Bloodlines // Stray Kids

42

When the water bubble breached the surface it shot into the sky and caught the eyes of everyone on the beach and in the water before splashing back down.

"Have fun you two?" Felix says smiling.

"My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time." Hyunjin responds back with a wide grin.

"Did you fucking say boyfriend?! Minho! Get the camera, it's happening!!" Jisung screams.

"Could you not be so loud Jisung?" Seungmin says with a sigh.

"Wait they're official now?" Chan says running over with Jeongin dolphin screaming behind him.

"Oh my gosh, Channie they're official!"

"Channie?" Woojin smirks at him.

"Shut up." Chan says blushing.

"It's about time." Connor smiles as he wades over to the two. "How were you down there so long?"

"Naiad's Kiss." Hyunjin replies with a smirk. "I could breath underwater."

"Asshole, I wanna do that."

Hyunjin pokes Seungmin's side. "I told you he would be jealous."

Minho had finally run over with the camera. "Smile, lovebirds!"

Seungmin leaned over to kiss Hyunjin's cheek as soon as the picture was taken surprising Hyunjin and giving them a perfect first couple photo.

"Now that that's done, I wanna have a chicken tournament!" Jisung yells.

"What's chicken?" Jeongin asked innocently.

"You've never played chicken before?" Seungmin asks eyes wide.

"No, you all are pretty much the first friends I've ever had so I didn't play many games with people growing up." 

"Well." Connor begins. "You work in pairs one person serves as the base with another person sitting on their shoulders. You go up against another pair and have to do everything possible to knock the person on top into the water. Whichever team loses their top half first loses the game."

Jisung continues, "And since this is a tournament we'll put teams against each other until it comes down to two final pairs."

Jeongin smiles. "It sounds like fun. I call dibs on Channie though."

"Alright, everybody pair up!" Jisung yelled with a smile on his face.

Soon everyone was in the water and in their pairs. Jisung was on top of Minho, Seungmin was on top of Hyunjin, Felix was on top of Connor, Jeongin was on top of Chan, Changbin was on top of Woojin, Gracie was on top of Brandi, and Brittney and Rachel would be referees and judges to call ties in case both teams fell. everybody forms a wide circle with Brittney and Rachel in the center.

"Alright, the first round will be Brandi and Gracie against Woojin and Changbin, as well as Chan and Jeongin against Hyunjin and Seungmin and Connor and Felix against Minho and Jisung. The use of abilities is strictly forbidden." Brittney shouts as every lines up with heir opponents. "You may begin!"

Gracie went down quickly, Changbin was much more muscular than she was. Seungmin was the next one down. Jeongin was surprisingly strong for his age. The last one down was Felix as Jisung gave him a hard shove causing Connor to lose his footing and go down with him.

Eventually, it came down to Jisung and Minho against Chan and Jeongin.

"Don't expect me to go easy just because you're the youngest Jeongin."

"I'd be insulted if you did Jisung."

Rachel stepped between the two pairs. "Same rules as before. Begin!"

Jisung and Jeongin quickly locked hands on top while Chan and Minho started pushing on the bottom. Jeongin's strength began to get the better of Jisung until Minho pushed chan hard. Chan stumbled backward his foot sinking into a hole in the sand underwater. Chan lost his balance and Jisung quickly took the opportunity to push Jeongin hard and he and Chan quickly went down.

"Yeah! We won Jisung!" Minho shouts.

"Yeah! Can we go eat now?" Jisung replies.

"I swear his mind moves faster than the air he controls. "Connor sighs."

"Makes life interesting at least." Hyunjin says with a chuckle.

~~

The group had a quick dinner before going their separate ways for the evening. Minho had gone out on the balcony to watch the sunset and was laying in one of the lounge chairs when a certain Sylph came out and sat in the chair next to him. 

"You seem relaxed." Jisung says as he sits down

"You plan on ruining that?"

"Not right now at least.

The two laugh before silence falls over them.

"Why are you so quiet?" Jisung asks.

"I'm just thinking."

"What about?"

Minho smiles. "Just how much my life has changed. I was just another nobody quietly living my life, and now I'm close friends and on vacation with some of the richest and most famous people in Aether, and they are all around my age."

"Well, when you put it like that I guess it seems strange, but we are still just people."

"You know it's not that simple."

Jisung sighs. "Trust me when I say I think all of us heirs wish it was. Which makes me wonder, why did you volunteer to help us and join a safehouse?"

"It's what my parents would have done. The Council needed help protecting their next generation." A soft smile comes to Minho's face. "I fit the age group they wanted and was low profile. If I had refused and my parents were here to find out I never would have heard the end of it."

Jisung smiles as he listens to Minho's words. "Does that mean no part of you wanted to do it then? You did it only for them?"

"Honestly, no. I wanted a change, I needed a distraction from their passing, but this is so much more than a distraction now. I'm grateful I volunteered."

"Why? You've almost died several times."

"I've gotten to see and experience new things. I've made new friends, and probably most importantly, I met you Jisung."

Jisung began to feel a blush rise to his face. "You can't seriously consider me the most important thing that's happened to you cause of this."

"I do. You've been someone that I can open up to when I need to. I've dealt with my fair share of pain but you've opened me up even when I wanted to remain closed off. Even though I still don't know what my future holds or if it'll be any good. I'm glad I've gotten to spend time with you now.

Minho gives the younger male a bright smile and Jisung feels his heart melt. Jisung doesn't return the smile for fear he'll lose control of his emotions right there so he simply stands up.

"Too sappy for you?" Minho frowns.

Jisung grabs Minho's hand. "Will you follow me? I want to show you something."

Minho is a bit hesitant given Jisung's lack of expression to his previous words, but he agrees.

"Lead the way."