8 is fate // Stray Kids

39

Chan

It felt like his head stood under immense pressure. As if the amount of thoughts coursing through it was enough to make it burst.

He could feel his heart race, hear his blood rushing through his veins from the velocity of every pump.

He felt like a fish out of the water, incredibly overwhelmed by the occurrences of the night and unable to catch his breath. He felt helpless and useless. He felt like he had failed once more. Like he was underserving of the title of leader. 

How was he supposed to save the world if he couldn't even save his friends?

He felt like the rug had been pulled out from under his feet. He started questioning everything he thought he knew about the human. The human that might not be all that human.

He started wondering if he even knew his oldest friend at all.

He quickly shook his head, not willing to go there.

Han might be a big fat mystery, but Chan knew his core, the essence of what he was and that was all that truly mattered. Whatever or whoever Han was didn't matter, he was Chan's brother, and nothing could ever change that.

His thoughts slowed their spiraling, and his heart decelerated its beating.

That's right, Han would always be his little brother. Dorky but hardworking, cocky but humble, reckless but loyal, easygoing but earnest, stubborn but selfless. Chan knows Han, inside out.

Whatever might happen in the future, this was one thing Chan could be a hundred percent confident in.

With his mind put at ease, he could focus on other things that had to be taken care of.

And right at the top of that list stood Minho.

"Hey Min, could you stay back with me for a sec?", Chan reached for Minho's shoulder and gently tugged him towards himself before he could leave the tele-chamb.

Hyunjin, Jeongin and Seungmin had already left, while Felix stood in the doorway. Shooting them a short glance, Felix understood that this was going to be a private talk and quietly closed the door behind him.

"What's up?", asked Minho, turning towards the oldest. A forced lightness to his voice.

"Just wanted to check how you're doing after...everything", probed Chan carefully. Minho was like an actual cat in many ways, one of them being the way he was easily deterred by certain things. Emotional deep talks being one of them.

"Fine, all good", lied Minho through his teeth. It was such a blatant and obvious lie that Chan didn't even have to reprimand Minho for him to paddle back. A deep sigh escaped past his lips, his shoulders dropped, and his eyes fluttered closed for a second as his façade began to crumble. And then, a quiet and vulnerable word left his mouth. "Awful."

Chan could feel his heart soften at how defeated and fragile Minho sounded. It was a side of himself that Minho rarely ever shared with anyone.

"Do you wanna talk about it?", offered Chan carefully, trying his best not to make Minho feel cornered. He wanted to give the cat hybrid the room to talk out of his own volition.

"I'm sorry", the words had been whispered so quietly, Chan had almost missed them. Minho's lips wobbled dangerously as he pressed the words out a second time, a glassy sheen to his eyes "I'm so sorry!"

"Hey", hummed Chan gently, resisting the urge to wrap his arms around the younger and pull him into a tight embrace. "None of this is your fault."

Minho looked at him, eyes filled with so many emotions that words would never do them any justice.