Minseok struggled to stop Lu Han from going into the burning building, Baekhyun was his friend, he would get him out. Unfortunately his leg injury made it impossible for him to catch up, leaving him to weakly stumble then land on the lawn as Lu Han rushed towards the conflagration.

He could still feel the heat from the fire at this distance. His skin burned, his eyes watered. His lungs stung with each breath, he had in more than a little acrid smoke while he disassembled and dragged the machine out of the house.

His whole life was in shambles. Part of it laid out on the lawn of his ancestral home, part of it unaccounted for in the fire.

“You know I would have liked to have kept my portrait,” Junmyeon remarked from somewhere behind Minseok. “I have fond memories of sitting for it.”

Minseok ignored his uncle’s reminiscence. He stared at the fire, stared at the dark and foreboding entryway -- not even a door but a chunk of collapsed wall -- that Lu Han had ran into. Minutes seemed like hours as he watched for any sign of his best friend, any sign of Lu Han.

He was ready to give up hope when he saw movement, twin figures dashing away from the fiery backdrop. They were huddled together, a sheet thrown over both of their backs.

Minseok watched in shock, not believing his eyes. Was it…

Baekhyun collapsed in front of him, Lu Han no longer strong enough to hold him up. Up. The adventurer quickly fell to his knees coughing, the dirtied sheet slipping from his shoulders.

Baekhyun was no longer a rat.

Baekhyun raised his head and glared at Minseok. “He’ll never do more than squeak, , or sleep and if he's in a good mood maybe run a little maze, but that's it,” he repeated Minseok's words from earlier in the day, narrowing his eyes at his best friend. “You put me in a maze! I hate mazes! And don’t get me started on that atrocious food you fed me!”

The tears that streamed down Minseok’s face were no longer from the smoke. They were tears of happiness, of relief, at seeing his best friend back in human form. He ignored Baekhyun’s complaints and pulled him into his arms, happiness overcoming him. He had no idea how his friend had shifted back, the how of the situation didn't matter, only that he was back.

The five men watched the fire burn into the night, by dawn the estate was partially destroyed but the fire had died down, leaving smoldering rubble in its wake. The night had passed quickly by, Minseok and Baekhyun had spoken for hours, Minseok finally regaining control on the emotions he worked so hard to never show. Baekhyun complained endlessly about his time as a rat, but Minseok knew he wasn’t really that upset. He could tell.

Near dawn Baekhyun turned his attention to Yixing,leaving Minseok to raise an eyebrow at the pair. He couldn’t recall them ever having known each other before, but then again he didn't remember everything.

Around that time Lu Han fetched water from the nearby well, hauling it back with Junmyeon’s help (and his constant protests) so the other, injured members of their group could clean their faces and sate their thirst.

By dawn everyone was exhausted but their morale was improving.

Minseok glanced at the pieces of his machine now and then, frowning. But then he would catch sight of Baekhyun and he would feel his sadness dissipate for a brief period of time. He had missed having him around...at least having him in human form. The guilt he had felt since Baekhyun had been turned into a rat was immense, weighing on him night and day.

It was at one of these moments, when he stared sadly at his machine, that Lu Han sat down next to him. Minseok dug the toe of his shoe into the grass. He was hugging his knees to his soot covered shirt, the parts of his grandest invention a few feet in front of him.

Minseok kept his eyes on the disassembled device while he spoke. In some ways he was too afraid to look at the man he had wronged so horribly, who had ran back into a burning building to rescue Minseok’s best friend at the possible expense of his own life.

Minseok cleared his throat. “Thank you for rescuing Baekhyun.”

“Thank you for attempting to rescue me. After your machine was safe, I mean,” Lu Han responded.

Minseok cringed, feeling ashamed. “Ah, yes, well the --”

“I know how much it means to you, no need to explain,” Lu Han waved his words away. “I suppose it means a lot to me too.”

Minseok was surprised to hear it. He gave Lu Han a questioning look.

Lu Han shrugged. “Whether I like it or not my future is tied to that thing.” He gestured towards the pile of machine parts. “It appears to be tied to you as well, even if you murdered me and locked me in a burning building.”

“It wasn’t burning when I locked you inside,” Minseok pointed out, instantly realizing how horrible a response it was.

Lu Han sighed. “I don’t understand why or how, but in some way we are supposed to love each other. So please stop trying to kill me. Please .”

“How do I know you won't try to kill me?” Minseok asked. “If I were you I would try to ki-”

“I am not you, and you are not me. I’ve never killed anyone in my life and unless I have to do so to save you, I don't plan on it,” Lu Han answered firmly.

“But I hired you to kill someone and-”

“No.” Lu Han shook his head. “No what-ifs. Minseok, I’ve been tossed all over the place, moved through time and I don't know what else and through all of it I haven’t killed you or tried to kill you. Even when I knew you murdered me in cold blood I stayed to help you. What else could I possibly do to earn your trust?”

Minseok considered everything Lu Han had been through, what the shirtless man had told him only a few hours after Minseok had killed him. Should he blindly trust his words? He knew without a doubt he felt a tinge of guilt for what he had put Lu Han through. He felt ashamed about his behavior, but did that equal trust?

It at least equated to a promise, Minseok decided. “I won’t kill you.”

“See, that wasn’t that difficult.” Lu Han reached over and lightly patted Minseok on the back. “So now what?”

Minseok smirked. “Well,I have an injured leg,  a best friend who used to be a rat but turned mysteriously back into a human, a man I murdered who refuses to give up on me, an uncle who terribly lied to me for as yet unknown reasons, a servant who omitted some important facts, and a half burned down country estate, not to mention a destroyed time machine. I think my next step is obvious.”

Lu Han raised his eyebrows. “It is?”

“Of course.” Minseok looked Lu Han in the eyes. “You never told me how the was. I want to know. It’s the logical next step.” He waited patiently, finding Lu Han’s mortified expression greatly amusing.