“Oneirataxia is the inability to differentiate between dreams and reality. It is a state in which abstract thoughts become concrete ideas”

“Nothing lasts forever,
but something special can lasts a lifetime”

The old wooden floor boards emitted a familiar screech when he walked from side to side, almost like dancing, with soft and smooth movements as he searched for the right tools, elements and parts to use. He looked through his drawers, boxes even in his grandfather's old trunk, to find those perfect pieces that would fit, just like a puzzle, so beautifully and delicately, like a butterfly, his butterfly.

"Don't you dare, for one more second, surround yourself with people who are not aware of the greatness that you are"

His grandfather's words echoed through his head as he worked, almost repeating like a mantra, over, and over, maybe that way he could discover that so called greatness that his grandfather told him one time while he was a little boy who liked to watch his grandfather work in his old toy store.

"Grandpa, I wish you were here, to see that I’ve been following your steps" the boy thought

One last touch, one last puzzle piece and his master piece would be completed.

Click...Clack...Tick...Tock...Thump...Thump...

Then he heard it, the distinct and beautiful sound of hundreds of gears and screws working together, one by one, to pump energy for the metallic heart that was hidden in the marvelous artifact, but even so, it wasn’t ready yet...

"Key...where is the key?" He searched in his pockets looking for that one special thing, the last puzzle piece that could make everything done.

"Ah, here it is"

And with a swift movement, he introduced the little sparkling golden key inside the heart shaped groove in the porcelain chest, then he turned it three times, in honor to those three special words that he lingered to say, but to hear too and just like the when the sunrays filter through your window in a pretty morning, little by little, or when a butterfly softly moves its wings, he opened his eyes, those pretty caramel colored eyes bored into his and he knew he was lost.

He looked at his face, caressed the porcelain features and delighted when a faint pink blush covered the cheeks, contrasting with the pale, milky white skin and mocha brown, silky hair. Then his red plump lips curved until forming a smile with pearly white teeth shining, making him more gorgeous, if that was even possible .He lowered his hands, tracing down his arms, until he reached to his hands and felt the long and slender fingers, everything on him was so fragile...so perfect.

"Hello"

"H-Hi-"  His voice, God, his voice was marvelous, enchanting, and soft like a whisper.

"I'm Chanyeol and your name is Baekhyun"

"My name is Baekhyun"

Chanyeol smiled at the boy's cute expression, when he talked as if trying to think what to say next.

"Who are you?" Baekhyun asked ,titling his head a little in a sign of curiosity

"I'm a toymaker, but you can call just Chanyeol"

Baekhyun's face lighted up "So I need to call you master?"

Chanyeol blushed at the thought of that ,but shook his head "No,no,just call me Chanyeol"

"Ok, master Chanyeol" Baekhyun didn't know why he felt like he should call Chanyeol that way, but it just felt right.

Chanyeol giggled "No, just Chanyeol"

"But I want to call you master" Baekhyun pouted "You created me; I'm yours"

"I'm Yours" Those words rang through Chanyeol's head and he couldn’t help it and blushed

"Yes, your mine" Those words sounded weird coming from his mouth, but at the same time they sounded right.

"So I'll call you master Chanyeol"

Chanyeol just laughed at that, Baekhyun seemed persistent.

"Can I walk?" Baekhyun asked Chanyeol

"Try it" Chanyeol smiled reassuringly

Baekhyun got off the wooden table and tried to stand up, first he moved one leg, then the other and tried to straighten he posture, and he hesitated a bit before finally walk, with one leg ahead the other, he walked until Chanyeol where was and hugged him, Chanyeol was startled for a moment but then he surrounded Baekhyun with his arms and smiled when he felt the boy pouting against his chest.

"What's the matter?" The tall boy looked at Baekhyun, trying to find the reason of the other's discomfort.

"Why did you made so short?" Baekhyun pouted again and talked with a low voice

Chanyeol laughed at the childish question "Because I wanted someone short whom I could hug and snuggle"

Baekhyun blushed and hid his face in Chanyeol's chest, he wondered, why would master Chanyeol want to hug him? But he stayed quiet, trying to hear Chanyeol's heartbeat.

 

"Because
I could watch you
For a single
Minute
And find
A thousand things
That I love
About you”
 

When Chanyeol took Baekhyun out of the Toy store and Baekhyun looked everywhere, as if trying to see everything at once, Chanyeol felt a soft tug to his heart and then he felt a warm feeling spreading throughout his body when he watched Baekhyun wander around ,it was a wonderful feeling.

"That's a butterfly right?" Baekhyun's voice grabbed his attention.

The petite boy was sitting on the ground in front of some bushes with many colorful flowers and there were butterflies flying around, some of them were on Baekhyun’s head, others were simply flying around him.

"Yes, it is" Chanyeol approached Baekhyun "C'mon I need to show you some other things"

Baekhyun took Chanyeol's hand in his own and gladly let the giant lead the way up until they reached a small town, such a colorful town, with small, big; old, new houses, buildings and stores, there was people walking by the streets, all of them stopped when Chanyeol walked by with Baekhyun by his side, who hid behind him, as if trying to hide from the people staring at them or rather, at him, but Baekhyun didn't seem to notice that.

"Don't worry" Chanyeol reassured Baekhyun softly "they're just admiring your beauty"

Baekhyun blushed at that and pressed himself closer to Chanyeol’s back.

"We're here" Baekhyun stepped from behind Chanyeol to see what the other was talking about.

The place where they stood was cozy and smelled like apple with cinnamon; it was a pastry, with some tables and chairs scattered around, in the back was a counter, displaying all kind of sweets and snacks to eat, behind the counter, Baekhyun noticed stood a boy, who was busily serving some coffee into a mug.

"Chanyeol!" The boy from behind the counter cheerfully exclaimed as he lowered the mug

"Good evening Luhan" Chanyeol approached the counter, with Baekhyun still attached at his back

"This is Baekhyun" Chanyeol turned to Baekhyun and motioned him to step forward

"Hi" Baekhyun sheepishly looked at the ground

"Oh, he’s so cute!" Luhan gushed and walk to Baekhyun, then he pinched Baekhyun's cheeks, who swatted Luhan's hand from his cheeks

"And he has an attitude" a voice from behind Luhan talked

"You know that I can't control nor emotions nor personality, they just develop on their own" Chanyeol hugged the other boy "how are you Sehun?"

Luhan finally let go of Baekhyun and stood next to Sehun, who surrounded Luhan with his arms.

Luhan and Sehun owned the best pastry shop of the whole town, it was called "Peter Pan Donut and Pastry Shop" and they sold every kind of sweet that you could imagine and they tasted like heaven too. Most of the day it was completely packed of people, young and old, everyone on town gathered to eat those delicious pastries and to enjoy the cozy atmosphere.

"Yo!" A loud voice boomed through room, startling the four boys

"Why are you so damn loud!" Luhan grabbed the person's ear, scolding him

"Ow" The boy complained "Luhan how are you so strong with that girly face?"

"YAH!" Sehun smacked the boy's head "Jongin don't talk like that to my baby"

Jongin snorted  "Whatever"

"Hello Sehun, Luhan" a petite big eyed boy appeared from behind Jongin

"Hi Kyungsoo!" Luhan hugged the boy

"Kyungsoo I don't know how you can handle Jongin, he’s so annoying" Sehun talked to Kyungsoo

"shut up you butthead" Jongin retaliated ,clearly offended

"Oh" Kyungsoo smiled innocently "He's not that bad"

"Yeah ,right" Sehun sarcastically chided

Then the two of them engrossed in a heated, but ridiculous, fight over who was more childish. This only got their boyfriends to roll their eyes.

Kyungsoo turned to Chanyeol, ignoring his childish boyfriend, and noticed someone was with him "Oh, and who’s him is?"

Chanyeol smiled brightly "He's Baekhyun"

Baekhyun gave Kyungsoo and Jongin a shy smile "Hi"

Kyungsoo squealed "Oh God ,he's so cute!"

Luhan squealed too "I know right!"

Soon both of them were ogling and squealing around Baekhyun, who merely stared down at his feet, he was very shy and all that attention was new to him.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun spent the rest of the time at the pastry shop with Luhan, Sehun, Jongin and Kyungsoo, even though Baekhyun was shy, he slowly began to  warm up to the four boys and he no longer looked down, but he still remained attached to Chanyeol 's side ,which was totally adorable(“Sehun why aren't you like Baekhyun? You're always mean whenever I want to hug you)

 

“You only know a part of me.
I am a universe full of secrets”
 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun were in Chanyeol's toy store, the petite man watched as the older boy worked in his workshop, Chanyeol seemed happy there and Baekhyun liked seeing his master happy, it made him bubbly and warm inside.

"Why did you create me?" Baekhyun asked Chanyeol one evening "and what am I?"

Chanyeol stopped his doing and turned to Baekhyun and smiled at him, Baekhyun blushed. Chanyeol will never get tired of seeing that beautiful rosy color staining the boy's cheeks.

"Well" Chanyeol lowered the wooden doll he was working on and sat beside Baekhyun, who unconsciously rested his head in Chanyeol's lap "You are a doll"

"And I made you because I was lonely and I wanted some company, someone who could help me in the toy store, but most important" Chanyeol played with Baekhyun’s hair "I wanted someone to love ,someone whom i could share my time with"

Chanyeol's parents died in an accident when he was three and his grandfather took him under his care, so Chanyeol learned everything from him, his grandfather was a toymaker, the same thing that Chanyeol is now and he loved it. He loved to make toys and to make other's happy with his creations and Baekhyun was his most perfect creation, a human sized doll, with emotions, personality, memory, everything a human being had. He hoped his grandfather was proud of him in heaven.

Many people wished they had Chanyeol’s power, you see, Chanyeol's family blood runs a special power that allows things ,specially toys, to work or to come alive if the toymaker choose it. That's why people with Chanyeol's power were called puppeteer or toymakers.

"I love you too" Baekhyun’s voice brought him to reality and he gathered Baekhyun in his arms.

"I love you too" Those words, sounded so perfect coming from Baekhyun's lips ,he kept caressing Baekhyun's hair and watched how the boy fell asleep in his arms.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun became inseparable ,one was never without the other, they spent every day together, Baekhyun even started working at the workshop along with Chanyeol, he liked to see the little children run around the shop and playing with the toys. The people in town soon became attached to Baekhyun too, everyone enjoyed watching the couple interacts, and it was endearing to witness their growing love.

"Baekhyun, let's open the store now" Chanyeol hugged Baekhyun and gave him a peck in the cheek; the petite boy blushed and hugged he giant back.

"Ok ,I'll be downstairs" Baekhyun cheerfully said as he walk down the stairs skipping them.

When Baekhyun reached  the toy store, the first thing he did was to turn the sign that said "Closed" to "Open" then he  sat behind the counter and heard the bell ring, signaling that people was entering the store.

"Hello babe" when Baekhyun looked up, he encountered a man in his early twenty’s, smiling at him, Baekhyun just ignored him.

"What is a babe like you doing here?" The man leaned against the counter and smiled gallantly at Baekhyun or at least that is what the man thought. Baekhyun paid no attention whatsoever.

"Why are you ignoring me?"  Baekhyun didn’t even looked at him

"you know..." The man talked again, trying to call Baekhyun's attention "you shouldn't ignore me, you'll get in trouble"

Baekhyun snorted, he was annoyed, and why couldn't this man leave him alone?  "OH, really?"

"oh,so pretty boy has an attitude" The man approached the counter, almost pressing himself to Baekhyun

"w-wha-waht are you doing?" Baekhyun stuttered a bit, trying to get away from the man

"i don't like when people ignore me"

Baekhyun was about to slap the man, he was too close to him and he was trapped against the wall, when he heard Chanyeol's deep voice booming through  the store.

"Chanyeol!" Baekhyun ran towards him and hid behind him, shivering a little

"Dongwoo what are you doing here?" Chanyeol turned to the man, hostility, lacing his voice. “I told you once that I’m not selling you the toy store"

"oh nothing" Dongwoo talked "I was just doing my usual stroll when your pretty boy catches my eye"

"well, you can get going now"

"yes" Dongwoo answered ,glancing at Baekhyun "but I’ll be back and this time, it’s not the toy store what I want, but something else"

Chanyeol glared at Dongwoo while he walk out of the toy store, then he turned to Baekhyun and hugged the boy tightly, inhaling the boy's scent while kissing the top of his head.

"are you alright?" Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun, visibly worried, as he touched Baekhyun's body searching for injuries

"Yes" Baekhyun grabbed Chanyeol’s hands in his "who's him?"

"he’s just an spoiled brat" Chanyeol answered drily

Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol, a little bit hurt by the way Chanyeol answered him, he had never talked to him like that. Baekhyun wanted to ask Chanyeol more about Dongwoo, but judging by the way he just answered, Baekhyun guessed he would not gain anything by asking some more.

Baekhyun detached himself from Chanyeol and went upstairs to his room (more like Chanyeol's room, since they shared) and threw himself in the bed, he just states there, head buried in the pillow until he felt strong arms surrounding him and hugging him tightly against a well-known chest. He felt Chanyeol's breath tickling his neck and his hands hugging his waist.

"I'm sorry" Chanyeol whispered against Baekhyun's neck "I Just..."

Baekhyun turned around, facing Chanyeol, waiting for his answer "You what?"

Chanyeol sighed "I just don't want Dongwoo near what's mine"

When Baekhyun heard Chanyeol's words he felt something his chest that soon spread around his body making him feel hot. Is it a malfunction? The boy wondered, or is it love? All this feelings and sensation were new to him, even though he was getting costumed to something’s, like Chanyeol's affection or the way his friend(yes, now Baekhyun could call them his friends too) talked to him as they've been friends for a long time and Baekhyun was glad for that, it made him feel human, because the truth is that he's not human, he's just a doll, but sometimes he wishes he was like Chanyeol; human.

But we don't always get what we want to, don’t we?

Maybe

…just maybe

“I don’t know what I can do,
still I know I’ve got to try”
 

"Good morning Luhan, Sehun" Baekhyun inhaled the sweet smell of donuts, sugar and hot coffee as he entered the shop and sat in one of the tables, with Chanyeol at his side

"Hello!" Luhan offered them a cheerful smile

"Guess who's here?" another voice boomed through the shop

Sehun smirked "Oh, look, is the annoying brat"

"YAH!"

"I'm older than you!"

"By how much?" Sehun teased "one month? Two months?"

Jongin turned to Luhan "Why are you dating him?"

Luhan laughed at his dongsaeng's words and hugged Sehun "He's nicer than how he acts"

"When pigs fly" Jongin snorted

Sehun narrowed his eyes " you'll be flying when-"

The sound of a door opening attracted the boys' attention, all of them turned to the door when two men entered the pastry shop. One had chubby cheeks and the other had a sharp, defined jaw. Both of them were smiling happily.

"Jongdae! Minseok!" Luhan greeted the new costumers

"Hello everyone" the one with chubby cheeks smiled politely

Baekhyun was about to say hello too when the boy with the sharp jaw approached him, he was way too close for Baekhyun's comfort.

"And you are?"

The chubby boy hit the other "Jongdae!"

Jongdae shrugged innocently "what? I'm just curious Minseok"

Baekhyun was confused as ever, as he watched the two strangers bicker.

"Oh ,I'm sorry" Minseok turned to Baekhyun "My name is Minseok and this rude prick is my boyfriend Jongdae"

"I'm Baekhyun" He introduced himself smiling

Chanyeol sneaked his arms around Baekhyun's slim waist and smile cheekily "My boyfriend"
 

“ Alice : How long is forever?
White Rabbit : Sometimes, just one second”
 

"Oh lying beside you, here in the dark...feeling your heartbeat with mine..." Chanyeol listened to Baekhyun sing while he cooked "living without you, living alone, this empty house seems so cold"

Chanyeol couldn't express what he felt when he heard Baekhyun sing, it was something beautiful and what made it special was that he didn’t expect Baekhyun's voice to be so melodious, in fact, he didn’t expect Baekhyun to so...unique. Sure, he knew that the doll would develop his own characteristics, but Baekhyun was wonderfully unique and unpredictable, each day with him meant new experiences, for both of them.

Sometimes Baekhyun acted like a kid in a candy store, especially when Chanyeol takes him to the garden or the pastry shop. Baekhyun loved to try each new pastry Luhan gave him (Luhan even said that Baek had a sweeter tooth tan Xiumin-Hey I take offense to that!-)

"what are you thinking?" Chanyeol's thoughts were interrupted by Baekhyun's voice

"uh?" Chanyeol smiled "in nothing, just how perfect you are"

And there it was, that beautiful blush covering Baekhyun’s pale cheeks "I'm not perfect, you just love me too much so you think I’m perfect"

Baekhyun never understood why Chanyeol insisted in calling him perfect, to him Chanyeol was the perfect one, because Baekhyun was lacking of something very important, a human soul.

"you're perfect because I say so" Chanyeol threw at Baekhyun a chopped piece of carrot

"Hey!" Baekhyun laughed as he shot Chanyeol with pieces of lettuce

Both of them laughed as they continue with their little food fight, Chanyeol kept these moments deep in his heart, he loved to remember Baekhyun's happy smiles when he was having fun without having a care in the world, but little did Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun’s smiled were not because he was having fun, but because he was having fun with him.

"See what you did?!" Baekhyun said to Chanyeol, still laughing “you started it, you’re cleaning"

Said that, Baekhyun kissed Chanyeol and walked out of the kitchen to take a bubble bath.

Chanyeol just smirked as he watched Baekhyun’s back walking upstairs.

"Park Chanyeol! Less staring at my bottom and more cleaning!"

Chanyeol laughed at loud at this.

 

“If you ever get lonely.
Listen to the roaring thunder.
For every bolt of lightning
Is another feeling I could never express for you”

But not everything was fairytale-like, some days, when Baekhyun was busy in the toy store or when he was out, in the pastry shop, Chanyeol sat in the kitchen table and stared at His and Beak’s photo in the fridge, pondering over Baekhyun. Chanyeol didn't want to think about it, but was inevitable, pondering over the fact that he'll die someday, but not Baekhyun, he would continue walking and smiling, not matter how many time has passed or what changes.

Chanyeol hates it, he hates the fact that he’ll, die first, not because he's afraid from death, but rather because he'll leave Baekhyun alone, he couldn't imagine how sad would Baekhyun be.

if only he could find a way...

but magic exists only in fairytales ,right?

Or not?

Chanyeol decide to enjoy his tome with Baekhyun, while he could. Everything was great with Baekhyun, until something happened, Chanyeol got sick, horrible sick, until the point he couldn't stand from the bed without help. Baekhyun didn't know what to do; he’ll do anything to save Chanyeol's life, even given his own life in exchange from Chanyeol's.

“We don’t what kind of people we truly are until the moment before our deaths.

As death comes to embrace you, you will realize what you are”

Baekhyun held his lover's hand while he slept and caressed the soft bangs. He didn’t realized he was crying, until he felt someone brushing his tears away. He looked up, to find the smiling face of a woman. He stood up and stared in confusion at the woman, she was wearing a long sleeved pure white dress that reached the floor and there was something in her back that vaguely reminded him of wings that shone with a translucent spark.

"Darling, don’t cry" the woman spoke with a tender a d sweet voice "not everything is lost"

"But what can I do?" Baekhyun fought the urge to crumble down on the floor

The lady smiled and she grabbed Baekhyun's hand in hers "shh, dear one, you’ll see"

Then Baekhyun felt it again, that horrible painful sting in his chest, it hurt, like a thousand needles stabbing him, repeatedly. "it hurts, it hurts so much, why?"

"your heart is in pain" the lady put her hand over Baekhyun's other hand, the one that was tugging his shirt where his chest hurt

"but how? I don't have a heart" Baekhyun sadly answered

"that's true"

"but that's not important"

Baekhyun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion "uh?"

The lady smiled again "dear ,you have more humanity in you, than anyone else. Your heart is pure; you may be a machine, a porcelain doll, but you've developed a heart on your own and moreover, a soul "

"but I’m not human" Baekhyun talked again

The lady walked until the window and opened the glass, living the chill winter air enter the room, Baekhyun followed her.

“Tell me, what do you see?” she motioned to the night sky

Baekhyun looked at the sky outside, It was covered with stars. How could the sky seem so peaceful and happy when he was in pain?.

“Stars” murmured Baekhyun

The lady’s eyes crinkled, forming almost a crescent moon “That’s right”

“humans are so cute,
when you say goodbye you put your arms around each other
and to show love to someone you bring them flowers.
you say hello by holding each other’s hand,
and sometimes tiny little dewdrops form in your eyes. for pleasure you listen to arrangements of sounds,
press your lips together,
smoke dried leaves,
get drunk off of old fruit.
we’re all just little animals,
falling in love and having breakfast
beneath billions of stars”   The lady’s voice seemed to float with the air

“Baekhyun” The lady called him “what if I tell you that there is a way to save your love?”

“How?!” Baekhyun urged the lady

The lady’s eyes seemed to darken while she talked “but what if I told you that it means to give up your life?”

Baekhyun didn’t need to think twice “I don’t care, I’ll do it”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes”

“Let’s start, shall we?”

The lady touched Baekhyun’s chest where his heart hurt and his skin emitted a faint glow, he felt his gears stop one by one, his system shutting down. Suddenly he felt drowsy and his eyelids felt heavy, the corner of his eyes getting darker, so he sat on the floor, feeling as he floated around.

“Sleep” A sweet voice whispered and that was the last thing he heard

Baekhyun slept with a smile on his face, knowing that Chanyeol would be safe now.

 

“A dream is a wish
your heart makes “

 

“Baekhyun!” Someone yelled “Wake up!”

Nothing.

“Damn it!”  “Wake up! Open your eyes!”

A faint movement, like a caress.

“PARK BAEKHYUN!”

Flutter of eyelids, fingers caressing his hair, a smile tugging his lips.

“Chanyeol?”

“Finally, I thought you’d never woke up”

Baekhyun stared a Chanyeol, then he remembered; sick Chanyeol, the lady, his death?. He lifted his shirt and touched his chest, where the heart is supposed to go and he felt it, a heartbeat, a human heartbeat, but how?

“Chanyeol ,feel this” Baekhyun hold Chanyeol’s hand over his heart ,Chanyeol’s eyes grew big.

”Your heart is beating, you have a heart!”

“I’m alive…” Baekhyun whispered

“Your alive!”

“But how?” Chanyeol asked

Baekhyun looked around the room, everything was the same as last night, then he noticed it, the window, it was closed and there was something attached to it, a piece of paper. Baekhyun stood up and took it.

‘A sacrifice, that’s all I needed to safe him. You sacrificed your engineer and gears for him, so the old you died, the porcelain doll died, now your human. Have a safe and long life Baekhyun’

With love, Your Mechanic Angel’

Baekhyun smiled, happiness tears rolled down his cheeks. He was alive, he was human, and he was like Chanyeol, now he could be with Chanyeol as long as life provided them.

“I don’t know how I’m alive” Baekhyun hid the letter, it was better if Chanyeol didn’t know about last night “But it doesn’t matter, I’m human and I’m with you, that’s all I care about”

He hugged Chanyeol and smiled when he felt that warm feeling spreading in his chest, now he knew it wasn’t a malfunction, it was love.

---

What do you think?

Let me know in the comments!

Kisses and love for everyone!