I don't know what happened and where did this weird idea come from... but I just happened to finish this for our 2PM 8th Anniversary. What a miracle! The fic, not the eight years. Long live 2PM!

Title: The Green Light

Genre: Angst, Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Taecyeon x Nichkhun

Summary: Khun was a fairy, nurturing Taek, the old manchineel tree deep in the woods. Their relationship was forbidden, but it didn't stop Khun from loving the dangerous tree.

Green light; it was the sun’s attempt to reach their rich forest floor. Penetrating through the emerald canopy, its light enriched the forest’s beauty. Vibrant greenery, damp air, noisy silence, warm coolness—everything was their beloved rainforest. Deep inside this vast forest, lived the fairies—the they.

They were tiny creatures, oftentimes mistaken as colourful fireflies by humans. They lived in the trees, between leaves and barks and branches. They guarded the forest, understanding every living creature inside, and they nurtured its spirit. They were the force of nature resilience, the wielder of recovery power, bestowed to them so the forest might strive. Fairies were mischievous and fun creatures. They sang, danced—they loved parties and parades even more than humans, their giant twice-removed cousins.

Deep in this forest, curiously lived one sole dangerous tree. When it first was discovered, one innocent seedling breaking through the soil joining understory, the fairies granted it longevity and strength. They didn’t know what tree it would be, but it hardly ever mattered for them. Every tree was a blissful member of the forest. Therefore, they soon regretted it. They did not have it in themselves the power to demolish a living being. They held on to their beliefs that every tree had its own use.

The tree was now fifteen metres high. It was old, yet unrelenting. Its green leaves, shiny as sunlight touched them, contained poison that would join hands with droplets of rainwater. The sweet-smelling greenish-yellow fruits it bore, resembling small apples that earned it the name “little apple”, although had a pleasant taste, were deadly. Its bark, its trunk, its sap, every part of this tree would try to kill you while certainly it hurt you. Fortunately, all these were never troubled the fairies. They were not affected by the poison—because they had powers. Even so, fate gave the tree a lonely life. The fairies never came near it, save for one red fairy.

*****

“Khun, don’t go today!” a fairy called after the red fairy as he was flying away from fairy village. The red fairy momentarily halted and flew back to his friend, a fairy that emitted magenta aura.

“I promise to come and accompany him—I don’t break promises!” he said.

“But you should—elders told us that there was something dangerous about that tree!” a yellow fairy protested as he floated towards the red fairy, tugging at his arm.

“The tree is fine. He speaks faster than any other trees! He is old, but he does not slow down. I can’t help it—he is my best friend!” Khun explained, eyes shone brightly and face glimmered. A blue fairy clicked his tongue in disagreement as he was approaching them. He put an arm each on magenta fairy and yellow fairy. He said,

“I can assure you, that even though you believe you were born to nurture that tree, it is still possible for you to pick another tree. It is really dangerous, Khun!”

The red fairy pouted, angry. He exclaimed, “Minjun, Wooyoung, Junho—you are not stopping me from going there!”

He flew away like a shuttle. He wiped away tears that formed involuntarily as he thought of the possibility of him stationed for other tree. He knew his friends meant well—but he did not want it. He did not believe that he was born for the tree, he knew he was.

A smile formed on his face once he could begin to see the tree. Its lone figure was melancholic. Bristle of its leaves as wind passed was comforting. The red fairy gracefully slowed down and landed on its tallest branch, closest to its crown. His tiny feet tapped on the bark as he walked, and he slid happily to his usual spot: a small concave on a slightly bent branch that perfectly fitted his tiny body.

“You… are… here… again,” the tree spoke. Its voice was deep and husky, resonating through its every part. Khun particularly loved it when it talked. The vibration sent to his body through the bark ensured him that the tree was alive and healthy.

“I said I will come every day,” he said happily.

“The… fairies… must… have… prevented… you… again… today,” said the tree.

It might sound the tree was talking very slowly, but it was the fastest of all trees. Time for plants was hugely different compared to active creatures. Days for them were hours, while seasons were days. Their movements were slow and hard. Discussions with them required indomitable patience. Khun was, however, born impatient. He never waited, he never stopped, he always talked and was never idle. This tree was the strangest thing in his life. He was only five nights old when he meandered and lost and found himself in front of this lonely tree. Khun fell in love instantly with the tree when it told him to get away. He knew this tree was destined for him as he was for the tree.

“Yes, they did,” Khun whined. “They still think you’re dangerous! I have been with you for years and never once I was hurt. Sometimes I wish I weren’t a fairy.”

“They… are… right. Fairy… you… should… listen… to them.”

“No! You’re always saying that, but I don’t want to listen.”

“But… why?”

“I told you—I love you. I can’t switch like what they keep telling me to.”

The fairy’s cheeks tinted pink. He was happy every time he had a chance to say it, the three words. These three words were stronger magic than his fairy powers. He knew everything about the tree and he referred the tree as a he because its voice. He randomly chose a name for the tree as well: Taek. When asked, he would say that it was back during their first meeting, when the tree said he didn't need a nurturer and Khun was so angry, he demanded the tree, "Take it back!" for at least twelve times, then it was pretty much how Khun decided Taek (taken from "take", of course) was the tree's name. Also, so it was twice as fun to fly in and shout, “Taek, I’m back!” which he hadn’t done today. The words rolled perfectly on his tongue.

“You… are… stubborn.” Trees weren’t normally showing vivid expressions, but Khun’s Taek was different. His words delivered emotions, subtly shown through the resonance of his voice. Khun laughed cheerfully.

“I am!” he said. “I will always be stubborn for you!”

“I… am… deeply… honoured… fairy.”

“I told you I have a name!” Khun interjected, sulking. The tree did it to annoy him. As mentioned before, they had known each other for years, it was impossible for Taek to forget Khun’s name. For the sole purpose of irritating Khun, he always did it.

“Fairy… suits… you… better,” Taek said. “There… is… no other… fairy… I… know. Only… you.”

“You are a smooth-talker, aren’t you?” Khun said between his pout, leering upwards.  The green leaves shook gently as wind caressed them, revealing bits of sunny blue sky beyond the canopy.

Khun loved sunny days because he could sit there and stared at Taek’s shiny green leaves, sometimes yellow flowers that Khun liked to wear as a hat, and swaying little apples occasionally. He loved starry nights, too, because he could sit on Taek’s crown and watch the stars with him. He loved rainy days, too, although their voices then muffled by rain’s pitter patter. He simply loved being there with Taek.

He could feel the tree was smiling as it hummed as a response. Khun smiled and hugged the branch in front of him, as far as his arms allowed him to. He leaned on the branch, then he whispered, “Taek, I want to be a human. If I were human, I would be able to hug you more.”

“Why… would… you want… to be… such… vulgar… creature? Their… lives… are short. They… destroy. You… don’t… need… to be… anything… else.”

“That’s sweet,” Khun chirped. “But if I were human, no one would tell me to switch to other tree. I wouldn’t have to face the fairy trial.”

“Khun…” the deep voice called and the fairy gasped, blushing excitedly. He could feel it through his tiny palms and through his skin how warm the name was spoken by Taek just now. The tree rarely addressed him properly, but when he did, Khun flipped. It was always the best moment of his life. The way Taek said it warmed Khun’s heart first then his whole body. It brightened his day first, then his whole life.

“Khun…” Taek repeated with deeper voice, “…just… stay.”

And that was all Khun ever wanted in his life.

*****

“I’d rather die than to nurture other tree than Taek!” the red fairy declared to the council sitting behind the long desk. Five old fairies were sitting there, clearly not amused by his declaration.

“You even have a name for it! Forget the tree, son—it is dangerous. Have you not seen enough animals suffer from its sole existence throughout the years?” the grey fairy who sat in the middle asked.

“You all give names to your trees, why can’t I address my treefriend properly? H