[ took me a while to write this cause it's quite long and for some reason I struggled more than usual in writing "action" also I had covid with a nice sprinkle of mental breakdowns from looking at my bank balance while I got wasted 💃]

" So what.. Do you just run around fixing and finding random things for a bit of money?" Kyungsoo asked, following after jay with jongin walking beside him, trailing the girl who'd asked for their help.

" at the beginning it was just a way for jay to get his dates " he explained looking at the said beta flirting with the girl unnecessarily explaining more details about her stolen purse that she'd asked them for help for " but then I guess more and more came and when they offered money, we sorta just kept it going "

" sojoon is ok with this ?" Kyungsoo then asked, and jongin put his hands out of his pocket, glancing down at him with a look that told kyungsoo he should know their alpha wouldn't approve of this He would think it was immoral and just not right, whatever he meant by that.

Kyungsoo still struggled understanding what was wrong and what was right. He understood sojoons right and wrong to some extent, but then his pack each had different rights and wrongs that sojoon would accept, yet somehow kyungsoos perspective was something he couldn't because they cross a line.

where was the line? He always found himself asking only to hear the same explanation of stealing being wrong and dont hurt people, but even then, they dont threaten people. If he couldn't hurt or threaten them, how else is he supposed to make them fear him?

Jongin seemed closest to the said line, every now and then he'd act or say certain things that would make their alpha give him the look aswell, where he furrowed his eyebrows enough to draw a bunch of extra wrinkles on his forehead. His lips would go thinner as he pressed them together, and he would visibly retain himself from letting his eyes glow up in red and scold the beta. Often, he would fall into that pattern of either folding his arms or resting them on either side of his hip witht he clearing of his throat, but jongin would only roll his eyes, give away a shrugg

As much as kyungsoo disliked the beta, he paid attention when he was being called out specifically by him most of all because while jay and eujin wouldn't say anything. Chanyeol would use some weird words and tone to explain it in length and useless consideration. Jongin wouldn't. He was the only one to grab him and tell him what was wrong. And he trusted that for one because jongins right and wrong was accepted, and it seemed the closest to kyungsoos

" There.. thats her. " The girl finally spoke as they reached her locker, and she pulled a picture of her friend out." she's usually at the secretary  being a nerd at this time.."

" Why would she steal your purse ?" Jay took the picture, leaning against the lockers besides hers.

" It's an expensive purse, and she's always jealous because I can afford things she couldn't.. plus, we sort of had a fight about this guy hitting on me that she liked. " she rolled her eyes. Looking away as she pressed her lips together

" What's your name ?" Jongin asked at that, and she looked over with risen eyebrows.
" June," she bit her lip, shifting in her stands and eyeing jay, who smiled back in return just before she pointed back at the picture, " That's soya."

" and she stole a stupid purse because of some guy ?" Kyungsoo frowned at her, so she sighed

" she really liked him eventhough I can't see how, he's a pervert and a weirdo everyone knows of his weird panty shot collection but they met at some stupid history convention and she liked him since then. Couple of days ago in the breakroom I caught heran, that's his name, trying to look under my skirt several times so I called him out and she thinks I flirted with him or made the whole thing up." She explained, and the betas looked between each other as kyungsoo folded his arms.
" You're just a stupid as you look,"

" Excuse me ?" Her eyes looked back at him, shocked and flabbergasted.

" You dont call perverts out, you threaten to snip their dick off or stab an eye ou-" jongin held kyungsoos shoulder at that and he swallowed, sighing as he noticed her wide eyes stare at him in as if she struggled comprehending the obvious.

" we'll talk to her.." jay announced, taking the picture along and pulling her out of her trance." dont worry, pink cheeks, we'll get it back for you. "

She blushed little and smiled haldheartedly, waving her hand as jay had winked before throwing an arm over kyungsoos's shoulder, walking with him. " I always favored Rose cheeks though "

" I dont even care to know the difference" kyungsoo rolled his, twistung jays finger to make him retreat his arm with a little groan, which had earned them a little chuckle from the tallest beta, side eying them before turning the corner and pursuing the way silently.

-

The clock was ticking as jongin and kyungsoo waited in the hallway, having a fine distance between them and the teachers' breakroom where jay had entered to talk to soya about the missing purseheran the pervert. The omega had folded his arms, remembering how jay had told them to wait outside because some teacher were still disturbed by kyungsoo, and he would most likely cause a scene.

He adjusted from where he stood.
Jongin was leaning against the wall across him, kicking around a random stone in boredom. I'm not minding the omega by any bit.

It was unexpected that it felt uncomfortable, kyungsoo thought.
Both of them had been on peaceful ties so far, despite arguing over little things constantly, both tried not to take it so far to become violent, not that kyungsoo didnt feel temped whenever jongin would hold him back or push him behind himself like he thought he could control him, stand infront of him in danger. Like he thought kyungsoo needed that.

The omega scoffed, watching jongin kick the stone around.

He'd slept in jongins room since that night, and sojoon accepted it. He was confused why jongin didn't mind or seem to care much, but he didn't question it so far. It's only been 3 nights. Eventually, he might just say something.

The stone suddenly rolled over and against kyungsoos shoe, making him turn to the beta who looked at him now, empty and as they held eye contact he looked away again, hands disappearing into his pocket awkwardly as he rolled his eyes.

Kyungsoos lips twitched into a little smirk at the sight. He hated this atmosphere too. He was just better at not showing it.

Pressing his lips together in thought, he kicked the stone back to jongin, who frowned as it hit his shin, probably causing a little ache, and the omega made a patronizing sad face at him in return.

Jongin parted his lips before exhaling in a disbeliefing smile and biting his lip to lose it again as he kicked the stone back only for kyungsoo to dodge it and send it back, resulting in the beta to do the same letting it turn into a back and forth as the sound of the stone traveling over the ground hitting wall to wall overcame the ticking of the clock.

Caught up in the match of who could sent the stone to the return faster, kyungsoo finally kept the stone to himself and jongin moved away from his wall causing the omega to do the same meeting the other halfway when jongin moved his feet foreward in attempt of retrieving the stone now and starting yet another back and forth as they fought over the stone now instead, feet nearly entangling. The omega started pushing against jongins chest as the bets tried holding his arms to prevent him from moving the stone away.

And then the door opened and both jumped apart and stayed still, as jay walked out. Kyungsoo swallowed down his smile, not having realized he'd nearly laughed as jongins smile faded equally as fast.

" well-" jay looked between the 2 with his eyebrows lifted." Did you 2 fight again?"

" No,"
" Yes,"

They looked at each other for a moment, but jay only sighed and stepped closer
" Whatever.. so heres the deal.. seems like jody confused her friends. " " June " jongin correct, but the other beta just waved his hand at him.

" So.. soya isn't the friend we need to get information out of ?" Kyungsol then asked, following as he started walking off.
" Who then ?"

-

feet clashing and sliding on the grounds of the gym rang in their ears as they entered, eyes looking for the said girl they'd needed to talk to, rather than the one they had wasted their time on at the teachers room.

kyungsoo didn't really know what to look for and left it to the betas while he eyed and judged all the objects and things standing around by the side, things that had him title his head confused.
Hed been in the gym before, and even then, he found all these objects strange, and the sight of students struggling around them and using them was rediculous. He didn't understand why they were wasting time on useless activities rather than learning how to fight properly.

Not that he cared more to figure out what the point of all this was. Sojoon hadn't allowed him to participate in gym class anymore after he knocked several students out during a game he leaned in called Dodgeball. the teachers had warned him, calling him too competitive and violent, he couldn't understand the problem. in his point of view, the ones who'd passed out needed lecturing and extra training. how can someone be too competitive when it was a competition

" Soya," jay called into the crowd of students playing another game with a ball that they threw over a net at each other.

soya stopped to turn and look at them, and kyungsoo eyed her stature as she exhaled, stepping away from the game confused and drenched in sweat.

She didnt seem like she would be friends with someone like june, soyas clothes were mismatched, eujin would definitely comment on her wearings as she liked to do occasionally, not to mention her hair was messy, dry and lazily tied. She was still a good-looking female, kyungsoo thought, but one could tell she didn't put any effort in appearing appealing unlike her friend june. He didn't see why someone like soya would be jealous of a purse and steal it.
" What ?" She looked between the 3 and jay started talking, and he usually would. He liked to talk. He was a very social person who liked to communicate and ask questions as well as brag about himself. There was a tone he would sometimes use, however, a tone that msde ither blush and giggle at him. He wasn't using it now, oerhaps because he noticed she wasn't the type to giggle at it.

kyungsoo looked around the gym, while they talked, discussing junes situation and he couldnt bring himself to listen to them arguing ovet the legitimacy of junes story, instead he found himself looking at various things in many corners. Balls and wooden sticks and more balls and mats. Some weird bigger rings and shields.
He wondered what would be easiest to grab and knock someone out with, not because he feared or wanted to be ready but because it simply was a habit he always dreamed off for, if he didnt have an escape plan or a weapon to reach for in case of an emergency then he would remain restless.

It would be easier if he was allowed to bring weapons with himself, then he wouldnt be doing much more than scanning a location once or twice inbetween but since He wasnt allowed to bring a weapon to school, the time where he couldnt mansge to sneak some extras in through jongins backpack or his boots were uncomfortsble. 

And then finally as soyas eyes lit up in anger and one of her friends stepped foreward from behind her with a growl, jongin held kyungsoo by his shoulder and moved to stand by jay with a warning growl in return.

Kyungsoos unfolded his arms, more alarmed and attentive in search of a threat.
He still had a knife in his boot, but since drawing blood would disappoint sojoon, he thought the wooden sticks not far was the best to go and grabbed in any case.

" Fine," she said, glancing at her friend to back off before back at jongin hesitantly and then jay at last.

She must know not to go against the both of them by the time she was faced with jongins growl. Kyungsoo didn't even have to do anything or step forward. the beta on his own was threatening and clear enough without saying a word.

The omega looked down with a little smirk as he bit his lips and focused back on the girl.
" I didn't steal it .." she sighed," but I may know who "

" Who ?" Jay asked, voice more strict and serious than before, but she only looked back at him for another moment in thought as she kicked over her lips and placed her hands on her hips with an exhale. Then, a smile made itself visible
" I'll tell you if.. " her hand moved away from having rested on her hip to pointing upward at the ceiling." You get the ball back for us, "

The omega clenched his jaw at her confident smile, feeling fed up with the fact that jay had even looked up, frowning in search of her demand.
Kyungsoo stepped foreward at that, pushing hismelf through inbetween the betas to point at her " listen you little pimple, if you dont give us what we need I'll peel your skin off and set a match to the rest of you" jongin held his arm to prevent him from stepping up any closer to her, who only seemed amused by his threat which didnt sit right with him as she shrugg.
" The ball or see yourself out boys."

Kyungsoo ripped his arm out of jongins hold at that, inhaling to keep his calm because the calm finds the reason and whatever. His eyes dropped to the ground, and he folded his arms.

Jongin and jay however were alresdy looking up and seeing the old aligned pipes through the cracked and wide opened ceiling, most likely caused by a previous accident or bust of old materials that made the cover fall and reveal the ugly mess of pipes and ventilations behind it. A blue ball peaked out at the edge of the opened and old ventilation shaft hidden in between pipes.
[Idk what I'm talking bout & i dont wanna do the research on school ceilings and vents or what not so nod & roll with it😙✌️]

" It's too high and tight.. have u looked at us ? Who would fit in between those pipes, not to mention swing over and through to get into the vent? " jay frowned, looking like he was about to laugh at her demand.

She nodded, pursing her lips before looking at kyungsoo. " You're pup might."

Kyungsoos met her eyes at that, frowning still before finally looking up to examine the position of the ball as well, yet before he could even say anything, jongin huffed out. " Yeah, that's not gonna happen,"

Jay sighed, taking a step to her again in approach. I'm more careful. " Listen, soya we're just -"
" The ball or good luck keep searching."

annoyed by her stubborness the beta pressed his lips together with closed eyes, turning around to look back at the 2 in clear frustration even more so at the fact that jongin seemed unimpressed or unbothered at best  while kyungsoo was still busy examining the ceiling still, until his eyes dropped to Jay " Fine "

Jongin frowned and turned to him
" No, not fine."

" It's possible, I've fit in and dangled from worse places," he concluded, eyes traveling along the pipes

" Like where.. ?" jay titled his head interested but kyungsoo followed the pipes with his eyes, taking steps to find a good spot to begin with as he thought of the best way to climb and get into the vent where the bit of blue from the ball peaked out. He was still aware of his bad wrist, he didnt want to depend on it for long, so he needed the shirtest way possible.

" He's not doing this, just ask the janitor or something." jongin shocked his head, but it only caused the omega to turn to him equally as irritated
" You think I can't do this ?"

" I think you shouldn't -" " It's fine, jongin. I'll just catch him if he falls." jay pat his shoulder in optimism, but it didn't change the displeased expression the beta wore

" Boost me up too," kyungsoo nodded, pulling jay along by his arm to position him under the pipe he would intend to grab.

" kyungsoo " jongin warned displeased as he followed them, stopping with a sigh once jay got down and folded his hands, showing them to the omega who leaned foreward and held onto his shoulder as he stepped onto the hands presented to him. 

squinting at the sight of them straightening up, jongin felt himself tightening his fist in his folded arms as his eyes followed kyungsoos right hand reach up to the ceiling in focus, ready to be boosted while his other still held onto jays shoulder.

Jay lowered himself again and kyungsoos knuckles turned white from holding onto the betas shoulder and jongin felt uncomfortable seeing as it had also been the hand that still wore the cast around his thin wrist, scars of the bites where flesh was missing were disappearing into it.
Jongin hated this

" ok 1... 2... 3" he sprung up, and kyungsoo jumped only to barely miss the pipes and fall again. 

caught off guard, jay squeaked and barely caught him with the help of jongin, who'd flinched foreward and grabbed both kyungsoos' arms, preventing him from slipping out of the other betas clumsy catch.

Jongin cursed under his breath as he looked down at the omegas' frustrated expression once he stood again. " You ok ?"

" I jumped too late.. Let's go again, " he answered instead, and irritated jongin looked over him in disbelief 

" I didn't let you come along so you could get yourself injured," jongin scolded, but kyungsoo only glared back at him. 

" I didnt ask to come along you told me to alright and isnt this what you do here you get things done for others to get paid so let me get this done " he shrugg his hold off but the beta kept his strict expression on him, hardening his furrowed eyebrows into a glare aswell once he looked up to jay who had pursed his lips without commenting and got down to let kyungsoo climb on again. 

frustrated he realized he wouldn't be able to stop either of them, so instead, he rolled his eyes and held jays arms, stopping him from boosting him up again. " I'll boost you then,"

Offended jay Rose, his eyebrows. " I can -" " Clearly, you can't, mickey Mouse."

the girls laughed in the background and jay bit onto both his lips folding his arms as he smiled at the girls embarrassed.

Meanwhile jongin got down to reach his hands out and kyungsoo hesitated but didnt comment further as he stepped onto jongins folded hands, holding onto his shoulders, the beta straightened letting him notice that he was taller than jay and stronger by how effortlessly it had seemed as he lifted him up further letting him catch the sign that he should step onto his shoulders instead, which he did.
Hands fixed on jongins as soon as he stood on his shoulders and had the beta gripping his ankles

" 1.." he lowered himself again, and kyungsoos hand loosened on jongins around his ankles as he looked up to the ceiling
" 2.." kyungsoo balanced himself, trusting jongins hold as he straighted and reached his hands up, bending his knees lightly as well
" 3" he jumped as jongin boosted him, allowing him to fly into the air and at last catch the pipe with both hands. It made a sound, shifting lightly at the added weight, and jognin watched him closely as kyungsoo fixed his hold and pulled himself up, legs wrapping around it. 

" I could've done that too," jay commented on, but the beta didn't reply. Instead, he watched closely at how kyungsoo moved along the pipes like he'd never been doing anything else. 

he stepped forward, following him on the ground and making sure he was always right under the boy in case he'd slip or lose his hold. but the more and the closer he got to the vent, the more he eased up because it didnt seem like the omega didnt know what he was doing, infact watching him moving his arms to the next pipe and swinging around it by the back of his knees to catch another with his hands was almost mesmerizing, it seemed so simple and smoothly that jongin found himself watching because he was intrigued instead of anxious. 

kyungsoo was a good fighter, jongin knew. He was fast, and he was smart as well as skilled, but he hadn't thought just how precise and flexible he was. Even during fights, hed always moved with such ease as if gravity had been on his side all his life but during fights it was something quite intimidating to watch, now as jongin watched him in a setting like this it was intriguing, how he moved like he had perfect control of every movement he made, when he knew very well it hadnt been true not long ago, when the omegas injured wrist had betrayed him and his ankle would bend at times making him stumble little whenever he sat too long but now he seemed he was doing more than fine, he was great. 

and then he stopped close to the vent, for once jogin could see kyungsoo exhale at the work hed down, shaking his casted wrist and then he looked down briefly at jongin right under him causing the beta to inhale himself as he forced himself to keep his hands down from wanting to reach out as he suddenly felt anxious again.

kyungsoo let himself down from the pipe he'd been climbing on, only hanging by his hands now as he swung his legs back and forth until getting enough of a swing to jump and catch the next, not wating to swing back again as instead he'd used it only as another boost and swung upward into the vent, disappearing from their eyes. 

" well damn he made it," jay mumbled, surprised but impressed. Soya fixed her hands on either side of her hips, fixated eyes frowning at the vent.

and then the bluish ball dropped between them, bouncing off the floor a couple of times until another girl had caught it, somewhat surprised herself. The rest of the team got closer to look for themseleves, to which Jay was smirking and exchanging a few words with them proudly.

All jognin paid attention to, however was kyungsoo slowly trying to come out of the vent again. He very well noticed the boy ball his casted hand to a fist before using it to hold onto the edge of the vent as he let himself down once more. The beta flinched then as he watched him  drop himself to the pipe he'd previously boosted himself up with before, grimacing as he fixed his hold and swung foreward again. 

Unconsciously, jongin found himself blocking Jay's voice out along with the girls as he listened to the steady beat.

Ba-dum
Ba-dum

His hand must be hurting by now, he thought watching as the boy continued to climb to get bsck to the pipe that was lower so he could drop himself, he must be exhausted even if at first glance he didnt look like it, he had to be. Yet his heart was beating in a calm and steady rythm that almost delluded jongin into thinking he should calm aswell.

And then the pipe he hung to creaked, bending little and jongin looked up at kyungsoo grabbing for another to get a better hold only to have that one creak aswell ripping lightly and causing him to lose his grip, hanging by his cast hand as the pipe bent further and finally broke.

The omega gasped, losing all air as he felt gravity pull him down and twist his stomach in the fall only to be stopped upruptly.

Shocked kyungsoo inhaled at that, he was still not on the floor like hed believed he would be right now perhaps with a couple of broken bones or bruisings but instead he'd felt jongins arms under his legs and behind his back anf kyungsoo himself had held onto his shoulder without knowing.

Wide eyed, glowing in blue He looked up at the said betas golden irirs looking back at him startled and frozen.

Jongin heard it then. The skip of the omegas heart, the increase in the pace of its beating and it somehow satisfied him just as much as it robbed him of his breath. He swallowed, blinking to look away from the kind a of blue he suddenly felt hed never seen before as he shifted his hands, letting kyungsoo down to stand on his own aswell only to notice the ripped cast on his wrist nearly hanging off.

" thanks.." the shorter mumbled, making him look up at the eyes that no longer met his and he was about to respond when jay had stepped up to them again.
" Oh, you just got 10 times more attractive " he groaned but neither of them responded to him when jongin still looked at the omega, holding his wrist. he decided to reach out to it, silently turning his hand as he felt it shake little. " Maybe we should head home."

" But she just told me who stole the purse," jay argued, looking over the paper in his hold and kyungsoo balled his hands to fists, retreating it to himself while the oblivious beta continued explaining" its hiran he's the pervert, she said he took it for  revenge or something who knows.. he hangs out at the old art cabins "

Jongin stopped listening to his rambles as he instead eyed the omega, he didnt have the usual angry and feisty expression this time, instead he looked off guard and a little lost, he looked almost vulnerable for once and jongin always thought he should find it funny whenever the boy let his guard down unsconsciously but somehow he felt weird about it now, he didnt like it but at the same time he was intrigued to see more of it. 

" Let's go then," kyungsoo said then eying him sloghtly aswell but this time the usual displease had returned to his gaze and jongin huffed at him as he walked away making the betas follow him.