#lux x kwangsun

[incorrectgangpaequotes]

Tag Dump: Ships Edition

[vallkyr]

Step Out

When the people you trust most leave you to get caught by the task force hunting you, what else is there to do but finding new allies? 

The beautiful gif is still by the even more beautiful @agustdawn

Pairings: Chan x Kwangsun (OC), Chan x Felix, Minho x Jisung, Changbin x Hyunjin, Younghyun x Liam (OC), Siyeon x Jonghyeon, Aaron x Minhyun and other minor pairings

Genres: Angst, Emotional Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, some Romance and bits of Fluff in between

Tags: Dystopia AU, Rebels AU

Chapter Tags: -

Rating: Mature

General Warnings: Violence, Injury, Panic Attacks, Minor Character Death

Chapter Warnings: Tantrums

Word Count: 3,450

Masterpost

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Edit: I made some changes to Step Out since first posting it. For the explanation please check the notes at the beginning of chapter 9

Chapter 3 - I am not me

Chan feels half dead while he and Kwangsun wait for Lieutenant Yoon. Having to be here at 8 am must have been another torture technique. It’s a new room this time, one that doesn’t like quite as depressing as everything they had seen of the DIT until then, and they finally had the chance to put on some clothes that weren’t sterile white and standard sized, but the miserable feeling is still the same.

  "Are you feeling better now?"

  Oh yes, absolutely. A good night of hardly any sleep in a foreign bed surely does wonders to wash away all negative feelings one might have about being taken captive by the military. Everything is absolutely peachy. Couldn’t be any better.

  "A little." Chan doesn't smile, unlike Lieutenant Yoon. "Lee Know is tricking Jisung into thinking he loves him."

  The Lieutenant sighs, looking a bit confused at the sudden statement. "Couldn't it also be that Lee Know actually does have feelings for Han Jisung? What makes you so sure it’s a trick?"

  "I doubt Lee Know is able to love anyone but himself," Chan practically spits out. “It’s definitely a trick.”

  "That means if we were to target Han Jisung Lee Know wouldn't try to defend him?" The Lieutenant seems almost excited about his deduction. It’s sickening.

  "Oh, he definitely would,” Kwangsun retorts. “But not out of attachment. Lee Know needs Jisung for his plans; he'll do anything to prevent us from even coming near Jisung, because he's both Lee Know's greatest strength and his biggest weak point."

  Lieutenant Yoon doesn’t look satisfied with that explanation, so Chan continues. "What Kwangsun means is that Jisung, just like Lux, is important for the dynamic of Stray Kids. Those two are the glue that keeps the group together now that… now that I'm gone.” For a moment Chan is silent, grits his teeth. It’s still hard for him to say it. His mind is starting to accept that he and Kwangsun aren’t with Stray Kids anymore, but his body still refuses to acknowledge it. After everything that has happened to him, his body is still revolting against this cold fact.

  “Plus, as my right hand, Jisung has experience with planning and leading missions. Unlike Lee Know. He needs Jisung's knowledge. Last but not least, Lee Know needs to make sure Jisung does not entertain any doubt about their relationship."

  "Otherwise his plan might collapse like a house of cards," the Lieutenant concludes scornfully.

  "Exactly," Kwangsun agrees. "Which is why Lee Know is going to keep Jisung right by his side where he can make sure nobody but himself has an influence on him."

  "There's only one reason Lee Know might put Jisung at risk." Chan gulps heavily. Fuck, it hurts to say this, putting a target on the back of the one person he has always cared so deeply for. "Lux is the only person he trusts and who maybe means anything to him. But Lee Know won't guard Lux the way he guards Jisung, because he thinks Lux is safe. Without Kwangsun’s and my help, you wouldn’t know who Lux is to Lee Know, Lux would be a member like anyone else and you’d have no reason to go after him in particular. And with our help…” Chan wills himself to stay calm, keep it professional. “Lee Know probably thinks I’m too weak to target Lux."

  “Are you?” Lieutenant Yoon leans forward and scrutinises him. Chan straightens in his seat, his eyes narrow, his jaw sets.

  “I wouldn’t tell you about any of this if I was.”

    [-]

    Chan and Kwangsun watch in silence as the remaining pictures are spread in front of them. As if the lengthy explanation about how Lee Know and Lux are playing with Stray Kids, especially Jisung, wasn’t exhausting enough. Five photographs are still in front of them. Kwangsun quickly grabs the picture showing Lee Know, wearing his turquoise mask with three bright red rings at the forehead and three bright red rings at each cheek, and hands it to the Lieutenant.

  “You already have all our facts about Lee Know. I already told you that he was the one with connections and that he never gave away anything more than he absolutely needed to.”

  “I see.” Lieutenant Yoon puts the picture back into his folder. “What about Lux?”

  Chan gulps and picks up the picture of Lux. His gaze wanders over the familiar dark blue mask, the golden sun on his forehead, three rays of sunshine reaching down towards the stars over the cheeks. It must be an older picture; the mask here still has nine stars on it. Chan allows himself to look at the slim body hidden underneath baggy clothing. Seeing him like that, nobody would suspect how strong he actually is.

“Lux… he was our martial arts expert. He trained us for the case of hand-to-hand combat.”

  Lieutenant Yoon takes the picture out oh Chan’s hands. Gives it a critical look.

  “He doesn’t look like someone trained in martial arts.” Obviously the Lieutenant would make the same mistake as everyone: underestimating Lux.

  “That’s the tricky thing about him,” Chan mumbles. “You have no idea how dangerous he is until it’s too late.”

    [-]

    “Things are looking good,” Lee Know announces with a smile. “Well done, everyone. We’re done for today.”

  “So that means we can go home?” I.N asks, looking hopeful.

  “Yes, go and get some rest. I will let you know when it’s time to gather again.” Oh thank god. They all still feel drained, after everything that has happened and having another mission so soon after.

  DaN and I.N are rather quick at gathering their few belongings and get ready to leave. Hyunjin stretches when he gets up from the spacious couch. Lately he hasn’t been sleeping well; he feels sore all over. He frowns a little when he spots Spear B leaning back in his armchair and getting his phone out, seeming to have intention of going anywhere.

  “Aren’t you going to go home?”

  “No.” Spear B sighs and lowers his phone again. “The DIT most likely has my name by now. I can’t risk them catching my face on camera.”

  “Oh, right.” Hyunjin almost forgot about that part. Since neither Nine nor Kkul knows his name he hadn’t thought much thought about the consequences for the others. His gaze wanders over Lee Know and J.One talking by the fireplace on the other side of the room and Lux sitting on the large windowsill with his back against the wall, playing on his phone. “At least you won’t be alone.”

  “Exactly, which is why there’s no need for you to be worried. We’re going to be fine.” A faint smile hushes over Spear B’s face. “You really should go home and get some rest.”

  Hyunjin nods before proceeding to grab his jacket and putting on his shoes. He says his goodbye to everyone, just like DaN and I.N did, and leaves the sumptuous house.

  He still can’t believe anybody would buy a house like that and leave it empty most of the year, how Spear B’s parents can actually afford that is beyond his knowledge. When they met, he wouldn’t have thought that Spear B came from a wealthy family, he wasn’t stuck-up or treated them as anything less for not being as well-off as his family. Hyunjin had always thought that all rich people were arrogant and corrupt, without any care about the people around them. But Spear B. He was different: kind and generous and warm-hearted, always looking out for everyone on the team. Like a silver lining on the horizon.

    [-]

    Sighing, Changbin gets up from his spot and starts walking through the large room. He hates parting after a mission. It makes him feeling hollow, as if a part of him had been taken away from him, as if everything that happened during their missions didn’t belong to his life. Having some of the others around makes it better, but it’s still so quiet, so empty. The haven’t exactly been lively since they left Chan and Kkul behind.

  “Is anyone else hungry?” Changbin walks closer towards Lee Know and Jisung, putting on a smile when they look up at him. “I’m starving.”

  Jisung detaches himself from Lee Know a bit, enough to not make Changbin feel like an intruder anymore. Which has never been something Jisung cared about. The entire world could third wheel for him and Jisung wouldn’t realise. “Pizza would be awesome.”

  Lux’s head shoots up. In a matter of seconds, he is up, has crossed the room. “Pizza?”

  It’s settled then. They all agree that it’s safest if Lee Know orders the pizza and picks it up at the store, they can’t risk having anyone near their new hide out. Even if it’s just a delivery man, chances are he would remember them once pictures of “Spear B” and “J.One” are spread across the city. And with Chan and Kkul in the power of the DIT, it’s only a matter of time until that happens. Things are only just getting started, but Changbin already hates their new way of life.

    [-]

    “This here,” Chan picks up one of the three remaining pictures and hands it so Lieutenant Yoon, “is Mirror. He’s an expert for illusions, adaption, hiding…”

  The Lieutenant looks at the picture. Without Kwangsun around, Mirror is the tallest member of Stray Kids. His mask looks like a theatre mask, the right half laughing and the left half crying. “He made sure you aren’t caught?”

  “Exactly. Mirror was responsible for our disguises and worked together with Lee Know at finding our hide-outs,” Kwangsun explains.

  “You trusted those two with finding shelter for the group?” Lieutenant Yoon wonders.

  “We needed Lee Know’s connections,” Chan explains. “Mirror just checked what was suitable.”

  “And do you think Stray Kids still search for hide-outs like that?”

  For a moment, Chan has to think this through. What can he say about Stray Kids’ new hide-outs? “I think Lee Know is too smart to continue on like this. But then again, that might be exactly what Lee Know wants me to think.”

  “As you see, it’s kind of hard to predict Lee Know.” There isn’t much else they can say. Even after Kwangsun’s attempt of an explanation, Lieutenant Yoon doesn’t seem too happy with the information he got.

  “Let’s move onto the next member,” The Lieutenant concludes with a sigh.

  “Okay then.” Chan picks up the next picture. “This is Day and Night.” The name shows on the mask: a colour gradient from yellow, over light pink to dark blue, resembling a sun set. There is a golden sun above the right eye and a golden crescent moon underneath the left one. “It’s mostly shortened to DaN. Sometimes we called him Dandy boy instead. He’s a hacker.”

  Lieutenant Yoon stops dead in his tracks. Chan can almost hear the gears rattling in his head before a reaction stumbles out of his moth. “There is a hacker in Stray Kids?!”

  “How do you think we knew where to place the bombs?” Kwangsun laughs. “DaN downloaded building plans for us.”

  “That means this boy,” Lieutenant Yoon points at the picture, “has been hacking into government systems and downloading files?!”

  “Yes,” Chan confirms timidly while Kwangsun tries not to laugh. They obviously hit a nerve there; Lieutenant Yoon seems to be on the brink of a temper tantrum.

  “Maybe we should move onto I.Nie. We can talk about DaN later.” Kwangsun suggests. The Lieutenant stares him down and ignores his statement.

  “I want to know everything about him. And his methods.”

  Chan shrinks in his seat from Lieutenant Yoon’s aggressive tone. “We don’t really know how he did it. DaN is the hacker, not us. I just told him what information to get, DaN did the rest by himself.”

“How did he learn about hacking?!” When Chan doesn’t answer, the Lieutenant turn to stare Kwangsun down.

  “He’s an autodidact. That’s everything I now, I swear.”

    [-]

    If boiling water was a person, it would look the way Lieutenant Yoon did before he left. Kwangsun doubts his head could have gotten any redder. After Chan had told him that they have no clue how Dandy got into their systems, he left the interrogation room to make a phone call. There’s been screaming in the hallway ever since. Mostly commands and insults. Whoever the Lieutenant is calling, they can probably hear him without the phone. It’s fascinating, really. Kwangsun had no idea humans could even scream for that long.

  Next to him, Chan seems kind of nervous. “I guess he isn’t taking the news very well…”

  “Doesn’t look like it. To be honest, I thought he would be a little more… level-headed. You know, being Lieutenant and all.” Kwangsun looks Chan over, frowning when he flinches at a particularly loud scream from outside. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, I just… I don’t like loud voices.” Chan’s voice declines to a whisper, obviously not wanting to be picked up by the microphones around the investigation room. The frown on Kwangsun’s face deepens. For a moment  he hesitates, but eventually decides to take Chan’s hand into his.

  “Focus on me.” Chan looks confused when he turns towards Kwangsun. When Kwangsun starts singing, Chan’s expression very gradually fades into something more relaxed, more at ease. After a moment he even closes his eyes, takes deeper breaths. He looks so cute. Kwangsun feels flooded by fondness while he continues singing the ballad, almost like he’s trying to lull Chan to sleep.

  When the song comes to an end, Kwangsun squeezes Chan’s hand. “Better?”

  “Yes. Thank you,” Chan mutters with a light smile on his lips. It’s a good thing Kwangsun has found a way to calm Chan down when he’s nervous. He fears he’ll have to use it often.

    [-]

    Felix sighs as he drags himself into his room. Silence. Everything is so quiet. He hates it. Even though the room is beautiful and the view into the spacious garden is mesmerizing, he can’t stand being here. Especially getting near the large single bed neatly tucked away in the corner of the room feels wrong. But it’s not like he has much of a choice unless he wants to sleep on the living room couch. It would definitely be big enough, but Felix isn’t sure his back would appreciate that.

  When he closes his eyes, all the memories come crashing back at him. Chris’ scent, the feeling of his hand on Felix’s cheek, the feeling of his strong arms around Felix’s waist. With quivering breath, Felix hunches up on the bed and hugs his legs to his chest. Chris ruffling his hair, kissing his forehead. Felix screws his eyes shut as tightly as he can. Falling asleep on his chest, waking up in his arms.

  Tears start flowing from his eyes. More and more until they run down his cheeks and soak into the fabric of his sleeves. Sobs fill the little space framed by his body. Felix doesn’t hear either the knock at his door, nor Minho coming into his room. He doesn’t realise someone is there until he can feel the mattress shift next to him. A hand starts patting his hair, but Felix can’t bear looking up.

  “Hyung?”

  “Yeah.” Minho’s voice is low. A moment of silence passes. “This is because of Nine, isn’t it?” Felix lets Minho continue patting his hair. It helps a little even if he isn’t Chris. But it’s far from enough to stop the tears. Minho sighs deeply. “You said you would be okay, but you miss him more than you’d like to admit, don’t you?”

  “I-” Felix is broken off by a sob. “I don’t understand it either. I thought I would be fine but- Fuck, I miss him so much.” Felix grips at his legs when he starts crying harder than before.

  “Nobody claimed it would be easy.”

  “I know…” Felix mumbles. After a moment he lifts his head, wiping his tears away even though they just won’t stop flowing. “How do you do it? I mean with J.One, how do you-”

  “I ignore it,” Minho cuts him off and gets up, like he’s literally running away from the thought. “There is no use dwelling on it anyways. What has to be done has to be done.”

  Felix gulps but nods as he looks up at Minho’s stern face. He has no idea how Minho can stay so strong in all of this. He supposes the strength comes with practice. Practice Felix doesn’t have. Minho always tried to shield him, tried to take care of everything for Felix. But he can’t help with this. Felix needs to cope with his heartbreak by himself somehow. “You’re right.” He lowers his head. “There’s no other way.”

    [-]

    “As far as I know there is only one member left.” It had taken quite a while for the Lieutenant to return. But now here he is, trying his best to appear calm. Though it’s obvious he’s still overflowing with rage on the inside. The fact that DaN is able to hack into government systems seems to really have pricked his pride.

  “Before we continue,” Kwangsun speaks up. “We need to establish a rule.”

  How to further annoy an already fuming Lieutenant: try to tell him what to do. Lieutenant Yoon looks like he wants to jump across the table and strangle them. “Do you really think you two are in any position to make demands?!”

“It’s not exactly a demand. More a request.” The Lieutenant frowns but doesn’t intervene. His breath is uneven, his jaw set, brows furrowed. It takes a moment and a deep breath until Kwangsun continues. “Don’t scream near us.”

  Lieutenant Yoon snorts. “That’s it? No screaming?”

  “It’s fairly simple,” Kwangsun explains. “Either you will be silent, or us. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. It’s up to you, but if you want to get any information from us, you will have to respect that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Chan wants it.

  “Fine,” Lieutenant Yoon grits out. “If that’s what it takes to get our little princess over here to talk, then so be it.”

  “The ‘princess’ has a name,” Kwangsun and Chan spit back in unison.

  Lieutenant Yoon laughs out loud. “How cute. You two are all synced up, the perfect team. Now let’s get back to business. The last member.”

  Chan grits his teeth, but eventually speaks up. “I.N The one with the bright pink mask that’s black around the lower jaw. He is…”

  The Lieutenant sighs when Chan hesitates. “Yes? Continue.”

  “Only if you promise to stick to our rule,” Kwangsun insists. He probably can’t do much against them being treated like shit, but he refuses to let the Lieutenant scream at Chan.

“I already did.”

“We just want to make sure you remember,” Chan mumbles before taking a deep breath. “I.N is the spy.”

  “What kind of spy?” A lot of effort seems to be necessary for Lieutenant Yoon to stay ‘calm’. But he manages to keep his voice at a normal volume.

  “He gets all the information Lee Know doesn’t have access to. I.N talks to all kinds of people, overhears things…”

  “We called him our little desert fox. His face looks innocent,” Kwangsun adds. “You wouldn’t suspect anything bad from him, which is why people don’t think twice about talking to him.”

  Lieutenant Yoon is about to pose another question when he is broken off by a knock at the door, which is answered with a barked “Yes?” That much on sticking to their rule. The door opens and a woman in a black uniform much like the Lieutenant’s steps in. She seems to be around the same age as Chan and Kwangsun. Her posture was immaculate, almost stiff and she kept her long, blond hair in a flawless, low ponytail.

  “Lieutenant, Stray Kids seem to have changed their motto.”

  “Oh, so they didn’t keep ‘Nine or none’?” Chan deadpans. A hint of a smile twitches on her lips, breaking her professional front for just a moment before she schools her expression into something more neutral again when she meets the Lieutenant’s frown.

  “That is why you’re interrupting us? Another motto?!”

  “This new motto is kind of… unsettling.” She steps forward and places the sheet of paper in her hand on the table in front of Lieutenant Yoon. His frown deepens even more, if Chan hadn’t seen it himself, he wouldn’t have thought that was possible. After a moment of observing the picture taken at the most recent crime scene, the Lieutenant reads out loud.

  “Stray Kids everywhere all around the world.”