I'm (Not) Fine (BaekLay)

One Plus One Equals Three: The BaekChenLay Chronicles

pairing: BaekLay
length: 1851 words

Yixing lazily watched as the cars passed in front of his while he waited at the red traffic light. Just one more block and then he would be at his favorite burger joint for a much-needed lunch break. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been able to schedule in lunch during the day at his summer internship, so this temporary escape was like a breath of fresh air. And the best part was that he didn’t even need to be back at the office for another hour, which was plenty of time for him to stop by a café for some milk tea with boba after lunch.

As he waited for the traffic light to turn green, he caught sight of a boy wearing a large backpack while sprinting at top speed down the crosswalk in front of his car. He mildly wondered to himself where this kid was going in such a hurry. Since he was running in the direction of the local high school and had a backpack on, Yixing inferred that the boy was most likely in his late teens and headed to the high school. Although it was strange that he was heading there now at this time, when he should’ve been at school hours ago.

Just after the boy reached the other side of the crosswalk, he ran several more paces before suddenly and noiselessly skidding across the ground, to Yixing’s surprise as he watched the scene with wide eyes. But what surprised him even more was how quickly the boy picked himself back up from the ground and continued on his way as if he hadn’t just fallen onto the concrete floor in the middle of the sidewalk. Yixing decided that the burger could wait and immediately flicked on his left turn signal, so he could follow the boy as soon as the traffic light turned green.

In just two minutes, Yixing had caught up to the boy and was now driving slowly, keeping one eye on the boy and the other eye on the road. The boy had ceased running and was now limping since he was most likely hurt from the brutal fall. He was also staring at his hand—it looked like he was carrying a cell phone, but Yixing couldn’t be sure from his position—with despair and seemed to be muttering to himself while taking deep breaths. Yixing wasn’t an expert in anxiety, but he was fairly certain this boy was panicking to himself as he soullessly walked forward while staring unblinkingly at his hand.

So he ignored the rumblings from his empty stomach and pulled his car directly next to the boy, who continued walking without noticing the Chinese male. “Hey!”

The boy jumped and fearfully looked around, obviously not expecting to be addressed so unexpectedly.

Yixing quickly shut off his car’s engine and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He could see now that there was indeed a cell phone in the boy’s hand and its screen was completely shattered. “Are you okay, kid?” he asked, surveying the boy’s bloodied left hand and the evident limp in his left leg. No, you’re not, Yixing mentally answered for him.

“I-I’m fine,” the boy stuttered out while his large eyes darted around, trying to avoid looking at the broken cell phone in his hand. “I-I’m okay,” he added, his voice becoming higher as he fidgeted more. He then hissed as pain shot through his left leg and his lean body slightly doubled over.

“Whoa, take it easy.” Yixing’s hand instantly latched onto the boy’s skinny right arm and he threw it over his shoulders so that the boy could lean against him for support. “That was a nasty fall back there.”

The boy’s eyes grew even larger as he choked out, “Y-you saw me? Oh god. Oh my god. Oh no, this is the worst. Oh my god.” His hands began quivering and his breathing shortened, which alarmed Yixing who hadn’t meant for his comment to affect the boy in this way.

“Hey, easy there, kid. Deep breaths,” the older male directed as he carefully maneuvered the boy to his car and set him in the passenger seat.

The boy shakily nodded as he attempted to even his unsteady breathing patterns. His knuckles turned white amidst the blood as his hands gripped his cracked cell phone even tighter.

“Here, let me hold it for you so that your hands aren't hurt even more,” Yixing kindly offered as he gently pried the boy’s bloodstained fingers from the broken cell phone.

The boy limply stared at the shattered screen of the cell phone that was now in the older male’s possession before inaudibly muttering something.

“Pardon?”

“My d-dad is going to k-kill me for b-breaking my phone,” the boy whispered, his voice slightly cracking as tears began streaming down his pale face. “Oh god, this phone was new and so expensive, and now I’ve gone and broken it. How am I going to tell him that I broke it after finally getting a new phone after four years?”

Yixing could see that panic was building up in the boy once more, so he quickly hugged the younger male and his back while murmuring, “It’ll be okay. Just calm down first, okay?” Once he could feel the boy relax in his warm embrace, Yixing continued softly, “Let’s get you patched up and then go grab some lunch. Is that all right with you, kid?” The boy slowly nodded, so Yixing gradually let him go before inserting his key into the ignition to start the car’s engine.

They arrived at a nearby convenience store and Yixing stepped out of the car while telling the boy to stay put. The younger male just silently nodded his head again. Several minutes passed before Yixing returned with a small first aid kit. Once he sat back down in the driver’s seat, the older male turned to the boy and ripped the packaging off of an alcohol wipe. Yixing then carefully picked up the boy’s scratched up left hand and lightly swiped a wet wipe against the wounds. The boy hissed loudly again due to the sting from the alcohol coming into contact with the open gashes on his palm. “Sorry,” Yixing murmured as he worked more quickly, so he could finish faster. “Just bear it for a little bit longer.”

The boy stayed silent as he bit down on his bottom lip, trying to think about anything other than the pain of his injuries and his now shattered cell phone. His hand felt marginally better once Yixing wrapped it in bandages and the stinging sensation disappeared.

“Roll up your pants leg now.”

“Huh?” The boy gaped at Yixing, who was too busy rummaging through the first aid kit to see the surprised expression on the younger male’s face.

Once he had found several more alcohol wipes that were much larger than the previous one he had used on the boy’s hand, Yixing explained, “I noticed you limping earlier. Your knee is hurt, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

“Let’s get that bandaged up as well then, shall we?” Yixing helped the boy roll up his left pants leg to expose the raw and bloody knee. A loud exhale involuntarily escaped the younger male’s mouth and more whimpers soon sounded when Yixing began dabbing at the wound with the alcohol wipes. “I’m almost done, kid. I promise it’ll be over soon,” the older male said reassuringly, knowing that his actions had to hurt, even if they were also meant to heal. Once he finished wrapping the injured knee, Yixing smiled and pushed down the rolled up pants leg with gentle care. “There. Now let’s get some food.”

He then drove to his favorite burger joint, and promptly ordered cheeseburgers and fries for the two of them via the drive-through. While they ate in Yixing’s car, which was parked on the sidewalk by the fast food restaurant, the older male learned quite a bit about the boy, who wasn’t exactly who he seemed to be.

His name was Byun Baekhyun. And despite his youthful looks and short stature, Baekhyun was actually only a year younger than Yixing was. He hadn’t been running to the high school, but had actually been running to the subway station to catch the train to his own summer internship.

The older male felt bad for referring to Baekhyun as a kid earlier, but the younger male brushed it off when Yixing apologized. “It’s no big deal,” he said after nibbling at his cheeseburger. “A lot of people think I’m still in high school, even though I’m a third-year undergraduate student.”

Yixing didn’t think he should mention how he had also thought Baekhyun was a high school student earlier. “Do you not drive?” the older male asked curiously, knowing how convenient it personally was for him to own a car.

“It’s cheaper for me to take the train,” Baekhyun answered with a shrug.

“I can drive you to your internship,” Yixing proposed immediately. He wasn’t sure what propelled him to offer his help in the first place, but his mouth had spoken before his mind could catch up.

“It’s fine. I don’t really know you…” And in another almost inaudible whisper that Yixing managed to catch this time, Baekhyun added, “And my dad would never allow it…”

“Don’t worry!” Yixing beamed brightly at the younger male. “It’s on my way to work, so I can drop you off and pick you up every day!”

“But—”

“It’s really no trouble at all. And if you’re worried about your dad knowing, it can be our little secret,” Yixing said while holding up his pointer finger to his lips. “Besides, I don’t think you’ll be walking anywhere very easily for a while with your knee busted up.”

Baekhyun couldn’t deny that the offer was tempting. Although he was still mortified that Yixing and several other strangers had seen him in probably one of the most unflattering and embarrassing moments of his life yet, not to mention that his new and expensive cell phone was cracked, it was nice that this kind stranger had gone out of his way to help him. Baekhyun couldn’t remember the last time anyone had been this nice to him for no reason. “I–I won’t be a bother, will I?” he asked hesitantly.

“I promise you aren't.” Yixing smiled serenely as he looked directly into Baekhyun’s large eyes.

“O-okay. Thanks.” The younger male managed to return a small smile before shyly looking down at his cheeseburger and focusing on eating it.

“You’re welcome.”

It was clear to Yixing that Baekhyun was hurting inside. He had only known the younger male for an hour, but it was apparent that his life wasn’t sunshine and rainbows. Even though he claimed he was fine, that everything was okay, Yixing knew it wasn’t. So he wanted to be there for the younger male, since it seemed like no one else.

That way, maybe one day, Baekhyun would actually be telling the truth when he said, “I’m fine.”

♈♈♈

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luv_kero
[1+1=3] THANK YOU to the person who advertised this collection!! <3 It came as a complete surprise and I'm so grateful that someone cared enough to promote this, so THANK YOU and I hope everyone enjoys the random scenarios that pop into my head, hehe ^^

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Djatasma
#1
Chapter 161: One Wednesday night soon I'm going to go get McDonald's and play Genshin. Even though my HuTao is mad weak 🥲
Djatasma
#2
Chapter 160: A late but Blessed Belated Baek Day. 🩵
Djatasma
#3
Chapter 158: Happy 11th EXOversary!
Djatasma
#4
Chapter 155: 🥰🥰
ReadRealize #5
Chapter 154: Hope that we get to see ot9 soon.
zaikenhuo
#6
Chapter 148: Baekhyun doing shots with Yixing, Baekxing just living the moment, regrets be damned ❤
ReadRealize #7
Chapter 151: Happy birthdae!
Djatasma
#8
Chapter 151: Blessed Dae Day!
Djatasma
#9
Chapter 149: 😭
zaikenhuo
#10
Chapter 144: Love it how this baekxing is the total opposite of the last one i've read, i'll just never have enough of domestic clingy boyfriends baekxing au ❤