"You've got to be kidding me you incompetent fools!" Baekhyun swore loudly, fingers clenching so hard on the steering wheel that his knuckles were turning white.

 

"How the hell did he get out?" It had been hell trying to get that bastard into the Hexagon in the first place, now he was expected to do it again?

 

"They are on their way -" There was a click and the cold barrel of a gun pressed against his cheek, an arm snaking around his throat to pull him hard back against his seat.

 

"Hang up and give me the phone." The voice was syrupy sweet in his ears and Baekhyun cursed in his head as he turned to see the very villain who had just escaped one of the highest security prisons in the world sitting casually in the backseat of his car.

 

"What the , are you doing in my car?" He asked coldly, pressing the end call button and tossing his phone into the back of his car. He was half hoping Jongdae would release him to grab it but the man stayed in his seat, arm still locked around his throat.

 

"You didn't visit and I wanted to see you, so I found you." Jongdae's tone was light as he shifted the gun, pressing more firmly against Baekhyun's temple. He cocked his head.

 

"Drive."

 

"To where?" Baekhyun ground out, turning the key in the ignition.  

 

 "My old place."  

 

Jongdae never let up, seeming intent on chatting Baekhyun's ear off about his years in prison, about the hot, hot guys that he met there. Baekhyun remained stoically silent, never saying a word the entire time he was driving. 

 

Jongdae's old place was far outside of the city, a ramshackle building practically falling apart at the seams, in the middle of nowhere with wheat fields surrounding it in every direction.

 

"I need gas," Baekhyun growled, glancing at his meter about an hour into the drive. Jongdae's eyebrows quirked and he pressed his free hand against the car door.  Electricity crackled and the smell of ozone filled the car. 

 

"You don't now." He smiled pleasantly and Baekhyun scowled. The gun that Jongdae had moved to the back of his neck tickled but he made no move to move away as he was fairly sure that the safety of the gun was still off. Jongdae was cautious like that. 

 

"Hey, you should be happy! I'm providing you with a free electric car! They cost a fortune to buy!" Jongdae grinned when the hero snarled at him, stepping on the accelerator with a fury.

 

 

It was another slow, torturous hour before they arrived within sight of the old dilapidated building. The villain sighed happily as Baekhyun pulled into the driveway. 

  

"Home sweet home! I hope you guys haven't raided my toy closet as I have so much I wanna do to you!"

  

Baekhyun's blood chilled and he fought to keep his voice level when he spoke.

 

"Do to me?" 

  

"Why yes!" Jongdae's eyes practically twinkled as electricity crackled in the air, surrounding Baekhyun's body in a force field that he could not escape. "You're being kidnapped, my dear Baekhyun!"

 

 

---

 

 

 “This isn’t doing anything to me,” Baekhyun observed, very intelligently as Jongdae bustled around, setting out wineglasses that somehow the police never confiscated from when they searched his apartment. Rough rope was coiled tightly around his wrists though he hardly thought that was necessary.

 

 “Oh, that was just to scare you,” Jongdae said dismissively, clearly distracted. He was not smiling now, his handsome face creased with concentration as he poured the wine.

 

How on earth had the cops missed that? Baekhyun wondered as he gestured with his bound hands.

 

“Dae, I can’t…”

 

“Shush, I’m thinking.” Indeed he looked as if he was thinking very hard. Jongdae’s eyes were closed as he took a sip of his wine. His face did not relax and Baekhyun wondered what he was thinking of.

 

He squirmed a little in his seat. It felt oddly comfortable, sitting in the living room with his old best friend, with two glasses of red wine sitting before them.

  

The hero took this time to observe Jongdae instead since he obviously could not drink the wine with his hands tied together.

 

Jongdae has lost a lot of weight while in prison. He was practically all skin and bones, his already prominent cheekbones protruding even farther out. His cheeks were hollow and there was a haunted look in his eyes when they flew open.

 

His eyes flashed and Baekhyun tensed when a lightning bolt flew across the room with a sickening crack and the wall exploded in a flurry of white plaster and dust.

 

Those blazing eyes turned themselves onto Baekhyun and the hero willed himself not to panic.

  

“Dae, it’s me.” He said, barely above a whisper, channelling every single feeling he had ever felt for the villain into those words.

  

“It’s me, Baekhyun.” The elemental let out a roar and Baekhyun flinched when the lights popped overhead, an overload of electricity causing them to go out.

 

Jongdae shook his head violently, the wine in his glass sloshing wildly. His grip on the glass tightened and the delicate stem snapped, the cup shattering and spilling red wine all over the dusty carpet.

 

“Why did you send me there?”

 

His voice was rough as if fighting back the demons that haunted him had taken most of his strength.

 

Baekhyun gulped, his hands suddenly becoming the most interesting thing in the world.

  

“You were a monster, Jongdae. You would have destroyed the entire city.”

 

“A monster that you created.” The elemental snarled, the air around him beginning to crackle and smell of ozone.

 

“You were the one who practically fried my brain.” Baekhyun winced.

  

It had been an accident. But he was being so unreasonable, so resistant to having someone help him. The hero still remembered the heat that seared his face, the suddenly blinding brightness of the room and the screaming.

  

Jongdae’s screams.

  

“You fried my brain and sent me to prison for it.” His former best friend was staring at him, eyes blazing. Baekhyun was suddenly afraid, so afraid that he would lose control again.

  

“But it’s okay. I still love you anyway.” The words were saccharine sweet and the distorted, hungry look returned to Jongdae’s eyes. His demons were back.

  

“Jongdae. Jongdae come back.” Baekhyun tensed when the villain dropped the remains of his wine glass onto the carpet and stepped towards him, electricity sizzling from his fingertips.

 

The rope rubbed and chafed as he strained against them, his mind screaming at him to get away.

 

“Give me a hug, dear Baekhyun.” Jongdae crooned, lips stretching into a thin smile, reaching forward.

 

Baekhyun leapt to his feet, swearing when the heavy rope dragged him back.

 

“Just a hug.” The villain grinned and Baekhyun jerked away, his fingers smoking. The ropes frayed beneath his fingertips and he leapt sideways, free, when Jongdae lunged again.

 

A shock of electricity grazed his skin and he stumbled, yelping.

 

“Jongdae, stop!” The hero bolted, darting across the room when a blast of lightning shot towards him.

 

Jongdae started to laugh but the sound froze in his throat before it could escape, a shadow falling across his face. The electricity sizzling on his fingertips died and his eyes widened in horror.

 

“Baekhyun .” He mumbled, taking a step back, shaking his head violently. Baekhyun frowned, but remained where he was.

 

Jongdae’s monsters caught up with him sometimes, turning him into a maniacal, crazed villain. But he could suppress them. Baekhyun wanted him to suppress them, so that he would not have to send him to the Hexagon again.

 

“Jongdae?” He whispered and the villain lifted his head, sunlight reflecting off his fractured eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but an explosion of water ripped through the house, sending him flying.

  

“Baekhyun!” Joonmyun was standing in the doorway, his fingers closing into fists to conceal the water that had just burst from them.

 

“Myun. What are you doing here?” Baekhyun’s eyes were wide as he crossed the room to the doorway, Jongdae still gurgling and choking across the room.

 

“Rescuing you.” Joonmyun’s eyes were soft as he enveloped the hero in a hug. His gaze darkened when the villain on the floor met his eyes, murderous rage glinting in his eyes.

  

“We need to go.” With Joonmyun’s hand circling his wrist, Baekhyun had no choice but to follow him. He did, however, glance back when Jongdae called his name, a plea on his lips.

 

His heart cracked and he stopped in his tracks, wanting to return to help Jongdae to his feet, to apologize, to do something.

 

“Baekhyun.” Joonmyun’s tone was sharp as he pulled the hero away. Baekhyun stared back into Jongdae’s eyes for a beat longer, before following his friend out of the house.

 

---

 

Baekhyun squeezed his eyes shut, leaning back against the passenger seat. It had been a long day and he was in no mood to talk.

 

“Water?” A little bubble of water floated out of nowhere and Baekhyun opened his mouth gratefully. He was parched.

 

“You know he still is a villain. He can’t give you the love you need. He’s not the person you once knew.” Joonmyun was eyeing him as he drove, handsome face creased with concern. 

 

“And you think you can?” The words came out sharper than he intended them to, Joonmyun’s face crumpling immediately. Baekhyun regretted it immediately. 

 

“I’m sorry hyung. I didn’t mean that-“ 

  

“ Yes, you did. You wouldn’t have said so otherwise.” Joonmyun was quiet, his eyes fixed on the road as he drove.

 

 Baekhyun bit his lip, keeping silent as the older man drove him into the city.

 

“My place or yours?” The water bender broke the silence, never lifting his eyes from the road.

  

“Yours.” Baekhyun turned his head to stare out the window. He wondered what Jongdae was doing now. 

 

Some sick twisted part of him already missed the other man’s presence. 

 

 

---

 

“Baekhyun, we need to find him.” The hero never lifted his eyes from the book he was reading. Joonmyun was standing by the door, his coat in hand.

 

“He will level this place to the ground if we don’t stop him.”

 

Baekhyun turned a page in his book idly and Joonmyun’s temper sparked.

 

“Did Jongdae fry your brain? Since when do you not care that innocents are in danger from your insane ex-boyfriend?!”

 

Baekhyun yelped in shock when a wave of water doused him.

 

“What the !” He gasped, glaring in Joonmyun’s direction.

 

“Must I repeat myself? Your lunatic of an ex-boyfriend is planning to burn this city to the ground. We need to find him and stop him before he can.” Joonmyun snarled and Baekhyun leapt out of his seat.

 

“Do it yourself. I’m not getting involved anymore. It was hell getting him into the Hexagon and I never want to put anyone in there twice.” The hero growled and stalked away.

 

Joonmyun blinked, the overwhelming frustration causing tears to rise to his eyes. Baekhyun had been like that ever since he had dragged him away from the villain’s old home, cold and indifferent towards Jongdae’s continued destruction of the city.

 

Already, two districts have had their power completely cut off, fires erupting from major businesses seemingly out of nowhere.

 

Somehow Jongdae had found a fire elemental to do his dirty work and he was not listening to any of the authorities asking for a truce.

 

Only Baekhyun could control him to an extent and said man was holing himself up into his room doing god knows what.

 

Sighing heavily, Joonmyun shrugged on his coat, making sure to slam the door extra loudly on his way out.

 

He made it up to the end of the street before he saw him.

 

The fiery red hair of Jongdae’s accomplice was blinding against the sun, almost as bright as his teeth as he grinned down at Joonmyun.

 

Before Joonmyun even had time to scream, or use his powers, flames erupted out of the pavement around him, the tar melting and giving off noxious black smoke.

 

The heat of the fire seared his face, any moisture in the air near him evaporating almost instantly.

 

“Hello, Joonmyun hyung.” The fire elemental, Chanyeol smiled with all of his teeth, somehow still managing to look like a puppy dog even with the smoke trailing from his fingers.

 

“Jongdae wants to see you.” He purred and Joonmyun cried out when he walked through the flames as if they were not even there.

 

He stepped away, eyes wide.

 

“Be still.” Chanyeol grinned and suddenly, Joonmyun found himself wrapped in the arms of the giant, a chloroform-soaked cloth pressed over his nose and mouth.

 

“Mmmph!” He could only manage a small choked sound of protest before everything went dark.

 

---

 

 “Where the is he?” Baekhyun snarled, lashing out wildly. Twin blades of gleaming light spun through the air as the fire elemental leapt back, his lips stretched into a delighted grin.

 

Fire exploded from beneath the hero’s feet and he leapt back, barely able to avoid being burnt to a crisp.

 

“Jongdae has him,” Chanyeol told him, gleefully jumping aside as another blade of light sliced towards him, shimmering and turning into a silver sword as it spun through the air.

 

“You’ll pay. You’ll pay for whatever you’ve done to him.” Baekhyun snarled as the sky rumbled with black clouds. A bolt of lightning struck down from the skies and Chanyeol giggled, his glowing red eyes making him look even more unhinged.

 

“He’s going to be toast!”

 

Baekhyun roared, a ball of light exploding from his fingertips. Chanyeol stumbled back, crying out in pain when the light seared across his retinas.

 

Tendrils of black stone burst through the street, coiling themselves around the elemental’s wrists and ankles, immobilizing him.

 

“We’ll take it from here.” Baekhyun bowed his head, hardly daring to look at the man who stepped out around the back of a building. Yixing’s violet eyes had always been unsettling to him.

 

The man smiled kindly at him as they passed, Baekhyun heading for the nearest rooftop. Lightning crackled overhead as he bolted up the stairs.

 

He was running out of time.

 

 

---

 

 

“Hello, dear Baekhyun. It is a pleasure to see you again.” The lighting was crackling, the storm raging all around them. 

  

Water was Joonmyun’s element, he should have been able to draw on their power to get himself out. But he could not.

 

Baekhyun’s eyes were fixed on his best friend, bound to the lightning rod with chains. His mouth was gagged crudely with duct tape so that he could not speak. 

  

Even as he took a step forward, Joonmyun was shaking his head, pleading with him to stay away.

  

“Leave him out of this.” Baekhyun was surprised his voice did not shake as he turned his attention to the villain standing before him. 

 

“How could I? It is always more fun to watch you rescue someone. You always look incredible doing it.” Joonmyun’s eyes fluttered and he turned away as if the words pained him. He was soaked to the bone and shivering. Baekhyun had to get him out before the lightning decided to strike that particular lightning rod.

 

“Water is particularly conductive of electricity, isn’t it?” Jongdae was smiling though it did not reach his eyes. Baekhyun’s fists clenched.

 

“Let him go. He’s not part of this. This is between us, Jongdae.” 

 

Jongdae looked devastatingly handsome even soaked to the bone from the rain. His kittenish smile danced on his lips as he spread his arms wide.

  

“Of course he is. He’s your new boy toy, isn’t he? Precious Joonmyun hyung.” The water bender flinched at the sound of his name and it broke Baekhyun’s heart to see his usually strong hyung reduced to such a state.

 

“Head over heels in love with you, Byun Baekhyun, who would never give him the time of the day.” He was being unnecessarily cruel, but then Jongdae always had a possessive streak. 

 

“Stop this. Leave him alone!” Guilt wracked through the hero’s body. This was his fault, his mistake. Joonmyun was in danger because of him and he had to fix this.

 

“I will if you join me, Baekhyun. We always made the best team. You and I, together against the world, remember?” 

  

The words cut deep. Of course, he remembered. Jongdae has been his best and closest friend. Until that accident that distorted and warped his memories, his mind and turned him into a monster. That accident had been Baekhyun’s fault too.

  

Thunder rumbled and a flash of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating Jongdae’s face. He was smiling, but Baekhyun could see the broken pieces in his eyes, the fractured parts of him. 

  

“Join me, Baekhyun and we could rule the world.” Joonmyun was shaking his head frantically as Baekhyun stepped closer.  

 

“You’ve changed, and it was my fault. I’m sorry, Dae. I’m so sorry.” Baekhyun’s hand shook as he held it out. 

  

“I’m so sorry I hurt you. I’m so sorry that I caused that accident. I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” A white blast of light exploded from his fingertips and Jongdae screamed when he was knocked backwards, the light searing his retinas and burning through his shirt. 

 

“You’ll pay for that!”

 

Joonmyun screamed when a flash of lightning cracked down from the sky, too close for comfort. 

 

The roof was slippery and it was hard to keep his balance as he walked, his hand held out. Baekhyun’s face was streaked with tears and rain as he his hand out another time, sending Jongdae sliding across the wet tiles, nearly falling over the edge.

 

He ran, stumbling, nearly falling to Joonmyun’s side, ripping off the duct tape that was no longer sticky, pulling out the wad of cloth in his mouth.

  

“Hyung, hyung I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He whispered as his fingers fumbled, trembling and shaking as he worked the chains loose. 

 

Joonmyun’s eyes widened and he had just enough time to scream, “Behind you!” 

 

The lightning cracked down so fast that Baekhyun barely got away in time. His shirt was singed and there was a fresh burn on his shoulder when he stumbled away.

 

Jongdae’s eyes were blazing as he flung out his hands, electricity arcing outwards, deadly in the downpour.

 

“Jongdae!” Baekhyun cried out his name in pain, hand going to the reddened patch of skin. 

  

For a brief moment, something flickered in the man’s eyes and he lowered his hands, seeming uncertain. He was beautiful in his hesitation, blonde hair matted with rainwater. 

 

Thunder roared again and whatever that was there was gone, replaced by the monster he had become. Baekhyun stifled a sob when a bolt of lightning shattered the tiles just beside his feet, the illusionist barely able to get to out of the way in time. 

  

“Get out of here!” He turned his head to yell at Joonmyun, who was still kneeling close by, too close. His friend balled his hands into fists and all the rain close to him congealed into a corporeal shape. 

  

Hearing the cry, Jongdae turned his attention to the water bender, his lightning bolts changing directions immediately.

 

“Joonmyun!” Baekhyun ran, stumbling. Too close, too close. Joonmyun’s water figure exploded into shards of ice, piercing Jongdae’s skin with deadly accuracy. 

 

The elemental screamed as the shards embedded themselves into his flesh, blood tricking from hundreds of tiny cuts.

 

A figure landed on the roof, shadowed by a massive black dragon in the sky. Immediately, the temperature of the air dropped even lower, coating the tiles with frost. 

  

The ice streaked up Jongdae’s legs, freezing him in place. He howled, lightning crackling in the black sky. From his position, Baekhyun could see his irises glow electric blue. He bolted, sprinting for the elemental as fast as he could across the frost caked roof.

 

The black dragon swooped down, transforming as he went, into a tall man with golden hair. He snatched Joonmyun up, leathery wings sweeping them up into the air. 

 

“Baekhyun!” Joonmyun was yelling as Baekhyun ran across the icy roof, slipping and sliding. Ice crawled up Jongdae’s body, immobilising his arms. 

  

“Minseok, get off the roof. He’s going to blow!” The winged man dove, transforming back into his dragon form with Joonmyun clutched to his chest. His talons stretched out, reaching for Baekhyun. 

 

Baekhyun ducked, moving out of his reach. He had to get to Jongdae. With that much water around him, he would be electrocuted to death if he slipped away. 

 

“Jongdae!” He yelled, desperate to reach him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Minseok being carried to safety in the dragon’s other talon. As if he had heard him, Jongdae turned to face him, the blue fading from his eyes briefly.

 

“Dae!” He stood an arm’s length away, fear lighting up his face. Jongdae was tugging at the ice holding him, panic written all over his features. He was slipping and he knew it. 

 

“Kim Jongdae!” Baekhyun called again, softer this time. Time seemed to slow down, the air pressure around him suddenly growing too high. His ears popped and he heard someone screaming. That was the last thing he heard before everything went silent.

  

There was only white before the black. He had never believed the people who said they saw their lives flash before them while having a near-death experience but he supposed it was true now. 

 

 He did not want to die. He wanted to live. He wanted to love again. To see Jongdae become a better person despite the accident that fractured his mind. He wanted Jongdae to love him back despite everything. Most of all, he wanted to say the words he never said, the words he regretted so much never saying.

 

He wanted, he wanted so much from his life, this life. 

  

But it was too late now. 

 

It was all too late.

 

 

 

---

 

“Baekhyun!” Jongdae howled, the sound tearing out of his throat. He twisted, shattering the ice into shards. He was burning. Baekhyun was burning. 

 

“Jongdae!” There was light. So much light. His surroundings were too bright, his body too hot. His power was running too fast, too much. He was angry, so angry.

 

“Baekhyun, Baekhyun, Baekhyun!” He stumbled, falling to his knees beside the hero. The rain quenched the flames quickly and in the dark, he could not see how bad the strike was. He grasped out blindly, feeling charred flesh and singed clothing against his fingertips. Baekhyun was not moving. He was not breathing.

 

“Baekhyun.” Jongdae began to tremble, his tone colouring with desperation. 

 

“Byun Baekhyun, this isn’t funny!” 

 

“This isn’t funny!”  

 

The sentence echoed in the back of his mind as he gripped Baekhyun’s arm in his hand, shaking him weakly.

 

 “I’m sorry, Baekhyunnie. I’m sorry. Stop playing with me!” A sob tore out of the villain’s throat as he shook him again, harder this time.

  

“I’m sorry. Jongdae wake up! Wake up, please! I’m sorry!” 

 

“Baekhyun!” Jongdae was gripping his shoulders now, rocking him violently. The moon had come out from behind the clouds now, the storm clouds slowly dissipating. He could see the hero’s face, one side charred to oblivion, the skin and dead. But the other was still Baekhyun, with his eyes closed and asleep. 

  

“Baekhyun, Baekhyun.” Tears dripped onto the hero’s charred skin, running down his face. Jongdae was weeping now, his hands curled tightly around Baekhyun’s shoulders.

 

“You need to go.” There were strong hands wrapping around his biceps, dragging him to his feet. Jongdae was numb, both from the cold and the shock. He did not fight even when they dragged him down the stairs and shoved him into the police car, hands cuffed behind his back. 

 

There was no fight left in him.

 

 

 

---

 

They did not let him go to the funeral. He could only watch from the inside of his cell, as the world mourned the loss of one of their greatest heroes, while he mourned the loss of the only person he had ever loved. 

 

The mirage of Baekhyun's remains scattering in the wind, signalling the end of the hero the world knew, was nothing to the breaking of his heart of the man who he would have given the world for. 

 

Perhaps it would have been too much to say that Baekhyun was his everything, but Jongdae knew Baekhyun was more than everything to him. Baekhyun was the unattainable, the mislaid, the one shrouded in the light Jongdae lost.

 

Baekhyun may have taken the blame for the accident that had turned him into a monster, a villain. But Jongdae knew, somewhere, some broken part of him had allowed him to become that monster. That monster that had killed the love of his life and fractured his life.   

 

What was he to do without the world’s greatest hero, his greatest nemesis? He was no longer sure he wanted to live a life without Baekhyun in it.