Baekhyun is sitting on a bench somewhere around the edges of the park. He has drawn his knees up to his chest and has wrapped a thin blanket, that he found in the garbage, around his shoulder. He is shivering. Who wouldn't be cold in this weather? Even people with warm coats and fluffy gloves don't want to be out now. Well, it's kind of expected, since it is the 28th of December. Baekhyun had to suffer the cold, while watching people in cosy and warm homes getting together with their family. Then having a delicious meal and in the end unwrapping presents from under the christmas tree, while sitting around the fire. All Baekhyun got this Christmas were dirty looks from bypassers. He hasn't eaten since two days ago, when someone gave him some money. His stomach is growling. 

It started snowing a few hours ago. Baekhyun's hair has collected a layer of snow. His body is ice cold and unable to stop shivering, the blanket and his thin, worn out clothes are doing nothing to stop the cold from bothering him. He lives from day to day, not expecting anything from the future. Everyday when he wakes up, he hopes that someone will be kind enough to give hime some money or food.

It is around 9 pm now. No one is out on the streets anymore, everyone has savely gone home and is now watching television or doing whatever. This will be another night for Baekhyun to try to sleep, while ignoring his grumbling stomach and shivering body. When he tried to warm up a little by moving around, it only resulted in him getting more snow on himself. He is sure his lips are blue by now. He doesn't feel the stingy pain from the cold anymore, he can't feel his toes and fingers anymore and it is getting hard to move his limbs. He curses his parents for disowning him two years ago, when he had nowhere to go. 

Baekhyun is dozing off when someone shakes his shoulder. He opens his eyes. A very tall man is standing in front of him. His face is showing something like... concern? 'Hey, are you okay? Okay, that was a stupid question... Maybe "are you hungry" is a better one...' 

The guy looks at him expectantly. 'Well?' A very, very faint 'hmm?' leaves Baekhyun's mouth. 'Are you hungry?' He looks down. His  stomach growls again. The guy laughs a bit. 'Nevermind, your body speaks for itself. You must be terribly cold. It has been freezing, like minus 5 degrees. Come on, no one should have to live out in this weather on their own. I'll give you something to warm up.' Baekhyun looks unbelieving to the man. Did he just offer for him to come to his place? Can he trust him? He looks like a nice person, but why would anyone offer that to a filthy homeless person, who hasn't had a shower in months. When he speaks, his voice is almost inaudiable. 'A-are you j-joking?'  

'No, of course not, I just want to help you. Now, come on, let's go!' Still a little hesitant, Baekhyun moves from his bench, not without a lot of effort, and puts his feet on the ground. He pushes himself off of the bench, but his legs are shaking so violently, that they can't support his body for long. Not that there is much weight to carry. His legs give out underneath him and he ends up falling forward. He never hits the ground, though. Before that could happen, the guy caught him. 'Wow, easy there.' He helps Baekhyun back on the bench, only to pick him right up again, bridal style. 'W-what are you d-doing?' 'I'm carrying you.' He said, stating the obvious. 'Don't worry, I live nearby.' Unconsciously Baekhyun snuggled closer into Chanyeol's warmth. While carrying him, the guy's hand brushes against his own. 'Damn, you are so cold.' After walking for a few minutes they stand in front of a flat. They go into the elevator and to Chanyeol's apartement. 'I'm going to set you down on the ground now.' He opens the door and carries Baekhyun inside after picking him up again. 'I'll let you see my place later, you need to get warm now.' He guides him directly to the bathroom. 'Start with the temperature low, then slowly turn it warmer, so you won't burn yourself. I'll put some clothes here for you to wear. For now, just shower, take your time and warm up. The soap and shampoo are in the shower, you'll see. Can you get yourself in the shower?' He nods, he'll manage.

When he indeed gets himself undressed and in the shower, he turns the water on. Even though it is still very cold, it's warmer than his body temperature and he lets out a sigh of pleasure. It has been so, so long since he has had a nice shower. As soon as he warms up a little he starts scrubbing all the dirt off of him. When he is finished and steps out of the shower, he sees a bundle of clothes and a towel on a small table. He puts them on, they're a little too big for him, but they are very warm and he thankful for that. It feels so good to be clean again. He looks in the mirror and sees a guy looking younger than he actually is, with a thin face and tired eyes. He has a hard time recognizing himself from two years ago.

He walks out of the bathroom and sees three doors, the front door, one door that is open and one is closed. He walks to the opened one and sees that the guy is standing in the kitchen, stirring something in a pan. '...uhm, hi.' Baekhyun says awkwardly. At that sound, the guy turns and looks at Baekhyun. He smiles. 'Much better, without the blue lips. I'm sorry, I never got to introduce myself. I'm Park Chanyeol. Nice to meet you.' 'I'm Byun Baekhyun. Nice to meet you too.' He says, sounding better than before. 'I made you some soup.' Chanyeol gets two bowls out of a cupboard and pours the soup in them. He sets them on the table. 'Do you want some bread too? It's not much, but I still have-' 'No thank you, this is good.' 'Really, it is no trouble for me to-' 'Just this is great, thanks.' Baekhyun gives him a small smile. Chanyeol sits down a little hesitant and mentions for Baekhyun to do the same. 'Eat, you need it.' He starts eating himself too. The soup tastes amazing and Baekhyun could swear that he hears a hallelujah choir somewhere. 

'Not that I don't appreciate it, really I do, but why did you take me home with you?' He asks. 'Please don't think I'm a creep, but I noticed you before. Almost always sitting on that bench or one of the others nearby. I would always see you when I went for work or back. I've always wanted to help you, and really, I have no idea why I didn't do this before, but when there was time I didn't see you sitting there I would be wondering where you were. So when they predicted for more snow to fall, I asked you to come here.' 'But why me then, why not one of the other homeless people?' 'I don't know, I guess because you are about my age, at least I think so?' 'I'm 19.' 'Really? Then you're older than me. I'm 18.' 

They talk for a while and Baekhyun has started to yawn. It is 11.30 pm and Chanyeol decides they should go to sleep. He wants to let Baekhyun sleep in his bed and himself on a spare mattrass, but Baekhyun doesn't allow that. Every soft thing he can sleep on is so much better for him than usual. 'Chanyeol?' 'Yeah?' 'Thank you.' 'You're welcome.' And then he drifts off to sleep.
He has a nightmare that night. Something about everyone leaving him. Anyway, Chanyeol wakes up from hearing him half screaming and trashing around in his bed. He doesn't waste one second and gets over to his bed. Baekhyun is already drifting back to consiousness and the first thing he notices is strong, warm arms around him, that makes him feel safe. 'Shh, it's okay it's okay, it was just a dream. Everything fine.' Chanyeols voice helps to sooth him, while there are tears falling down his face. Now that he has felt safe again and has someone at least caring a bit about him, the past two years suddenly seem a lot terrible when he thinks about it. Chanyeol is his hair and Baekhyun is dozing off again, feeling safe in Chanyeol's arms, feeling like for once he doesn't have to worry about what tomorrow will bring. He snuggles a bit closer in Chanyeol's chest and hugs him tightly. Chanyeol feels himself smiling and not long after that, he, as well as Baekhyun, is back in the dreamland where nothing matters, and where everything is possible. Where there are no worries and no concerns, where everyone is safe, and they are in that land together. 

~End~

Hope you enjoyed reading this :)

I hope I didn't make too many mistakes in spelling and such things, I'm sorry if I did.