What Lurks Within // Minho (O.H.)

07 ; meetings

One Year and ten months cont.

In the dead of night, Newt came to get Leo from the Med-shack. He pulled the boy's elbow and guided him wordlessly to the Homestead. Whenever Leo would ask what was happening, Newt would shush him and tell him to hurry.

They maneuvered through boys passed out by the bonfire, some still with their mason glasses clutched in their hands.

"Good," Alby noted simply when Newt and Leo came through the Gathering Room's door. "Let's begin."

Leo glanced around the room at each boy with raised eyebrows. The only other boy who didn't seem to know what was going on was Percy, who sat in a chair in the front of the room and looked around with wide, curious eyes. His hands cupped his elbows as they rested on his lap.

Newt walked further into the room and sat next to Minho. Nick strolled around the perimeter of the chairs. He stopped behind Percy's and rested his hands on the back of the chair.

Leo planted his feet under the door frame. He leaned back and glanced down the hallway. It was empty; no one else was coming, which meant it wasn't a typical Gathering. When he looked back inside, he flinched in surprise when they were all silently staring at him.

"Uh," he questioned and shifted his weight. He laughed uncomfortably, "What's going on? If this is some weird culty sex thing, I'm gonna need a bit of convincing."

With his words, it shattered the tense atmosphere, and Minho and Newt broke out in laughter while Alby shook his head, an amused smile stretched across his lips. Nick pinched his nose and shook his head while Percy's cheeks grew bright red.

"So, no?" Leo pouted sarcastically and walked in further to close the door. It shut with an audible click, and he sat in the closest chair.

"Tomorrow," Minho corrected with a small smirk of amusement. He crossed his leg with his foot on his knee and averted his attention to Nick, who has yet to sit.

Leo nodded, attempting to fight the tinge of pink he could feel rising to the surface of his cheeks. He shook his head clear and looked at Nick like everyone else.

"Are we done?" Nick asked blankly. Without waiting for a response, he rounded the empty chair and sat, leaning forward on his elbows. "We need to talk about the Greenie."

At that, everybody sobered up. "Leo, tell us what's going on in that damn head of yours."

Leo bristled and sat straight. He set his jaw and said in a whisper, "I'm not speaking a word until I know it's safe."

The six boys stared at him in confusion. Minho leaned forward and angled himself to Leo. "The beetle blades?" he asked after a moment of thinking. He always saw Leo looking at the mechanical creatures with disdain and cautious eyes.

Leo nodded and looked around. "Either we make sure none are around, or we're moving to the Map Room." He was adamant. He hated them, and he didn't care if the others thought he was sinking into madness.

"Okay," Minho appeased and stood. Leo copied him, a small smile of appreciation tugging at his lips.

They walked the perimeter of the room and checked the rafters as the others slowly copied them. After Leo kicked one out and stuffed the small space under the door with a spare t-shirt left hanging on the back of a chair, he deemed the area safe.

"Okay," Leo said and leaned on his forearms once he sat back down. His voice was still quiet, and the others had to lean forward as well to be able to hear him. He was still cautious. Even if the beetle blades weren't in the room, he was certain that they had audio that could penetrate the walls.