Every moment spent with Baekhyun felt like a precious second he was scared of losing, minutes he treasured so dearly and hours he kept in memory. For the next three months, Sehun was floating on a cloud of happiness, of love, of wants and needs and cravings for the boy who holds his heart within his grasp. Baekhyun has all the power to destroy it, to break it into pieces, yet all he did was cradle it close to his chest and tend it with love and care. Sehun loves Baekhyun when he smiles or laughs and Sehun loves Baekhyun even more when he frowns or cries. In the three months, it was nine days of kisses and hugs and cuddles, nine days of climbing up that tree and nine days of just holding each other.

And it was enough – enough for Sehun to fall even deeper in love with the boy.

He wants to say it so badly, wants to look into Baekhyun’s eyes and tell him how much in love he is with the daywalker but he was afraid it would be too rush for Baekhyun. Sehun doesn’t think he could handle rejection very well, and to have Baekhyun reject him off his love would totally devastate him.

His relationship with Chanyeol had gone through the rocky road for a little while, when Chanyeol was in his upset phase after the fire he had caused and they didn’t speak for two weeks; the older just refused to let Sehun come over to his house and ignored him when at training. For two whole weeks, Sehun couldn’t do anything until Chanyeol smiled at him again, and they talked and talked and never stopped until Sehun fell asleep on Chanyeol’s lap. It went on for the next few weeks.

Chanyeol seemed to be more accepting, smiling whenever Sehun tells him stories of times he spent with Baekhyun and laughing even when Sehun was caught gazing dreamily into the distance. Chanyeol never bring up the prophecy Donghae had seen, and neither did Donghae or Jongdae. For a short while, Sehun’s and Baekhyun’s doomed relationship was cast aside and Sehun took the opportunity to spend the time well with Baekhyun. He had always believed life could be really good.

But all good things eventually come to an end.

It was the second night of the merge in mid-summer when Sehun found himself on the ground of the tulip field, the area which the tulips are scarce, with Baekhyun in his arms. An arm wrapped around the smaller’s frame, Sehun rested his chin at the crown of Baekhyun’s head that rested on his chest. Baekhyun’s nimble fingers play with Sehun’s in the comfortable silence that blanketed them, his occasional humming bringing Sehun a kind of peace that he had never felt before. Sehun likes these moments the most, where they are silent and just enjoying each other’s company.

Pressing his lips into Baekhyun’s hair, Sehun rubbed circles on Baekhyun’s clothed shoulder with his thumb, legs tangled and leaving no space in between their bodies. The stars in the night sky twinkled and Sehun could hear them, almost like a fit of giggles. He smiled, free hand pointing up at the sky. “The stars are watching us again tonight. Can you hear them, Baek?”

Baekhyun hummed, eyes following Sehun’s hand and scanning the vast expanse of sky above them sprinkled with tiny twinkling stars. He nodded with the smile Sehun loved so much, a hand pressed against Sehun’s chest. “I hear them. They’re so beautiful. Only the stars could carry such beauty.”

“Beautiful, indeed. One never hates a star.” Sehun whispered.

The smaller male’s eyes fell onto Sehun’s face, lips softly brushing against Sehun’s jaw. His voice when he spoke had a playful tint in it, but also genuine curiosity. “Even more beautiful than me?”

Sehun faked thinking, pursing his lips and nodding his head. “Definitely more beautiful than you.”

A pout instantaneously coloured Baekhyun’s lips at Sehun’s reply, brows knitting together as he gave Sehun’s side a tiny pinch, to which Sehun winced playfully at. He chuckled lightly as he pulled Baekhyun closer to press another kiss onto his forehead. Baekhyun’s arm circled Sehun’s torso in a tight grip, burying his face into the crook of Sehun’s neck while the taller male continued to kiss his head. Sehun’s heart swell with need and he didn’t hesitate using his free hand to prod Baekhyun’s chin up to look at him, silently kissing the boy full on his lips and they kissed for nearly a minute.

Slightly breathless against each other’s lips, Sehun rested his forehead against Baekhyun’s and closed his eyes. He pecked those soft, soft lips one more time. “I love you,” He said.

Baekhyun gasped, flinching back just a little as he searched for Sehun’s eyes. They meet and there were crystals in Baekhyun’s and Sehun wants to kiss him and kiss him again. Baekhyun looks so beautiful like this, smiling up at Sehun with lights in his orbs and black hair a bright contrast against his fair skin. For a brief moment, Sehun was afraid he wouldn’t hear what he wanted Baekhyun to say back. But before he could say anything, Baekhyun was getting up to push him down so that he would hover above Sehun just slightly. He kissed Sehun like the sun shines and stars twinkle. “I love you, too.”

Sehun’s life finally made sense.

When they had to part on the last night of merge, Baekhyun had stood on his toes to press a chaste kiss onto Sehun’s lips. He had tilted his head slightly to look up at Sehun with his precious, precious smile and Sehun stole another quick kiss that Baekhyun chuckled to. Palms flat on Sehun’s chest, Baekhyun kissed the taller’s jawline and Sehun had tightened his grip onto Baekhyun’s hips.

For a whole minute, they stared into each other’s eyes with a kiss here and there, enjoying the last moments of merge together until they see each other again in the next. Sehun’s hand came up to caress the side of Baekhyun’s face, the latter leaning into the touch and turning his head just slightly to kiss Sehun’s palm and Sehun responded with a kiss to his forehead. The departure this time felt a little harder than before and Sehun couldn’t let go of his hold on Baekhyun.

Baekhyun hummed then, smiling softly. “Why does it feel like I won’t see you again?”

Sehun blamed his huge heart for the tears that blurred his vision. Why must it be that he had to feel everything in greater amount than the rest of his friends? Smiling anyway, Sehun chuckled to lighten up the mood. “What are you saying? Of course we’ll see each other again. You can’t run away from me even if you tried. I’m not ready to let you go and I don’t plan to.”

“Don’t let me go,” Baekhyun shook his head, eyes a little glassy despite the smile that still adorned his lips. “I don’t want you to ever let me go, just as I don’t ever want to let you go.”

Nodding, Sehun kissed Baekhyun one last time before the clock strikes eleven and Baekhyun had to go.

Why does it feel like I won’t see you again?

Donghae had started Sehun’s emotional training since a couple of months back. However easy it had started out to be, Sehun much preferred physical training where he could fight on their fake battleground. To control his emotions in order for them not to control his power was a hard task, especially when the merge was nearly a month away and Sehun missed Baekhyun so much. Most of the time, his thoughts were occupied with memories of times spent with Baekhyun, and usually he fails the tests Donghae gives him because his emotions go wild whenever he thinks about Baekhyun.

Sehun gets reprimanded for this a lot more times than he would like, but he knew he shouldn’t be thinking about Baekhyun too much; the training was something he really needed to control his abilities. And so with a new determination, Sehun set out of his home to Donghae’s training field. He was determined not to think about Baekhyun today, and maybe he could possibly pass Donghae’s many tests. Adrenaline filled him with a whole new set of energy and by the time he reached the field, he was lightly bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement. Jongdae and Chanyeol had about his sudden hyperactivity but Donghae only smiled at him with a new kind of confidence.

It started like it usually does; eyes closed as he listened to only Donghae’s voice and tuning out the noise from the rest of the world. He followed every one of Donghae’s instructions; feel the wind, be the wind. And he had mastered this part so he easily does it without much difficulty. The soft breeze caressed his skin and he breathed in the fresh air that the wind carried with it. His thoughts revolved only around the wind that flew around him, becoming one with nature until he felt himself afloat, even though his feet were still steady on the ground. He likes this part the most. He likes feeling so free.

He only ever feels like this when Baekhyun is around.

Cursing under his breath, Sehun’s eyes fluttered open and broke his concentration, disappointed in himself for he had broken the promise he made not to let Baekhyun slide into his train of thoughts. Donghae didn’t say anything as he waited for Sehun to continue, and he bowed apologetically before he closed his eyes again. Feel the wind, be the wind. It didn’t take long for Sehun to dissolve once again and become one with the wind, heart lightweight in his chest and a soft smile stretching at his lips. Donghae’s whispered voice came again after a few minutes, reminding him of what he had to do next. Command it. Make the wind do as you would like. Control it. Empower it. And Sehun does.

The flow of the breeze changed its direction, an order Sehun had silently commanded. He was told to open his eyes whenever he was ready to see what he could do, and when he finally did, Sehun could see the leaves float in circular motion, rising higher and higher. He had done this part as well; knew well enough how a calm wind would look like when it brings physical items along with it. This wind was not considered calm from the way the breeze hit Sehun’s skin like ice cold rain, and he only realized that the circle the wind surrounded grew bigger around him, picking up dust and dead leaves until it obscured him from his mentor and his friends. Around him, a whirl wind was formed.

Panic rose like bile in his throat, and he quickly closed his eyes to be one entity with the wind again. He recalled Donghae’s careful instructions, hoping and praying that it would stop the growing storm that surrounded him but when his eyes open, the rest of the world seemed to have disappeared. His inability to control the wind threw him off his feet and he fell onto his bottom, wincing at the stinging pain it had caused. His ears were deafened by the screeching and screaming that pierced through the air and flew around him. Soon, there were images forming in his head, present in the grey nimbus that encompassed him, scenes of battles and blood-spill and mournful cries. The pounding in his head turned completely into an oppressive pain that had him grabbing at his brown locks, tears staining his cheeks.

Sehun had never felt pain as extremely as this, howling in agony and wishing for it to be over because it hurt so much. His skull felt as though they had been crushed into pieces, brain squashed into nothingness and all he could do was scream, and scream, and scream. No one could hear him. No one could see him. No one could save him. The pain kept growing and growing, reaching to the point that Sehun pleaded for death to take over, if it was the only thing that could stop this torture.

The pain stretched on in what, to Sehun, felt like hours. He couldn’t close his eyes for fear of the images that would appear, but keeping them opened seemed to only cause the pain to grow. In his anguish, Sehun couldn’t help them from closing again. The screams of pain that left his lips sounded foreign and faraway, mixed with the cries of others that he couldn’t recognize. His sobbing made breathing difficult and he continued to clutch at his locks, barely able to get onto his hands and knees. The miasma still lingered all around him and he couldn’t see a way out. Somewhere deep inside, he knew that Chanyeol and Jongdae and Donghae were on the other side, that if he crawled through the thick fog of grey, he would find them. But Sehun could barely move; every crawl forward taking his energy from him.

And the violent throb in his head only intensified.

Amidst the bewailing of strange voices and mourning cries that filled his ears, Sehun heard a soft call of his name, a voice he would recognize anywhere. Panting to catch his breath, Sehun fell back on his back to look around him, searching for the boy who could be the only person able to save him from this adversity. Baekhyun’s voice repeatedly called out for him, soft and calm and full of love and not anywhere near panic, as if he was somewhere better where pain and fear and sorrow are non-existent.

Sehun couldn’t find him; no matter how hard he squinted his eyes through the fog or how loud he called out for the day boy. He refused to believe that it was just a fraction of his imagination, wanted to hold on to the fact that Baekhyun was somewhere there. His cheeks were wet from his tears but he made no attempt to wipe them, head still throbbing against his skull. A gasp left his lips when an image of Baekhyun appeared and wavered and he knew it wasn’t the real Baekhyun but it didn’t stop him from moving towards it. The way Baekhyun’s image smiled at him quirked one up on Sehun’s own lips despite the oppressive ache that still throbbed in his head, and he reached out to take Baekhyun’s hand only to watch his go right through. He gasped again, looking up at the face of the man he loves.

Baekhyun’s eyes were sad as they gazed down into Sehun’s, a small smile adorning his quivering lips and when his image disappeared into the sombre smog, Sehun could feel a tear in his soul. His heart cracked and shatter and his tears flowed down his cheeks. It shouldn’t hurt so much, to see an image disappear, but why did it feel like he’s been ripped off of the one who matters most? The little energy he had left seemed to disappear along with Baekhyun, dropping onto his hands again and letting his tears fall in droplets onto the grass. His shoulders shook, his heart ached.  Everything seemed dull.

He sat frozen in his position even as the storm slowly died down, the fog vanishing into the clouds in the night sky and Chanyeol’s voice boomed through the silence. Sehun’s tears had stopped falling, although they stained his cheeks in wet trails. He stared unblinking at the ground beneath him, shaking fingers grasping the grass as his whole frame continued to tremble. All he could see in his head was Baekhyun and his sad, sad eyes and his sad smile and it hurt so much. It hurts.

Chanyeol’s arms wrap around his body protectively, rocking him from side to side. Jongdae crouched down in front of him, hands taking Sehun’s to squeeze it comfortingly. But Sehun was shaking so much, and his head still throbbed and he couldn’t answer any of Donghae’s questions. It was Chanyeol who pulled him even closer, shielded him with his bigger frame and wiped his tears with his thumb.

Later that night, Sehun cried again before sleep finally takes him.

Chanyeol rarely cries, but when Sehun described the incident in great details and cried again, Chanyeol shed tears, too. For many nights, he held Sehun in his arms as the boy cry himself to sleep. It wasn’t something Sehun can prevent; the sorrow in his chest felt so surreal, so vivid that it hadn’t felt like a vision or a nightmare. How could it hurt so much? Sehun spent many nights thinking about Baekhyun and trying to mend the hole in his heart that had made a presence since the storm, dreaming of him when he sleeps and wishing the next merge would come faster so he could hold Baekhyun again.

There was only so much Yixing could do to help him; Donghae had sent the healer to check up on Sehun and see if he could do something to give Sehun a peace of mind for the time being. Yixing could only heal his energy, not the sorrow that pecked at his soul, but it was enough for him to get back on the training field. He continued training as usual, with Chanyeol’s constant support and Jongdae’s encouraging words whispered at him whenever he is at the verge of another breakdown. His friends helped a lot and when merge night slowly neared, he was able to push the melancholy to the back of his head and soon he was only waiting for Baekhyun to be in his arms again.

The nights spent alone in the confines of his room were filled with thoughts and nightmares. It only made sense that his relationship with Baekhyun had triggered something. Sehun thought about the war vision that Donghae had and the other one that foresees either Baekhyun’s or Sehun’ own death. He thought about his parents and his friends and all the lives at risk for his own selfish reasons. The war would kill so many of his people and Sehun wondered if it was a risk he was willing to take. The only way to possibly prevent the war was if he breaks things up with Baekhyun, something he realized he could never do. He loves Baekhyun too much; the idea of a life without him seemed impossible.

These thoughts brought back memories of the visions he had in the storm and as his breath hitched in his throat, tears forming and trailing down his temple, Sehun closed his eyes and try to block out Baekhyun’s voice in his head, the same words repeating over and over again.

Why does it feel like I won’t see you again?

For someone who was constantly surrounded with people, Baekhyun feels impossibly lonely in the days that Sehun was away. There was that constant urge that pecked at him to open up to Jongin and Tao, tell them that he’s in love and that he’s happy, but the constant reminder that Jongin isn’t the Jongin he used to know stops him every time. He wants to lounge around in his home while his friends surround him, spill to them, albeit a little shyly, that his first kiss was stolen by a beautiful nightwalker who has a pair of beautiful eyes and beautiful lips that had felt so, so soft against his. He wants to feel heat on his cheeks when Jongin nudges at his shoulder to and he wants to hear Tao wish him and Sehun to last long. He wants to look them in the eyes and smile and thank them –

But Baekhyun, of all people, knew just what Jongin and Tao would really say.

He misses Sehun like the sun misses the moon, spending each day thinking about Sehun’s lips against his own, Sehun’s warm arms that felt like home and his kisses that tasted like the drink he drinks or the mouthwash he uses, or sometimes, the emotions he feels. Baekhyun smiles for every time Sehun appears in his dreams or in his thoughts, cheeks blushing a faint pink as he counts the days to the merge night until he could be in Sehun’s embrace again. In the meantime, all he had to do was train.

There wasn’t any specific reason why his father went all the way to make sure he gets to fight along great fighters like Youngbae and a fellow council member Wonshik, training him to be a skilled mercenary until he becomes one with his designated weapon. Baekhyun had grown up with the Sai in his hands, hours and weeks of training building him up into a great warrior despite his petite figure. Baekhyun blushes when he’s shy but nobody that knows him ever doubt his ability to survive. It was one of the reasons his father expects too highly of him, knowing he would not fail easily.

In all of those times that he had wondered why fighting was so important, Baekhyun had never thought it was for negative reasons. His trainer often reminds him that it was firstly for self-defence, if ever there be a war. Baekhyun wished he never found out the true reasons why his father had always taken training as their first priority, wished he had the ability to erase what he had heard.

The merge night was near and because training had ended a little earlier, Baekhyun found himself home earlier than usual. His exhaustion had prevented him from visiting the tulip field, deciding he would do that after a quick nap; he feels a little closer to Sehun when over at the field. With tired eyes and sore muscles from hours of extra training, Baekhyun half-dragged his feet towards his room. He barely noticed the slightly ajar door of his father’s office until he passed by, ears picking up the mention of his name. Frowning lightly, Baekhyun moved back and hid himself, peeking into the room.

He had only ever been inside the office for three times, of which his father had invited him in to introduce him to the other council members and also to get him slightly used to being part of the council. Now, as he peeked into the room, Baekhyun registered the meeting table in the centre, a group of about six men seated around it and all attention on his father. at his suddenly dry lips, Baekhyun moved close enough to listen to whatever that his father was discussing, curious to why his name had come up in the middle of what seemed to be an important meeting. He was half afraid that it was time he had to take over the position of the leader, unprepared and never will be.

His father’s voice, like the leader he is, rose in a tone that he has heard for countless of times in his life, used whenever he stands on the podium before hundreds of daywalkers. There was a reason why they call him a great leader, something Baekhyun doubts he could ever be. “There won’t be any delaying. The world is ours to claim and we will show no mercy. We will claim what is ours.”

“I agree completely,” Says one of the council members that Baekhyun recognized as Cha Hakyeon, a man with great influence and amazing connection with the rest of the world. “Once we rid of them, we will have the whole world in our hands. No more differences, no more filth. Just daywalkers.”

Baekhyun’s frown deepened, unable to understand what Hakyeon had meant. He moved a little closer, breathing growing slightly rapid. The chuckle next was his father’s, “We will attack when they are unaware. I will not take the risk of letting them prepare; some of them are gifted with abilities beyond our control, which, only my son Baekhyun possesses.”

A gasp escaped his lips and his hand flew up to cover his mouth, afraid that any of the members might have heard him. One of them laughed, a guy he remembered as Heechul speaking next. “Baekhyun is a special one, isn’t he, Byun? He’s one odd child. Very impressive, however.”

His father chuckled again, and from where Baekhyun stood, he could see the devilish smirk that tugged up the corner of his lips. Suddenly he was staring at a complete stranger, not the man who had raised him well. “Which is why, Heechul-ssi, Baekhyun will be our hope. I’ve appointed him to lead the war.”

He had seen and heard similar scenes in movies and read of things related to declaration of war, but the fact that it wasn’t a dream or fiction, that it came from his own father’s mouth hit Baekhyun like a train. His gasp was louder as he moved away from the door, leaning against the wall beside it for support. Images of his constant nightmares flashed in his head, memories of the mournful cries and hopeful grunts as people fight on the grounds of their homes and Baekhyun found himself clutching a hand to his chest as it constricted. His breathing faltered and his chest hurt, eyes b with tears.

Inhaling a deep breath, Baekhyun managed to leave without getting caught, rushing with hurried steps towards the stairs and climbing it to head into his room. It was all too much to take in and he still couldn’t believe what he had heard, refused to acknowledge the cruelty of his father’s and the council’s intension. A war with the nightwalkers? Hadn’t they co-existed for the past one thousand years? What is it that the daywalkers hate so much about the night? How is he to kill the people his lover belongs to?

Before he could reach the safe of his room, Baekhyun bumped into his mother. She smiled at him, stopping him from proceeding. It surprised even himself that he managed to return the smile back to her. Perhaps it was for the years he had spent pretending. “Baekhyun-ah, we have guests later for lunch. Your father wants you to look your best and present yourself well. It’s an important one.”

Baekhyun thought about those men downstairs and tried to recall how they had dressed and if they were the guests his mother had mentioned. A voice in his head tells him that it didn’t matter, that whatever it may be, he was sure his father had gathered them all to officially announce it to him, appoint him to lead the army for a war he would never participate. But he couldn’t tell his mother that, couldn’t let her know that he had already known. So instead of letting his emotions take over, Baekhyun only smiled again. She seemed to have bought it, as she usually does with his acting.

“I’ll be ready by then, mother.” He replied with a soft voice, afraid that it might give himself away. She smiled again and pecked his cheek before leaving and going down the stairs. Once he was sure she was gone, Baekhyun hid himself in his room, taking just a moment leaning against the door to catch his breath. His thoughts ran all over the place and his throat closed up, choking out a sob as he seated himself onto the edge of his bed. He closed his eyes only to see the same, frightful images replaying themselves in his head and he couldn’t help the soft cry that left his lips.

There was an urge within him for Sehun’s presence, longing to bury his face into Sehun’s neck and breathe in his scent, feel his arms wrap around him and kiss his tears and fears away. Sniffling and sobbing just a little, Baekhyun hastily wiped at his cheeks in hopes that his tears would stop. They kept rolling down his cheeks, however, and he stared up at the ceiling and questioned why the world was created the way it was. There were so many questions he couldn’t find the answers to, and it was overwhelming him the fact that he had no power to change anything.

His hands continued to wipe away his tears until they were too soaked up to make a difference, not fully bawling yet unable to stop them from flowing freely. He cried until it was almost impossible to breathe, staying seated on the bed as he tried to calm himself. It was only when did that he stood, not bothered to make sure his face wasn’t wet from his tears as he ran out of the house that didn’t feel like home.

Baekhyun had no idea where his feet would take him. They brought him along the deserted streets and up the familiar hill, further into the groves and out in the open space. The tulips were gone as they were only ever present during Amalgamation, and without them, the field seemed almost like an unwanted space, perfect for it to turn into a battleground. The hot summer’s sun scorched Baekhyun’s skin as he stood in the middle of the field, crying again before he fell onto his knees and covered his face with his hands. He called out Sehun’s name even though he knew that Sehun wouldn’t hear him and he wondered if Sehun was exactly where he was, at the sacred place that started everything for them both.

He didn’t know how many hours he spent just like that, on his knees as his shoulders shook from the force of his cries, didn’t know why it hurt so much to know that it was his people who would be starting the war he had feared for so long. What would happen to Sehun then? What would happen to them? Baekhyun would never, ever, be the one to stop Sehun’s heart, or anyone Sehun finds dear.

It could have been minutes or hours later that Baekhyun finally stopped, breathing a little calmer, and thoughts a little wiser. He thought about the nightmares he had and the prophecy Sehun had told him about, thought about the sad eyes he had seen in his dreams and the dreams he had about the border that separated Sehun and him. Perhaps those dreams and nightmares were hints after all, like guiding lights that would lead him to answers. He thought about his ability to control and conjure light. Baekhyun spent a few more minutes just thinking, eyes closed and heart racing despite breathing calmly. And he thinks he knows what he had to do. Light chose him for a reason and those nightmares and dreams and prophecies were only warnings and clues for him to decide what happens next.

Sniffling a little, Baekhyun steadied himself in his position and spread his fingers, palms facing each other. He closed his eyes to concentrate better, letting himself feel more than he thinks, the way he always does whenever he practices conjuring light. There was a mantra of Sehun’s name in his head as emotions begin to drip out of his pores, radiating off his skin until there was a spark that lighted up the ball of light within his palms. He opened his eyes then, smiling a little when the globe grew gradually bigger. He let himself feel every emotion that he had ever felt; excitement, joy, happiness, comfort, anger, sadness, sorrow, love and fear and he was crying again by the time the light in his hands sizzled.

His heart hurt so much as he continued to let his emotions take over but he didn’t stop it; he knew what he could do if he conjured up enough light. He knew from a moment ago that all he could do was make a wish and it had to count. This wish would come true, though in what form Baekhyun would never know. His tears dropped onto the ground in silence and Baekhyun silently sent out an apology to the boy from the other world, told him that he loves him and that he had never loved so much and hoped that Sehun, somehow, would hear him. He had to do what he had to.

The halo of light in his palms sparkled fiercer, growing bigger until it eventually shot up into the sky and pushing Baekhyun onto his back. Thunder roared and the lightning crashed, the clouds the colour of Sehun’s eyes when he had told Baekhyun that he wouldn’t let Baekhyun die. With snotty nose and tear-stained cheeks, Baekhyun quickly got back onto his knees, hands clasped together as his eyes scanned the vast expanse of the fearsome-looking sky. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, knowing that he had to be quick before someone finds him and stops him.

“Our love will crash all borders. Even death shan’t us part.” He sobbed, opening his eyes again to stare directly up at the sky, almost daring it to stop him. “Spare his heart. Spare his heart. Spare his heart.”

The thunder clamoured angrily, flashing blinding lights of the lightning as Baekhyun continued to plead. He was unfazed, even as rain began to stain his skin. “Spare his heart, I beg you. I love him and only him. We will be one again. Please, please set me free. Just set me free.”

Then, as if he was heard, there was an uproar of clashing lightning and they exploded in the sky and created a deafening sound of the heavens tearing open. Baekhyun sobbed as it died down and the rain stopped, soaked wet and shivering in the middle of an empty field. He expected to be found soon; it was summer and the sun is nowhere in sight, people are bound to look for him. And they did, around fifteen minutes later when Baekhyun heard Jongin’s call of his name and Tao’s light footsteps. He was feeling calmer, however, and his heart stopped beating so fast, his breathing steady and his tears had stopped. It hurt just a little less and Baekhyun thinks he can live with that.

It won’t be for long anyway.

Jongin’s arms cradled him close to his chest and Baekhyun didn’t pull away or push Jongin off. Tao searched his face for any signs of injury or pain and his large hands cupped Baekhyun’s cheeks before his lips meet the smaller’s forehead. He felt his lips form a small smile, couldn’t do anything more than that, because his friends cared about him and they worried for him first. It saddened him that a lot of things would change after this. They asked him questions after questions about what he had done; they knew that he had conjured up that much light, but he ignored them and only buried his face into Jongin’s clothed chest. He was exhausted, his energy used up, and he just wanted to sleep.

The lunch with the council had been post