It was an all out war.

 

Sides had been taken, lines had been drawn.

 

It had been messy. It had been ugly.

 

It had gotten bloody.

 

Many had been lost in the fight, some only wounded, others where traumatized. 

 

In the Exo-M war...no one had gotten out the same.

 

Never...never would you poke each of them again.

 

You lay on the floor, winded, your chest rising rapidly trying to in enough air to keep yourself going. Your sides hurt from laughing and the numerous pokes you had received. 

 

The rest of the group lay on the floor in various positions they had slumped into after you had yelled a truce, unable to handle the pokes. 

 

It had gone on for hours, all from a simple poke you had snuck on Luhan, who chased you around until he could get you back. Then you both teamed up to tackle Lay, his scream of surprise attracting the attention of Chen. Who got on the receiving end when Lay tried, and missed, to pay Luhan back. 

 

Of course, Chen couldn't let that slide and with a finger from both hands perfectly he nailed both of them in the sides. He charged you and as you ducked, and he poked the curious at the screams Xiu Min. You would have blushed for him being behind you, if not for the fact Chen's second attack had hit home, your arm jabbed. You glared, cracking your knuckles.

 

"This. Means. War!"

 

A few moments later the entire group was tumbling into the common room, over the couch and on top of a very confused Kris. He stared at everyone, frozen, like you were idiots for a few moments...

 

Before taking advantage of the shock and poking each one of you rapidly. 

 

With an equal yelp of outrage from all the members, they tackled him again, subjecting him to smacking against the floor. When he got up, his hand had been bleeding, and everyone sat in a quiet silence until an evil smirk crossed his face.

 

...Once again he proceeded to poke everyone. And then it was on.

 

Xiu Min used the attention you had directed to poking Chen to poking you, earning a squeak and a fiery blush.

 

You may have a little crush on the steam bun, but you were not going to let that stop you from winning! Aiming to poke him, you missed and hit onto the very

hard chest of Tao walking in through the door. He stood for a moment, taking in everyone else climbing on each other poking, and you with your finger still in his chest. 

 

"What are you guys doing?" His voice had been quiet as usual, and you didn't know how to reply how this happened. 

 

So Kris answered for you, jumping on the poor boy, poking him violently, until he fell to the floor, laughing hysterically. 

 

You smiled, happy to see even the shy Tao having fun, before being tackled from behind by Luhan. Screeching you fell, squirming under the unrelenting pokes.

 

Chen was going after Luhan as he was distracted trying to get you, but now there were two heavy bodies on you. You squirmed out, scooting backwards on your behind to drag your legs out from under them, Xiu Min gently poked your forehead, leaning over you and smiling. 

 

You hadn't been able to move for a moment, the cuteness overloading you temporarily. He grinned now, poking you in the forehead again, and you regained your composure, shouting about revenge.

 

 

It all ended with Chen collapsing on an exhausted Luhan, Tao curled around a tired Kris, about to fall asleep in his lap. The older boy didn't seem to mind, his hand in his hair. Somehow Xiu Min landed on your shoulder, his breath heavy and his eyes closed tightly. His gelled hair from a recent interview was poking you in the neck, and you wished it was as soft as it normally was. 

 

You certainly didn't mind him there, though, and didn't say a word to remove him. His red tank top showed his strong arms, which were beginning to goosebump the chilly room. His basketball shorts had wrinkled and one leg was slightly higher than the other. Some said he was cute enough to eat and resembled a steamed bun. But you'd had a crush on him since the two of you had been introduced. He had his moments of adorableness, but he also had his helpful moments...

 

Leaning over you to help you write a word out, helping you solve a problem, being there for you to hold your hand when you missed your family.

 

Sometimes being a coorinoona was harder than you had thought...

 

His eyes slowly opened, and he surveyed everything, the exhausted members, the now-low light in the room.

 

"Poke!" he whispered, gently poking you in the side, and you gasped, glaring playfully at him.

 

"I called a truce." 

 

He grinned, tilting his head slightly back to get a better look at you. "I double crossed." He giggled, nodding his head and sliding along the material of your shirt. 

 

"Bao Zi," you whispered in your best Chinese, making him only giggle harder.

 

"That was a good try," he whispered softly, "You need a little more emphasis on-" He motioned to his mouth, and you took advantage of watching his lips as he said the words. "Got it?" You nodded. Not really, you were way too focused on something else. "Good. Jagiya." The pet name he had developed for you after the bee incident...

 

He poked you again, distracting you from Chen and Luhan leaving, supporting themselves with each other. "Overkill." His grin was too amused for you not to retaliate this time and you poked his side, wincing as you hit taunt skin. 

 

His eyebrow winged up in response, the perfect curve arching up. "What?" 

 

"It's not fair, you can find a squishy place on me to poke, but I can't find anything on you..." 

 

He smiled, shaking his head, leaning his face up a bit he puffed his cheeks up, trying not to smile. You took advantage, poking him in the cheek and deflating his air, he erupted into laughter at this. "It’s okay..." he said a few moments later, "Girls are supposed to be squishy." 

 

Which earned the head shaking of Tao and Kris, who were getting up to leave. "We're going to the store, do you need anything?" Kris asked with a smile, shaking his head further at the two of you. 

 

"A snack!" You beamed, and his grin softened, throwing an arm around Tao's shoulders, "All right, I'll pick up the nastiest thing I can find." 

 

You glared again, about to open your mouth before a humphing noise came from your shoulder.

 

Xiu Min looked put out, his lips pursed. "I'll get you a snack! A better snack!" he grumbled, shooing Kris away, "I'll make steamed buns!" 

 

You looked from Kris, back to Xiu Min, failing to keep this joke to yourself.

 

"Isn't that cannibalism?" 

 

The raucous laughter from Kris and Tao had a blush creeping over Xiu Min's face and he ducked his head down, much to your disappointment. 

 

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to upset you..." 

 

He peeked up through his lashes, a tiny smile on his face. "It's okay. I just know I'm not as good as they are." 

 

Your eyes widened, and you nudged his chin up for him to look fully at you. 

 

"What are you talking about, you're great-"

 

He interrupted, "I'm not as manly, or as handsome as they are, I already know." He said it somewhat sadly, a distant look in his eyes.

 

You sat still for a moment, until he got up, offering you his hand to catch to get up. 

 

But instead, you just looked down at your shoes, hoping he wouldn't see the blush on your face.

 

"I...I think you are handsome, Xiu Min-ah." You said quietly, and he jerked a little in shock, but didn't run like you thought he would.

 

After a few tense seconds, "Do you...really think that?" 

 

You could barely hear him, so when you lifted your face, his darker eyes burned into you.

 

"Yes..." Your gentle word had a slow grin surfacing and an expression on his face you didn't quite recognize. 

 

"That makes me feel a lot better." And he grabbed your hand, but added something new, meshing his finger with yours. After shyly looking at you, he turned, pulling you behind him into the kitchen.

 

 

"Let's go be cannibals!"