#itman

"Welcome to the Seoul Kingsman Society, Xena Takahashi. Your next step of involvement is to be branded."  

                                                              *

Cold air met Xena's skin, her shoulders rotating back as she shed her shirt. She could feel the intense stares of many as they stared at the already occupied skin, fingertips brushing against it. Taking strides towards the chair, lying face down, the material stuff. Goosebumps spread across her skin as the alcohol came in contact, a razor shortly following it.

Within little time, the stencil was removed from her skin and the sound of the tattoo machine filled her ears, the ink burying its way into her skin. A familiar wave of heat washed over her, her body reacting to the contact, almost like a bad cat scratch. However, as Junmyeon made his way to the top of her spinal bone, her body grew tense, the area tender.

"Frightened kitten?" She heard him whisper in her ear and it took her everything not to hit him in the throat.

The life of her tattoo depended on it.

"Don't forget who you're talking to Junmyeon."

"Right.."

She felt the slight pain loosen on her body as Junmyeon pulled back the needle, turning it off and switching to color.

She hated this part the most. No matter how much she told herself that this part should have been the easiest, it wasn't. The constant nagging of one needle driving ink into her skin was enough, however, the feeling of multiple going over the same surface was enough to drive her wild.

Junmyeon tried his hardest to make that part quick, sensing the annoyance by the way her body tensed up.

Soon, the excess ink was removed, leaving Xena with a fresh tattoo and new branding on the lower part of her neck.

She felt powerful.

However, she also felt like she belonged to a cult.

"Welcome to The Seoul Kingsmen Society. Your initiation is complete."

                                                              *

It had been a month since Xena been branded, two months since she had been at the EXO base. Over the course of these months, she had grown some kind of connection to each member, especially Chanyeol. Chanyeol occupied her side day and night, not once letting her out of his sight, though this was an annoyance to her she found herself soon enjoying his company.

Today was no different. Chanyeol was in his regular spot outside the training room, he decided to give her some privacy so she could focus on her skills more and perfect certain moves. She ended her training for today with a final kick to the dummy, who was rightfully labeled as hers, sending it backward smiling at this she was pleased with the amount of strength she had built up in a matter of 3 months. Retrieving her towel that rested on her chair she wiped the sweat that coated her body, switching off the light as she closed the door her eyes instantly meeting the tall male that stood against the wall before her.

"You took longer than usual. I thought you would never come out, what do you do in there?"

She rolls her eyes at him snatching the water he was handing to her, taking a sip.

"I'm training myself to beat your ass."

"Oh keep dreaming princess."

Laughing at his comment she sighs, the air suddenly growing silent. As they walked down the familiar hallway to the shower room she busied herself by tapping her fingers along the sides of the cold bottle as she bit her lip in anticipation, a question she had so longed to ask him sat at the tip of her tongue.

"Can I ask you something?" The two unexpectedly asked at the same time, laughing Xena insisting on him to go first.  

"I've been meaning to ask you this, but what's the story behind your tattoo?" Awkwardly stuffing his hands in his pockets he earned a light chuckle from her.

"Depends on which one you're talking about."

"The one panning up your ribcage."

"Oh that one..well..it's a symbol of my mother..it was her favorite flower."

Her mood suddenly dulling at the thought of her deceased mother, Chanyeol noticed this, his immediate response being to comfort her, pulling her into his embrace. Pulling from him she silently thanked him.

"So what was your question for me?"

Retrieving her clothes from her locker, Chanyeol rested on the bench behind her.  Taking the spot next to him, she fiddled with her fingers in her lap.

"Well, can I just question why are you so protective of me?"

"Because I'm your designated bodygua-"

"Say something sarcastic and I'm not promising that I won't deck you in the throat."

His hand automatically covers his throat protecting himself from her, clearing it he spoke,

"Well if you want the truth..I'm so protective of you because you remind me so much of my ex-fiancée."

"You have a fiancée?"

"What part of ex didn't you understand?"

"Right..sorry."

A silence grew between them once more, yet the silence screamed what each of them wanted to say.  After growing tortured by the silence she spoke,

"Do you miss her?"  Her voice was scarcely a whisper.

He sighed saying three little words that pulled the strings to her heart.

"All the time."

She never knew that three words could cause her heart to ache, she had grown attached to him in not only a friendly way but more of a romantic. Though 3 months is a short period of time to actually love someone, he made her feel as if she had known him for years. So, hearing him say those words tore her up inside, the familiar feeling of heartbreak resurfacing.

"She was smart, beautiful, talented..she was just everything a man wanted in a woman..."

He paused taking a shaky breath, his head hanging low.

"Only if I knew that the last time I saw her was going to be my last...I think I would've held her tighter and not let go."

Raising her hand, she rubs small circles on his back.

"I could've prevented it...I could've protected her. If only if I wouldn't have gone on that stupid mission then maybe she'll be alive today."

"Alive?"

"Our house was broken into. They were looking for me but they found her instead."

Her heart dropped. She felt almost selfish for getting upset because of his past lover but learning that she had been killed when the intention was for Chanyeol... Her hand clasped around his, tilting his head she was met with glossy eyes searching for comfort in hers.

"I know what kind of pain you're feeling, trust me I know it all too well. But I have learned to not blame myself for their deaths..and you should too." Cupping his face she wiped his eye with the pad of her thumb, though no tear had slipped.

"You'll make it through this...I promise." She smiled. In an instant, she had him in her arms cooing him as she tried to take away any pain he was feeling at this moment. He was limp at first, but soon closing in the hug with a tight grip.

"Hey, Xena Junmyeon wants you in his office..."

The two slowly broke apart catching the eyes of Baekhyun who stood in the doorway.

"I can just tell him you're busy and just come back lat-"

"No. No, it's fine. Just tell him I'll be there after my shower."

With a nod, Baekhyun scurried out of the room showing that he had grown awkward from the scene he had just witnessed. The two laughed catching each other's eyes.

"Okay, I'm gonna go shower so while I do that you do what you do best."

Saluting her he gave her a smile as she walked into the showers, his regular feeling of loneliness returning causing his smile to quickly fade.

                                                           *

"There's a problem I'd like you to solve."

"What kind of problem?" Xena questioned, following behind him. With fresh smelling skin as well as a change of clothes, she felt a lot more positive as she did before.

Junmyeon walked towards the display screen, grazing his fingers across it as he pulled up a coordinate grid, pinching and zooming on a certain location.

"There's a party going on downtown later this evening, specifically a Masquerade Party. Nothing too dramatic, casual," He clicked on the location, a large building appearing before Xena's eyes.

"Sounds simple. Is this a one-man mission, or-" At that moment, she felt an annoying presence enter the room, her mind putting two and two together.

"Please don't tell me-"

"You wanted to see me Myeon?" Sehun cutting her off, eyeing her out the corner of his eye.

"Correct. You and Xena are going to complete a mission together. Tonight."

"Oh hell no." They both said in unison, groaning.