Metal

17%

It's the same dream. With the knife, and two exceptions. One, the knife is around his neck. Two, it's not really around his neck, but around Tao's neck. Sehun has no idea why he's watching this happen to Tao, why Tao's even in his dream. He can't understand why this isn't happening to him like last time, but he recognizes the hand grasping the knife. The man's other hand is around Tao's waist, holding the boy to him. Tao looks lifeless in his arms; dull eyes and emotionless face. He looks up to meet Sehun's stare of horror. 

The worst part is when Tao smiles, his eyebrows scrunched just a little. A trickle of dark red blood runs down his throat as he whispers, "For you."

Those are his last words.

The doorbell rings, jarring Sehun upright and wide-awake. He feels sick, like he's about to throw up. He thanks his lucky stars as he hears someone run downstairs and open the door so that he wouldn't have to. He stands up, his legs shaking and wobbling, as he limps to the bathroom, just in case. After some deep breaths, he calms his stomach just in time to hear a familiar voice yell, "Sehun?" Tao's morning voice is raspy and deep.

He coughs a couple times. "I'm coming!"

He walks slowly down the stairs in his pajamas, not wanting to revive that ill feeling from before. He's mildly surprised to see Luhan at the door. When the older boy spots him in his worn, old t-shirt and pajama pants, his cheeks turn a deep pink, which Sehun doesn't fail to notice. "Good morning, Luhan. Sorry I'm not better prepared." He looks down at his clothes.

"It's- it's okay! I'll wait in the lounge!" Luhan scurries away, the back of his hand against his face.

Sehun turns to Tao to say something when suddenly a wave of nausea hits him. He starts to sway, and he covers his forehead with a groan. He doesn't even realize he was about to fall until he feels Tao catch him in his arms, and the older boy says in surprise, "Sehun, what's wrong?"

Sehun's breathing starts to come out heavy. He drops himself out of Tao's arms to fall onto his knees and hold his chest, head down. He breathes in. Out. In. Out. "I'm fine..." He says. "I had a dream...okay?"

"What kind of dream makes you like this?" Tao feels a knot of worry as he looks down at the other boy. "Do I need to get the medicine box?"

"I'm fine." Sehun stands up unsteadily and starts towards the stairs. "Tell...Luhan... I'll be right there..."

Tao watches him climb up the stairs and disappear around the corner. He does not go to the lounge to tell Luhan, instead going up the stairs after Sehun and waiting outside the door of his room as he changes out of his sleeping attire. He bites his tongue and waits for Sehun to finish, hoping that nothing happens to him in there. Sehun almost bumps into him when he's walking out a few minutes later. He says nothing, just sighs and goes back downstairs with Tao following after him. 

Luhan appears a lot more calm when Sehun sees him in the lounge. He looks up from his notes when the two boys walk in. Sehun had forgotten about the lesson today, which meant he'd forgotten to set any alarm -- the reason why he'd slept till Luhan had arrived. 

"Sehun, I hope you're feeling better."

"I am." He lies easily. A straight face is natural for him anyway. Tao gives him a look. 

"How was your first day back?"

"Good, thank you." He takes a seat across from his tutor, with Tao on his left. The lounge had been rearranged for the lesson -- couches moved around, tables shifted, some furniture had been brought in to make it seem more like a learning environment. He doesn't mind much, but it still felt bizarre to him. He certainly doesn't feel like he's back in school. Why try to hide the fact that it's just a regular old lounge with something like a whiteboard or a bookcase? How pointless.