“Zi Tao…” The soft mumbling of a certain person’s name woke Lu Han up. “I’m sorry…”

Lu Han opened his eyes, curious as to who would mention this person… And was surprised to see that it was Baekhyun. For a moment he was confused as to why he was sleeping on the same bed as the younger boy, but then he remembered the previous night.

Lu Han had woken up in a daze, and had gone looking for Se Hun; he had heard him and Chanyeol having a quiet conversation downstairs. He was about to go back to his room, since he decided it would be best not to intrude, when he heard soft whimpering sounds coming from the room next to his. Concerned, Lu Han headed towards the room knowing that Baekhyun was there, alone, since Chanyeol was downstairs.

Entering the room, he immediately went to the bed and placed a hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder. The younger boy had then woken up and begged Lu Han to stay with him, saying that he didn’t want to be alone. Lu Han asked no questions and just crawled into bed and pulled the younger boy close in a friendly, comforting sort of way. Soon enough, Lu Han had fallen asleep as well.

How did Baekhyun know Zi Tao? That was something rather unexpected. Reaching out, Lu Han wiped a tear away from the corner of Baekhyun’s eye. The younger boy stirred, then opened his eyes. For a moment, his eyes were blank, until he recognized Lu Han and smiled.

“Good morning,” Lu Han mumbled. “How do you feel?”

Baekhyun moved an elegant and slender hand up to his forehead and touched his bandage before wincing.

“It still hurts…” He mumbled as his hand dropped back to his side. “I didn’t think he would ever do that to me…”

“Zi Tao?” Lu Han asked almost immediately, curiosity getting the better of him.

Baekhyun froze at the mention of Zi Tao’s name.

“H-how did you know…?” The younger boy was crying again, and not making any attempt to cover or stop the tears; Zi Tao was obviously a sensitive topic.

Lu Han, feeling quite guilty now, pulled Baekhyun into a hug, trying to console the other boy.

“I’m sorry…” He whispered. “I shouldn’t have asked…”

“Zi Tao… was my lover…” This surprised Lu Han, but at the same time, he had expected such an answer. “I-I was with him… be-before I met Chanyeol… and I was with him again for a short while when Chanyeol and I were broken up...”

The older boy just gently patted Baekhyun’s back, not knowing what to say.

“I… still have feelings for him,” He continued, sniffling into Lu Han’s chest. “But, Chanyeol is my everything now… I didn’t think he… hated me enough… to do this to me.”

Baekhyun shifted away from Lu Han a little as his hand moved up to his head again.

“I broke up with him because he’d always been rather… rough with me…” Lu Han just listened to him, letting him get everything off his chest. “And… I was a little afraid of him…”

The older boy nodded, understanding what he meant.

“It’s okay, Baekhyun,” Lu Han whispered. “I’m sorry too… It’s at least partially my fault that this… happened to you…”

Baekhyun was smiling at him and wiping the tears off his face. “I don’t blame you, I only blame myself… for dragging my Channie into this… Channie…”

Lu Han opened his mouth to mumble some more comforting words when Chanyeol burst into the room like he had actually heard Baekhyun call to him.

“I’m here, Baekkie!” He was panting like he had run in here as fast as he possibly could. “I’m here…”

At the sight of Chanyeol, Baekhyun started crying again, and then he was jumping off the bed, diving into Chanyeol’s arms.

“Channie…” Baekhyun whispered as he buried his face into the taller boy’s shoulder.

“Hey, careful,” Chanyeol whispered as he brushed some hair out of Baekhyun’s eyes. “You’re not fully healed yet.”

His words only caused the shorter boy to cry more.

Lu Han smiled a little watching the two, and suddenly realized how much he missed Se Hun. Slowly and gingerly, since most of him still hurt from the various small wounds, he got out of bed.

“I’ll just leave you two alone,” He gave them a smile before leaving the room and closing the door behind him - it was truly enviable, the relationship the two of them shared.

"Se Hunnie!" Lu Han called as he made his way downstairs. "Se Hunnie?" He called again when he received no reply.

Once downstairs, he looked around to see that there was no one there. He walked around everywhere downstairs, the living room, the kitchen, even outside, but Se Hun was nowhere in sight.

"Se Hunnie…" He said, his voice a whimper.

That was when he noticed the small plastic bag by the hallway that led to the door. Curiously, he picked up the bag and peeked inside. A wide grin spread across his face at the sight of the adorable little deer plushie; he knew without asking that Se Hun had gotten it for him. Carefully, Lu Han removed the plushie from the bag and held it close - when had he gotten this for him?

The plushie wasn't the same as the one he had had before, but this one was even more special to him because Se Hun got it for him. He had never described his old one more specifically because he'd never expected the younger boy to get one for him and now he was glad he hadn't; it wouldn't have been as special if it had been.

Having been so lost in his thoughts, Lu Han didn't hear the door open.

"Lu Han?" He started at the sound of Se Hun's voice. "Were you waiting for me?"

Lu Han just nodded and stared at Se Hun, holding the plushie close.

“Hey, you found it,” He smiled at the sight of Lu Han and the deer plushie. “I’d forgotten to give it to you after all that had happened.”

“Where did you go?” Lu Han asked, while walking with Se Hun back into the house.

“I went to buy food,” Se Hun replied simply, holding up a couple plastic bags. “Are you hungry?”

Lu Han nodded, smiling at Se Hun rather widely. The younger boy set the bags on the table before walking over to the older boy and hugging him.

“I’ll set the table, why don’t you go call Baekhyun and Chanyeol?” Se Hun released him and smiled before moving back to the table.

“…I think we should leave them alone,” Lu Han replied quietly.

Se Hun turned to look at him, surprise written all over his face at the request, but then simply shrugged and turned back to the table.

“I will never understand those two,” Se Hun muttered to himself as he took the food out of the bag. “Sometimes, though, I find myself wondering if we can be like them…”

Lu Han just nodded, because he had too.

“Hey, everything okay?” Se Hun asked as he waved a hand in front of his boyfriend’s face. “Lu Hannie?”

“Huh?” Apparently he had spaced out for a moment. “I’m fine…”

“I’m glad,” Se Hun smiled at him before walking back to the table. “Let’s eat.”

Lu Han nodded happily and was about to approach the table when the doorbell rang rather suddenly causing the older boy to drop his plushie in shock. Se Hun didn’t even look at him before turning to go answer the door, but Lu Han followed behind him quietly, a little afraid. They both knew who it, most likely, was. The younger boy looked through the peephole and confirmed their suspicions; it was Kris. The two of them took a deep breath simultaneously before Se Hun opened the door.

"I think it's about time we settle this once and for all," Kris stated simply.

"I agree," Se Hun replied to the taller man.

And then Kris forced his way inside with Zi Tao following, rather shyly, after him. Lu Han was hiding behind Se Hun and shaking; Kris' presence, alone, was extremely intimidating, and needless to say he was afraid of him.

"So, how should this go," Kris was saying now, seemingly more to himself. "Perhaps we could come to some sort of agreement…"

Se Hun stood in front of Lu Han, his arms spread in a protective stance.

"It's clear that you're a murderer," Kris continued. "And yet the police let you off saying that it was only self defense. Bull, I say."

"It was in self defense!" Se Hun quickly came to Lu Han's defense. "Your brother was in the wrong!"

Kris laughed, a dry and humorless laugh.

"He's got you wrapped around his finger, doesn't he, Se Hun?" Kris sneered. "I can't believe you would believe anything that comes out of that little liar. Have you forgotten, Se Hun? Have you forgotten what you were supposed to get out of this?"

"…What you offered me, I already have…" Se Hun whispered, wrapping his hand tightly around Lu Han's. "I could never ask for anything more than Lu Han…"

Lu Han blushed deeply at Se Hun's words and then gently squeezed the younger boy's hand.

"Well, ain't that sweet and heartwarming," Kris said, his voice thick with sarcasm. "Your loss Se Hun; I could have given you anything."

"No, I was the one who won." Se Hun told Kris, his whole being b with confidence and love.

The taller man just scoffed, slowly taking a step towards Se Hun and Lu Han, causing them both to take a step back.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you," Kris held his arms up rather mockingly while taking another step forward. "I just want to talk."

Lu Han was shaking; one hand tightened its hold on the younger boy's hand, while the other hand was now gripping on to Se Hun's shoulder tightly.

"Hey Lu Han, stop hiding behind your little boyfriend and face me," Kris challenged, his voice rising.

Lu Han tensed, knowing that Kris was right. Unconsciously, his hand dropped from Se Hun's shoulder, while the other hand had loosened the grip on the younger boy's hand. Slowly, he actually took a step away from Se Hun, and he was about to approach Kris when he felt a hand pull him back.

"Lu Han!" Se Hun whispered urgently. "Don't fall for it, he's just taunting you!"

And then he was pushing Lu Han back behind him again before the older boy could react.

"Se Hun…" The older boy whispered, his voice soft but determined. "I can't keep hiding from him; we'll have to face him eventually."

Kris' laughter suddenly rang loudly across the room.

"Finally going to stop hiding, huh?" He was staring right at Lu Han. "It's about time. So let's settle this, man to man."

Lu Han was about to go towards him again when Se Hun's grip on his arm tightened again.

"Relax, Se Hun," Kris had taken another step closer to them. "I just want to talk to him."

Lu Han turned so that he was facing Se Hun and then placed a hand on the younger boy's arm.

"I'll be fine, Se Hun," Lu Han told him, his voice soothing. "I promise."

And then he leaned forward and kissed Se Hun in a brief but passionate kiss; Se Hun relented, but still didn’t release him.

Kris rolled his eyes when Se Hun continued to hold him back. Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Han noticed Zi Tao looking extremely nervous, and was looking around like he was looking for something or some one; he must be worried about Baekhyun…

"This is ridiculous," The taller man mumbled before turning to Zi Tao. "Zi Tao, baby, do me a favour, would you?" He said as he tilted his head towards Se Hun and Lu Han.

The tone that Kris used with Zi Tao kind of sounded like one that one would use when talking to a pet.

Zi Tao gave one last longing glance upstairs before turning back to Kris; it was clear that Zi Tao still longed for Baekhyun, and Baekhyun still had feelings for him, but they both had someone else. Zi Tao stood there and looked at the other two for a moment, like he was assessing the situation.

Finally he stepped forward and grabbed Lu Han's arm, attempting to pull the other away from the younger boy. When Se Hun didn't loosen his grip, Zi Tao turned to him, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

“Step away from him,” Zi Tao said to Se Hun, his tone full of warning.

Lu Han winced as Se Hun’s grip on his arm tightened more at the other’s words.

“I warned you,” The younger boy whispered before raising a leg and kicking Se Hun in the side of the head into the nearest wall, effectively knocking him out. Lu Han gasped when Se Hun made contact with the wall and tried to run over to him only to feel Zi Tao’s arms wound around him tightly, holding him in place.

"Well, if I could have it my way, I'd kill you for my brother's sake," The taller boy sounded nonchalant, like killing another human being was no big deal, as he walked back and forth in front of Lu Han. "That won't solve anything, but it'd give me some peace of mind."

Kris seemed to be talking more to himself than anyone.  Lu Han’s attention was snapped back to Kris when he saw something metallic and shiny glint in Kris' hand; apparently he had pulled out a knife at some point. The older boy took a step back.

"You know what?" Kris seemed to have decided on a course of action as he twirled his knife between his fingers. "I think I will kill you."

Kris approached Lu Han and Zi Tao, his face set in that one constant expression; it was extremely intimidating.

"Stay away from me!" Lu Han screamed - it was quite obvious that he never should have trusted this man in the first place.

He tried to move away but Zi Tao's hold on him was too tight and his constant struggles did him no good. Kris stopped about a foot from Lu Han and just started laughing rather maniacally, his fingers twirling that knife the entire time.

"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you?" He said in between bouts of laughter.

Lu Han stiffened and tried to back away, only to remember that Zi Tao was there, not allowing for any such movement. The older boy thought he heard something that sounded like groaning in the background and knew that that meant Se Hun was most likely awake or at least waking up; luckily neither Kris nor Zi Tao seemed to notice.

Please save me, Se Hun…Lu Han pleaded in his head.

And then everything became a blur, Lu Han had no idea what happened, but he heard Kris let out a strangled cry and Zi Tao released him. Kris was lying on the floor with his knife in the air due to whatever had happened earlier and it was headed straight for Kris.

Suddenly, there was the sickening sound of metal piercing flesh before a bloodcurdling scream penetrated the stillness.

End of chapter 22

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This chapter is way over due OTL

So uh, this chapter sounds really awkward to me lol OTL but I hope you liked it... ^_^; 

Thank you to cupcakemini5 for helping me edit! ^_^ <3

Oh my god, I am still in shock over how much support I've gotten for this fic, it's mindblowing @.@ over 300 subscribers... what? O.O

And more shameless self promotion: I started another fic, which will eventually have HunHan and BaekYeol, but is currently a Baeklu story. So give it a read if interested? ^_^Model for Me