The F5 (Fraternal Five)

Code Red

Gun is on the verge of freaking out as he watches, horrified, Off leave. And with him, his composure. He'd give anything to run after Off, but he can't just leave Pak here; his conscience won't let him. In desperation, he calls out to the first person he recognizes among the growing crowd.

"Kit! Kit, please help me!" By now, tears have flown freely down his face. "Papii—I saw his car leaving—he can't drive, not in this state! But P'Pak, he's—I can't—"

"Go! I'll take over." Krist picks up with incredible speed. He turns to Mix beside him and asks, "Did P'Earth drink?"

Mix flashes a weak smile. "Yeah. He's about as hammered as P'Tay."

"Well, we're not." Bright counters, appearing with Win. Upon their arrival, Gun immediately cries in the latter's arms. Seeing that, Bright adds, "Mix and I can take P'Earth's car. Nong Win, you take P'Gun with you."

Mix shakes his head. "I'll stay behind. Someone has to hold the fort, and P'New has already had his hands full tending to the two drunks." Krist nods in agreement.

"OK. I'll check the local bars and hotels. Nong Win, go straight back to the city."

"Got it." Win looks down to his little phi and gently nudges him. "C'mon, Phi, we can still catch him."

Some soothing words later, Bright, Win, and Gun are already on their respective cars, sweeping the street and speeding into the night.

*

It's the break of dawn when Gun and Win eventually return to the villa empty-handed. Whilst Bright had already given up two hours prior.

Krist rushes outside and asks, "How's it??"

Win shakes his head grimly as Gun buries himself in Krist's embrace, crying. "We tried his place. P'Gun's. His parents'. Even the campus."

"Nothing?" A few steps behind Krist, Bright offers a comforting smile. Win's eyes light up at once, though dimmed just as quickly. "Hey, don't punish yourself. You did all you could."

Win just nods, not quite convinced.

"Let's talk inside. Okay?" Krist gently leads Gun to the living room where New, Mix, and all-sobered-up Tay and Earth are having a grim discussion about Off—that is, until they see the horrible state Gun's in.

Mix is the first to run up to hug Gun. Earth follows suit, enveloping the two babies with his big, strong arms. Soon, they all pile up, safe for Tay who freezes in the spot.

The truth is, up until now, Tay's still not sure whether they should find Off at once or give him some space. After what went down yesterday, it seems to Tay that his pengyou might need it. But, seeing Gun on the edge of breaking down, he knows. He's made his choice.

They're not the longest pals. Despite their pet pact, Tay knows Off longer and way better than Gun, but. But. Even as an outsider. Even in the short span of their friendship, he knows. Gun affects people; it's never the other way around. And nothing, he means nothing fazes Gun.

So if Off was to see Gun like this, rattled and vulnerable, Tay's sure as hell that Off would want to fix it.

New detaches himself to join him. "Made up your mind?"

"Hin! You knew?? Why didn't you say anything??"

"I can't make the decision for you, Te. It's between you and them."

"I don't know .... It doesn't get any better, picking a side. Peng's still not here to clean up the mess, and I'm ..." Tay sighs, frustrated. "Freaking out. Um—discreetly. I don't want Nong Gun to get any more upset."

New nods. "Thoughtful of you."

Tay turns to New, eyes begging. "So help me ...!"

"Thought you never asked." New smiles calmly before getting straight down to business. "Ask him then. Like you always do. See if he doesn't care."

"What do you mean, ask him ... wait a minute. That's it!" Tay jumps up and down at New's idea and gets to it right away.

'peng! code red,!help'

It's the longest minute of Tay's life as he desperately prays that Off will take the bait. The messy typing is all intended.

'WDYM code red? Where are you?'

And another minute of holding back.

'Tay? You OK?'

'No!pls just come back pls! Ill explajn latr'

'Hold on, I'm omw.'

*

Off comes determined and prepared to see Gun doing okay, completely unfazed. He promised himself that nothing can shake him, not even Gun's adorable pout. He can do every trick in the book and Off will never give in!

...Or so he all too confidently thought, until he catches sight of Gun—eyes red and swollen, cheeks tear-stained, and lips quivering, he looks like he's been crying all night.

Suddenly, it doesn't matter anymore. Whether to preserve himself. To put himself first, all that shit. None of it is worth Gun's tears, he's all too quickly decided.

Alas, he still loves him too much to see reason. And it was really conceited of him to think he can become indifferent overnight.

"Gun ... why?" Of all the feelings that overwhelm him, curiosity stands out the most. He anticipated Gun being upset, a little angry even, at his sudden departure. But Gun looks heartbroken, and Off can't for dear life figure out why.

"So cruel! You're so cruel!" Gun hits Off's chest with the last bit of strength inside him.

"Sorry, I'm sorry." As the last of his walls crumble helplessly to the ground Off catches Gun's trembling hands in his, pulling the younger in an embrace, resolve be damned.

Trying to make it out alive be damned. He be damned.

But Gun is far from done. He pushes Off away, shouting between his sobs, "You're drunk driving! And I couldn't ... couldn't find you anywhere, couldn't get through to you! And you ask me why?!!"

"I know, I'm sorry ...."

"You ...! You don't get to disappear after saying you need time, you sadist!" Gun cries into his hands, looking so small and frail and there's nothing in this world that Off wants more than to bury his baby in his arms and take his pain away.

Oh, who is he kidding? He brought the pain.

A sadist indeed.

With a rueful smile Off takes a step forward, one hand reaching out as if asking for permission. "Gun ...."

Gun keeps a safe distance in answer. "Tell you what: I don't allow it! If you're tired, just take a nap; but you're stuck with me!"

"Gun," Off looks at Gun in bewilderment, "That should be my line." Are you even aware how your words and your behavior contradict each other?

"Oh, so you can be vulnerable but not me?" Gun says, words dripping with sarcasm.

"No, it just doesn't make sense ...." Off looks around in a daze, struggling to come up with a logical explanation to literally any of this.

"Well, too fucking bad, I'm not done with you yet!" Gun goes on without listening to any of Off's words.

So Off thinks it's high time to put a stop to this angst fest.

Curiosity be damned. This push-pull cycle ends here.

"But I am, Gun."

It's like the time stops—as everything goes perfectly still. Not a single drawn breath, but the tension shooting through the roof is impossible to miss.

And then Gun lets out a heart-wrenching wail.

TBC