Chapter One

"And then I said, Yixing. It's the moon. It has to stay up in the sky. How else will the tides come in and out?" Baekhyun gestured wildly as he spoke, sloshing his drink out of the acorn cup and onto his feet. He didn't seem to notice as he continued his story. "And he just gave me a look, you know, like 'I don't even know what your name is, why are you talking to me?' Even though we've been friends since forever. Are you even listening to me, Jongdae?"

His companion shook his head. "What? No, I wasn't paying attention. Hey, isn't that your friend Chanyeol coming this way?" He motioned with his chin to indicate the direction, and Baekhyun turned with a sick feeling in his guts.

“What friend?” Baekhyun slurred as he swung his entire body around to follow Jongdae’s line of sight, splashing his friend with his drink in the process. “Him? You think I’m friends with him?” Baekhyun muttered incredulously as he openly flopped his free hand in the direction of the approaching male. “That jackass has made my life hell for years! Keep up, Jongdae.” He said, rolling his eyes before lifting his acorn to his mouth to find it empty.

“Well, his ludicrous grin suggests he’s either ready to pummel you or eat you alive and either way, I’m getting the hell out of here.” Jongdae said,  and chuckled as he spread his wings and flew away from the mushroom they were seated around, leaving Baekhyun sputtering.

Chanyeol alighted on the cap delicately. Baekhyun scowled.  Showoff.

"I heard there's going to be a full moon dance tonight," he announced.

Baekhyun took an imaginary sip of his empty drink to mask his irritation with the deep-voiced idiot. "And your point is?"

"You seem to be a little lonely."

"I had company! Your ugly face scared them off!"

“Hey, not everyone can pull off being this gorgeous.” Chanyeol smirked and looked down to admire his fingernails.

Baekhyun sighed, annoyed. Narcissist.

“I don’t have a date yet, though I’ve had offers,” he rushed to say, “But I was thinking about doing a little charity work, so how about you go to the dance with me?” Chanyeol asked, his wings flitting as he lowered himself to the mushroom top and perched back in an overtly ual lounge.

“No. I’m not masochistic enough for that," Baekhyun said, sneering, and spun his acorn as he contemplated stabbing his intruder in the thigh. With his wand.

"But I'm a great .... dancer," Chanyeol said, and lifted one eyebrow suggestively. There was just enough of a pause in between the words that Baekhyun knew he wasn't referring to anything they could do in public.

And they were fairies! Nothing was out of bounds for them.

Except when it came to Chanyeol.

Baekhyun threw down his empty cup and launched uncertainly into the air. "Come back when you're sober," he called back at the oversized idiot. "Or better yet, drop off the face of this planet and die!"

He nearly collided with two of the other fairies drifting by on their way to the dance and wished he was anywhere but where he was. Life would be so much simpler without Chanyeol, he decided. So much more peaceful. Less stressful. He needed to reduce the stress in his life.

“I believe you’re the drunk one, bobbing and weaving through the air like you are.” Chanyeol said - from in front of him.

Baekhyun let out a scream that was anything but masculine as he came crashing, face first, into the chest of his fairy god-damn-pain-in-the-. “Damn you and your wand! You know you’re only supposed to use it to help the planet! Not for tomfoolery!” Baekhyun cursed as he righted himself, and promptly shoved Chanyeol into a bird-inhabited tree hollow.

He laughed uproariously when he heard the cawing of whatever mother bird lived in the hollow and the shrieks of pain from the giant fairy.

Chanyeol emerged to the edge of the hollow looking as though he’d just been mugged. His hair was ruffled, his face smudged with dirt and his shirt was ripped in several places, revealing pale, glowing skin. Baekhyun swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry at the sight of Chanyeol’s flesh.

Behind Chanyeol, a large sparrow hopped up behind him, twittering away. As the fairy cursed the overprotective bird, the sparrow pecked Chanyeol’s , successfully shoving him out of the nest.

Baekhyun set aside the weird feeling that had come over him and doubled over in place, laughing himself silly. He was so preoccupied with his mirth that he didn't even notice as Chanyeol approached, looking fierce in his dishabille. It wasn't until the taller fairy shoved him back that Baekhyun even noticed he was there. Between his intoxication and the force of strength in those spindly little arms, he was sent hurtling uncontrollably towards the pond.

Screeching, Baekhyun tried to get control of himself before he ended up in the water. Baekhyun went spinning out of control, closer and closer towards the water - head, over wings, over feet, over head. He could hear Chanyeol laughing at him, but a sudden intake of breath distracted him.

The whooshing sizzle of a spell being cast was the last thing Baekhyun heard before he hit - Where was the impact?

*

What the hell hit me? Chanyeol thought after his face smashed into - something. Finally opening his eyes after casting his spell to freeze the pond, Chanyeol found himself face to face with a frozen toad and screamed, except it wasn't his voice coming out of his throat.  

It was Baekhyun’s voice.