The following days are a blur of rushed introductions, of sterile white rooms and friendly faces with shining badges. Baekhyun knows that it's all for his safety (how could he forget, with Chanyeol's hands and smile and heartbeat constantly in the corner of his vision, his mind) but it feels like too much sometimes. After a few hours of questioning, everything gets fuzzy around the edges, tinting his memories with doubt, making him question what he knows he heard and felt. 

"Back to the man at the bar," the detective's voice is tired, as tired as Baekhyun feels, but there's a sort of hope in it that makes him shut his eyes to envision the scene again. 

Chanyeol's dimple, wooden tables, crowds of people, and then a hand. The hand grabs him, rough and painful, drags him away. The man is bigger than him, but not especially large, not especially toned. He's average, and now there's something in Baekhyun's mouth. Drowsiness pulls him under. 

"Was there anything special about him?" she questions for what feels like the hundredth time. "A smell? Ring on his hand? Anything?" 

Baekhyun had given them great information on the people inside the house, but the police had found them at the scene, already had them in custody. There was nothing new he could provide about his kidnapper -- couldn't confirm or deny whether the man at the bar and the house were one in the same. 

"I'm sorry, I can't," Baekhyun feels anger twinge in the pit of his stomach. "I'm not very useful." 

"Mr. Byun, you're doing fine, it's not your fault. We'll review the tapes from the streets and the bar again before you leave, just in case?" 

The hair on his arms stand up at the thought of that, but he nods anyway, smile feeling awfully plastic on his lips. They'd shown him before in an attempt to make him remember something hidden, but each time it's just made Baekhyun feel nauseous and sweaty. Before he can work up the courage to disallow the viewing, there he is, grainy CCTV quality Baekhyun popping up on the screen. 

He watches fitfully as the image of him standing happily in the very corner of the bar's footage cuts to his flailing body outside, shows him getting thrown into a vehicle. It only takes seconds to watch, but it's enough. His throat is closing ever so steadily, a choked gasp of tears pushed down into his stomach, so stifled that Baekhyun knows he will probably vomit once he's out of the room. 

"Anything new?" the detective's calming tone helps his nerves, but it's only momentary. When she doesn't recieve any response from Baekhyun, she nods instead, softly, almost resigned. "Have a good night, Mr. Byun. Thank you." 

Then Baekhyun is forcing his way out of the small room, headed frantically toward the bathroom, fear and panic and stress manifesting in violent nausea and sobbing. He only makes it to the sink before he's wretching, shoulders trembling.

He misses Seoul more than ever right now, misses the way he'd felt laying in his bed watching the night sky. It was so simple, back before he'd moved to a new country, before he'd met someone who infuriates him and comforts him so easily, before he'd become entangled in some sort of plot against his husband.

Baekhyun feels almost hysterical from his few hours of sleep over the last week, so he's not really surprised when he finds himself sitting on the police station's bathroom floor, taking deep breaths and struggling to let them out. He's up and stumbling toward the door soon enough, hazy brain reminding him that Chanyeol is waiting to go back with him, that he needs to pull himself together so no one looks at him with those concerned eyes. 

His husband beats him to it, though, because before he can even leave the restroom, the door is swinging open and there he stands, tired eyes meeting the smaller's. 

"What's wrong?" Chanyeol breathes out as he takes in the sight of Baekhyun.

A large hand is tucking hair behind the shorter's ear gently, moving to rest on the back of Baekhyun's neck comfortably. The other is rubbing comforting circles onto Baekhyun's side. It's all so much, so quickly, and Baekhyun is reeling at the feeling of Chanyeol all over him, of his husband's warmth and cologne and worried looks. 

"It's just --" Baekhyun shakes his head, a choking breath tumbling out. "They made me watch the videos again, and you know how bad they are. I just -- I look so limp and weak." 

"They drugged you. The doctors tested it -- it's not your fault that you couldn't fight back. They're awful to watch, but none of what you saw was your fault." 

Chanyeol loosens his hold, moving to be eye to eye with the smaller, to give him a weak smile. 

"It's not even that, it's not -- I just looked --" Baekhyun rests his forehead on Chanyeol's shoulder, bracing himself. "I looked dead." 

The taller pulls him closer, shaking his head so hard that Baekhyun can feel his Adam's apple against the top of his head, can detect the moment when Chanyeol's hands start trembling. It's like a wave of emotions crash over him when Chanyeol kisses the crown of his head softly, lips brushing against his scalp for a moment in a way that sends a shiver down his spine. 

"You're safe," Chanyeol reassures, giving Baekhyun's shoulder a squeeze before pulling away. Baekhyun notices the way his eyes are flitting between them like he's nervous and scared, like the thought had crossed his mind, too. "You're safe." 

"No one should have to see themselves like that, Chanyeol, no one should have to watch themselves get kidnapped over and over and over --" Baekhyun's voice raises an octave in agitation, but Chanyeol's left hand extends to wrap around his right softly, silently.

Baekhyun sighs and stares at their fingers moving to adjust to the other's, wondering when this became regular, contemplating when Chanyeol's presence began to be his comfort. 

"I know, I shouldn't get so worked up. It's standard procedure," Chanyeol squeezes his hand in response. "It's just all so fresh, and they're acting like I should know more. I just wish I did. I wish I knew who orchestrated it, and why, and it could be over." 

"It will be over soon, Baek. I'm sure of it." 

Baekhyun ignores the quiver in Chanyeol's voice and the thumping in his chest, focusing solely on the warmth between their palms as they leave the bathroom. 

--

The palace is as breezy and open as ever, sheer curtains ruffling with each step the pair make through the halls. It's getting late -- at least Baekhyun thinks so, he's not so sure anymore, but the moon is out -- and all he can think about is collapsing into their soft bed, matching Chanyeol's breathing, drifting off into sleep. 

Chanyeol has the same plan, if his droopy eyes and constant yawns are any indication. Baekhyun feels his stomach warm at the sight, but before he can contemplate his childish reaction there's a loud shout, manly and aggressive. 

This seems to put the taller into protective mode, immediately pushing Baekhyun behind him, eyes narrowed and completely awake. Baekhyun winds his hands tight in the back of Chanyeol's shirt, pushing him forward slowly, nervous at the noises eminating from the next hallway. 

"I'm going to look," Chanyeol's voice is low and quiet. "If I scream, run the other way and find guards." 

Baekhyun hates how serious he sounds, how prepared he sounds. It hits him that Chanyeol had probably pictured this scenario hundreds of times since the day he'd gone missing, that Chanyeol had thought of all the ways they might be in danger, that Chanyeol had put him first in all of them.

He wants to pull Chanyeol back toward him and pepper kisses all over his face, just in case, but the taller is turning the corner before Baekhyun realizes he'd moved.

Silence ensues and Baekhyun waits, barely breathing, before he hears his husband's unmistakable voice ringing through a cacophony of screaming, "You came? You didn't have to. It's late." 

Deciding that he sounds rather calm and composed, Baekhyun ventures to the corner, peeking around in order to get a glimpse of their guest. He's not quite sure what he expected to be lurking in the next room, but it definitely wasn't more than half of Chanyeol's cousins, sprawled out on couches across the room, loud voices vibrating off the walls. 

He in a breath when he counts four heads surrounding his husband, exhaustion suddenly overcome with nervousness. He hadn't seen them all since the night of the ball, since the night Sehun scorched him with stares and touches, since the night Chanyeol swayed with him in the lilac light. A lot had happened since that chaotic day, and Baekhyun is now acutely aware that he looks awful and smells like vomit. 

"Where's Baekhyun?" 

Said man slowly matches the face to the voice, registering that Yixing is the prince asking after him. At his question, five heads turn to look toward the door, directly where Baekhyun is stationed. Chanyeol smiles a tiny smile, eyes fond in a way that Baekhyun doesn't think he's seen before, at least not directed at him. 

"Good evening, your highnesses," Baekhyun bows as far as his dizzy head will let him. Immediately, a chorus of groans is filling the room, four princes too embarrassed by the formalities the smaller is trying to give them. 

"You're technically already married to Chanyeol, at least on paper," Minseok points out, voice disappointed. "You're family! And we're here to see you after, you know, everything. There's no need to respect us when we're here to check on you." 

Jongin seperates from the group and ushers Baekhyun further inside the room, eyes kind. Baekhyun takes note of Kyungsoo when the latter nods to him in greeting, cheeks puffing in a small smile. He feels better standing in the group than in the doorway, though he's still hyperaware of how disheveled he must look to the rest of them. 

"How are you guys doing? Any injuries?" Minseok asks, looking the married pair up and down repeatedly, squinting. The other three seem to scrutinize them, too, though it feels like a joke when Baekhyun meets Yixing's eyes and sees the smile hiding in them. 

Baekhyun knows that he has a bruise on his neck from the way the man at the bar had grabbed him, but he stays quiet on the subject, letting Minseok's eyes wander over it and drift away once again, silent despite the older's obvious interest.

He's sure the other three have seen it, is positive Chanyeol has noticed it in the last week, but he looks away from the group to stare at an ornate painting hanging on the wall instead -- anything to get the interest away from the blue spot on his neck and the memories associated with it. 

"How have you been holding up with all of the doctor's visits and police interviews?" Kyungsoo's question seems more well thought out, and Baekhyun's grateful for the immediate distraction. "You both look tired." 

"It's been tough, especially for Baekhyun, but I'm sure after this week, it'll get easier to manage our time. Easier to finally get some real sleep, at least." 

Baekhyun smiles at Chanyeol's response and feels relieved when he reads the obvious undertones in it -- they're both tired, and they need to sleep, so it'd be easier to accomplish it without cousins yelling in their hallways. 

"It's just been a lot of repeating myself," Baekhyun shrugs, childish smile finding it's way out for the first time in awhile. He likes having people here, likes socializing with people who mean something to his husband, to his future life -- although, maybe not under these circumstances.  

"So cute!" Minseok's eyes crinkle when he laughs, and Baekhyun decides that maybe Minseok is his favorite of the cousins so far. "You stay positive, that's good! We've all had our fair share of threats and attempted kidnappings, but I'm glad you're trying to not let it freak you out too much." 

Baekhyun wants to scream that of course it freaked him out, it was awful, and he feels sick when he thinks about it. He doesn't, though, because he knows that there's no way to share those feelings to a group of guys he doesn't really know without it getting awkward, without worrying Chanyeol and stressing himself out tenfold. 

"I'm sure the police will get down to the bottom of it, and everyone can relax soon." 

Jongin doesn't speak too much, but his voice is nice and comforting when he does, Baekhyun finds. The tallest thinks so, too, because soon he's clapping a large hand on Jongin's back, smile bright and thankful. It's in this moment of peace that Baekhyun picks up on the sound of more voices, this time slightly farther away and low.

His hand reaches out for Chanyeol's arm immediately, ears tuning to the sound even more, panic rising in his chest like flames across the dry forest floor. He feels like he's sinking because this time there's no friendly yelling, no investigation done by Chanyeol, no place to turn -- they're coming closer on their own. 

Chanyeol's hand scrambles for his and he brings them closer together as if on instict. His face is hard as stone, unfeeling, but Baekhyun can feel his heartbeat quicken against his, can tell that his husband is panicking, too. Lately, everything feels like a threat. 

By the time the pair have fumbled to be close together, the other princes are giggling. 

"It's just the other guys," Yixing explains through a dimpled laugh. "You both gravitated to each other, it's adorable." 

Chanyeol huffs because it's not funny, but the situation especially loses it's humor when Baekhyun detaches himself from the taller out of embarrassment. There's no laughter left by the time Jongdae and Sehun walk in, a little shocked to find the couple back already. 

Jongdae is immediately on Baekhyun, smiling and being himself. For a moment, the fear and tension has lifted, leaving only Jongdae's strangled cries of happiness as he hurries to give Chanyeol a hug, spreading a twinge of joy through the room once again. It's distinguished the next second; the room goes silent as Sehun steps up to greet Baekhyun, smile knowing and hands on his instantly. 

"How are you, Baekhyun?" 

Baekhyun shrugs to convey so-so, feeling a little uncomfortable with the amount of eyes watching this interaction. He's particularly sensitive to the tall man by his side, the one whose eyes are almost deadly, filled with something close to hate.

Truly, he wants to be mad that his husband acts this way to his cousin, but then he thinks about Chanyeol spending years alone, Chanyeol being sent to France as an afterthought, Chanyeol losing the only connection to his mother and being punished for it.  

"Oh? What's this?" Sehun's voice is softer than he's ever heard it, filled with genuine curiousity, and Baekhyun watches with wide eyes as the boy's slim fingers reach closer to him. 

Sehun's fingertips brush across the bruise on Baekhyun's neck, stopping momentarily to feel the smaller's pulse. His hands are rough, rougher than Chanyeol's and colder, too. Baekhyun lets out an involuntary sigh when Sehun adjusts his hand to rub a thumb over the bruise, frowning. It's too tender, Baekhyun thinks, for a cousin's spouse. 

Chanyeol's hand shoots out, stopping Sehun's with a firm grip on his wrist, anger evident by the way his hand is shaking. The boy only rebels further, pulling away in indignation, rubbing his wrist as if he's in serious pain. 

"What is wrong with you?" 

Baekhyun knows what's wrong with Chanyeol and he also knows that Sehun is just as aware, that Sehun lives to provoke Chanyeol, that the tenderness earlier was a facade in order to get this reaction. Chanyeol moves closer to Sehun, blocking Baekhyun partially, eyes pure fire and hands an angry sort of shaky.

The shorter snakes an arm around Chanyeol's waist to hold his forearm, willing him to calm down. Sehun's eyes widen at the action and he smirks, mumbling, "See? You're scaring him."

The tallest's body goes rigid against the smaller -- he's positive that the anger is boiling over now, that Sehun needs to be quiet, because, god, Chanyeol has barely slept and now this. It's going to lead to nothing good, Baekhyun is sure.  

"Its obviously a bruise, you don't have to touch it," Chanyeol spits out. Baekhyun tries to reach for Chanyeol's hand, but it's no use, not when Sehun eggs him on like this.

Sehun rolls his eyes, smile returning, and Chanyeol only gets harder to relax. 

"Why can't I? I just wanted to check on him," he shrugs, head shaking in feigned ignorance. "He's been through a lot these last few days; he could use some affection from someone who, you know, could actually protect him." 

Chanyeol launches forward, but Baekhyun and Jongin launch forward, too, in order to hold him back from doing anything stupid. 

"You don't go around grabbing other people's husbands by the throat, you ing --" 

Jongin slaps a hand over Chanyeol's mouth and pulls him farther away, shaking his head vehemently. Sehun seems to think it's hilarious, bending over and dissolving into laughter, but the rest of the room dissolves only into horrified silence. 

"We'll leave," Minseok says quickly, grip on Sehun tight and demanding. "I'm sorry guys, good night." 

Once Sehun has been forced out of the room by the majority of the cousins, Jongin leaves, too, ashamed smile too much for Baekhyun to bear right now. Left alone in the silence and aftermath, Baekhyun finds himself taking Chanyeol by the hand and leading him back to their room, too dazed to think of much else than getting clean and sleeping, of calming Chanyeol down and attempting to forget what had just happened. 

--

Baekhyun is washing his face when he feels Chanyeol's warmth behind him, long arms seeking Baekhyun in a sideways hug -- a makeshift apology, maybe. 

"I shouldn't have jumped at him like that, I know," Chanyeol whispers, as if the words can't be said too loud, lest they lose their sincerity. 

"You shouldn't have. But he also shouldn't have tried to massage my neck -- or whatever the hell he was doing, I'm still not sure." 

Chanyeol snorts again his shoulder at that, a smile forming against Baekhyun's skin in a way that feels familiar and domestic.  

"It wasn't even that he touched you, it's that he acted like he didn't know why you're injured, as if he needed to inspect it," the taller's voice is deep with exhaustion. "And, I don't know, I just feel like he knows more than he lets on, and that he's taunting me because I couldn't keep you safe that night." 

Baekhyun stands up fully, patting his face dry, eyebrows raised in shock. 

"You shouldn't take anything he said seriously, Chanyeol." 

"I know I shouldn't, but -- but I wasn't there the night you got those bruises. And I'd hoped they'd heal quickly so you could forget about it easier. But he comes in and touches them so casually, makes you acknowledge them when you don't want to. It felt like I was watching you get injured for the second time."

The shorter shakes his head, no, and moves a hand to rest on Chanyeol's chin softly. The taller looks up in surprise, asking a million questions at once with his eyes, too many to count, too many to deal with. Baekhyun's second hand joins the first, framing Chanyeol's face with slender fingers. There's not much Baekhyun is sure of between them, but he knows that he wants to trust Chanyeol, that there's something unsaid in their secretive touches that means so, so much more. 

Baekhyun swoops in, a tiny kiss planted on Chanyeol's unexpecting lips. 

"Don't let him get to you, really." 

"It made me feel sick and useless and terrified all over again, like the night I just had to sit and wait for someone else to find you," Baekhyun can feel the frown through his hands and makes a point to kiss it away again. "I don't want you to ignore the bruises, but I didn't want to draw attention to them, I didn't want to touch them, I didn't --" 

Long fingers move to hold the back of Chanyeol's head, twisting inbetween strands of hair, pulling his husband down to his neck. The directness makes Baekhyun blush slightly, but he ignores it, turning away so that his neck is exposed. Chanyeol makes a confused sound, breath fanning across Baekhyun's collarbones, and stills in the older's hands, too shocked to comprehend what's happening.

"Kiss them." 

It takes a long moment for the taller to realize what Baekhyun is asking him to do. He's about to protest against it, frightened to press too hard against the bruises and cause pain, but then Baekhyun's hands pull him closer, impossibly close. 

"It's okay. I want you to kiss them, so I can forget who put them there, so I can forget who touched them earlier." 

The room seems to still completely as Chanyeol tenatively moves to the bruises, softly pressing his lips over them. It feels like the world could tip at any moment, as if everything is hanging on the edge. Lips moving slowly across the bruises, kissing away a timid line in between them. Chanyeol feels his heart speed up as the heat between neck and lips simmers. 

Baekhyun nods slightly and loosens his grip on Chanyeol, suddenly realizing how intimately close they are, how gently Chanyeol's lips are moving up from his neck to his mouth. The world has tipped, and everything is chaotic, filled with heat and longing and and soft hands threaded through hair. It's been a long time, they realize belatedly, since they've melded together like this, eager hands grappling together, pressed against the bathroom counter. 

They break apart, Chanyeol moving his head back into the crook of Baekhyun's neck, leaving one more gentle kiss over the stained skin. 

"Let's sleep," he suggests, arms wrapping around Baekhyun quickly to lift him towards the bed.

Baekhyun laughs at how childish he feels being carried and cuddled, but he decides that he likes it, especially when Chanyeol is invading his personal space and sharing heat and making sleepy noises against the top of his head.

"It's good to be home," Baekhyun declares, snuggling deeper into Chanyeol's chest. "Good night, Chanyeol." 

-- 

The sunlight easily streams through the curtains, bathing the entire room in warmth. It's beautiful, Baekhyun thinks, and he watches the ocean perform its daily push and pull from his place in Chanyeol's arms. He's contemplating what to eat for breakfast -- fruit, or maybe eggs? -- when he hears a phone ringing loudly, startling all early morning domesticity out of his system. 

It also stirs Chanyeol out of his sleep, leaving Baekhyun practically crushed when the taller starts to stretch and roll over with Baekhyun still in his arms. Baekhyun squeals and squirms out of his grasp, acting as fake offended as he possibly can while he searches for the ringing. It's not his cell, he's figured that out, and he's not even sure it's Chanyeol's cell. 

"Do we have another phone?" the shorter asks sleepily, scanning the room for the source of the mystery noise. All he sees is windows, windows, and more windows, accompanied by some occasional furniture or curtain. 

"I have a landline, yeah," Chanyeol mumbles, voice raspy and hair a complete mess. "I'll check it." 

Baekhyun watches him fumble cutely over to a table in the far corner of the room. One exasperated look from Chanyeol confirms that the landline is the culprit. but the taller goes to fixing his hair and clothes by the tiny table instead of answering, as if the other person would be able to see him during this call.

"Pick it up," Baekhyun whines, holding his head to block out the too-bright sun and the annoying noise. Morning got a lot less cute after a solid minute of phone ringing, he laments to himself. 

Minutes pass of Chanyeol standing in complete silence, as if in a trance, before he finally hangs it up with a, "Thank you." 

"What is it?" Baekhyun asks around his toothbrush, walking back from the bathroom. 

Chanyeol sits down on their couch, utterly bewildered. This only spikes his husband's interest, so he moves to stand by the taller, kneeing him gently to coax an answer out. 

"They moved up the wedding -- extremely up." 

IM SO SORRY. College orientation and prep really hits you hard, guys. But this dumb (me) is going to finally be writing more regularly, even if it means I stay up till 4am like tonight lmao 

hopefully you liked it!!!! i'll proofread this and edit again in the morning sorry this is the messiest thing in the world jslksldkfjdlj 

love you guys, goodnight!!! feedback is always greatly appreciated <3