Han Sanghyuk made it into Hakyeon’s room first after finding out the man had finally awoken. Jaehwan close behind him, Hyuk just wanted to curl up beside the person that had been like a brother to him for so long and cry out all his feelings about what Wonshik had done to Hongbin. Speaking of, the killer sat in the bed beside their leader, holding him in a comforting embrace, and anger threatened to choke him, welling up in his chest and throat.

“Get the away from Hakyeon.” Growling, Hyuk took a threatening step toward the other man and Wonshik flinched but Hakyeon held onto him firmly.

“Hyuk. Stop it.” The tan man warned, slowly sitting up in the bed to look him in the eyes. “Leave him alone.”

“No! He ing killed Hongbin!” Taking another intimidating step toward the bed, he felt a force field of energy stop him in his tracks.

“Hear him out, Hyuk.” Soomi stood beside him, her hand up, maintaining the translucent iridescent barrier.

“Look. Wonshik never meant to kill Hongbin.” Hakyeon forced himself out of bed, causing Hyuk to wince at the large bandage wrapped around his torso. Body shaking slightly with the effort to stand while still so weak, it was Wonshik that was allowed by his side, Wonshik who held him up. Another flare of rage shot through him, but with the divider between him and the other men, he had to force it down.

“It doesn’t change that he did...” Glaring down the man holding up his friend, Hyuk wondered if his powers could rip apart Soomi’s protections.

“If he hadn’t, I would have died right there and none of us would have survived.” Shaking his head, Hakyeon leaned against Wonshik, his breathing slightly labored. “People are dead because of my actions too. Byungjun killed himself just to keep me safe, I held the knife that took Jaeseop’s life, and Taekwoon... I made the choice that took Taekwoon’s.” Tear welled up in his eyes and Hyuk knew he felt the same pain, that same indescribable sense of loss.

“Hakyeon...” Touching the barrier, he sighed, hating to see the older man, usually so strong and vibrant, so close to tears.

“No. Just shut up and listen to me.” Hakyeon straightened himself again, much to everyone’s protest, trying to maintain the powerful presence of the leader that he had always been. “You all wish to call me a hero for what part I played? And yet you all isolate and hurt Wonshik for making the biggest choice out of all of us. Yes. He killed Hongbin. And trust me when I say he hated himself for it. He still does. But if he hadn’t, I would have never made it past that room and we would have all fell to darkness. He is just as much the hero I am.” Everyone remained quiet but the comparison between his friend and the killer was too much for Hyuk.

“He’s not!” Smashing his fist against the barrier, Hyuk felt hands pulling him away and looked up to see a stony faced Yoonchul glaring down at him.

“If you can’t see the valor in what he did for all of us, then truly you can’t say the same for me.” Shaking his head, Hakyeon turned his back on him and Hyuk’s heart dropped. “If you see him a killer, then so am I and I find it best for all of us if you leave Hyde.”

“Hakyeon, no...” Wonshik held their leader’s arms gently, his voice pleading, causing only irritation for Hyuk. How dare that man think this fixed what he took from him.

“You don’t mean that...” Gripping his hands into fists, Hyuk tried to fight out of Yoonchul’s grip, only to have Soohyun join in restraining him.

“Get out of my house, Sanghyuk.” Not even bothering to turn around, Hakyeon pressed his face against Wonshik’s chest. “Do not come back unless you can see Wonshik’s actions for what they really were. Hongbin forgave him, it’s time you figured out how to as well.”

“Hongbin.. Forgave him?” Closing his eyes, Hyuk felt the sudden realization hit him with all the force of a semi truck. He had been the selfish one in all of this. They all went into this knowing what may happen and once it had, he was the one who couldn’t accept the truth.

“Sanghyuk. I’m sorry.” Wonshik looked at him as he gently placed the exhausted leader into the bed. “If I could, I would have found a better way.”

“I know...” Hyuk sighed, finally released by his captors. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry too.”

Lee Jaehwan had felt a sting of betrayal when he walked into Hakyeon’s room to see Wonshik in that bed, curled up with another man. Reminding himself that this was his choice, he sat silently in a chair by the door, watched in quiet horror at the argument between Hakyeon and Hyuk, at the natural way that Wonshik protected Hakyeon from everything around him. By the time Hyuk calmed, it had become clear to him that, though he was sure what he had with Wonshik had been real, perhaps fate had always intended those two to find one another.

It was Hyuk that brought him out of his semi depressed musings, coming to him for comfort, to cry for the hundredth time over his dead lover. Allowing the younger man to rest his forehead against his shoulder, Jaehwan held him tight for a moment before leading him out of the room so Hakyeon could get more rest. Once in Hyuk’s bedroom, the other man sat by his side on the edge of the bed, seemingly lost in thought.

“You know, Hyuk... It’s okay to be mad, to grieve.” Jaehwan touched his companion’s knee gently. “To hate the universe for what’s happened. It’s okay to feel the way you do. I know... I know that deep down, you understand why everything happened. Even so, it doesn’t make that it did happen any easier, does it?”

“No. It really doesn’t.” Placing his hand on Jaehwan’s Hyuk rested his head on his shoulder. With the other man so close, Jaehwan almost felt at peace and he hoped that maybe, just maybe, Sanghyuk felt a little relief from his own pain as well.

“I’m sorry you lost him.” Turning to kiss Hyuk’s forehead, he was taken surprise as the other man moved and their lips accidentally met for the second time. About to run, Jaehwan was held from flight as Hyuk’s fingers laced with his own. After a moment, they parted for breath and Jaehwan watched the other man in confusion.

“Sorry... I just...” Blushing, Hyuk looked away, still gripping Jaehwan’s hand. “Kissing you... It’s like finding a tiny speck of light in all this darkness. Like being lost in hell but having an angel offering you a chance at salvation.”

“Sanghyuk...” Nobody had ever said something so sweet about him, not even Wonshik. “I’ll do everything I can to bring you from the darkness, okay?”

“I know you will.” Hyuk turned to face him again and before he could react, they shared another sweet kiss. “Thank you, Jae.”

“Always.” Smiling a little, Jaehwan accepted his fate, accepted that maybe, if Wonshik was meant to be at Hakyeon’s side, then this was where he had always been fated to be, to rescue Hyuk from the nightmare he couldn’t ever wake from. If that were the case, he was fine with being Sanghyuk’s salvation.

Kim Wonshik lay in bed, Hakyeon resting gently on his chest, hand in hand. Relieved that the leader had stood up for him, declared him a hero, he still felt as though he hadn’t deserved the title. Looking down at the man curled around him, he wondered if this was all he needed. Not forgiveness, not redemption, only this man in this moment.

“What’s on your mind?” Eyes closed, Hakyeon spoke sleepily as though he could sense of other man’s eyes on him. Wonshik reminded himself that perhaps he could.

“You should be sleeping, Hakyeon.” Wonshik chuckled, running his fingers through the tan man’s hair, pulling him ever so slightly closer, not wanting to put any pressure on his wounds but needing to verify that his existence was real.

“Sleep is for the weak.” Yawning, Hakyeon shifted slightly to get more comfortable in his arms.

“Says the man that faints when he stands too long.” Rubbing Hakyeon’s cheek absentmindedly with his thumb, Wonshik watched him carefully, marveling at how he had taken so long to see the beauty in this man.

“I never said I wasn’t weak.” Grinning, Hakyeon opened his eyes, staring up at Wonshik. “I just don’t want to sleep the rest of my life away. I think... Well I think I owe it to Taekwoon, to all of them, to live my life as fully as I can.”

“I think that destroying a giant force of evil is a good start and has probably earned you some serious down time.” Rolling his eyes, Wonshik leaned down to kiss the top of Hakyeon’s head. “Thank you, for everything you said.”

“I meant all of it, Wonshik. Without your actions, everything would have went to hell. Literally.” Forcing himself into a seated position, Hakyeon wrapped his arms around Wonshik as he joined him, leaned against the headboard for support. “We should all be thanking you.”

“I don’t need any thanks. I saved the strongest, most fearless man I have ever met. And he saved the world.” Pressing his forehead against Hakyeon’s he closed his eyes. “You know... When I saw Hongbin about to kill you... I think that’s when I knew. I didn’t want to spend a second in a world where Cha Hakyeon wasn’t watching over all of us.”

“Wonshik...” Hakyeon touched his cheek gently and he leaned into the touch.

“No. Hakyeon, hear me out.” Sighing, he kept his eyes closed, not sure he could say what was on his mind if he met the other man’s gaze. “When I had to leave your side, I wasn’t excited to return to Jaehwan, to protect him. I was terrified, scared to death that I would never see you again. Maybe it’s because of what we went through together, you and I fighting for the world. But I don’t think it is. I think it’s a feeling that’s slowly been brewing and I didn’t realize it had until I thought I might lose you. I love you.”

“Wonshik. Look at me. Please.” Hakyeon’s voice was quiet and nervously he opened his eyes to see the other smiling. “I do too.”

Cha Hakyeon’s lips collided with Wonshik’s in a kiss that was passionate and searing, burning away the pain in his heart and making the agony his body felt seem bearable. Arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer as the kiss deepened and his own arms found their way comfortably around Wonshik’s neck. Though a part of him felt selfish for allowing the other man into his heart, he knew Taekwoon would prefer he found comfort and love, and he had, hadn’t he? From the moment he awoke, even before then, it had been Wonshik by his side. A fondness had began to grow between them, slowly but picking up speed, ever since they had rescued him and Jaehwan from the vampires. With nothing between them, nothing to keep them apart, it seemed fitting that the two men with blood on their hands found one another to combat what they had done to save the world.

“What the ?!” It was Soomi’s scream that stopped their embrace from getting any more heated. The pair jumped away and Wonshik made to leave the bed, Hakyeon holding his wrist gently, worried if he walked away it would be for good.

“Oh my god...” Nakhun jetted into the room, seeming to flee from something. Panic caused Hakyeon’s heart to pound.

“What’s going on?” Wonshik was already making a move to protect him and Hakyeon’s heart fluttered, a blush creeping over his cheeks.

“Daehwan... He...” Covering his eyes, Nakhun seemed mildly traumatized.

“He what?!” Unable to handle the suspense, Hakyeon attempted to go investigate on his own, being stopped quickly by his companion.

“Oh come on, you guys.” Soohyun’s amused voice from the living room eased his fears slightly and he settled against the headboard again.

“Hunnie, you can come out, they’ve got pants on.” Yoonchul shouted and Hakyeon gave the shocked man an impatient, questioning look.

“Soomi went to get her coat so she and Soohyun could go pick up dinner but found Daehwan and Kiseop in the closet.” Nakhun shivered in playful disgust before leaving the room to return to his boyfriend’s side.

“Man. We’re going to have to burn the closest.” Chuckling softly, he turned back to Wonshik. “We’re all going to be okay, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, Hakyeon. I think we are.” With a soft smile, Wonshik pulled him into another breathtaking kiss and for the first time since the Bulyeowoo had resurfaced, Hakyeon honestly believed it.