╰─➤ and you'll be safe under my control
just let me in

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the nightmares persisted like like an ugly cold coming back again and again. donghyuck got about five nights of decent sleep a week and usually two or three nights were plagued with horrible sleep paralysis and shadows whispering around them. he remembered them better each time he awoke, and yet he didn't know what to tell the others. he could've been losing his mind...or something could've been amiss. it made him nervous.

regardless, life went on. training never stopped and he felt himself getting closer to his goals — which looked a lot like the rest of the harem's strength. he wasn't such a weak link anymore, but not overly helpful yet either. his relationships also grew stronger, particularly where renjun was concerned as he'd started getting quite bossy and protective. the reasons were still evading donghyuck as to why.

the sandy-blonde sat cross-legged against a tree in the garden, finally allowed to be out on his own. across his lap lay a tome detailing a lot of gang history dating back to the eighties. when a lot of gemstones starting leaving their marks on the underworld.

pictures and articles littered every page, but it was all interesting and useful stuff. he reached the modern years last night while the others were sleeping, too alert himself to rest. now he could recognise most leaders and gangs and list what they did as well, but he couldn't chase the feeling of despair away with how much information he had to cover.

flicking over a page about amethyst, he was once again faced with topaz, quite a powerful gang neighbouring garnet territory. they'd been getting stronger since the early naughties, and now they were the only group, apparently, that garnet really struggled to contend with.

jeno never mentioned them much, though. donghyuck pursed his lips as he looked into the current gang lord, jang jiho. an unusual breath of fresh air after taking in the beaten, savage faces of the rest of the mafias. jiho was quite good-looking, in a pretty way. his hair, in the photo from two years ago anyway, was a bit longer and tied back into a fountain. his eyes were intense and frosty but he smiled like he'd won something. overall his features were gentle curves like his cheekbones and a pronounced cupid's bow over his lips. had he not been a nasty gang leader, one could've mistaken him for a model.

hyuck arched his brow and read a bit more about him — about topaz. they were more into info broking, weapon distribution as well and only dabbled in the prostitution ring. something about the whole thing seemed too obvious...too safe, maybe? what made them so tough?

a stick snapped somewhere in the distance to donghyuck's right. he flinched, gripping the book a little tighter and looking around cautiously. he waited a moment, listening intently before realising that everything had gone very quiet. the breeze that had been rustling the leaves over his head had stopped and any wildlife that had been chittering before now ebbed into silence.

his right mind was telling him this was normal, that even nature had its peaceful quiets from time to time. but his instincts we're on high alert and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. "hello?!" he called, voice cracking at the end. he cleared his throat and looked back down at the book, the page corners beginning to flutter again with the renewal of the wind. 

"donghyuck?"

the omega's head snapped up at his name and he released a sigh of relief as doyoung rounded a hedge and waved with a cute smile. "oh, it's you. i thought..."

"hm?"

he shrugged and shook his head at his own stupid paranoia. "nothing. this gang is driving me crazy."

"believe me, happens to all of us. what're you up to? it's nearly lunchtime."

"study," hyuck lifted the hardback with a wheeze, lowering it back down afterwards and resting his head back against the rough bark of the tree. "boring stuff."

"not at all," the raven-haired adult chuckled and knelt down beside him to take a peek. "wow, you're researching topaz?"

"kinda. these guys are supposed to be a big deal but...well, nothing feels like a big deal compared to garnet. you know?"

"mhm," doyoung hummed, staring at the article curiously and nodding away. this wasn't his area of expertise, so it wasn't surprising he didn't have enlightening knowledge.

"how're the kids?"

"pretty good. some of them are losing their teeth now and that's always a headache, but they're getting to the age where we can really educate them on their futures. about the mafia and whatnot."

"does it ever...bother you?" donghyuck murmured softly and realised this was probably rude considering doyoung could've chosen this life. "ah, i mean, teaching children about gangs and stuff. it's a bit sad, isn't it?"

"it would be if we weren't all so desensitised. i've done this all before, it isn't my first rodeo."

"when did you join garnet?"

the elder huffed a surprised sigh and thought about it for a moment. "i'm not sure. around when renjun joined, i think? a year and a half ago? he was eighteen or nineteen then and you're all twenty now, aren't you?"

"oh...you're kind of new."

"mhm, yeah. it feels like forever sometimes though when you're stuck in here all the time. i don't get to leave much, you see."

"what did you do before? what was your life like, if you don't mind me asking?"

"not at all," doyoung hummed and stared off into the distance. he looked pensive, and hyuck suddenly wondered if he was really here against his will. "i used to teach in a school. it was fine, it was life. and then my life got really messy, i met a guy...he introduced me to, well...this. it's been a spiral ever since, and now i'm back where i started. teaching kids."

"was this guy a dealer or something?"

"no, he was a barista. a really cute one."

"an omega?"

"yeah...i'm weak to a pretty face and he was particularly charming. he had a wild side i hadn't predicted though, and i fell into his world with my eyes wide open."

"does he work with garnet?"

doyoung blinked back into the present and looked at hyuck for the first time in a while. "no. he doesn't."

"oh. you don't see him anymore then."

he chuckled and rubbed his eyes against the sun. "i'm an idiot, aren't i?"

"kinda. but me too, so it's okay."

the raven-haired boy released an airy laugh.

>>>>>

"remind me what the theme was this year?" jaemin hummed as he held his arms out to get measured. a male member of garnet quietly wandered around him and ran the tape measure over his arms and chest and whatnot, denoting the results.

jeno, standing off to the side beside him while also getting measured looked up to think for a moment. "'through the decades', i think."

jaemin hummed, dropping his arms now that the boy was wrapping the tape around his waist. "what decade are we doing?"

"which one do you want to do?"

"hard to decide. the others would all suit different ones...but we have to match. so..."

"you'd look great in a naughties juicy couture tracksuit set."

"you just want to see 'juicy' written in a glittery font across my ass. i agree."

"mark would die."

"he would suit the english eighties. picture it, big jeans, tight shirts, makeup..."

"i'd like to see jisung in a twenties bartender getup. that would be nice."

jaemin started to chuckle and stretched out once the guy was done with him. "anyways, this isn't helping. we need to pick something so the tailors can start right away, we're running out of time."

"have you asked the others?" jeno enquired before stepping away once he was finished as well. "they might have an era they like."

"maybe. if they say the seventies though i'm going to ball."

"no hippy?"

"no hippy."

the leader grinned, pulling his lover in by his bare waist and planting a kiss over his crown of pale hair. the cropped t-shirt jaemin wore rose above his belly button, and he had his naval piercing in today. "go sort it out with the rest of them, i won't mind one way or the other."

"indeed, captain. i'll inform you of the decision by dinner. i hope."

jeno glided his hands along the boy's hips, up along his sides and arms until he finally cupped his face pinched teasingly. "go call the next two in to be measured. i'm going to the office to sort through the stack of paperwork jisung and renjun said i'd neglected."

"they weren't wrong. and who's next?"

"anyone. whoever's not busy." with that he leaned in and stole a quick kiss, tugging at jaemin's lip with his teeth before pecking his cheek and walking out swiftly. the younger of the two released a long sigh and looked out the window towards the midday sun, pondering on who to drag over here.

"why me? i'm clearly busy," chenle booed and waved jaemin away with his bare foot. he was in fact not busy and instead laying on his stomach reading.

"you need to get the measurements done today or tomorrow anyway, le. do it now and get it over with."

"i'm probably the same size as when we measured in the winter."

"or you've gained weight or muscle, we don't know. get your ass up," the blonde nagged and jumped up onto the spare sitting area sofa to attempt to kick the dark-haired boy off. "jeno told me to."

"uhuh? chenle's telling you 'no'." the elder gritted his teeth and pounced on top of him, eliciting a shriek from him and manoeuvred them both into a neck lock with chenle pressed tight against his chest. it was a little easy, which left him somewhat concerned.

"not planning on fighting me?" he teased, tightening his arm around the other's throat and chenle couldn't help but laugh when the pressure was applied.

"i was going to, and then suddenly you were on top of me and i lost my motivation."

jaemin sighed and rested his forehead against le's shoulder, loosening his hold altogether and fastening his arms around him instead as an embrace from behind. "you're so annoying."

"i'm glad my committed effort has been noted."

they both huffed out airy giggles, and chenle tilted his head back to look at him. "i'm messing with you, by the way. wanted to see how long it would take for you to give up."

"i was seriously considering it. today is not the day," the blonde smiled tensely, and the younger captured that grin in a chaste kiss before pulling away. they simply stared at each other in that awkward angle for a moment before drawing their faces closer once more and deepening the kiss until chenle had to twist around and sit in jaemin's lap to seek better comfort.

the younger quickly laced his fingers through blonde hair and won the fight for dominance all too easily while jaemin succumbed to the loss and instead moved his hands to chenle's waist, pushing up the baggy t-shirt to feel warm skin underneath.

the ravenette smiled into the kiss, pressing his hips hard against the other and feeling victorious when he heard a groan. he pulled away, running his fingers down from nana's hair to his slightly flushed cheeks and just holding him. "what was that about a job? we're too busy for this, huh?"

"i can't stand you."

"good thing you're sitting," chenle licked his lower lip. "all the same, i want some 'motivation' for standing with my arms out pointlessly. sit still."

jaemin tilted his head back and pressed his thumb and index finger into his eyes to alleviate tension. sometimes chenle was the most incredible person one could ever meet and you'd feel lucky to have crossed his path, and other times it really sang to you why one shouldn't make an enemy of him. he never lost. always won. and if he didn't, it was intentional and part of his bigger plans.

chenle crawled down to the floor to sit between the elder's legs, reaching out to touch his naval piercing. "sometimes i forget you have this."

"and this," jaemin poked out his tongue, wearing a particularly small bead.

"no, that one i always remember," he winked, "kisses are different. but this hazard," he trailed his finger down the midline of his abs, "is never in. i suppose you often train and go out."

"mhm. it catches on everything."

chenle leaned in and kissed it, trailing his lips downwards towards the button of the boy's shorts. he was quick and concise when opening them, tapping the blonde's hips to lift them up while he drew down his pants and underwear in one motion.

"shouldn't we move?" jaemin breathed airily, looking over to the door of the typically dormant room. "people can wander in and out."

"and since when did that bother us?" the younger chuckled and pressed a kiss to his inner thigh. "didn't you and jeno notoriously fuck anywhere when you were teenagers?"

"point taken, but not appreciated."

chenle needed only stroke the other's length a few times before he was completely erect, and he wasted no time before lowering his mouth over it slowly.

jaemin tensed up, one hand tightly clutching a pillow and the other in chenle's hair. he breathed with as much control as possible, but it was difficult when the younger boy took every lesson he learned seriously and knew his way around sex like a pro. his tongue dug into all the right places while his throat opened as much as possible to fit more.

he held onto jaemin's legs gently, his nails occasionally pinching when he took on a little more than he could handle but relaxing once he navigated the obstacle. the blonde's breath hitched and he cautiously pressed up into his mouth a bit further, loosing a soft 'ngh' when he touched the back of his throat.

chenle tapped his thigh warningly, his eyes hooded with his dark lashes as he gazed up at him through them. he was ethereal, nearly glowing at times. he slid along jaemin's length with practiced ease and sped up just a bit as he sensed the other's oncoming desperation.

"lele...wait..."

the raven-haired beta felt his chest tighten with arousal himself, but he held back for the sake of actually getting to the measurements soon that jaemin had wanted him to do at the beginning. he'd cash in this favour later though, wanting nothing more than to have him inside him rather than just his mouth.

he sucked a little harder as he drew up towards the end and jaemin quickly tried to pry him away, warning him that he was ready. but without tissues and the willpower to clean up, chenle batted his hand away and ran his tongue teasingly over the shaft once more before feeling the elder's legs tighten around his sides and hot, salty liquid shoot to the back of his throat,

"chenle, you idiot—"

the younger coughed but swallowed it fine, waving him off and steeling his expression into one of neutral calm. he was anything but. "it's fine. who was gonna clean up, anyway?"

"still...don't breathe on the tailors."

"noted."

jaemin released a long breath and just flopped back to rest for a moment. chenle leaned his cheek against the other's thigh and closed his eyes, drinking in the peace yet again. in moments like these they wished they had potent pheromones to enjoy rather than just the usual smells of post-sex. jeno and renjun always said it was the most magical part.

"whenever you have the energy, we do in fact need to find hyuck. he's getting measured too," nana hummed and lazily started to pull his trousers back up over his waist. chenle lifted his head and ran the back of his hand over his mouth before standing with more enthusiasm.

"nice. haven't seen him since this morning."

"me neither."

>>>>>

donghyuck dragged his feet along the corridor floor as he found his way towards the dining room to grab a snack. he accidentally fell asleep outside and woke up with a start having a morbid nightmare about getting punished for disappearing for too long.

he scratched at his bicep and fixed the heavy book in his arms, surprised that none of the others were around, and more-so not in a tizzy looking for him. he didn't usually get more than an hour on his own before someone came to retrieve him.

was this trust? he cracked a smile, and then dropped it and changed his mind. better to assume they were incredibly busy with the upcoming missions and the midsummer reception.

"you have grass in your hair!" someone called from down the hall where he'd just come from. hyuck swivelled around and caught both chenle and jaemin walking in his direction. he knew the silence had lasted too long.

"where?" he questioned, nearly thinking it was a prank before shaking out his pale waves and finding more than grass scattering gently to the floor. "oh."

"hang on," jaemin chuckled and wandered over to turn him around to face the other way. the gentle caress of his fingers through donghyuck's hair sent goosebumps along the boy's back, making him clutch the book a bit harder. debris fluttered down and and eventually he was deemed clean before turning back around. he was about to thank the blonde before jaemin released a small 'ah, one more' and tugged a leaf out, showing hyuck his discovery. "fought a war in the back yard, did you? who one? you or the woodland nymphs?"

"it was a long, gruelling battle...but alas i was the victor. all that training paid off."

"glad to hear it." his gaze shifted down, "light reading between fights too?" he nodded towards the tome he'd given him three days ago. "how's it going?"

"it's a lot," donghyuck sighed, looking to chenle as well who'd started staring outside towards the nearing sunset. "i've gotten to the present day leaders and stuff now though. feels like i'm making progress."

"good job," the elder ruffled hyuck's hair and played with it, the softness pleasant under hands that were used to rough things. "i was looking for you, actually. you and chenle need to get measured before dinner. let's go."

"measured for what?"

"outfits," chenle groaned, already turning back the way they'd came to head onwards to the staircase. "apparently i've gained weight."

"i never said that," jaemin scoffed and wrapped his arm around hyuck's shoulders so he could guide him without allowing escape. the omega suddenly wondered how awful this was going to be.

"what are we wearing?"

"the theme is 'through the decades'," the oldest hummed and tapped a subconscious finger against the shorter boy's arm. "what do you think? do you have a favourite decade?"

"does it specifically target korean decades?" chenle voiced, looking back over his shoulder while he climbed the stairs. "our history doesn't really align entirely with the rest of the world."

"i think it's general. if you're a fan of the western world, i'm sure that all counts. why? got a penchant for flare jeans?" nana snickered.

"you lot wouldn't be able to handle my ass in flare jeans," was all le rebutted, and quite frankly he was probably right.

they reached the second floor and took a left to find the where the tailors usually camped out, fixing gear, experimenting with new materials against weapons, fancy dress for parties. it was a place donghyuck had only visited once to get measured the first time. whatever chenle said about being the same weight as half a year ago, he knew for a fact he himself had gained weight and muscle in the short couple of months he'd been here.

the room was buzzing when they walked in, with gang members running around carrying clipboards and ruined gear and other such things. jaemin could only internally laugh at how quiet and reserved it had been only an hour before when jeno had been here.

"two more for you!" he pushed the newcomers towards the designated circles on the ground where the person to be dressed needed to stand. hyuck nearly stumbled, but he gathered himself and walked cautiously the rest of the way. chenle had his arms folded and wore only a loose t-shirt and three-quarter-length shorts to combat the heat of the day. a fresh bite-mark was forming near his collarbone, and the elder quickly looked away...then realised it wasn't strange for him to see these things anymore.

"hi, i'll be measuring you again," the same girl from the first time stood in front of him, and he nodded with a small smile. she continued, "i'll compare your new results with your old ones to make sure you're in good shape. you can weigh yourself after this, though you look much better already."

"thank you."

she hummed and rooted around her small bag for a measuring tape, pulling it out and finding the right end. "okay, lift your shirt for me." donghyuck blushed for no reason and raised it up close to his neck, stunning himself when he saw the small, flat forming abs where they hadn't been when he arrived. he never liked to look at himself before, feeling skinny and weak and vulnerable. but he didn't look or feel that way anymore.

"right, you've definitely filled out. good job," she nodded curtly, writing down the measurement. he wondered if she had a background in nursing or something too, since last time she and sungchan had both had very similar advice for him about getting stronger. her tape wove around his chest next, and his stomach sank a little anxiously. "good," she murmured to herself and wrote it down as well. "i was worried, i must admit. it's hard to tailor matching clothes to different body types sometimes, but you've caught up really quick."

"thank you."

"thank me," chenle huffed indignantly beside him while his arms were measured. "i'm the one pushing you through diets and fitness training."

"thank you, le. really," donghyuck smiled softly, and nearly wanted to cry. the version of him from a few months ago would never have thought he'd ever look like this. like someone who could stand up for himself instead of taking the hits.

jaemin stalked over and had stolen a cookie from the staff's jar. he leaned against a table and watched quietly, looking both boys up and down and nodding in approval.

"have you thought of a decade?" chenle's tailor asked as he started to put back all his things. "we need ideas."

"why don't we ask the others?" donghyuck thought aloud.

"of course, but we need a plan soon. we only have just over a week to make seven flawless outfits. we're not exactly miracle workers."

"we'll figure it out, don't you worry," jaemin waved them off. "it's fine."

the pair didn't look convinced, but they bowed respectfully and left it there.

the three harem members left to get some dinner, donghyuck beaming at the news that he was in good health. of all the things he thought he could possibly get out of being in a mafia, glowing up wasn't one of them. his smile lasted the rest of the evening.

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...to be continued