#trust collab

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You stomped up the stairs to Catcher’s office, Leo on your heels. Who knew what the woman had up her sleeve when she was being so secretive and urgent. You’d been halfway across VIXX territory when she called. Fearing that whatever information she had was either urgently good or urgently bad, you’d dropped what you were doing and headed straight for her office.

“Do you want me to wait outside?” Leo asked as you neared the top of the stairs. You mulled the question over. Even to this day, Leo seemed to intimidate Catcher slightly despite years of working closely together and helping raise each other’s children. It would be the perfect passive-aggressive thing to do to put her on edge and get back at her for annoying you.

“No, come inside,” you clipped, taking the last step. Leo grunted in understanding just before you ripped open the door to Catcher’s office. “So what were you rushing me for?” you growled before you even took stock of her office. There was a squeak before you you finished your sentence--Seyoon, cornered in a chair between Ken and Catcher looking somewhat panicked. You shifted your weight. “What’s he doing here? Did he get in trouble?”

“He wanted to talk to you,” Catcher replied, in an unusually good mood if the amusement in her eye was anything to go by. You shifted, turning to look back at Leo. His brow twitched, letting you know he was just as surprised as you. You looked back at the three inside the office, feeling your stomach churn nastily. This would either be something completely inane or your worst nightmare.

"What about?" you asked cautiously, voice inadvertently sharp. Seyoon opened his mouth as if to answer but he could only manage to stumble over his words nervously.

"Something better discussed in private," Catcher explained for him, looking at Leo behind you. Your stomach churned and it felt like it was hard to breathe all of a sudden. Please, please be something inane.

"We'll wait outside," Ken announced, taking Catcher's hand as he led her out. She tried to worm her way out of his grip but eventually gave up, throwing a look over her shoulder at Seyoon. As they neared the door, you forced yourself to move out of their way and looked up at Seyoon with a carefully crafted mask.

"What do you want to talk about?" you asked, hoping beyond everything that what he wanted to talk about was work related or something easy to lie about.

"I--M-My birth p-parents," Seyoon choked out, causing every muscle in your body to tense and your stomach to lurch. So the day had finally come where he wanted to have that talk.

"That's a conversation that's better to have with your father," you said sharply after a beat. "I'll wait in the car until you're done," you announced, turning on your heel to leave.

"I--" He took an audible breath. "I know you’re my biological mom," he rushed out, causing you to freeze. You weren't ready for this conversation, no matter how much you'd mentally prepared yourself for this day. You looked up at Leo as he gripped your shoulder reassuringly, though the touch did little to help the uproar in your stomach. He was just as surprised as you, eyes darting back and forth between you and Seyoon.

"I'll be outside," Leo said after a painfully long moment. He squeezed your shoulder gently before pulling back and stepping outside. He closed the door behind him and suddenly you were alone with Seyoon--or at least as alone as you could get in Catcher's office.

"How long have you known?" you asked quietly, back still half to Seyoon, walls high in your nervousness.

“A while. I mean, I suspected for a while.” You turned more fully towards him, mouth set and fighting to keep your expression neutral. “I was pretty certain Uncle N was my biological father, but I wasn’t sure you were my mother until Auntie Catch confirmed it for me,” he answered honestly, lacing his hands together and twiddling his thumbs.

“You wouldn’t have been born if you weren’t mine,” you murmured, stepping closer to Seyoon. He laughed nervously, shrinking into his chair.

“Auntie Catch said the same thing.” Of course she would.

“N always wanted children, but he’d never think of having them with another woman,” you clarified, lowering your walls some. Seyoon’s eyes snapped up to you. He obviously hadn’t expected you to say that. “Even before you were born, he was ready to forgo kids for me.”

“You didn’t want kids?” he asked, something in his voice sounding the slightest bit hurt. You stilled, looking him in the eyes.

“I wanted to give N a family,” you answered truthfully, chest tight. Even now you felt somewhat guilty for not being able to create that for him.

“Then why did you give me up?” he asked, the question feeling like a punch to the gut when it came out. You let out a deep sigh.

“I suppose you deserve to know,” you said, turning to walk around Catcher’s desk. It’d be no use being secretive and guarded, so you forced yourself to relax your guard more. You lowered down into Catcher’s chair, leaning forward over her desk. Seyoon watched you settle down, eyes curious and nervous as he waited patiently.

“You were conceived when we were trying to take a brothel from NU’EST,” you started. “It was a tense deal, and things were stressful for N and I at the time. I never found a good time to tell him I was pregnant and before I could, I found out he was selling information to NU’EST to help the deals go along. I thought I’d have to kill him. I almost did.” Seyoon straightened, eyes wide as if he couldn’t imagine N doing that. You dropped your gaze to Catcher’s desk, straightening your back.

“I... panicked,” you admitted with a deep breath. “I was selfish. I didn’t want to have an abortion. Didn’t want to lose my last connection to N, but I knew I couldn’t raise you by myself, so I asked Leo and Birdie to take you.”

“But you’re together now?” Seyoon asked carefully. You looked up at him with a slight smile.

“It took him until you were almost two years old to convince me to take him back.”

“Why…” he paused, taking a breathe. It looked as if he were trying to formulate how to say what he wanted ask. “Why did you ask Mom and Dad, out of everyone?”

“Because I knew they would raise you well.” You took a breath yourself, closing your eyes. “There’s no one else in the world that I trust more than Leo, and I knew he wanted kids so…” You paused, working up the determination to ask your own questions. Opening your eyes and keeping your face carefully blank despite the rolling in your stomach, you decided to take the plunge. “Do you resent me for it?” Seyoon’s eyes widened in surprise at the question.

“Honestly, I don’t know how to feel,” he answered after a few long moments. “I came to terms that I was adopted years ago but…” He trailed off, licking his lips as his eyes flew to the ceiling in thought. “It’s weird thinking I’m your son. I have mixed feelings about it.” Of course he did, given your reputation.

“You’re not my son. You’re Bridie and Leo’s. They raised you, not me,” you corrected him firmly, believing the words to your core.

“But I am your son. You gave birth to me. Whether I like it or not, whether you claim me or not, we have to deal with it,” he rebuttled, pulling a small smile from your lips. The words were comforting and nerve inducing at the same time.

“Such a Birdie answer.”

“I’m not--”

“You are, more than you probably realize. It’s good that you’re like her,” you insisted before he could deny he was like the woman who raised him. Seyoon closed his mouth, shrinking slightly as the wheels turned in his head.

“You were there, you know,” he mumbled, going back to the original topic. “Always at the side lines watching with a clenched jaw and sharp eyes. You’d smile, but it was never like the way all the other aunties and uncles did. But you were also nicer to me than to the other kids. It always confused me, and--” he broke off suddenly, taking a deep breath. “My biological parents have been so close, have been helping raise me, my boss is my mother and she’s the most feared woman in Korea… It’s a weird idea to come to terms with.” You straightened, fighting not to let your mask slip.

“I suppose it’s a lot easier to come to terms about N, the way he flits from flower to flower,” you conceded. Even now, you both occasionally had sex outside your relationship--for work still--but you less so these days. It had given N a bit of a reputation, but the knowledgeable ones knew he was still heavily invested in you. “It’s easy to imagine that he has a few illigitimate kids.”

“No, I--” Seyoon paused to look up at you. “I look a lot like him, so I realized it sooner. I think that’s why it’s easier now.” You snorted softly. You couldn’t disagree about his appearance. There were times when you spotted him in the corner of your eye and he looked like N did at sixteen. Clearer looks proved that they were quite different looking, but the family resemblance was strong enough.

“I can see some of my father’s features in you too,” you admitted, voice dropping low.

“I-I didn’t realize,” Seyoon stuttered, suddenly flustered.

“Well, there aren’t exactly any pictures of him to compare yourself with,” you excused for him. You only had a few pictures of your father, most of them with your mother, but they were all packed away in boxes. Seyoon fell silent for a few moments, dropping his gaze to his hands and he fidgeted.

“Do you regret giving me to Mom and Dad?” he asked just as you were thinking about concluding this conversation. Your breath caught. Of course you had your moments where you regretted giving him up--you wouldn’t be plagued with guilt or the fear of him rejecting you if you hadn’t. While you’d been selfish when you decided to go through with the pregnancy, all of the decisions after that had been made with his best interests in mind. It wasn’t about you.

“It doesn’t matter if I regret it or not. I know I made the right choice. They raised you to be a much finer man than I ever could have.” The words were firm but heavy as they left your mouth. He flushed again, dropping his gaze back to his hands.

“You really think that?” he asked, his question barely audible.

“Had I raised you without N, you probably would have turned out as messed up as me. I didn’t want to do to you what my father had done to me,” you explained. “The way you are now, I’m--I’m very proud.” His eyes snapped up to yours, wide with shock.

“You’re proud?” he asked as if he couldn’t believe the words coming from your mouth. You nodded, awkwardly reaching out for him but quickly changing your mind and retracting your arm. He began to tear up and quickly averted his gaze, wiping the tears from his eyes. You wanted to cry too, but held back. It wouldn’t do to ruin his image of you further.

“M-mom,” he stuttered when he’d gotten himself under control, making you straighten in your seat.

“I told you,” you denied, shaking your head, “Birdie’s your mom, not me. I’m Aunt Nixie or Leader-nim.”

“Leader-mom,” he corrected, the new form of address causing you to simultaneously laugh and tear up.  Lifting your hand to cover your face, you spun Catcher’s chair around so he couldn’t see your face as well.

“That’s even more awkward sounding,” you managed after a few seconds, scrambling to reign in your emotions and get a new mask on.

“Leader-mom,” he repeated, “thank you--for this conversation. I--just, thank you.”

“No, thank you,” you corrected, turning your chair back around to look at him. “I think we both needed it.”

“Yeah…” he agreed quietly, looking down and reaching up to smooth the hair in front of his ears--a gesture that was so like N.

“Do you have more questions?”

“No--I mean, not right now,” he stuttered.

“You should talk with your father too,” you urged, “Leo, I mean.”

“I will. Tonight, maybe. With Mom. I--I need some time to think and I’ve already distracted you from work,” he agreed.

“With Birdie would be good,” you nodded. The situation suddenly felt awkward. You rose to your feet. “If you ever want to talk, don’t be afraid to ask.” Seyoon nodded. You headed towards the door, pausing to look back at Seyoon. He had stood up as well and was straightening his clothing, looking like he was mentally collecting himself. You pulled the door but before you could exit Catcher’s office, Seyoon threw another thank you at your back. You closed the door behind you and looked around, spotting Leo leaned against the wall next to the door.

“Ken and Catch went to the bakery downstairs,” he explained, pushing off the wall. You nodded your understanding. “How did it go?” he asked, closing the distance to you.

“Well,” you answered shortly, Leo searching your eyes. “He’ll probably try talking with you and Birdie tonight.”

“Mm,” Leo hummed his understanding.

“I think there’s still enough time to go check out the clubs we’d meant to,” you stated resolutely, turning and heading down the stairs. Leo hummed again, footsteps sounding behind you. Before you could open the car door and get in, Leo tugged you into a hug from behind, resting his forehead on the back of your head.

“I know it’s been hard on you, but thank you,” Leo murmured.

“I should be thanking you for raising him to be such a fine young man,” you corrected. He shook his head then pulled away, headed for the driver’s seat. You slipped in the back and waited for Leo to pull into traffic before digging your phone out of your pocket and dialing N.

“Nixe?” N answered on the third ring.

_______________

You turned in the mirror, adjusting the band under your bust with a sigh. There was a knock at the door, but you didn’t move away from the mirror. After a second, the door opened and you met Ravi’s gaze in the mirror. His serious face broke into a wide grin upon seeing you. He slid inside the room and closed the door behind him, the door clicking softly before he spoke.

“You look gorgeous,” he complimented, coming up behind you and resting his hands on your shoulders, thumbs starting to work into your tense shoulder muscles. “I never thought I’d see you in a wedding dress.”

“Kris insisted,” you said quietly, continuing in a more firm voice. “It’s not my style, but the occasion calls for something flashy.” You brought your hand up to your stomach, it’s silhouette quite obvious despite the empire-waist dress you were wearing. Just two more months. “Quite honestly, I’d rather do it quietly.”

“The others are still shocked. They’ll probably be mad they didn’t come when they see the photos,” Ravi mused.

“Whether they come or not, it doesn’t matter. It’s just a political marriage. But I’m glad you came. It would have sent the wrong signals if you hadn’t.”

“Hey, don’t play it down like that. You get along with Kris. The chemistry between you two is obvious. It’s not just a political thing.”

“If I didn’t think marrying him would be an advantage to VIXX and myself, I wouldn’t be standing here,” you insisted. You cared for Kris, yes, but you didn’t love him. This was what was best for you and your child and it was beneficial to VIXX too. This way, maybe, just maybe, you could find new happiness. Ravi tightened his grip on your shoulders before letting go with a sigh.

“There are people in the group that don’t like that you’re doing this. They see it as relenting to EXO.”

“Then they obviously don’t understand the deal that I worked out with Kris,” you snarled, turning to face him. “The only thing that’s changing is that I’ll be making more frequent trips to China and that we will be more aggressive about claiming territory for our China branch.” You stepped closer to him glaring into his eyes. “And if they have a problem with what I’m doing, I’ll deal the same way I--” You were cut off by a knock at the door, barely a pause before it opened.

“Ravi! This is where you went off to,” Birdie chimed opening the door wide with a smile. “Kris has been looking for you.”

“Oh?” Ravi’s face eased up, turning surprised. He so easily switched gears that it grated on your nerves. You stepped away from him in a huff to put your jewelry on.

“You might want to go see him,” she continued.

“Then I suppose I should,” Ravi agreed. He reached out and gave your upper arm a squeeze before leaving you alone with Birdie.

“You look beautiful,” she complimented, shutting the door behind her. “I bet Kris’ll forget how to talk when he sees you.” You turned to her, forcing your expression to soften.

“Thank you, Birdie,” you murmured. Deep down, you felt a bit guilty. You’d promised her and Leo the baby, but now you were keeping it. They’d refused, insisted that you raise the child with Kris. They’d already started looking into adopting a girl from an orphanage. Birdie reached up and fixed a few stray strands of your hair.

“It’s almost time. Are you nervous?” she asked, dropping her hands down to adjust your necklace.

“A little, but I’ll be fine,” you reassured her.

“Taekwoon’s outside pacing like he doesn’t know what to do with himself,” she laughed, stepping away from you. “I think the idea of escorting you at your wedding made him nervous.”

“He’s always been the type to worry. It’s what made him good at his job,” you smiled. “I suppose I should go get in place.”

“Mm, stop Taekwoon before he wears a hole in the floor.” You chuckled, looking down, feeling the baby move. You brought your hand back to your stomach, waiting for it to settle.

__________________________

“Nixe!” Leo called out, banging on the outside of her bedroom door. She didn’t answer the door, but that didn’t deter him. “Nixe!” When she still failed to answer, he heaved a sigh and leaned his forehead against the door. He closed his eyes for a moment before looking down at the medical supplies cradled in his arm. deciding he couldn’t give up just yet, he straightened and knocked again. “Please let me in,” he pleaded. After a few seconds the lock on the door clicked and Nixe cracked the door open.

“Where’s my dad?” she asked, peeking out, voice sharp and guarded.

“Unconscious on his bed,” Leo answered. The answer seemed to calm her and she stepped back, opening the door wide enough for Leo to slip in. Once he was inside, she closed and locked it. She stayed there, shoulders trembling slightly, back facing Leo. When Leo reached out and brushed her shoulder she shrugged away from him, closing up on herself.

“Don’t touch me,” she ordered, voice stern, yet it was obvious how shaken she was. She slipped past Leo and returned to her bed, climbing on top of it with a wince and curling up with her back to the wall and legs pulled to her chest.

“Your wounds...” Leo prompted, stepping towards her bed.

“Leave ‘em. They always healed on their own in the past,” she clipped, resting her forehead on her knees.

“You’re bleeding…” Leo pressed, sitting next to her on the bed and putting the medical supplies down on his other side.

“It’ll scab over,” she scoffed, otherwise ignoring him.

“Please…” he pleaded, gripping her arm gently. She lifted her head and glared at him with bloodshot eyes. She lowered her head again and Leo pulled back slowly. He leaned back against the wall, letting out a deep sigh. He was riddled with guilt, blamed himself for the fact that she was like that. He was supposed to be protecting her, but he’d failed miserably and now she was pushing him away. He had two jobs, and he arguably fucked up the more important one.

He stared stared out at her mostly empty bookcase, a few stuffed animals, knives and books on the shelves. Her whole room was utilitarian in nature, the only thing she really owned a lot of being expensive brand named clothing. A few of Leo’s belongings were strewn across the floor from when he’d rushed out earlier in the day, but the room was otherwise clean--more because of their lack of possessions than from either of them being tidy people.

This was what he’d come to call home over the last several months, but he was eternally grateful for it, for Nixe and her father and the organization that took him in. He’d been on a sure fire path to destruction on the streets, his druggie mother having left him to fend for himself a couple of years prior. He didn’t like street life, and he’d gotten reckless, started heading down the same spiral with drugs his mom had started years ago. He’d never imagined his drug dealer would drag him off the street and throw him on her couch when he got behind on payments, but then again he never expected a fourteen year old girl to be as good at fighting as she was.

Nixe inhaled sharply and Leo snapped his gaze to her. She slowly released the breath before lifting her head and looking out over her room with unfocused eyes. She took another deep inhale then finally spoke, “I guess… I guess you can treat my wounds.”

Leo immediately grabbed the cotton balls and disinfectant he’d brought with him. Nixe sat up straighter so he had better access to her injuries. He dabbed gently at her split lip and she flinched slightly, her hands curling into fists. He dabbed the blood away then dipped down further to make sure he cleaned up the rest of the blood from the cut that had run down her chin. The area was already starting to discolor, a large bruise forming where she’d been hit twice. He switched his cotton balls out and dabbed at the small cut on her forehead, another bruise forming there. Leo let out a shaky breath, the guilt creeping up more. It wasn’t as bad as when she’d first brought him home, but it still shouldn’t have happened--especially not on his watch.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, pulling back and lowering his hands. He paused for a second before reaching for the anti-biotic cream. He put a small dab on a cotton swab and looked back up at Nixe. Her expression was puzzled.

“It’s not your fault,” she iterated.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone with him,” Leo pressed. “I know what he’s like when he’s drunk, but I left you alone with him anyway.” He’d been out with Nixe’s father, acting as his errand boy while he was drinking with allies from EXO. When they’d gotten back, Nixe complained complained about skipping dinner, so Leo’d set out for the twenty-four hour convenience store to buy something for both of them to eat. By the time he’d gotten back, her father had knocked her to the ground and was kicking her in the stomach. Leo managed to restrain him, and Nixe fled the scene as soon as she collected herself enough to move, locking herself in her room.

“It probably would have happened whether you’d left or not,” she corrected him sharply. Leo ignored her sharp tone and lifted the cotton swab to the cut on her forehead. “He was mad at me.”

“That doesn’t--”

“He found out I slept with Seongmin-oppanim to get better selling grounds,” she cut him off in a rushed explanation. Leo’s words died in his mouth and he lowered his hand in shock. He blinked as he tried to process the information.

“Seongmin-hyungnim?” repeated the name, the man’s face coming clearly to mind. He wasn’t exactly know for his shining morals even if he was her boss’s boss. He felt anger rising in his stomach. “Did he--”

“No,” she swiftly shushed him before he could finish. “I was the one that approached him. Wrapped him around my finger and got him to do what I wanted.”

“Oh,” Leo said dumbly, shocked again, though he supposed he shouldn’t have been. Barely fifteen and she was a force to be reckoned with--quick witted and highly driven. She’d decided long ago that she wanted to climb the ladder as far as she could within VIXX and it seemed she would seriously use all her cards to do so. At Leo’s silence she sighed and curled back into herself.

“I shouldn’t have told you,” she murmured, staring at her busted up knuckles from where she’d fought back against her father. Leo shook his head and carefully reached out for her hand.

“I was just surprised,” Leo explained. He fell silent as he tried to think of the right words to say, bringing a cotton ball filled with disinfectant to her knuckles to clean them. Her fingers twitched and she sucked in a sharp breath at the sting. “Did you at least enjoy it?”

“I hated it,” she said with a bitter smile. “It hurt, and he’s not good at it. But I chose to do it myself, so I’m already over it.” Leo hummed in understanding, grabbing a roll of cloth bandages. They fell into silence as he wrapped, Leo trying to figure out how to word his feelings properly as he worked.

“It still doesn’t make it alright for your father to beat you like that,” he finally voiced, tying off the bandage. “He can’t control you forever.”

“I know,” she sighed as Leo too her other hand to clean the cuts. “I’m just saying he would have done it even if you hadn’t left.” Leo looked up into her eyes, stare piercing.

“I would have stopped him after the first hit.” Nixe dropped her gaze to their hands, eying the bruising on Leo’s left knuckle. Leo switched the cotton ball for bandages and started wrapping her hand.

“Thank you.” The words were more breathed than spoken, but Leo knew it took a lot for her to get them past her lips in situations like this. She held a lot of pride at being able to hold her own, and needing to be rescued from her own father was humiliating. But there was only so much that she could do to fight back against a man as strong as her father even if he was drunk.

“How’s your stomach? Did he hit any ribs?” Leo asked, tying off the bandages on her hand.

“I don’t think anything’s damaged. I’m just sore,” she answered, catching Leo’s hands before he could pull away. “Thank you.” A smile tugged at Leo’s lips as he gripped her hands back. She’d done so much for him that something like this could barely pay her back. He hadn’t--couldn’t have--done anything to stop her father the night she brought him home, he’d been so far gone as he’d crashed from his high. It’d been chilling when, barely sober, he saw Nixe the next day and she explained that she’d convinced her dad not to beat him to a pulp and throw him back on the streets, that he was obviously something better than he’d been letting himself become, that he wasn’t allowed to go back to the streets.

“N’s gonna wail when he sees me tomorrow,” she blurted out suddenly, laughter tinting her voice. Leo looked up at her, searching her sheepish smile for the reason why she’d so randomly changed the topic. “Let’s tell him I got in a fight with a client. If he gets worried, he’s gonna spread it all over and then it’ll be a mess...” It clicked in Leo’s mind suddenly and he couldn’t drive down the resulting smirk.

“You like him,” Leo teased, resisting the urge to laugh when Nixe flushed. She pulled away from Leo and resettled on the bed so she was half laying down, half propped on the wall, grabbing a black cat plus toy. She brought it around front and squeezed it with a pout on her lips, the image coming off as incredibly cute to Leo.

“Doesn’t matter. He’s got a girlfriend. I’ve got ambitions. I don’t think it’s meant to be,” she grumbled. Leo plucked the plush from her hands and tucked it into his arms, settling in next to Nixe. It was comfortable and warm there by her side. He leaned his head on her shoulder as he let his sight settle on her bookcase again. “You’re not gonna tell him, right?” she asked once Leo was settled, leaning her head on top of his.

___________________

Seyoon took a deep breath, not quite sure if he really wanted to knock on the door, dearly tempted to turn around and leave. But he’d made the effort to come and he couldn’t back out now. She probably knew he was standing outside like an idiot. With another deep breath, he knocked on the door and pushed it open. Catcher was seated at her desk fiddling with some small electronic.

“So you finally decided to come in?” she asked dryly, not bothering to look up from her work. “You’d been standing there for ten minutes. I was starting to wonder if I needed to call Birdie and tell her you’d gone crazy.” He chuckled nervously, hand darting up to smooth the softly curling black hair in front of his ear. Catcher put down whatever she was fiddling with and looked up at him, her single eye boring into him. “So, what do you want?”

“I wanted to talk,” Seyoon admitted, trying to puff himself up so he didn’t look so pathetic. Catcher was intimidating, but he was sure he could take her if anything happened. Probably. Or maybe not, remembering the way Hyuk and other full grown men skulked around her with their heads bowed, fearing for their lives. Her eye narrowed at him.

“Don’t you have work to do?”

“Yeah, but it’s boring. They never let me do anything fun,” Seyoon complained, stepping farther into Catcher’s office. He looked around, trying to avoid Catcher’s sharp stare.

“Listen, kiddo, what you’re doing is plenty dangerous enough,” Catcher scolded, standing up. Seyoon stopped right in front of her desk, eyes trained on the TV screens on the wall behind her. He let his eyes drift down to rest on her, swallowing impulsively when he saw how displeased she looked with him.

“Selling drugs is boring. I wish they’d let me move into one of the more active areas or let me work under my dad,” he complained.

“Idiot. Everyone has to start somewhere. Leader started out selling drugs and running errands and look at her now. She’s queen of the idiots,” Catcher said, cocking her hip to the side. “And your dad stayed an errand boy until he was seventeen. Just do your job and save your parents a heart attack. You’ll get promoted when they think you’re ready.” Seyoon shuffled, mention of his father and Leader reminding him why he came. Catcher must have picked up on his unease, as her expression softened. “What?” she asked. “You didn’t come here to complain, right? Just spit it out already.”

“Uhm… My dad…”

“What about him?” she asked, shifting her weight and getting more defensive. He swallowed again, then cleared his throat.

“He’s not… my real father is he? And my mom, too...” Catcher’s face went blank and she stared at him for several long moments. The silence sent Seyoon’s stomach tumbling and he clenched his fists to help steel himself for whatever came out of her mouth next.

“Seyoon, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell that you’re adopted,” she deadpanned. “Of course they aren’t your birth parents, but they’re still your parents and worry about you all the same. I thought you woulda figured all that out earlier and come to terms with it by now.” Seyoon brought his hands around front, lacing them together and twiddling his thumbs as his gaze dropped to Catcher’s desk. His parents never exactly hid the fact that he was adopted but they never said it or did anything to confirm it either.

“I’ve known for years, but… My father, my real father--” Catcher heaved a sigh, the intensity of it stopping Seyoon mid sentence.

“Why did you have to come to me of all people? I’m terrible with these things,” she whined, slumping back in her chair with an exasperated expression. “Well, whatever. Sit down, kiddo. You have to have this conversation sooner or later.” Seyoon nodded, looking around and pulling the nearest chair over to him. He sank down, meeting Catcher’s eye. “Continue.”

“Uhm… my real father, he’s Uncle N, isn’t he?”

“What gave it away?” Catcher teased, tone even, but it was clear in her eye that she was amused by the question. Seyoon bristled at the words, not liking how she wasn’t taking things seriously. She sighed and straightened in her chair slightly. “Sorry. That was a bit harsh...” She licked her lip in thought, then brought her gaze back to Seyoon. “N is your father. The resemblance between you two is so striking, we knew from pretty early on that you’d figure it out sooner or later and that it’d raise people’s suspicions.”

“So the other adults know too?” Seyoon asked, stomach clenching and some kind of dread settling over him.

“Eh, only the smart ones. It’s not really widely known,” Catcher answered with a shrug.

“Then does Uncle Ravi know?” Seyoon asked. His boss, the second in command of VIXX, was someone he looked up to as a smart and strong leader.

“Ravi’s a bit… slow with things like this, so I doubt it. Not really the sharpest tack in the shed, but he’s good at his job,” Catcher explained, a wry grin spreading across her lips. The door at the front of the office creaked open and Hyuk stumbled in, identical twin girls about the age of ten pushing him through in a fit of giggles. He looked absolutely exhausted, his suit and hair ruffled, and a pink floral headband that matched one of the girls’ on his head.

“Mama, can we go buy ice cream for dessert tonight? Uncle Ragdoll’s stingy and won’t buy us any,” the headbandless girl asked, coming up to Catch.

“You can go get some now,” Catch soothed the girl, sitting up and pulling her into a hug. She glared over the girl’s shoulder at Hyuk, and Seyoon found himself straightening up just like Hyuk was. “Didn’t I tell you I was gonna be busy all day? Go buy them ice cream and then take them to the park or something for a while, I need to talk to Seyoonie in private,” Catcher directed as her daughter pulled away.

“I’m not a babysitter!” Hyuk cried in exasperation.

“You’re a glorified babysitter,” Catcher growled, hand twitching towards a screw driver on her desk. Seyoon scooted back away from her desk, eyes flitting between the screw driver and Hyuk.

“Jina, Mina, let’s go get ice cream,” Hyuk corrected quickly. Catcher relaxed back into her chair with a satisfied smirk, her daughters screaming in happiness as they herded Hyuk out the door.

“Pick out the most expensive one!” Catcher called after them, snickering to her self when the door slammed and Hyuk screamed on the other side. After a taking a few moments to calm down, she looked back at Seyoon. “Sorry about that. I didn’t think they’d be back so soon.” Seyoon shook his head, maintaining his stiff posture. “Oi, relax already. I’m not gonna bite.” Seyoon took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, slouching as the air exited his body. He glanced at the door then back a Catcher.

“Does Uncle Hyuk know?” he asked tentatively.

“Mmm, if he suspects it, he probably cries himself to sleep every night,” Catcher said dryly. Seyoon shifted, wondering what she meant by that. “But he’s smart, so he might.”

“What’s that mean?” he dared to ask, leaning forward in his seat slightly. Catcher grinned at him, shark-like and mischievous. “Forget I asked,” he mumbled before she could answer, sitting back and reaching up to straighten the hair in front of his ears.

“Your loss,” she shrugged. “That story’s a juicy one.” Seyoon shook his head, preferring to get back on track.

“So, about my real mother--”

“Seyoon, I know you want to know about the people who gave birth to you, but Birdie and Leo raised you from a baby, so as far as any of us are concerned, they are your real parents. Just because they didn’t provide the sperm and egg to form your zygote, doesn’t mean they aren’t real parents,” Catcher corrected him swiftly, leaning back. Seyoon snapped his mouth shut, feeling guilty and slightly frustrated at the correction. He hadn’t meant it that way and didn’t appreciate being corrected like that, but also felt that his parents would be hurt if they heard him speaking that way.

“Ok, my biological mother, is that better wording?” he asked, just barely keeping his tone in check.

“Yes.”

“My biological mother, is it…” Seyoon paused to swallow, trying so hard not to tense up. He clenched his fists in his lap and continued. “Is it Leader-nim?”

“If N is your father, then it’s certainly logical to assume that Leader’s your mother,” Catcher said neutrally with a nod of her head. Seyoon felt his stomach sink, feeling like she was teasing him again.

“So she’s not my mother,” he stated more than asked, feeling a bit of relief washing over him. The idea of being the leader’s child didn’t sit easily on his stomach, maybe because over the last two years he’d grown to think of her more as Leader-nim than the Aunt Nixie of his childhood.

“Kiddo, if you weren’t her child, you wouldn’t have lived past infancy,” Catcher dead panned, causing Seyoon’s stomach to knot. A truly fearsome woman indeed, the main reason he had mixed feelings about being her child.

“Well it’s not like the resemblance between her and me is as strong. I look so much more like N that I wasn’t sure,” Seyoon defended, frowning, the expression bordering on a pout.

“Your eyes,” Catcher said simply, seriously.

“Huh?” Seyoon asked, confusedly reaching up to touch just beneath his eyes.

“You have her eyes. It was really obvious even when you were a baby, but I guess it’s getting hard to tell now that she’s starting to get wrinkles.” Seyoon sank back further into his seat, trying to mentally compare his eyes to Leader’s and not doing a very good job. “Seyoon, why did you come to me of all people? If you’ve already figured out who your biological parents are, you don’t need me.” Seyoon blinked at her, startled out of his thoughts.

“Because you know everything,” he stated as if it were obvious. Catcher stared at him for a few seconds before bursting into laughter, her cackles filling the air for almost a minute. Giving up on mentally comparing features, he sat forward to ask his next question and waited for Catcher to collect herself.

“Why did Leader-nim and Uncle N give me away?” he asked when she seemed calmed down enough to hear his question. She stiffened immediately, sitting up straight. The seriousness that overtook her set his stomach turning again.

“Because Nixe’s a rash moron,” Catcher answered coldly, the subject coming off as a sore one.

“That’s not it. I want to know why,” Seyoon asked again, more sternly than he should have. Catcher frowned, cocking an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest. She was less than amused.

“When you boil the situation down to it’s core, that is the reason. Though, maybe I should add selfish to the descriptors, too,” she reiterated. Seyoon sighed in exasperation, bringing his hands up to cover his face. “I think what she did was stupid and completely avoidable, but she doesn’t. It’s better to ask her about it and hear her side.” He had a million questions, but the answer to the first one already made him feel like he might not get any answers at all. After a few moments he peeked through his fingers at Catcher.

“Why did they give me to Mom and Dad?” he asked, not sure he really wanted to know the answer based on her first reply.

“Probably because Leo’s slightly less of an idiot than Ravi,” she answered, relaxing a bit and shrugging her shoulders. “And he has a bit more common sense than Ken.”

“Then why did Mom and Dad agree to adopt me?” he pressed on.

“Ah… that one’s a long story,” Catcher hummed, leaning back slightly and looking up at the ceiling. “But it can all be boiled down to Leo being an idiot. Ask your parents about how they met and you’ll get a pretty good idea why.” She sat forward, gaze snapping back to Seyoon. “And the fact that Leader and Leo used to be practically connected at the hip probably was a big part of the decision as well, but I’m not exactly sure.” Seyoon growled in frustration, standing up and getting close to Catcher’s desk.

“Auntie Catch, you have to give me more than that!” he snapped. “You can’t just tell me that everyone’s an idiot and toss me some vague statement and expect me to be satisfied!” Catcher growled, rising to her feet in annoyance.

“You know, I was really hoping you received all the smart genes, but it looks like you inherited all the stupid,” Catcher spat. “Don’t talk like that to people you’re asking favors from, especially if they’re your superior and helped raise you from diapers.”

“Please, just answer my questions properly! This is a really distressing issue for me,” Seyoon pleaded, voice cracking. Catcher sighed, cocking her hip and shaking her head.

“Fine. One question. I’ll answer it fully to the best of my knowledge, so make it a good one,” Catcher caved.

“Do you think Leader-nim and N love me?” The question came out shakily, almost desperately, and he felt embarrassed even asking. Catcher’s face went blank and his stomach dropped. She stared at him seriously, slowly sinking back down in her chair. The longer her silence stretched, the more nervous Seyoon became. “Well?” he prompted, completely on edge. Maybe he should have asked his first question again instead.

“You really are a dumbass,” Catcher finally mumbled, sorrow leaking into her features. His stomach rolled and he braced himself to hear the words he feared the most, fists clenched at his sides. “Of course they do.” He felt his breath stop and he had to sit back down before his legs gave out, relief washing over him.

“Really?” he asked tentatively, voice small.

“Nixe probably loves you more than she loves N,” Catcher reaffirmed, voice gentle. Seyoon couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his lips or the tears that started to spill down his cheeks. He felt his face heating up in embarrassment, crying at his age, and brought his hands up to cover his face.

“Thank god,” he managed to mumble through the tears. He took a few minutes to collect himself, Catcher staying silent and letting him be. When he finally straightened and wiped the last tears from his eyes, he felt the need to ask his questions from earlier again.

“So why did they give me away?” he asked, hoping he’d get a better answer this time. Catcher only sighed, slouching back in her chair.

“That’s not something I can answer. I don’t know all the reasons why, and even if I did, it’s not for me to tell you. A lot of the things you want to know about are things we don’t even whisper about behind closed doors. Go ask them yourself if you really wanna know.” Her tone was serious but gentle and the expression on her face said she couldn’t be swayed into talking. Seyoon gulped, dropping his eyes to her desk.

“But Leader-nim is scary,” he mumbled timidly. Catcher snorted, her chair creaking as she moved.

“Don’t be such a wuss. Go talk to N or your dad first, then work your way to Leader if she’s so intimidating,” she encouraged.

“Is it possible to skip her?”

“Kiddo, go talk to Leader. She probably needs it most.” Seyoon swallowed.

“Really?”

“Really. It’s been hard on her, watching you grow up.”

“Then maybe I should talk to her first…” Catcher gave him a shark grin.

“That’s our brave little lion cub,” Catcher teased. “Better not back out. Actually…” She pulled a phone from her pocket and speed dialed a number, bringing it to her ear. Seyoon tensed, hoping she wasn’t doing what he thought she was doing.

“You’re not--” he was cut off by a solitary finger and a smirk, Catcher turning away slightly as the person on the other end picked up but not letting Seyoon out of her sight.

“Leader, get over here. I’ve got something that can’t wait.” She paused, flinching at whatever Leader growled. “If I thought it was something I could explain over the phone, I’d just explain it, but it’d just be easier if you came.” She paused again. “What, do you think I’m made of time? Sooner’s better, this opportunity might slip past us if you drag your feet.” She eyed Seyoon with the last bit. “Well bye to you too,” Catcher huffed at the phone, lowering it and putting it back in her pocket.

“You called her… She’s coming here.” Seyoon’s voice rose with each syllable, cracking on the last word and squeaking embarrassingly. “I’m not--I’m not ready for this,” he panicked, standing up. “What do I do? What do I say? I-- I--”

“It’ll be fine, just sit back down,” Catcher tried to reassure him. Seyoon shook his head, jumping when the door to the office suddenly opened. His head snapped to the doorway, brain screaming that it was too soon after the phone call for Leader to have arrived. He let out a relieved sigh when he saw a confused Ken and debated whether to run out past the man.

“Ah, Ken, perfect timing. Hold him down, or tie him to the chair if you have to,” Catcher instructed, getting to her own feet. Ken looked back and forth between Catcher and Seyoon before his expression hardened.

“Did he get himself in trouble?” Ken asked carefully, something in the tone of his voice and knit of his brows putting Seyoon on edge.

“No, we’re holding him here for Leader,” Catcher corrected and Ken made an exaggerated “o” face, his demeanor completely relaxing.