s t r e n g t h | stray kids

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[ s t a r t ]

Chan knew something was wrong. The sapphire had no idea what exactly, but there was just a feeling he couldn't shake.

What made it worse was that he knew Felix could feel it too. The opal screamed "we need to talk" and desperately. Chan knew Felix would probably want to sit down with him after dinner and seriously talk, but the problem was, Chan had no information to give.

Changbin had given no clues away as to what was bothering him, and it was scary how hard he was to read. The ruby was a blank slate to both him and Felix, offering no correlation to the events that happened just moments before. Sapphire eyes carefully stalked the red head as he settled in next to Jisung and Felix.

Jisung looked about the same as Changbin, exhausted, with his head propped on Minho's shoulder. The aforementioned diamond sat up perfectly straight, his gaze piercing that of a pouty Hyunjin. The yellow diamond, on the other hand, paid no mind to his audience, dropping himself right over the book Seungmin was reading. The jade looked ticked enough, but a smiling Jeongin was enough to overrule the nosy diamond.

All was normal.

But something just felt odd.

They ate dinner and slowly dispersed back into their own little worlds, Chan drifting back into the kitchen to clean. He felt that he was walking through fog, his head in a misty state as the world spun like a slow motion and dreadfully outdated film.

The world only stopped spinning when a frustrated Felix, pouting with his hands on his hips came into view. The opal puffed his cheeks out, eyebrows furrowed as milky eyes scanned over the sapphire. Chan couldn't help but awkwardly laugh and wave, the younger gem making him feel uncomfortable.

"What happened?"

Chan sighed. He knew this would happen. "I don't know."

"Do I need to talk, go sit you and Changbin down or something? You never seem to know what's wrong, and I swear if I have to see you guys fall apart like that again I-"

"Felix."

"Chan."

"I don't know anything."

"That's bull."

Chan sighed loudly again, slamming the dish he was washing into the sink. He turned around, frustrated, "look! I don't know anything. Bin won't tell me a thing and you should know better than anyone he does not open up."

The saphire let out a long breath, moving to continue, but was stopped. He sunk to the floor right beside the multicolored gem, arms wrapping around his small frame.

"Chan I'm scared."

...

"I don't want that to happen again. You," Felix poked the sapphire's broad chest with his ring finger, " are one of the strongest of us. Bin is no different. Seeing you guys break like that-". Felix hiccuped, digging into the black shirt Chan wore.

They waited a few minutes before the opal mumbled to finish.

"That was terrifying."

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The past couple of hours had been a shit show for the ruby. Changbin was undoubtedly exhausted, the dull ache in the back of his head a painful reminder of what had just happened. It's not your fault, he'd try to tell himself, but Changbin knew that was a lie.

Curled up in his room, the ruby didn't want any attention. He just soaked into the warmth of his fluffy blankets, relishing in the texture against his smooth crystal skin. The ruby played with the fabric between his fingers, hoping to ignore the rest of his problems for the night. He had really hoped that no one would find out and Chan—

God Chan.

Changbin had really been caught off guard by the elder gem pushing his way into the ruby's personal time. He was beyond furious with himself, thinking how god how did he get caught? Changbin had hid his problems for years without the slightest crack in his defenses, and he hated the fact that it might all crumble. The ruby was terrified of falling apart— both mentally and physically. He couldn't stand to think about facing Chan. Even worse, the rest of the team.

Changbin would've fallen even further down the hole of uncertainty, if not for the soft click of the door opening.

Immediately, the ruby panicked, so he did what he did best. Changbin hid the building put in his stomach. Opaque blue eyes cried out in so many different ways, but they didn't say a word. They didn't. Not for a fair amount of time. Instead they stared. Tired and uncertain. They scanned for any signs the ruby couldn't cover up and conceal. Signs they'd never had to for, ever.

Changbin hated it.

Almost more than he hated the color red.

It didn't help when shimmering white peaked from behind broad shoulders. Glimmering beauty stood, barely holding himself upright, and staring at Changbin just as much as the opaque blue.

"Alright, cut the act Seo Changbin."

Not Bin. Not Binnie. Hell, not even Changbin.

Seo Changbin.

Chan had sounded like an angry mother using his full name, and more than anything else in the whole world, Changbin wished he wasn't there.

The ruby went to open his mouth, spew out more lies, and just put a bandaid over a gaping hole. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. Nothing came out. That's when he knew he had lost. He had failed. He couldn't hide anymore. Changbin couldn't run.

And so for the second time that day, Changbin cried.