Centers of Fate - Stray Kids

Chapter 31 - Why Us?

(A/N: I guess I accidentally skipped a chapter? Their kidnappers are not nice to Changbin and Felix, that's your warning for their interaction.)

"I'm scared too." Changbin had moved his own handkerchief down, but still kept his voice to a whisper. They were holding hands as best they could with the ropes rough against their wrists.

"What do they want?" Felix was trying not to cry.

"Something with you and Min. They didn't want me."

"Why kidnap the Lee children if they disowned us?"

"I have ideas, but they don't make sense."

"We have time..."

Changbin didn't want to think about those ideas and quickly changed the subject. "What happened to you?"

"Someone came to talk to me at work, and then threw me in a trunk. That's pretty much it. What about you?"

"They pulled me away when we were leaving the Senate building and Min didn't realize it until it was too late. Then I got sexually assaulted on the way here."

The sobs Felix was trying to hide made themselves known. "Binnie. I'm so sorry that happened."

"They know things about us, Lix." Changbin's mood turned dark. "Things that I thought no one else knew."

"Yeah..."

They sat in silence for a moment, each pondering the secret they didn't want people to know. Felix thought he wasn't seen at the library, but if they were following Minho and Seungmin, who knows who else they were following.

"Can I tell you something?" Felix broke the silence.

"Anything."

"My secret is I feel like Hyunjin, with my gender."

Changbin held Felix's hands tighter. "That's okay."

"You don't hate me?"

"Of course not."

"I went to visit Seungmin's boss, and they gave me some books about it. Do you think Min will be upset?"

"He loves you more than anything." Changbin said sincerely. "If you're happy being yourself, then he'll be happy for you."

Felix smiled. "I'm glad. What's your secret that they know?"

"I'm in love with your brother." Changbin figured if they knew, there was no point hiding it anymore. "I thought only Jisung knew when I admitted it today, but apparently not."

"I figured as much."

"Was it that obvious?"

"It was to me, but Minmin was convinced he was straight." Felix sighed. "Does it hurt seeing him with Jisung?"

"Sometimes." Changbin tried to fight back his tears and exhaustion. "Please don't tell him yet."

"Don't worry. I would have shipped you to his face years ago. I promise."

With both their secrets laid bare, they focused on the warmth of each other's hands. Though they were still blindfolded, it was nice to bond in this strange and terrifying situation they found themselves in. They hoped everyone else would put the pieces together and find them, but it was hard when they didn't even know where they were. Even if Changbin could narrow it down in his mind, there was no way to get that information to the others. After some unknown amount of time passed in silence, light from the hallway flooded the room.

"You fags still...?"

"Can you stop saying that?" Felix asked before he realized he should pretend his mouth was still covered.

"Bad boys...talking to each other, huh?"

He lifted Felix's hood from his head and resecured the covering on his mouth. He pulled Changbin's hood up and gave him a deep kiss, silencing him before he could respond. He ran a hand up Changbin's inner thigh, and was satisfied at the flinch he induced when his hand rubbed against the jeans beneath his zipper.

"Who's the real fag here?" Changbin tried to ask, his eyes squeezed closed against the blindfold to block out the sensation.

"Minho missed out on a good thing for that ugly Sub scum he's seeing." He held Changbin's cheek over the blindfold, making as much skin contact as possible. "I will make you mine."

A shiver ran through Changbin as the man left again. Felix, however, recognized the voice. After working to remove the poorly tied covering, Felix spoke in a surprised tone.

"That's the guy who broke into our center."

Changbin shook his head to loosen his own face covering. "How do you know?"

"His voice. When he said Sub scum."

"That's what he said?" Changbin hadn't heard much about that day since Minho didn't want to talk about it.

Felix nodded, but then remembered they couldn't see. "Yep. It was awful."

"He's obsessed with us." Changbin was deep in thought. "Do you think he picked your center on purpose because you're a Lee?"

"Maybe..."