1752 words

"Oh my god, what happened?" Baekhyun helps Junmyeon inside and the latter gently lays Sehun on the couch.

"He's still breathing." Junmyeon runs a hand through Sehun's hair, his gaze staying on the unconscious boy.

"Jun-"

"He's still breathing," Junmyeon repeats, more to himself this time, as if reminding himself that Sehun is alive. His hands emit a soft blue glow and he runs them down Sehun's body, checking for any internal damage.

Kyungsoo looks on from the side, tears welling up in his eyes even though doesn't remember who the boy before him is.

"Tell me everything," Baekhyun says, cornering Junmyeon after they bring Sehun into the room he shares with Junmyeon.

"It- it was strange. I went inside a lab that we had suspected was theirs and it was completely empty. Papers were strewn everywhere, computers smashed, and I would've left if I hadn't seen him lying on this cot in the middle of a room. They just left him there." Junmyeon clenches his hands. "I didn't even know if he was alive; I just picked him up and came back here."

"He's not hurt, is he?" Kyungsoo speaks up, looking behind him to the bedrooms.

Junmyeon shakes his head. "A few cuts here and there but nothing internally."

"You should rest. I can watch over Sehun for you." Kyungsoo offers. Junmyeon bites his lip, his gaze flickering to the rooms, and he nods. Baekhyun pulls Junmyeon toward the couch and holds one of Junmyeon's hands in both of his when he's lying down. A sharp, unidentifiable feeling passes through Kyungsoo and he shakes it off, walking into the hallway.

The door creaks when he pushes it open, wincing at the sound. Kyungsoo glances at Sehun, taking a seat next to him on the bed. A surge of protection rushes through him and he hesitantly reaches out to brush away Sehun's fringe.

He sits there for minutes, hours, just watching Sehun's chest rise and fall with every breath.

Kyungsoo jolts when a hand lands on his shoulder, his eyes flashing green momentarily, fading away when he registers Baekhyun's form hovering over him.

"You've been watching Sehun for hours," Baekhyun says softly and Kyungsoo finally notices the afternoon sun shining through the covered windows. "Come on, let's get your wounds cleaned up."

Baekhyun leads Kyungsoo to the bathroom, hoisting him up to the counter. Kyungsoo reddens and Baekhyun smiles, rummaging through the cabinets to find a first aid kit.

Unwrapping the bandages on Kyungsoo's arm, Baekhyun examines his cuts, noting that they're not bleeding anymore. He still rubs disinfectant on the wounds, stilling when Kyungsoo winces in pain.

"Just a little bit more," Baekhyun assures him, a warm hand on Kyungsoo's elbow. He finishes off with one last swipe with a cotton ball, beginning to pack up the supplies.

"Wait," Kyungsoo says, catching Baekhyun's attention. "What about you?"

He uses Baekhyun's shoulder as leverage as he bends down to trace his fingers along the raised scar on Baekhyun's forearm. Kyungsoo stares at it, only seeing a pink line instead of the bloody scar he had been expecting.

Kyungsoo pulls away halfway, resting both of his hands on Baekhyun's shoulders as he freezes from their proximity.

"Oh," Kyungsoo breathes out softly, his bangs falling in front of his eyes. Baekhyun reaches up to brush them away, trailing down to rest on Kyungsoo's neck.

The corner of Baekhyun's mouth tilts up and he leans in, pulling Kyungsoo down to press their foreheads together. Warmth seeps from where Baekhyun is touching Kyungsoo and he feels so unbelievably safe at this moment, more secure and in place than he's ever felt his entire life.

"I've missed this," Baekhyun murmurs quietly, Kyungsoo barely catching it. The elder pulls away to briefly press his lips to Kyungsoo's forehead before taking a step back.

"I think we've left Sehun alone long enough," Baekhyun muses, turning around to put back the first aid kit. Kyungsoo nods to himself, pushing off of the counter and out of the bathroom. Baekhyun's smile drops as he grips the front of his shirt, as if to soothe the erratic beating of his heart.

Kyungsoo is already back at Sehun's side, watching the younger's face intently.

"You should rest. I can watch over Sehun for you."

Kyungsoo glances over, shifting on his spot on the bed. "Would it be okay if I just... stayed here?"

"I'm sure Sehun wouldn't mind. I'll just pull up a chair and make sure you two are okay."

Hesitantly, Kyungsoo lies down on the bed. He turns toward Baekhyun, looking up at him.

"Why do I feel so protective towards Sehun?"  Kyungsoo asks, stifling a yawn. His legs curl up slightly and Baekhyun shoves down the urge to hold him.

"Sehun is the first person you met when we were being tested on. You've always regarded him as a younger brother and almost killed Junmyeon when he told you he loves Sehun. You both also have opposite abilities, which causes a stronger emotional bond, since the scientists envisioned you two as a pair."

Baekhyun is met by silence and he assumes Kyungsoo has fallen asleep until he speaks again.

"I'm sorry I don't remember anything and that- that I'm not the Kyungsoo you want."

"You will always be the Kyungsoo I want." Baekhyun smiles softly. "Get some rest."

Kyungsoo eventually drifts off to sleep, flat on his back. Baekhyun sits back in his chair, focusing on the quiet movements of Junmyeon rummaging around the kitchen.

Kyungsoo dreams of metal bars against pure white walls. He lies on his stomach on the floor of a cage in a white room, his back aching with sharp pains coursing through periodically. Reaching behind himself, Kyungsoo touches his back. Tears well up in his eyes when his fingers graze his damaged skin, two fresh cuts slicing down the length of his back. Kyungsoo's palm is covered in his own blood and he starts to shake when the injuries fully set in, shooting stabs of pain down his spine every time he breathes.

Kyungsoo's heart drops to his stomach when he sees the door open, someone wheeling in another cage with a similarly bloodied body.

"Don't touch him!" Kyungsoo shouts despite a burning engulfing him as he speaks, watching as the worker ignores Kyungsoo and shackles Sehun to the corners of the cage, spreading out his body.

"Shut up or else you'll be chained like this too," the worker snarls and Kyungsoo glares at him.

The shift in his eyes is noticeable, how they turn from a dark brown to a bright green. Kyungsoo may be lying flat on the floor of a cage, but he's never needed to move to use his abilities. The room sways and the worker's eyes widen as a deep crack on the ground heads towards him. The worker searches his pockets momentarily before quickly striding toward Kyungsoo, a syringe in his hand.

The room begins to melt, the white walls disappearing into bright sunlight and an open field. Sehun is nowhere to be found and Kyungsoo panics until his eyes meet Baekhyun's. The elder stands across from him, both of his hands aflame.

His brain faintly registers a firm weight on his hand, anchoring him to an unnamable warmth.

"Soo," Baekhyun calls out, "it's hopeless. I can't control my abilities like you can." He lowers his head. "My ability is a curse."

"No," Kyungsoo hears himself say, and everything feels awfully familiar, "Your ability is a gift. I control what's around us, but you can control an entirely different element on your own. I use the materials around me but you create light and warmth from your own self. If you can't see that as a gift then I can't help you control your ability."

"Soo..."

"Take my hand." Kyungsoo interrupts. He reaches out for Baekhyun, who takes a step back. "I know you will never intentionally hurt me, Baek. Take my hand."

"No no no-" Baekhyun attempts to move out of Kyungsoo's reach but the younger is having none of that. With a flick of his wrist and a faint glow in his eyes, Baekhyun's feet sink into the ground before it quickly hardens again, leaving the elder stuck.

"Kyungsoo please," Baekhyun pleads, and he hesitates before stepping toward Baekhyun. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. I believe in you. Just take a deep breath, calm down, and take my hand."

"I can't, Soo-" and the slight pressure on Baekhyun's hands makes him stop. He glances down at his hands, now joined with Kyungsoo's. They're no longer engulfed in flames but emit a comfortable warmth and Kyungsoo smiles softly.

"I knew you could do it," Kyungsoo murmurs as he steps even closer, repositioning his hands to rest on either side of Baekhyun's face. With Baekhyun's feet still sunken in, they stand at the same height, making it easier for Kyungsoo to lean in and rest his forehead on Baekhyun's-

-and suddenly all of the air is gone from Kyungsoo's lungs. He gasps, pulling away, and when he tries to grab for Baekhyun, he's gone. He kneels over, holding his throat as he tries to take in a breath. The scenery darkens and blackens and Kyungsoo can feel himself getting pulled out of his dream and into reality.

Kyungsoo wakes up to Sehun hovering over him, his eyes completely white, his hands pressed to Kyungsoo's throat.

Thank you my lovely readers for putting up with my lack of updating! I hope you like the chapter (please don't kill me) and you can talk/prompt/whatever on my fairly new writing blog, formingthewords