Chanyeol took off his recon visor, his latest mission complete. “One of my finest kills,” he murmured to himself, sitting on the ledge of the rooftop. Chanyeol was a sniper, and Talon’s most effective assassin. He was pretty new to the organisation, seeing as he only joined about a year ago after leaving his old organisation, Overwatch. Minseok took him in, honed his sniping skills, and gave him even further combat training. He was Talon’s pride, but everyone in and out of Talon despised him. Well, all except one, and said person had just arrived.

“Really, Baekhyun, again?” Chanyeol said lazily, not even bothering to look up. It was always the same person, the same conversation, the same ending. “Party’s over. You can’t save him, just go.” A broad-shouldered man stepped out of the shadows, the pale moonlight shining on him. “Come with me, please Chanyeol, Overwatch needs you,” Baekhyun pleaded, his hands. The man stood a distance away from Chanyeol, evidently afraid that Chanyeol would hurt him. Chanyeol’s face scrunched up in what seemed like disgust. Here we go again.

“That little peacekeeping organisation of yours is useless,” Chanyeol spat, standing up. He turned to face Baekhyun, his rifle over his shoulder. “I’ve told you countless of times no, and I honestly don’t even know why the you’re still trying to convince me.” Baekhyun could see the way the sniper’s fingers itched to raise his rifle and pull the trigger, to aim it at Baekhyun’s head the way he was trained to do it—quickly, precisely, and mercilessly. But Baekhyun didn’t know that Chanyeol just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He couldn’t harm the only man he cared for.

“You weren’t like this before,” Baekhyun said quietly. The man was slightly smaller and seemingly harmless, but Chanyeol knew he was equally as deadly. Baekhyun was Overwatch’s prized cadet with an uncanny ability to work two pistols at once, keeping both his hands busy as he did double the work of others. It didn’t help that he was pretty damn intelligent, and after a few confrontations, Chanyeol just gave up on trying to scare the man away. He was impossible to outwit, at least in Chanyeol’s books. It didn’t help that his heart was always excited to see Baekhyun. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Baekhyun needed to stop distracting him.

“My sister is dead, no thanks to Overwatch, Baekhyun, don’t you get it?” Chanyeol shouted, making Baekhyun flinch slightly. It wasn’t often that Chanyeol raised his voice at him, but Baekhyun kind of missed it. He missed communicating with Chanyeol, listening to his voice, watching as his face contorted into different expressions, so he’d take what he could get. Unfortunately, Talon had taken that away from him, and conditioned his—now ex—lover to become the best, the most cold-hearted sniper. Baekhyun wasn’t even sure Chanyeol could feel what he felt for him before. He was just thankful Chanyeol remembered him.

“Chanyeol please! If only you knew the whole truth,” Baekhyun cried. Chanyeol snorted, rolling his eyes at the man before him. “You always say that, but you don’t ever care to explain yourself,” Chanyeol muttered loud enough for Baekhyun to hear. He launched his grappling hook at the next building, a helicopter arriving some distance away. He turned to look at Baekhyun, who could only stand there helplessly and watch as Chanyeol left him yet again. “Just go. I don’t want you to get hurt,” Chanyeol sighed, drawing himself towards the hook, effectively abandoning Baekhyun. 

“You hurt me every time you leave,” Baekhyun mumbled, watching as Chanyeol clambered into the helicopter a few buildings away. He sat where Chanyeol stood, on the ledge of the building, watching the hustle and bustle below. At least Chanyeol still cared for him like he used to.

—

“You did great out there,” Minseok greeted him as he entered Chanyeol’s quarters. Chanyeol glanced at Minseok, uninterested in what he had to say. “I always do. Is that all?” 

The leader chuckled humorlessly, unfazed by Chanyeol’s aloofness. “You don’t seem all that happy. Did a certain someone try to hijack your mission again?” Chanyeol looked away, unable to hold Minseok’s piercing gaze. “No.”

Minseok pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes at Chanyeol before speaking again. “That’s good to hear. Remember, Chanyeol, only through conflict do we evolve,” he cautioned. “There’s no use avoiding it when it’s going to happen sooner or later.” Chanyeol said nothing and waited for the soft click of the door before exhaling deeply. Minseok knew. Of course he ing knew, Chanyeol was like an open book to him even though they’d only known each other for a year. He cursed at himself for being so transparent when it came to Baekhyun. World’s coldest sniper has a soft spot for Overwatch’s best cadet… How vulnerable and unheard of.

It wasn’t like he fell out of love with Baekhyun. Even when he regained consciousness and his mind was still in a haze, the first person he called out for was Baekhyun. The first person he thought of was Baekhyun. It was always that crescent-eyed smile that appeared in his head, always that reassuring touch that seemed to linger on his skin.

But Chanyeol couldn’t risk having anything to do with Baekhyun anymore. If Minseok knew he still cared about Baekhyun or even thought about the man, he would surely have Baekhyun executed. And it wasn’t like Baekhyun couldn’t defend himself, but Chanyeol didn’t want to risk anything at all when it came to the love of his life. 

And that was how he ended up working for Talon. He was doing this for Baekhyun—and the world. An organisation he used to be fighting against, he was now fighting for. He couldn’t deny that their vision was the same as his though, albeit not in the same way he wanted to solve things. Only through conflict do we evolve. What was a world without conflicts and confrontations? And yet, every time Baekhyun confronted him, he’d flee like the coward he was. Chanyeol sighed, picking up his rifle and exiting his quarters. It was time for some late night practice. Those practices reminded him of Baekhyun and their time at Overwatch as trainees.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol were big fans of Overwatch back in high school. Back when omnics didn’t exist and crimes weren’t anything out of the blue, Overwatch was the organisation everyone looked up to. They curbed countless of crimes, apprehended terrorists before the police even could get to them. The two of them didn’t know each other before they joined the organisation, but once they met each other at the practice range, they immediately hit off.

The practice ranges were their favourite. At times when their roommates were in, they would book a range just to sit in and hang out, because it was quiet and no one could disturb them. After their second year at Overwatch, Commander Kim gave them a separate practice range just because he adored the two trouble makers, and also because he felt like they definitely earned it. It wasn’t uncommon for the Commander to assign individuals their own practice range anyway. It led to them occasionally doing very… risque things in the range, and Chanyeol could feel his cheeks heating up just thinking about it. He missed Baekhyun very much, but their field encounters would have to do, for now.

— 

Baekhyun sat cross-legged in his bed, deep in thought. He was torn between telling Chanyeol the truth and hiding it from him, even though it was clear to everyone—by which he meant only one person—which option was better. “Still thinking?” His roommate bugged.

“Jongdae, do you think I should tell him?” Baekhyun wondered, still staring at the wall. Jongdae rolled his eyes, exasperated. “Baekhyun, you ask me that every day and I tell you the same thing every damn time: yes,” he pointed out.

“I don’t want him to be hurt by the truth,” Baekhyun murmured, now looking at Jongdae. His roommate turned his seat to look at Baekhyun, giving him his full attention. “Listen up. Firstly, you’re assuming he’ll believe you that easily. He already feels bonded to Talon and their stupid leader, and even if he still has feelings for you, I don’t think he’ll believe you just because it’s you,” Jongdae remarked, pausing for a moment to let Baekhyun interject, but the brunet sat there wordlessly. 

“Secondly, when did the truth ever not hurt?” Jongdae asked rhetorically. “You should know better than anyone that in this line of work, it always leaves scars,” he added softly. Baekhyun casted his eyes down, not wanting Jongdae to see his unshed tears. Thinking about Chanyeol was so painful, especially when he was so swayed by Talon and their ideology. Chanyeol was still Chanyeol, but he wasn’t the same person Baekhyun fell in love with, and it was all Talon’s fault.

“Could you help me contact him?” Baekhyun asked, tone pleading. Jongdae was the only person who knew that Baekhyun was still actively trying to seek Chanyeol, and he didn’t want to think about the consequences if his commander, Junmyeon, ever found out. Junmyeon was nice, but he didn’t tolerate Baekhyun’s rash actions, especially when it came to Chanyeol. As far as Junmyeon and nearly everyone in Overwatch was concerned, Chanyeol betrayed them by joining Talon.

“Commander Kim would beat my if he found out I helped you properly contact Chanyeol,” Jongdae pointed out. “But sure. How do you want me to do it? Text? Transceiver? Email?”

“Just send him a text,” Baekhyun replied, his mind made up. He was going to tell Chanyeol everything, whether he liked it or not. “ ‘Alderworth Hotel tomorrow at dusk. I will give you the answers you seek. You know who I am. You know where I’ll be.’ Make sure to make it untraceable. Don’t think I have to remind you though,” he added.

Jongdae rolled his eyes, fingers typing away at his keyboard. “I’m using Vuvu, you know it’s always untraceable,” he retorted. “Anyway, I’m almost done. You should get some rest. We’re scouting the area again tomorrow, there are still hundreds of people out there who require medical attention.”

Baekhyun sighed for the nth time that night. “I can’t imagine how the civilians are coping… especially after what went down tonight. The streets were so chaotic. Faith is lost once again, and just as the people w