Changbin felt like his heart was in his throat. The restraints on both his ankles and wrists that kept him from moving or fighting back were digging into his skin, rubbing it raw. His jaw clenched as he squeezed his eyes shut, tears leaking from them uncontrollably. Not only did he feel afraid, he felt exposed. His entire body was ripped of clothing. He was completely naked, and there was two men on either side of him staring at his body with the eyes of filthy animals. He tried his best to tune them out. He didn't want to hear their voices, or feel their touch, or see their faces...He just wanted to be free. He struggled some more, and one of the men said something about a sedative. Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in the side of his neck. He jerked, only making the injection more painful on himself. He could feel himself losing consciousness, and he peeled his eyes open in an attempt to stay awake. But whatever it was that they'd forced inside his bloodstream was quickly taking its toll. As much as he tried to force them to stay open, his eyes began to close as he looked up at the stark white ceiling.

"Changbin," a soft voice whispered, just as the world began to fade to black.

A soft touch and the warmth of someone's hand gasping his shoulder. He looked around, fighting sleep, but nobody was there. Once again, he heard his name called gently, and he couldn't help but to wonder if he was dying. Everything began to fade to black rapidly, and before he knew it, he was sitting up right in bed, ankles and wrists completely free of all bonds. His hand went directly to his neck, and he prodded around, feeling a bit confused when there was no pain. He looked down at his own body...He was completely clothed.

"Changbin."

The raven haired boy's head shot to the left, and that's when he saw Felix standing beside his bed with a worried look on his face. Changbin quickly realized that the soft touch and the luring voice hadn't been part of the dream. That was reality.

"Are you alright?"

The older boy was cursing himself inside his head. Yet again, he'd let the younger boy see his vulnerability.

"I'm fine," Changbin mumbled, promptly turning his back on Felix.

Felix had noticed, after a week of sharing a room with Changbin, that he has nightmares a lot. The younger boy had sung for the older on the first night, but hadn't done it after that. Felix took a leap of faith and gently sat down on the bed beside the older boy. He felt strange being in the same bed as another boy, but not strange enough to make him rethink what he was doing. Changbin felt the dip in the bed, but he didn't open his eyes. The younger boy started singing softly to the older so that he could sleep with no worries for the rest of the night. Changbin was confused, but he didn't want the younger to stop singing. He kept his eyes closed, turning over so that he was facing Felix's direction.

Why does he do this? Changbin questioned.

As he continued his light singing, Felix moved a shaky hand to caress the shorter boy's hair. That action shocked Changbin, but he still didn't open his eyes. He allowed Felix to touch him, which came as a surprise to the both of them. Changbin never allowed anyone to touch him. But, for whatever reason, Felix's touch didn't feel wrong like all the others. In fact, his touch felt...Nice. It was soft and gentle; a lovely contrast to all the other touches he'd ever felt. Whenever someone laid a finger on him, it always caused him pain. But, Felix's didn't hurt. It didn't cause the older boy pain. It made him feel less afraid to fall asleep, and as he slipped into dreamland, he couldn't help but to think about how he wouldn't mind laying in that very position for the rest of his entire life.

Felix stayed by the older boy's side for much longer than was needed. He couldn't seem to break his gaze away from the raven haired boy's face. It was the first time that the Australian really noticed how beautiful Changbin truly was. He understood that beautiful wasn't often a word used to describe men, but Changbin was beautiful. His skin was cream colored; a perfect contrast to his dark hair. The same hair that Felix found was very, very soft to the touch. The brunette gazed at the shorter boy, admiring every feature on his face. When his eyes were closed, he looked much more innocent and pure. When they were open, all Felix could see was hurt and fear. When his eyes were closed, he seemed less troubled. Well, he was less troubled when he wasn't having a nightmare, anyway. Felix stared at the lips of the older boy, his hand still attached to the crown of Changbin's head. His lips were a pale pink that reminded Felix of a newly bloomed rose. His top lip was thinner, but not too thin, and it had a natural cupid's bow. His bottom lip was bigger, but it was a lovely contrast to the boy's thin top lip.

Feeling lost in the moment, Felix pulled his hand away from the shorter boy's head. He couldn't help but to wonder what Changbin's lips would feel like. He gently placed his thumb below the raven haired boy's bottom lip, gently separating them. He leaned in closer, feeling the warmth radiating off his body. There was an inch at the very most between the two, and Felix momentarily thought about closing the gap. But before he made any sudden moves, he blinked a few times and realized his current standings. Moments ago he'd felt intoxicated...Now, it was time for the hangover. He blushed in embarrassment as he quickly pulled his hand away from Changbin's face.

What the hell was I thinking? Felix asked himself as he removed himself from the older boy's bed and promptly went back to his own.

Felix couldn't believe what he'd almost done. He blamed it on the early morning and his tiredness, as well as teenage hormones that he didn't have control over. It was a mistake, and thankfully, he hadn't really gone through with it. He could forget about it. But in a way, he didn't want to.

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Since the first day of training, Felix was doing better. He was working hard, sometimes too hard, and he was getting better everyday. He was becoming more in tune with his powers and with Changbin, too. The two of them were still at odds in terms of having a bond, but they shared their own moments that were unique to them, so Felix had high hopes for the future. However, their powers were becoming more meshed day by day.

"Try it again," Changbin commanded.

Felix nodded, closing his eyes again. He focused all his energy into the palms of his hands and the tips of his fingers. He took in a breath, beginning the circling motion with his hands. The sparks collided instantly, and as soon as he felt the warmth, he opened his eyes and turned to the side slightly. Everything was still a bit confusing for him, but he was doing his very best. Changbin noticed the way that Felix was trying hard, and though he never said it out loud, he felt proud of the younger boy for growing so much in such a short amount of time. He'd really come a long way in the short week he'd been there. Felix pulled his hands back, turning to the side slightly. As he pushed his hands forward, Changbin raised a hand and stopped the orb of fire in midair. The Australian kept his powers flowing into it, and Changbin locked eyes when him.
"Do it," Changbin demanded.

Felix took in a sharp breath. He made the ball of flames turn into a swirling mess of disaster. It was like someone set fire to a tornado, and the power within the eye of that tornado was so incredibly powerful that not even Felix himself would ever be able to understand it completely.

"Better," the raven haired boy nodded in satisfaction.

That small comment was probably the closest thing to a compliment that Changbin would ever give to Felix, so he took it with open arms. It made his heart swell with pride. He'd finally done something to impress Changbin, even if it was just a little.

"You can stop now," Changbin said.

"Oh, right," Felix mumbled, closing his hand into a fist.

Just like that, the swirling fire was put out at Felix's will. The younger boy was still very happy that the older had finally acknowledged his accomplishment. He felt like he'd finally done something worthy.

"That was crazy!" Jeongin said from across the yard.

"You're really getting stronger, Felix!" Woojin smiled.

"Thanks guys!" The Australian smiled.

"Go get a drink. You expelled a lot of energy right there," Changbin said.

Felix nodded and jogged to the kitchen. As he opened the door, Minho and Hyunjin followed inside.

"You guys want a water?" Felix offered.

The two boys shook their heads.

"Actually, we wanted to invite you to come down into the city with us tonight," Hyunjin stated.

"The city?" Felix questioned.

The hideout was located on a large mountainside, but below that mountain was a small, urban city that all the boys, (except Changbin), enjoyed going to. They could shop, eat out at one of the restaurants, watch a movie in a theater, -many things that they weren't able to do in the hideout. But, Red only allowed them to go into the city one night per month. It was a safety precaution, and it often times annoyed the boys, but they all followed the rules. That's why the last Saturday of every month was a fun night for everyone, including Changbin. The other seven would go into the city, and the raven haired boy would be left alone in the hideout, much to his enjoyment.

"We're gonna watch a movie, do some shopping, and maybe get some frozen yogurt. Do you wanna come with us?" Minho asked.

"Maybe next time," the Australian stated.

Felix figured that going into the city with Changbin would be a good way to get to know him better. With that in mind, he took another drink of water and headed back outside to finish his training for the day. But, he also has a new objective: get Changbin to go into the city with him. The younger boy thought it would be the perfect way for the two of them to get to know one another better.

"Before we start again, can I ask you a question?" Felix inquired, albeit a bit hesitantly.

"Make it quick," the older boy replied.

Knowing that there was no time for him to beat around the bush or dance around the truth, he got straight to the point.

"Would you go into the city with me tonight?" He asked.

The question took Changbin by surprise. Nobody had ever asked him to go anywhere with them before. He'd always been commanded rather than asked.

"I don't like the city," Changbin replied.

"Oh," Felix said instantly, his face dropping.

"Minho and Hyunjin said it was fun. Is it not?" The Australian questioned.

The older boy shrugged.

"I wouldn't know. I've never been to the city," he replied.

That confused Felix.

"If you've never been, then how do you know that you don't like it?" He asked.

"Because, I know that there's lots of people down there," Changbin stated bluntly.

Changbin wasn't at all a fan of people. They made him uncomfortable, and large crowds of them filled him with unimaginable anxiety.

"But, you don't have to talk to them. You can just talk to me," Felix flashed the older a boy a charming smile, that even Changbin had to admit was very cute.

The older boy was silent for a few moments, and feelings of rejection began to eat away at the younger boy.

"If I say yes, can we just get back to training?" Changbin asked.

Felix's head snapped upward. He'd prepared himself for rejection; but Changbin was saying yes. Maybe not in those exact terms; but he was willing to go, and that was more than enough for Felix. He smiled again, and that smile made Changbin feel that warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest again.

"I'll work hard," Felix assured.

And he did. For the rest of practice, the Australian put every last drop of energy into using he his powers like Changbin wanted. By the time the sun started to set, they called it a day, and the two of them made their way to the city. The trail down the side of the mountain took a while to get down, but they managed it before it got fully dark. It was a new experience for both of them, and though he didn't express it, Changbin was feeling...Something. He didn't quite know what to call the feeling. All he knew was that his heart was clenching a bit and he was ready to walk around the city with Felix. He was anticipating it greatly.

"Where do you wanna go first?" Felix asked the older boy.

Though you'd never be able to tell by the look on his face, on the inside, Changbin was excited. He shrugged his shoulders, deciding that he should just follow the younger boy's lead.

"You choose," Changbin stated.

His outside was stiff and expressionless, but his insides were like fireworks on steroids, and Changbin liked that. He felt like he was on something strong; something that made his veins pump blood faster, made his heart beat faster, and made his head feel a lot less dark. Felix ended up going into a small shop that sold men's clothing. He needed to do some shopping. He hadn't had a lot of time to pack his things before Red said they needed to leave, so he'd grabbed and armful of clothes, shoved them into a duffel bag, and then left.

"What do you think about this one?" Felix asked as he looked in the mirror.

"Brown isn't your color," Changbin answered bluntly.

He didn't sugar coat anything, but that was something Felix liked about the older boy. He liked his straightforwardness, because it's showed him that he cared enough about Felix to tell him the truth. Or it showed that he was someone without a heart, but the younger boy went with the first of the two options.

"What do you think about this one?" Felix asked, holding up a long sleeved black shirt.

"It seems a little dark for you," Changbin replied.

"Not for me, silly," the Australian replied.

"For you."

He held the shirt out to the older boy, who took it from his hands.

"Me?"

Felix nodded his head.

"I think it'll look nice on you. You probably can't put it on since you already have a long sleeved shirt on, but the changing room is right over there," the younger boy pointed.

It certainly wouldn't hurt to have another long sleeved shirt, Changbin reminded himself.

He always wore long sleeves, no matter how hot it was. In fact, he didn't think he even owned a shirt that didn't have long sleeves, and he knew for a fact that he didn't own shorts. It was like he thought it was a mortal sin to show his arms or his legs; and to him, it was. If he were to show his arms or his legs, then everyone would be able to see the scars that lined them. Changbin himself couldn't even bear to look at them, so he refused to let anyone else see them. They were hideous, and so was he. He was disgusting. A monster. Someone who belonged in a freak show.

But, around Felix, he had to admit that he didn't feel quite so dead inside. When Felix sang to him, he could feel his own beating heart; and it proved that he was alive. It proved that he was still in existence. And with Felix, he didn't feel like a freak. The younger boy spoke to him in a normal way, and he felt normal when the taller boy did that. He felt normal when he spoke with Felix, which was something that he thought he'd never be able to feel; ever. And yet, the brunette with a charming smile, kind eyes, and a soft touch was sending the emotionless Changbin on a ride full of emotions that he didn't even know existed inside of him. And to top it all off, it had only been a week since they met. When Changbin walked out of the dressing room in the shirt that was nicely fitted to his torso, Felix had to keep himself from drooling over the raven haired boy. Just like he'd thought last night, Changbin was breathtakingly beautiful; asleep or not.

"Is it that bad?" Changbin questioned when he saw Felix's face.

The younger boy quickly shook his head.

"N-No, not at all! It looks good on you!" The Australian assured.

Changbin turned his head away so that Felix wouldn't see the light pink tint to his cream colored cheeks.

"I'm changing back now," he muttered, making his way back into the dressing room.

He closed and locked the door, looking at himself in the mirror. He couldn't see what Felix saw. In Changbin's eyes, there was no beauty. There was only a sad boy with a sad story.

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