Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"this just in we have reporters on the scene of what looks like a heist of a few priceless artifacts from an esteemed art gallery in downtown paris. sources say there was a power outage around the gallery's block last night around two a.m., and there's a mess of destruction left behind at the scene..."

chan turned the volume down on the big screen in the tower's debriefing room and rubbed a hand over his face silently.

the others watched him and waited for a reaction of any kind. chan had been obsessing over minho and jisung since the night they escaped together a year ago.

they hadn't seen them since then. there was no indication of where they went or what they were doing and it had driven chan crazy. he searched for any possible leads, kept an eye on every major news source, and checked the crime alarm for any sort of unusual activity even when it wasn't going off.

the others had given up long ago. the silence was a good thing to them, maybe minho had already regretted everything and changed his mind. maybe jisung convinced him to stop. maybe they weren't even together anymore.

but just as chan expected, minho wasn't finished. and unfortunately it seemed jisung was still right by his side.

"everyone pack up. we're going to paris."

minho never would've asked jisung to join him when he decided to leave stray kids. he was selfish, but not selfish enough to ask his at the time not even official boyfriend, to start doing things he was morally opposed to.

but that night when jisung stopped changbin from getting to minho, and chose to run away with him? minho couldn't deny that was one of the greatest thrills he'd ever had. knowing that he'd lost sight of things long enough that he was almost actually caught was already exciting enough, it gave him chills. but jisung doing something about it? he never imagined anything could feel so good.

that was all minho wanted, to feel good. he felt like he'd spent so much of his life feeling nothing. no enjoyment, no excitement, and yet not sadness or pain either. he had always been in limbo with his feelings and it took him years to figure out other people didn't feel the same.

he was sure the first time he felt anything, was when he met han jisung.

when chan brought that bright eyed angel into the tower for the first time, minho was immediately smitten with how pretty he was. minho loved pretty things.

that's how it started, minho simply felt a physical attraction to jisung. but as jisung spent more time on the team his personality started to shine through and minho found him to be..electric.

jisung had a personality that minho quickly became addicted to. he was sweet, but he could be sassy and pouty. he worked hard to pull his weight on the team but he loved taking naps and lying around doing nothing. he liked anime and movies and music, and he had a sweet tooth that minho thought was adorable.

jisung was the first time minho ever wanted to take something for himself, and keep it.

the younger brought out a side of minho he never knew existed within him. with jisung he was gentle, and considerate, and warm— things he'd learned how to copy but never felt naturally— not until jisung.

he thought for a while that he could ignore the empty feeling inside that seemed to take more hold over him with each passing day, because jisung brought something new to his life. maybe the empty feeling would go away altogether.

but that didn't happen. it stuck around, a little voice in the back of his head whispering, why does any of this matter?

in one of the first personal conversations he'd had with jisung the younger had asked him, "is that why you're here? because you feel pulled to do good things?" to which minho had replied, "i don't feel pulled to do anything. i'm just here."

and since then he'd wondered about it almost every day.

he felt pulled to do..things, sure. maybe just things that wouldn't make sense to the others. when he saw something he wanted, he had the desire to simply take it. when their team went up against villains he found more pleasure in hurting them than he did in saving the day. whenever destruction was caused either from their fights or a bad guy out to ruin the city, it sent a rush through him. he wanted to join in and ruin everything in sight.

minho desired madness and mayhem. being a hero didn't give him that.

he just didn't know how much longer he could keep it from jisung.

"hyung? are you asleep?" minho heard jisung's voice as he quietly crept into his room.

minho had been lying in bed staring at the ceiling, and he immediately opened his arms for the younger. "no. come here, my honey."

jisung closed the door behind himself and happily made his way over to snuggle with him. "i can't sleep." he whispered.

"is that so?" minho smiled as he held jisung close. "so you came to use me to put you to sleep? here i thought you just wanted to see me."

jisung giggled at that. "i did want to see you, since i'm not sleeping anyways. see?"

"ah, so i'm the back up then. sleep is still your priority."

"sleep will always be my priority, hyung. if i don't sleep i die. do you want that?" jisung pouted, making minho laugh this time with how dramatic he was.

"right, of course not, princess." minho adjusted them so jisung was on top of him, and he could just barely see the younger's blush with the moonlight coming through the window. it was moments like these that made minho feel..normal.

"why do you call me that?" jisung asked shyly.

"you don't like it?"

"i love it..i just feel like i don't deserve it."

"you deserve everything. that's why i call you that." minho whispered. "i want to give you everything, wanna treat you everyday."

"..oh." jisung's blush deepened as he looked into minho's eyes, the both of them so easily getting lost in one another.

jisung's eyes were sparkling from the moonlight, prettier than even one of the shiniest jewels minho found himself thinking about all too often lately.

"jisung-ah.."

"yes?"

"i.." minho started, his mind screaming at him to tell jisung everything.

but the longer he looked at him, with his princess so patiently waiting to hear what he had to say, he couldn't. he didn't want to bring jisung into any of it.

"what's wrong, hyung?" jisung tilted his head sweetly, like a cute puppy.

minho could only smile and shake his head. "nothing. nevermind."

"oh, okay." jisung nodded slowly, eyes showing concern though he didn't press further. "then..i wanna watch tv. will you put spy family on for me?" he gave minho the puppy dog eyes and the older was overwhelmed with feelings of fondness in his heart.

"whatever you want, honey."

days after that, minho stole the diamond necklace he'd gift jisung.

and weeks after that, he'd leave the team without a word, not even to his honey.

when he saw jisung again for the first time since he'd left, crying and holding onto the necklace, minho couldn't bring himself to stick around long. he took what he wanted that night and left after taunting the group, but on the inside he was breaking at the fact he'd made his princess cry.

he didn't feel any guilt about anything else. he didn't care how the rest of the team felt. he didn't feel bad for what he'd taken. he had no concern for any damage he caused.

but jisung..he wished he knew how to explain any of this to him.

the three times the heroes faced him after that were a bit easier. jisung wasn't crying, but he was giving minho that puppy dog look and it took everything in him to ignore it and focus on the others instead. maybe he was still holding back, too, as since he never wanted to bring jisung into this, he didn't find it easy to show the newly discovered part of himself in front of him.

by their fourth encounter, minho found it hard to do anything but let loose. especially when chan threatened to fight him? he couldn't begin to explain the feeling that shot through his body, awakening him in a way he'd never been before.

minho felt truly alive for the first time in his life.

but to have acted that way in front of jisung? minho had to let jisung know that it was still him, that even if it seemed like he had changed, he still only had eyes for jisung. he still thought about him, he still wanted him.

jisung was always at the front of minho's thoughts. half of the gems and jewelry he wanted, he was taking with jisung in mind, his princess who he wanted to spoil with every pretty thing in the world. he wanted to decorate him in things as ethereal as he was.

minho wanted to leave him a gift, or maybe..an apology of sorts. so he snuck in through jisung's window one night, and left a gorgeous pair of topaz earrings on the pillow next to his sleeping angel. and before he made his exit he placed the faintest kiss on his forehead.

he didn't expect to see jisung alone when he hit the next jeweler, but to see him wearing the earrings filled him with a sense of relief. even as the younger ended up crying in his arms, minho knew jisung didn't hate him.

"t-the earrings..they mean you still want me, right? you still l-like me?" jisung asked as he finally pulled away and tried to stop his tears.

"i'll always want you, and i'll always like you. you're mine, remember? my jisung." minho whispered, carefully wiping the tears from his cheeks.

"mhm..yours." jisung repeated, sniffling and taking a few deep breaths as the tears came to a full stop. "promise me."

minho didn't even hesitate. "i promise. actually, i can do better." he reached into his pocket and felt around for a moment before finding what he wanted, a sapphire ring. he picked it out just for jisung, even as he had no idea when he'd be able to give it to him. but right now, this was perfect.

he carefully slid the ring onto jisung's finger before lifting his hand to kiss. "i promise, you will always be mine, princess."

jisung's heart fluttered in his chest at the gesture, and as their eyes met again he felt himself fall for minho all over again.

and he couldn't have been happier to hear those words.

two nights later was when minho visited jisung at the tower, and they spent time on the roof watching the stars. minho had a lot on his mind that night..so many things he wanted to say to jisung, to properly explain himself and the situation to him. but the words always got so lost from his brain to his mouth. it was..frustrating.

"i miss you a lot." jisung whispered, bringing minho out of his head and back into the moment. "but you're not ever coming home."

"no, i'm not." minho confirmed. he wished he could find the words to explain why.

"i know. because you like it, you're having fun. aren't you?" jisung tilted his head up to look at minho.

minho felt his heart skip a beat. jisung..understood. he knew what minho was feeling, he couldn't voice it himself but he didn't need to because of course, jisung got it. he always got it.

all minho could do was smile down at him, the adoration he felt for jisung increasing ten fold in this moment.

jisung smiled back before repositioning himself to how he was. "yeah. i was so upset before..wondering how you could leave us, how you could leave me. i kept asking myself what we did wrong..what i did wrong. why didn't you like me enough to stay? weren't you happy being part of our team? and the first night we saw you after you left..none of us could understand why you were suddenly acting as a villain."

'it wasn't sudden.' minho thought to himself. 'i just didn't know how to tell you.'

"but..i don't think you changed. i think this is who you always were on the inside. we just didn't know that." jisung whispered, reaching for the arms wrapped around him to grab minho's hands instead. "and even if i don't get why doing bad things makes you feel good, i don't care. i still like you anyways, even though i'm not supposed to."

minho listened to him, feeling such a sense of wonder, and awe, and an overwhelming feeling that he was so lucky. he was the luckiest guy in the world, the one who got to have an angel like han jisung who knew him inside and out and yet still wanted to be with him.

he accepted the gesture and interlocked their fingers as he placed a kiss on top of jisung's head. the younger looked up at him again and minho gave him another smile as he looked into his pretty doe eyes. he felt absolutely lost to this beautiful boy. "jisung-ah."

"hm?"

"can i kiss you?" minho's eyes couldn't help but flicker towards jisung's lips. that was all he wanted right now, to connect with him on an even deeper level.

"really?"

"really."

jisung sat up and carefully turned around in minho's hold to properly straddle his lap from the front. he reached to lovingly cup the older's cheek in his palm as he looked at him with as much adoration as minho was giving him. "yes, please kiss me."

at the given permission minho held jisung close by his waist, and slowly leaned in to connect their lips. and he felt..at peace.

jisung pressed closer to him and minho held him tighter, determined to keep him right here in his hold forever. to cherish him forever.

and minho knew, as they pulled away and looked into each other's eyes, that this was what love felt like.

he was completely, and undeniably, in love with jisung.

to have chan try to say otherwise? to claim he left him? it angered minho completely because chan would never understand any of it. nobody in the universe could ever even begin to understand the special connection minho had with jisung. he would never leave him, did not leave him.

and saying he didn't care about jisung's feelings? jisung's feelings were the only ones minho cared about, ever. to the point he was still wary of how jisung felt about any of this.

"hyung..you know you can be yourself in front of me, right? i'm not scared of it, or anything." jisung whispered one night, a few months into being with minho in his place on the city outskirts.

they were in bed, cuddling while minho placed lots of kisses and little bites all over jisung's neck and shoulder. jisung let him do as he wanted, and had been giggling about it at first but then they started having a little conversation. from there he was just thinking, running his fingers through minho's hair as the older just couldn't get enough of him.

minho paused his affection after hearing jisung's words, staring at a spot on his neck as he took time to process. "what?" he whispered back. he'd heard him, but he hadn't been expecting him to say that.

"you can be yourself." jisung repeated gently. "i notice it a lot, how you're still trying to mask that part of yourself for me."

"i..because." minho furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "i never wanted you to see me like that. i still..don't. i never even wanted you to know all the things i feel inside."

"why not? it's still you, remember? like you told me."

"i know, but it's..different. i don't want it to drive you away." he admitted. "if i lost you..i'm not sure what i would do."

"nothing you do can ever drive me away. i'm with you forever, and beyond that because i love you." jisung smiled, gently grabbing minho's face to look at him.

"i love you." minho repeated, looking at jisung like he was the very reason the world turned everyday. "my everything."

"plus..i like it. i think it's cute." jisung giggled.

minho rose an eyebrow. "you do?"

"mhm. i like seeing you excited, doing what you like. knowing you're feeling good is all i care about. doesn't matter to me what makes you feel that way or how it comes out." jisung said, gently combing his fingers through minho's hair. "i always want you to feel comfortable being your truest self around me."

minho nodded slightly and cleared his throat as he felt..moved? by his boyfriend's words. feeling affected in this way merely by something said to him had never happened before.

"and..the whole villain thing..it's kinda attractive." jisung added quietly, blushing deeply. "your confidence has always been one of my favorite things about you. you're always so sure of yourself and your power, which is something i've struggled with in myself..i just love seeing that in you."

minho of course knew what jisung had felt about himself. he found that he was overwhelmed with softness in his heart, as he was in awe of jisung being so in touch with not only his own feelings, but minho's too. "thank you." he whispered honestly, leaning in to give jisung a long, loving kiss.

when he pulled away jisung just smiled at him with those pretty sparkly eyes of his. "you don't have to thank me but..you can give me more kisses. right here." he tapped his lips cutely.

minho couldn't help the chuckle he let out as he went back in to kiss him again. "whatever you want, princess."

minho had never expected anyone to get it. especially not chan or the rest of stray kids.

but of course if anyone did, it was his jisung.

after escaping the last encounter with stray kids minho decided to lay low while deciding on his next move, and so he could indulge in having his pretty boy by his side. being alone in a secluded place with jisung, free from interruptions, was a dream.

he was done with seoul for the time being, so when he was ready to leave he wanted to find a new place to play.

and as he felt inspired by jisung, he decided on paris: the city of love.

"what are you going to do with it?" jisung tilted his head curiously.

they sat together at the top of the eiffel tower, looking out over the city. jisung's jewelry reflected under the moonlight, and the gentle breeze blew his hair ever so slightly. he was beautiful, he was everything.

minho smirked and hummed in thought as he brought his boyfriend's hand up to his lips to kiss. "same thing i did last time. take what i want, and have lots and lots of fun."

"and what if they come?" jisung turned to minho as he asked, voice holding a hint of..malice.

"they will. it won't matter. they'll just lose again, and this time..it'll be so much worse." the smirk turned into a twisted smile as minho giggled delightedly.

jisung smiled too, looking back to the city with only two thoughts in his mind. one, minho was so cute. and two:

he would never let anybody ruin minho's fun.

Chapter Text

within three days of being in the city they'd hit the first spot on minho's list. jisung caused a power outage so all cameras and security in the area would be down, and minho blasted his way into the building using an energy sphere, adrenaline coursing through him.

he felt so good already, it'd been over a year since he stole the key to seoul and he had been craving more. he had bigger plans for paris, starting small with a few priceless artifacts was merely a warning, a declaration that he was here, and only just beginning.

he smiled as he saw it on the news the next morning, basking in the indirect attention he was receiving for his and jisung's actions. jisung was still soundly asleep next to him, with not a care in the world about officially joining minho in his villainy last night. he knew all the plans, he knew everything minho intended to do and he was going to be right there beside him.

stray kids was the only obstacle in their path.

landing himself in stray kids was merely a convenient accident for minho, an accident that probably only delayed the inevitable path he was on.

before stray kids, minho was 'normal'. or, as close to normal as he could be.

what minho really was, was a pretender.

he'd learned at a young age that he didn't feel the same things as those around him. in fact he didn't think he felt anything at all. no love, or concern for others. no joy. no sadness. no fear. only sometimes, irritation. he didn't feel any love for his grandfather, couldn't care to be friends with a single kid in his class, and never felt a thing besides apathy in any situation. he didn't care that he was alive, he didn't care about what all life had to offer. minho wouldn't have even cared if he died.

realizing that not everyone was like this, was a bizarre concept to minho. all the things other people said and did, all the emotions they portrayed, the connections they formed and maintained..it was real. genuine. they meant all of it.

why was he the only one who was different? the only one who didn't care about any of it? and people could always tell. he always stood out in negative ways, and he was getting sick of that.

minho was twelve when he finally learned to start copying those around him, and he quickly realized that pretending to be normal made for an easier existence in this world. as he grew up he continued perfecting the act, doing his best to mask the fact that the person he mimicked himself into being was a facade.

the only real thing about him, was his love of his powers. when he discovered them as a small child he was enthralled. he had no idea how to control them or what all he could do, but they were fun. he liked them a lot.

minho also liked fighting. he'd watch all the old martial arts movies his grandfather had around and try to copy the moves he saw. once he was old enough his grandfather put him in classes so he could learn in a controlled environment, and one thing minho was taught there was discipline. his grandfather used that to teach minho how to control his powers, and that he should exercise discipline regarding them.

minho stuck to that, for the most part. but he just got so bored all the time, he'd use them anyways and get himself into trouble. so once he aged out of his martial arts group, he was then put into classes with other people with superpowers. hero classes.

minho didn't care at all about the hero stuff they learned about, what he loved was the training. fighting. he was allowed to use his powers on other people so long as he didn't (critically) injure them, it was exhilarating.

he did very well in the hero classes, remaining the top student each and every year because he had the best control of his powers and was a master in combat. the only thing they never paid attention to was if minho had a pure heart. they didn't know how apathetic he truly was, how he didn't feel emotion or actually care about those around him. he had no intentions of becoming a hero after this, despite it being what everybody encouraged him to do.

at least, that wasn't initially minho's plan. when minho was in his last year of high school and hero classes, he was scouted by one of the attendees of his hero academy graduating ceremony. bang christopher chan, rising hero of seoul and leader of newly formed supergroup stray kids.

chan was greatly impressed with minho's abilities and control over them that he showcased at the ceremony, as well as his perfect combat skills. he felt minho would be the perfect fourth member of stray kids.

minho accepted for two reasons: he would be paid, and he would get to fight.

chan figured he should've known from the start that minho was different. minho never had that gung ho 'i'm ready to save lives!' excitement about him. he was always eerily calm, to the point he came across to chan as almost unfeeling sometimes. however, he was a significant help on their missions, and easily adapted to coordinating with the other members and following chan's orders.

minho was a pretender, after all. he was simply doing what he did best.

he never formed a genuine bond with any of the members— at least, not a bond he actually reciprocated. they all grew to care for him while he wouldn't have cared if one of them got hit by a bus right in front of him. with each new member added, he felt the same amount of nothing.

until chan added their eighth and final, jisung.

when the leader noticed minho and jisung getting along it warmed his heart. finally, someone was actually getting through the walls minho had. it was a relief, seeing minho for the first time choose to be around someone else. he helped jisung adjust to being on the team, and calmed his anxieties. he let jisung know it was okay to mess up sometimes, and comforted him in his moments of self doubt. minho suddenly became this warm, attentive, reassuring presence in the tower— only for jisung.

chan noticed them get closer, everyone did. the extra shared touches, sleeping in each other's rooms, understanding the other's wants and needs with no words necessary, sneaking off to the roof together. they were so deeply connected and the entire team was waiting for the day one of them would announce their being official.

until minho left, and everything changed forever.

confusion, sadness, betrayal, shock, anger, disgust..the tower was full of emotion in the days following their finding out why minho left.

biggest of all, chan was disappointed and distraught. how could he not see this coming? he should've been able to prevent it, to realize minho was more than just someone with a peculiar personality. the warning signs had been there from the moment he joined the team; jisung's addition had simply slowed the inevitable. chan couldn't sleep thinking about all the things he missed, what he should've said, what he should've done.

and losing jisung to minho..that hurt even more. jisung had always been lost, unsure of himself and who he was. he always wanted guidance and reassurance and the person he got it from every single time was minho. maybe if chan had been more involved..he could've saved jisung from him.

chan had been restless with their disappearance after stealing the key to the city. he searched for even the smallest clues as to where they might have gone but there was none at all. minho had gone completely silent and jisung had gone with him. chan was devastated.

seungmin had been aiding chan in his searching whilst doing his own research. seungmin was the group's most intelligent member and a great strategist, therefore chan's second in command.

aside from worrying about minho and jisung, he'd been looking into a particular theory for a few months. it was one that others had attempted to prove a couple times in recent decades but with insufficient evidence. seungmin had always been fascinated by the theory, and while brushing up on some old studies he came across something that made his blood run cold.

seungmin grabbed his phone and texted chan to meet him in their tower's library immediately, and a few minutes later the leader showed up. "hey, what's wrong?"

"has minho ever mentioned any family to you?" he got straight to the point.

chan hummed in thought. "not much, besides his grandfather. i actually met him when i recruited minho to be on our team. his grandfather raised him, i don't know anything else."

"his grandfather.." seungmin trailed off as more dots connected. "so there's this theory, first proposed around thirty years ago, basically saying that the nature of someone's superpowers can affect what kind of person they are. it's never been proven due to how broad of a concept it is and how vastly different personalities can be, but..there are some studies using more extreme examples to try and prove it. take a look at this, this one was published a little over twenty years ago."

chan looked at the screen of seungmin's laptop and saw a wall of text describing the superpowers and actions of a dastardly villain, and next to it was an image. "holy shit." he whispered, stepping closer for a better look.

"look like anyone we know?" seungmin confirmed.

"who is this guy?"

"they don't know his real name, they just have his alias here, 'mayhem'. but he was one of the worst villains of this time, and it was mere years before we were born. he had dark energy abilities, and mind control. he tried to enslave and take over the world. and get this, he's said to have gone insane because of the unstable nature of his powers. he even had a wife who he killed; read this part. 'no information is known regarding any children', and minho has never mentioned any parents. he's totally minho's father."

"god..that's..this is insane. i've heard of mayhem before but i've never seen a picture. minho looks so much like him." chan shook his head and started pacing around as he processed the information.

"even their powers are really similar. mayhem had dark energy, minho has energy too— it's just not the dark variety. mayhem could control people's minds, minho can move things with his. i'm guessing whatever abilities minho's mother had mixed with mayhem's to make minho's different. but she made him more powerful, too. minho can use his powers in even broader ways than mayhem's were described. and..minho fits the theory." seungmin concluded, before finally deciding to be quiet so they could both digest the findings.

minho did fit the theory. his energy abilities were destructive by nature, and there was nothing particularly 'good' about his telekinesis; it was a neutral power. minho had been neutral all his life, until he left the team and gave in to what he really wanted to be: destructive.

it was a lot for the leader to think about. his mind raced a mile a minute now as he wondered how they could use this information to stop minho. theory or not it sounded more than plausible, and he was directly related to one of the worst villains to come out of south korea. that wasn't a coincidence at all.

"oh my god." chan suddenly said, heart dropping as another thought popped into his mind.

if mayhem went insane and even killed his own wife..then..minho..

fuck.

"we have to get jisung away from him."

and now a year later, they had that chance.

chan finally had another shot, and he was beyond ready to face the couple. he couldn't let them go, he felt it was his responsibility as their former leader to be the one to bring them in. they needed to save jisung. minho, he was likely a lost cause. they needed to catch him and send him to prison, where he belonged. no matter how much it would pain chan to do so.

*

"is there anything you've always wanted to do, but never had the chance to?" minho wondered aloud to jisung.

the couple was sat next to river seine admiring the pretty scenery surrounding them. it was night time, like they always preferred. jisung was in minho's lap, his back to the older's chest and minho had his arms around his boyfriend's waist. it was quiet, and peaceful as nobody else was around at this time of night. jisung loved it.

"i don't think so." he answered after a moment of thought. "maybe there was before i met you, but i don't want much of anything anymore."

"why's that?"

"because being with you is all i could want. i don't need anything else." jisung said honestly. "before i met you..i wanted a lot of things. to feel comfortable in my own skin, to stop being such a misfit everywhere i went, to find purpose in my existence. and i didn't want..this." jisung murmured, sending a surge of electricity to his fingers that made them spark.

it sent a shiver through minho, who could feel the electricity flowing within jisung. it was amplified in moments like these when jisung took direct control; minho loved it.

"i didn't even want something as big as being happy, i just wanted to feel at peace. when i found you, i found peace." jisung continued as he closed his eyes and relaxed further. he felt how minho's energy was responding to his electrical current. it calmed him, and made him feel safe.

minho and jisung's powers had a unique bond that they'd discovered throughout their relationship. their respective energy and electricity attracted the other, even seeked the other out, because they were complementary power types. and they could both feel it— could feel each other. minho could feel jisung's electricity coursing through him, just like jisung could feel the energy radiating within minho.

it brought them impossibly closer, made every touch and kiss better, and provided a type of comfort and security that no other beings in the universe could ever understand. only them.

"and i don't just feel at peace, i feel free. my existence is just that, my existence, i can do with it what i want. i was always so confused and stressed before; i didn't know anything about who i was or what i wanted. but i know myself now, and i like myself. i know what i want, i know how to control my powers, and they make me feel more connected to myself. so..i guess maybe all i want now is to make sure i never go back to how i felt before."

minho smiled as he listened to jisung talk. "i'm so happy you feel free, my honey. you've blossomed into someone so strong, and sure of yourself. i'm so proud of you."

jisung blushed after hearing that minho was proud, opening his eyes and tilting his head to look at him. "you really are?"

"i am. would i lie to you?" minho teased.

jisung giggled and felt warmth filling him because no, minho would never lie to him. "you'd probably confess to all of your crimes before even thinking of lying to me."

"even if there was nobody else left for me to hurt, i still wouldn't hurt you." minho whispered, not as a follow up joke but actually speaking from his heart as he looked at jisung.

jisung smiled softly as he could hear and feel the sincerity and meaning behind those words. "i'm yours. you can do whatever you want with me." he replied just as quietly, tilting his head up for a kiss.

minho gave him one, gentle and sweet and full of nothing but pure adoration.

they shared more kisses before parting to enjoy the view of the river again, and after a few moments a thought came to jisung.

"so then what's your thing you want to do that you've never had a chance to?" he asked curiously.

"mine?" minho hummed before shaking his head and resting his chin on jisung's shoulder. "there is..something. just because i wonder what it feels like." he admitted, though he was hesitant to share what it was. "but i asked you because whatever it is that i can give you, i will. anything at all, princess."

"anything.." jisung repeated, pondering what he could want even the slightest bit just to make minho happy by being able to provide it. "well..i think i'd like to do something really romantic, that you'd see in a movie like..slow dancing under the moonlight. you know?" he said shyly.

minho laughed fondly at that, how could jisung be so cute? "well we have the moonlight, baby. all we need is the music." 

the younger watched as minho took his phone out and started searching for the perfect slow dancing music. "how's this?"

"perfect." jisung smiled, getting up once he felt minho pat his thigh as a signal to move.

minho left the phone in the grass to play the music, and as they stood up together he held his hand out for jisung. "my princess, may i have this dance?"

jisung blushed and nodded shyly, his heart fluttering from the loving way minho looked at him and regarded him. "yes."

minho pulled him close and held him gently, hands on his waist while jisung's rested on minho's shoulders. "i don't know if this is where my hands are supposed to go." jisung admitted with a giggle.

"wherever you want them is okay, this is perfect either way." minho reassured, naturally leading them in their swaying to the music. he let all of his thoughts quiet as he got lost in his lover's beauty.

jisung hadn't expected this to feel so intimate; he was melting on the inside from minho's eyes on him and he could feel the electricity rushing to his heart. suddenly he was shy and nervous like he'd been after their first kiss. "how do you always look at me like that?"

"because i love you." minho replied easily, always so easily. "and i think you're gorgeous."

jisung wanted to reply and say that minho was gorgeous too. he wanted to tell minho every single thing about him that he loved and cherished: like how cute his laugh was or how his pretty eyes held so much life and wonder. he would say that he loved the way minho held him, loved waking up next to him every morning and loved being in their own little world with him each night. he liked when minho would do something silly to make him laugh, and loved when he'd go out of his way to do something sweet for him like breakfast in bed or, dancing under the moonlight less than a minute after being asked to.

but jisung's heart was beating just a little too fast as he looked into minho's eyes, and all he could do was gently grab his face and tell him everything through a deep, loving kiss. minho smiled as he could feel jisung's emotions and added a dramatic flair to the moment by dipping him back as though they were in a movie. jisung giggled at the gesture and sighed happily as they shared more kisses, moving his hands to tangle in the older's hair. "love you so much." he murmured between kisses. "yours forever."

minho laughed and nodded in agreement as he connected their lips one more time.

"of course, my honey. forever."

Chapter Text

feelings were running high as chan and the team got settled into their temporary base. they would be operating out of one of the world's central superhero headquarters located in paris, and given anything they needed to capture minho.

the mission was somewhat of a secret to the general public. chan had requested way back when minho first switched sides that civilians weren't made aware of it, and he still had that same rule in place. if the public found out that a former stray kids member had turned to crime it could affect the entire group's reputation.

but most important to chan, he didn't want there to be a witch hunt for minho and jisung. he wanted to deal with them as he saw appropriate, not let them be crucified by media and civilians.

he knew maybe he shouldn't care, but he couldn't help it. chan could never bare to see one of his kids being slandered and attacked, even if they were no longer under him.

the rest of stray kids had varying feelings. changbin only felt anger regarding minho. minho turning to villainy and dragging jisung with him was just so selfish and wrong. he was determined to lock minho up, especially because of the hurt he was still causing certain members of the team.

jeongin had moved on from their departure well, and he wasn't angry. he was neutral, as even though it sucked to lose two people they cared about, they had their reasons. he forgave them in his heart and let them go. taking them down now was simply a matter of them being villains.

seungmin was somewhere between the two of them. he had long accepted that minho and now jisung weren't coming back to the team. in the beginning it had bothered him, and he was angry with minho too like changbin was. he'd since gotten over those feelings, only occasionally feeling upset on behalf of other members like hyunjin and felix. after what he realized about minho and his father, he knew this would've happened no matter what. minho needed to be locked up because he was dangerous, and jisung for aiding him.

hyunjin had managed to push his feelings about it down and ignore it, for the most part, but he was still hurt. sometimes he still broke down about it, usually in the arms of changbin. having to deal with this again hurt, and he wasn't sure how he'd hold up when faced with their old friends again.

felix felt the most out of everyone. he'd been letting himself feel his emotions from the very start, and though he was past the point of crying his heart was still aching. in the beginning he had tried to put up a strong front, but it didn't last long. he missed having eight members, and everyday he hoped they were safe. he just wanted to save jisung and bring him back home, and a small part of him hoped maybe minho would come too. felix still didn't grasp the reality of the situation, or maybe he was denying it.

he'd find out soon enough.

minho was going to do something grand, something that would catch the attention of everyone, and not just the citizens of paris.

tonight was the night.

jisung shorted the area's power again, and once they were standing in front of the building minho picked, he knew this would be exactly what he wanted. a smile came to his face and he chuckled delightedly. "let's give paris a show, princess."

with the power being out there was no worry of alarms, so minho simply melted the lock of the front doors and he and jisung entered easily. the building they were in was beautiful. there was lots of intricate architecture with colorful stained glass windows, and gorgeous chandeliers. the best part was the tall, glass ceilings that let the moonlight in. minho was obsessed; what a perfect mess he was going to make.

they parted ways so jisung could execute his portion of minho's plan, but first they had to take care of the night watch. minho had been studying this place to ensure his plan would be nothing short of perfect, so he and jisung knew there were a total of fifteen guards scattered throughout the building.

the guards were already on high alert due to the power outage, walking around with flashlights and mere batons that would effectively do nothing against minho or jisung.

while minho drew attention in his excitement of debilitating the ones unfortunate enough to be in his way, jisung was the opposite.

a skill jisung had was being swift, and silent, to the point not even his jewelry would make a sound. the guards in his path heard and saw nothing, sans a flash in their vision before falling to the ground unconscious. it was easy, jisung didn't even need to touch them so he was perfectly calm and focused. the only distraction was minho's laughter echoing through the building; it brought a soft smile to his face.

minho was full of adrenaline, each bloodied and bruised body falling by his hands only made him want another, it felt too good to stop. he was having so much fun.

when all the guards were down he grabbed his bag to start grabbing what he wanted, moving at a leisurely pace as though he had all the time in the world because this wasn't the main event of tonight, no. stealing these few priceless items was simply..a bonus while he waited for their guests of honor to arrive.

"i was wondering when you'd come out of hiding."

minho smirked. exactly as he planned.

the villain paused as he was about to cut into his fifth glass case with a ray of energy, and he turned to see none other than chan, and he appeared to be alone.

"why, did you miss me?" he teased.

"miss isn't quite the word i would use." chan stated, eyes surveying the area which was unusually clean aside from the bodies and..he didn't see jisung. "why no mess? trying to cover up your tracks this time?"

minho shrugged at the question as he casually continued to cut into the glass case before him. "you could say that."

"it's not too late to stop this, minho. you could still quit while you're ahead, rectify the situation. we can figure out how to help you." chan said, without too much desperation.

"help me?" minho quirked an eyebrow, purely amused by the conversation. he even stopped to turn and look at chan, head tilted mockingly. "you have so much faith in others, it's actually pathetic. i don't need help, chan. i just find pleasure in different things."

"it's a matter of morals, minho. not pleasure."

"oh, but it is. morals, pleasure..it's all relative. philosophy, meaning of life, blah blah blah, who the fuck cares? when i have the urge to do something, i do it because i can, and it'll feel good. and right now i have the strongest urge to wrap my fingers around your neck and crush it, i think that would feel so good." he said, a twisted smile on his face as his eyes locked on chan like he was prey. "wouldn't it be fitting for my first kill to be my former leader?"

"i'm not letting you kill anyone, minho. you will not do such a thing." chan replied lowly. "especially not around jisung. he won't be your accomplice, what would he even think of you doing something so horrible?"

"not sure, it's the one thing i haven't told him yet." minho admitted, chuckling to himself afterwards despite the fact he'd been wondering for weeks how jisung would feel about it. "it's not exactly something that can come up in conversation."

"god, minho you're sick. where is he?" chan glanced around again incase he might've missed jisung somewhere in the room.

"princess is around, channie don't worry. i know you want him back, you don't have to pretend otherwise." minho rolled his eyes.

"that doesn't bother you?"

"why should it? he's free to make his own decisions. if he wants to be with me, i'll love and take care of him forever. if he wants to leave, i'll understand and leave him alone."

chan was quite surprised to hear minho say this. he wanted to question if someone like minho was capable of love at all, but the fact that he would let jisung go and respect that decision said a lot about what he felt for the younger.

it gave chan a bit of hope. if they could just convince jisung to come home with them..he'd be safe, and minho would let him.

"you love him a lot, i'll give you that." chan nodded. "just too bad you're not a good person. stop what you're doing and hand over what you have. now." the leader ordered, eyeing minho's bag on the floor.

"or what?"

"guess you're going to find out."

before minho could reply he heard a noise from above and he looked up to see something small dropping from the ceiling at him, before it shifted into a person: jeongin.

minho was quick enough to defend with a shield of energy, knocking jeongin away from him and to the ground instead. he almost laughed at how pathetic the surprise attack attempt was until he felt a wind of sorts on his right, and as he turned his head all he caught was a blur before it disappeared. changbin, likely.

his guess was correct because changbin suddenly appeared at chan's side, and he was holding minho's bag.

"aw, you guys had a few tricks up your sleeve. that's cute." he rolled his eyes as he was overall unimpressed, and irritated. "what, are the other three gonna surprise me from behind now?"

"would that make you nervous, hyung?" seungmin taunted, as he was positioned exactly where minho said with two duplicates of himself blocking his way.

"nothing makes me nervous. that's not a feeling i experience." minho smirked, before it dropped and a cold expression replaced it. "you have five seconds to move."

"not gonna happen." seungmin refuted. behind the clones minho could see ice. felix.

the ice built up until it was a dome surrounding them, and immediately minho shot an energy sphere at it but it didn't break. this was new, he'd never seen felix do it before. after a quick scan he didn't see felix inside with them, and someone else was missing too. hyunjin.

"it's over, minho. give up." chan stated.

"is it? you haven't even seen the main event." minho replied with a mischievous smile that the others didn't particularly feel good about.

meanwhile hyunjin was invisible, sneaking around the building on his given mission to find jisung. he was instructed to do so if jisung wasn't with minho, so he'd been searching since they arrived and he didn't see any sign of him just yet, but what he did find made his eyes widen in alarm. he needed to get back to the group now.

felix was standing outside of the ice dome keeping watch for jisung too, or hyunjin in the event he came back for help. when he saw a figure approaching from the dark he squinted to see if it was hyunjin or jisung. "hyune?" he whispered, struggling to see a bit even with the moonlight coming through the glass ceiling.

suddenly all he saw in his vision was a bright flash, and then nothing as he fell to the floor unconscious.

sound didn't get through the ice dome very well so nobody heard felix fall, but they knew something was off when the ice started sparking. shortly after that, it began to crack. the cracks spread throughout the dome, growing larger and larger until the entire thing powerfully shattered and shards flew everywhere.

and there with his jewelry sparkling under the moonlight, was the electric beauty on everyone's mind.

"don't touch him." jisung said, voice level and emotionless as he didn't look even the slightest bit affected by the situation. the expression he held was cold, his aura dark.

jeongin saw felix on the ground and gasped. he ran over to him immediately and sighed upon realizing he was alive, only unconscious. he looked up at jisung somewhat fearfully then as he knew he did it, and seemingly with no care at all.

"jisung-ah." chan breathed a sigh of relief; it was so good to see him. he held so much poise, on a level chan had truly never seen from him. he seemed so sure of himself now, compared to when he was on the team and never felt sure about anything.

chan took note of all the jewelry he was decorated in: three necklaces of different lengths, gorgeous rings on his fingers, a heavy charm bracelet along with other lighter bracelets around his wrists. he'd even gotten a couple more ear piercings and had different pieces of jewelry on each ear. everything was in silver, and some had beautiful gems like the diamond necklace, topaz earrings, and sapphire ring that jisung was still wearing. they were the first three gifts minho had given him, and to jisung they meant the world. they held special meaning that only he and minho knew.

and the way he used his powers just now..jisung was definitely different; more controlled and confident. felix's ice dome would've been full proof, they didn't count on jisung being able to break it. it threw a wrench in chan's plan, he needed time to analyze the situation and decide what the next move should be.

jisung felt nothing at the sight of chan and the others. it didn't matter who they were to him previously, now they were his enemies. anybody who tried to get in the way of what minho wanted was jisung's enemy, it was that simple. the tension in the air had tripled.

"as fun as this is..i've gotten bored." minho broke the silence that had fallen, and with the absence of the ice dome decided to release a wave of energy big enough to send seungmin and his duplicates flying backward.

he forced his bag out of changbin's hands with his telekinesis, and smiled smugly as he chose to finish cutting into the last glass case from before his interruption. once it was open he reached inside for everyone to see and added the piece of art to his bag. "that was great effort from you guys, by the way. too bad it wasn't enough." he mocked, feigning pity for them before giggling amusedly. "but you put on quite the show, i'd love to return the favor."

they watched him join jisung at his side and put his arm around the younger's waist. "you'll love it, won't they baby? and..you seem to be missing somebody. i think you'd better find him, quick. or don't. it won't matter either way." minho shrugged, before beginning to laugh as he was so amused. the villain then shot an energy sphere at the glass ceiling and levitated out with jisung, and chan was about to fly after them but seungmin stopped him.

"we need to regroup. let's find hyunjin and go." he advised.

and right in that moment hyunjin returned, eyes wide and fearful, and he was a bit out of breath. "c-chan hyung.." he sighed, trying to catch his breath. "they- the generator- something's not right. it's sparking like crazy. i think- we should go."

"sparking.." chan repeated, the dots connecting as his eyes widened in alarm. "fuck, changbin grab felix and everyone out now!" he ordered.

minho and jisung were safely in the sky, and minho's excitement was running high as he anticipated what was next.

the ceiling above the generator hyunjin found wasn't glass, but minho had studied the layout so perfectly he knew exactly where to aim. he held onto jisung easily as he shot an energy sphere at the roof to break it, revealing the generator to him which brought a wicked smile to his face.

jisung had completely overloaded it with power, causing it to spark and shake as it was now unstable.

minho created more energy in his hand, unstable energy. it wasn't contained in a spherical shape and therefore moved around a lot more, trying and failing to escape minho's control. it was a stronger, more raw form of minho's energy that was even more detrimental.

and when mixed with equally unstable electricity, it could be absolutely catastrophic.

"let's have fun, paris." the villain whispered, chuckling darkly as he shot the large mass of energy at the generator.

the moment couldn't have felt better.

the building exploded gloriously. watching absolutely everything go up in flames, seeing the massive spread of all the glass and stone, the damage caused to nearby buildings..knowing that he did it? it felt too good, minho could feel the adrenaline and pleasure rushing to his head and he wanted more. this was the destruction he desired, what he was made for.

it was a level chan hadn't been expecting at all.

he and the kids had safely escaped. once the team made it outside they all grabbed hands and hyunjin teleported them as far as he could right as the explosion happened.

chan took to the sky once he knew they were safe to assess the damage caused, and he felt sick. the once beautiful, proud building was completely obliterated, and the radius of the explosion was quite big. the surrounding area had huge amounts of damage, and chan returned to the ground feeling defeated. there had even been the guards in there..

"head back to base." he ordered. "i'll help where i can here."

the team looked between each other unsure for a moment, and at their hesitation chan gave them a look that said it wasn't negotiable.

"come on, guys." seungmin said, beginning to lead the way on foot since their motorbikes were definitely gone with the explosion.

chan flew over to the remains of the scene where emergency services had now arrived, and as he helped them sort out the mess and make sure no civilians were hurt, he knew they needed to rethink everything.

minho had taken things to a completely new level, which chan hadn't been anticipating. the first heist minho and jisung pulled here hadn't been an accurate reflection of their intentions at all.

minho was extremely dangerous, and jisung might've been just as bad. in just a year they'd both grown more powerful and chan had no idea to what extent, which was a problem.

and if jisung was willing to cause massive damage to public property with minho..he must've been really far gone.

this was going to be way harder than chan thought.

*

minho lay awake that night in bed with jisung in his arms. his eyes were wide open as he stared at the ceiling, fingertips buzzing with desire. the events of the night played in his mind over and over as he relished in how good it all felt.

jisung was half asleep, comfortable in his boyfriend's hold with his head on minho's chest, but he noticed minho was still very awake. he could tell because minho's energy wasn't dormant, he still felt it just as strong as when minho was awake.

"hyung, why aren't you sleeping?" jisung murmured with a pout.

"no reason, my honey." minho reassured.

"you're only awake like this when you're thinking." the younger noted.

"ah, really?" minho smiled. it was cute that jisung paid attention to things like that.

"yeah. are you thinking about what we did tonight?" jisung rubbed his eyes tiredly as he tried to feel more awake.

minho nodded slightly. jisung really knew him so well.

"you liked it a lot, i could tell."

"i did. it felt..so much better than i thought it would. it gave me such a rush, i can still feel it." he sighed, feeling just a little bit restless.

jisung tilted his head curiously and sat up as he chose to straddle minho's lap to look at him. "what does it feel like for you when you do something like that?"

"it feels like..there's finally breath in my body. something inside of me awakens and i don't know, i feel like a different person. i don't feel those types of things normally, so when i do i just want to feel more." minho explained to the best of his ability, though even he wasn't sure if he was truly conveying the way he felt.

jisung hummed in acknowledgment. "do certain things feel better than others?"

"i think the worse of an action it is, the better it feels." minho whispered, staring at the ceiling because he couldn't look at jisung while admitting something like that. not because he felt bad about it, but because he didn't know how jisung would feel about it.

"right..i think i understand."

"does that scare you?" minho nervously made eye contact again.

the younger simply shook his head as he caressed minho's cheek gently. "no. you don't scare me, babe i've told you. i'm used to this side of you now. the things you tell me are about what i'd expect."

"what if there's still more to this side that you might not like?"

"i'm not going anywhere. you're safe here, with me, because it's me, hyung. your jisung. i understand if you're still holding something in but you know whatever it is i'll protect with my life. there's nowhere in this world where you're safer to be exactly who you are, than right here with me." jisung explained gently as he leaned down to give minho a reassuring kiss.

minho was moved by his words much like he was a previous time they had a talk like this. the way jisung loved minho so wholly no matter what..and minho felt exactly the same. that's why sharing this was so hard for minho. because he loved jisung so much, so wholly, driving him away was his biggest fear.

because how was he supposed to come out and say 'i think i'd like to kill someone'?

minho didn't realize he was simply staring at jisung as he got lost in his mind until the younger giggled at him. "i'm serious, hyung whatever it is it's okay. what are you thinking so deeply about?"

minho just looked at him and smiled. not tonight.. "nothing, princess. i'll go to sleep now."

"promise you'll tell me when you're ready?" jisung asked cutely as he held his pinky out in front of minho.

minho nodded and linked their fingers together. "i promise. when i'm ready."

"okay." jisung smiled and got comfortable lying down with minho again, head on his chest to listen to his heart like before. he eventually was able to peacefully fall asleep.

but minho still lay awake, mind racing, fingers buzzing, and body craving so much more.

Chapter Text

the news of the paris explosion headlined all over the world, just as minho had expected. everyone was talking about it on every news source and social media, and he was basking in it all.

chan was already reaching a limit. if this is how minho wanted to play, then so be it. he was ready to give up on him completely and treat him like what he was, a monster.

"minho is worse than we thought." he stated, running a hand over his face at the team's next strategy meeting. "he's a real psychopath, and he's extremely dangerous. there's no saving him, guys. do you get that?" he asked, looking more specifically between hyunjin and felix.

hyunjin avoided eye contact and snuggled closer into changbin's side sadly. felix looked empty, his expression completely emotionless as he stared in front of him. he'd been like this since finding out jisung struck him unconscious; he didn't want to accept that someone he used to have such a close bond with would do such a thing to him.

but he was starting to understand now. "i get it." he whispered in reply to the leader.

"i know it's still hard to accept, lix..and i'm sorry. jisung is dangerous too, you all saw the control he had. we don't know the full extent of what he can do, but what we do know is he'll do anything for minho. he'll protect minho at all costs, so we can't regard him lightly. it won't be easy to separate them, he didn't seem affected by seeing us even a little bit..we don't know how minho's changed him." chan sighed at the thought. jisung really seemed like a completely different person.

"we really need to get him away from minho, or at least tell him about minho's father. any sort of sense we can knock into him could help bring him back to our side, and possibly save his life because minho could very well hurt him." seungmin spoke up.

"exactly." chan nodded in agreement. "he could even persuade minho to stop and turn himself in. jisung is the key player in all of this."

"but how do we separate them?" jeongin asked.

"we create a diversion. and i know exactly what minho would want.."

*

minho released a satisfied sigh and adjusted his appearance briefly after taking out the security manning the entrance to the building they were at. he wished he could've done more, and really took his time hurting the guards but this was an important night. there wasn't any room for messing around. "ready, princess?"

"ready." jisung confirmed softly, giving minho a loving glance as he thought about how handsome he looked in his white suit. it made him blush and he took a deep breath to get rid of the butterflies he felt as minho opened the door and they headed inside.

the event was a high class socialite party, and they were in attendance because there was a man here who had connections to something minho wanted. jisung looked around the beautiful venue in awe as he and minho held hands and casually mixed in with the people spread about. they stood everywhere talking and laughing with drinks in hand, or overly fancy appetizers being carried around on trays.

this party wasn't to be made known to the public at all, and there were no phones or cameras so minho and jisung hadn't hidden their identities at all. a few people who were more familiar with stray kids recognized them and came to greet them, and minho didn't speak french, but he did speak fluent english.

all it took was his smile and some of that learned charisma of his to have a few guests laughing and chatting delightedly. they were completely charmed by him, and one woman in particular was giving minho much too obvious heart eyes, and he could feel jisung's electrical current spike from annoyance through their connected hands.

minho gave the younger's hand a squeeze to help him relax as the conversation continued. eventually minho's eyes found the man they were looking for in a separate group across the room. he politely excused himself and jisung before beginning the walk over.

"i can't believe it was this easy." minho whispered to jisung with a satisfied chuckle. they were mere feet away from their target when suddenly the party's host was in front of them.

he was a prominent paris socialite by the name of jacques, a millionaire entrepreneur who had shares in the very company who created the item minho was trying to get his hands on. "i couldn't help but come say hello, the room is buzzing with your names. minho and jisung from stray kids, was it?"

minho nodded curtly and reached his hand out for jacques to shake. "pleasure to meet you. great turn out, the party's a hit."

"ah, they always are." jacques laughed. "i just can't help but wonder, how did you get in? i don't recall putting you on the guest list."

"we're good friends with one of the others, they invited us on their behalf. sorry if we're intruding too much, just couldn't resist the opportunity to meet some of the greater minds of the tech industry."

jacques hummed in response, and jisung could tell from his body language that he was suspicious of them. jisung glanced at minho with a certain expression and the villain subtly shook his head in response as he brought his drink to his lips.

"we don't usually allow such..invitations. it's a wonder you managed to come all the way to paris from seoul, just for this?"

"jisung loves the city, we were already in town, enjoying a bit of a vacation together." minho smiled. "but if our being here is an issue we can leave."

jacques thought it over for a moment, both he and minho staring at each other with hard gazes until jacques gave a fake smile back. "no, stay! everyone is just delighted you're here. enjoy the party. let's just make sure this doesn't happen again, yeah?"

"don't worry. i'll make sure it doesn't." minho replied with a smirk that he couldn't try to hide. he was amused by the subtle threat, and would've loved to snap right then and there if it wouldn't jeopardize what he was trying to do.

"hey, i want another drink. excuse us." jisung politely intervened and led minho away from jacques, and over to the drinks where the man they were looking for now was.

they stood next to him as jisung grabbed another wine glass, and they made fake conversation until they were noticed. "oh, hey! you're minho and jisung from stray kids, i heard you guys were here. my name is alexandre, you can call me alex if you want. i'm one of the creative directors of zeta tech. pleasure to meet you, your powers are awesome." he reached for a handshake.

minho accepted with a victorious smile and gave alex a firm handshake. they were in, just like that. "the pleasure is all ours."

that party was all they needed to get in contact with alexandre. he had full access to everything at zeta tech, and he would be minho's ticket inside the building. the level of security was near impossible to breach unless you worked there.

this part was annoying, however. minho and jisung would have to hang out with him a bit before asking to be shown around zeta tech, and minho didn't particularly have the patience for such a thing. not anymore. the more he let his true self come to light, the less he cared for pretending to be someone he wasn't.

"everybody loved you at that party tonight, you were so confident, and charismatic. they hung onto every word you said." jisung commented. he and minho had taken a walk through the city after the party and ended up at a pretty park. now they sat side by side in the grass amidst flowers as they enjoyed the starry night. "it would've gone a lot differently if they knew anything about why we left the team. why hasn't chan said anything?"

"you really don't know why, princess?" minho laughed. jisung was so very cute, and still so innocent. he was looking at minho now with curious eyes. "it's because, my sweet honey, he doesn't want to damage the group's reputation. telling the public about us would only make things harder on him and the others. the ultimate superhero group producing a villain? that's not good for publicity."

jisung scoffed quietly at that. "of course. selfish."

minho nodded in agreement, quieting for a moment as he debated on saying more. "and it's..not just that."

jisung gave him a questioning look so minho sighed before continuing. there was no point in hiding it. "he wants to bring you back to the team."

silence fell between them for a brief moment, long enough for minho to start wondering if jisung actually wanted to go back, wanted to leave him.

"i won't let anybody take me away from you." jisung eventually said, a surge of electricity shooting through him at the mere thought.

"they're going to try. if you ever change your mind.." minho cleared his throat awkwardly as he tried to hide how much he'd hate that.

jisung recognized the habit, effectively returning from the dark place his mind was headed as his thoughts changed to how cute minho was. he grabbed his boyfriend's hand and held it against his chest so minho could feel the electric pulse of his heart. "i know you feel this. what is it telling you?"

minho closed his eyes to feel the way jisung's electrical current was responding to his energy. it always flowed through jisung steadily like a river, but it could also be strong and unpredictable with its occasional surges or dynamic changes in the way it moved.

right now at jisung's heart, minho could feel the electricity racing around it, circling jisung's heart again and again with such a liveliness that minho's energy bloomed within him in response. he loved it. "it's racing around your heart, like it's excited." minho said as he opened his eyes.

jisung smiled softly and nodded. "this is how you make me feel; it only does that for you. now feel this." jisung removed minho's hand from his chest and made him hold his hand out palm up. then he placed his hand on top of minho's, fingers taking up the space of the older's palm.

what minho felt then was something different. the electricity wasn't on its usual path through his hand but instead it was erratic and felt almost angry as it surged and sparked with intensity. "it's..aggressive. violent." it reminded minho of his own energy when he was feeling destructive.

"that's how i feel when someone tries to separate us. and when someone tries to hurt you, or get in the way of what you want." jisung confirmed. "i'm not going anywhere." he said gently, lovingly.

minho sat quietly for a moment as he really physically felt what jisung was conveying to him, eyes locked on their hands. the unique way they could feel each other through their powers said everything for minho, that jisung's heart beat for minho alone and there would never be room for another. minho could feel every ounce of love, and all the resentment held for anyone who wasn't minho. and he could feel undying loyalty.

minho trusted jisung with all of his heart, and he knew jisung loved him and him alone. he just always worried the villainy would drive him away. it was the only thing he wasn't confident in, because jisung never would've chosen this life if it wasn't for him. he would understand completely if jisung one day decided he didn't want to be part of this any longer.

but he could feel now, that it truly wouldn't happen. jisung had chosen to be part of this life with minho and he wasn't going anywhere, ever.

minho could only stare at jisung with so much love in his eyes as he processed this, but he didn't need to speak. jisung could feel and understand him through their connected hands.

"you know, if i was going to decide i'd had enough, it would've been before we exploded a building with fifteen people in it." jisung broke the silence just to tease his boyfriend with a smile.

minho smiled back and laughed softly. "god, you're perfect." he whispered, leaning in for a kiss.

"i'm yours." jisung replied, perfectly. so perfectly.

minho couldn't believe how in love he was.

word got out about minho and jisung having attended the socialite party, in part due to the finding of the unconscious security. jacques was positive that the couple had to be the ones behind it and he contacted the police, who took the report and eventually it ended up in front of chan.

he read through the report with the others and it didn't quite make sense to them. "so they crashed a party and..that was it?" jeongin asked.

"seems so, but it's odd." chan confirmed. "there's nothing unusual about their behavior during the party, the only thing worth filing a police report over is the host says they weren't on the guest list and subdued the security. they weren't disruptive once inside."

"who all was on the guest list? they could've gone to any party if they were just looking for fun, but they chose an exclusive one. someone of importance was probably there." seungmin noted.

"no idea, there's no mention of any other guests in the report. we might need to meet up with the host ourselves and get more information. felix, you should go." chan decided.

felix's eyes widened in surprise. "me? why?"

"your cute, friendly demeanor will put him more at ease to talk. you're easy and comfortable to be around."

"oh." felix blushed and nodded in agreement. "yeah, okay."

felix was nervous on the day of his meet up with jacques. he'd never done something like this before, having to gather information from someone. he hoped he wouldn't disappoint any of his teammates.

jacques insisted they meet at a fancy restaurant he liked for lunch, so here felix sat with an appetizer he didn't remember the name of as he and jacques eased into their conversation. the man told felix many details about his party and minho and jisung's involvement in it, and felix did his best to pay attention for any clues.

"and then they spent the rest of the evening speaking to alexandre dupont, a mere colleague of mine and by far one of the least interesting people there."

this piqued felix's interest. "who's alexandre dupont?"

"he works for zeta tech, he's pretty important there. but the boy is a bore, i only invite him every so often so it doesn't seem i've completely forgotten him." jacques rolled his eyes, and felix didn't have time to think about how mean that was as he tried to memorize the name he'd been given.

"i still have no idea how those two found out about the party at all..and that talkative one, minho..something isn't right with him. i could see it in that smug smirk of his, he's different. when i found the security unconscious i immediately knew he was behind it."

felix sadly nodded in agreement, staring at his plate and listlessly moving food bits around with his fork as he thought about the night of the explosion, and everything the villain said to chan as the rest of the team hid in the shadows and waited for the signal.

he didn't have time to process it then, and the only thing he thought about after was that jisung had used his powers on him to hurt him.

but now he remembered what all minho said, especially that he had the urge to kill chan. it made felix feel sick. minho really was evil, he never cared about them. he wasn't coming back to them.

after the meal felix thanked jacques for his time and went home to tell the group about the name mentioned. he hoped it would lead them to minho and jisung and they could be a step ahead of them. maybe if they were caught off guard, they could stop them faster.

because there was no way felix was letting chan die.

while the team found what information they could about alexandre and planned how to intervene, minho and jisung had already started hanging out with him. alex invited them to some tech related event and minho had no choice but to feign interest and go along with it. he was bored, in contrast to jisung who seemed to be enjoying himself at least a little bit. but this was the long game he'd chosen to play in order to gain easy entry to zeta tech.

at the event they ran into a few people from the not-so secret party, including the woman who'd been eyeing minho right in front of jisung. he wanted to electrocute her on sight, he wasn't used to other people looking at his boyfriend, like, at all, and he was learning just how much he hated it.

later when they were alone minho let his own frustrations out regarding alex. "this guy is insufferable; i'm not sure how much longer i can keep playing nice. i only decided to do it this way to keep things quieter."

he and jisung were enjoying the warm, peaceful night at their accommodation's private pool. they sat on the stairs leading into the water, side by side. jisung smiled as he played with his and minho's connected fingers. minho was cute when he was annoyed. "you think everyone is insufferable. at least this one is actually useful to you. being friends with him for a while won't be so bad."

"what, you actually like him?"

"he's nice. very..nerdy and talkative but in a sort of endearing way, i guess? he could be a lot worse; he could be that lady who keeps making heart eyes at you despite knowing we're together. and if he was, i would've shocked him already." he muttered the last part, but minho definitely heard it.

this time it was the villain smiling and even laughing. "oh, she's not that bad." he teased.

"so you hate me." jisung pouted.

minho laughed again as he kissed his pout away. "you're possessive."

"i am." jisung confirmed quietly, looking up to meet his gaze with dark eyes. "it bothers me that other people can want you..that they can look at you and feel something for you. they don't even get what they're looking at, everything that you are and all the perfect things about you..that lady doesn't know or understand and she never could and she never will. so she shouldn't look at you at all. nobody should and i hate that they can."

minho's eyes were locked with jisung's as the younger spoke, attentive and swirling with intensity. "this is the first time you're telling me this."

"it's the first time someone looked at you like that in front of me. i'm used to it being just us, i like keeping you to myself." jisung shrugged, smiling slightly at the way minho was admiring him. "what, aren't you possessive too?"

minho hummed in response as he wrapped his arms around jisung with a smirk and pulled him into his lap, shifting the water around them. "of course. all of this jewelry isn't only because i like to spoil you, baby."

"oh, really?" jisung rose an eyebrow and giggled at the admission while his hands rested on minho's shoulders. "is it to claim me, hyung? show me off to everyone?"

minho nodded shamelessly as he leaned in to give jisung a kiss. "is that okay?"

"god, yes." jisung murmured before connecting their lips. he couldn't have been more okay with it, and minho making sure he was comfortable with that just added to the list of things jisung loved about him.

"because," minho broke their kiss briefly. "if anyone ever asks, there's only one answer. 'oh i love that necklace, jisung where did you get it?' your boyfriend. 'that ring is so pretty, jisung who gave it to you?' your boyfriend. 'your earrings are stunning, did you buy them yourself?' and you say what, princess?"

"my boyfriend bought them for me." jisung practically swooned as minho kissed him again. he loved the idea of this just as much as minho did. knowing these were the kind of things the older felt was giving jisung butterflies.

"i did," minho moved his lips to jisung's neck. "i love gifting you jewelry, baby. just love seeing you in things as pretty as you are..they belong with you. they were made for you."

jisung always tried to deny such compliments from minho as this, compliments that were bold claims stated as facts. minho was full of them, always. he found ways time and time again to worship jisung as if he were a higher being and though he so adamantly disagreed, sometimes jisung liked to give in for a while and soak in every bit of it.

"it's one of my favorite ways to show my love to you. you deserve to be spoiled with everything, i'd bring this world to its knees just for you." minho whispered, sending a chill down the younger's spine.

"oh." jisung sighed breathlessly, tilting his head as minho gave his neck more kisses. "i think that might be one of my favorite things you've ever said to me."

minho smiled against him. "yeah? why's that, baby?"

"because, i know you could actually do it."

the rush of dopamine minho felt after hearing that nearly made his head spin. "just say the word, and i will."

jisung giggled as his heart fluttered in his chest. possessive minho was super attractive, and yet still so romantic. nobody else could even come close to making jisung feel this good. he'd do anything he could to keep this perfect feeling, to keep minho. he'd never let anyone take minho away from him.

stray kids had already tried to twice, and yet chan thought jisung would join their team again? no. jisung would strike each and every last one of them down with lightning again and again, as many times as he had to until they got the message: leave minho alone.

but for now, they were safe at their hidden accommodation and nobody was bothering them. jisung lost himself in minho's kisses and the perfect feeling of their energy and electricity reacting to each other.

when they pulled away from each other minho gave jisung's cheek a gentle kiss, and he was feeling a bit playful so he splashed some water on him.

jisung gasped in shock as his boyfriend laughed, and he quickly splashed him back with a giggle before leaving minho's lap and swimming away. minho smiled mischievously as he swam after jisung to get him back, and the couple got lost in their own world together as they so often did.

Chapter Text

chan wasn't sure how to approach this situation with alexandre without him telling minho and jisung. talking to him wasn't an option, and as much as chan didn't want to..spying was the next best thing.

hyunjin wasn't thrilled about it, wide eyed as he looked between everyone before directing his gaze to the floor.

"it'll be okay, hyunjin you can do this. we have to get some insight on what minho wants. you're the only one who can do it undetected." chan encouraged.

"i'm scared." hyunjin admitted in a whisper.

"i know how hard on you all of this has been, hyunjinie." chan spoke, taking a gentler tone. "i know seeing minho and jisung again knowing they're not on our side hurts, but we can't let them continue and we have to try to save jisung. you don't have to make any sort of contact with anyone, you just have to observe and report back. you can do it."

hyunjin really wasn't sure he could. if chan knew how many times he nearly messed up missions like this.. "hyung, i.." he trailed off as he debated telling him the truth, but the leader and the team were looking at him so expectantly. they truly believed in him. "..i don't want to disappoint you."

"you could never disappoint me, or any of us. that much, i can promise." chan smiled warmly.

hyunjin smiled back slightly and was able to calm down a bit at that. he could never disappoint them.

"okay. i'll do it."

*

the team still didn't know where to find minho and jisung, but they found alexandre pretty easily. he was always posting about his whereabouts and what events he'd be at and such, so chan sent hyunjin to the next event alex was expected to make an appearance at.

and luckily, he brought minho and jisung too.

hyunjin was invisible, making completely sure not to bump into anybody or anything which would give him away. the event had something to do with tech which he wasn't paying any attention to, but alex and even jisung seemed to be fascinated in some prototypes people had. minho was giving his attention as well but hyunjin could tell he was bored, pretending to be interested.

spying on them was weird. hyunjin never imagined he'd be using his invisibility against his own friends, or..his used to be friends.

they seemed so harmless right now, just like the friends hyunjin once knew who lived in the stray kids tower and fought by his side on their team. the way they were chatting, smiling, and laughing with these strangers, nobody would've guessed they were behind the explosion that was still a mystery to paris and the rest of the world.

"this prototype is fascinating, reminds me of something we attempted at zeta tech a few years back." alexandre explained to minho and jisung.

this finally seemed to pique minho's real interest. "really? you'll have to show us sometime before we leave town."

"oh, yeah we have a lot of great things we're working on! i should bring you and show you around soon." alex agreed.

"how about this week?"

"this week.." alexandre seemed to ponder it for a moment before nodding with a smile. "sure, that works. i'll let you know the details. you'll get to meet a few of my colleagues, too. they're huge fans."

"we'd be delighted." minho smiled back, and hyunjin could see the evil intent behind it. this must've been what minho wanted.

he decided to back off now that he knew something, turning to quietly leave when he bumped into some guy who'd been standing rather close to him. the man was of course confused, and so were the people around him which drew the attention of minho and jisung.

hyunjin panicked and teleported out, mostly from embarrassment. he really hated any attention on himself, even if he knew nobody could see him.

minho looked at jisung knowingly as the people around them wondered how the man essentially bumped into the air. it was bizarre and he didn't even know what happened, someone offered him water and maybe to sit down.

"i think we've been followed, princess." minho whispered, switching back to korean so nobody around would understand. "chan's trying to figure us out."

"hyunjin probably heard everything. he's going to go tell him." jisung whispered back, eyes searching minho's for what he wanted to do about this.

"he can tell him." minho decided, a devious smirk forming. "i was planning to surprise chan after having it in my possession, but why not let him watch me take it while he can do nothing about it? that's much more fun. but for now..i think there's someone we need to pay a visit."

jacques should've kept his mouth shut about minho. he realized now that he was a fool. a fool to ever silently challenge minho at the party, a fool to report him to the police, and a fool to speak to felix about what he was up to. jacques had always been important, protected. he never knew how small and helpless he really was, not until the moment he entered his home and found minho and jisung.

the couple had made themselves comfortable in his living room, with minho having his feet kicked up on the coffee table while jisung sat petting jacques's gorgeous ragdoll cat.

"you're back." minho greeted, mischievous smile on his face that made jacques uneasy.

"what do you want?" he glared. "why are you in my house?"

"that's not a very warm welcome." minho frowned sarcastically. "you should be nicer to your guests."

"not when that guest has invited himself in twice. i'm calling the cops." jacques took his phone out to do so, but minho forced it out of his hand and into his own with his telekinesis.

"i wouldn't, you've done quite enough talking. the cops themselves are a very small nuisance, but unfortunately they're working with a team of very big nuisances. one of which you must've spoken to, personally." minho said, maintaining eye contact as he flipped the phone between his hands nonchalantly. "they're not very happy with me right now, explosions aren't really their thing."

jacques's eyes widened and he was filled with rage. "so it was you! i should've figured it out sooner, you bastard! i knew from the moment we spoke that something wasn't right. so what, are you gonna kill me?"

"kill you?" minho chuckled. "i'm gonna use you, for my own entertainment."

jacques didn't have time to question it, because jisung struck him with electricity and rendered him unconscious.

when he next awoke he was sure he was dreaming. everything around him was upside down, a whole city before his eyes simply oriented the opposite of what was natural. but as jacques properly came to he realized the whole city of paris wasn't upside down, he was. his next realization was that he was far above the ground, dangling by a rope around his ankle.

jacques yelled for help, looking around desperately until his eyes landed on minho, sitting on a nearby beam of some sort with jisung. "what the hell?!" he screamed, terror had completely consumed him. he had no idea what minho would do and he regretted ever challenging him at the party, ever speaking a word about him afterwards.

minho was laughing, holding onto his stomach as he was so amused. jisung watched him fondly and smiled to himself as he swung his feet through the air.

as minho calmed his laughter he made eye contact with jacques and spoke. "god, look how stupid and helpless you are. not ready to talk big to me anymore?"

"you're crazy!" jacques replied, feeling sick at the thought of how high they were, and what would happen if he were to fall. "i'm sorry, okay?! just let me down, you made your point, you win!"

"i always win." minho smiled, uncanny with eyes full of darkness. "this wasn't about winning. doing this to you was for my own enjoyment, i didn't do it because i wanted an apology. i feel nothing regarding you, so don't flatter yourself with that thought." he shrugged, casually taking jacques's phone out of his pocket and going to dial a number. "i'll let you have that phone call now. you can whine and cry to him all you want, just make sure he knows that if he's not here in the next ten minutes..you'll be one with the sidewalk."

jacques yelled and squirmed as he only felt more fear, body swinging more and more as minho giggled and pressed call.

chan answered after a few rings, wondering why jacques was calling and how he got his number because only felix had made proper contact with him. "hello?"

jacques immediately screamed for help, sobbing and babbling nearly incoherently as he begged whoever was on the line to come save him. "t-there's only ten minutes, p-please!"

chan could make out something about high up in the air, and being dropped. after the mention of a time limit he understood everything. "minho." he growled, and before the line disconnected he heard said villain laughing.

chan had no idea where they were, but he wasn't going to waste time thinking about that. he headed out immediately without a word to the others and started flying around the city in search of any high places.

minho was finding great joy in the situation he'd created. with each minute that passed without chan's appearance, his excitement grew and he'd tease jacques and give him a shove so he'd swing more.

below the three minute mark is when minho saw him, flying through the air as fast as he could with panic evident in his movements until his eyes locked on the villain and his hostage.

chan immediately flew over. they were on the highest beam of a construction site for a new skyscraper, and jacques was hanging from a rope around his ankle. minho and jisung sat calmly on the beam. "minho! what the hell are you doing?"

"two minutes to spare..maybe next time we'll do five minutes, see if you can make it in three." minho teased, giving jacques another kick.

chan moved to get closer to jacques to rescue him, but minho took control with his telekinesis and moved him out of chan's reach. "desperate to save your little informant, aren't you?"

chan managed to mask his surprise at the fact that minho knew. "leave him out of this, minho. i'm the one you want, talking to him was my idea and you know that."

"obviously. because you're scared of what i'll do." minho chuckled darkly.

"after the literal act of terrorism you committed, yeah. i still can't believe you would do such a thing." chan shook his head, and then his eyes landed on jisung, full of disappointment. "and i can't believe you went along with it. this isn't you."

jisung had been admiring minho, legs still peacefully swinging as he sat pretty and poised next to him on the beam. he ran a hand through the hair at the base of minho's neck lovingly and regarded chan with a bored expression.

jacques was still squirming and struggling and chan was increasingly on edge the longer this went on as he ached to save him. "what do you want with him, minho?"

"i just wanted a little entertainment, channie is that so bad?" minho tilted his head mockingly.

"your version of entertainment is twisted. i got here within ten minutes, now let me get him to safety."

"i'm not done with him or you yet, and i don't take orders anymore, so you listen to me." minho said lowly, suddenly more serious and sinister than chan had seen him so far. "you can try all you want to figure out my plans but nothing you do will change the result. i'm going to crush you. getting information about my whereabouts from idiots like this and sending hyunjin to spy won't help you in the end. get it?"

"i'm going to do whatever it takes, and you know that. i should've been prepared for you to find out and retaliate like this, so that's my fault, i know. but jacques has nothing to do with this minho, let him go. what do you want, a fight?" chan rose an eyebrow.

minho quirked one back at him and his serious expression was replaced by a smug one. "you'll fight me if i let him go? right now?"

"right now. you're supposed to let him go anyways, because i got here on time." chan reminded. "are you a man of your word?"

"only if you are." minho replied. he could feel that..pull..that feeling under his skin that made its way to his fingers and begged to be satiated.

"i am. let him go and you've got yourself a fight." chan confirmed.

minho looked towards jacques then, the man still crying and trembling greatly. minho was ready to turn him over to chan, especially at the promise of a fight. the villain was full of pent up desires that were begging to be unleashed, but one in particular was stronger than the rest right now. "let him go, you said?"

"yes, minho, he's innocent. let him go." chan was exasperated.

a small mischievous smile settled on minho's face as he giggled. "whatever you say, channie."

the very next moment minho snapped the rope with a ray of energy, and jacques began falling.

his screams were perfect to minho, who couldn't help but double over in laughter as he watched the man plummet towards the ground. the adrenaline minho felt was coursing through him and right to his head in the best way.

"no!!!" chan yelled, before immediately diving towards jacques as fast as he could.

jisung looked on with slight surprise evident in his features and demeanor. it wasn't in minho's plan to actually drop jacques, even if chan had shown up late or not at all. minho had said so himself, that this was for entertainment and intimidation.

but minho had actually gone ahead and dropped him. after the initial shock he felt, jisung’s neutral state turned into one of amusement. he truly found it so fascinating that minho would just do things, that he would drop a person from over 100 meters in the air on a whim because he thought it'd be fun. 

chan flew as fast as he could after jacques, eventually catching him in his arms and sighing in relief as he landed with him on the ground. "stay out of this, alright? you need to go home, now. i know none of this is your fault but honestly, maybe leave town for a bit. i don't want any chance of you running into any of us again."

jacques didn't need to be told twice; he nodded his head furiously and scrambled away as best as he could with all the shaking in his legs.

minho landed on the ground with jisung seconds later, and chan turned to face him with pure fury. "what the hell did you do that for?! you could've got him killed, minho! didn't you want me to be your first kill? or does it not matter since you already killed those guards in the explosion?"

"you will be the first. the first i kill directly, with my own hands. i'm going to savor personally feeling the life slip away from your body." minho's hands twitched at his sides in anticipation. "for now, i want my fight."

"we agreed on a fight if you let him go, that obviously meant safely." chan said through gritted teeth. "you tried to kill him. i'm not rewarding you for that."

"no?" minho practically growled, irritation filling him because he was denied the wonderful exhilaration fighting gave him. "you'd rather our next fight be your last? how boring."

"i'm not going to senselessly feed into your desires." chan shook his head. "i understand now that violence really is what makes you tick, just for the hell of it. it's simply in your nature."

"you think you've got me all figured out as if i haven't been spelling it out for you this whole time."

"you have, it took me awhile to believe that was all there was to it. your powers are what made you this way. just like your father." chan got chills as he remembered how much minho resembled him.

"my father?" minho rose an eyebrow. "i don't even know him, do you ever hear how stupid you sound when you talk? pathetic attempt at distracting me."

jisung was completely intrigued by this entire conversation, and even more at the mention of minho's father. chan could see his piqued interest and he continued. "your father was mayhem, minho. he was just like you: had an affinity for destruction and violence, likely because of the nature of his powers. he was one of the most dangerous villains in the world."

minho rolled his eyes, feeling next to nothing at the mention of any of this. "that's ridiculous and you know it."

"is it? you might not know much about mayhem, but he had dark energy powers and could control minds. sound familiar? not to mention you look just like him."

"yeah? prove it." minho crossed his arms over his chest with a bored expression. jisung was by his side with curiosity in his eyes as chan took his phone out and pulled up a picture.

as he showed it to them jisung's eyes widened. "woah." he whispered.

minho himself didn't give much outward reaction. it was strange, being told about his father for the first time and he knew chan wasn't lying. it didn't make him feel anything, though. he had never longed for or cared to know about his parents.

jisung was way more interested in the news. "you really do look like him."

"and he's following in his footsteps." chan chimed. "mayhem killed minho's mother, jisung-ah, someone he was supposed to love above anyone else. minho could do the same to you, and i can't let that happen. you have to come back with me, please.."

the innocent curiosity in jisung's eyes turned to annoyance in an instant. "he can do whatever he wants with me, i don't care."

"you don't care if he snaps one day and kills you?" chan was full of disbelief, and sadness.

"i'd rather he kill me than me deciding to go back to the team with you." jisung replied coldly, and chan knew he meant it.

"if mayhem let his powers control him to the point he'd kill the person he loved, then he was weak and pathetic. i worship the ground princess walks on. he's going to be my queen, ruling by my side as i do what i want." minho lifted jisung's hand and gave it a gentle kiss as he spoke.

jisung's heart fluttered and he practically swooned as he giggled, he and minho getting lost in each other's eyes.

chan was still processing the fact that jisung just said he'd be okay with minho killing him. he didn't care that minho's father was mayhem, in fact he seemed fascinated by it.

all jisung cared about was minho, truly. chan watched as the couple connected in a kiss, minho holding jisung close by the waist with jisung's hands tangling in his hair. chan turned and flew away wordlessly. he figured they wouldn't be causing anymore trouble tonight, and the hero was now battling himself over if he was going to give up on jisung or try even harder to save him.

minho and jisung didn't notice or care that he left as they shared more kisses. "hyung, i wanna go home." the younger murmured.

minho nodded in agreement, giving jisung one more kiss before pulling away from him so they could go back to the privacy of their accommodation.

they lay in bed together deep into the night, jisung now comfortably in one of minho's t-shirts while his boyfriend had kissed up his legs and now lingered around his thighs. minho couldn't help himself, he was so obsessed with jisung and every part of him.

jisung enjoyed the attention with his hand in minho's hair, running his fingers through it like he loved to do. his mind started drifting back to what happened earlier with jacques and chan, from the moment they tied jacques to the beam to when chan revealed minho's father being mayhem.

"remember that pinky promise you made me?" jisung suddenly asked.

minho hummed in response as he was busy leaving a mark on jisung's inner thigh.

"i'm a little disappointed chan got to know before me." he pouted.

minho was nervous for just a moment as he remembered that he definitely said..that..in front of jisung earlier. and yet..jisung didn't care. all he cared about was the fact he wasn't the first to find out. minho relaxed fully again and made eye contact as he pulled away from jisung's skin to reply. "i didn't really intend it for it to happen in that order. forgive me, princess." he murmured as he gave him another kiss. the eye contact gave jisung butterflies, and minho could feel how he was affecting him as his electrical current reacted.

jisung giggled at the silly apology. "it's okay, i know why you didn't tell me. you were scared that would be what drove me away, right?"

"..why isn't it?" minho couldn't help but ask. "even if you expected me to want to kill someone..it doesn't bother you at all?"

jisung looked at him for a few seconds before shaking his head with a shrug. "no. you stopped giving me kisses." he pouted.

minho laughed. "in a second, baby..i'm just a little surprised."

"why?"

"well..considering we came from a superhero group..i didn't know if you'd be okay with it. obviously my heart was never in it when we were on the team, but it seemed like yours was." minho explained, before choosing a new spot on jisung's thigh to mark. "but correct me if i'm wrong."

jisung blushed and sighed as minho resumed his affections. "not wrong, but my heart was in it for the wrong reasons. i thought helping people was what i wanted, but that was never really me."

"then what is really you, baby? tell me." minho encouraged as he gave jisung a bite.

the younger gasped slightly at the sensation. "helping myself. living for myself, and for you. only you. nobody else."

minho could feel both pride and possessiveness stirring within him. pride because he loved watching jisung blossom into who he really was, and possessiveness because how could he not be when jisung was this good and perfect, just for him?

"hyung?" jisung asked, pulling minho out of his thoughts.

"hm?" the villain responded, busy moving back up to be face to face with jisung so he could kiss him.

jisung accepted a few kisses before pulling away briefly. "i keep thinking about what you said to chan earlier, about making me your queen..ruling by your side." he was getting butterflies again just from the thought. "what did that mean?"

"it meant," minho paused as he leaned in for another kiss, just so in love with jisung he practically wanted to devour him. "that i'm going to marry you one day. and you'll go from princess, to queen."

jisung blushed at how affectionate he was being and gave in to some extra kisses before pulling away again as his heart nearly leapt from his chest. "y-you really want to marry me?"

"of course, my honey." minho looked at him with a soft smile and gently caressed his cheek.

"i wanna marry you too. i love you so much." jisung whispered, tucking his head under minho's chin to hide as he felt emotional. he never thought someone could love him this much, to the point of wanting to commit to him for the rest of their lives. he and minho said things like 'forever' and 'always' to each other a lot, but jisung realized now he hadn't been fully grasping that minho truly wanted to do the whole life thing with jisung. with how young they were he wasn't sure if minho would tire of him as they grew older, or maybe it would take a long time before something like marriage happened. but minho had his mind made up so soon, he wanted to marry jisung and he knew it already.

"i love you too, princess. no need to cry, it's okay. i'm not going anywhere." minho reassured gently, holding jisung close and rubbing his back.

jisung felt so safe in his hold, and so very loved. he stayed right where he was until he composed himself, and even after that until he started falling asleep. images of being minho's queen filled his dreams, and rooted within him an even deeper determination to never let anyone break them apart.

Chapter Text

chan told the others about the encounter with minho and jisung. he had already been feeling a bit low after the explosion, but after this last time seeing them he felt even worse.

the others were shocked after hearing about it. minho nearly killing jacques, jisung not being affected by the news of minho's parents, and directly telling chan he wasn't coming back..jisung being okay with dying by minho's hands..

"he's so far gone..i don't know if trying to bring him back is worth it anymore." chan admitted quietly.

"no, we can't give up on him hyung, we can't." felix frowned. "i..i can give up on minho hyung but jisungie..i can't, even if i know he hurt me."

"he's not the same, lix. he doesn't want to be saved."

"he's still in there, i know he is." felix argued.

"i'm not so sure, really i'm not." chan shook his head. "if you guys had seen the way he was sitting there with minho, not an ounce of concern for jacques.."

it was kind of chilling for chan to think about. jisung's eyes were so cold, devoid of any emotion. he didn't care about bringing jacques to the edge of death at the construction beam, he didn't care that minho had actually dropped him, he hadn't seemed at all concerned about what he and minho were up to the night of the explosion, and he definitely didn't seem to lose any sleep over hurting felix.

"we're not dealing with the same jisung, that's just it." chan concluded.

jeongin hummed in thought before chiming in. "minho's influence on him must be strong."

this was very upsetting to felix. he was trying so hard to have faith in jisung, but the fact that nobody else did was discouraging. "no, he's not like minho hyung. he'll never be like him." he defended weakly.

it was quiet for a moment until seungmin decided to speak. "i'm starting to think..maybe he is."

"what? why would you say that?" felix whispered sadly.

"only someone a little twisted themselves could not only be complicit, but actively involved in villainy without feeling an ounce of guilt. regardless of jisung being in love with minho, if he truly had a good heart..he wouldn't continue to stay with him." seungmin said pensively.

the silence that followed was heavy as the weight of what seungmin said settled over everyone. it was a bold claim, and felix wanted to refute it immediately but..he couldn't.

even if chan, who felix loved so deeply, started doing things similar to minho, felix would never agree to do the same. in that scenario losing chan would hurt terribly, to the point felix wouldn't know what to do to mend his broken heart. however, joining his beloved was not an option he would ever consider. felix would never set aside his morals for anyone.

..maybe seungmin was right. jisung was not and probably would never be as evil as minho was..but there had to be something off about him too.

the thought made felix sick.

he and the others needed to make up their minds regarding jisung quickly, because he and minho were getting closer to their goal.

today they got into zeta tech.

finally, minho could practically taste the feeling of victory on his tongue. getting inside was only the first step, though. he needed to study this place and find what he was looking for before making any moves.

alex was oblivious as he gave the couple a tour and showed them some things never before seen in the public eye. a few of them caught minho's eye, but none so much as the prize he'd been coming for all along.

"ah, one of our latest creations, the power magnifier. i think you'll be interested in this one, given your powers and all." alex said, unaware of just how much interest minho truly had in it.

the power magnifier was but a golden ring, made to go on one's finger. small, unassuming, but full of such unimaginable power that minho craved. his hands twitched at his sides as he willed himself to stay in control. not yet.

"our director was considering giving this to the members of your team, to aid in their mission here. i know you two haven't been taking part in this mission but it seems serious. i've been so curious about it, but i know it's confidential."

minho hardly found a reply as his eyes were locked on the ring. it practically called to him, or maybe that was his urges whispering in the back of his mind again. "confidential, yes. we don't have many details as we aren't part of it, but i could always test the ring on behalf of the team."

"i'd have to get clearance from our director, but i'm sure that would be no problem." alex smiled. "i'll get back to you on that."

they moved on from the ring as the tour continued, and minho paid attention to their surroundings and the security and necessary clearance to get to certain areas. but the more he thought about it, the more he just wanted to take the ring now.

imagining the mess he could create with it..he could absolutely decimate the city, the country, the continent.

after the tour they parted from alex for the day, and that evening they went to a carnival in town. they held hands as they walked around together, trying different games and a couple of rides in between talking. the night was warm and jisung was happy.

minho won him a panda plush and jisung hugged it to his chest with minho's arm now around his waist. their electricity and energy calmly flowed within them at each other's presence.

someone else was also at the carnival. chan brought all of the kids as he felt they deserved a night to relax and recharge after everything going on. he needed it too, but he'd always say it was for the kids and never admit needing anything for himself.

they'd broken into pairs: hyunjin and changbin went to do their own thing, as did jeongin and seungmin. chan and felix were together, the younger eagerly dragging chan all around whilst being a giggly, blushy mess. spending time like this with chan was always like a dream to him, he loved the leader so much.

he'd brought chan to ride the ferris wheel, and that's when he saw them. felix stopped mid walking and chan was confused until he saw what felix was looking at. who he was looking at, rather. minho and jisung were in line for the ferris wheel too, being cute with each other.

"hyung..?" felix whispered.

"i don't know." chan whispered back. "they seem to be here for the fun like everyone else, but who knows what could happen.."

"yeah..okay." felix was unsure, but he suddenly realized this could be a good opportunity to try and talk to jisung himself, and snap him out of it.

chan took one look at the blonde and could tell what was going through his head. "lix, don't."

"hyung, this is my chance, i have to." felix urged. "jisungie needs me."

"i understand you have good intentions, lix but i don't think now's the time. they're on a date, both calm and happy. i don't want to chance them becoming violent with all of these civilians around."

"i don't like how you talk like that about both of them. jisungie is not violent. he's not like minho hyung."

felix's continued use of 'hyung' after minho's name made chan sad every time he heard it. he wished he could've done something so felix could still have his hyung.

"lix, we aren't going to do this right now. i know you have a lot of faith in jisung, i did too but he's really showing otherwise. we also have to keep in mind the valid point seungmin made about him. we aren't here for them tonight, we're here to have fun and that's an order. okay?"

"you can't order me to have fun." felix huffed, folding his arms over his chest frustratedly.

"maybe not, but i can continue to show you a good time, if you'll let me." chan gave him a smile as he wanted to keep the mood light.

felix tried to stand his ground, but chan's smile was so cute and oh my gosh he'd do absolutely anything for him. he melted in an instant and smiled back shyly. "how good of a time?"

"you'll forget about the about the both of them, just for tonight." chan said, holding his hand out for felix to take.

felix wasn't sure how that was possible with them literally in front of him, but he was willing to believe chan anyways. "okay, hyung." he smiled and accepted his hand with butterflies in his stomach.

when jisung noticed the others were there he grew defensive immediately. minho could feel the change in his electrical current. "they're here. why are they here?" he asked, fingers sparking.

"i don't think they're looking for us, princess." minho reassured, holding jisung from behind and placing a calming kiss on his neck.

jisung liked the contact but it didn't help much. "i don't want them near you."

"they won't be, if they know what's good for them, and everyone here." he chuckled darkly. "and once i have the ring..they won't be around to bother us anymore. it won't be much longer."

jisung still wasn't happy about their presence, but he gave in to minho's words and relaxed in his hold again. there'd be a time to take care of them, it just wasn't now.

he and minho had a very lovely ride on the ferris wheel. jisung was able to forget about their ex team members being there, as he instead laughed and enjoyed the company of his boyfriend who was keeping him happy and entertained.

chan and felix were having a similar time, felix having such a perfectly wonderful evening with the guy he was head over heels for. chan treated him so well, looked out for felix and made sure he was having fun.

..why would anyone want to kill him?

felix couldn't help it as his mind drifted back to minho and jisung. he couldn't understand the reasoning behind anything they did. did they seriously do bad things just because they wanted to? because they liked it? or at least that's how it supposedly was for minho..but like seungmin said, how could jisung go along with everything unless part of him was..the same as minho? but felix really, really hated that thought.

in the end the night was great for everyone. there was no conflict much to chan's relief. by the time he and the rest of stray kids finally gathered to leave, minho and jisung had already disappeared. they'd be back, though. it was only a matter of time.

felix was still itching to talk to jisung, he really missed him and he just wanted to understand even the slightest bit why he was doing this and convince him to stop. he and jisung used to be close, not as close as jisung and minho had always been but felix was the only other person jisung formed a deeper connection with. that was a big deal, felix lost not just a team member but a best friend.

at their team meeting the next day they received word from an agent monitoring the case in zeta tech that minho and jisung had taken a tour and would likely return in the coming days.

"our man on the inside can only keep so close, i think we should get one of you in there too. seungmin, perhaps." the head agent working with them suggested.

"i like that." chan agreed. "seungmin is the perfect choice, zeta tech is the type of place where he'll fit right in and he can report back to me directly about what minho and jisung are up to. seungmin?"

"i got it, don't worry. when do i start?"

"we'd like to get you in there today, it's important to stay ahead of minho. please come with me. everyone else, continue to remain vigilant." the agent concluded, before leaving the room with seungmin following.

felix watched him go and felt this was the perfect opportunity to possibly reach jisung. it shouldn't be hard to get into zeta tech as well, as they were working so closely with stray kids.

he was sure chan would figure out his intentions and tell him no if he asked, so he avoided asking anybody. he even waited until the next day so he didn't raise any unnecessary suspicion, and he found seungmin right before the younger was leaving.

"hey, minnie would it be okay if i came with you today? i'd rather do something more active instead of waiting on standby, you know?"

seungmin didn't think too much about it. "sure, lix. it's actually pretty fascinating there, but i don't know that you won't get bored eventually. there's no guarantee that minho and jisung will show up."

"that's okay, i'd like to come anyways." felix reassured with a smile. "thank you."

"no problem. let's go, i'll show you around the area i've been stationed in."

felix was thrilled as he followed seungmin out to the designated vehicle waiting for them. this was good, it felt natural instead of seeming like felix was up to something.

being at zeta tech was actually interesting. seungmin was helping do real research while he was here, even though his presence was just incase of the villains coming around. felix got to watch seungmin and the others interact and he felt proud on the inside for having such an intelligent member on their team. felix almost could've forgotten what he actually came here for as he was enjoying himself.

at least until seungmin received word from their other agent on the inside that alexandre had arrived, and brought minho and jisung with him again.

seungmin was intentionally stationed in the wing of the building where alexandre did most of his work, so within a few minutes they heard the elevator ding and he walked off chatting with minho and jisung.

alexandre was the type to say hello to all of his colleagues, and once he approached where seungmin and felix were there was noticeable surprise on minho and jisung's faces. "oh, guys your team member is here again today! we didn't have a chance to speak yesterday as i was already very busy. seungmin, was it?" alex smiled and reached to shake his hand.

"seungmin, yes." seungmin accepted the hand shake and returned the smile. "nice to meet you, big fan of yours."

"i should say the same! getting to know your friends has been so great. they didn't mention that you would be helping around here."

"oh, yeah they have tendency to leave certain information out sometimes." seungmin said pointedly. "right, guys?"

minho found a reply without missing a beat. "of course we would've mentioned it, had we known you'd be here. nobody filled us in, but then again we aren't taking part in the mission so you have little reason to." he shrugged.

"and i don't believe we've met, what's your name?" alex directed his attention to felix, whose eyes were locked on jisung.

"oh, me? i'm felix, another member of the team." he stated briefly, with that sweet smile of his.

"awesome, i look forward to working with the both of you. i'd love to chat more but i have some things to show these two." he concluded. "feel free to find me if you need anything."

with that alex set off again, and minho gave seungmin and felix a mischievous smile and sarcastic wave as he followed. jisung ignored them both.

felix's heart was pounding now. he had to get jisung alone, and well..maybe the only thing to do was to just go for it. they were in a completely safe, secure environment and all four of them were putting up an act. jisung wouldn't be able to act cold to felix in front of everyone, since he was still supposedly a member of the team. right?

seungmin was busy with the person he was partnered with as he had to really sell why he was here to alexandre, so after half an hour or so felix slipped away and went to find the others.

alex was demonstrating a prototype to them currently, but felix noticed that minho was only half way paying attention as he instead seemed to be scanning the area. he was studying it.

but felix wasn't concerned with him right now. his eyes were only on jisung, and after taking a deep breath he bravely walked over and made his presence known. "hey, sorry to interrupt you guys but could i borrow jisungie for a moment? i just have a team matter to discuss."

"oh, of course. no worries." alex reassured.

jisung and minho shared a look and seemed to have a silent conversation that lasted a split second, before minho subtly nodded and tilted his head in felix's direction.

with that jisung put on a smile and stood to follow felix to wherever he wanted to talk. they went out into the hallway and found a private room to talk in and the moment they were alone jisung's friendly demeanor faded. he didn't say a word as he waited for felix to speak first.

"thank you for coming with me. i really, really wanted to talk to you." felix started.

"talk for what? there's nothing to talk about." jisung shook his head.

"why isn't there? you haven't let any of us talk to you since you left."

"we're on two opposite sides, felix. why would i want to hear anything from you?"

"because- just..we miss you, jisungie. i miss you, a lot. we were best friends, don't you remember being that?" felix asked sadly. "did you really forget everything when you left?"

"of course i remember." jisung's demeanor softened for a moment. "i wouldn't forget that."

"then why haven't you talked to me? you just left and- and broke contact completely."

"i know i did. i'm..sorry." jisung said truthfully. "i just wanted to be alone with my hyung. we'd never been able to be just us before. i really, really love it when it's just us."

"i'm sure that was nice, but..were you never going to contact anyone ever again?" felix couldn't help but keep asking questions. he just had so many.

"i don't know. i mean..what would i even say? when i chose to be with minho hyung i chose a different side, lix. i'm not sure we could be friends through that. you're literally only here right now because you guys are trying to catch him."

"well, i..i'm sure we could've worked something out. we could be friends outside of that, if minho would stop and go away quietly, you know? but when he's actively doing bad things..yeah, i don't know either." felix sighed. "it just sucks. i miss you so much."

jisung frowned slightly and felt..a little bad, not for what he was doing with minho but for making felix so sad. "i miss you too." he whispered.

felix's heart skipped a beat. "really?"

"yeah. i really liked being your friend. sorry things couldn't end differently."

jisung was being sincere, and felix could tell. "they still can."

"no, they can't." jisung shook his head. "because it's either you, or the love of my life. and there's only one choice for me every time."

"him..yeah." felix sighed.

"always. i want to stay with him, felix. i will stay with him. it doesn't matter the cost." jisung said, eyes darkening.

"but do you have to do all the bad things with him? i don't understand why you participate in his villainy. you know what you're doing is bad. i just..i don't understand why it doesn't bother you that it's bad."

"i don't let things bother me anymore. especially things i only cared about because i thought i had to." was jisung's reply, chilling to felix.

"what..does that mean?" felix asked, unsure if he really wanted to know.

someone else suddenly entered their conversation, startling felix while jisung was unaffected. "it means something about him is off, lix. just like i thought."

"but- jisungie..no.." felix could feel his heart breaking.

minho himself appeared in the room too, hands in his pockets and amused smirk on his face. "well, what a coincidence." he chuckled. "we run into not one but two of you, who just happen to be 'helping' in this part of the building. i'm a little hurt i wasn't invited to this discussion."

"because you're not going to change. there's no hope for you but there is, or..was..for jisungie." felix mumbled quietly, before getting angry. "it's your fault. you did this to him."

minho rose an eyebrow. "oh yeah?"

"yeah. jisungie would've never ever been okay with any of this, because he's not like you! causing a massive explosion that killed fifteen people inside and injured others in the area, trying to kill that rich guy, wanting to kill chan, our leader. his leader. none of that is jisung, it's all just you."

"oh my god, shut up." jisung rolled his eyes, now annoyed with felix. "first, chan is not my leader. second, you think you know me but you don't. we had some good times together, that's it. i seemed like i was some passionate hero but you have no idea how things actually were for me on the inside."

"why isn't he your leader? and who are you really then? tell me." felix challenged.

"because just like you, chan loved telling me who i was supposed to be. neither of you know me, not the real me. if you did then you'd know how much i hate when people think they know me better than i know myself." he shook his head, fingers sparking slightly as he was so irritated. "i never cared about saving people, felix they could've all died and i wouldn't have lost any sleep over it."

"how can you say that? yes you did, jisung i saw how you'd get upset if you messed up or hurt somebody. we all saw it." felix countered.

"because i was upset with myself, every failure only confirmed to me that i really was the abomination who ruined everything i touched like people said my whole life. i just wanted to prove that i could contribute positively to the world, prove that i deserved my existence and wasn't some mistake. that was the only motive behind everything i did for the team. i convinced myself that helping people would make me feel happy. i'd tell myself it was rewarding to do nice things for people, but i never felt anything for any of them. i only cared to make myself appear good by saving them so everyone would stop making me feel so fucking worthless." he shook his head, little flashes of lightning striking across the entirety of his body now.

minho was pulled to him naturally, hugging him from behind and feeling their energy and electricity meld together perfectly. "you know you're worth everything, princess."

it was calming for jisung. he relaxed into minho's arms immediately and his body became stable once more. he closed his eyes and took a deep breath for a moment before opening them again with a cold stare. "i don't have to explain myself to you guys; i'm more connected with myself than i've ever been. i don't live to make others comfortable anymore. all that matters is my own comfortability. i'm capable of making my own decisions and doing what i want even if it's 'bad'. maybe i like what we do. maybe it was funny when we tied the rich guy to the beam and minho dropped him. so you can stop believing i'm just mindlessly following along and can't think for myself. i'm perfectly aware of everything and i don't care. i love minho, and i'm staying with him."

"i think we should get back to alex now, baby." minho decided, partly to keep up appearances but mostly because jisung's words just now did something to him and he needed to remember where they were before he lost his composure. jisung could even feel minho's energy within him as he was reacting positively to what he was saying.

"yeah, hyung let's go." jisung agreed as he was ready for this conversation to end, and they didn't give felix or seungmin another chance to speak as they left the room.

felix teared up immediately but managed to blink them away. he'd definitely cry later, but he couldn't do that right now.

"are you okay, lix?" seungmin set a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"i'm fine." felix managed, taking a deep breath before putting on a smile. "we should go back too. we can talk about it later."

"you sure?"

"yes. i'd like channie hyung to be there." felix nodded. "let's go."

*

minho couldn't stop thinking about what jisung said to felix regarding their actions. he'd thought about it the whole rest of the time they were with alex, the words echoing in his head over and over.

the only thing that pulled his focus back for a moment was alex mentioning that tomorrow he was going to get clearance from his director to let minho and jisung try out some of their technology, including the power magnifier.

and as eager as he was to get his hands on that, he was more interested in getting his hands on jisung. the moment they were alone in their accommodation he grabbed his boyfriend by the waist and gave him a kiss. jisung squeaked in surprise but ultimately giggled and put his arms around minho's neck. "what?"

"did you mean what you said to felix?" minho asked, eyes locked on him and breath practically held in anticipation of the answer.

"what did i say that you liked so much?" jisung teased, eyeing minho seductively.

"you know what you said, i want you to say it to me if you meant it." minho felt like he'd never needed something so bad in his life.

"was it..something about liking what we do?" jisung tilted his head. "is that what you wanna hear, hyung?" he asked, trailing his hands to minho's chest.

"princess.." minho gave him another kiss and started walking him backwards towards the bedroom.

"what?" jisung giggled excitedly as he blinked innocently at minho. "wasn't it that? or maybe it was when i said that what we did to jacques was funny?"

"was it? do you really like doing bad things with me? you're not just neutral about it?"

jisung leaned in closer so he could whisper in minho's ear. "i think it's fun."

fun. that was one of minho's favorite words, favorite feelings. jisung found the same villainous acts that minho took pleasure in to be..fun.

minho couldn't even think straight, mindlessly kissing jisung again and again as he guided him to the bed. he was just so insanely attracted to jisung, all the time but especially right now as twisted as it was. jisung knowing exactly how he was affecting minho and teasing him further didn't help at all. all he knew was he needed jisung out of these clothes right now.

jisung loved when minho was like this, ready to completely devour him whole. he didn't know minho would react like this to what he said earlier but his boyfriend was a bit, maybe a lot, unhinged. jisung was just still learning the ins and outs of it.

later they had some food and watched a show jisung liked, and then they went into the backyard to workout and train together. they'd been doing this regularly since they first went into hiding in seoul, to keep minho's skills sharp and to improve jisung's. minho trained jisung and taught him everything he knew, even tips on controlling his powers which is why jisung's control was close to flawless now. jisung really liked training with minho. his boyfriend always gave him good advice and constructive criticism. he was patient with jisung, especially when it was needed at the beginning of this journey, and he gave jisung realistic expectations and encouragement.

in the midst of their sparring together minho couldn't help but bring up the conversation with felix and seungmin again. it'd still been on his mind. "do you wanna talk about earlier at all? the things you said to felix?"

"you mean the things i confirmed to you that i said and meant?" jisung said amusedly. "are you trying to take me again right here?"

minho laughed and shook his head. "no..not right now, at least." he murmured. "but i..didn't expect you'd feel similarly about things, the way that i do."

"i didn't expect it either." jisung admitted. "but doing all of this with you, watching you get comfortable with this side of yourself..the way you do whatever you want, it makes me feel something. it speaks to some side of me i never knew i had."

"but am i bringing out a side of you that you don't want?" minho asked, genuinely concerned.

"i'm not afraid of myself anymore. i would've snapped eventually anyways, because i was so unhappy. i just know everyone in my ear constantly picking me apart would've made me lose it completely. and given my poor control of my powers then..who knows what would've happened. you saved me from that. because of you i still have my sanity." jisung said honestly.

"because it's perfectly sane to find a man falling to his death funny." minho said teasingly.

"no less sane than you for dropping him in the first place." the younger replied, innocent pout on his face. "but you know what i mean."

"yes i know, my honey." the villain laughed. he couldn't help but joke a little, jisung was always so cute when he did. "but seriously, i just want to be sure not only that this is really you, but that you feel good about it."

"it is me. i do feel good about it." jisung reassured.

"okay." minho nodded with a soft smile. "as long as you're happy."

jisung smiled back and looked away as he suddenly felt shy. he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to the loving way minho looked at him.

they continued their training, practicing their fighting and various ways to use their powers both solo and in combination with each other. then they ended the night lying in the grass watching the stars together, and they were both happy and peaceful.

minho was excited thinking about being able to try the power magnifier the next day, but he managed to keep the excitement inside for now. jisung could feel it, of course and he was happy that minho was feeling good.

jisung thought about felix too, for just a moment. it really was unfortunate the way their friendship had to end, but it was minho and jisung against the world. he wouldn't trade that for anything. and when they finally get the chance to steal the power magnifier nobody can ever bother them again. jisung was looking forward to that.

for now they just enjoyed the pretty night sky, and the feeling of being in each other's arms.

Chapter Text

felix told chan about the talk he had with jisung, which unfortunately confirmed to chan that things were exactly as he thought. chan really hated to hear it, as it broke his heart to think that jisung really only joined the team for reasons other than helping people. he didn't want to accept that he'd made a wrong judgment about a member of his team not just once but twice, and jisung in particular..that one hurt.

chan chose to let the fact that felix had such a talk with jisung without direction from him slide, as he knew felix had a lot of emotions and sometimes they clouded his judgement.

he did tell felix, however, that if he wanted to keep scoping the situation out with seungmin he needed to keep his distance. felix decided to listen, and he agreed to follow seungmin's lead completely from then on.

felix confided in hyunjin about the conversation too, feeling that hyunjin might understand some of his emotions better than the other team members. "the things he was saying just made me so sad..none of it sounded like him but it..is him."

hyunjin was hugging a pillow as he sat on his bed with felix and listened to him. "that makes me sad too. i don't know how you were so brave to even talk to him..i would've been too scared for sure."

"i was nervous, believe me." felix clarified. "but i just had to do it, you know? i couldn't..move on until i did. i had to hear from him, even if i don't like what i heard. like..he said he thought it was funny when minho almost killed that guy. can you believe it?"

hyunjin felt guilt rising immediately and he looked away from felix. it was hard for him to hear about that. he'd told changbin about it, about how he felt the guilt eating away at him because the only reason jacques was in that situation was because hyunjin got caught spying. it was his fault.

"hyune?" felix tilted his head.

hyunjin didn't realize he zoned out and he blinked himself back to attention. "i can't believe it, no." he whispered. "i can't believe any of this. it's too much for me, i just want it all to stop."

"yeah, me too." felix sighed. "why do evil people have to exist? why can't we all just..be good? and nice? how can it be that people like minho hyung really exist..just because?"

hyunjin didn't have an answer for him. he'd been wondering the same thing himself.

the next morning alexandre arrived to zeta tech early, and without minho and jisung. seungmin was already there and decided to greet him. "good morning, alex."

"hello, seungmin." alex smiled. "nice to see you again. "are you and my colleague making good progress on your research?"

"we might be making a discovery soon, yes." seungmin nodded. "how are your things going?"

"very well! i'm excited to get some of this new technology into your team's hands. i know we'll be lending it soon, but today i'm going to ask for early clearance to let minho and jisung test a few things."

this piqued seungmin's interest. "they're going to test something?"

"yes, i figure it's perfect to let them try the technology first since they actually have powers and could help find any issues better than myself. but even if that wasn't the case, they're both eager to try them anyways." he laughed. "your friends are very fun."

seungmin faked a laugh back and nodded. "yeah, they are. they're not usually too interested in science and tech, it's a wonder that they've chosen to befriend you."

"really? i would've never known that. they seem very interested, minho especially seems very knowledgeable. you should've seen him at a party my friend threw, he was the highlight of the night. he really fit in there."

"i'm sure he did." seungmin sighed, shaking his head. with how easily minho fit in with stray kids despite faking it the whole time..seungmin had no doubt that he could fit in wherever he wanted.

their conversation concluded shortly after, and felix seemed to share the same thoughts as seungmin. "that sounds like something we should tell chan hyung, right?"

"yeah, i wonder what he meant by letting them test technology..there must be something here minho's trying to get, which is why he befriended alex in the first place."

felix nodded in agreement. "that makes sense. what should we do?"

"we'll pass this information along to chan hyung, and go from there." seungmin said as he took his phone out to text him. he didn't know what minho's goals were, but he knew the villain definitely didn't need to touch any sort of new technology that would work in tandem with his powers. whatever it was would be far too dangerous in his hands.

alex was clueless when he told seungmin their plans, and clueless still when he met with his director and was told he wouldn't grant him clearance to let minho and jisung test anything. he broke the news to the couple later when they arrived.

"i'm sorry, guys i know you were excited. i'm told you aren't allowed to try anything because you aren't on your team's current mission. i was certain that wouldn't be an issue, but.." alex trailed off apologetically.

"no, that makes sense it's okay." jisung reassured, because minho was a little..irritated, to say the least.

minho actually had to take a deep breath, trying to curb the impending anger because he had been so close to having a taste of what he wanted, and it would've so easily been handed over to him.

fine, that was fine. in his original plan he didn't expect a test run of the ring anyways. it was pure luck that alex had been receptive to the idea when minho suggested it. he would just continue with his plan.

and god, he really just wanted to blast alex through a wall but unfortunately he still needed him so he could have continued access to zeta tech until he knew exactly what he'd be up against when the time came to take the ring.

"yeah, it's okay. don't worry about it." minho said, finally forcing a smile.

"are you sure?"

"of course. it's true, we're not working with the team currently. he's right."

"yeah. it's weird, though. he said he received word only this morning directly from someone at the superhero headquarters about you guys. he has to follow their orders because of our partnership."

"is that so?" ah, of course. seungmin and felix must've figured out their plans and said something. how irritating. minho hadn't expected their sudden presence to actually be a problem.

no matter. minho would show chan that he wasn't bothered and didn't care about his interference. whenever chan made a move against him, minho was going to make him regret it, every time. he was also just so fucking annoyed and impatient and he needed to do something about it otherwise he'd snap at the wrong time.

the villain had no trouble figuring out where to find someone. so that night he paid a very friendly visit to the zeta tech director who was over alex. definitely friendly.

the director had gone out to a fancy dinner that evening, and now sat in his car after the fact taking a call. he was in a public parking garage, and though it was still full of cars there was hardly anyone walking through it. shortly after his call ended he was going to begin the drive home but he jumped fearfully when something landed on top of his car with a heavy thunk.

"what the hell?" he murmured, frozen in his place as he wasn't sure if he should get out to look or just drive off to save his life.

he wouldn't have got away regardless of what he chose to do. suddenly a blast of energy shattered his driver side window and before the director could react he was being forcefully dragged through the window by minho's levitation until he locked eyes with the villain standing on the roof of his car.

"i couldn't wait to get my hands on you." minho smiled deviously, in lieu of a greeting. "all day, thinking about what i wanted to do to you to get back at him for interfering, getting in the way of what i want. don't you think i deserve to have what i want, director?"

roux didn't know what to say, heart pounding as he looked at minho with wide eyes and pure confusion. "w-what? who are-"

"ah ah, me first." minho cut him off, slamming him on the ground and reveling in the way he groaned in pain. "i don't like it when my fun is stopped. do you know what happens when i can't have fun? i get bored, roux. i look for entertainment. that's where you come in." he said darkly, suddenly bringing the man's body up and forcing it into the wall so hard he saw stars in his vision. "you're useless in every other way but at least you'll make a good hostage."

"hos..tage?" he barely managed to wheeze out, coughing from the impact and struggling to get up even a little bit. "aren't you..one of those stray kids boys alexandre brings around?"

"oh, i'm more than that." minho chuckled darkly. "i'm gonna make stray kids wish i was still on their side. but for now, let me show you where you'll be staying." he smirked.

*

the next day minho and jisung showed up to hang around alexandre again, though this time minho seemed a little more smug than usual. felix and seungmin both picked up on it, and it didn't take long for them to figure out why he was acting that way.

nobody had heard from director roux all morning.

minho reveled in the way all the different staff had been asking each other if they'd seen or heard from the director, mentioning how he hadn't answered a single call or text, and he definitely hadn't made it to the building because his badge hadn't yet been swiped. the villain watched the chaos unfold, as everyone needed some sort of guidance or approval pending from roux and now had no clue how to proceed.

someone was sent to check his house, and there was no sign of him there. the last time anybody heard from him was the previous night at dinner, and eventually thats where his car was reported with the shattered window in the parking garage.

some of the staff gathered to have a meeting and debate what to do next, and that's when seungmin stepped in with felix behind him and approached the couple. "it's pretty interesting that the director would disappear after denying you access to some tech."

minho gasped and faked offense. "seungmin, are you implying that i had something to do with this?" he asked, giving seungmin an amused smile. he seemed far too relaxed, not nearly as restless as he'd seemed before.

seungmin picked up on a certain behavior of minho's back when he was still on the team. it was barely noticeable, minho hid it so well, but sometimes seungmin could tell that minho seemed to have some sort of pent up aggression that he couldn't wait to unleash during their fights. he figured at that time that minho had some sort of life things he was working through, and he was using fighting crime as an outlet but of course that didn't turn out to be the case. minho simply loved to be violent, and when he went too long without it, he started feeling on edge.

for the past few days, seungmin had noticed that edge to minho.

today, suddenly, it was gone.

seungmin was positive minho was behind the disappearance. "what did you do?" he asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"what makes you think i did something?" minho tilted his head mockingly.

"besides the obvious fact that we both know you did, i can tell that you satiated some of your violent desires for now. the question is how?"

"observant." minho replied, still appearing unaffected. "i'm sure if i were to satiate myself with him, i'd have a lot of fun." he laughed. "something tells me he's a great screamer."

felix practically shivered from the words, eyes drifting to jisung who was looking at minho fondly and seemed amused by his responses. he was too nonchalant for someone who aided minho in kidnapping a man.

"at this point i don't know why we're still letting you roam free. we should report you to everyone." seungmin stated.

"by reporting me to everyone," minho mocked, "you'd cause the public to lose trust in stray kids, as well as create panic. that's obviously why chan is trying to keep this under wraps, don't pretend like you don't know that." minho laughed. "can't you see the headlines? 'stray kids, today's heroes or tomorrow's villains?' actually, that one is a little too good. i'll have to copyright it before anyone else can use it." he teased, making jisung laugh. minho was just so funny.

seungmin shook his head in disbelief. "we'll find him, minho."

"i don't doubt it." minho smiled knowingly.

when chan heard about the director's disappearance and minho's suspected involvement in it, he knew he'd let himself fall into another one of minho's sick ideas of fun. he knew that after what happened with jacques they should've been more prepared, but how could anyone suspect minho would get to roux after a dinner with colleagues?

there was now a whole team of people searching for director roux. chan hated not knowing where to find minho and jisung, and he'd been trying to do his own searching, but to no avail. minho was definitely the type who wouldn't be found until he wanted to be, always loving the element of surprise and to make a grand entrance. it was impressive to chan just how nonexistent he could be until it was time to make an appearance again.

word spread to the public about director roux's disappearance and alleged kidnapping, and seungmin couldn't help but think about the conversation he had with minho. it really was frustrating to him that they wouldn't expose minho to the public because of the possible impacts it could have on stray kids' image. at a certain point he decided he needed to talk to chan about it.

seungmin approached the leader a couple of evenings later, right as chan was about to go on a jog to clear his head. "hey, hyung? don't you think it's time to clue the public in on minho being the one behind everything that's been happening?"

chan paused momentarily as he was tying his shoes, taking time to process seungmin's question before finally replying. "i'm not so sure about that yet." he shook his head.

"why not?"

"now isn't a good time."

"now is as good a time as any, before minho stops holding back and starts acting on his true desires. he may not be directly killing just yet but people should still be aware of the immense danger they're in around him. director roux should've never fallen into his hands, he should've been clued in. everyone should be clued in." seungmin stressed. he was serious about this, and he wouldn't be letting it go.

"i know, seungmin trust me." chan sighed. "i know what you're getting at and i agree, i do. i know we're running out of time but i'm trying to keep this under wraps until i feel like there's no other choice."

"how can there still be choices? why are you still keeping this a secret? for our team? our team and our image don't matter, hyung this is bigger than us. we need to think about more than-"

"i'm thinking about everything, seungmin." chan cut him off firmly. "i'm thinking about the team, yes, about the backlash we'll face when this comes out and what that backlash could do mentally to some of our members. i'm thinking about the people, and how much panic and chaos could come of alerting them about minho right now. i'm thinking about jisung, someone i held very near to my heart and the witch hunt that'll happen for not just minho, but him too. most importantly, i'm thinking about the fact that if we break the news, minho will have no reason to show restraint anymore because he won't be able to use his good standing with the public to keep heat off of himself. the moment the public knows the truth, minho won't have to care about anything and then like you said, he'll start acting on his true desires. i'm trying to prolong that, seungmin. keeping this a secret for as long as possible minimizes how much of a threat minho is, does that make sense?"

seungmin quieted as he took in chan's words. it did make sense, he should've never doubted chan and he let minho get into his head.

"yes, hyung that makes sense. sorry i just..had a lapse in judgment. i hate that the director was kidnapped so easily, that minho knew he could get away with it." seungmin sighed.

"i know, seungmin and i understand where you're coming from, trust me. any route with minho is going to require some degree of sacrifice..it's not what i'd prefer but that's how it is. now i'm going for a jog, we can discuss it more later."

"sure, hyung." seungmin nodded and turned to walk away so chan could go in peace.

meanwhile minho and jisung were enjoying another peaceful night together. or, their definition of peaceful.

director roux was in and out of consciousness, barely hanging onto life as he was beaten and bruised, and minho was standing over him relishing in every good feeling flowing through his veins.  "always so pathetic when they fall, aren't they, princess?"

jisung hummed and nodded in agreement from above where he lay on his front on one of the old cabin ceiling beams. his cheek rested on his hand as he peacefully watched. minho levitated him up there upon jisung's request, as jisung enjoyed being in high places and simply wanted to observe minho having his fun with their victim.

"they're always so..arrogant. like they're not just humans with no abilities in the end." minho chuckled. "they think having money and holding important positions in society can protect them from harm and misfortune. to a certain extent, maybe. but nothing can protect anyone from me." minho smiled evilly, his chuckle turning into laughter as he levitated roux and slammed him into another wall. the pleasure shot through minho's body and went right to his head. "god, i want to do so much more. i don't want to keep this act up for much longer."

"we don't need long, we can take the ring soon, right?" jisung said. "we know the building, we know the security, what are we missing?"

"the necessary clearance to get into the room with the ring. you saw the room the first time alex showed us around. the entryway is specially reinforced. our powers won't work on the doors, and it's a highly protected area because of all of the new technology. it's more than just badge scans, it's dna based and it requires not just one, but two people with high enough permissions. i want to take the ring at night when the fewest staff will be in the building. we can take care of the security we come across, but none of them will have high enough permission for that room. we only have alex, we need another but anyone else will be suspicious and cause us more trouble than necessary."

"no. we have another right here." jisung smiled darkly, his eyes locking on the director.

minho followed his line of sight to roux. of course. minho had been so focused on using the director to get back at chan, and to make himself feel good by hurting him, his mind had been clouded from the fact that roux could actually be useful. a mischievous smirk settled on the villain's face. "oh, princess..this is going to be so much fun."