Being apart of ATEEZ wasn't always fun and games, it wasn't always helping people who needed it most. It wasn't always being on the front lines of the resistance, fighting back on the tyranny of the order as they tried to control all those who dared defy them. Sometimes it was gruesome, sometimes it was bloody, sometimes it was painful. But in the end, it was always worth it. No matter what, they could always say they were doing what was right, they were fighting for the greater good and they were protecting those too weak to protect themselves. It was always worth it, no matter what. At least that's what Wooyoung told himself as the days since he was captured slowly blended together, the pain never-ending and the realisation that he was never getting out set in.

Day 1

Hongjoong ran quickly through the halls, turning each corner swiftly as he followed the path he had been studying for days. Left, right, left, straight. He heard gunshots and explosions, but he didn't slow down. He had a mission, one of the most important missions he has ever had, and he needs to make sure it goes off without a hitch.

"The southwest corner of the facility has been taken out. All the available guards are heading towards the area. Hongjoong, how close are you," San's voice spoke through his earpiece.

"I just need a few more minutes, I'm almost there," Hongjoong replied.

"I've got eyes through the cameras, but I can't get into the room. There are two people standing guard out front though." That was Mingi this time. Hongjoong slowed his pace down as he got to the last corner. He moved to the end, pressing himself against the wall before peaking around the corner. He saw the two people standing guard in front of the door. They both seemed to be distracted as they were standing close to each other and talking. Hongjoong quickly slipped the gun from his pocket and made sure it was loaded.

"I can see the two guards and I'm prepared to take them out but is there anyone else nearby that I should know about," he asked.

"Negative. You're clear to go," Mingi replied. Hongjoong quickly stepped out from behind the wall, shooting three times and taking both guards out before they could even register he was there.

"Be careful inside Hongjoong, we don't know what's in there," San warned him as he made it to the door. Hongjoong ripped a keycard from one of the guards' belts and swiped it into the slot. It lit up green with a beep to show that it was unlocked. Hongjoong slowly and carefully opened the door with his left hand, keeping the gun held tightly in his right hand. He poked his head in first, glancing around the room to see if there were any guards inside as well. There was no sign of anyone, just a heap of odd-looking machines. Hongjoong frowned and pushed the door open slowly, stepping inside.

"Are you guys sure he's here? All I can see are a bunch of weird looking machines, there's no sign of any life," he said.

"Keep looking Hongjoong, he's definitely there. All of our intel showed that he will be in that room," San replied back. Hongjoong sighed but kept walking around and looking, keeping a tight grip on his gun in case someone tried to catch him off guard. The machines were quite large, each one different and Hongjoong tried not to think about what they could be used for. He was beginning to give up hope of finding Wooyoung in the room when he noticed something up the back. There was someone hanging in a machine against the back wall, their arms held above their head that was lolling down.

"Wooyoung," Hongjoong, called out, lowering his gun and running towards the person. When he got to them, he cupped their face and lifted their head up. It was Wooyoung. Hongjoong let out a breath of relief at having finally found him but worried more as the younger boy's eyes were closed.

"Wooyoung," he said quickly. At the second call of his name, his eyes finally slipped open. Hongjoong noted that his eyes were glazed over slightly and filled with pain. Wooyoung immediately jerked, trying to get away from his hold and Hongjoong quickly tried to calm him down.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. It's me, it's Hongjoong," he said hurriedly. Wooyoung paused, blinking slowly and running his eyes over Hongjoong's face. Hongjoong could see the recognition that flashed through Wooyoung's eyes before he started whining and struggling in the chains, trying to get closer to him.

"Stop, stop. I've got you, I'll get you out," Hongjoong said quickly, not wanting Wooyoung to accidentally hurt himself while he was struggling. Wooyoung stopped once again and Hongjoong quickly ran his fingers over the chains, looking for a way to get Wooyoung out of them. He found a small latch so he quickly flicked it and the chains and shackles unhooked, freeing Wooyoung. The younger boy instantly collapsed but Hongjoong was there to catch him and hold him tightly.

"There you go, I've got you," Hongjoong whispered, hugging him close. Wooyoung whined and clung to him tightly.

"Hongjoong, we don't have time to stop, you need to get him back to the ship as soon as possible." Hongjoong sighed, knowing Mingi was right.

"Are you ok to stand," he asked Wooyoung. Wooyoung didn't reply in any way, just continued to cling tightly to him.

"Ok, that's fine. Just hold on to me ok, don't let go," Hongjoong said. He stood up, pulling Wooyoung up with him before scooping him into his arms. Wooyoung just continued to cling to him, his arms sliding up to hug his neck firmly.

"Mingi I've got him, tell me a path," Hongjoong said as he hurried to leave the room.

"Go right once you get out of the room and I'll direct you from there," Mingi said. Hongjoong opened the door, glancing around the hall to make sure it was safe before turning right and hurrying down the hall.

"Take the first left you see," Mingi instructed him. Hongjoong nodded to himself and followed Mingi's directions, making sure Wooyoung was safe in his arms.

"I've got you," he whispered again to the younger, wanting to give him the extra reassurance.

"Hey Hongjoong," San spoke up suddenly.

"Yeah," Hongjoong said.

"Can you, can you tell him that we all love him and that we're going to see him soon," San asked quietly.

"Hey Woo, the boys want you to know that they love you very much and you're going to see them soon ok. Really soon," Hongjoong said quickly. Wooyoung whined again and tightened his hold but still remained silent.

"Turn right here Hongjoong," Mingi said. Hongjoong turned again and let out a breath of relief when he saw two people down the end of the hall.

"Seonghwa," he called out, making both turn.

"Oh my god, Wooyoung," Seonghwa called out. He and Yunho hurried over, their hearts pounding as they laid their eyes on the small boy in Hongjoong's arms.

"Not now. We need to get him back to the ship first and then we can have a reunion," Hongjoong said quickly.

"Right, come on," Yunho said quickly. The three of them sprinted down the halls, Seonghwa directing them back to the loading bay where their ship was still waiting. Just in time it seems, as Yeosang and Jongho were running back as well.

"Have you got him," Jongho asked quickly before his eyes landed on the figure in Hongjoong's arms.

"Come on, they won't be distracted for much longer," Yeosang said hurriedly. They all ran onto the ship, San meeting them by the end of the ramp and directing them in before quickly pressing the button to close the ramp.

"Mingi, we need to leave now," he called out.

"On it," Mingi called back.

"Is he alive," Yeosang asked quietly, glancing back at Hongjoong.

"Yeah, he's alive," Hongjoong said with a nod, glancing down at Wooyoung who hadn't moved from his hold.

"Bring him to the med bay and I'll check him over. See, see what damage they did," Yeosang said. Hongjoong nodded and followed him while the others just watched, unsure what to do. Hongjoong carried Wooyoung over to the medical bed, leaning over to put him down. He went to let go but Wooyoung's legs suddenly wrapped around his waist, his arms tightening around his neck.

"Hey, Woo, it's ok. I'm just going to put you down so we can check you over, find out what hurts," Hongjoong said. Yeosang glanced over, noticing the predicament Hongjoong was in.

"It's ok Wooyoung, you're safe now," Yeosang said softly, trying to help him from Hongjoong's arms but it only made the younger cling on tighter. Hongjoong glanced over at Yeosang helplessly.

"I think it might be a trauma response. He feels safe for the first time in 3 months since he was taken and you're the person who made him feel safe," Yeosang said. Hongjoong's heart broke and he glanced back at the young boy still hanging from him. Hongjoong hugged him back tightly, moving to sit down on the bed himself. He tugged Wooyoung over to be sitting in his lap.

"You're safe Wooyoung, you're safe now," Hongjoong said softly.

"Yeosang is here as well and he just wants to make sure you're ok. You remember Yeosang right? He's your best friend, he won't hurt you," Hongjoong whispered. Wooyoung continued to cling to him but slowly moved his head out from Hongjoong's neck. Yeosang was waiting beside them and he quickly plastered a smile onto his face to try and reassure Wooyoung.

"Hey Youngie," he whispered, doing his best to keep the tears from forming in his eyes. They had spent 3 months trying to track Wooyoung down after the order took him, 3 months of hoping they'd find him again. Wooyoung's eye was bruised, his jawline showing more prominently than usual, meaning he was most likely not fed well enough. Wooyoung didn't say anything but his eyes showed recognition and he held his hand out to Yeosang slowly. Yeosang quickly grabbed it and moved closer.

"Can I please give you a checkup to make sure I can fix your injuries," Yeosang asked gently. Wooyoung's eyes analysed him before he very slowly pulled away from Hongjoong.

"There you go Youngie, you're safe," Yeosang assured him. Hongjoong gently tugged Wooyoung over, laying him down delicately. Wooyoung had tears streaming down his face and he clutched Hongjoong's hand firmly.

"I'm here, it's ok," Hongjoong said softly. Hongjoong held Wooyoung's hand the entire time while Yeosang check his body for bruises and broken bones. Hongjoong soothed him gently, running his fingers through the youngers hair as tears fell down his cheeks.

"You're safe," he whispered.

"All done," Yeosang said after about 10 minutes, tugging Wooyoung's shirt back down. Wooyoung immediately sat back up and hugged Hongjoong once again.

"How's he look," Hongjoong asked nervously, not sure he would want to know the answer. He hugged Wooyoung back, wanting to give him the comfort and reassurance.

"Thankfully it's just bruises, no broken bones," Yeosang said quietly and Hongjoong breathed out in relief. It's just bruises, nothing that will be permanent. Nothing on the surface anyway.

"Come on Youngie, let's go see the others. Everyone has missed you," Hongjoong said, standing up. Wooyoung didn't make any move to stand himself so Hongjoong just scooped him up again. He carried him out of the medical bay and over to the meals room where the others were all sat around the table. They all looked up when Hongjoong walked into the room, holding their breath.

"Is he..." Mingi trailed off, not knowing what to ask. Hongjoong let go of Wooyoung's legs so he could stand but continued to hug him so he wouldn't stress him out too much.

"Wooyoung, do you want to say hello to the boys," he asked softly. Wooyoung didn't react, just stayed how he was.

"Wooyoungie," San said softly as he stood. They had spent so long looking for him but now that they finally had him back, it was hard to know what they were supposed to do. Wooyoung's head shot up at the familiar voice, whipping around and searching before his eyes met San's. He instantly let go of Hongjoong, stumbling over before tripping. He didn't hit the ground though, instead he felt strong arms wrap around him. He whined and hugged San tightly, feeling the other hug him back just as firmly.

"I was so scared for you Woo, so scared. Your transmissions and tracking just cut out and you were nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere but you were gone," San whispered. Wooyoung clung tightly to San, burying his face into San's neck as tears fell down his face.

"We've been searching for you for months and I'm so sorry we didn't find you earlier. Wooyoung sniffled but nuzzled further into San's embrace.

"Seonghwa, can you go make something for him to eat? I don't think they were feeding him much," Hongjoong said. Seonghwa nodded and went to hurry off but Wooyoung suddenly lifted his head up and shook his head quickly.

"You don't want to eat," Hongjoong asked and Wooyoung quickly shook his head.

"Are you sure," Hongjoong asked him quickly and Wooyoung nodded.

"Can I have a verbal confirmation," Hongjoong asked softly. Wooyoung instantly ducked his head back down into San's shoulder and San glanced up at Hongjoong with a frown.

"Let's not push it," Yunho said quietly to Hongjoong.

"Would you rather go get some sleep," he asked. Wooyoung didn't reply but San felt him nod into his neck.

"I'll take him to bed and we can talk to him more tomorrow," San said. The others all nodded so San stood up with Wooyoung in his arms, carrying him down the halls and into his room. It was left untouched since Wooyoung went missing, no one daring to enter it for the fear of making everything too real. San gently sat Wooyoung down before going to his draws and grabbing out a change of clothes. He gave them to Wooyoung but he just dropped the clothes to the floor.

"Do you want some help putting them on," San asked slowly and Wooyoung instantly nodded.

"Ok, here we go." San moved over and quickly helped Wooyoung change into the new clothes before helping him lay down on his bed. Wooyoung shivered slightly but cuddled up to the sheets, letting out a shuddering breath.

"You get some sleep ok. You're safe now Wooyoung, you're back with us," San whispered gently. Wooyoung's body was shaking slightly but he grabbed San's hand and tugged him closer.

"Would you like me to stay until you can get to sleep," San asked gently. Wooyoung nodded quickly, tugging San's hand closer.

"Ok. I'll lay down with you until you fall asleep," San whispered as he climbed into the bed. Wooyoung hugged him tightly and buried his head into San's neck, letting out a deep sigh.

"I've got you, you're safe. Get some sleep," San whispered.

~~~~~

Wooyoung woke up with a gasp, pale and sweaty. His heart was racing as he looked around the room wildly, his arms wrapping around his shaky body.

"Hey, hey Woo. Wooyoung you're safe, you're back on the ship. Can you hear me." Wooyoung was still panting but he turned his head towards the voice. It took him a few seconds to recognise it but he realised it was San. It was San, his close friend and someone who would never hurt him. He sniffled and held out his arms. San let out a breath of relief before sitting down on the bed and tugging Wooyoung into his arms. Wooyoung glanced around, realising he they had flown the ship back to their base and he was back in his room.

"Shh, I've got you. You're safe, you just had a nightmare. Everything's ok now, I promise," San murmured into Wooyoung's hair as he kissed it softly. Wooyoung just sighed and nuzzled into San's chest, trying to get as close to him as he could.

"Do you want to talk about it," San asked gently. Wooyoung tensed up in his arms and immediately shook his head.

"Ok. Do you want to go back to sleep alone or would you prefer for me to lay down with you," San asked. Wooyoung immediately tugged San down to lay with him so San took that as he was going to be saying. He laid down and moved around so that Wooyoung was closest to the wall and was wrapped up tightly in his arms.

"I've got you Youngie. You just get some sleep, I'll be right here," San said gently. Wooyoung snuggled closer and let his eyes slip closed.

Day 2

The boys all ate breakfast in silent, occasionally glancing at Wooyoung who was just sitting in his seat. He wasn't eating, hadn't even touched his fork. Instead he was just staring off to the side, zoning out completely.

"Wooyoung," Hongjoong said softly but gained no reply from the boy.

"Youngie," he called out again. San frowned when Wooyoung didn't even acknowledge Hongjoong had spoken so he placed his hand on the youngers shoulder and shook it softly.

"Woo," he said. Wooyoung jumped in fright, snapping his head to the side with wide eyes as he froze. San immediately pulled his hand away from Wooyoung as he realised the younger was scared.

"Hey, it's just me," he said quickly. Wooyoung's body was shaking slightly as he glanced around at everyone quickly.

"You're safe Wooyoung, it's just us," Hongjoong said gently. Wooyoung relaxed at that, nodding slowly.

"I was just trying to tell you that you should eat," Hongjoong added. Wooyoung frowned at that, glancing down at his food. He grabbed his fork shakily before poking at the eggs on his plate. His nose scrunched up and he dropped his fork, shoving the plate back before looking away again.

"Are you not hungry," Seonghwa asked him. Wooyoung didn't reply, didn't even show he had heard anything, he merely continued to watch something off at the side.

"Wooyoung," Mingi said, trying to regain his attention.

"Wo-."

"Just leave it guys. He's clearly struggling and we have no idea what he went through," Hongjoong cut in. Mingi frowned but nodded quickly.

"We just have to be patient with him guys, until he recovers more. If he zones out, we'll just have to check in on him. We'll keep at least one person with him at all times," Hongjoong said, glancing at the younger.

"I agree. We need to let him move at his own pace," Seonghwa said with a nod.

"He should eat though," Jongho pointed out.

"They were likely starving him so he won't have as much of an appetite, we'll have to build it up. Don't try to push him too much," Hongjoong said with a frown, glancing at the younger boy again. Everyone nodded in acceptance, glancing at Wooyoung before continuing to eat.

~~~~~

"Hey Wooyoung, can we talk." Wooyoung drew his head back from looking out of the window, glancing over at Yeosang who had sat down beside him.

"I just, I want to check in and see how you're doing. You're my best friend and I, I feel like I've failed you. I should have been there to protect you, I should have stopped them from taking you that day," Yeosang said sadly. Wooyoung frowned but didn't reply, didn't react any further.

"I'm sorry Wooyoung. I am so sorry," Yeosang cried, tears falling down his face. Wooyoung's frowned deepened but he still didn't reply. Instead, he drew his knees up to his chest, his arms slipping around to hug them. Yeosang noticed his actions and quickly tried to calm himself down, wiping at the tears that fell down his cheeks.

"Sorry, I should be crying, I'm not the one that was held captive for three months," he said. Wooyoung flinched at that, drawing further in on himself and Yeosang winced.

"God, I'm really not good at this am I. I keep saying the wrong thing," he groaned.

"No one ever said I was smart though," he added. Wooyoung cracked a light smile at that, though he didn't release his hold on his knees.

"Point is, a-are you doing ok? I know that's probably a horrible question and you most likely are not doing ok," Yeosang rushed out. Wooyoung just shrugged before looking away. Yeosang wanted to keep talking to Wooyoung but it was clear he was not in the mood. So instead, Yeosang just sat down on one of the opposite chairs and tried to look busy so it wasn't made so obvious that he was watching Wooyoung and keeping an eye on him.

~~~~~

"Wooyoung, I'm sorry but you need to eat." Wooyoung huffed and crossed his arms, turning his head away in annoyance.

"Wooyoung, this is non-negotiable. I let it go during breakfast and lunch but you have to eat something now. I know it might be hard but even just a little bit is better than nothing," Hongjoong said firmly. San glanced beside him to see Wooyoung frowning. Wooyoung has been silent the entire day, keeping to himself and not really interacting with anyone. It was understandable, given what may have happened to him but it was still hard to see him clearly in pain but to be unable to help.

"Please eat Wooyoung," San said softly. Wooyoung glanced at the steak before scrunching up his nose in disgust.

"It's not that bad Wooyoung, I promise," Seonghwa said, nervous about why Wooyoung seemed so against eating his food.

"Just eat something Wooyoung, please. Even, even if you only eat some of the mash potato. Just please Wooyoung, eat something," Hongjoong begged. Wooyoung slowly glanced down at the plate, looking at the mash potato. It was smooth and a nice white colour, just how he likes his mash. He sighed before picking up the spoon, scooping some of it up before bringing it to his lips. He paused before quickly slipping it into his mouth and swallowing it. Hongjoong let out a breath of relief at Wooyoung finally getting some food into him. It had worried him during the earlier meals but he had chosen not to say anything as he wanted to give Wooyoung the chance to do it on his own. Wooyoung scooped up some more mash, bringing it to his lips before hesitating. He glanced around the table to see that everyone was staring at him and he shrunk slightly.

"Right. Everyone, let's keep eating," Yunho said quickly. The others all hastily continued eating, turning their attention away from Wooyoung. Hongjoong sent one last brief glance to Wooyoung, happy to see he was slowly eating some mash.

~~~~~

San slowly dried his hair with his towel, rubbing it over to soak up the water. He ducked his head down and rubbed it over the back, near his neck to make sure he was evenly drying all of it. He startled with a yelp as he suddenly felt arms wrap around his waist. He dropped the towel and turned his head back to see Wooyoung's head poking up, watching him with wide eyes.

"Hi," San said softly, smiling down at him. Wooyoung blinked before sending a small smile back up at San and San's heart soared. It was the first time in in over three months that he had seen Wooyoung's beautiful smile. He turned around slowly and softly cupped Wooyoung's face. He gradually brought his hand up, guiding Wooyoung up with it. The younger didn't put up any resistance, straightening out.

"I missed you so much you know. I thought you were gone forever. We had no way to track you so we had to search instead. That's why it took so long for us to find you," San said softly, taking a step closer to Wooyoung. Wooyoung shivered and quickly lowered his hands to San's hips, bracing them to stop him. San froze immediately, taking a slight step back.

"Sorry, I don't mean to scare you," he said quietly. Wooyoung shook his head before stepping forwards again and hugging San tightly.

"I'm so glad you're back," San said, hugging him back gently, leaning his head down to rest on the youngers. They stayed like that for a few seconds before stepping apart.

"Why'd you come here by the way? Not that you can't come here. It's just, I wasn't expecting you," San said softly. Wooyoung shrugged before hurrying over to San's bed and climbing in, slipping under the blankets.

"I'll take that as you saying you want to sleep here tonight," San said with a light chuckle. Wooyoung didn't reply, just laid his head down onto San's pillow and rolled over. San quickly grabbed his shirt and slipped it on over his head before swiping the towel of the floor and chucking it into the corner. He flicked the lights into night mode before going over to his bed and laying down beside Wooyoung. He rolled over and slipped his arm around Wooyoung's waist, cuddling up to his back and hooking his head over Wooyoung's shoulder.

"Is this ok," he asked softly. Wooyoung nodded and cuddled back into San's arms.

"Get some sleep. I'll be right here with you," San whispered in reassurance.

Day 9

"Hey Hongjoong, can I talk to you for a minute." Hongjoong glanced up from his plans to see Yunho entering his room.

"Sure, what's on your mind," he asked as he sat up properly and put his pen down.

"It's about Wooyoung," Yunho said as he sat down on Hongjoong's bed to face him. Hongjoong sighed but nodded at his words, figuring as much.

"Has he spoken to you yet? Or even really just interacted into with you at all this week," Yunho asked. Hongjoong sighed and shook his head.

"He's barely even looked my way this past week. I've tried talking to him but he doesn't answer, doesn't even pay me any attention really. He just-."

"Zones out and looks into the distance," Yunho said with a sigh.

"Yeah. It would worry me but after everything he's gone through, I just don't want to push him. He was in captivity for 3 months with the order and we have no idea what they did to him. I have no doubt that they tortured him in some way. They may be the authority but they're also the very thing we're trying to take down and they would have known about who Wooyoung was. It scares me to not know what happened to him and it scares me to see him so timid and reserved. That's not the Wooyoung I know. God I miss his laugh," Hongjoong said, dropping his head down into his hands. Yunho's head bowed down as well, picturing the bright smile the second youngest used to always sport. He was their sunshine, their happiness that they could rely on throughout all their hardships. It felt so wrong to see him this drawn into himself, shying away from even the simplest of touches. Yunho heard an odd noise and his head shot up, snapping to the side to see Hongjoong's shoulders shaking.

"Joong," Yunho said softly. Hongjoong lifted up his heard, forcing a weak smile as tears slowly trailed down his face.

"Oh, Hongjoong," Yunho said softly. Hongjoong shook his head, raising his hand up to his mouth as a sob slipped out. Yunho's heart broke, his own eyes welling up with tears. It was an extremely rare sight to see Hongjoong reduced to tears. Yunho wrapped his arms around his shoulders and Hongjoong leant into him, wrapping his own arms around the taller boys waist.

"He's going to be ok, right," Yunho asked sadly.

"I hope so Yun, I hope so. I want our precious boy back. We failed him, we failed him so bad," Hongjoong cried. Yunho sniffled and tugged Hongjoong even closer, burying his head into the leaders hair as they sobbed together in each other's arms.

~~~~~

Seonghwa frowned as Wooyoung once again refused to eat his food. He wasn't sure why it was that Wooyoung was suddenly to against eating his food when he always prepares it so well. He's even brought out his old recipe books, following them down to the last letter but so far the only things he has eaten is the mash potato and some pumpkin soup. There was a knock on the wall and Seonghwa tore his eyes away from Wooyoung who was just sitting on the table, zoning out and pushing the food around with his fork and he turned his attention to San.

"What's up," Seonghwa asked.

"I think I may have an idea of how to get Wooyoung to eat," San said.

"Yeah, make better food," Seonghwa scoffed. He sighed after that and shook his head. He shouldn't be taking it out on Wooyoung when the younger has been through so much.

"I don't think it's got anything to do with how you are cooking things Hwa. I think it has to do with how it's all presented to him," San said.

"What do you mean," Seonghwa asked in confusion.

"Well, I've noticed that the only two things he has willingly eaten is your mash potato and pumpkin soup. There's one thing that those two have in common that everything else doesn't. They're all like a mushy food, close to liquid. If you think about it, Wooyoung was held captive for three months and there's no way they gave him luxurious food. He most likely was living on mushy things. Perhaps giving him food similar to that will make him more comfortable to eat. Remember, his old normal might not be his normal now," San said, glancing back over at Wooyoung. Seonghwa frowned slightly, thinking about San's words. He was right, it was likely that Wooyoung had become accustomed to eating more liquidised food. He quickly grabbed a steak and some peas before disappearing off towards the kitchens. San sighed and walked back out to the dining area where Wooyoung was sitting. He walked up beside Wooyoung and gently placed his hand onto the smaller boy's shoulder. Wooyoung flinched and jolted away, slipping from his chair and shielding his face with his hands. San held back tears at the sight of Wooyoung, his soul mate, scared of him, scared that he would hurt him. He would never dream of hurting Wooyoung, never. He squeezed his eyes shut to keep the tears at bay, stepping back and turning his head away. It was quiet for a few seconds before there was a tentative hand that wrapped around his pinkie finger. He drew in a deep breath, blinking quickly so that the tears were gone before turning to Wooyoung.

"Don't worry about me Wooyoung, I'm ok. I just want you to feel safe," San whispered. Wooyoung squeezed San's pinkie softly before slowly taking a step closer. San straightened out but remained still, allowing Wooyoung to do as pleased. This past week, Wooyoung has slowly been withdrawing from the touch of everyone, even San himself. He has seemed more reserved and jumpy, not wanting to receive contact unless he has initiated it. As Wooyoung leant closer, San let his eyes slipped closed. Nothing happened for a few seconds before there was a quick, shaky kiss against his cheek that was withdrawn just as quickly as it was placed. San slipped his eyes back open to see Wooyoung sitting back down at the table. He let out a small smile before moving and sitting down two seats over from Wooyoung, keeping silent about what happened. It was quiet for a few minutes before the door suddenly swung open and Seonghwa rushed in with a plate.

"Youngie, I have something for you," he said with a grin. Wooyoung glanced up at Seonghwa's voice, his eyes lighting up with interest as he noticed the plate.

"San mentioned to me that you uh, you may have gotten used to less solid food. I thought perhaps blending it up might help you. I'm not sure it will taste the greatest bu-." Seonghwa cut himself off as Wooyoung snatched the plate from his hands and eagerly begun eating. San raised his eyebrows up in surprise. He had hoped that Wooyoung would eat the food, he just didn't realise how desperate he was for it. He glanced at Seonghwa to find he was already looking over at him. Seonghwa raised an eyebrow and San just shrugged.

"Does it taste nice," Seonghwa asked. Wooyoung glanced up and nodded vigorously before continuing to eat. San smiled softly as he glanced over at the younger, glad to finally see him eating properly.

~~~~~

San and Yeosang were both seated on the couches, reading through their novels and relaxing. San stretched out more, tugging his legs up to rest against the arm of the couch so he was fully laying along the couch. The door to the room opened but San didn't look up, just continued to read through his book. He was startled from his reading however when he felt something on his leg. He yanked his book down but relaxed as he saw that it was only Wooyoung. San lifted up the book with both hands and allowed Wooyoung to crawl on top of him and lay down.

"Hi," he said with a light chuckle. He wrapped his arms around Wooyoung to hold him close but Wooyoung whined and pushed himself away. San immediately removed his arms and placed them by his side.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said quickly. Wooyoung glanced over him before slowly lowering himself down once again and snuggling down in his hold. San turned his head to the side and eyed Yeosang, noticing the frown on the boys face. They had all noticed how withdrawn Wooyoung was being, this was just another instance of it. He was far more willing to hug them when they first found him, well, San and Hongjoong but now the only touch he will allow is when no one else is touching him.

~~~~~

San sighed as he got to the door to Hongjoong's room before knocking loudly. He heard Hongjoong calling him to come in so he opened the door and slipped inside. Seonghwa was already there, sitting beside Hongjoong by his desk.

"San, what can I do for you," Hongjoong asked as he turned to face him.

"It about Wooyoung, again," San said as he flopped down to sit on Hongjoong's bed.

"What happened? Is everything ok," Hongjoong asked with a frown.

"No, it's nothing different. It's just, why do you think he's drawing away from us so much? He was not this skittish when he first came. He won't let anyone touch him, not even me," San said quietly.

"Yeah, I've noticed. When I first found him, he would barely let me go and now he won't even touch me. You're lucky because he's still giving you hugs, he just won't accept you doing it back," Hongjoong said.

"It's worrying me. It feels like he's going backwards. He's still too scared to speak to us and now he's drawing away even further," San said sadly.

"I think this is just a step in his recovery. He's still getting used to everything that he once had. It may have overwhelmed him to come back to all of this. I think he may just be taking a step back to get his bearings," Seonghwa explained.

"That would make sense. We still have no idea what happened to him while he was there so it's not like we can try and do things to help," San said in frustration.

"We can continue to be patient with him. We can do what he asks of us and we can be there when he needs it. That is all we can do for now," Hongjoong said. San dropped his head into his hands and gripped his hair in frustration.

"Hey, come here," Hongjoong said softly. He pulled San's hands down before moving him into a gentle hug. San hugged him back tightly, tucking his head into his neck.

"Wooyoung is going to be ok. He's safe with us now and we will help him get better," Hongjoong said softly.

"I know," San said with a nod.

"Get some sleep alright," Hongjoong said, rubbing his back softly. San nodded and stood up, waving goodbye to the two of them before leaving the room. He frowned to himself as he walked, wiping his face in annoyance. He swung the door to his room open quickly, almost slamming it into the wall in his frustration but he quickly caught it when he noticed the body on his bed. It's stuff like this that really confuses him. Sometimes Wooyoung will be avoiding him, then he'll be cuddling him, then he won't let San tuck him and then he's sleeping in his bed. San walked inside and gently closed the door behind himself before walking over to his chest of draws. He grabbed out his pyjamas and got changed, chucking his old clothes into his hamper. He made his way over to his bed, tucking his blanket over the far side of Wooyoung's body before climbing into bed beside him. He laid down and tugged the blanket over himself as well. He was careful and made sure he wasn't touching any part of Wooyoung before he let his eyes slip shut.

Day 23

"We won't be gone for long, only a few hours. While we're gone, Yunho is in charge," Hongjoong told everyone as they sat around the table.

"Are you sure? Only two of you are going, it could be dangerous," Mingi said with a frown.

"We will be fine Mingi. All we're doing is some recon," Seonghwa said.

"Just, just don't get hurt," Jongho said worriedly.

"We won't. We aren't even going to engage with anyone, just watch from afar," Hongjoong said.

"Promise," Yeosang asked.

"Yes, I promise. Stop worrying you guys," Hongjoong said with a light chuckle.

"We're always going to worry about you two. There is literally nothing you can do to stop it," San said.

"That's true. But we must be going now. We should be back in a few hours so don't burn anything down while we're gone," Hongjoong said as he and Seonghwa stood up. They turned to leave but stopped as there was suddenly the sound of a chair being pushed back. Hongjoong turned, just in time for arms to be wrapped around him. He glanced around the room, instantly noticing who the person missing from the table was.

"I'll be ok Wooyoung, I'll be back really soon," he said softly, gently rubbing the younger boys back. They've made improvement in the past two weeks. Wooyoung allows San and Hongjoong to touch him, however he still shies away from the others and is still too scared to talk to them. Whatever the order did to him, it must've been made, most likely some form of torture. Seonghwa glanced over at the two of them and smiled softly. It makes him happy to see Wooyoung slowly getting more comfortable, even if it's only with Hongjoong and San.

"You need to let go now Woo, Seonghwa and I have to leave," Hongjoong said softly. Wooyoung squeezed him one last time before slowly pulling away.

"We'll see you again soon," Hongjoong said, ruffling Wooyoung's hair. Wooyoung nodded before lunging to the side suddenly. Seonghwa jolted before feeling arms wrapped tightly around him and his eyes widened. He glanced down to see that Wooyoung was hugging him tightly. He glanced at Hongjoong worriedly but the leader just gave him a reassuring smile so he hesitantly wrapped his arms back around Wooyoung. It was the first time in almost four months that he had been able to give his sunshine a hug. Four months since he's held the younger boy in his arms. He tried very hard not to tear up but it was making him emotional. Wooyoung pulled away after a few seconds and hurried back to his seat but Seonghwa couldn't keep the smile off his face. He and Hongjoong turned and left the room, heading towards the docking bay.

~~~~~

"Hey guys, Seonghwa and Hongjoong are back," Yeosang said as he opened the door to the room Wooyoung, Jongho and San were lounging in. San grinned and quickly got up, leaving the room and following Yeosang. Jongho got up to leave as well but paused and turned to Wooyoung who was still sitting on the couch, looking out the window.

"Wooyoung, are you coming? Yeosang said Hongjoong and Seonghwa are back," Jongho said. Wooyoung didn't reply, didn't even acknowledge him.

"Wooyoung," Jongho called out again, walking closer. This time Wooyoung glanced over at him briefly before turning back away. Something inside of Jongho snapped. For the past three weeks, Wooyoung has refused to say a word, has barely even acknowledged that Jongho exists. When Jongho tries to talk to him, Wooyoung just ignores him, or at least it feels like it.

"Wooyoung, are you even listening to me," Jongho asked, walking over so he was standing beside the older boy. Wooyoung didn't reply, merely just looked up at him.

"Are you kidding me? What the hell is wrong with you," Jongho yelled. Wooyoung flinched back but Jongho was too heated to stop.

"It's been weeks since we got you out and you still refuse to speak. All you do is just mope all day and ignore us. Do you know how rude that is? It's been over three weeks and yet you still haven't said a word. It's getting ridiculous Wooyoung. Absolutely ri-." Jongho cut himself off as he heard a noise and his eyes widened as he saw Wooyoung curled up with tears streaming down his face. The noises were coming from him, small sobs escaping from his lips. Jongho stumbled back a step in horror as he realised what he had just said, what he had just done. Wooyoung rushed from his chair, stumbling to the corner of the room, knocking over a few things as he went before he dropped to the ground, sobbing and breaking down. The noises that had been made drew the attention of the others as the doors were swung open and all the others rushed inside.

"What's going on? What was all that noise," Hongjoong asked with a frown.

"Oh my god, Wooyoung," San gasped, seeing the younger curled up in the corner. He went to rush over to the younger boy but Wooyoung just made an awful sound of distress and tried to get as far away from him as he could. San stopped immediately and stepped back, not wanting to distress Wooyoung even more.

"What happened," Yeosang asked quickly.

"Yes, what happened. Wooyoung was fine when I left a few minute ago," San said, spinning around to face Jongho. Everyone else turned to face the youngest as well.

"I'm so sorry," Jongho rushed out. He felt guilty for his words, for how he had acted with Wooyoung. They are supposed to be patient with him, no matter how long it takes and he had blown up at him. Wooyoung was taken from them for three months, three weeks won't make up for him.

"I-I don't know why I did it," Jongho said shakily.

"What did you do," Seonghwa asked, glancing back over at the panicking boy.

"I yelled at him. He, he wasn't answering me and I, I yelled at him. I told him he was being ridiculous," Jongho admitted guiltily.

"You did what," Mingi asked angrily. Jongho jolted and looked down quickly, trying to hide his tears as the fell.

"Ok, there is no need to yell at anyone right now. Yes Jongho was wrong but he didn't mean any harm," Hongjoong said quickly.

"Look at him," Mingi said, pointing to Wooyoung still breaking down in the corner.

"It's no ones fault Mingi. None of us know what to do and it can be overwhelming for everyone. It's not great but it isn't anyone's fault," San said quickly. Jongho let out a small sob but and Yunho quickly gave him a hug.

"Come on, let's go for a walk," he said softly, tugging the youngest from the room.

"Wooyoung, it's San, can you hear me," San asked softly as he knelt down to try and be less threatening. Wooyoung continued sobbing and curled up even more.

"Hongjoong, he isn't calming down," San said worriedly. Hongjoong tried to move closer as well but that resulted in him getting a book thrown at him that he barely dodged.

"Wooyoung, you need to try and take a deep breath. You're panicking and it's going to make you feel ill," Hongjoong said softly. As expected, Wooyoung did not reply but he also didn't calm down in the slightest.

"Woo, please try to take a deep breath," Yeosang said softly. Wooyoung shook his head, his hands coming up to cover his ears tightly.

"He isn't calming down," Mingi said worriedly.

"Youngie. Baby, please try to take a breath," Hongjoong said desperately. Wooyoung's cries begun to slow down, his breathing stuttering.

"That's good Woo, try to calm down," Yeosang said.

"I don't think that's him calming down," San said slowly. No sooner had he said that then Wooyoung suddenly stopped crying and slumped to the side. San rushed over to him and scooped him into his arms. He checked Wooyoung pulse, letting out a breath of relief as he found that it was beating well.

"He's ok. He just stressed himself until he passed out," San said quietly, holding Wooyoung close in his arms. The others all let out breaths of relief.

"Take him to his room and lay him down. I'm going to go have a chat with Jongho," Hongjoong said. San nodded and stood up, carrying Wooyoung from the room.

Day 24

San was woken up by movement and his eyes snapped open to see Wooyoung peering at him from his side. San jolted at that, sitting up and moving back quickly, so quickly that he fell out of bed. He hadn't meant to fall asleep next to Wooyoung, hadn't meant to cuddle him but he had. Now he just hoped Wooyoung wasn't about to freak out about it. He blinked his eyes open with a groan to see Wooyoung peaking over the side of his bed with a small smile on his face. San's heart started to race but he made sure to keep calm on the outside.

"Don't smile at me. That really hurt," San grumbled. Wooyoung sat up on the bed and shrugged. San sighed and got up, sitting down beside Wooyoung on the bed.

"I apologise. I wasn't supposed to fall asleep here. I didn't mean to upset you," San said. Wooyoung shook his head quickly, reaching out and cupping San's face softly. It was clear that he wanted to say something but as usual, he would not speak.

"I will never force you to do anything Wooyoung, but please, please don't keep everything in. I know you went through something horrible while the order had you captive. I don't know what they did to you but they scared you so much that you won't speak, that you are too scared to get affection from us whenever you please," San said softly. Wooyoung's head lowered and his hand slipped from San's face.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up," San said quickly when he noticed Wooyoung's reaction. Wooyoung shook his head before standing up. He walked over to his desk and rummaged around for a few seconds before grabbing a pen and a notebook before sitting down beside San again. He scribbled something down before holding out the notebook to San. San was confused but he grabbed the notebook. To see what was written.

I love you

San gasped and his head snapped up to see Wooyoung watching him. Wooyoung hasn't said anything to any of them. They haven't heard any of his thoughts in any shape or form for almost 4 months. These are the first thoughts he has shown to anyone. San felt his eyes tear up and he grabbed Wooyoung's hand.

"I love you too, so much. We all do Wooyoung," San said firmly. Wooyoung smiled and nodded softly. He let go of San's hand and grabbed the notepad again, writing some thing down. He held it out to San once again.

I don't want to talk about everything that happened but I can tell you some

"Whatever you feel comfortable with. And by no means feel that you need to tell me anything if you don't want to. I don't want to force you into anything," San said softly. Wooyoung shook his head before he began writing. San remained quiet for a few minutes while Wooyoung wrote before he finally finished. Wooyoung held it out to San with shaky hands. San grabbed it and let out a breath before he started to read.

They knew who I was and that I was from the rebellion. They also knew that I was close with Hongjoong and that he was the leader of the rebellion. They chained me to up in a room and tried to get information from me but I would never give my family up. They tortured me in various different ways, usually waterboarding but I never told them anything. They resorted to trying electrocution but I still didn't tell them. It hurt, a lot but the main thing is that I didn't give any of you up. That's all I care about, no matter the pain

San's hand came up to cover his mouth as he finished reading the note, tears falling down his face. The two named tortures he received are two of the most unthinkable tortures to receive. They are vile and painful, banned for over 100 years. They are certainly not tortures the order should be using given they're supposed to be the authority and are supposed to be better than the criminals.

"Youngie," he whispered through his tears, glancing over at the younger boy. Wooyoung had tears in his eyes though none of them were falling.

"Wooyoung I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry we took so long, that we didn't find you sooner," San cried. Wooyoung shook his head and shuffled closer, hugging San. San hugged him back firmly, clutching tightly to Wooyoung's shirt. They held each other tightly for a minute or two, just soaking up their embrace.

"I wish I could go back in time and switch places with you," San whispered. Wooyoung tensed in his arms before pulling back and shaking his head quickly.

"Shh, don't fret. I merely wish you did not have to go through this pain," San said softly. Wooyoung moved his hand, placing it delicately on San's chest, over his heart. San was confused but then he smiled.

"I love you too," he said.

Day 31

Hongjoong let out a groan and dropped his head back onto the arm of the couch he was laying on. He had been trying to figure out what the rebels next move would be against the order but he was having trouble getting good intel about the guards of one of the locations of the order. He went to let out a groan but it was cut short as he felt a hand on his waist. His head shot back up and his eyes widened as he saw Wooyoung slowly crawling on top of him on the couch. Wooyoung laid down fully, slotting his head under Hongjoong's neck. Hongjoong smiled softly, surprised to see that it was Wooyoung cuddling up to him. He has improved in the last week since San mentioned they had a talk but he hasn't gone as far to cuddle people yet.

"Hello there," Hongjoong said softly. Wooyoung glanced up at him and gave him a small smile before putting his head back down.

"How're you feeling Woo," Hongjoong asked gently. As usual, Wooyoung didn't reply but he did shrug.

"Is that a shrug for you don't know or for you're just feeling uh, meh," Hongjoong asked. Wooyoung lifted his head back up and gave Hongjoong another small smile before holding up two fingers. Hongjoong chuckled at that and ruffled Wooyoung's hair.

"You're a dork," he muttered fondly, dropping his book to hug Wooyoung back. He watched the youngers reaction closely, to see if he got scared from the action but Wooyoung just continued to rest on top of him.

"You can get some sleep if you would like, I don't mind," Hongjoong said gently. Wooyoung nodded at that and Hongjoong felt him relax on top of him. Hongjoong let his eyes slip closed, rubbing his hand up and down the youngers back. It felt nice to have Wooyoung like this, in his arms and safe.

Day 45

"Wooyoung, get off the bench, I need to finish cooking," Seonghwa said with a chuckle as the smaller boy sat on the bench with a pout.

"Come on, I need to cook," Seonghwa said, walking over and placing his hands on either side of the boy's legs. Wooyoung crossed his arms and shook his head, making Seonghwa chuckle. These past couple of weeks Wooyoung has gotten happier and has been interacting with the others more. He still gets scared to touch them sometimes and he still refuses to speak to them but at least he's been getting better, slowly though it may be.

"Let's go, off the bench. You can help me cook if you want," Seonghwa said. Wooyoung's face lit up and he nodded, jumping off the bench quickly.

"You know, I wish you guys were always so eager to help me out," Seonghwa said with a sigh as Wooyoung grabbed the knife and started to cut up the carrots. Wooyoung just shrugged and continued what he was doing. Together they cooked dinner for everyone before blending up some food for Wooyoung.

"Go tell everyone dinner is ready," Seonghwa said as he turned the stove off. Wooyoung hesitated before hurrying off. Seonghwa only realised a few seconds later what he had asked but Wooyoung was already gone. Seonghwa sighed and brought all of the food out from the kitchen and onto the tables. A few minutes later the others walked in and sat down, Wooyoung trailing in beside San happily, meaning he had managed to convey to them what about dinner. Everyone started to serve their food up, San giving Wooyoung his plate.

"So, any news on what our next move will be," Yeosang asked.

"For now we're awaiting word back from Juyeon but as soon as they manage to get their hands on the floorplan of the Vortex," Hongjoong said. San felt Wooyoung stiffen beside him, his hand slipping into San's. San put his fork down and turned to see Wooyoung watching him with a wide eyes.

"What's wrong," he asked softly. The others heard his words and turned to Wooyoung who shrunk in closer to San at the eyes on him.

"Does Vortex scare you," Hongjoong asked softly. Wooyoung hesitated before nodding slowly.

"That's ok, we won't be going there for quite some time. It's our end goal," Hongjoong said softly. Wooyoung nodded before leaning over slightly to San. San gave his hand a soft squeeze to give him some more reassurance. They continued to eat dinner and chat together, Wooyoung remaining silent but tuned into the conversations that were happening around him. San noticed that Wooyoung didn't each too much but the younger boy stayed close by his side the entire dinner. He was happy, they were all happy and San could only hope that they would remain this way.

Day 48

San held a whimpering Wooyoung in his arms, clutching him close to his side. Wooyoung was hugging him tightly, his chest heaving as the remnants of his nightmare went away.

"Shh, I've got you. You're safe, I'm here," San whispered softly into the younger boy's ear. Wooyoung sniffled and glanced up at San who was watching him closely. Wooyoung went to open his mouth but snapped it closed in an instant, looking down. San noticed the movement and realised he was going to speak but got too scared.

"It's ok Woo, you can talk to me. I promise nothing will happen to you if you speak. It's just you and I in here Youngie and I will never hurt you," San promised softly. Wooyoung's eyes went wide and he shook his head quickly.

"I promise Wooyoung, it's ok," San said, immediately being met by a vigorous shake of the head. San sat up more, grabbing Wooyoung's hand gently.

"It is. None of us will hurt you for talking, you aren't being held captive anymore. You will not be tortured," San promised. Wooyoung yanked his hand away, letting out a huff of frustration before slipping out of bed. San frowned in confusion but Wooyoung just grabbed his pad and pen before returning to the bed.

"What is it," San asked. Wooyoung hastily scribbled something before thrusting the pad to San's hands. San grabbed it and read what he said.

I can't

"You can Wooyoung. There is nothing to be scared of," San promised. Wooyoung frowned angrily and snatched the notepad back before aggressively circling his words.

"Wooyoung, it's o-." San was cut off as Wooyoung chucked the pad at the wall, catching San off guard. Wooyoung jumped from the bed and ran to his desk, grabbing an object before flinging it at San. San yelped and ducked down, hearing the glass shatter against the wall. His eyes went wide with shock before he felt something crash into his back and he cried out. He turned his head back around just in time to see Wooyoung throwing a book at him with anger in his arms. He lunged out of the way, rolling off the bed and landing on the floor with a thump. Wooyoung didn't stop throwing things at San and San ended up shuffling back until he hit the wall and curled up, using his hands to protect his head. It was clear that Wooyoung had snapped, that he had pushed the younger too far and too hard and now he was retaliating in anger. San just remained curled up how he was and let Wooyoung get all of the anger out, trusting that the younger wouldn't go so far as to harm him badly. Things kept crashing against the wall for another minute before the room suddenly went silent. San didn't move though, he remained as he was until there was a thud and he felt arms wrap around him. He quickly turned and hugged Wooyoung back tightly, allowing the younger to tuck his head into his neck as he cried.

"Let it out Wooyoung, just let it out," San whispered.

"I'm sorry for pushing you Youngie. I never should have tried to get you to talk when you weren't prepared to," San said quietly. Wooyoung let out a weak sob and shook his head, trying to pull back from the hug. San let go willingly, not wanting Wooyoung to feel overwhelmed. Wooyoung wiped his eyes quickly before grabbing the notepad and pen from beside them, hurriedly scribbling on it before showing San.

I want to but I can't

"What do you mean Wooyoung," San asked in confusion. Wooyoung sniffled before he began writing again. It took a bit longer this time before he finished and showed San what he had written.

They tried to get me to talk, to give you guys up but I wouldn't comply. I would taunt them and curse at them but I refused to tell them anything about you guys. That made them angry and after a while they grew frustrated at my taunting. They told me that if I would not tell them what they want and continued with my words, that they would make sure I could no longer speak any evil. And they did

"They did? What do you mean they did? What did they do? Did they threaten you," San asked quickly. What could be so bad that they would scare Wooyoung into refusing to speak again. Wooyoung let out another weak sob, the tears streaming down his face. He opened his mouth but didn't speak, only made a weird raspy sound.

"Wooyoung, what is it," San asked. Wooyoung shuffled closer before tilting his head up and opening his mouth wide. San was confused but peered down at Wooyoung and his heart stop, his blood turning to ice. His mind went numb and no sound left his lips. Wooyoung sobbed again and pulled back, but San quickly tugged him into his arms.

"Shh, I've got you," he whispered softly. Wooyoung only cried harder and San's heart broke but he drew in a deep breath to stop himself from showing any emotion. Once he showed one, he wouldn't be able to stop and he couldn't do it now, not with Wooyoung, not when he is already in such a fragile state.

"I'm here, I'm here for you. We didn't know but we do now and we can help you. We'll figure something out, I promise," San said. Wooyoung crawled into his lap and curled up, snuggling as close as possible to him. San tightened his grip, squeezing Wooyoung as tight as possible without hurting him.

"I've got you. You're safe with me. I will not let you get hurt by them ever again," San said firmly.

"I'm so sorry we took so long," San said sadly. Wooyoung didn't say anything, not that he could, he just relaxed in San's arms. San sat against the wall with Wooyoung in his arms for close to half an hour before finally mustering up the strength to get up. He held Wooyoung safely in his arms and stood up slowly so as to not wake him up. He walked him over to the bed and placed him delicately, pulling the blankets up over his shoulder. He glanced at him sadly before leaving the room. His heart started to race as he walked down he halls. It was around breakfast time which means everyone will be sitting down ready to eat. He couldn't even think about eating, his stomach feeling sick at the thought. Everything made sense now, everything made so much more sense. When he got to the room, he slammed the door open, gaining the attention of the others. Hongjoong seemed to notice something was wrong as he frowned and stood slowly.

"San, what's wrong," he asked.

"They cut out his tongue. They cut out his fucken tongue. He wants to speak but he can't because THEY CUT OUT HIS TONGUE," San screamed. As soon as the words left his mouth, he broke down, his knees buckling from under him.

"San," Seonghwa yelled out, rushing to his side. San broke into uncontrollable sobs as he fell sideways into Seonghwa's arms.

"Did he just say they cut out Wooyoung's tongue," Yeosang asked with a gasp. San wailed at that, clutching at Seonghwa's shirt as he gasped for breath between cries.

"B-But that's barbaric. S-Surely they wouldn't stupe that l-low," Jongho stumbled out. Hongjoong was shocked but had no doubt that San's words were true, given how he was breaking down on the floor right now. He hates to push but they need to know. He hurried over and knelt beside the two on the ground.

"San. San, what happened," he asked quickly.

"He sh-showed me. It's g-gone. They c-cut it out," San cried out. The confirmation set the others off and there was the sound of more sobs throughout the room. Before long, they were all curled up on the floor, most if not all of them crying. They were all on the floor crying for a while before they slowly calmed down. Hongjoong sniffled and wiped his eyes before pulling back from the hug.

"Come on guys, we need to figure out a way to help him. We can't take back what happened but we can find ways to help him. He's been suffering alone but now that we know, we can help him," Hongjoong said. The others slowly peeled themselves from the hug and stood as well, until it was only Seonghwa and San on the floor.

"Slight problem. San has cried himself to sleep," Seonghwa said softly. Everyone glanced over to see that San was indeed sleeping soundly in Seonghwa's arms, the tear tracks still staining his cheeks. Yunho walked over quickly and scooped San up into his arms. He then went over to the table and sat down in one of the chairs, situating San so that he could continue to sleep.

"I can't believe they would do that to him. I can't believe we will never hear him speak again, hear that gorgeous laugh," Seonghwa whispered.

"There is still hope that he may laugh one day, I think it is more so that he doesn't have a reason to right now. To talk however, I'm afraid that will be near impossible unless there are advancements in technology," Hongjoong said with a sigh.

"God, this is awful. All this time he's been back and he's been hiding that he had his, his tongue cut out," Mingi said with a sigh.

"He must be so scared," Yeosang whispered.

"He's hurt and he doesn't know how to tell us. He obviously still struggles with talking about it so we're not going to bring it up," Hongjoong said firmly.

"What do we do then," Jongho asked.

"We need to help him in some way, make him know we're here for him," Mingi added.

"Is there some sort of way he can communicate with us," Yeosang asked.

"What about a pen and paper? He can write down things he wants to tell us," Yunho said.

"That's smart, I have an idea. Yunho, go put San back to bed and we'll get everything sorted," Hongjoong said as he stood. Yunho nodded before standing and leaving the room. He took San back to his room where he found Wooyoung sleeping in his bed. He sighed to himself before placing San down beside the younger boy, moving the blankets to cover him as well. He then leaned over and gently tucked Wooyoung's hair behind his ear.

"Sleep well you two," he whispered before quietly leaving the room.

~~~~~

San was awoken by someone shaking him and he snapped his eyes open, sitting up to see Wooyoung beside him with a small smile. San sat up quickly, cupping Wooyoung's face.

"Hi. I'm sorry, I don't remember falling asleep," San said quickly. Wooyoung shrugged before giving San a hug. He pulled back after a few seconds and held up a finger heart, making San smile softly.

"I love you too," he whispered. Wooyoung got out of bed quickly and held out his hand to which San grabbed. They left the room hand in hand, heading towards the kitchens but Wooyoung paused when he noticed a whiteboard and markers in the hall. He glanced over at San in confusion but the other just shrugged. They continued walking and Wooyoung kept noticing odd things, more whiteboards, notepads, even an screen set off to the side lit up on a notes page. When they finally got to the kitchens, Wooyoung yet again paused at the sight of a notepad and pen. He yanked San's hand and pointed to it.

"I'm honestly not sure but I may have told the others what you told me earlier. I'm sorry, I hope I didn't push a boundary," San said worriedly. Wooyoung quickly grabbed the pen and wrote down something.

It's ok, I'm glad you did. It saves me from having to do it

He quickly added another note.

This is actually really sweet, it make me happy despite everything

"I'm glad. What the did to you was so vile, so evil. We cannot take back what has been done but we can do everything to make things easier for you Wooyoung. I promise they will pay for what they did to you," San said firmly. Wooyoung grinned before throwing his arms around San's neck, hugging him tightly. San swallowed before hugging his waist softly.

"You will be safe with us," he said and Wooyoung nodded.

Wooyoung finally fully relaxed for the first time in months, feeling safe and content in San's arms. The boys knew and they were looking after him, they were going to help him.  

A/N

Here is yet another oneshot guys and it was quite a long one, probably the longest I've ever done. I may or may not have gotten carried away and maid it over 11,000 words but oh well, you guys have said it you love the longer fics anyway

Let me know what you guys thought of this one, your favourite moments.

Were any of you able to predict what had happened with Wooyoung?