don't wave no goodbye [tao/kris & tao/baekhyun; cause]
title: don't wave no goodbye
rated: for language
fandom/pairing: exo rpf/seeking a friend for the end of the world au; past!huang zitao/wu yifan or whatever zher name is i mean jfc wufan yifan jiaheng idec, with overlapping zitao/byun baekhyun and mentions of kris/park chanyeol
spoilers/warnings: for the film, i guess? sort of?
summary: tao doesn't want to die with regrets. when the destruction of the planet is imminent, there's no time like the present. kris may have gotten stupider with age.
words: 1460
disclaimer: i do not own any of these characters i do not own anything about seeking a friend i do not own the lyrics to grouplove's tonguetied
a/n: prompt #17: cause i actually hate exo a lot but i like the way that kris and chanyeol are
when they first get word of the meteor, tao goes home and sits at the desk in zher room and writes a letter. zher hand is shaking but the words are clear and methodical anyway - no messier than they've always been, disproportionate by zher hand.
tao puts it in the mailbox that night, and stays home the next day. zhe watches out zher window and makes sure that the mailwoman picks it up. satisfied, tao goes back to bed and lies there until the afternoon. zhe feels better, every ugly thought and self-loathing regret channeled out of zher body onto that paper.
tao doesn't think about what kris will do, what kris will think or say or feel when zhe reads it. if zhe reads it. if zhe doesn't just tear it up on instant of seeing tao's name in the corner. tao doesn't think about kris at all, after the letter is gone, and tao is really - relatively - happy about it.
it's over. kris was the love of tao's life, tao understands now. and tao is too late and only prompted by certain death but at least it's out and it's okay. at least zhe's done all that zhe can do at this point.
tao doesn't wait for anything. tao is content. tao doesn't tell baekhyun because zhe knows that baekhyun will just be upset with zhim about it. rightfully so, probably. baekhyun has been there for tao for a lot of years, and tao has been thinking lately that baekhyun's only recently started to be in love with zhim. it's probably something about tao having gotten smarter, more reasonable, with age.
tao doesn't want to destroy that progress. when the summit ends and the world's experts agree that the end is indeed near, tao is watching with baekhyun. baekhyun's knuckles are blazing white where zhe's gripping the edge of the sofa and tao leans over to kiss zhim.
...
there's a week left, when there's a knock on the front door. baekhyun has moved in but tao is the one that tumbles downstairs to answer it. it's either dumb luck or just dumbness. kris is on the other side. zhe doesn't look like zhe ever did before, is tao's first thought. kris's hair is darker and shorter and even zher face looks different, with a soft expression on zher face. tao thinks kris must be scared. then, tao thinks that kris is stupid.
"what the fuck are you doing here?" tao asks, and zher voice is quiet but zhe'd yell if zhe had the feelings to warrant it. instead, zhe's mostly just confused. tao doesn't get upset about kris anymore. life is too short, or something else cliched but abruptly relevant.
kris opens zher mouth to respond, and then almost looks like zhe's thinking better of it. zhe doesn't. "i - your letter," zhe says, pulling it out of zher pocket. there are a few messy creases running through the envelope but it still looks remarkably well-cared for. considering the circumstances, anyway.
tao stares at the envelope, and then blinks, and then looks up at kris and blinks again. "yifan," zhe says, and now tao is slightly upset. "tell me you didn't leave chanyeol over that letter."
nothing says oops better than eyes wide with horror. tao thinks zhe could punch kris, but doesn't do that.
"goddammit, yifan," tao mutters, running a hand through zher hair and looking up at the exboyfriend. in hindsight, tao thinks writing the letter at all may have been a bad idea. sending it was worse, obviously, but tao can't figure precisely where it went so wrong.
tao doesn't understand why yifan is here. not really, anyhow. yifan is quieter than tao remembers zhim being. maybe zhe's matured over the years, too.
yifan sighs, and tao cringes. "i wrote the letter," tao says finally, in explanation that zhe supposes kris probably deserves. "because i just wanted you to know. that i really did love you a lot, even though i was the one who left. i didn't want the world to end without having done something to make sure that you knew that."
kris doesn't say anything for a few moments. the envelope is still in zher hand, held firmly but gently. tao wonders if kris left one behind for chanyeol, too, or if kris faced it head-on and talked to zhim about it. tao wonders how kris could possibly have said it, and wonders why kris is here at all.
tao pulls the front door belatedly shut behind zhimself, and sits on the front step. kris follows suit after a moment, motions stiff and clumsy.
"you were so in love with chanyeol," tao murmurs. it doesn't hurt to say. it doesn't hurt to think. tao remembers when it did. remembers when just the name chanyeol made zhim want to cry or punch things, and baekhyun would roll zher eyes and jab tao's side and remind zhim you broke up with kris, dummy.
kris hesitates, and then nods. kris sets the envelope down on the pavement between their feet. tao isn't scared that it'll blow away, but it might.
"zhe loves me, too," kris notes. tao doesn't ask about present-tense, but sends out a useless last-ditch prayer that kris at least warned chanyeol zhe was leaving. "i guess i just thought..."
kris trails off, and tao has no idea what zhe meant to say but it's better that way. when things were different, it was okay that they were on the same page. it was nice. but maybe now it's best that they don't try to be. tao doesn't mind being on an independent train of thought. the ship is sailing; tao doesn't mind if there are feelings zhe has and thoughts zhe's lingered on that kris will never know.
"i'm sorry," tao says in the midday quiet that somehow manages to remain, even with death imminent. it's a suburbs thing. "i didn't expect that you'd --"
kris cuts tao off with a wry grin and a long arm wrapped around tao's waist, pulling zhim near. "don't tell me you thought i'd just let something like that pass without making a scene of it?"
tao turns zher face away from kris to stare at that unassuming white envelope against stony grey pavement. "i don't know what i thought," tao admits, and then tao smiles, leaning against kris's shoulder. "i'm really happy i got to see you this last time."
kris's chuckle sounds rough in zher throat and tao almost wants to kiss zhim. "me too," kris says. tao doesn't kiss zhim. they sit there for a while, and eventually kris leaves. tao doesn't leave the front door step, just watches kris get into zher car from there.
"stay safe!" kris calls over zher shoulder, as goodbye. it's a joke, sort of.
"love you!" tao responds, no clenched hem in zher grasp or proper-and-planned parting words. kris stiffens but it might just be tao's eyes playing tricks on zhim. kris gets in and drives off without returning the sentiment, but it's all right because tao knows that kris heard.
it's the last time that tao will ever see kris. they'll be the last words that kris will ever hear from tao. kris is going to die. tao is going to die. everyone's going to die, apart but everyone together.
...
when tao goes inside, baekhyun is sitting at the kitchen island, a mug of tea in zher hands. zhe doesn't ask any questions, just stirs zher tea. tao stands behind zhim, leaning against the counter of the sink, and thinks that zhe's happy.
"i don't know what i see in you," baekhyun says, after zher first successful sip. tao wants to taste lemon and honey on baekhyun's half-numbed burnt tongue but zhe can wait. baekhyun looks over zher shoulder at tao, raising an eyebrow when tao doesn't react. "honestly."
"that's okay. as long as you promise to stay," tao hums. baekhyun snorts but doesn't shake tao off when zhe drapes zher arms over baekhyun's shoulders.
that night they watch the news together. they watch a digit slip away with ease, watch one hundred and eighty transform into twelve and they don't cry. tao stops worrying about kris being able to make up with chanyeol in that instant.
tao holds baekhyun in zher lap and kisses zhim until the broadcast ends, until power-saving energy-options shut off the television and they're sitting in blackness. tao kisses baekhyun and only thinks about baekhyun and it's the happiest tao has ever felt, baekhyun's hands in zher hair and hips under tao's fingertips.
they're asleep when it times out. tao's head is nestled into the dip of baekhyun's collarbone and baekhyun's arms are limp around tao's chest and there's a flash of light.
rated: for language
fandom/pairing: exo rpf/seeking a friend for the end of the world au; past!huang zitao/wu yifan or whatever zher name is i mean jfc wufan yifan jiaheng idec, with overlapping zitao/byun baekhyun and mentions of kris/park chanyeol
spoilers/warnings: for the film, i guess? sort of?
summary: tao doesn't want to die with regrets. when the destruction of the planet is imminent, there's no time like the present. kris may have gotten stupider with age.
words: 1460
disclaimer: i do not own any of these characters i do not own anything about seeking a friend i do not own the lyrics to grouplove's tonguetied
a/n: prompt #17: cause i actually hate exo a lot but i like the way that kris and chanyeol are
when they first get word of the meteor, tao goes home and sits at the desk in zher room and writes a letter. zher hand is shaking but the words are clear and methodical anyway - no messier than they've always been, disproportionate by zher hand.
tao puts it in the mailbox that night, and stays home the next day. zhe watches out zher window and makes sure that the mailwoman picks it up. satisfied, tao goes back to bed and lies there until the afternoon. zhe feels better, every ugly thought and self-loathing regret channeled out of zher body onto that paper.
tao doesn't think about what kris will do, what kris will think or say or feel when zhe reads it. if zhe reads it. if zhe doesn't just tear it up on instant of seeing tao's name in the corner. tao doesn't think about kris at all, after the letter is gone, and tao is really - relatively - happy about it.
it's over. kris was the love of tao's life, tao understands now. and tao is too late and only prompted by certain death but at least it's out and it's okay. at least zhe's done all that zhe can do at this point.
tao doesn't wait for anything. tao is content. tao doesn't tell baekhyun because zhe knows that baekhyun will just be upset with zhim about it. rightfully so, probably. baekhyun has been there for tao for a lot of years, and tao has been thinking lately that baekhyun's only recently started to be in love with zhim. it's probably something about tao having gotten smarter, more reasonable, with age.
tao doesn't want to destroy that progress. when the summit ends and the world's experts agree that the end is indeed near, tao is watching with baekhyun. baekhyun's knuckles are blazing white where zhe's gripping the edge of the sofa and tao leans over to kiss zhim.
...
there's a week left, when there's a knock on the front door. baekhyun has moved in but tao is the one that tumbles downstairs to answer it. it's either dumb luck or just dumbness. kris is on the other side. zhe doesn't look like zhe ever did before, is tao's first thought. kris's hair is darker and shorter and even zher face looks different, with a soft expression on zher face. tao thinks kris must be scared. then, tao thinks that kris is stupid.
"what the fuck are you doing here?" tao asks, and zher voice is quiet but zhe'd yell if zhe had the feelings to warrant it. instead, zhe's mostly just confused. tao doesn't get upset about kris anymore. life is too short, or something else cliched but abruptly relevant.
kris opens zher mouth to respond, and then almost looks like zhe's thinking better of it. zhe doesn't. "i - your letter," zhe says, pulling it out of zher pocket. there are a few messy creases running through the envelope but it still looks remarkably well-cared for. considering the circumstances, anyway.
tao stares at the envelope, and then blinks, and then looks up at kris and blinks again. "yifan," zhe says, and now tao is slightly upset. "tell me you didn't leave chanyeol over that letter."
nothing says oops better than eyes wide with horror. tao thinks zhe could punch kris, but doesn't do that.
"goddammit, yifan," tao mutters, running a hand through zher hair and looking up at the exboyfriend. in hindsight, tao thinks writing the letter at all may have been a bad idea. sending it was worse, obviously, but tao can't figure precisely where it went so wrong.
tao doesn't understand why yifan is here. not really, anyhow. yifan is quieter than tao remembers zhim being. maybe zhe's matured over the years, too.
yifan sighs, and tao cringes. "i wrote the letter," tao says finally, in explanation that zhe supposes kris probably deserves. "because i just wanted you to know. that i really did love you a lot, even though i was the one who left. i didn't want the world to end without having done something to make sure that you knew that."
kris doesn't say anything for a few moments. the envelope is still in zher hand, held firmly but gently. tao wonders if kris left one behind for chanyeol, too, or if kris faced it head-on and talked to zhim about it. tao wonders how kris could possibly have said it, and wonders why kris is here at all.
tao pulls the front door belatedly shut behind zhimself, and sits on the front step. kris follows suit after a moment, motions stiff and clumsy.
"you were so in love with chanyeol," tao murmurs. it doesn't hurt to say. it doesn't hurt to think. tao remembers when it did. remembers when just the name chanyeol made zhim want to cry or punch things, and baekhyun would roll zher eyes and jab tao's side and remind zhim you broke up with kris, dummy.
kris hesitates, and then nods. kris sets the envelope down on the pavement between their feet. tao isn't scared that it'll blow away, but it might.
"zhe loves me, too," kris notes. tao doesn't ask about present-tense, but sends out a useless last-ditch prayer that kris at least warned chanyeol zhe was leaving. "i guess i just thought..."
kris trails off, and tao has no idea what zhe meant to say but it's better that way. when things were different, it was okay that they were on the same page. it was nice. but maybe now it's best that they don't try to be. tao doesn't mind being on an independent train of thought. the ship is sailing; tao doesn't mind if there are feelings zhe has and thoughts zhe's lingered on that kris will never know.
"i'm sorry," tao says in the midday quiet that somehow manages to remain, even with death imminent. it's a suburbs thing. "i didn't expect that you'd --"
kris cuts tao off with a wry grin and a long arm wrapped around tao's waist, pulling zhim near. "don't tell me you thought i'd just let something like that pass without making a scene of it?"
tao turns zher face away from kris to stare at that unassuming white envelope against stony grey pavement. "i don't know what i thought," tao admits, and then tao smiles, leaning against kris's shoulder. "i'm really happy i got to see you this last time."
kris's chuckle sounds rough in zher throat and tao almost wants to kiss zhim. "me too," kris says. tao doesn't kiss zhim. they sit there for a while, and eventually kris leaves. tao doesn't leave the front door step, just watches kris get into zher car from there.
"stay safe!" kris calls over zher shoulder, as goodbye. it's a joke, sort of.
"love you!" tao responds, no clenched hem in zher grasp or proper-and-planned parting words. kris stiffens but it might just be tao's eyes playing tricks on zhim. kris gets in and drives off without returning the sentiment, but it's all right because tao knows that kris heard.
it's the last time that tao will ever see kris. they'll be the last words that kris will ever hear from tao. kris is going to die. tao is going to die. everyone's going to die, apart but everyone together.
...
when tao goes inside, baekhyun is sitting at the kitchen island, a mug of tea in zher hands. zhe doesn't ask any questions, just stirs zher tea. tao stands behind zhim, leaning against the counter of the sink, and thinks that zhe's happy.
"i don't know what i see in you," baekhyun says, after zher first successful sip. tao wants to taste lemon and honey on baekhyun's half-numbed burnt tongue but zhe can wait. baekhyun looks over zher shoulder at tao, raising an eyebrow when tao doesn't react. "honestly."
"that's okay. as long as you promise to stay," tao hums. baekhyun snorts but doesn't shake tao off when zhe drapes zher arms over baekhyun's shoulders.
that night they watch the news together. they watch a digit slip away with ease, watch one hundred and eighty transform into twelve and they don't cry. tao stops worrying about kris being able to make up with chanyeol in that instant.
tao holds baekhyun in zher lap and kisses zhim until the broadcast ends, until power-saving energy-options shut off the television and they're sitting in blackness. tao kisses baekhyun and only thinks about baekhyun and it's the happiest tao has ever felt, baekhyun's hands in zher hair and hips under tao's fingertips.
they're asleep when it times out. tao's head is nestled into the dip of baekhyun's collarbone and baekhyun's arms are limp around tao's chest and there's a flash of light.