A Series of Unexpected Events: Stray Kids

Chapter 5: Hold It Together

"Yeah but you know who is? The asshole who did this to her." Lee Know's gaze flips between the two of you multiple times, his hands clenching at his sides, turning his knuckles bone white. "Where is he? I'm gonna--"

"You ain't gonna do shit," Han snaps, cutting him off. When Lee Know's eyes darken, flipping back to Han, surprisingly he doesn't balk. He doesn't even blink. In fact, he meets Lee Know's scowl with one of his own, unfazed. "Pull yourself together hyung. Or get your ass out of here if you find it that hard to follow simple orders."

That sparks a different kind of anger in Lee Know. "Orders? What the f--"

"Chan called you, yes?" Han asks cutting him off again, and though you see being silenced irks him, Lee Know gives one stiff nod. "Then you know your job is to step up and handle things up here while he has his hands full downstairs," Han continues. "Not rage around and cut down everyone in your path. Especially those who are trying to help."

You blearily see Lee Know's anger fade just enough to calm him, though it still simmers just below the surface.

"Tell me the guys are fine," Han demands, his voice firm.

The insinuation infuriates Lee Know but you see him bite it back. "They're fine," he grinds out. "But I had to fight Felix just to get over here without him coming--"

When Han opens his mouth to say something Lee Know just barrels on. "Verbally," he grumbles softly. "I'd never lay a hand on him. Or any of them, and you know that."

"I do," Han amends, his voice softening somewhat. "But they don't always know that. You scare them when you're like this."

"I'll apologize to him later." Lee Know's eyes find yours as he steps forward and kneels down in front of you. His face softens as he looks at you, but you can tell that bottling the fury that's hardening his face is a concentrated effort. "Are you okay?"

You don't know how to answer him when your tongue feels like it's made of lead. When it feels like you can barely get enough breath to fill your lungs much less speak. Whereas you had been breathing too fast before, your chest feels like it's rising and falling much too slow now. You feel lightheaded, your vision starting to blur at the edges.

"Fuck." Han is kneeling next to Lee Know in an instant, letting off a string of curses as he abandons the towel in his hand completely and takes your other hand in his own. "She'll faint if she keeps this up, hyung. I don't know how to help her if I can't get through to her. She's not hearing me."

"Well figure it out Han. She can't do this on her own." Lee Know places his hand on your wrist reassuringly but he winces, hissing between clenched teeth. "Shit she's cold. Why the hell haven't you gotten her a blanket already?"

And he's right. You had been sweating bullets before but now you feel frozen solid.

Lee Know is up and on his feet instantly, scouring the room for a blanket when Han stops him short. "That's it," he breathes. Lee Know barely has time to turn around before Han's gaze is fixed on him. "I need you to get some ice."

Lee know blinks at him, incredulous. "Did you not just hear me? She's--"

"Get. Me. Ice," Han snaps, his own eyes burning with anger. "I don't have the time to argue or explain this to you. And I can't leave her to get it myself. So you need to pull up your fucking big boy pants, remind yourself that you trust me and go get me the damn ice." When Lee Know doesn't move, he snaps again. "Now."

Jaw clenching, Lee Know plucks a big decorative bowl from the cabinet in your room before running full-speed out the door without another word.

"He'll be back in a minute," Han reassures you as he turns your direction again, his voice gentle as he squeezes your hands in his. "We'll get you fixed up okay, y/n? Just hold on a little longer."