[exo] honey&lightning - vi

[printedapples]

Title: Honey&Lightning
Rating: NC-17
Wordcount: total ~50k
Pairing: BaekYeol
Genre: hurt/comfort, heavy melodrama
Summary: Lightning never strikes the same place twice.
Warnings: Highlight for full list mentions of past domestic violence, illness, animal death



Chanyeol returns to work on Monday only to be surprised by Baekhyun at lunchtime. He waves timidly from the entrance of the workshop until he catches Chanyeol’s attention and beams at him.

“So this is where you get down and dirty,” Baekhyun jokes when Chanyeol walks over with dirt on his cheeks and oil on his pants. “There’s so many tools and big machines, it’s kind of scary. What time does your break start?”

“Anytime,” he smiles, turning back briefly to let his colleague know that he is leaving for lunch. “They’re flexible about it as long as I get the work done. What brings you here today? Not that i’m complaining.”

“I went to get a phone like I promised,” he grins, retrieving the device from his jacket pocket. “Then I realised I don’t actually know your phone number.”

“Here,” Chanyeol hands Baekhyun his own phone in exchange for the bags of takeaway hanging from his wrists. “You should take down my family’s phone numbers as well. I saved your brother’s number too.”

“Got it,” Baekhyun nods, nudging Chanyeol towards the food. “Eat, Chanyeol. You must be hungry.”

Chanyeol smirks and nips playfully at Baekhyun’s ear, chuckling at the startled gasp that escapes his lips.

“Chanyeol!” Baekhyun hisses, laughing as he wiggles away. “You know how ticklish I am!”

“You told me to eat,” Chanyeol shrugs innocently as he opens up the take away box of jjajangmyeon and tucks in, slurping up the noodles. Baekhyun squints at him briefly.

“Where are you headed to after this?” he asks in between mouthfuls, blushing when Baekhyun laughs and wipes off the stray sauce on his nose.

“I’m going to pop by the vet’s to collect...you know,” Baekhyun gestures awkwardly. “And then I want to get some photo frames so we can put pictures up on the walls.”

“We can set up a little memorial space for Chorong when I get home tonight,” Chanyeol suggests. Baekhyun’s eyes widen a little before he nods in agreement. “With her collar and tag, and maybe a photo.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Baekhyun smiles. “But first - I need a wallpaper for my phone.”

Baekhyun grins at him when he scoots over and holds out his phone to take a photo of them both, smiling as the camera application clicks. Chanyeol appeases him when Baekhyun tries to get him to take a few more with funny faces and strange poses, fondly amused at how excited he is over such a simple thing.

Baekhyun walks him back to the workshop when he’s done with his food, holding hands until they are just outside the entrance to the workshop. Chanyeol can see his colleagues watching him from the corners of his eyes, but he smiles and lets Baekhyun wrap his arms around him loosely and slip his phone into his back pocket.

“Thanks for popping by,” he bends down slightly so Baekhyun can give him a quick kiss on the lips. “Sweetheart,” he whispers before kissing him again. Baekhyun is blushing when they part, cheeks dusted a pretty pink.

“Anything for you,” Baekhyun smiles shyly, and Chanyeol bumps their noses together, chuckling.

“I have something I want to tell you,” he says nervously with a shaky smile. “But it’ll have to wait until I get home.”

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun whines, curious, but Chanyeol keeps his lips sealed, ducking back into the workshop before Baekhyun can protest.

*

His afternoon is, thankfully, uneventful, and Chanyeol finds himself in the locker room of the workshop half an hour early, wiping off dirt and grease from his face and skin in an attempt to be presentable. He changes back into the clean set of clothes he had worn in the morning, grabbing his bag and keys and hurrying to his bike, hoping he will make it to the Jeweller’s before the shop closes for the day.

Chanyeol had taken a diversion the day before when Baekhyun had asked him to do the groceries while he cleaned, stopping by a small jewellery shop a couple of streets over from the market. He parks his bike by the side of the street, quickly dismounting and pushing through the glass doors of the store. A lady greets him politely when he approaches the counter.

“How can I help you, sir?” She asks.

“I-I’m here to collect a pair of rings,” he stutters, suddenly nervous, and the staff gives him a knowing smile.

“Could I please have your receipt, sir?” She tries not to giggle when Chanyeol fumbles with his wallet, dropping the receipt he had kept in between some of his cards. He bends down quickly to pick the little slip of paper up and place it on the glass counter, feeling the tips of his ears turn red as heat rises to his cheeks.

The shop staff returns quickly enough with two small, satin ribboned boxes, propping them open for him so he can check the rings inside. He thanks her after he checks the sizes, slipping the boxes safely into his backpack. Chanyeol feels his pulse starting to quicken as the nerves start to tickle him, wondering if he is being too brazen. He puts on his helmet and kicks off, taking the shortest route home to Baekhyun.

*

Chanyeol takes his shoes off before he rings the bell to their apartment. He takes the rings out of their boxes and hides them in his pocket moments before Baekhyun opens the door to welcome him home in confusion.

“Did you forget your keys?” he asks as he hugs Chanyeol tightly, burying his face into the crook of his neck, not minding the sweat or remnants of dirt. Baekhyun likes showering together, and sometimes Chanyeol thinks he does it on purpose.

“Nope,” Chanyeol mumbles into his crown. “Baekhyun?”

“Yes?” Baekhyun blinks at him in surprise when he pulls away and goes down on bended knee.

“Hold out your hand,” Chanyeol says, heart thudding loudly in his chest. Baekhyun does as he is told. “I know you can’t wear a ring on your fourth finger, but we can make promises together right?”

Baekhyun nods at him with wide eyes.

“Byun Baekhyun, will you let me keep you?”

He feels his ears heat up when a rosy blush tints Baekhyun’s cheeks. Chanyeol can see the corners of his mouth perking upwards into a barely contained grin as he nods eagerly, eyes bright as he fidgets on the spot.

“Always. I’m yours.”

Chanyeol takes a deep breath before he opens his left palm to reveal a tiny, silver ring. He holds it gingerly between his clumsy fingers and tries to slip it onto Baekhyun's little finger, missing and almost dropping the adornment because of his own shaking hands.

“I-It’s actually a wedding band, but I got them to size it down to fit on your pinky.”

Baekhyun giggles at his fumbling, smiling shyly when he realises what Chanyeol is trying to do. He holds his hand steady with his own, beaming up at him, and Chanyeol's heart is drowned with love and brilliant light.

"Don't laugh," Chanyeol pouts, finally sliding the ring down Baekhyun's outstretched finger. It's a simple ring without excess, but Baekhyun looks overjoyed anyway, delight painted across his face and fondness in his eyes. It fits perfectly around his finger.

"Where's yours?" he asks coyly, wiggling his fingers under Chanyeol’s chin, leaning down to kiss him on the corner of his mouth. "I'm pretty sure these come in a pair."

Chanyeol blushes and fishes out the other half to the matching set from his pocket, placing it gently in Baekhyun's open palm. He had gotten the jeweller to fit his on his little finger as well. Baekhyun giggles with glee and wastes no time in putting it on, raising his hand to his lips to kiss it after.

"You're mine now," he growls as he jumps into Chanyeol's embrace as he stands, wrapping his legs around his waist for balance. Chanyeol barely manages to catch him, swinging out arms on instinct when Baekhyun's body comes into contact with his. He laughs happily and spins them around for a bit, listening to Baekhyun shriek dramatically when he pretends to let him fall.

"I'm yours," he smiles into the crook of Baekhyun's neck, glad to be alive, breathing, here and now, with love and adoration held safely in his arms, for him to cherish to and to keep.

*

"Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asks one day, while the shorter one is watching the weekly music chart show before dinner. "Will you cut my hair for me?"

He has been thinking about it ever since his proposal to Baekhyun a few days back, constantly toying with the idea of getting his hair cut since watching Baekhyun trim his own in the bathroom just recently. Chanyeol approaches him with a grin and nudges him with his elbow, scissors held in his other hand.

"Are you sure you can trust me with a pair of scissors?" Baekhyun teases, taking the scissors from Chanyeol’s hands and holding it jokingly to his throat. “I almost killed a man you know.”

"I'm sure. I trust you with my life." Chanyeol replies firmly. “Which also entails my hair.”

"Are you sure? I'm not that good at it. I can barely manage avoiding disaster with myself," Baekhyun laughs lightly, fiddling with his own hair with a sheepish smile. Chanyeol thinks otherwise. Baekhyun’s hair is soft to the touch and absolutely perfect for his boyish looks.

"I want it to be you. It has to be you," he insists. “I can always get it cleaned up at a hair salon but the first cut has to be done by you.”

"How much should I cut? An inch? Two?" Baekhyun asks, twirling his reddish hair around his index finger.

"Chop it all off," Chanyeol says firmly, and Baekhyun gapes at him.

“But your beautiful long hair!” Baekhyun protests, tangling his fingers into Chanyeol’s locks, pouting sadly. He leans his chin on the top of Chanyeol’s head “I like your hair. Why the drastic change?”

“I just want something different. A fresh start with you,” he admits softly. Baekhyun finally acquiesces with a kiss to his temple, then slips back quickly into their bedroom to retrieve a comb. He waits patiently in his seat, shifting the chair closer to the kitchen so it will be easier to clean up the mess afterwards.

“You should take your shirt off,” Baekhyun tells him with a blush when he returns. “So you know, you don’t get hair all over your clothes.”

He cackles when Chanyeol shoots him a pointed look and shrugs off his t-shirt, tossing it aside on the arm of the couch. Baekhyun pokes at his now exposed tummy and sides, taking advantage of the moment to tickle him, playful as ever.

“I’m going to start, okay?” Baekhyun says determinedly once he has had his share of fun. Chanyeol nods nervously, fiddling with his thumbs with his hands in his lap. “Try not to move or I might accidentally snip your ears off.”

Chanyeol holds still as best he can while Baekhyun gets to work. Baekhyun hums one of Wolf’s songs as he starts to cut, popping back over to the other side of the chair ever so often to check on his progress. Chanyeol can’t help but flinch when he hears the snap of the scissors and sees the tufts of hair falling to the floor. The cool metal of Baekhyun's ring brushes against his ear ever so often though, and he finds the sensation comforting.

All in all, Baekhyun takes about half an hour to finish. He brushes the stray hairs off Chanyeol’s shoulders and back when he is done, prodding him to stand up so he can guide him gently towards the bathroom mirror. He lets Baekhyun push him in backwards first, trying not to stumble.

“Ta-dah!” Baekhyun exclaims when he spins Chanyeol around awkwardly in the small space, waiting in apprehension for Chanyeol’s reaction. “How do you like it?”

Chanyeol peers at himself in the mirror, trying to take in the reflection staring back at him. Baekhyun had cut his hair short enough for his ears to be exposed, but left enough length for his bangs to brush just past his eyebrows. He lifts his hands to cover his ears and touches his neck, unused to how exposed his nape now is. He looks unfamiliar to himself, but it feels like a heavy weight has been lifted from his heart. Chanyeol shivers when Baekhyun’s cold fingers brush across the start of his spine, pleasant against his skin.

“It’s great,” he grins, turning around to kiss Baekhyun on the nose. “Thank you.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?” Baekhyun mumbles against his lips, unsure. “I can try something different if you don’t like it.”

“I like it,” Chanyeol smiles sincerely, pulling away to look Baekhyun in the eyes.

“I just had a thought,” Baekhyun muses as he plays with the ends of Chanyeol’s now short hair.

“Hmm?” Chanyeol hums, prompting him to go on.

“It’s like that story,” Baekhyun starts, nudging Chanyeol towards the shower. “The one about Samson, and how he lost his strength after his lover cut his hair.”

“Are you going to leave me weak and defenceless,” Chanyeol plays along, chuckling when Baekhyun starts to take off his shirt. “my Delilah?”

“Well that depends on what we do after this,” Baekhyun smirks, letting his teeth graze along the contour of Chanyeol’s now exposed ear, hand trailing dangerously low on his abdomen.

“You are my sweetest downfall,” Chanyeol whispers into his mouth as he turns to kiss him tenderly.

“I loved you first.”

*

Yura calls him while he’s doing the dishes to talk about their appointment for the test. Baekhyun shuffles over from where he was lazing on the couch with a yawn and takes over clean up duty, nudging Chanyeol aside with a smile. He switches places with Baekhyun and moves to the couch, waiting for his sister to continue speaking.

“Our appointment is on the sixteenth of March, at ten in the morning,” Yura recounts. Chanyeol can’t help but be amused at how much she sounds like she is reporting the news despite the seriousness of their conversation. “We’ll have to attend a few counselling sessions in the meantime, and we’re supposed to bring either partners or family members. I’ll be bringing along my fiancé. You should let Baekhyun know.”

“I will,” Chanyeol assures her. “He’s been really supportive about this whole thing.”

“I’m glad you have him,” Yura sighs happily. “Oh! Yes, I wanted to invite you both over to my new place. You haven’t seen our apartment yet!”

Chanyeol laughs when Baekhyun walks over and gives him a cheeky look. “Gossiping about me?” he teases, settling down on the floor. He watches curiously as Baekhyun pulls over a stack of what looks to be the entire week’s classifieds and starts circling adverts with a pen. He slides down off the couch and behind Baekhyun after he ends his call with Yura, letting his arms wrap loosely around Baekhyun’s waist.

“What are you doing?” he asks, peeking over Baekhyun’s shoulder with raised eyebrows.

“I thought I should start looking for a part time job,” Baekhyun explains. “I’ve been living off you for months now and I want to help out financially too.”

“There’s no rush. I earn enough for both of us as it is,” Chanyeol reassures him, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “If you want to do music, go ahead. If you want to further your studies, we can figure something out as well.”

“Are you sure, Chanyeol?” Baekhyun leans into his touch, still concerned. “You deferred from your degree didn’t you? Don’t you want to go back?”

Chanyeol shakes his head and leans over the couch so he can hug Baekhyun from the back. “I’ve thought about it before but I’m happy where I am now. I like what I do for a living. Besides,” He chuckles cheerfully, “I don’t think I know how to study anymore anyway. I’ve been away from the books for too long.”

“Okay,” Baekhyun nods and smiles, giggling when Chanyeol tries to climb over the couch awkwardly, landing with a soft ‘oof’ on top of Baekhyun’s smaller body.

“What I want instead - ” he says earnestly, grinning when Baekhyun blinks up from under him. “ - is to have a home with you. I’ll save up, and we’ll move somewhere nice. And maybe we could adopt a dog or a cat.”

“I would love that,” Baekhyun breathes as he kisses him slow and deep, hooking his fingers into the fabric of Chanyeol’s collar so he can flip them over. Chanyeol looks up at him, slightly startled, only to see a playful smirk on Baekhyun’s face.

“I got you something.” He smirks again, shimmying upwards to bite at Chanyeol’s ear. Chanyeol swallows thickly when Baekhyun pins him down with his body, hyper aware of where Baekhyun’s groin is resting just above his belly button. Baekhyun lets out a little moan when Chanyeol fidgets, feeling heat pool near the base of his spine.

“Don’t move,” Baekhyun whines. He reaches his hand over to the table to retrieve a small, silver ear cuff, holding it up for Chanyeol to see. Chanyeol chuckles when he sees the engraved letter B on the polished metal. “Which piercing should I switch it with?”

“Take your pick,” he replies, holding still so Baekhyun can replace one of his studs with the cuff. He picks the second helix on Chanyeol’s left ear lobe, carefully removing the old stud before clicking the cuff into place with a gentle squeeze. He grins in glee and pulls back to admire his work.

“So possessive,” Chanyeol teases, sliding his hand up Baekhyun’s shirt to rest on the smooth skin of his tummy, tickling the spot where he knows Baekhyun’s happy trail is. He smirks when he feels Baekhyun’s erection throb through the thin cotton of his boxers.

“You’re aroused.”

Baekhyun chews on his bottom lip and nods quietly in reply, suddenly shy. He averts his eyes even when Chanyeol raises the back of his hand to caress Baekhyun’s cheek.

“I like it,” he says softly. “Don’t be embarrassed.”

“You don’t think it’s weird?” Baekhyun mumbles, letting Chanyeol guide him downwards so he can kiss him.

“Not at all,” he reassures Baekhyun before slipping his tongue past eagerly parted lips, coaxing moans from him until his heartbeat is thundering in his ears and Baekhyun’s every touch leaves his skin singeing and craving for more. Baekhyun whines softly when they part to breathe, a little cry escaping his lips when Chanyeol tries to sit up and rubs against him by accident.

He tilts his neck for easy access when Chanyeol starts to nip at the delicate skin, letting teeth graze over veins as he leaves a trail of soft bites on Baekhyun’s flesh from his jaw to his collarbone, growling into his ear when Baekhyun moans and grinds down against him.

“Mine.”

*

Myeongdong on a Saturday afternoon is packed as usual, streets filled with inevitable bustle as groups of friends and couples seek each other out in the crowd. Early spring in Seoul is lovely. The breeze is cool and soft, winding through streets lined with blossom trees. Baekhyun is as excited over the drifting petals as he had been with the first snowfall, gathering fallen pastel petals from the early bloomers to dump unceremoniously onto Chanyeol’s now short hair.

It is heartening to see Baekhyun in such a good mood, so Chanyeol laughs and plays along with him, slipping petals down the collar of his shirt, shaking his head and ruffling his hair while Baekhyun flaps his arms to get the petals out. They had breakfast together earlier at a quiet café just a few corners away, sharing cups of coffee and pancakes with berries and cream. Another band is playing live at EXO tonight, and Kyungsoo and Jongin had sent them tickets for the show. Chanyeol is looking forward to seeing the rest of the band again after these couple of busy weeks, but in the meantime, he lets himself be pulled along by Baekhyun, trailing behind him while he peeks eagerly into shops along the street. Baekhyun wants to get them some new underwear, and Chanyeol wants to buy him a long overdue motorcycle helmet of his own.

Chanyeol tugs on his hand whenever Baekhyun edges too far ahead, afraid to lose him in the crowd. After an hour or two of window shopping and collecting -hoarding, Chanyeol thinks, is the more accurate word - free cosmetic and skincare samples, Baekhyun leads him cheerfully to a departmental store so they can finally shop for what they actually need.

“Let’s use the masks together tonight,” He chatters excitedly, cupping Chanyeol’s cheeks while they ride the escalators upwards. Baekhyun is standing on the step above Chanyeol, enjoying their now evened out height. “You should take care of your skin! You’re always covered in dirt and grease from work. Stop spoiling me so much and indulge yourself once in a while, Mr. Frugal,” Baekhyun chides, pinching his cheeks softly.

Chanyeol nods and looks around before sneaking a quick kiss, letting his hands rest lightly against Baekhyun’s nape. “But I like it when you’re happy,” he mumbles softly.

Baekhyun blushes and turns away just as they reach the menswear department, but he does not shy away when Chanyeol slips his smaller hand into his own. He lets Baekhyun eagerly coerce him into buying two new shirts and a pair of trousers for himself, using the warmer spring weather as an excuse to appease him.

Chanyeol starts to blush when they reach the underwear section of the floor, standing still and shy as Baekhyun holds up the different designs for Chanyeol to see. Baekhyun already knows his size by heart, and the thought of it leaves Chanyeol more than a little flustered.

“Hey, this one has paw prints on it!” He grins as he nudges Chanyeol cheerfully, handing him a package in the right size before resuming his eager foray into the world of colourful boxers. “I’ve always had such plain, boring ones. I hope you don’t mind, Chanyeol?”

“Knock yourself out,” Chanyeol chuckles and shakes his head fondly. The paw prints remind him of something he had forgotten to mention to Baekhyun earlier though, so he slips his hand around Baekhyun’s waist to get his attention.

“Baekhyun, remember you were looking for a part time job?” He starts. “I used to volunteer regularly at this animal shelter not too far away from home, and I was thinking of starting again. I was wondering if you wanted to volunteer together, just in the meantime.”

“That sounds like a brilliant idea!” Baekhyun nods and smiles brightly. “I’d love to.”

“You seem to have a knack with dogs and I’m sure you’ll be a great help - ” Chanyeol grins in return, only to be cut off in surprise when Baekhyun suddenly bolts away, out of sight.

“Bae - ”

“ - Excuse me sir,” A shorter man approaches him hurriedly, with a woman and young child trailing after him. He seems somewhat familiar, and Chanyeol blinks in confusion when he speaks. “I’m sorry for intruding like this - but that man with you just now, would his name by any chance be Baekhyun?”

Chanyeol freezes in panic at the mention of Baekhyun’s name. Baekhyun probably had a good reason for running away so suddenly like he did, but his train of thought is interrupted when the man’s wife catches up to them and starts chiding her husband for being rude.

“Yeobo!” She sighs, tugging on his elbow before bowing in apology to Chanyeol. “I’m sorry, my husband’s brother went missing last year and he’s been searching for him ever since. He didn’t mean to cause you any trouble.”

“It’s alright,” Chanyeol replies, mind still reeling from the sudden encounter. If Baekhyun is his missing brother then the man who approached him must be…

“My name is Byun Baekbeom.” He bows politely, handing Chanyeol a little name card with Baekhyun’s picture on it. It is a smaller version of the missing poster that had been put up at the convenience store. “The person in the photograph here is my younger brother Byun Baekhyun. He went missing last year and I’ve been trying to find him ever since. If you ever see him I would greatly appreciate it if you could contact me at this number here,” Baekbeom points out his phone number at the bottom of the card.

Chanyeol nods numbly, unsure of what to do. He knew how much Baekhyun wants to meet his brother again, but at the same time Baekhyun had run away when his brother had approached them, and Chanyeol does not think he has the right to reveal his identity and make that decision for him.

Baekbeom’s wife takes his silence as a sign for them to leave, and she pulls on his arm, leading him away and apologising again sheepishly. Their little daughter looks back at Chanyeol once more with a knowing smile before her mother takes a hold of her hand and leads her away.

“I swore I heard Baekhyun’s voice, yeobo…” Chanyeol hears Baekbeom speaking to his wife in a hushed voice just as they round the corner out of sight. He waits until he is sure they are gone before he starts searching for Baekhyun. He walks around the surrounding aisles, checking behind racks of clothing on display but to no avail until he spots the sign indicating the location of the fitting rooms. Chanyeol slips past the lady on duty with a charming smile and a quickly makes up an excuse (befittingly) about how he is looking for his younger brother.

The fitting rooms are empty save for one locked door in the furthest corner. He approaches it cautiously, calling out Baekhyun’s name before he knocks softly. Chanyeol knows he got it right when he sees Baekhyun’s familiar boots shuffling towards the locked door, and he nudges it open once the other turns the bolt to unlock it.

Baekhyun’s lip is trembling when Chanyeol slips past the gap and squeezes himself into the stall, locking the door behind him to give them some privacy.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun chokes out when he rushes into Chanyeol’s arms, burying his face into his neck when he starts to cry. “I didn’t mean to run away. I just - I panicked when I saw my hyung and I didn’t know what to do.”

“It’s alright, Baekhyun, love, there’s no need to be sorry,” Chanyeol whispers, holding him tight and rubbing his back as his chest heaves and shakes. “Your brother’s still looking for you. Even gave me a card again.” He chuckles.

“Chanyeol I - ” Baekhyun sniffles. “I’m so glad he’s okay and he’s happy and he even has a daughter now. I’m an uncle Chanyeol,” he says in disbelief, “I have a niece.”

“A niece who seems as cheeky as you are,” Chanyeol teases, and Baekhyun starts to smile.

“Seeing him in real life was just so overwhelming,” Baekhyun says in between his last few sniffles. Chanyeol kisses him softly once he has calmed down, using the hems of his sleeves to wipe away the tear tracks on his cheeks and under his eyes. Baekhyun leans against him and lets himself be cradled by Chanyeol until he’s pliant and smiling again.

“You’ll be okay now,” Chanyeol says, hushed. “You must have missed them so much.”

Baekhyun nods against his shoulder, still trembling.

“We’ll give your brother a call whenever you’re ready, okay?” Chanyeol promises him as he squeezes him tight, feeling his heart melt into a little puddle when Baekhyun peeks up shyly at him through his lashes to kiss his jaw and nuzzle his neck.

“Thank you, Chanyeol.”

*

His appointment with Yura at the hospital in the middle of March comes around far too quickly. His sister calls him during dinner to let him know she will drive them both to the hospital the following day. Chanyeol is grateful for her concern, knowing he probably would not be able to focus on riding there on his own because of his nerves. He had been so distracted that he nicked his own finger while preparing for dinner in the evening and had to be exiled to the couch by Baekhyun before he could cause further injury.

He smiles appreciatively at Baekhyun when he brings their food over to the table and apologises for being clumsy. Baekhyun snuggles into his side once he is seated, kissing him on the cheek and telling him not to worry about it. Baekhyun has been exceptionally touchy and affectionate all week, resulting in Chanyeol being almost late to work on all the previous days before, but Chanyeol cannot exactly say that he did not enjoy it as much as Baekhyun seemed to have himself.

“So, what do you want to do tonight?” he teases Baekhyun with a wink once they are done with dinner, only to get a flirty giggle in reply.

“For a change, why don’t we do what you want to do?” Baekhyun smirks and straddles him. There is a trail of love bites starting from the bump of his throat down to his collarbones that Chanyeol had left over the past few nights. He lets his lips ghost over the bruised skin, kissing each one tenderly.

“I don’t see how that would work,” he smirks smugly when Baekhyun flushes a deep shade of red. It’s cute how much Baekhyun blushes even after their having spent so much time together. “Let’s have a movie marathon instead,” he suggests, chuckling when Baekhyun huffs and turns away with a pout.

“We can’t have a movie marathon,” he fake grumbles.

“Why not?” Chanyeol teases him some more, kissing his temple and letting his fingers linger over his nape, where he knows Baekhyun is extra sensitive.

“Because we don’t have popcorn,” Baekhyun grins and laughs, pushing Chanyeol backwards into the couch, pretending to bite him on the nose.

“But we have ice cream,” he chuckles in reply. Baekhyun relents and pokes him in the cheek before he scurries back to the kitchen to grab a pint tub they can share.

“Honeycomb and vanilla, your favourite,” Baekhyun grins when he returns, peeling off the plastic and handing Chanyeol a spoon. “Why do you like honey so much anyway?” He asks as he looks through Chanyeol’s small selection of DVDs.

“I used to like it purely because it was sweet,” Chanyeol explains. “But now I like it because it tastes like you,” he admits.

“You don’t mean that literally do you,” Baekhyun snorts and reaches over to the television to pop the disc into the DVD player. “Because I’ve tasted myself and I’m pretty sure I don’t taste like hon - ”

Chanyeol shuts him up with a kiss to hide his own embarrassment. “I mean it figuratively, Baekhyun. The way you taste when we kiss, the way you breathe my name, your skin under my fingertips - you’re just like honey,”

“I hope you mean ambrosia because that would be pretty cool but if all I am to you is a sticky, yellow-brown liquid made by bees you are in big, big troub - ”

“Honey,” Chanyeol insists as he kisses him again, resting his forehead against Baekhyun’s. He can still taste the ice cream on Baekhyun’s lips, so he pokes his tongue out and licks at them, occasionally pulling on his pouty bottom lip with his teeth.

“You are honey,” he says again as he drinks in Baekhyun’s needy moans and whimpers, the sound sweet to his ears. Baekhyun tangles his fingers in his hair and pulls him closer, breath hitching when Chanyeol slips his hands under his shirt and across landmarked skin, carving a line to Baekhyun’s heart.

“Only because I’m not a god.”

*

They make it to the third Harry Potter movie before Baekhyun dozes off against his bare shoulder, shirt still tossed carelessly aside on the floor in their earlier haste. Baekhyun clings to him when Chanyeol lifts him in his arms and carries him back to their room, bare skin warm and addictive. He tugs the covers over Baekhyun’s body before sliding in next to him, holding him close when Baekhyun reaches out unconsciously for him. He falls asleep soon after with his face buried into the crook of Baekhyun’s neck, letting his scent lull him to sleep.

Baekhyun, surprisingly, rises before him in the morning. He is already changed and showered when he nudges Chanyeol awake, poking him in ticklish spots until he is rolls out of bed and washes up.

“How are you feeling?” he asks when Chanyeol returns from the bathroom, hovering around him while he waits for him to get changed.

“Scared,” he admits as he pulls on his clothes. Baekhyun hugs him reassuringly when he’s done.

“You’d be a fool otherwise.” He smiles, tiptoeing to bump their noses together softly. “It’s time to go.”

*

Yura seems to be her usual, cheerful self when she picks them up ten minutes later. She pulls up by the side of the road before coming out to greet them good morning, hugging both Chanyeol and Baekhyun in turn before she herds them into the backseat together. Chanyeol appreciates how she is already treating Baekhyun like family, and tries to remember to thank her afterwards when they are both less preoccupied with their thoughts. Baekhyun holds his hand tightly throughout the car ride, letting Chanyeol lean against his shoulder while he closes his eyes and tries to block out the noise in his head.

Their genetic counsellor had briefed them thoroughly on the procedures and things they had to prepare themselves for in their previous counselling sessions. Baekhyun had accompanied him for all of the sessions, and Yura’s fiancé had made sure he was by her side as well. The test itself today would be quick - just a collection of blood samples from the both of them so they could get their DNA tested in the labs. Their mother had been tested at the same hospital and her results could be used as a reference for their symptoms in case either of them tested positive. They were told that their results could take up to a month to return, and to continue counselling during the wait. Yura’s fiancé was at an important meeting that she had insisted he could not miss.

“Is that a gift from Baekhyun?” Yura asks curiously when they are ushered through a long corridor towards the doctor’s office. Baekhyun has to remain in the waiting room while Chanyeol and Yura do their blood tests together, and Chanyeol’s nerves are worse than before without Baekhyun by his side.

“You mean this?” He points at the ear cuff.

“Yeah. You’ve been fiddling with it the entire time since we left the waiting room,” Yura squeezes his shoulder to try to calm him down. “I’m just curious.”

“Ah,” Chanyeol nods, holding still for a second so Yura can see the letter B on the metal. “He gave it to me back in January. Apparently I tend to touch it a lot when Baekhyun isn’t with me. According to Kyungsoo, at least.”

“That’s so cute,” Yura chuckles, teasing him. “My little Chanyeol is completely smitten.”

Chanyeol grins at her with a blush on his cheeks, glad for the temporary distraction. Soon enough, it is their turn and the nurse calls out both their names.

“Are you ready?” Yura smiles. She pats him on the back, waiting for his reply before she knocks on the door to the doctor’s office.

“Ready,” Chanyeol says firmly, and they push through the white doors together.

*

“What if he doesn’t want to see me?” Baekhyun asks Chanyeol anxiously, pacing back and forth, restless. “What if he hates me?”

“Don’t be silly Baekhyun, there’s no way he could hate you,” Chanyeol tries to reassure him, catching hold of his hand and squeezing it so he stops moving. “He’s been looking for you for months. Of course he wants to see you.”

“But it’s been years since I talked to him…how do I explain what happened? How we met? Why I left? My finger?” Baekhyun lists off each topic on his right hand, brows furrowed and voice troubled. “What if he can’t recognise me anymore?”

Baekhyun had, on impulse and emotion, called his brother while waiting for Chanyeol and Yura in the hospital two weeks ago. Chanyeol had hurried over to him after seeing how pale his face had turned, checking his forehead to see if he was unwell and rubbing his back.

“You were being so brave,” He had said, hands shaking as he showed Chanyeol the call record on his phone. “So I tried to be brave too.”

“I-I don’t think I can do this Chanyeol,” Baekhyun whines, and Chanyeol’s mind snaps back to the present. He lunges out and wraps his arms firmly around Baekhyun’s waist when he sees the shorter man try to make a run for it, pulling him back close until his chest is pressed against Baekhyun’s back. They are waiting for Baekbeom to finish orchestra rehearsals outside a café near the concert hall. Baekbeom had suggested having dinner together to catch up, and Baekhyun, unable to react, had no choice but to agree.

“You’ve been wanting to see your family so much, love,” he holds on tight, not succumbing to Baekhyun’s attempts at wiggling away. “You can’t run away now. I won’t let you.”

“But I - ” Baekhyun retorts weakly, slumping against Chanyeol in defeat. “I’m scared, Chanyeol.”

He leans down to kiss Baekhyun’s crown and smoothen out the bangs on his forehead. “It’ll be okay, I’m sure of it.”

Baekhyun turns around and hides his face in Chanyeol’s jacket. His fingers are tense against Chanyeol’s arm, and he tries his best to help him relax, stroking his hair and rubbing his back. He nudges Baekhyun away when he sees orchestra members heading down the steps of the main entrance, and slips his phone out of his pocket to check the time.

“He should be here any minute now,” Chanyeol says, twining his fingers with Baekhyun’s.

“Chanyeol I don’t think this is such a good idea anymo - ”

“Baekhyun?” A vaguely familiar voice calls out, and Baekhyun tenses up immediately. Chanyeol squeezes his hand and sends him all the courage he can muster, smiling and waving amiably at the man approaching them. Chanyeol can tell that he is definitely Baekhyun’s brother now that he is seeing him for the second time. Baekbeom had the same kind, downward sloping eyes as Baekhyun, and their faces are similar in more than one aspect. Even the timbre of his voice held a likeness to Baekhyun’s. He hurries over to where Baekhyun is standing wide-eyed by Chanyeol’s side, violin case on his back shaking as he runs.

“Oh thank god you’re okay,” Baekbeom sighs in relief once he comes to a stop in front of both of them. He holds Baekhyun’s face gently in his hands and ruffles his hair, trying to get Baekhyun to look up at him. Chanyeol can feel Baekhyun shaking, his grip on his hand vice like as he keeps his eyes trained on the ground.

“It’s me, your hyung. You can still recognise me right? Even though i’m old and starting to grow white hairs,” Baekbeom laughs jovially, trying to ease the tension. He smiles brightly when Baekhyun nods in reply.

“Have you been eating well?” Baekbeom asks, squeezing his shoulder comfortingly. Baekhyun nods weakly again, still unable to meet his eyes or speak.

“I - ” He finally manages to choke out. Chanyeol can hear the pain in his voice and he squeezes his hand once more for support. Baekbeom waits patiently for him to continue, taking a step back to give Baekhyun some space.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun cries, voice cracking. “I’m so sorry,” he repeats again, letting go of Chanyeol’s hand to wipe at the tears falling from his eyes.

“Baekhyun-ah,” Baekbeom says kindly, pulling Baekhyun into a firm embrace. He smiles when Baekhyun hugs him back.

“Hyung missed you too.”

*

Baekhyun, as expected, did wonderfully well on his first day at the animal shelter. He managed to get most of the animals to warm up to him pretty quickly, and needless to say the supervisor was impressed. Baekhyun’s own past experience with keeping dogs is an added plus, but there was just something about him that made the animals trust him easily. Even the usually hostile dogs that were tense and aggressive did not react as negatively towards him as they did to the others.

Initially, Baekhyun and Chanyeol were supposed to volunteer once every weekend together, but after seeing how well Baekhyun had gotten on with the animals, he had been asked if he could come by on weekdays as well, to which Baekhyun had eagerly agreed.

Chanyeol would drop Baekhyun off at the shelter in the morning on his volunteer days before heading off to work. They usually met back home in the evenings, but sometimes Chanyeol would pick him up if he finished up early at the workshop and take him out for dinner.

The month passes by a lot more quickly than Chanyeol thought it would. Most of his time outside of work is spent with Baekhyun, cuddling and making plans for the future. They go on dates every week, be it to watch movies or just lie about in the park, talking about anything and everything. Chanyeol feels at ease whenever Baekhyun is by his side, and there is nothing in this world he loves more than spending time with him, well, except Baekhyun himself.

Chanyeol’s test results appointment with Yura is on a Sunday afternoon. He spends most of his Saturday with Baekhyun at the shelter, heading to the banks of the Han River afterward for dinner. They pick up some food from the market as usual and settle down next to each other, sitting close but not too far apart with the boxes of food in the middle. The silence between them is comfortable as usual, and the evening breeze is refreshing and sweet, ruffling the leaves on the nearby trees gently.

“Someone’s hungry,” Chanyeol teases when Baekhyun puts his empty carton of noodles aside and opens up the box of rice cakes. He reaches out to wipe some of the noodle sauce off Baekhyun’s cheek. “Do you want some of mine too?”

“You’re not hungry?” Baekhyun asks, scooting over so he can have a go at the remainder of Chanyeol’s noodles.

Chanyeol nods and hands him his food. “My stomach feels like it’s going to turn itself inside out.”

“Not feeling well?” Baekhyun frowns, immediately lifting the back of his palm to Chanyeol’s forehead to check if he is running a temperature.

“I’m just thinking about tomorrow,” he admits. Baekhyun’s face lights up in understanding and he leans over to kiss Chanyeol on the cheek.

“I’ll have your noodles, but you should still eat a little of the rice cakes,” Baekhyun nudges him with a soft smile. “By the way Chanyeol…” He trails off, biting on the tip of his fingers like he always does when he’s nervous.

Chanyeol scoops up a spoonful of the rice cakes and chews, waiting for him to continue.

“I know it’s probably unreasonable of me to ask this of you now especially since I’m not earning any money yet,” Baekhyun rambles on. “But I have the savings from my old job that hyung kept safe for me, and I promise I’ll get at least part time job soon so...”

Chanyeol blinks in confusion at Baekhyun, unsure of what he is going on about.

“I was wondering if we could adopt,” Baekhyun finally ends, peeking up meekly at Chanyeol. Chanyeol blinks at him once more before he splutters and chokes on his rice cakes, coughing and wheezing as Baekhyun pats his back.

“Baekhyun,” he says after managing to take a sip of tea. “Love, I don’t think we’re ready for children yet.” He cups Baekhyun’s cheek apologetically, only to be taken aback when Baekhyun shrieks and hides his face behind his hands, shaking with laughter.

“Oh no,” he laugh-cries, refusing to show Chanyeol his face. The tips of his ears are as red as what Chanyeol can see of his cheeks. “This is so embarrassing!”

“I hope I didn’t disappoint you,” Chanyeol apologises seriously. “But I don’t think we should rush into this. We can look into it in the future though, maybe in a year or - ”

“- I love you,” Baekhyun exclaims suddenly, hugging him tight. “I love you so much, my silly Chanyeol.”

“Baekhyun, I don’t understand what’s going on,” he admits, hugging him back.

“Earlier when I said adopt,” Baekhyun pulls away to explain, kissing the tip of Chanyeol’s nose fondly. “I meant dogs.”

“O-oh,” Chanyeol stutters. “It’s my turn to be embarrassed.”

Baekhyun chuckles heartily and plays with his ears. “I’ve had my eyes on this lovely little mongrel puppy,” he explains, eyes lighting up in excitement. “She has creamy fur and black ears, and she’s really sweet and friendly.”

“You mean Bada? The Golden Retriever and German Shepherd mix?” Chanyeol smiles knowingly. He had cleaned and groomed her just this afternoon. He laughs when he remembers how adorable she was covered in soapsuds, pawing at the bubbles floating around her head.

“How did you know?” Baekhyun asks, nudging him. “Her ears are so big and cute, just like yours.”

He kisses Baekhyun when he starts fiddling with his ears again, pressing them down to the side of his head before letting go with a giggle.

“Because I was thinking of adopting her too,” Chanyeol smiles.

*

The sky is sombre when he leaves the hospital, clouds hanging thick and heavy overhead. Slivers of evening light shine through the partitions and paint the world in stifling, muted colours. Chanyeol takes a deep breath as he passes through the frosted glass doors, zipping up his jacket to keep out the oddly chilly wind. Blossom trees sigh when a gust sweeps through the street, and he vaguely remembers the forecast on the radio mentioning a storm - the first of the season, with wild winds and ruthless, torrential downpour.

Chanyeol clutches the sealed envelope tightly to his chest, wishing for the warmth of a hand to hold and feeling regret over having insisted on coming alone. Baekhyun had understood his wishes when he had asked if he could go for his appointment by himself, but had taken his favourite well worn leather jacket and draped it across Chanyeol’s shoulders before he left in the morning.

He fishes out some spare change from his wallet as he takes a seat at the bus stop, letting the coins roll about in his palm while he waits for the one that will take him back across the bridge. Two, three, four buses pass by until he is left alone at the stand, leaning against the glass shelter, watching as the world moves on around him.

Chanyeol heads for the back of the bus when he finally boards, settling down by one of the windows. Streets blend into endless streaks and lines, only to come abruptly to a stop after a mass of inky, turbulent black. He alights when the bus terminates, determined to walk the rest of the way.

The carpark is as derelict as he remembers it. Winter had not been kind to the aging structure, leaving it bare and pasty, walls no longer protected by any semblance of paint. A stray cat peeks out of its hiding place to greet him, hoping to trade some affection for morsels of food. Chanyeol steps on the white arrows, sure and steady even when the fluorescent lights flicker above him. The stray trails behind him as he circles around to the top floor, purring loudly when he strokes its fur and lets it settle on his lap.

He looks up, curious when he hears heavy footsteps echo with a thud, thud, thud, almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.

“Are you here for your jacket?” He offers Baekhyun a weak smile, slowly shrugging off the leather.

“You can keep the jacket. But I’d like your name, at least.” Baekhyun shakes his head, kneeling down in front of him. His fringe is plastered messily to his forehead and droplets of moisture roll off the sides of his face, soaking through the cotton fabric of his thin sweater.

“Chanyeol.” He chuckles, watching fondly as Baekhyun offers him his left pinky. He hooks his own little finger with Baekhyun’s, grinning widely when the silver glint of their rings overlap in the light.

“I found you.” Baekhyun smiles in relief, and Chanyeol feels his heart begin to breathe again.

Thunder claps loudly in the distance, rumbling deep into their lungs and the cores of their bones. Lightning strikes once with a blinding illuminance, leaving raindrops sparkling defiantly in its blaze. Lightning strikes a second time when they stand, spinning a thread down from heaven to lay bare at their feet.

"Is there anywhere you want to go?" Baekhyun asks, slipping his hand into Chanyeol's. He shakes his head, no.

"Home then," Baekhyun laughs, tugging Chanyeol closer to his side.

A violent gust sweeps through the air.

The stray meows, disgruntled.

Chanyeol closes his eyes -

and the storm begins.

*

a/n special thanks goes to beta swabluu (without whom this mess would be even more of a ...mess) and ma boo lababoreine.

my half of the mopple collab with favourite mochi! changdictator (i'm sorry if this isn't quite as badass as you expected u__u*)

this fic was largely inspired by this Interpol song

thank you for reading!!! ♡♡♡♡ TT  A  TT...