Before We Go Up in Flames [6/7]

[winterdynasty]

Let | Me | Love | You | One |

- LAST -

Chanyeol awoke with a jolt to the scent of dirt and a sharp pain in his wrists. Cold metal cuffs digging into his skin, biting like the ivory teeth of guard dogs gnawing at his arms and ankles.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light, scanning through the darkness, looking for anything that indicated where he could possibly be.

Where was this?

He was restrained, bound to a pillar by chains in the center a large earthy cave, carved by something much more skilled than the natural processes of the earth. Cages of a dark metal lined the walls, and small torches overhead slightly illuminated the area. Chanyeol curled his fingers as he shook in the chains, trying to escape, until he found that he couldn’t create a single flame. His fingers sparked like a dead battery despite his efforts, and he looked up toward the torches, trying to manipulate their flame, as he seemed too weak to create it himself. He couldn’t.

For the first time in his life, he felt normal, powerless, and now he and Baekhyun were going to die because of it.

Where was Baekhyun in all of this? Chanyeol’s eyes scanned the dim cave, his eyes still adjusting to the lack of light. He saw mounds of dirt and gravel scattered across the floor, cages and weapons lined on the walls, katanas and maces gleaming, and across the room hung Baekhyun, suspended by chains as well.

The air seemed forced out of his lungs. “Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun glanced up at the sound of his name, a dark bruise beneath his left eye, his bottom lip bloodied, his suit torn in multiple places. “Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol paled. “Don’t- don’t worry,” he stuttered, struggling in his chains, “I’ll get you out of here I’ll… I’ll save you; you’ll be okay.”

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said, his eyes sympathetic and confused, small tongue licking at his bottom lip before he let out a soft whisper. “You’re very distracted today.”

Chanyeol stopped moving to stare back at him, about to speak when he was interrupted by a slam in the distance.

“I hear the lovebirds are awake and singing~” The voice of Kyungsoo got louder as he approached along with the sound of gravel shifting beneath his feet. “And I hate bird’s annoying songs.”

Chanyeol struggled in the chains as Kyungsoo came into view, laughing. “Wiggle all you want. Like a worm on a fishing hook.”

Baekhyun sagged in his chains, looking tired and weary. Kyungsoo smiled, nudging his head toward Baekhyun. “He already tried. Like bait,” he muttered as Baekhyun winced, before he began walking back toward Chanyeol. “To lure in a full course meal.” As Chanyeol struggled once more, sparks sputtering from his fingertips, Kyungsoo laughed. “Don’t even try to break the chains,” he muttered, “I made them just for you. A titanium alloy that keeps you two from using your power. What if the city got a hold of this?” he asked. “Do you think they’d still need you to be their little superheros then? When you're locked up and powerless?”

Kyungsoo drew a knife as he walked over toward Chanyeol, stopping directly in front of him with a smile as he watched Chanyeol stop struggling, though the malice burned in his eyes like gasoline. “How should I do this?” Kyungsoo sighed with a short, curt laugh. “Mother always told me not to play with my food, but oh…” he chuckled as he pressed the tip of the knife into Chanyeol’s cheek and slowly dragged it down his face, licking his upper lip as a bead of blood rolled down the knife, “...how can I resist?”

“Kyungsoo, let him go!” Baekhyun shouted from across the room. Kyungsoo withdrew the knife from Chanyeol’s face to turn toward toward him. He sauntered toward Baekhyun, and as he paused in front of him, an evil smirk tugged on Kyungsoo’s lips as he grabbed the blonde’s face and latched his lips on to his, and Chanyeol froze as he watched Baekhyun struggle against him.

He bit his bottom lip and pulled away as Baekhyun yelped, before he raised a hand clad in a black leather glove, and it made contact with Baekhyun’s face in a loud slap that resounded throughout the room.

A snarl tugged on his lip. “Shut up.” He let a large fake smile spread across his lips. “I have been waiting much too long for this.” He sighed as he turned away. “You’re a pretty one, but very annoying.”

Chanyeol looked between Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, hanging limply in his chains like a painting of defeat, before letting his sight trail back up to Kyungsoo as he began walking over. “What are we doing here?” Chanyeol asked, “Where are the others?’

“Your little friends disappeared with Jongdae,” Kyungsoo sighed with a shrug, and took another step forward as the gravel shifted loudly underneath his feet. “So I brought you two here instead.”

Chanyeol looked back over to Baekhyun. At least Sehun and Jongin would be fine without him; now his biggest concern was keeping Baekhyun safe.

“It feels so good to have you two locked up at my dispense,” Kyungsoo broke into his thoughts with a low laugh, “Just like you had us locked up for those last 2 years.” His hand wrapped around Chanyeol’s throat and squeezed. “Isn’t it fun to see the tables turned?”

Chanyeol barely managed a snarl. The last time he had seen Kyungsoo and Jongdae was years ago, after a battle that put Chanyeol in Yixing’s care for a week or two while Baekhyun sat at his bedside through it all. Despite the scars, they had come out victorious and had managed to lock them behind the bars of the country’s most secure prison, only to find out that they had escaped a few years later.

Chanyeol hated the story. It could have been so simple to prevent something as terrible as Kyungsoo escaping, yet it happened just because they wouldn’t listen to him when he told them to keep Kyungsoo far away from any type of metal, and out of any cell he could manipulate. The warden got a little lazy with Chanyeol’s orders, figuring that because he hadn’t escaped from previous cells, moving his containment to an equally secure one, yet one that contained small parts of steel and titanium, for a limited amount of time due to recent demand wouldn’t be an issue, until they found a tunnel between his and Jongdae’s cell, and a large hole through the back wall of it, just to make a point.

And now Chanyeol was caught in chains of his own, standing here like one of Kyungsoo’s trophies on a pedestal - a token of his own defeat.

“I still believe my escape was my best stunt yet, don't you think?” Kyungsoo asked, releasing Chanyeol’s throat with a large smile. “Now let’s go out with a bang. My next best stunt will be the death of Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun, and the utter annihilation of this poor little city.” He turned sharply on his heels and pointedly glanced over at Chanyeol with a large smile, like this was a circus and he was an entertainer, turning their demise into a show for his own enjoyment. “Sounds exciting, right?”

When Chanyeol didn’t give any response, Kyungsoo laughed and held Chanyeol’s face, squishing his cheeks with his fingers. “I've never been a villain to monologue, but seeing you in chains like this makes it too tempting. You make it so appealing when you're exposed and defenseless.” With his other hand, Kyungsoo drew his sword and Chanyeol squeezed his eyes closed. “How should I kill you? I’ll let you decide. A knife to the heart? Clean swipe of my sabre across your neck?”

“Kyungsoo!”

Baekhyun’s voice echoed through the quiet room.

“Fight me!”

Chanyeol’s eyes shot open, and Kyungsoo slowly turned to face the small blonde. “Do what?”

“Fight me, kill me instead, just don’t touch my husband!”

Furious, Chanyeol screamed back. “Stay out of this Baekhyun-”

“No!” Baekhyun squealed, shaking his chains. “Why don’t I get a say in this? I want to protect you! Kyungsoo, fight me!”

Chanyeol shook his head. No. No, not right now; not when he had a chance to change it, Baekhyun please. “Baekhyun, you can’t do this alone - we’re a team, remember?”

Baekhyun smiled miserably. “Then let me attempt to save you.”

“Everyone’s so excited to die,” Kyungsoo cut in with a loud laugh, sheathing his sword as he looked back toward Chanyeol. “But you two tire me.” He frowned and drew a knife from a pouch. “You are a so-called ‘hero’ without many weaknesses, Park, aside from the fact that you’re mortal. You don’t have much to lose aside from your life. But if I’ve learned anything about you in the past few years, there’s only one thing that you value more than that,” he finished, turning to aim at Baekhyun.

Chanyeol screamed. “No!”

Kyungsoo paused, glancing over his shoulder. “No what?”

“Don’t- I- Don’t touch him! I’ll do anything - anything you want; just leave him alone.”

“Hmm?” Kyungsoo lowered his weapon to turn and face Chanyeol. “Anything?”

“Yes, anything, if you’ll leave him unharmed.”

Kyungsoo smiled, the gleam in his eyes brightening. “You versus me, Park.”

“I’ve beaten you before; I can do it again.” Chanyeol’s eyes narrowed. “That’s what you want, right? Fair and square.”

Kyungsoo hummed with a smile on his lips. “But instead, let’s make a deal. Winner gets Baekhyun. If you give in early, maybe I’ll let you walk away with your life, but without him.”

“I’m not betting my husband,” Chanyeol snarled back.

“Then no deal,” Kyungsoo replied simply, already figuring what Chanyeol in this battle of his life versus his husband. “Okay then,” he shrugged, spinning on his heels as the metal bracelets around his wrists fused into a long, gleaming knife, drawing the breath from Chanyeol’s lungs as Kyungsoo took aim toward Baekhyun. He could hear the smirk in his voice. “You can watch him die instead.”

Baekhyun shouted. “Chanyeol!”

“Stop!” Chanyeol shouted as Kyungsoo threw his weapon, and the knife struck the wall directly next to Baekhyun’s ear. Chanyeol relaxed slightly in his chains.

“Whoops,” Kyungsoo giggled, “you startled me, so my aim was off,” he muttered, glaring at his mark before turning back to Chanyeol. “Tell me you made me miss for a reason, Park. What would you like from me?”

“Fine,” Chanyeol panted. “Fine, deal, whatever, just don’t touch Baekhyun, please don’t touch him.”

A large smile spread across Kyungsoo’s thick lips.

“What are you doing, Chanyeol, don’t take this fight alone!” Baekhyun shouted again, the chains loudly clattering against each other as he struggled against the wall. “Don’t be a coward, Kyungsoo, fight me!”

Kyungsoo held up his hand behind him to silence Baekhyun. “The deal has been made,” he said with a devious grin, drawing his sabre from its sheath, “and the game has begun.”

With a dextrous swipe of his sword through the chains, Chanyeol dropped to the floor, immediately revitalized by the prickle of his flame returning to his fingertips and surging through his veins, rage igniting with a spark. The room lit up like a firework, and Chanyeol burst through the flames, though his attacks were dissipated by Kyungsoo’s sword.

Sweltering heat consumed them, but Chanyeol shook it off, still itching to burn something. His fingers leaked with flame, but his messy attacks were barely useful, sending extra energy and sparks flitting throughout the room as fire surrounded them in waves. Kyungsoo didn’t attack. Anything at this range left him open, and both of them knew this. They were getting nowhere like this. Chanyeol stepped back to create space between them and regain his breath, his eyes serious and angry, in contrast with Kyungsoo’s, sparkling with amusement.

“Don’t be so hasty, Park,” Kyungsoo chided him with a knowing smile. “We have all the time in the world.”

Chanyeol let out a low growl and attacked again, ignoring the sound of his husband shouting his name as he watched with wide, concerned eyes. Chanyeol’s fire only made the gleam of Kyungsoo’s sword brighter, as the ground rumbled underneath his feet. The swordsman finally advanced, pushing Chanyeol back as he avoided every swing, looking for an opening. He didn’t need physical contact - just enough time and space to burn him.

They were fast, like blurs in the night, from streaks of Chanyeol’s flame cutting through the darkness to large bursts of angry fire like a tsunami seeking destruction. Most of the heat didn’t bother Kyungsoo, though some singed his clothing, burning his skin. Not enough to sway him. A swing of Kyungsoo’s sword barely grazed Chanyeol’s arm, which served as a good distraction for the swordsman catch him off guard with his fist. Shards of rock and metal crunched against Chanyeol’s face and sent him thudding against the ground. Quickly recovering, Chanyeol swept an arc of fire at Kyungsoo’s feet to make him jump back.

“Come come,” Kyungsoo teased, flipping his dark hair back with a cocky grin, “how will you protect your husband like that?”

Chanyeol made his way to his feet, eyes narrowed in annoyance. He swiped at his bloodied lip with his wrist, glaring at Kyungsoo relaxed stance, although his hand remained tight around the sabre’s hilt, beautifully exposed as if to taunt him.

Chanyeol winced as he took a step back, his head clouded and dizzy from blood loss and worry. He clutched his wounded arm and reminded himself what he was doing this for.

Because it truly seemed like there was nothing worse than sitting there helplessly as you watched the man you loved die for you.

He attacked again.

His muscles were tense, his vision blurry, his feet unstable, his flame uncontrollable. Chanyeol could feel Kyungsoo’s sword slice through the air in front of his face. He lashed out blindly. His fist connected with Kyungsoo’s toned chest, the sharp pain of his sword cutting into his arm. They both paused for half a second before re-engaging in attacks and parries, swings and fire, and Chanyeol was overheated and too wounded, and another swipe from Kyungsoo’s sword at Chanyeol's ankle made him stagger backward and fall.

The metallic taste of blood had become overwhelming as he lay on the floor, trying to get up as he listened to the sounds of Kyungsoo approaching. The crunch of dirt and gravel. A low laugh. “Too easy, too easy,” Kyungsoo muttered as he raised his sword to strike, until the path of the sword stopped by a quick beam of light.

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol gasped at the small, blonde figure between them, glowing as he kicked Kyungsoo away from him with a shout and a burst of light to send him flying through the air. Baekhyun stood there, panting, foot poised in the air, constrains still clasped around his wrists, yet the chains were broken and singed at the ends as they clattered by his sides, light still sizzling in soft, dying sparks around the metal. Baekhyun set his foot down as he turned halfway toward Chanyeol.

“We are a team, goddammit!” Baekhyun screamed, his face flushed a bright red with anger, his eyes glowing a menacing white. “So let’s fucking act like one!”

Chanyeol couldn't reply, with his eyes focused on the sword of light in his hands that had miraculously stopped Kyungsoo. The makeshift hilt was the base of the knife Kyungsoo had thrown at him earlier, barely long enough for Baekhyun to wrap his hands around, but the blade was made of a bright, buzzing light that extended far past the metal. A lightsaber.

Baekhyun paused, a few pants escaping his lips before a tired, teasing smile tugging upward on his lips. “You're hella sloppy today.”

And it was then that he realized it. Somewhere in the middle of trying to protect him, he hadn’t noticed he had almost lost him.

Chanyeol gave a slow nod, and Baekhyun accepted it with his familiar proud smile, and then turned back to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo sat up slowly, massaging his jaw. “Did you break my metal?” he asked, his voice deep with annoyance as he articulated each syllable.

Despite his harsh breaths, Baekhyun barely managed a smirk, lit by the glow of his lightsaber. “Perhaps I did.”

Kyungsoo stood upright, carefully eyeing the sword of light in Baekhyun’s hands. “That’s new.”

“I’m a man of many tricks,” Baekhyun responded simply, but the glare he was giving him was anything but playful. “Now are we just going to stand around and talk all day? Because I’m pretty sure I’ll win that one.”

Kyungsoo’s grip tightened around his own sword. “Don’t be so cocky, rat.”

There was a shout. A slash of light and the warp of sound around it, diffused by the loud clang of metal against metal, then another, and another, until they were too fast to see, a blur of light and silver, the sounds indistinguishable, and then Kyungsoo’s sabre was flying through the air in two pieces.

Baekhyun gave him no time to admire his skill, immediately swinging his lightsaber. Kyungsoo ducked to avoid it, and instantly tugged at the gravel underfoot to throw Baekhyun off his balance. Baekhyun let out a yelp as Kyungsoo grasped the loose edges of the chains around his wrists, tugged him downward, and thrust his knee into his abdomen. The chains melted from around Baekhyun’s wrists and warped into a small knife. Clutching his stomach, Baekhyun jumped back from the range of his weapon before it could strike, but when he looked up to retaliate, Kyungsoo was already running off. Baekhyun chased after the man clad in black, who slid across the floor to retrieve the pieces of his sword, and immediately fused them back together into a thick, dense pole to block the incoming blow of the lightsaber.

Baekhyun’s face was livid in the dark, highlighted by the pale yellow glow of his light sword. He was panting heavily. It was more than obvious that all of this was draining him.

Kyungsoo noticed it too. “You’re pretty good with that thing for never having used it before.”

Baekhyun let out a short laugh, the creases never leaving his forehead as the light of his sword flickered, sending bright sparks skittering across the metal pole. “You’d have no idea how much practice I’ve had with fake lightsabers.”

They were thrown apart from each other in the next second, and Chanyeol finally found the strength to stand, snapping out of his daze as he watched the two. Kyungsoo was fast, but Baekhyun was faster, using his light to his advantage with each clash of their weapons, although their fighting styles were incredibly different. Kyungsoo was a trained master of many different arts, but Baekhyun, who had learned his sword skills off western movies and anime, was keeping up surprisingly well. Yet this was never truly his style, as he seemed much more comfortable with a bow or with his fists, and though he’d prefer a variety of kicks, it was never good to get too close to Kyungsoo. Chanyeol watched their exchange, too fast for his eyes to keep up, yet he was determined to join, trying to calm the prickle of his flame at his fingertips, but held back as he tried to find any way to interfere without accidentally burning Baekhyun.

Baekhyun paused to catch his breath as the cave began to shake, while Kyungsoo smiled, waved, and ran off. Baekhyun looked around as the ground trembled and small shards of rock began falling from the ceiling, before he shot a quick glance back to Chanyeol, running over to grab his wrist and drag him behind him as they followed Kyungsoo out of the crumbling room.

Kyungsoo was making the entire cave collapse.

Chanyeol followed after Baekhyun, who was leading with his light sword, cutting through the shards of large rock that were falling from the ceiling or that Kyungsoo was throwing behind at him with a shout, standing his ground to protect Chanyeol. They coughed in the smoke as they ran along the winding trail after Kyungsoo, cutting through rocks with light and flame until they exited the cave, entering a wide room full of thick smoke and dust from the broken rock.

Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun’s wrist, his hand hot against Baekhyun’s pale skin, and he glanced over toward him with a look that said Don’t do anything dumb.

Baekhyun gave him a fearless smile back. No promises.

And Kyungsoo burst through the smoke with an enraged shout, standing between them, holding two thin, curved broad swords: one pointed in Baekhyun’s direction, the other, in Chanyeol’s. As he looked between the two, a slow, tired smile spread across Kyungsoo’s lips. “Somehow, this has become disadvantageous to me.”

“Then give it up, Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun shouted. “We've got you surrounded.”

Kyungsoo closed his eyes with a sigh. “This was supposed to be one-on-one, but you guys are bending the rules.” He shot Chanyeol a glare like molten lava. “And I don't like cheaters.”

He rushed off toward Baekhyun again, who stumbled backward, finding it much harder to keep up with both of Kyungsoo’s swords, but he held him off well enough for Chanyeol to attack from behind, but Kyungsoo saw it coming and turned to block Chanyeol, dispelling the attack into mere wisps of flame.

Kyungsoo’s eyes were livid, barely able to keep their glow under control as he held the two off, dodging and blocking more so than attacking. He seemed frustrated, caught off guard to the point that he lost a sword, and the way they were pushing him back made Chanyeol believe that together, perhaps they could do this. But it was odd, he figured, the way Kyungsoo was fighting when he knew he couldn't win, but Chanyeol was too caught up in the rush and adrenaline of fighting alongside Baekhyun to figure out what was going on, or to notice that Kyungsoo thought he had the situation under control. Perhaps he was stalling for something. Either way, they were running out of time.

And in Chanyeol’s slight moment of hesitation, Kyungsoo subdued Baekhyun with a swift kick that knocked the air out of him, and suddenly there was a hand around his throat. His lightsaber clattered to the floor and immediately went out.

"Stop!" Kyungsoo shouted, turning to Chanyeol as he held up his remaining sword. "Stop. Don't move. Or I'll kill him."

Chanyeol’s fire immediately went out in fear of burning his husband, and he froze at the image of Baekhyun clawing furiously at Kyungsoo’s gloved hand, his resolve weakening as Kyungsoo’s fingers dug into his neck.

Kyungsoo watched Chanyeol with a chuckle. His voice was deep as he twirled his remaining sword and pointed it at Chanyeol while his other hand tightened around Baekhyun’s neck, drawing a squeal out of his lips. “Down.”

Chanyeol flashed back to weeks ago, seeing things he only saw in his dreams, forced to watch Baekhyun struggle in Jongdae’s hands just a few seconds before his death-

Paralyzed at the thought of a repeat of exactly what he was trying to avoid, Chanyeol slowly dropped to a knee, bowing his head despite Baekhyun shouting at him to stop - “Chanyeol, no, get up and fight!” - but this time, he wouldn’t listen.

Kyungsoo chuckled, his grip slightly loosening on Baekhyun’s neck to lift his foot and drop his heel onto the back of Chanyeol’s head, slamming his face into the hardwood floor and shards of broken stone and loose dirt. “If you’re going to kneel, go all out.”

Chanyeol’s body seized in pain, fingers twitching against the small stones, but he remained still and submissive, his face down to appease Kyungsoo for these few seconds.

“I must ask,” Kyungsoo mumbled, looking to the light wielder in his grasp, “why are you trying so hard for him? For this pathetic town?”

Baekhyun’s voice was strained as he spoke. “I have something I love. Something to protect.”

Kyungsoo frowned. “What’s the point of protecting something that gives you nothing in return? They treat us like weapons. We’re rare, but were dispensable to them. They're scared of us so they use us instead - they don't care about us or our wellbeing as long as we're not on opposite teams.”

“I’m trying to change that.”

“It won’t happen,” Kyungsoo responded solemnly. “They fear what they don’t understand. And Chanyeol…” Kyungsoo turned to him with a frown. “He’s weak. He can’t protect you. He can’t even save you from himself. Or his flame. He was built to destroy, and you’ll just get caught up in it.” Chanyeol’s body stiffened. A smirk appeared on Kyungsoo’s lips with a soft hum as Baekhyun began to glow in anger. “What if you leave him and join me, perhaps I’ll spare you.”

Chanyeol didn’t raise his head from the ground as Baekhyun responded, voice too weak to make out anything other than a low “Never.”

“Well in that case…” Kyungsoo sighed, and then there was a loud squeal and a thud from the other side of the room as Baekhyun collided with the wall. “This is a fight between me and him; now stay the fuck out of it.”

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol called, immediately looking up toward Baekhyun’s direction.

“I’m okay!” Baekhyun shouted, coughing as he struggled underneath a pile of rubble that had collapsed onto him.

Chanyeol was barely able to get in a sigh of relief before Kyungsoo was in front of him, and Chanyeol dropped to the ground to avoid a low sweep of Kyungsoo’s sword. He hastily retaliated by swiping at the swordsman’s feet with flame, which made Kyungsoo jump back.

Chanyeol quickly regained his stance, his fists engulfed in fire as he ran toward Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo's metals melted around his fingers into a pair of brass knuckles to engage in a heated exchange of attacks, but Kyungsoo seemed much more confident, and Chanyeol was already so fatigued, it was hard to keep up. A step aside, aim. Move. Drop. Low sweep kick. Regain his balance, look for an opening to strike. But he wasn’t near a match to Kyungsoo’s speed, barely able to counter or even see where he was attacking from anymore, until Kyungsoo sidestepped a burst of flame to sink a punch into Chanyeol’s abdomen. Chanyeol staggered back as his body seized in pain, and he kneeled to regain his breath.

Chanyeol closed his eyes with a deep growl, frustrated because he couldn’t figure out how Kyungsoo seemed to know everything that he was going to do before he did it. He shook his head with a low groan as Baekhyun shouted at him from across the room.

“That's why you're weak, Park,” Kyungsoo laughed breathlessly, slowly approaching. “All he does is get in the way.”

No. No, Baekhyun wasn't a hindrance. He wasn’t a weakness. He was his strength. Baekhyun was the reason he couldn't lose.

Chanyeol took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He looked toward Baekhyun, where his husband was still struggling against the wall, angry sparks of light shooting off his body. Chanyeol let a tired smile grace his lips as he whispered, “Thank you,” and found his way back to his feet.

This is my fight, Baekhyun. Please stay safe without me.

Chanyeol forced himself to drown out the sound of his husband screaming at him from across the room, took one last deep breath, and ran ahead with a shout.

If you promise that you’ll live…

Kyungsoo responded with a shout of his own, metals forming into a rapier as he rushed forward to fight Chanyeol off.

… and don’t forget me…

Walls of fire. The slice of a sword through air. His flame alone was difficult to control when rage was flooding from his soul, spilling heat and destruction everywhere, but Kyungsoo managed to maneuver it expertly, almost as though he was predicting it, retaliating with light surface cuts to Chanyeol’s skin, like he was toying with him until he got bored.

Let me protect you…

Chanyeol was fighting with fire and his fists, and Kyungsoo, with weapons, and it seemed so counterintuitive, but he couldn’t stop yet. Kyungsoo was above, and then he was below. In front. Then behind. He was next to Chanyeol’s side, slicing through Chanyeol’s shirt and his skin, clipping his waist as Chanyeol jumped back. He held his hand to his side, gasping as Kyungsoo wiped at a smudge of dirt on his face, the infuriating smirk of his lips still visible despite the burns and the pain. Chanyeol’s eyes glowed with a dark red as his flame sparked from his fists. He screamed and rushed at him again.

Kyungsoo was fast, each swing of his sword timed perfectly with Chanyeol like a dance to the tune of his death, both of them waiting for a mistake, a slip, an opening to strike. Baekhyun’s screaming had faded into background noise along with the pounding of his heartbeat and the ringing in his ears, until the look in Kyungsoo's eyes changed as if he was finally getting serious. The tricks of his sword got more advanced, harder to predict, harder to avoid. The cuts got deeper, Chanyeol’s fire got weaker, and a single, deep slash across Chanyeol’s chest made his flame immediately go out. He staggered backward, trying to catch his breath as Kyungsoo approached, and a strong kick pushed him back against a wall. Chanyeol’s body was screaming in protest, and it was much too difficult to move, much more to get up. In the back of his mind, there was a countdown slowly ticking to zero, and he just hoped he had timed it all right. This was to make up for everything. To make up for messing up the first time. To make up for losing his husband.

He hoped Baekhyun would forgive him.

He sat back, panting as he slumped against the wall, and gave Baekhyun a last silent goodbye as he finally let his eyes close when Kyungsoo approached, dragging the tip of his rapier in the stones as the smirk on his face grew. He paused in front of Chanyeol and raised his sword.

“It’s pathetic, really.”

Let me die for you.

Chanyeol felt pain, like a heavy weight had settled atop his chest, but no burning, searing pain any greater than before. Perhaps Kyungsoo missed, which, Chanyeol noted duly, would be impossible and anticlimactic as fuck, but perhaps his mind was cracking dumb jokes simply because he couldn’t believe that he was still alive.

But then he felt the single drop of something thicker than water drop onto his cheek. Was it… blood? It slowly ran down the curve of his jawline as he opened his eyes, vision dark and blurry as he watched the red droplet fall to the floor. He tried to lift a hand to inspect himself, expecting a gash in his forehead from some barrage of rocks or something of Kyungsoo’s doing, but the sound of soft panting from above made Chanyeol to lift his eyes to the sight casting a shadow over him.

And standing above him was his husband, with a weak smile on his lips that dripped with a thin stream of blood, and the tip of a sword piercing through his torso.

“…H-hi.”

Zero.

“Baekhyun-”

The name escaped Chanyeol’s lips in a disbelieving gasp, and Baekhyun fell forward into Chanyeol’s arms as Kyungsoo pulled the sword back from his chest, and sound returned to Chanyeol’s world with a loud ringing in his ears. Kyungsoo cackled loudly, drunk with power and elation as Chanyeol stared wide-eyed down to Baekhyun as he slid out of his arms and to the floor.

No. No no no…

With a distressed cry, Chanyeol fought against the pain searing in his muscles to crawl forward, turn Baekhyun over, and lift him from the floor, electric sparks buzzing around the hole in his chest, his body leaking light as it tried to heal the fixture. He was hot from the overuse of his powers, his face deathly pale, and multiple parts of his porcelain skin bruising or scratched. His body was heavy, weak, and lifeless as he lay in Chanyeol’s arms.

His husband was dying in his arms.

Dying.

Baekhyun was…

“Ah well,” Kyungsoo sighed, “I wasn’t aiming for him, but I was planning to kill both of you anyway.” He gave a sigh. “Well there goes our prize.”

…Dying.

Kyungsoo walked up to them slowly and placed his blade still dripping with Baekhyun’s blood under Chanyeol’s chin, raising his face to his. “Now that your husband is dying, what should I do to you?”

Chanyeol’s eyes slowly left Baekhyun’s body to glare up to Kyungsoo. He raised a hand and grasped the blade, cutting into his palm, and he slowly began to stand as blood dripped down the tip of the sword. The metal began to bend in his grasp, and Kyungsoo stepped back in dim bewilderment, but before he could warp the metal into something more useful, Chanyeol threw him against the wall, snapping the sword in half.

Despite the pain burning in his muscles, his body igniting like a kerosene soaked rope exposed to open flame, Chanyeol stood, like a newly born demon full of overwhelming power with no idea how to control it, and his red eyes locked onto his target with a determination to kill. As he walked toward Kyungsoo, he left bright orange flames behind in his wake that spread across the floor until the room was engulfed in fire. Kyungsoo shuffled on the floor, backing up until he hit the wall, turning the remaining metal at his side into knives as he threw them at Chanyeol, although few barely grazed his cheek or his arm, and the ones that stuck his thighs, he pulled out and dropped to the floor behind him. Blood dripped down his face in thin streams, but nothing stopped him from approaching his husband’s murderer.

Sparks flew from his fingertips as he curled his fists, and Kyungsoo adjusted on the floor eyes wide in fear as he spewed fake threats and fake apologies. He grabbed Kyungsoo’s shirt, lifting him off the ground, and Kyungsoo cringed and squirmed in Chanyeol’s grasp as flames licked at his clothing.

Chanyeol’s eyes were wide and full of hatred as he stood above Kyungsoo with the broken remains of his sword tight in his fist. He slowly raised it above his head as he spoke in a low growl. “Your life ends now.”

But before he could do anything, he was distracted by the weak sound of Baekhyun calling his name.

Kyungsoo took advantage of his lack of attention enough to escape from his grasp, and he dropped back to the floor and staggered up to his feet, smart enough to know when to stop fighting.

Chanyeol just stood there, panting heavily as the fire stole all of the oxygen from the air, watching him stumble away.

With an annoyed groan, he threw the remains of his sword to the ground behind him and watched as Kyungsoo escaped from his sight. He was too weak to chase him, too tired to even try when he knew he wouldn’t get far. The team would find him if he didn’t perish in the flames first. But for now, he had more important things to tend to.

He struggled to regain control of his flame, lest he burn and surrender to it himself. He curled in on himself, trembling as he focused on the sound of Baekhyun’s soft voice, and the flame surging out of control within him seemed to die out immediately as he turned back to where his husband lay on the floor. His walk was like his breathing, slow and labored, every step heavy as he sank into the dirt and the gravel, clutching the wound in his side as he stumbled back over toward Baekhyun, coughing as smoke filled the room.

In the heat of the flames consuming the building, Chanyeol dropped to his knees in front of Baekhyun’s broken body, panting heavily as he sat back on his heels, digging his blunt nails into his thighs and clenching his jaw, hoping he could force himself wake up. It was another nightmare. Just another… nightmare.

Baekhyun shakily raised a hand to cradle his face. “Chanyeol…” he whispered.

“I’m here, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol reached out weakly, catching his hand and squeezing it tightly as though holding on to it could help him hold on to Baekhyun and keep the smaller man from slipping out of his grasp - as though it could stop his world from ending - as though he could stop it from being burned to the ground in front of his eyes.

Yet in spite of it all, Baekhyun gave him another smile. “I love you.”

Chanyeol opened his mouth to repeat the words, but no sound came out. The heat from the flames burned his already parched throat and dried the tears that tried to spill from his eyes as he focused on Baekhyun, lying in his arms, pale against the floor and the shadows that flickered across his body as the flames danced around them in the midst of consuming everything.

“Chanyeol…”

Baekhyun’s voice was soft. Weak. Dying.

“Thank you.”

It wasn’t just another a nightmare.

Chanyeol felt helpless once again as Baekhyun’s eyes closed, his forehead bunched in creases of pain.

Baekhyun was Chanyeol’s strength. Baekhyun was his shield. Baekhyun was his sword. Baekhyun was his armor. Baekhyun was his guidance. Baekhyun was his hope. Baekhyun was his everything.

But what have I ever been to you?

...What will I be without you?

Baekhyun let his eyes crack open after a few seconds of silence to look up to Chanyeol, his eyebrows drawn together in one last attempt to save himself. “Yixing?”

Chanyeol’s hand tightened around Baekhyun’s as he looked down to his desperate husband, but the dull glaze over his eyes asserted that even Baekhyun knew nothing would help him now. Chanyeol slowly leaned forward and brushed a strand of hair away from Baekhyun’s face. He pressed his lips to his forehead and held them there for a few seconds.

Yixing’s not coming this time, Baek.

Chanyeol bit back his emotions, forcing himself to sift through the logical thought floating somewhere in his mind as he pulled away from Baekhyun. He cleared his throat, leaning over Baekhyun’s body to unbutton his soiled dress shirt, and Chanyeol bit his lip as he observed the tears in his favorite suit, realizing that this was the last time that he’d ever see him in this suit that he used to love so much. He had saved it for special occasions, and Chanyeol always loved to see him smile and laugh whenever he had the opportunity to wear it. This was the last time they’d get to do anything together, yet their last moments were being spent with Baekhyun lying on the floor in pain, and Chanyeol unable to do anything about it. It was happening again; he was losing him again. Perhaps it was an attempt to console himself, or maybe the beginning of a descent into madness and despair as Chanyeol’s mind flashed through scenes that he could remember seeing Baekhyun in a suit: Baekhyun on their wedding day, Baekhyun nervously preparing for job interviews, Baekhyun in a coffin, Baekhyun laughing and singing on holidays surrounded by family and friends, Baekhyun in a coffin-

“We have to stop you from bleeding,” Chanyeol said quickly, forcing himself to stop thinking as he went back to hastily removing Baekhyun’s shirt. “It… it’s okay - you’ll be alright.”

Baekhyun winced from the touch of Chanyeol’s hands aggravating his wound. “Chanyeol…”

“You’ll be fine, see, if I can just take care of you-”

“No, Chanyeol, just…”

“If you’ll let me take care of you-”

“Chanyeol, please…”

“What?!” Chanyeol shouted, his hands covered in blood - Baekhyun’s blood - and Baekhyun didn't even seem to care that he was bleeding to death on the floor.

Baekhyun’s eyelids fluttered softly, lips slowly curling up into a pained smile as he whispered faintly, “My eyes are up here.”

Chanyeol's body seemed to deflate. “But Baekhyun…”

“Stop… Please.”

“We can still save you-”

“We can’t.” His smile looked too serene stretched across his thin, bloodied lips for him to know that they’d release his last breath soon. “I’m dying, Yeol.”

Chanyeol’s hands trembled at the words. “Please stop saying that…”

“I don’t want my last memory of your handsome face looking so distressed,” Baekhyun said as he softly brushed his fingers against Chanyeol’s jawline. His touch was cold against Chanyeol’s warm skin, and Chanyeol caught his hand to hold it there, as though he could keep his touch, spread warmth and light through his fingers again. “You’re not cute when you’re holding back tears.”

Chanyeol grasped for words as Baekhyun’s hand slipped away from his face and out of Chanyeol’s hand, and he reached out to catch it. Baekhyun relaxed back against the floor, wincing a slightly and closing his eyes to keep Chanyeol from noticing.

Chanyeol coughed as the smoke filled his lungs and his eyes, and the insufferable heat was beginning to make him sweat, but he stayed in his spot, rubbing his thumb across Baekhyun’s knuckles as if it would provide him any amount of comfort, though he didn't know what comfort that could bring to someone who was slowly losing their life while they were both just sitting around watching. He finally spoke up.

“I’ll stay by your side until you take your last breath.”

Baekhyun let out a long, harsh breath. “Don’t do that to yourself.”

“I’m not leaving you behind.”

There was a pause for Baekhyun to take another difficult breath. “The building… will collapse.”

“Let it collapse on top of both of us; I’m not leaving your side.”

“Yeol…”

“Should I pick you up and try to carry you out of here with me? What am I supposed to do?! I’m not going to leave you, Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun shot a narrow glare up to him, dull eyes flickering as he silenced him immediately with a weak squeeze of his hand.

“You should promise me you’ll live.” Chanyeol opened his mouth to respond, but Baekhyun interrupted with a fit of coughs, and he spoke again, his voice hoarse as he squeezed his eyes closed. “Don’t let me go for nothing.”

And Chanyeol could do nothing but watch in anguish because Baekhyun was dying for him. Because of him. Again.

He shook his head slowly. “I don’t…” His voice hitched. “I don’t want to let you go at all…”

Baekhyun’s voice was merely a soft, repentant whisper. “I’m sorry.”

Chanyeol squeezed Baekhyun’s hand tighter and sparks escaped from his fingertips. “I told you not to do anything dumb - why would you do this when all I’ve been trying to do is keep you safe?”

Baekhyun’s closed eyes looked almost peaceful as he whispered, “I wanted to be your hero one last time.” Chanyeol’s grip loosened on his hand as he stared down to his husband’s softly glowing face. A soft breath escaped Baekhyun’s lips. “You knew this was coming, didn’t you? You tried to stop me.” His smile looked so sincere and soft but broken in a way that tore Chanyeol’s soul to shreds. “I guess I failed then, huh?”

“No,” Chanyeol breathed out and shook his head quickly. “It’s not…” He clenched his jaw and looked down to the floor. It’s not your fault. Perhaps I failed, instead.

Baekhyun let his eyes open slightly, irises glowing an iridescent white as his light sparked within them. However it wasn’t anger or rage in his eyes. It was anguish. It was suffering. It was heartbreak.

Because I did it wrong the first time.

Baekhyun glanced away with a sigh, and Chanyeol could hear Baekhyun’s voice from years ago mingling with the rough, pained voice of the current Baekhyun as he spoke.

“You unintentionally... burn the things you love... when you’re trying to save them…”

His eyes closed, lips forming a soft smile.

“Don’t you?”

Chanyeol bit his lip hard enough to draw blood as a single tear finally fell from his eyes, splashing against Baekhyun’s cheek. Then have we always been destined for this after all? Chanyeol shuddered as he lowered his head to his husband’s chest, as if saying a final prayer while listening to Baekhyun’s heart beat begin to slow in his chest. He finally spoke softly, shakily whispering, “I wasn’t supposed to let you go this time.”

I was so selfish, but how am I supposed to watch you die twice?

He wanted nothing more than to pause time, needing just to exist together in the space between life and death, between right and wrong, between happiness and misery. To be the only two people occupying a world where they wouldn’t need to worry about the next day, the next year, the next lifetime because right here, right now, they were in each other’s arms, content and unbroken. Wishing to stay together like this, forever perhaps, and wishing to hold on to him - to his memories - to his smile - to his presence - because if he loosened his grip even just a little, he would lose him.

He was losing him.

The flame in his chest flickered weakly as he watched Baekhyun’s sparks dim, wondering what he would do to be able to exchange his own flame for Baekhyun’s, as if he could breathe any bit of the life that Baekhyun had given him back into Baekhyun, if anything could save them from this.

“Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol looked up from his chest to Baekhyun’s eyes, his voice weak, barely above a whisper as he struggled to voice the words, and he slipped his hand into Baekhyun’s small palm, curling his fingers between his husband’s. “Yes, my love?” What do you need, what do you what? Tell me your desires, let me give you everything, let me give you all of me.

Baekhyun let out a small breath, lightly squeezing Chanyeol’s hand back.

“Call me your Star one last time?”

All of the air escaped Chanyeol’s body in a painful plea. “Baekhyun, please…”

His eyes closed, curving up into the little crescents that had Chanyeol wanting to lean down to kiss the sparkling droplets on the tips of his eyelashes away. One of his crystal tears slowly rolled down his cheek as he spoke.

“I’m gonna Supernova.”

Chanyeol’s voice broke along with the dams holding his tears back. “Don’t, Baekhyun, don’t…”

But his face remained peaceful, like he knew this was coming, like he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to, his trembling fingers already becoming warm with uncontrollable power saying ‘It’s too late to stop me anyway.’

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Baekhyun, I love you, please…”

Chanyeol squeezed Baekhyun’s hand tighter, unsure if the droplets of water on Baekhyun’s porcelain skin were Baekhyun’s tears or his own.

Baekhyun’s lips moved slightly, but his voice was too weak to make the sounds. ‘Please run.’

This was no more late nights cuddling, or early morning kisses.

This was no more races through the midnight streets, leaving streaks of light throughout the sky and drawing patterns amidst the stars.

This was no more kisses that tasted of sweet, French vanilla creamers and frothy coffee, or evenings of light filled rooms, dancing patterns, harmonious colors, tangling legs, smooth lips, delicious scents.

This was no more dancing in the air to the music of their souls, or spontaneous food fights in the kitchen.

Back to empty beds, cold sheets, lonely days.

Misery. Anguish. Silence.

Withered lilies.

Please don’t.

Baekhyun’s expression softened, his soft pink lips turning up into a small, peaceful smile as his pale body began to glow from the build up of light underneath his skin with nowhere to escape.

Don’t, Baekhyun, please don’t…

Chanyeol curled over the small man, holding his head up to cradle him against his chest as Baekhyun’s skin glowed a soft white, brightening with every passing second, breathing in light and death, taking in all the darkness to perish with it.

It’ll be okay, please stop, just tell me it’ll be okay…

Flames surrounded the two of them, dancing to their miserable tune and engulfing them in the rhythm. Baekhyun’s body lay limp in Chanyeol’s arms, pressed tightly against his body as if he could protect him, though he knew it was useless and hypocritical to attempt to protect him when he was already breaking apart, when his soul was already slipping away into the small balls of light ascending toward the heavens.

I’ll stay here beside you… I’m with you… I’m always with you…

Chanyeol couldn’t tell if he was screaming, if he was crying, if he was silent. All he could hear was white noise, all he could see was white. But he stayed by Baekhyun’s side in the midst of the flames, only hugging him tighter as light began to shine through the cracks in Baekhyun’s once flawless body as though he could hold him together - capture all the pieces and put them back together…

Please… take me with you…

Chanyeol squeezed his eyes closed tighter, although no tears were falling because of the heat consuming the two of them as they lay huddled together in the midst of life and death, hanging on to a string too thin to be hope. Baekhyun’s small body began breaking apart into hot streams of white light that burned Chanyeol’s hands, but he held him closer to him despite the scorching pain because losing Baekhyun - being without Baekhyun - knowing Baekhyun couldn’t return - hurt so much more.

I want to be with you. Forever.

Chanyeol let out a soft breath of air as his senses disintegrated along with Baekhyun in his arms, and he hoped to be swallowed in the effect as everything felt numb - the pain in his hands, aching in his heart, the burden of being left alone again - Chanyeol felt nothing until there was a harsh tug on the back of his shirt, and as he took slight notice of Baekhyun’s limp body slipping from between his arms, the white heat still burning his hands even after their separation, he barely found the strength to open his eyes to the scene of Baekhyun falling away from him in the midst of the bright light. He was falling. They were separating. He was leaving him. Chanyeol reached out for him, grappling at Baekhyun’s clothes, his fingers barely grazing the burning cloth turning to ash at his fingertips, and he hoarsely screamed his name as the flames and the smoke tore at his raw throat and the light burned his eyes, yet he remained focused on him until it all flashed away in a puff of black smoke.

Chanyeol thudded against the ground, tangled in a heap with Jongin as they tumbled on in the mud, whipped by the cold, night air. “Are you okay?” Jongin asked, coughing as Sehun ran over to his side. “It was so hard to find you; I’m glad we weren’t too late-”

“Baekhyun?” Chanyeol whimpered weakly as he tried to sit up, his voice cracking in pain as he turned toward the old building consumed in flames. He crawled forward, shuffling along the ground, trying to reach his husband, despite the calls of his name from the others that fell on deaf ears. “Baekhyun!” he shouted, coughing, attempting to stand and stumbling over his feet as he tried to run off toward the building, until a large pillar of white light, as bright and blinding as the sun, shot up to the heavens, pierced through the clouds and engulfed the old building.

He held up an arm to shield his eyes, yet he was unable to tear his eyes away from the sight as light burst through the weak windows that hadn’t already shattered from the flames.

And then it was gone.

Chanyeol’s arm dropped to his side as they were shrouded in darkness once again, a still silence surrounding them aside from the shaky gasps of air escaping Chanyeol’s lips as he stared toward where the building once stood, few charred remains of the foundation still standing, although the rest of it was ashes already swept away in the wind or drowned out by the rain.

No… no, please no…

Chanyeol took a shaky step forward, vision blurring by tears, his breath still hard to catch as the searing pain in his chest returned with a sharp ache, piercing through his heart until everything was enveloped in this pain, and he couldn’t tell anymore if it was from his wounds or something else. He weakly stumbled forward, wobbling with each step until his legs were too weak to hold his body up anymore. He dropped to his knees, each breath of this toxic air harder to breathe in, shuddering, hyperventilating.

A shriek cracked the still, silent air. Chanyeol clawed at the ground, screaming air and fire at the dirt, his body arching along with every cry from his lips, struggling to breathe when it felt like he was asphyxiating in the thick, hazy smog of loss, tragedy, and heartache. Despair. Agony. Rain fell like cold knives, immediately evaporating as they made contact with his skin after leaving their sting on his body, steam rising into the black sky in thin wisps of grey cloud that died out before they could reach the heavens. He screamed, he mourned, he grieved.

He was gone. Baekhyun was gone.

Chanyeol cried out until his lungs screamed with him, coughing and aggravating the wound in his chest, breathlessly repeating the last words he could read on Baekhyun's lips as he had fafed in the white light, until Chanyeol's vision blurred in fuzzy white spots, and he collapsed in the mud, bleeding to death as the others shouted his name and crowded around him.

Thank you.

I love you.

I'm sorry.

---------------

Final~