us if more people see you. Having Chanyeol see you was dangerous enough.” She added upon seeing the hurt faces of the males.

Making it to the elevator Nia was quick to push the males into the small box and then push the close door option. Digging through the bag she brought with her Nia took out her rebreather and jacket. The temperature dropped the lower down they went and Nia knew she would need the jacket to keep warm even if the males were unaffected.

Pressing the button for Level 100 Nia could feel their descent begin.

“What is this for?” Yixing asked as Nia handed the her bag over to him. Nia frowned slightly seeing the bag in someone else's hands. It was the most expensive bag she owned, but it was also the most sturdy so she figured it would be best to give it to them rather than one that would tear within five minutes of them leaving her.

“It has the medicines in it.” Nia told him as she pulled the bag opened and motioned to the box that held the medicines that had amazed the males. “Use them sparingly so they don’t run out in a few days.” Nia next pointed to the larger package, “These are just some tools I thought you might be able to use while you were down there.” The tools were all simple enough for them to figure out without her.

Helping Yixing put the bag on she smiled adjusting the straps over his shoulder and making sure that he would be able to take it off later without ripping them. Feeling a chill Nia made to pick her jacket up, but found it was not on the ground where she had left it.

“Looking for this?” Minseok’s voice questioned and Nia looked over to see he had a playful look on his face as he held her jacket in his hands. She made to grab it, but he pulled it back and instead motioned for her to slide into it. As Nia slipped her second arm into its hole she felt more than heard Minseok’s whispered apology as it grazed her ear.

About to speak Nia could feel the change in the air and looked to see they had made it to Level 175. She needed to put on her rebreather. Grabbing the mask from Tao’s hand she sent him a thankful smile before slipping it on and buckling it to have it sealed to her face so none of the deadly air could sneak through.

Feeling a squeeze at her hand Nia looked at the culprit and found Tao. His gaze was flitting from one section of the elevator to another. There were bright lights flashing all around them from the one-way glass that allowed one too look out at the levels they were passing. She wondered briefly why he looked so scared before remembering that the only other time Tao had ridden in an elevator he had been dying.

Looking at the floor Nia could still see droplets of blood from the night before.

Squeezing Tao’s hand gently she tried to give him some reassurance that everything would be fine. Tao turned his gaze from the walls outside and looked to Nia who quickly looked away so as to not meet his gaze.

Instead of meeting Tao’s eyes Nia turned and found herself ensnared by mere chance when her gaze met another. Nia froze to the ground as Yifan also seemed to also freeze as they stared into each others eyes.

Yifan’s eyes were set below two dark shadows the left had two nicks where there was bare skin. Below the shadows his pair of onyx eyes stared into her own with complete shock. It was evident by the shock in his features that he had been staring at her yet had no intention of meeting her eyes.

A sudden lurch of the elevator alerted Nia that they had made it to Level 150. The sudden realization came with a cold feeling, both physical and mental. She did not want the males to go. They had been with her for little more than twelve  hours and already she prefered the males to any she had met before. More than that she knew the moment the left she would be embraced by an old friend.

Loneliness.