Watching the steady rise and fall of Kris’s chest as he slept soundly in his bed, Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile just a little bit more as he softly ran his fingers through the fine hair and down his neck muscles before following the others long spinal cord until he reached the top of the blanket which was half-covering the others form. True to his word, Chanyeol had taken the other back to his flat to get him cleaned up and the results were far worse than the black haired boy would had ever guessed. Carefully hidden under several layers of clothing were deep dark bruises that must have been inflicted recently given how tender they were on his chest and back, long white lines were streaked across his backside as if he had been repeatedly struck by some form of long willow stick and there were hastily bandaged wounds on Kris’s inner thighs, lower calf’s and a slash just above his groin to.

His arms and neck were clear, though there were white pock marks from what must have been cigarette burns and as Chanyeol suspected there were small sections of his boyfriends hair that had been ripped out by the man who ordained to call himself a father. It was the same form of treatment that Kris had been receiving for years, just intensified and doubled because his little brother wasn’t around to take half of the beatings.

Chanyeol shook his head, wondering just how anyone could be so cruel to their own sons but he didn’t dwell too much on that thought. He had all the evidence photographed and ready to go to his uncle in the police station so there would be no need for him to even do anything other than simply remain here, in his bedroom with Kris who was soundly sleeping after finally being taken care of for the first time in however many years it had been.

“I love you Yifan,” Chanyeol said softly again, pressing a kiss to the slumbering man’s cheek, “and I’ll always protect you from now on.”

There was no verbal response from Kris, the big loaf just silently turned over to snuggle lightly against his long lost boyfriend and Chanyeol found no excuse to leave the bed. Entangled together, the pair fell into a deep and calming sleep and everything felt as though it was just perfectly right.

~*~

“So,” Yixing said softly, a few weeks later as he walked with Chanyeol towards the apartments that the other stayed in, “He admitted everything?”

Chanyeol nodded, “Yeah. No one expected to but he just came out with it and signed the confession to beating the living daylights out of Yifan and murdering Tao because he didn’t want to have a second gay son. Freak thought that somehow it would get him a better rep or something. Completely out of his head on drugs we think.”

Yixing hummed back a response, “I’m sure that Sehun will be thankful for that closure.”

“Yeah, tell him that he can come over anytime to see Kris,” Chanyeol said softly, “I’m sure that he would love to see him again.”

Yixing nodded, “I will but I think he’s still not quite given up on his hope that Tao’s alive somewhere you know? I’ve tried to tell him but he’s not ready to let it go.”

“Understandable, they were one another’s first loves,” Chanyeol smiled sadly, “But once we’ve got the grave sorted I’ll let you know. I know that Yifan is keen to have that running soon.”

A sad smile crossed Yixing face, “Yeah, I think Sehun would like that even though it’ll break him just a little bit.”

“Sometimes we’ve got to break people,” Chanyeol said with a soft sigh, “its life.”

Grinning a little, Yixing nodded, “Tell Kris that everyone is asking after him in the shop and that he’s more than welcome to come back should he ever want to. I best get going to classes or else I’ll never get this assignment finished.”

“Okay, tell Soo he can come over tonight as well if you both get time off for good behaviour,” Chanyeol called, hoping that the pair would come for the meal tonight because it would mean the world to Kris.

A hand was waved in his general direction and Chanyeol turned, entering the building with his card and heading up the stairs as it was a bit of extra healthy exercise rather than attempting to take the lift each and every time.

The smell of food hit his nose the second he walked in and a large smile crossed his face as he made his way across the flat to wrap his arms around his boyfriend, “Hmmm, smells good.”

“Thanks,” Yifan said, lightly pressing a kiss to Chanyeol’s nose, “It’s mostly instant stuff but I didn’t want to burn the place down.”

Chanyeol chuckled, “You wouldn’t do such a thing. Any updates from the cemetery yet?”

Yifan stilled a little before shaking his head, “No. But I’m sure it’s just because they’re waiting for the police to release everything.”

“Oh I told Yixing that he could bring Sehun if that’s all right with you?” Chanyeol said as he started setting the table.

A soft but sad smile crossed his boyfriend’s face, “I’m sure Tao would be more than overjoyed to see him there. He did love him so much.”

Chanyeol moved quickly to turn Yifan around and wrap a hug around his body as fresh tears sprang from the delicate brown eyes. This was not the first time that Kris had willingly cried over Tao and it probably wouldn’t be the last time either but Chanyeol was prepared to let everything flow because for too long so many emotions had been held in and it just wasn’t fair. He’d help Yifan through all that was to come and would never leave his side again.

~*~

The trial passed in a blur, there was practically nothing other than the formalities to go through and Chanyeol was thankful for that. Kris didn’t even really need to be there to give any evidence as they already had a confession and the man who sat in the dock just seemed to be so out of it that he didn’t much care for anything that happened to him. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and what was left of the estate would transfer across to Kris in good time. Both Chanyeol and Kris were not present for the verdict, both of them just wanting to get away from it all and hear the results through their lawyer.

The funeral for Tao however was a whole different affair because instead of being a sober occasion with lots of tears and sadness, Sehun surprised everyone by asking to make it a party. There was a whole scare when a week before Yixing’s younger brother had disappeared from his home only for the boy to be found at the old den that he used to play with Tao, clutching desperately onto the old panda plush that he just above survived. He had been a right state and was close to total collapse but no one chided him for it as they understood his pain. So when Sehun had asked if they could make it a party rather than a funeral, things were strained a little but they went with the younger’s wishes.

It turned out to be a grand success because plenty of people turned up to bring good wishes to Tao and his family, old friends who had lost contact, people from school and virtually everyone brought over some type of cake so there was plenty to satisfy Tao’s obsession with cake which was great. They played loud and happy music, danced the night away and saw Tao off in good grace and style only coming together at the very end to shed their tears and feel the final moments of the spirit lingering behind.

Sehun smiled the brightest as he lit the candle in a flying lantern and set it up into the dark night sky, tears dripping down from his eyes as he said his final goodbyes in his head and heart. Kris hugged tightly onto the younger boy before handing him over to Luhan, an older student who was clearly smitten with the younger. Yifan wished them luck and knew that Tao would be cheering for their every success.

Chanyeol took hold of his hand and squeezed it tight, “No hard feelings right?”

Kris shook his head, “No. To be truthful I’ve never felt so light before,” looking up at the lantern which was still rising higher into the sky, Kris found tears lightly rolling down his cheeks but whether in joy or sadness he did not know. He smiled at Chanyeol, “I’m so glad that you remembered me. I don’t think that I would have lasted much longer.”

Stepping forward, Chanyeol pressed a kiss to Kris’s mouth and held him tightly, “I’ll never let you go, even if things get bad at times, you’re stuck with me forever just like I’m stuck with you.”

“Even when we’re ghosts ourselves?” Kris asked softly.

“I’ll haunt you until the day you join me if I go first,” Chanyeol said with an ear splitting grin which Kris smacked him lightly on the shoulder for before pressing another kiss to his lips.

Yifan promised himself that he would never allow himself to loose Chanyeol or else get the other hurt and knew that Chanyeol would do the exact same thing for him. “I love you Park Chanyeol,” he said softly so that no one else could hear, “I love you with all of my heart.”

“I love you too Wu Yifan,” Chanyeol grinned, “Never forget that and never fear me or anyone else from this day onwards.”

Once again their lips met together in a passionate kiss and all of the sorrow, pain and suffering that had lingered in their hearts and mind for the past few years lifted, leaving behind only love, protection and a loyalty to one another that would transcend beyond their natural lifespans until the day that both of their spirits could meet up once again and walk hand in hand to Shangri-La to be with Tao and everyone else who mattered in their lives.

The End

Authors Babbling:

Phew, well there you go peeps. This crazy little fic of mine has come to an end and I really hope that it wasn't too mushy an ending but I thought that we needed som major fluff after everything that has gone before. 

A bit thanks to AshleyFang for asking me to write this cause honestly I would have never have thought of it otherwise and it was nice to get a challenge of something that I normally don't do. If anyone else feels the need to request something from me (I'll do virtually anything as long as I'm fairly confident with the group so EXO and Suju are my two main ones but I could be tempted to do others) please feel free to do so. Can't guarentee much at the moment but I'll give it a go. 

Thanks to everyone who has subscribed, commented, upvoted and enjoyed this fic. I hope that it lived up to expections and that you will keep up to date. If you want to follow any of my other stories please do so and I hope to see you all again. 

Lots of love and hugs

Chia