2015: like a moth to a flame (Baekhyun/Lay)
Pairing: Baekhyun/Lay
From: ANONYMOUS until REVEALS
Title: like a moth to a flame
Rating: PG-13
Other Pairing(s)/Focus: Xiumin/Sehun
Length: 3,800 words
Summary: Yixing's ability to transfer energy from person to person is unique - and may be just what Baekhyun, a vampire that feeds off of a person's life force instead of their blood, needs.
Warnings: [spoiler] brief instance of sexual harassment (quick kiss/peck on the lips without permission)
Notes: (This is actually a prequel of sorts to an AU that I have affectionately dubbed "Little Flame." I hope to write the rest of the AU soon! A huge thank you to A, L, M, and the mods.
“And the moth came ever closer to the flame, never truly knowing whether it would be its salvation or its destruction.”
It’s late, nearing nine in the evening, but the hospital is alive, thrumming with energy. Yixing walks down the clean hallway, shoes echoing softly off of the tile, and he glances down at the charts in hand, reading over the file with a careful eye. Yixing prefers handling his patients on a more personal level, unlike some of the other doctors who tend to hand off chart-duty to the interns and residents.
Right now it’s almost time for a shift rotation, and one of his patients, Kim Minseok, needs his vitals checked. Yixing stops by the nurse’s station before heading straight to Minseok’s room. He walks up and leans across the counter, poking the woman behind the desk right on the cheek.
“Yixing! What the -” Nurse Soojung scowls at him for a moment, before her expression melts into one of fondness and is only slightly exasperated. “Yes, Doctor Zhang? Can I help you?”
“Just wanted to say I’ll be checking on Minseok’s vitals so the nurses on the next shift won’t need to check on him again until,” he glances down at his watch. “One. Unless they need to draw blood or run tests, of course. I’ll check on his IV drip too.”
“You know you don’t have to, Dr. Zhang.” Soojung is staring at him, studying him carefully. “Chunji is about to make his rounds.”
Yixing pulls back from the counter, glancing at the chart in his hands so that he doesn’t have to look at Soojung while she’s looking at him like that. “I know,” he says. He grins, looking up at her again. “It’s fine. Just let the next shift know to check on Minseok at one, please?”
Soojung sighs, shaking her head, but waves him off anyway. “Go. I’ll update the schedule.”
Yixing thanks her quickly before turning and heading toward Minseok’s room. Visiting hours ended at 8:30, but Yixing can sense the pulse of two heart beats from inside. One is vibrant, full of energy and life, and the other… not so much.
“Good evening, Sehun,” Yixing says, walking into Minseok’s room. “You do know that visiting hours were over twenty minutes ago, right?”
Sehun doesn't take his eyes off of Minseok. Their hands are clasped together, well, Sehun's hand is holding tightly onto Minseok's, and Minseok is asleep, face gaunt and washed out. "I didn't notice," Sehun answers.
"You can stay while I check his vitals, but that's as long as I can allow you to be in here. Do you understand?"
Sehun nods, eyes stuck on Minseok. He sits up a little bit straighter before detangling his fingers from Minseok's and brushing his thumb across Minseok's cheek. "Minseok," he calls softly. "It's time to wake up."
Minseok stirs, eyelids fluttering. Yixing watches, patiently, until Minseok's able to open his eyes and look at him. "Evening, Doctor Zhang," he whispers, voice scratchy from lack of use.
Yixing smiles down at him from beside the hospital bed. "Evening, Minseok. It's time for your vitals to be checked, and then you can go back to sleep. Alright?"
Minseok manages a small nod, and Yixing gets to work. He checks Minseok's temperature first, then moves on to his blood pressure and heart rate. After marking down all of the relevant information on Minseok's chart, he moves on over to the counter on the side of the room.
Yixing glances over to make sure Sehun and Minseok aren't paying attention to him, and they aren't - Minseok is well on his way to going back to sleep and Sehun is watching over him carefully. Then, he closes his eyes, keeping his pen in his hand, poised on the paper in case one of them looks on over at him. That way it looks as though he's still writing down notes on Minseok's current condition, even though he’s not.
Yixing takes a deep breath, forcing himself to focus only on the energy coming off of Minseok and Sehun's bodies. Sehun is vibrant. He's young, just out of college, and active. Minseok... Minseok's energy is barely a flicker of what it should be.
But Yixing can help. Carefully, Yixing transfers as much energy as he can from Sehun over to Minseok. He makes sure to transfer enough to help Minseok but not enough for Sehun to really notice. And just like that, Minseok's heart rate starts beating stronger. Not enough to make that much of a difference, not yet, but soon. A few more days of this and Minseok should be in a lot better condition.
Yixing is grateful that Sehun decided to spend a little extra time with Minseok tonight, otherwise he would've had to pull energy from his reserves, and energy from there isn't quite as strong, quite as fresh.
This is why Yixing works at a hospital. It allows him to have access to people who need energy the most, to give them a little bit of a helping hand.
He turns toward Sehun and Minseok with a small smile. Minseok does look better, even though the differences are minute, hard to spot. His pulse is stronger and his arms don't shake when he pulls Sehun's hand up to his lips, kissing the knuckles softly. Sehun's wedding band glints in the dim light of the hospital room. "Good night, Sehun."
Sehun is looking at Minseok likes he's the only person in the world, eyes so full of love and affection, and Yixing almost feels as though he's intruding. Sehun whispers an "I love you" and then stands up. "Thank you, Doctor Zhang. For letting me stay just a little bit longer."
"It's no problem at all," Yixing responds. "Now go home and get some rest, okay? Minseok will be here when you return."
Sehun nods. He glances back at Minseok three or four times before he actually manages to leave the room, earning a light chuckle out of Minseok once he's finally gone.
"He really loves you," Yixing observes.
Minseok's still looking at the doorway where Sehun had been just moments ago, his expression fond and loving. "I know. I picked a good one, didn't I?"
* * *
When Yixing isn't on call, he enjoys spending his time in public - bookstores, coffee shops, parks. Crowded areas are preferred; there are more people that he can siphon energy off of.
He skims a little from a young woman standing near him in the bookstore. She's busy, engrossed in the novel she'd just picked up off of the shelf, and doesn't notice. He tucks away the energy, storing it in his reserves for later as she turns the page, and then he slips away to a different aisle. Yixing heads on over to the Science Fiction section next; there tends to be at least one or two people picking through the shelves that he can take energy from. It's also a plus that Yixing enjoys the genre and he usually ends up walking out of the store with a book or two in hand.
Today, there's a new face in the middle of the Science Fiction section of the bookstore. Now, Yixing wouldn't say that he knows everyone who visits; that would be a little ridiculous. He does have a good memory for remembering faces, though, and he knows for a fact that this is one he's never seen before.
The guy is crouching, eyes skimming over the title on a low shelf. He appears pensive, not noticing that Yixing is standing nearby. The guy brushes his black hair out of his eyes, leaning toward the shelf to peer closer. What makes him especially interesting is his energy reading. Unlike the rest of the people in the store, his energy levels are... well, they're low, which is extremely confusing. They're almost as low as Minseok's, which means that this guy really shouldn't be standing here right now. He shouldn't be able to.
Yixing takes a step forward, and the man stiffens, turning to look at him. His long, pretty lashes frame his dark eyes - eyes that flash with interest.
Fear flashes through Yixing, jolting through his body, and he can't move. In his mind he knows that he shouldn't be afraid, that he shouldn't be affected like this, but for some reason he can't control himself. All he can do it watch as the man slowly stands up and walks toward him, a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth. He approaches Yixing like a moth to a flame, intrigue evident in his dark eyes. As he grows closer, Yixing feels the hunger in this man’s gaze. The want.
Yixing wants to turn his head. He wants to see if he's the only one affected, or if the rest of the store is as entranced as he is. But he can’t.
The man is staring at him, standing right in front of him. Their faces are barely inches apart. And then the guy leans in and whispers into Yixing's ear. "How does someone like you have so much energy?" Yixing doesn't answer, but it doesn't seem as though this guy expected him to. "You've caught my eye, little flame. My name is Baekhyun."
And then the spell breaks; Yixing can feel himself again. Stumbling, he takes a step back. Baekhyun is watching him, expression thoughtful, and then Yixing is hurrying out of the bookstore and onto the street.
It unnerves him - the way Baekhyun had held him in place like that with a look. He doesn’t know who Baekhyun is, or what Baekhyun is, but he spends the rest of his time off work paranoid that he’ll see Baekhyun while he’s out and about.
Yixing hasn’t had a lot of interaction with the Other world - witches, warlocks, demons, and the like. Throughout the years he’s only met one or two witch covens, and they’ve all been friendly and accommodating, but Baekhyun doesn’t reek of magical energy like they do.
* * *
The next time Yixing visits Minseok's hospital room, Minseok is doing a lot better. There's more life in him - laughter and smiles that weren't present before. Sehun glances up with a grin when Yixing enters, chart in hand, to check on Minseok's vitals.
Chunji had insisted that he could do them, but Yixing had managed to convince the nurse that it wasn't a trouble at all, and Chunji had acquiesced.
"Hello, Doctor Zhang," Sehun says, lacing his fingers through Minseok's. He brings Minseok's hand up to his lips and kisses the knuckles, like how Minseok had kissed Sehun's the previous time Yixing had visited.
"Good evening, Sehun." Yixing smiles at the two of them, then directs his attention toward Minseok. "Mr. Kim, how are you feeling today?"
"No need to be so formal all of a sudden, doctor. Just call me Minseok." Minseok takes his eyes off of Sehun and turns his head to look at Yixing. "I'm feeling... not great, but better. A lot better."
Yixing nods, writing that down. When he’s done he takes Minseok’s vitals and notes the positive changes. Satisfaction warms his heart, and he makes himself look busy as he transfers a little more energy from Sehun over to Minseok. It’s not enough for either of them to really notice, but Minseok’s flickering flame grows just a bit brighter.
* * *
It's way too early for Yixing to be up, especially after ending a particularly grueling shift at the hospital, but sometimes his body has a mind of its own. Yixing lives in the city, so it's just a short walk from his apartment to his favorite coffee shop. People jostle him as they hurry by, presumably late for work, but with every touch Yixing manages to drain a little energy from them. Not too much from each person to be noticeable, but over time it does accumulate and when Yixing enters the coffee shop, his reserves are brimming with the extra energy.
Nodding to the barista, Yixing steps over to the side and glances over the menu on the back wall. It's nothing too special, nothing too fancy, but Yixing likes it all the same. He doesn't linger, though; he has a regular order. Instead, he finds an empty seat and waits. After waiting for the line to dwindle and the morning crowd to disperse, Yixing walks up to the counter.
"Morning, Lu Han."
"Hey, Yixing." Lu Han hands him his drink. "How's the hospital treating you?"
"The usual." Yixing pays while recounting a story from the ER last night. There had been a gruesome eight car collision, and all the doctors that could possibly be spared were needed. It had sufficiently depleted Yixing's energy resources, but everyone had survived.
Lu Han makes a face. He never likes hearing the nitty gritty details of Yixing's job, so Yixing skims over the specifics. "That sounds... awful."
"Just another day at work," Yixing sighs. "But I have the next few days off and I plan on taking full advantage of them."
Chatter from outside fills the shop, and when Yixing turns his head to see what's going on, he freezes. Baekhyun is standing in the doorway, eyes locking with his.
The earlier encounter with Baekhyun had shaken Yixing up, made him nervous. Baekhyun isn’t a Transferer like Yixing - that much Yixing knows for sure - but he’s not human, either. There’s no way Baekhyun could be human with low energy levels like he'd had and still be walking about like normal.
Besides, Baekhyun had looked like he had wanted to suck the life out of him.
Baekhyun still looks like he wants to suck the life out of him.
There is a difference this time. Baekhyun looks refreshed and his energy levels are balanced. They're not as high as they should be, for someone his age, but there's a world of difference between them right now and how they were last week.
Yixing is perplexed. He grips his drink just a smidgen harder than he probably should and doesn’t move, watching Baekhyun.
Lu Han calls out a greeting and Baekhyun's eyes crinkle as he smiles and answers with a cheerful, "Hello."
Yixing stumbles back a little at the sound of Baekhyun's voice and almost spills his drink, but he catches himself. Lu Han sends him an odd look that he ignores. There's only one way to leave the building, and that's through the front door, where Baekhyun is currently standing.
Yixing doesn't want a repeat of what happened in the bookstore, but he also needs to know what Baekhyun is and how he's able to manipulate his energy levels. When Baekhyun heads on over to the counter to order, Yixing is left with two choices: to stay or to go.
He stays.
Returning to his original table isn't that easy when he's focusing on the conversation behind him. Baekhyun and Lu Han make small chat, and the most that Yixing gathers from their conversation is that Baekhyun isn't a regular here.
Weird. Doubly weird, seeing as Baekhyun and Yixing had run into each other just a few days ago. Is Baekhyun following him? It could be a coincidence, but Yixing has a feeling that it's not. Yixing doesn't relax when he sits; he keeps his back straight, ready to get up at any moment. He's not frightened. He's just wary.
Baekhyun comes over, drink in hand, and sits right across the table from him. "G'morning, little flame."
"My name is Yixing. I'm not a candle, Baekhyun."
"Then what exactly are you, Yixing? You're lit up brighter than the Namsan Tower at night."
Yixing sets his drink down onto the table and leans forward, squinting at Baekhyun. "How can you see that?"
"See what?"
"My reserves."
Baekhyun laughs. "Is that what you call it?" He leans back in his chair, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Look, little flame-"
"Yixing."
"Okay, okay. Look, Yixing. I don't know what you are. I don't know what you do. What I do know is that you have an awful lot of energy. It's enticing. Exciting."
Yixing eyes Baekhyun carefully. When he answers, he ignores the latter part of Baekhyun's response and only answers the question he'd asked. "I'm a doctor. What do you do?"
"You didn't answer my question. You said you're a doctor. That's your job, not what you are."
"I think I answered your question just fine."
Baekhyun scowls. "You're being difficult."
That gets a smile out of Yixing. He scoots his chair back and grabs his drink. "We don't know each other, Baekhyun. I don't owe you anything." Yixing stands, heading for the door. He makes it about halfway across the shop before someone grabs his arm, forcing him to turn around.
And then Baekhyun's lips brush against his, ever so slightly, and he can feel the energy leaving him. Almost as though Baekhyun had...
As though Baekhyun had sucked the life out of him. Yixing blinks, realization setting in.
Baekhyun slips something into Yixing's coat pocket, patting it twice. "I've forgotten how nice it can be to kiss someone without them having to go to the hospital, or worse: dying."
Before Yixing has time to comprehend that, Baekhyun is gone.
* * *
In the days that follow, Yixing thinks of Baekhyun more often than not. The paper he'd slipped into Yixing's pocket had had a number scrawled across in messy handwriting. Yixing hadn't called. Oh, but he'd wanted to.
Now, though, Yixing is back on call at the hospital. He lets his duties and patients take up his time, uses them as a distraction from Baekhyun and what he is. Yixing isn't sure if there's a name for it, but Baekhyun seems to live off of the energy he gains from other people.
Yixing is walking down the pristine halls of the hospital when Soojung calls him over to the nurses' station. "Minseok was asking for you," she says, not looking up from the various charts and schedules that are spread across the desk. She places a sticky note on one file and sets it off to the side. "I think he has some questions. Sehun's there too."
Yixing nods. "I'll be right there."
It takes less than a minute for Yixing to hurry down the hall and Minseok looks up with a brilliant smile when Yixing enters the room. "Doctor Zhang."
"I heard you have some questions for me."
"We've been talking about adopting," Minseok says. His eyes are alight with hope. "If that's okay, I mean. Once I've recovered."
"And," Sehun speaks up, "we were wondering if that would be okay, or if we should wait. It’s been a scary few months..."
Yixing takes a moment, eyeing both of them. They'd make a pair of wonderful parents, there's no doubt about that. The only thing that's up in the air right now is Minseok's health. Normally there would be the danger of Minseok’s body relapsing, but Yixing’s pretty sure that once Minseok’s healthy again his body will be able to take care of itself. He can feel the life pulsing through Minseok right now, mending him from the inside-out.
"I think it would be fine," Yixing says after a minute. "But, you'll need to come in for extra check-ups to make sure that you're on the right track and your body doesn't relapse." Yixing knows it’s probably not needed, not with how Minseok has recovered so splendidly, but it’s best to be safe.
There are no words to describe the look of absolute joy that crosses Minseok's face when he realizes what Yixing has just said. Sehun's eyes widen at the same time, and he says, "Wait. Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Doctor Zhang, I-" Sehun can't finish his sentence. He stands up from his chair at Minseok's bedside and pulls Yixing in for a tight hug. Sehun is taller than Yixing, but the angle isn’t uncomfortable. "Thank you. Thank you so, so much," he says in a choked whisper. "This means everything to us."
* * *
“Why are we meeting here?” Yixing asks, looking around the small restaurant Baekhyun had told him to come to. It’s a nice place, if a little on the high-end for his liking. It’s not crowded, but it’s not desolate either.
Earlier that day, Yixing had called Baekhyun, wanting to have a little chat. Yixing still doesn’t know what Baekhyun is, but Baekhyun had pretty much admitted to killing people, and while Yixing is understanding of certain needs that those from the Other world have, if there’s something that Yixing can do to help prevent the deaths of innocents, he’ll do it. That’s why he works at a hospital, of all places.
Baekhyun had told him to meet him here.
Baekhyun plays with the ice in his drink, swirling the cup to hear it clink against the glass. He grins at Yixing, teeth flashing. “It’s a date.”
“A date.”
“Well, I don’t normally kiss someone without going on a date with them first. I’m making up for lost time.”
Yixing stares at Baekhyun, wondering if he’s being serious or not. Then he decides that it doesn’t matter either way. “Look. I want to help you.” Baekhyun raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t interrupt, so Yixing continues. “Why don’t we come to an… agreement, of sorts. I’ll provide you with energy, and you stop preying on innocents.”
“You’d be willing to do that for me?” Baekhyun asks, eyes narrowing. “Why? What do you get out of it?”
“Knowing that people aren’t dying when I have a chance to prevent it,” Yixing says dryly. “It’s this or killing you, and, as I’m sure you’ve discovered, I’m not a fan of murder.”
Baekhyun thinks about it for a minute, taking the time to sip on his drink. Then, a grin spreads across his face and he reaches out a hand. “What the hell. I already like you,” he says.
Yixing doesn’t deign to answer, but he can’t help the smile that sneaks out when he reaches to shake Baekhyun’s hand. When he does, however, Baekhyun leans across the small table and pulls him in for a quick kiss, careful to not knock their drinks over.
“Sorry,” he says when he pulls away and leans back in his seat. He winks at Yixing, eyes twinkling mischievously. “I was feeling a little bit hungry.”
The thing is, Yixing doesn’t even mind.
From: ANONYMOUS until REVEALS
Title: like a moth to a flame
Rating: PG-13
Other Pairing(s)/Focus: Xiumin/Sehun
Length: 3,800 words
Summary: Yixing's ability to transfer energy from person to person is unique - and may be just what Baekhyun, a vampire that feeds off of a person's life force instead of their blood, needs.
Warnings: [spoiler] brief instance of sexual harassment (quick kiss/peck on the lips without permission)
Notes: (This is actually a prequel of sorts to an AU that I have affectionately dubbed "Little Flame." I hope to write the rest of the AU soon! A huge thank you to A, L, M, and the mods.
“And the moth came ever closer to the flame, never truly knowing whether it would be its salvation or its destruction.”
It’s late, nearing nine in the evening, but the hospital is alive, thrumming with energy. Yixing walks down the clean hallway, shoes echoing softly off of the tile, and he glances down at the charts in hand, reading over the file with a careful eye. Yixing prefers handling his patients on a more personal level, unlike some of the other doctors who tend to hand off chart-duty to the interns and residents.
Right now it’s almost time for a shift rotation, and one of his patients, Kim Minseok, needs his vitals checked. Yixing stops by the nurse’s station before heading straight to Minseok’s room. He walks up and leans across the counter, poking the woman behind the desk right on the cheek.
“Yixing! What the -” Nurse Soojung scowls at him for a moment, before her expression melts into one of fondness and is only slightly exasperated. “Yes, Doctor Zhang? Can I help you?”
“Just wanted to say I’ll be checking on Minseok’s vitals so the nurses on the next shift won’t need to check on him again until,” he glances down at his watch. “One. Unless they need to draw blood or run tests, of course. I’ll check on his IV drip too.”
“You know you don’t have to, Dr. Zhang.” Soojung is staring at him, studying him carefully. “Chunji is about to make his rounds.”
Yixing pulls back from the counter, glancing at the chart in his hands so that he doesn’t have to look at Soojung while she’s looking at him like that. “I know,” he says. He grins, looking up at her again. “It’s fine. Just let the next shift know to check on Minseok at one, please?”
Soojung sighs, shaking her head, but waves him off anyway. “Go. I’ll update the schedule.”
Yixing thanks her quickly before turning and heading toward Minseok’s room. Visiting hours ended at 8:30, but Yixing can sense the pulse of two heart beats from inside. One is vibrant, full of energy and life, and the other… not so much.
“Good evening, Sehun,” Yixing says, walking into Minseok’s room. “You do know that visiting hours were over twenty minutes ago, right?”
Sehun doesn't take his eyes off of Minseok. Their hands are clasped together, well, Sehun's hand is holding tightly onto Minseok's, and Minseok is asleep, face gaunt and washed out. "I didn't notice," Sehun answers.
"You can stay while I check his vitals, but that's as long as I can allow you to be in here. Do you understand?"
Sehun nods, eyes stuck on Minseok. He sits up a little bit straighter before detangling his fingers from Minseok's and brushing his thumb across Minseok's cheek. "Minseok," he calls softly. "It's time to wake up."
Minseok stirs, eyelids fluttering. Yixing watches, patiently, until Minseok's able to open his eyes and look at him. "Evening, Doctor Zhang," he whispers, voice scratchy from lack of use.
Yixing smiles down at him from beside the hospital bed. "Evening, Minseok. It's time for your vitals to be checked, and then you can go back to sleep. Alright?"
Minseok manages a small nod, and Yixing gets to work. He checks Minseok's temperature first, then moves on to his blood pressure and heart rate. After marking down all of the relevant information on Minseok's chart, he moves on over to the counter on the side of the room.
Yixing glances over to make sure Sehun and Minseok aren't paying attention to him, and they aren't - Minseok is well on his way to going back to sleep and Sehun is watching over him carefully. Then, he closes his eyes, keeping his pen in his hand, poised on the paper in case one of them looks on over at him. That way it looks as though he's still writing down notes on Minseok's current condition, even though he’s not.
Yixing takes a deep breath, forcing himself to focus only on the energy coming off of Minseok and Sehun's bodies. Sehun is vibrant. He's young, just out of college, and active. Minseok... Minseok's energy is barely a flicker of what it should be.
But Yixing can help. Carefully, Yixing transfers as much energy as he can from Sehun over to Minseok. He makes sure to transfer enough to help Minseok but not enough for Sehun to really notice. And just like that, Minseok's heart rate starts beating stronger. Not enough to make that much of a difference, not yet, but soon. A few more days of this and Minseok should be in a lot better condition.
Yixing is grateful that Sehun decided to spend a little extra time with Minseok tonight, otherwise he would've had to pull energy from his reserves, and energy from there isn't quite as strong, quite as fresh.
This is why Yixing works at a hospital. It allows him to have access to people who need energy the most, to give them a little bit of a helping hand.
He turns toward Sehun and Minseok with a small smile. Minseok does look better, even though the differences are minute, hard to spot. His pulse is stronger and his arms don't shake when he pulls Sehun's hand up to his lips, kissing the knuckles softly. Sehun's wedding band glints in the dim light of the hospital room. "Good night, Sehun."
Sehun is looking at Minseok likes he's the only person in the world, eyes so full of love and affection, and Yixing almost feels as though he's intruding. Sehun whispers an "I love you" and then stands up. "Thank you, Doctor Zhang. For letting me stay just a little bit longer."
"It's no problem at all," Yixing responds. "Now go home and get some rest, okay? Minseok will be here when you return."
Sehun nods. He glances back at Minseok three or four times before he actually manages to leave the room, earning a light chuckle out of Minseok once he's finally gone.
"He really loves you," Yixing observes.
Minseok's still looking at the doorway where Sehun had been just moments ago, his expression fond and loving. "I know. I picked a good one, didn't I?"
* * *
When Yixing isn't on call, he enjoys spending his time in public - bookstores, coffee shops, parks. Crowded areas are preferred; there are more people that he can siphon energy off of.
He skims a little from a young woman standing near him in the bookstore. She's busy, engrossed in the novel she'd just picked up off of the shelf, and doesn't notice. He tucks away the energy, storing it in his reserves for later as she turns the page, and then he slips away to a different aisle. Yixing heads on over to the Science Fiction section next; there tends to be at least one or two people picking through the shelves that he can take energy from. It's also a plus that Yixing enjoys the genre and he usually ends up walking out of the store with a book or two in hand.
Today, there's a new face in the middle of the Science Fiction section of the bookstore. Now, Yixing wouldn't say that he knows everyone who visits; that would be a little ridiculous. He does have a good memory for remembering faces, though, and he knows for a fact that this is one he's never seen before.
The guy is crouching, eyes skimming over the title on a low shelf. He appears pensive, not noticing that Yixing is standing nearby. The guy brushes his black hair out of his eyes, leaning toward the shelf to peer closer. What makes him especially interesting is his energy reading. Unlike the rest of the people in the store, his energy levels are... well, they're low, which is extremely confusing. They're almost as low as Minseok's, which means that this guy really shouldn't be standing here right now. He shouldn't be able to.
Yixing takes a step forward, and the man stiffens, turning to look at him. His long, pretty lashes frame his dark eyes - eyes that flash with interest.
Fear flashes through Yixing, jolting through his body, and he can't move. In his mind he knows that he shouldn't be afraid, that he shouldn't be affected like this, but for some reason he can't control himself. All he can do it watch as the man slowly stands up and walks toward him, a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth. He approaches Yixing like a moth to a flame, intrigue evident in his dark eyes. As he grows closer, Yixing feels the hunger in this man’s gaze. The want.
Yixing wants to turn his head. He wants to see if he's the only one affected, or if the rest of the store is as entranced as he is. But he can’t.
The man is staring at him, standing right in front of him. Their faces are barely inches apart. And then the guy leans in and whispers into Yixing's ear. "How does someone like you have so much energy?" Yixing doesn't answer, but it doesn't seem as though this guy expected him to. "You've caught my eye, little flame. My name is Baekhyun."
And then the spell breaks; Yixing can feel himself again. Stumbling, he takes a step back. Baekhyun is watching him, expression thoughtful, and then Yixing is hurrying out of the bookstore and onto the street.
It unnerves him - the way Baekhyun had held him in place like that with a look. He doesn’t know who Baekhyun is, or what Baekhyun is, but he spends the rest of his time off work paranoid that he’ll see Baekhyun while he’s out and about.
Yixing hasn’t had a lot of interaction with the Other world - witches, warlocks, demons, and the like. Throughout the years he’s only met one or two witch covens, and they’ve all been friendly and accommodating, but Baekhyun doesn’t reek of magical energy like they do.
* * *
The next time Yixing visits Minseok's hospital room, Minseok is doing a lot better. There's more life in him - laughter and smiles that weren't present before. Sehun glances up with a grin when Yixing enters, chart in hand, to check on Minseok's vitals.
Chunji had insisted that he could do them, but Yixing had managed to convince the nurse that it wasn't a trouble at all, and Chunji had acquiesced.
"Hello, Doctor Zhang," Sehun says, lacing his fingers through Minseok's. He brings Minseok's hand up to his lips and kisses the knuckles, like how Minseok had kissed Sehun's the previous time Yixing had visited.
"Good evening, Sehun." Yixing smiles at the two of them, then directs his attention toward Minseok. "Mr. Kim, how are you feeling today?"
"No need to be so formal all of a sudden, doctor. Just call me Minseok." Minseok takes his eyes off of Sehun and turns his head to look at Yixing. "I'm feeling... not great, but better. A lot better."
Yixing nods, writing that down. When he’s done he takes Minseok’s vitals and notes the positive changes. Satisfaction warms his heart, and he makes himself look busy as he transfers a little more energy from Sehun over to Minseok. It’s not enough for either of them to really notice, but Minseok’s flickering flame grows just a bit brighter.
* * *
It's way too early for Yixing to be up, especially after ending a particularly grueling shift at the hospital, but sometimes his body has a mind of its own. Yixing lives in the city, so it's just a short walk from his apartment to his favorite coffee shop. People jostle him as they hurry by, presumably late for work, but with every touch Yixing manages to drain a little energy from them. Not too much from each person to be noticeable, but over time it does accumulate and when Yixing enters the coffee shop, his reserves are brimming with the extra energy.
Nodding to the barista, Yixing steps over to the side and glances over the menu on the back wall. It's nothing too special, nothing too fancy, but Yixing likes it all the same. He doesn't linger, though; he has a regular order. Instead, he finds an empty seat and waits. After waiting for the line to dwindle and the morning crowd to disperse, Yixing walks up to the counter.
"Morning, Lu Han."
"Hey, Yixing." Lu Han hands him his drink. "How's the hospital treating you?"
"The usual." Yixing pays while recounting a story from the ER last night. There had been a gruesome eight car collision, and all the doctors that could possibly be spared were needed. It had sufficiently depleted Yixing's energy resources, but everyone had survived.
Lu Han makes a face. He never likes hearing the nitty gritty details of Yixing's job, so Yixing skims over the specifics. "That sounds... awful."
"Just another day at work," Yixing sighs. "But I have the next few days off and I plan on taking full advantage of them."
Chatter from outside fills the shop, and when Yixing turns his head to see what's going on, he freezes. Baekhyun is standing in the doorway, eyes locking with his.
The earlier encounter with Baekhyun had shaken Yixing up, made him nervous. Baekhyun isn’t a Transferer like Yixing - that much Yixing knows for sure - but he’s not human, either. There’s no way Baekhyun could be human with low energy levels like he'd had and still be walking about like normal.
Besides, Baekhyun had looked like he had wanted to suck the life out of him.
Baekhyun still looks like he wants to suck the life out of him.
There is a difference this time. Baekhyun looks refreshed and his energy levels are balanced. They're not as high as they should be, for someone his age, but there's a world of difference between them right now and how they were last week.
Yixing is perplexed. He grips his drink just a smidgen harder than he probably should and doesn’t move, watching Baekhyun.
Lu Han calls out a greeting and Baekhyun's eyes crinkle as he smiles and answers with a cheerful, "Hello."
Yixing stumbles back a little at the sound of Baekhyun's voice and almost spills his drink, but he catches himself. Lu Han sends him an odd look that he ignores. There's only one way to leave the building, and that's through the front door, where Baekhyun is currently standing.
Yixing doesn't want a repeat of what happened in the bookstore, but he also needs to know what Baekhyun is and how he's able to manipulate his energy levels. When Baekhyun heads on over to the counter to order, Yixing is left with two choices: to stay or to go.
He stays.
Returning to his original table isn't that easy when he's focusing on the conversation behind him. Baekhyun and Lu Han make small chat, and the most that Yixing gathers from their conversation is that Baekhyun isn't a regular here.
Weird. Doubly weird, seeing as Baekhyun and Yixing had run into each other just a few days ago. Is Baekhyun following him? It could be a coincidence, but Yixing has a feeling that it's not. Yixing doesn't relax when he sits; he keeps his back straight, ready to get up at any moment. He's not frightened. He's just wary.
Baekhyun comes over, drink in hand, and sits right across the table from him. "G'morning, little flame."
"My name is Yixing. I'm not a candle, Baekhyun."
"Then what exactly are you, Yixing? You're lit up brighter than the Namsan Tower at night."
Yixing sets his drink down onto the table and leans forward, squinting at Baekhyun. "How can you see that?"
"See what?"
"My reserves."
Baekhyun laughs. "Is that what you call it?" He leans back in his chair, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Look, little flame-"
"Yixing."
"Okay, okay. Look, Yixing. I don't know what you are. I don't know what you do. What I do know is that you have an awful lot of energy. It's enticing. Exciting."
Yixing eyes Baekhyun carefully. When he answers, he ignores the latter part of Baekhyun's response and only answers the question he'd asked. "I'm a doctor. What do you do?"
"You didn't answer my question. You said you're a doctor. That's your job, not what you are."
"I think I answered your question just fine."
Baekhyun scowls. "You're being difficult."
That gets a smile out of Yixing. He scoots his chair back and grabs his drink. "We don't know each other, Baekhyun. I don't owe you anything." Yixing stands, heading for the door. He makes it about halfway across the shop before someone grabs his arm, forcing him to turn around.
And then Baekhyun's lips brush against his, ever so slightly, and he can feel the energy leaving him. Almost as though Baekhyun had...
As though Baekhyun had sucked the life out of him. Yixing blinks, realization setting in.
Baekhyun slips something into Yixing's coat pocket, patting it twice. "I've forgotten how nice it can be to kiss someone without them having to go to the hospital, or worse: dying."
Before Yixing has time to comprehend that, Baekhyun is gone.
* * *
In the days that follow, Yixing thinks of Baekhyun more often than not. The paper he'd slipped into Yixing's pocket had had a number scrawled across in messy handwriting. Yixing hadn't called. Oh, but he'd wanted to.
Now, though, Yixing is back on call at the hospital. He lets his duties and patients take up his time, uses them as a distraction from Baekhyun and what he is. Yixing isn't sure if there's a name for it, but Baekhyun seems to live off of the energy he gains from other people.
Yixing is walking down the pristine halls of the hospital when Soojung calls him over to the nurses' station. "Minseok was asking for you," she says, not looking up from the various charts and schedules that are spread across the desk. She places a sticky note on one file and sets it off to the side. "I think he has some questions. Sehun's there too."
Yixing nods. "I'll be right there."
It takes less than a minute for Yixing to hurry down the hall and Minseok looks up with a brilliant smile when Yixing enters the room. "Doctor Zhang."
"I heard you have some questions for me."
"We've been talking about adopting," Minseok says. His eyes are alight with hope. "If that's okay, I mean. Once I've recovered."
"And," Sehun speaks up, "we were wondering if that would be okay, or if we should wait. It’s been a scary few months..."
Yixing takes a moment, eyeing both of them. They'd make a pair of wonderful parents, there's no doubt about that. The only thing that's up in the air right now is Minseok's health. Normally there would be the danger of Minseok’s body relapsing, but Yixing’s pretty sure that once Minseok’s healthy again his body will be able to take care of itself. He can feel the life pulsing through Minseok right now, mending him from the inside-out.
"I think it would be fine," Yixing says after a minute. "But, you'll need to come in for extra check-ups to make sure that you're on the right track and your body doesn't relapse." Yixing knows it’s probably not needed, not with how Minseok has recovered so splendidly, but it’s best to be safe.
There are no words to describe the look of absolute joy that crosses Minseok's face when he realizes what Yixing has just said. Sehun's eyes widen at the same time, and he says, "Wait. Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Doctor Zhang, I-" Sehun can't finish his sentence. He stands up from his chair at Minseok's bedside and pulls Yixing in for a tight hug. Sehun is taller than Yixing, but the angle isn’t uncomfortable. "Thank you. Thank you so, so much," he says in a choked whisper. "This means everything to us."
* * *
“Why are we meeting here?” Yixing asks, looking around the small restaurant Baekhyun had told him to come to. It’s a nice place, if a little on the high-end for his liking. It’s not crowded, but it’s not desolate either.
Earlier that day, Yixing had called Baekhyun, wanting to have a little chat. Yixing still doesn’t know what Baekhyun is, but Baekhyun had pretty much admitted to killing people, and while Yixing is understanding of certain needs that those from the Other world have, if there’s something that Yixing can do to help prevent the deaths of innocents, he’ll do it. That’s why he works at a hospital, of all places.
Baekhyun had told him to meet him here.
Baekhyun plays with the ice in his drink, swirling the cup to hear it clink against the glass. He grins at Yixing, teeth flashing. “It’s a date.”
“A date.”
“Well, I don’t normally kiss someone without going on a date with them first. I’m making up for lost time.”
Yixing stares at Baekhyun, wondering if he’s being serious or not. Then he decides that it doesn’t matter either way. “Look. I want to help you.” Baekhyun raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t interrupt, so Yixing continues. “Why don’t we come to an… agreement, of sorts. I’ll provide you with energy, and you stop preying on innocents.”
“You’d be willing to do that for me?” Baekhyun asks, eyes narrowing. “Why? What do you get out of it?”
“Knowing that people aren’t dying when I have a chance to prevent it,” Yixing says dryly. “It’s this or killing you, and, as I’m sure you’ve discovered, I’m not a fan of murder.”
Baekhyun thinks about it for a minute, taking the time to sip on his drink. Then, a grin spreads across his face and he reaches out a hand. “What the hell. I already like you,” he says.
Yixing doesn’t deign to answer, but he can’t help the smile that sneaks out when he reaches to shake Baekhyun’s hand. When he does, however, Baekhyun leans across the small table and pulls him in for a quick kiss, careful to not knock their drinks over.
“Sorry,” he says when he pulls away and leans back in his seat. He winks at Yixing, eyes twinkling mischievously. “I was feeling a little bit hungry.”
The thing is, Yixing doesn’t even mind.