Final
How to Save a Lifehow to save a life
Baekhyun called it a dubiously safe hobby; Wufan called it an overzealous quest for perfection; Kyungsoo called it a worrying pastime; but many others weren’t as kind, and they called it an addiction.
“It’s an addiction,” Jongin had said flatly when Wufan and Kyungsoo had another of their meetings. He ignored the scowl Kyungsoo had shot his way for interrupting their conversation and continued, a tinge of anger in his voice, “yes, it is. And maybe if you guys manned the up and admitted that, we would be closer to solving that issue then we are right now.”
“You know what happened when we tried to bring that up with him,” Kyungsoo had snapped, a slight tremble shaking the room, his quiet voice tinged with anger. “Do you really think getting him to admit it would be a good idea now?”
“Well, what do you propose we do then?” Jongin had yelled in frustration, throwing his hands up in the air. “Let him go on with what he’s doing? You said you want to help him—but at the rate he’s going now he would probably destroy the place at the end of the month. And meanwhile you sit here, too chicken to do anything because you’re scared he might throw another tantrum when right now you and I both know he’s probably dabbling in magic again even though he’s dying and bleeding out of every single ing orifice!”
And Wufan had only sat and watched helplessly as the two lovers had once of the worst arguments in the two years they had been together. Guilt ate away at him when Kyungsoo had shown up that night for dinner with bloodshot eyes and Jongin hadn’t even bothered to turn up at all. He shouldn’t have dragged the duo into this. Baekhyun was his responsibility, and therefore he should be the one dealing with the problem.
That’s why he hadn’t refused when Kyungsoo had sought him out and told him, in a shaky voice that perhaps they ought to try again. Get Baekhyun to admit he had an addiction, so that he could give the two of them a chance to help him. And even though Wufan had no idea how Baekhyun might react he knew he had to try.
He and Kyungsoo had went to Baekhyun’s room that night and found the boy half-dead on the floor, bleeding out of every orifice—just as Jongin had predicted. Time was a blur and all Wufan could see was the broken, bloodied body he carried in his arms as he ran for the infirmary. Even now the image of bright red painting the floor and the emaciated frame of his lover continued to haunt his dreams in his sleep.
But they couldn’t deny it anymore, not when Baekhyun was fighting for his life, trapped in a coma as his body struggled to recuperate from the wounds he himself had inflicted—all for the fleeting moments of pleasure and relief that made addictions so hard to quit. “It’s an addiction,” the doctor had said to Wufan quietly. “An addiction, Mr. Wu.”
Wufan didn’t sleep that night, sitting by Baekhyun’s face as he stared at the gaunt cheeks and sickly yellowed skin, remembering what Baekhyun had said to him when they had just bonded and Wufan had heard about his apparent addiction to magic. “It’s just a hobby, Wufan,” Baekhyun said calmly, a teasingsmile on his lips. “Maybe it’s a little dangerous, maybe I’m playing a little too close to the fire, but it’s just a hobby—and that’s precisely what makes it fun.”
It was the same excuse every single time, even when Baekhyun started to lose weight and the healthy glow of his skin started to diminish and Wufan was starting to be aware of the fact that Baekhyun “hobby” was developing into something more deadly. But whenever he questioned Baekhyun the latter had waved Wufan’s concerns aside and repeated the same excuse. And Wufan had accepted the excuses because he had been much too cowardly to contemplate the notion that Baekhyun was indeed addicted to using magic. It was considered a sign of weakness in society, and these people were sneered at, along with their families and friends and their bonded partner—especially their bonded partner, because the bonding between two magic users had been created for this very purpose, to keep each other in check, too make sure their usage of magic didn’t go overboard, to prevent things like this from happening.
So in a way, Baekhyun’s addiction was his fault.
“I’m so sorry,” Wufan whimpered, and even in the stillness of the infirmary his apology felt too soft, too weak, too late.
Baekhyun had not stirred—but Wufan felt a gentle nudge inside his mind and knew his lover had heard. He gave a tired sign and finally, finally allowed sleep to claim him.
“It’s an addiction,” Jongin had said flatly when Wufan and Kyungsoo had another of their meetings. He ignored the scowl Kyungsoo had shot his way for interrupting their conversation and continued, a tinge of anger in his voice, “yes, it is. And maybe if you guys manned the up and admitted that, we would be closer to solving that issue then we are right now.”
“You know what happened when we tried to bring that up with him,” Kyungsoo had snapped, a slight tremble shaking the room, his quiet voice tinged with anger. “Do you really think getting him to admit it would be a good idea now?”
“Well, what do you propose we do then?” Jongin had yelled in frustration, throwing his hands up in the air. “Let him go on with what he’s doing? You said you want to help him—but at the rate he’s going now he would probably destroy the place at the end of the month. And meanwhile you sit here, too chicken to do anything because you’re scared he might throw another tantrum when right now you and I both know he’s probably dabbling in magic again even though he’s dying and bleeding out of every single ing orifice!”
And Wufan had only sat and watched helplessly as the two lovers had once of the worst arguments in the two years they had been together. Guilt ate away at him when Kyungsoo had shown up that night for dinner with bloodshot eyes and Jongin hadn’t even bothered to turn up at all. He shouldn’t have dragged the duo into this. Baekhyun was his responsibility, and therefore he should be the one dealing with the problem.
That’s why he hadn’t refused when Kyungsoo had sought him out and told him, in a shaky voice that perhaps they ought to try again. Get Baekhyun to admit he had an addiction, so that he could give the two of them a chance to help him. And even though Wufan had no idea how Baekhyun might react he knew he had to try.
He and Kyungsoo had went to Baekhyun’s room that night and found the boy half-dead on the floor, bleeding out of every orifice—just as Jongin had predicted. Time was a blur and all Wufan could see was the broken, bloodied body he carried in his arms as he ran for the infirmary. Even now the image of bright red painting the floor and the emaciated frame of his lover continued to haunt his dreams in his sleep.
But they couldn’t deny it anymore, not when Baekhyun was fighting for his life, trapped in a coma as his body struggled to recuperate from the wounds he himself had inflicted—all for the fleeting moments of pleasure and relief that made addictions so hard to quit. “It’s an addiction,” the doctor had said to Wufan quietly. “An addiction, Mr. Wu.”
Wufan didn’t sleep that night, sitting by Baekhyun’s face as he stared at the gaunt cheeks and sickly yellowed skin, remembering what Baekhyun had said to him when they had just bonded and Wufan had heard about his apparent addiction to magic. “It’s just a hobby, Wufan,” Baekhyun said calmly, a teasingsmile on his lips. “Maybe it’s a little dangerous, maybe I’m playing a little too close to the fire, but it’s just a hobby—and that’s precisely what makes it fun.”
It was the same excuse every single time, even when Baekhyun started to lose weight and the healthy glow of his skin started to diminish and Wufan was starting to be aware of the fact that Baekhyun “hobby” was developing into something more deadly. But whenever he questioned Baekhyun the latter had waved Wufan’s concerns aside and repeated the same excuse. And Wufan had accepted the excuses because he had been much too cowardly to contemplate the notion that Baekhyun was indeed addicted to using magic. It was considered a sign of weakness in society, and these people were sneered at, along with their families and friends and their bonded partner—especially their bonded partner, because the bonding between two magic users had been created for this very purpose, to keep each other in check, too make sure their usage of magic didn’t go overboard, to prevent things like this from happening.
So in a way, Baekhyun’s addiction was his fault.
“I’m so sorry,” Wufan whimpered, and even in the stillness of the infirmary his apology felt too soft, too weak, too late.
Baekhyun had not stirred—but Wufan felt a gentle nudge inside his mind and knew his lover had heard. He gave a tired sign and finally, finally allowed sleep to claim him.
*
Contrary to what people mostly thought, bonded pairs don’t necessarily become lovers. Bonding was an act of survival—it was never intended to be a way for one to find their soul mate, or anything “silly” (Kyungsoo’s words before he had met Jongin) like that. Bonding resulted when two people’s auras were complementary to one another’s—hence bond partners were polar opposites, matched to one another to make up for what the other lacked. It was possible for bond partners to have a completely platonic relationship—but most of the time, that was not the case.
When Wufan had been formally introduced to Baekhyun for the first time, he didn’t think he would grow to love the man—Baekhyun had seemed too soft and pretty and much too feminine; smooth skin and pink lips and a tiny stature that looked like he could shatter if the wind so much as blew at him. All Wufan knew was that Baekhyun was excellent at wielding magic and perhaps a little too into it. Wufan was the balance that Baekhyun needed, that Wufan had pretty much figured out from their first meeting. But when the night had ended he had no idea why this man had been meant—quite literally—for him.
He wandered down the corridors with no clear destination in mind. Wufan didn't work, because being away from Baekhyun for even an hour already made him nervous. Baekhyun hadn't been too happy about that. He knew Wufan often got bored in school and insisted that he was fine by himself and that Wufan should go get a job instead of "wandering the school like a wraith and scaring the out of the kids." Wufan had taken offence at that. It wasn't his fault that the kids in the school took to him like how they took to an ogre. Baekhyun always said it was his face, which was strange because most people usually didn't have complains.
A familiar voice made him pause in his step. It was Kyungsoo, and it sounded like he was conducting a lesson. The redhead also worked in the school, and it had been through his connections that had secured Baekhyun a job here. We really do owe him a lot, Wufan thought. Boredom was what made him open the door of the classroom as quietly as possible to enter. He slipped into the back row, knowing Kyungsoo wouldn't mind if he sat in on their class.
Kyungsoo noticed him almost immediately and shot him a small smile without breaking the flow of his words. Wufan eased himself into a chair meant for someone half his size. Feeling very uncomfortable in his seat, he tried to focus on what Kyungsoo was saying.
"Do anyone of you know what happens when we overuse our Power?" Kyungsoo's voice was inappropriately bright for a subject that was so controversial, and Wufan suddenly stiffened in his seat, not liking where this might be going. It had been a year ago but he could still remember Kyungsoo's voice as clear as day as the two of them had talked about the very same subject after Baekhyun had went too far with his magic.
A little boy, who couldn’t have been more than seven, asked in a very small voice. “Do we die?”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop 10 degrees but Kyungsoo’s bright only faltered slightly. “Yes Taemin, we die.”
Wufan wanted to clap his hands over the ears of all the children as Kyungsoo started going into details. The subject seemed too big, too morbid for this classroom, with its cheerful yellow walls and painstakingly crayoned drawings on display. But he knew Kyungsoo had no choice. Society dictated that teachers like him teach this subject to all young magic users from the age of seven, to instill in them a fear of addiction to magic and decrease the chances of any of them falling prey to it in the future. But even though this was not the first time he had heard it, Wufan couldn’t help but shiver at Kyungsoo’s words, made worst by the fact that he was delivering it in an artificially cheerful voice, as though it could negate the effect this topic had.
Power, Wufan remembered, was the innate ability all magic users had that allowed them to wield magic—unlike the mortals who live on the other realm, who couldn’t do magic. Power also provided the energy they needed to fuel their magic, and although magic users have a large store of it, it was possible to use it up. And when someone’s Power ran out, their source of energy came from their own life force—and drawing it could kill you.
That was what almost happened to Baekhyun.
He snapped out of his reverie when he heard the boy who had answered Kyungsoo’s question earlier speak up. “Do you know anyone who was like this, Mr. Do?” he lisped.
Wufan’s eyes met Kyungsoo before the teacher tilted his head to one side. “Why do you ask, Taemin?”
“Because you seem to be thinking of someone when you were telling us about magic addiction!”
“I might, but he’s better now,” Kyungsoo said, his voice taking on the falsely cheerful tone again. Seeing their aghast faces, he softened. “Don’t worry too much about it okay? Things like this are rare. We’ll talk about bonded partners in the next lesson, alright? That’s enough for today.”
Wufan got up and approached Kyungsoo as the redhead was chivvying the last of the students out of the front door. The teacher made sure they were out of earshot before shutting the door with a heavy sigh. “I hate talking to them about this,” he mumbled. “I remembered going through this class as a child, and I was too scared to do magic for a week. Ridiculous the thing we were born to do can kill us, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Wufan said, his throat dry. He didn’t want to tell Kyungsoo that his lesson had brought back memories of the nightmare days of the past when Baekhyun himself had went too far, but Kyungsoo noticed his expression immediately. “I’m sorry you had to sit through that,” he said apologetically. “How’s Baekhyun?”
“He’s okay,” Wufan said, because he knew Kyungsoo knew that ‘okay’ meat Baekhyun wasn’t showing any signs about slipping back into his addiction. He wondered if he should tell Kyungsoo that he was worried this wouldn’t last, that Baekhyun would fall back on his addiction—but he didn’t voice such a thought out. What if it honestly came through?
Kyungsoo nodded. “That’s good,” he said with a gentle smile. “Don’t worry, Wufan. I’m sure he’ll never go back to past days. He told me that you mean too much for him to ever do something like this ever again.”
Instead of feeling happy, Wufan felt a slight twinge of unease because Baekhyun had indeed said that to him many times, and instead of reassuring him, it often sounded like Baekhyun had been trying to convince both of them that the past wouldn’t be repeated again. “I know, he tells me that too,” he mumbled, and missed the small frown that appeared on Kyungsoo’s face.
“I have to go meet Jongin soon,” the teacher said at last, after an awkward silence. “See you tomorrow, Wufan.”
*
Even though he had been with Baekhyun while the latter was going through his addiction, Wufan could never understand the rush his lover got from doing magic. Magic was just something that made his life a little more convenient, something that served as a form of protection when needed. He didn’t derive any particular pleasure from doing it, and despite trying his best to empathize with Baekhyun he couldn’t understand the fervor at which Baekhyun spoke about doing magic.
Baekhyun’s addiction had indeed begun with a desperate need for perfection. The brunette had always been very good at doing magic, and he wanted to be the best. He passed all his magic aptitude tests at the end of high school. In college, their workload increased and while his studies were abysmal, he never got anything less than an A for his magic aptitude classes. At the end of college he got a job as healer, and that was when he and Wufan had met.
Wufan had been his patient. Baekhyun was at his peak, one of the youngest healers to ever enter the industry, efficient and charming. He took a shine to Wufan when the latter dropped by for a checkup, but it wasn’t those honeyed words and charming smile that had made Wufan fall for him. It had been Baekhyun’s surprising soft heartedness and his caring side that had—something Wufan wouldn’t get to see until much later.
The days after they had bonded were often filled with lunches together in an attempt to get to know the other party better. Wufan went from being polite enough to acknowledge Baekhyun’s words to being genuinely interested in getting to know him. Outside of the healing institution, Baekhyun dropped the suave persona he often kept up at his workplace, and Wufan liked that. He spoke about his work and Wufan found himself being surprised at the way he described his patients. Baekhyun had managed to remember all his patients little quirks and pet peeves, the names of their family members and even their pet dogs. He didn’t just treat his patients—he treated them with genuine care and Wufan had admired him for that.
He might have started getting worried when Baekhyun started talking about magic a little too much, about the rush and thrill he got from it, and the pride he experienced when people praised him for being able to wield magic so easily. There was something off about the gleam in his eye and the way he gesticulated so violently as he described how he had made the seeds in his backyard grown into full grown plants overnight. That doesn’t sound right, Wufan had thought. But he hadn’t pried into the matter, figuring it was none of his business.
Falling in love with Byun Baekhyun came almost too easily for him, and Wufan found himself looking forward to their lunches and outings together. There was something about Baekhyun that made him feel alive. Wufan was never as ambitious as Baekhyun was. He never had any larger purpose in life and didn’t see the need for one. But Baekhyun wasn’t as easily satisfied. He was filled with a drive that Wufan himself lacked, and it was probably what that attracted Wufan to him. Yet Baekhyun often went too far, crossing the lines without even realizing what he had done to fulfill his own purpose. He had actually killed his pet dog when performing one of his magical experiments and had done many other crazy things—but that had been before he had met Wufan. Wufan was the one who brought him back from that precipice, who soothed him and balanced him, something he had to do a lot after Baekhyun recovered from collapsing after overusing magic. He had always thought that Baekhyun was the one who always gave in the relationship, but perhaps they both needed each other after all.
So when Wufan knew Baekhyun was starting to draw energy from him again, he didn’t resist. This was what he was meant for after all. As Baekhyun’s bonded partner, he was supposed to let Baekhyun draw Power from him. Even if Baekhyun had promised he wouldn’t use anymore magic.
Wufan doesn’t stop him, but a little part of him dies inside.
Did he mean that little to Baekhyun that the brunette would break his promises, destroy the almost peaceful life they had been enjoyed together for the past month, just so he could use magic?
Wufan couldn’t let him do that. He owed him that much.
“What are you thinking about?”
Baekhyun’s voice interrupted his train of thought, and Wufan looked at him. The brunette had just stepped out of their shower, and his hair was wet and dripping, a towel still hanging around his neck. “Something up?” he asked, tossing the towel aside and climbing onto the bed. He curled up against Wufan’s side and the blonde’s arm went around his waist automatically.
“Nothing,” he lied, and the look Baekhyun shot him told him that Baekhyun knew it too. “Nothing important anyway,” he amended, fixing a small smile on his face. “No need to worry, honestly.”
Baekhyun’s wet hair was making a damp patch on his shirt, but Wufan ignored him, watching as his boyfriend pouted. “Okay,” he said. “I was just worried. You look so deep in thought and we both know you hardly even use your brain to think, let alone do deep thinking.”
“Yah,” Wufan chuckled. “Nothing, I was just tired.”
“Why?” Baekhyun asked, his tone innocent, and Wufan’s smile slipped off his face slightly, because Baekhyun should have already known why.
Didn’t you take some Power from me? And you wonder why I wouldn’t be tired?
He stared at Baekhyun’s face, unable to tell if Baekhyun was just feigning ignorance. “Well…I…” he sighed, looking away. “Haven’t been sleeping well, I guess.”
“Bad dreams?” Baekhyun asked, ducking his head slightly to see the expression on Wufan’s face.
“Yeah. I guess so.”
“I’ll sing you a lullaby if that will change the nightmares away.”
“It’s okay,” Wufan said, not in the mood to play along—even though he always loved to hear Baekhyun sing, even more so if Baekhyun was singing just for him. He hardly did nowadays, and it wasn’t characteristic of Wufan to turn Baekhyun’s offer down. “Let’s go to sleep,” he said, seeing the confused and slightly hurt look on Baekhyun’s face. “Sorry baby, I’m tired.”
“Okay,” Baekhyun mumbled. He tilted his head up and Wufan smiled gently, leaning forward to give the brunette a light kiss on the lips, and then pulled the blankets over the two of them. “Good night,” Baekhyun said, yawning, and Wufan pressed one last kiss to his forehead.
*
Conflict was his constant companion for the next few days because Wufan realized he had to do something about Baekhyun. Maybe he was duty bound to let Baekhyun continue drawing Power from him, but he couldn’t let Baekhyun walk down the path of addiction again. That can never happen.
Baekhyun stopped drawing Power from him for a few days after the first time, but Wufan knew better than to think he had stopped completely, because this was an exact repeat of the first ever time it had happened. Baekhyun had started drawing Power from him, bit by bit, and Wufan had thought nothing of it at first. But he knew better now.
This is why Kyungsoo found Wufan waiting for him in his classroom because his lessons were about to start.
“Good morning Wufan, what can I do for you?” Kyungsoo asked, slightly startled to see him there. He set his things down on the table and turned to where Wufan was perched on one of the small desks.
Wufan sighed and looked at him tiredly. “I need you to do me a favor.”
Kyungsoo raised his eyebrows, slightly worried by the tinge of desperation in his voice. “Okay,” he agreed, sitting on his desk. “What is it?”
Wufan’s voice was emotionless when he replied. “I want you to draw out Power from me, a little bit each time, and store them. Draw the Power from me until you can’t draw it anymore—or until I die, whichever comes first. It doesn’t matter.”
As expected, silence meet his words and Wufan watched as a gamut of emotions appear on Kyungsoo’s face—astonishment, shock, worry, and finally, anger.
“What the are you talking about!” he hissed. “What do you mean?”
“You heard me,” Wufan said calmly. “I want you to draw Power out of me, until I don’t have anymore left to give.”
“But why the would you want that?” Kyungsoo exploded. He must be really angry for the desks in the room were beginning to rattle. Magic was tied to emotions, after all. “What’s would make you do something like this…” his voice tailed off as comprehension dawned on his face. “Oh,” he said, his voice suddenly tiny. “Is it Baekhyun?”
The blonde’s tone was brittle when he replied. “Would there be any other reason as to why I would do this?”
Kyungsoo was quiet. “But I don’t understand,” he whispered, and Wufan could see hurt in his eyes. “He promised he wouldn’t do magic anymore.”
“Well, clearly it meant nothing to him,” Wufan snapped. He hated seeing how shocked Kyungsoo was that Baekhyun had broken his promise. He wished he had felt shock when he had found out Baekhyun had gone back to using magic, because that would mean he had never expected Baekhyun to go back to his old ways—but he had. No matter what Baekhyun had said, Wufan had known him well enough to know Baekhyun would never keep his word.
The teacher took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said, more to himself than to Wufan. “But that doesn’t mean you have to go off and do something as crazy as that, right? You can talk to him, we can both talk to him, tell him it’s wrong. He might listen.”
“We’ve been through this before. It didn’t work the first time and I highly doubt it would this time,” Wufan said emotionlessly. He gave a humorless chuckle. “Don’t you realize this was exactly what happened in the past, Kyungsoo? What makes you think it will end any different than it did back then?”
The tension in the room seemed to go up twofold at his words and Kyungsoo bit his lip. “But how could you ask this of me?” he whispered, his voice shaky. “How can you can ask me to draw Power out of your body when it would hurt both you and Baekhyun badly?”
“Because it needs to be done,” Wufan said harshly. “Besides, if he continues he’ll definitely need the Power as a backup, and he can get more if I store it then if I let him take it from me periodically. He needs to wake up and see what he’s doing to himself and others with his addiction.” He hesitated, and said in a somewhat softer tone. “And maybe his conscience could save him where I had failed.”
Wufan left the classroom with an oral promise from Kyungsoo and instructions to report to the infirmary the next day.
*
Needless to say, the first time Power was drawn from his body hurt like a .
It goes on for six days and Wufan wants to scream because drawing out Power was an incredibly painful process and on top of that his resolve to not tell Baekhyun anything was killing him. This was what Baekhyun needed; a necessary wake up call, but it didn't make it any less painful for Wufan.
Kyungsoo asked him every day if he had changed his mind, if maybe he would rather let Baekhyun know what he was doing and see if Baekhyun would agree to change. But Wufan refused. This was what Baekhyun needed, and he would do it for him.
"I'm worried for the both of them," Wufan heard Kyungsoo say to Jongin on the sixth day. "If he loses his Power completely he'll have to leave and he'll forget all about Baekhyun and Baekhyun will never forgive me when he finds out and it will kill him when Wufan leaves him and— what do I do, Jongin?" his voice rose rapidly and Wufan winced. But he vaguely heard Jongin's voice, soft and calm, and he knew he would comfort Kyungsoo.
He did feel guilty for making Kyungsoo do this, because he and Baekhyun were friends too and Kyungsoo must feel like this was an act of betrayal to their friendship. But there was no one else whom he could trust to keep this a secret. He sat up and sighed, his body severely weakend from the drawing of Power. Not only that, but Baekhyun had been taking more and more Power from him as of late, and lately he couldn't even drag himself out of bed anymore, worrying the brunette greatly.
Baekhyun eyed him with concern when he walked in through the doors at last, later than he usually ever returned home. "Wufan?" he said, his voice worried as the blonde man immediately slump onto the floor after shutting the door. "Oh my god, what happened to you?" Baekhyun's voice was scared as he cupped Wufan's face, seeing the eyebags that seemed permanently inked into the skin, the yellowed skin, the cracked lips, things that Wufan had taken such pains to hide from him.
"I'm alright," Wufan tried to say, but he found himself being hoisted to his feet and half dragged, half carried to the couch. "Baekhyun," he started, wanting to say something reassuring but a cough cut him off. He gagged when he felt something wet and thick and metallic tasting in his mouth and bought his fingers to his lips.
Blood.
He and Baekhyun stared at the red that painted his fingertips. "Baekhyun," he tried to say again, but the brunette turned and hurried into the kitchen before he could say another word. He reappeared again, cradling a bottle in his arms. "Drink it," he said harshly, pressing it into Wufan's hands. "Drink it, and we'll talk."
Too tired to argue, Wufan drank, feeling some of his strength returning with every sip. "Thank you," he mumbled, once he had downed half the contents inside the bottle. He closed his eyes, feeling slender fingers pry the bottle out of his hand as a warm body curled up next to him.
A cool hand rested against his forehead. "Are you sick, Wufan?" Baekhyun asked in a small voice. "But your skin feels so cold. You can't possibly be having a fever."
"I was sick," Wufan lied, as Baekhyun dropped his hand in favor of holding Wufan's own hand. "I went to a healer and he gave me some medicine, that's why I was so drowsy."
"Really?" Baekhyun's voice was worried, but there was something challenging about it, like he knew Wufan wasn't really telling the truth and was waiting to see if he would. Wufan frowned, wondering if maybe Baekhyun had a suspicion as to what he was up too, but brushed it off because no one but Kyungsoo, Jongin, and the healer who drew his Power knew. “Really,” he said flatly. “Would I lie to you?” the line came out bitter instead of playful, which had been what he had intended. Baekhyun raised his eyebrows at his tone of voice, and Wufan sighed. “Look, I’m going to bed, I’m tired,” he muttered.
“Have you eaten yet though?” Baekhyun asked as Wufan got unsteadily to his feet. “I made dinner. Without magic,” he said quickly, and Wufan resisted the urge to laugh. It didn’t matter if Baekhyun used magic to make his dinner or not. The fact that he had used magic at all in the first place said a lot. “No, but I’m not hungry,” he said shortly. He leaned down and kissed Baekhyun lightly on the forehead.
“Good night, Baekhyun.”
*
Wufan knew he didn’t have much time with Baekhyun left. Kyungsoo had described to him what happened when his Power was drawn from his body. He would eventually lose all of his Power. It didn’t matter that Power could replenish. Having it drawn instead of actually using it to wield magic brought about such an impact, and Wufan was prepared for it. The other cost of his decision though, was that along with his Power he would also lose all his memories. Since he could no longer live in this realm anymore, he had to move to the other mortal realm, the one where there mortals who couldn’t do magic lived. Hence this magical amnesia was necessary.
It also meant he would forget all about Baekhyun.
He tried to make the best out of the next few days, sitting in on Baekhyun’s classes and stealing kisses from him in between lessons. Baekhyun was probably surprised by his sudden increase of affection and Wufan didn’t bother to explain why. Baekhyun stopped drawing Power from him for awhile, probably because Wufan was with him too much for him to actually get a chance to use magic. But Wufan noticed the bed of dead flowers outside Baekhyun’s classroom window sprouting flowers overnight, that the classroom received a fresh coat of paint after he returned from lunch, and he knew it wasn’t because Baekhyun had stopped using magic.
Not at all.
“You should tell him, you know,” Kyungsoo said quietly when Wufan went back to the infirmary on the fourteenth day. “You don’t have much time left, and it will kill him if you left without telling him.”
“Actually, that is the plan,” Wufan said calmly.
“You can’t do that to him!” the redhead frowned. “You owe him that much, and you know that.”
“I don’t owe him anything anymore,” Wufan said coldly. “I’m giving up everything for him. He doesn’t deserve an explanation.”
He turned away and made his way towards the curtained-off area where the Healer was waiting.
“But doesn’t it hurt you too?” Kyungsoo asked softly. “You love him.”
Wufan stopped walking, and his shoulders slumped. “Yes, I do,” was all he said, before he disappeared behind the curtains.
He returned to their apartment, more upset than usual. Baekhyun was home before him again—this seemed to be the norm now. “Hey,” he said quietly, taking off his jacket and hanging it up.
“I know what you’re doing.”
Baekhyun’s cold voice made Wufan stop. “What?” he said, not sure if he had heard right.
“I said, I know what you’re doing.” Baekhyun snarled, storming right up to him and jabbing a finger onto Wufan’s chest. “For ’s sake. Wufan. I’m your bonded partner. You think I wouldn’t’ be able to tell if someone else was drawing Power out of your body?”
It took Wufan a moment to grasp what Baekhyun was trying to say. “You…know?” he choked.
“I do,” Baekhyun glared at him. “And I can’t believe you kept it from me.”
“I was doing it for you.”
“The you were!”
Baekhyun’s scream effectively silenced Wufan, and the brunette took advantage of that. “You’re doing it for yourself. You’re just scared that I’ll go down the path of addiction again, and you aren’t prepared to face it. That’s why you’re doing this. You’re trying to escape before I destroy myself and destroy your life in the process too. You’re a ing coward, Wufan!”
“Shut up! You don’t know anything,” Wufan snapped back. “You don’t know what it’s like, having to watch someone you love fall in love with something that could kill him, watch as he destroy his own life and everyone else’s all for his own personal pleasure. Especially after he was given a second chance at life. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you doing magic, Byun Baekhyun. If I’m a coward, that means you’re an . Have you any idea how upset I was when I found out you had broken your promise?”
“That was just a few times!” Baekhyun yelled back, and Wufan’s anger increased even more.
“I don’t want your stupid excuses!” he yelled. “All I wanted was for your to kick your addiction—but you couldn’t even keep your promise. Face it, you love magic more than me or Kyungsoo or Jongin or anyone of us, don’t you?”
Baekhyun looked like he had been slapped in the face. “Do you really think that way, Wufan?” he asked, his voice suddenly quiet. Wufan let out a dry, humorless chuckle.
“Newsflash, Byun Baekhyun; but it was you and your actions that made me think that way.”
And with that, Wufan turned and walked out of the house.
*
Baekhyun stopped drawing Power from Wufan after that, but Wufan still continued to visit the infirmary.
He wanted to make it up with Baekhyun, to run back to their apartment and beg Baekhyun to forgive him for all his harsh words, but decided that it was for the best they parted this way. Less pain.
Baekhyun doesn’t visit him even though he knew the blonde was currently living with Kyungsoo as he continued to have his Power drawn out from his body, but Wufan was much too numb to get hurt over that anymore.
“This is your last session, Wufan,” Kyungsoo said softly, holding onto his hand.
“I know,” Wufan mumbled. They also knew it meant that after this, Wufan would have to leave, and he would never come back. But none of them can quite bring themselves to acknowledge it, so they say nothing.
“Have you talked to him?” Kyungsoo asked, “since the night you two fought, I mean?”
Wufan shook his head. “No.”
Kyungsoo hesitated, and then asked quietly. “And don’t you want to see him?”
“Not particularly.”
The redhead doesn’t push it, but Wufan felt him pressed a note into his palm. He raised an eyebrow at Kyungsoo.
“Read it later,” Kyungsoo mouthed.
Wufan nodded, and tried for a smile. “I’ll miss you,” he said, knowing that he will never see Kyungsoo again.
Kyungsoo’s eyes were suspiciously wet when he smiled back. “I’ll miss you too.”
“Wufan? The healer is ready,” Jongin said, coming to stand next to his boyfriend. He took Kyungsoo’s hand into his and eyed Wufan, his usually fierce eyes soft. “Good luck.”
“Thank you,” Wufan whispered.
Kyungsoo gave him an awkward one armed hug, and Jongin patted his shoulder lightly before the two left the infirmary. Wufan’s eyes never left them, memorizing their walk and the sight of their backs but knowing it was useless because he wouldn’t be able to remember them after today.
And Baekhyun too.
Sighing, Wufan unfurled the note in his hand and began to read.
Wufan
I know you wouldn’t believe this, but I have stopped. Doing magic, that is. I wish I could prove it to you, but I know I can’t. Maybe this is for the best. I knew you just wanted to save me from myself, and I’m sorry for all that I have said to you when you were sacrificing so much to help me.
Despite it all though, I still do love you, and I wouldn’t allow you to leave thinking otherwise (even though you probably wouldn’t remember this). Take care of yourself.
Who knows, we might see each other again.
Love,
Baekhyun
p.s . and no, my conscience didn’t save me. You did.
Wufan smiled slightly. His only regret would be that he wouldn’t be able to see Baekhyun one last time before he left. But at least he wouldn’t remember that, he reasoned when the healer came into view. Her face was the last thing he saw before he closed his eyes.
*
“You what.”
“You heard me,” Baekhyun said calmly, and it reminded Kyungsoo of Wufan one year ago, who had made the same demand Baekhyun was now making of him. “Wufan and I still have a lot of unfinished business left. I need to do this, Kyungsoo, please.”
Kyungsoo groaned. “Why was I ever friends with Wufan and why am I even friends with you!” he grumbled. “You’re really asking this of me, Byun Baekhyun?”
“Please?” Baekhyun offered.
The redhead muttered something unintelligible under his breath. “Fine,” he snapped. “You little er. If we ever meet again though, you owe me one.”
And Kyungsoo went off to contact the same healer that had been the one responsible for drawing the Power out of Wufan one year ago
*
Baekhyun groaned and woke up, his head aching. He sat up, unable to remember where he was. Eying his surroundings, he noticed what seemed like a pair of roller skates on the back seat of the car he was currently sitting in. Frowning, he noticed the vibrating device on the passenger seat and snatched it up.
From: Sehun
His name is Wufan. Thanks for helping me return the roller blades, hyung!
And below it was an address.
He remembered now! He had promised Sehun that he would return Wufan his rollerblades—although he had no idea who the Wufan was. He shrugged and started the engine, realizing that he was still parked in front of his house. He had no idea how he had managed to fall asleep there but didn’t think much of it. A promise was a promise, and he had a job to do.
Wufan’s house wasn’t very far away, and Baekhyun’s initially plan had been to return the roller blades and leave almost immediately. But such thoughts flew out of his mind when he set eyes on Wufan—becausedamn, that guy was hot.
The man was blonde and freakishly taller and it only made Baekhyun more self conscious of his own shot stature and the pimple on his nose. “Yes?” he said politely, and Baekhyun swooned at how deliciously deep Wufan’s voice is.
“Wufan?” he said politely. “Sehun asked me to return this to you.” And he held up the roller blades.
The confusion on Wufan’s face disappeared. “Ah! You must be the friend that he me asked to lend my rollerblades too.” He took it with a smile. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you for lending it to me,” Baekhyun said with a smile in return. He wondered if it would be too strange to ask for his number, but there was always Sehun as an alternative.
Wufan smiled and said goodbye, and Baekhyun returned to his car, internally screaming.
This could be the start of something beautiful.
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