stationary sidewalks
Originally posted by paradisist at stationary sidewalks
Title: stationary sidewalks
Pairing: Baekhyun/Chanyeol, Baekhyun/Tao
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 3199
Inspired by the song "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" by The Script.
Going back to the corner where i first saw you
Gonna camp in my sleeping bag i'm not gonna move
Got some words on cardboard and your picture in my hand
Saying "If you see this girl can you tell her where i am"
Some try to hand me money, they don't understand
I'm not broke i'm just a broken hearted man
And i know that it makes no sense but what else can i do
How can i move on if i'm still in love with you
'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me
And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth i could be
Thinking maybe you'll come back here to the place where we'd meet
And you'll see me waiting for you at the corner of the street
So i'm not moving, i'm not moving
It was raining cats and dogs outside. Buckets of water sloshed down the glass windows of the bakery like a waterfall. It was a rainfall like no other, a sudden and tremendous opening of the heavens with floods of water pelting the roads and sidewalks. It was the type of rain that made one feel ill-at-heart, morose and depressed. It made one feel soaked to the bone, cold seeping into the skin and making one feel soggy and chilled to the marrow
Tao wiped the last plate dry and set it down neatly on the stack of clean dishes on the granite counter. He took off his apron and stuffed it under the counter, retrieving his black duffel bag simultaneously. He was done for the day. He switched off the lights, plunging the shop into pitch black darkness.
It was one of those days he dreaded going home. He had no umbrella to shield him from the relentless rain, and even if he did he would still be sopping wet by the time he got home. Gritting his teeth, he opened the door of the bakery and let himself out. Icy bullets of water pricked at his skin, so cold and continuous
"Fuck," Tao cursed under his breath, fumbling with his keys. His fingers (and the rest of his body) were shivering so hard that he couldn't jam the the blasted key into the keyhole. When the key finally turned in the lock, he was already thoroughly soaked. He leaned against the shop, looking at the scene around him. The road was free of cars and people, the only sound that filled the night was the pit-pattering of the raindrops hitting the ground, making a big splash. It was as if no one wanted to be out in such weather.
Tao sighed. He wished he didn't have to either.
"Bad day?"
He turned. Beside him, leaning against the window of the bakery was a man. He had pale, milky skin which was heavy with eyebags and he had auburn-brown hair which stuck to his forehead. He was hugging his knees and Tao could see the well worn rips on his jeans. A piece of cardboard stood beside him, accompanied by a photo frame. The streetlight illuminated the words on the cardboard and Tao could almost make out what it said.
CHANYEOL.
Tao realised he was staring all too obviously. He cleared his throat and leaned against the window, feeling the water soak into his sodden clothes.
"Bad day," he agreed.
They were silent for a moment, looking out at the ferocity of the storm. Puddles formed pools which in turn resulted in a layer of water above ground that reached the ankles. Water was everywhere.
Tao shivered, wiping his dripping face. He looked at the man beside him. He looked young, too young to be a homeless beggar. Besides, Tao couldn't see any containers or hats nearby that could be used as a tipping box. The man didn't seem to be a beggar.
But what sort of crazy man would stay out on the sidewalk on such a night? he wondered.
"What are you doing?" Tao asked.
"I'm waiting," the man said softly. Tao looked at him. There was something odd about the man, something that told him there was more than what he seemed, sitting outside a bakery in the middle of a heavy downpour.
"I'm Baekhyun by the way," the man said.
"Zi Tao."
Things changed after that. Tao sat next to the man named Baekhyun, leaning against the glass window of his uncle's bakery. They watched the raindrops pelt the ground, felt the slanting showers dot their skin, leaving tracks of water down their faces
The cardboard was soaked through and the ink was running, leaving puddles of swirling black around them. Tao held up the photo frame. It was a photograph of a smiling man. The man had big doe eyes and a kind, happy expression on his face. He had loose curls framing his face and his teeth shone brightly in the dark. He looked happy, smiling his charming smile up at him.
"That's Chanyeol," Baekhyun said.
"Is he the one you're waiting for?" Tao asked.
The silence that hung in the air was stifling. Tao snuck a look at the man beside him. He wasn't sure if it was the rain or genuine tears trailing down his pale face.
"Yes."
Tao learnt that Baekhyun was waiting for Chanyeol. He had been waiting for almost a year now, camping outside their favourite haunt. They had been together until a car accident happened.
"I woke up, and he was gone," Baekhyun said.
There were many possibilities, none of them very pleasant. Tao didn't have the heart to voice them out.
"Chanyeo is strong guy," Baekhyun continued, his eyes glassy as he reminisced. "H is till alive, I know it. I woke up in the hospital two years after the accident alone. The doctors didn't mention Chanyeol at all. It was weird. No one knew where he was. And then I thought, if he was out there somewhere and he was looking for me, he would go back to the place where we'd meet. And he'd find me here, waiting for him."
Baekhyun's voice was confident and full of conviction. Tao admired his faith and optimism for someone who could be dead. Waiting for someone was a difficult task to do, especially alone. Tao leaned his head against the shop window and closed his eyes. The rain wasn't stopping anyway.
The sounds of morning woke Tao from his slumber. His back was sore and he felt cold and clammy. He was still sitting outside the bakery, leaning against the glass window
"Hey."
Tao looked at Baekhyun who was painting a piece of cardboard with the name "Chanyeol" in bold, black ink
Boy, was the guy persistent.
"Hey," Tao greeted him, standing up and stretching. His Nike sneakers squelched as he walked, leaving trails of water as he walked. His clothes were soggy and wrinkled and he wrung out his shirt. A stream of water came splashing down onto the road. The air felt heavy, humid, wet against his wrinkled skin. He checked his watch. It was 9a.m. He ought to be getting home.
"I'll be off," he said to Baekhyun. The man smiled over from where he was painting.
"See you," he said.
Tao shoved his hands into his pockets and went on his way, leaving wet footprints in his wake.
Tao saw Baekhyun a lot when he went to work. The man would be sitting on the pavement, clutching the photo frame. There would be apiece of cardboard next to him with "Chanyeol" painted in striking black. Tao would sit next to him after his shift, listening to him talk about the mysterious Chanyeol. He liked Baekhyun. He was kind, warm and interesting. He told him the most interesting things, like how he had ridden on a camel's hump before, how he had won the national hapkido championships when he was thirteen and still scrawny. He was optimistic, bright and determined. He always spoke about Chanyeol with happiness. His eyes would sparkle with added glow and his face would light up like a street lamp on a dark night. Tao liked the fact that everything felt brighter when he was with Baekhyun, he liked how the man made him feel confident and positive about life. There was something about the child-like face that tugged at his heart, gnawed a hole and creeped in silently, growing and filling the barren chambers in his heart. Before he knew it, Baekhyun had become a part of him. His heart would thump in anticipation when he went to work in the bakery; he would count the minutes till his shift was over and he could finally meet the man who sat outside the shop, never taking a single step from it.
Tao bit his lips to hide a smile as he sat down on the sidewalk. Cars zoomed past, their flashing lights illuminating Baekhyun's face. He surveyed the man from the corner of his eye. Baekhyun's eyes were hazel in colour, and sort of puppy-eyed. When he smiled, the corners would crinkle and form perfect crescents with a slight wing at the end, and it made Tao's heart flip. He didn't know it then, but he lost part of his heart to that smile.
"Do you think he'll ever come?" Baekhyun asked one day. Tao was taken aback. It was the first time he had questioned the possibility of Chanyeol coming back. Deep down inside, Tao didn't think he would ever come. He never voiced his opinion, for he didn't want to crush Baekhyun's hopes, but he was a realistic person. From the looks of it, Chanyeol had probably died in the traffic accident years ago.
Tao shrugged. "I don't know."
Baekhyun sniffed, staring intently at the moon that loomed above them
"Me too," he whispered, his voice so small and insecure that Tao felt a pang in his heart.
As the days went by, Baekhyun's doubts intensified. It was the breakdown, the meltdown of his conviction, his belief in Chanyeol ever coming back. He was hurting; Tao never missed the tell-tale signs of his red-rimmed eyes, his splotchy face and his muffled sniffling.
"I miss him," Baekhyun confessed, his voice frail and choked. Tao felt a splitting sensation in his heart. It was raw and painful and robbed him of his breath. He clenched his fists. He opened his mouth, but nothng came out. He didn't know what to say.
"CHANYEOL!!! WHERE ARE YOU?" Baekhyun screamed, his voice soft and small in the deafening silence of the night. He kept on screaming, yelling, shouting till his voice cracked and his neck veins popped out. His face was a mess, all red and scrunched up with shiny trails of moisture running down his sunken-in cheeks.
"Come back," he whispered.
Tao felt a pressure behind his eyes. A drop of water splattered on his jeans, making a small stain on the expensive denim. And then another. He couldn't stop, his jeans just kept getting wet. His eyes burned and he couldn't see anything but faint outlines and blurry figures. His heart squeezed tightly in his chest, so tight that it hurt.
Two wounded hearts on the sidewalk that night, drowning in the misery of tears and heartbreak. One who loved him, and he who loved another.
They stayed out all night watching the darkness fade to light. They listened to the sounds of the city awakening, honking cars and the scratch of rubber on gravel. They watched as lights flickered off with the rising of the sun, high up in the sky, lighting up the world. People spilled out onto the roads and pavements, going about their lives. Baekhyun and Tao sat on the pavement outside HwangZi Bakery (otherwise known as Prince Bakery), heads resting against each other, physically close yet worlds apart.
Tao had made up his mind. He had to let go. Baekhyun was never in his league in the first place. Besides, the man he had fallen in love with was the man who had Chanyeol in his enclosed heart. It was the man who camped out on the sidewalk every night, waiting for the man who would probably never come. Tao was never part of it.
"I'll help you find Chanyeol," Tao said that night. It was snowing, fresh white snow covered the road and sidewalks, pure and undriven. Baekhyun's cheeks were red from the cold and his hands were shivering, icy cold to the touch.
"How?" Baekhyun asked, his breath a puff of smoke in the chilly air.
"I'll make it so that you'd never lost him in the first place."
Baekhyun's eyes widened. Tao took that as a cue to push away the fabric that covered his wrist, revealing the gold watch securely strapped to his wrist. To many, it looked like a normal watch, all numbers and arrows. He twisted the screw at the side and new dials appeared on the watch
"I am a Timekeeper," he said solemnly, "I can manipulate time, push it forward, turn it backwards or stop it altogether. With this, I can take you back to where you last saw Chanyeol."
Baekhyun gaped at him, almost as if he couldn't believe his words.
"R-really?" he breathed
"Yes."
Baekhyun told Tao the time and date of the day he'd last met up with Chanyeol. Tao spun the wheels of the clock, gripping Baekhyun's hand tighter than was necessary. It was hard to let go, he didn't want to let go, but as the the wheels of the clock turned and everything whirled around them, the cold hand slipped out of his grasp.
"Thank you," he heard Baekhyun say before he was sucked into the time portal. The grateful smile the man shot him was enough to send him crashing back onto the sidewalk, broken and sobbing.
And alone.
Everything was a whirl. Baekhyun spun around in a vortex of black and grey and moving objects gulping for breath. It was crazy. After what seemed like a roller-coaster ride, he landed, hard. It was dark and the stars in the night sky glittered like diamonds
A wave of nostalgia overwhelmed him. He knew what the night entailed, that in a few seconds Chanyeol would walk up to him from behind and say---
"Heya," came the deep-throated voice he knew so well. He turned to see perfectly chiseled face, the huge doe eyes, the charming smile he'd missed so much.
"Chanyeol!" he cried in relief and hugged the man. A surge of feelings choked his airways.
"What's wrong?" Chanyeol asked, patting his back. His palm was big and comforting on his back, making him feel that nothing could go wrong.
"I love you," Baekhyun gushed, not giving Chanyeol a chance to react before he smushed his lips against his, kissing the man with a ferocity that spoke of love and longing. It was a long moment before they broke up for air.
"I love you too," Chanyeol said huskily as he stared right into Baekhyun's eyes. They kissed again, off in their own little world under the cover of darkness. Hands intertwined tightly, they walked to the place where they had first met, a little shop tucked down the corner of the street. It was called HwangZi Bakery, otherwise known as Prince Bakery. It was a cafe that served pastries, Baekhyun's favourite. They ate there, a large slice of oreo cheesecake shared between them two. The night was full of magic. Baekhyun was just so happy to be back with Chanyeol. He surveyed the bakery. There was only an old man humming to himself at the till, no sign of the black-haired boy with perpetual eyebags hanging under his big, cat-like eyes
They finished their meal and left the cafe, stepping back out onto the sidewalk that was so familiar to Baekhyun. He almost expected to see the piece of cardboard with "Chanyeol" painted on it with the photo frame beside it. He closed his eyes and imagined the tall, muscular boy with the baggy shirt and black duffel bag slung on his shoulder, talking to the man in worn clothes who was waiting on the sidewalk. He glanced at Chanyeol and a contented smile spread over his face.
Thank you Tao, for helping me find this guy. I'll never lose him again, I promise.
The streetlights shone on Chanyeol's hair, making it appear redder than usual. His smile was golden, a perfect effect of muscles under his smooth, silky skin. Baekhyun smiled back, an undescribable emotion in his chest. It was the feeling of fluffiness, happiness, the feeling one had when jumping around in a pool of marshmallows. It was light and yet full, filling his heart with a sticky, clinging emotion that was sweet and intoxicating.
The world was theirs, the night silent and dark. The roads were empty of vehicles and the pavements free of roaming people
They were alone, but together as one.
"Let's dance," Chanyeol said excitedly, pulling Baekhyun out onto the road. They giggled as they spun around, twirling clumsily on the rough gravel
"Chanyeol loves Baekhyun!" Chanyeol yelled as he swooped Baekhyun up into his arms in a princess lift which would have been humiliating if they weren't alone
"Baekhyun loves Chanyeol too! Very very much," Baekhyun yelled back, laughing happily. He stared up into Chanyeol's chocolate brown depths and felt his legs go jelly. His breath was hot against his Chanyeol's skin as he pressed his lips on his, delving into the sweet, sugary depths.
The thing about time is that it is uncontrollable. Sometimes it would slow, like the agonising tic-ticking of the clock. Sometimes it would stop, like in all magical moments, giving the illusion that the moment would last forever. And there are also times when it creeps up on you, so fast and merciless that it hits you like a car crash, mind too frozen in the previous moment to react.
No one heard the honking of the racing vehicle before it was too late. The truck barrelled towards them, wheels skidding on the pavement, screeching as it struggled to steer clear of the couple standing stark in the middle of the open road. A split second before it happened, Baekhyun squeezed the big palm in his grasp before throwing the tall guy to the ground, as far away away from him as possible. He never tore his gaze away from the screaming figure, not even when he felt the crushing impact of solid metal against his skin, the excruciating bone-breaking crunch of the wheels against his bones
The smell of metallic copper hung in the air, fresh and heavy.
Tao stepped out of the shop, feeling the rain soak into his clothes. It was a combination of harsh elements, a bone-chilling downpour with thunder and lightning raging in the night sky. It was such a night that his heart ached in memory of the night he had met Baekhyun, the man who couldn't be moved from the sidewalk where he waited every single day. He managed to jam the key into the lock and turned it even with his fingers shivering in the freezing rain
"Bad day?"
He turned in surprise at the deep-throated voice that greeted him over. It belonged to a brown-haired man with big doe eyes and teeth that shone when he spoke. Tao knew the man. His name was Chanyeol. Beside him was a piece of cardboard with the name "Baekhyun" scrawled on it in bold, black marker ink. It was accompanied by a picture of a dark haired man with crescent shaped eyes and a kind smile that gripped his heart. The rainfall intensified, as if the Heavens were crying in sorrow. Shots of cold water pelted him relentlessly. A warm streak of water trickled down his face. It was the rain. It had to be.
"Bad day." Tao agreed.
a/n: First fic I ever wrote, and yes i know, mistakes and cliches everywhere plus the sudden time travelling out of nowhere, but I hope you enjoyed this! ( reposted from sncj)
Title: stationary sidewalks
Pairing: Baekhyun/Chanyeol, Baekhyun/Tao
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 3199
Inspired by the song "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" by The Script.
Going back to the corner where i first saw you
Gonna camp in my sleeping bag i'm not gonna move
Got some words on cardboard and your picture in my hand
Saying "If you see this girl can you tell her where i am"
Some try to hand me money, they don't understand
I'm not broke i'm just a broken hearted man
And i know that it makes no sense but what else can i do
How can i move on if i'm still in love with you
'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me
And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth i could be
Thinking maybe you'll come back here to the place where we'd meet
And you'll see me waiting for you at the corner of the street
So i'm not moving, i'm not moving
It was raining cats and dogs outside. Buckets of water sloshed down the glass windows of the bakery like a waterfall. It was a rainfall like no other, a sudden and tremendous opening of the heavens with floods of water pelting the roads and sidewalks. It was the type of rain that made one feel ill-at-heart, morose and depressed. It made one feel soaked to the bone, cold seeping into the skin and making one feel soggy and chilled to the marrow
Tao wiped the last plate dry and set it down neatly on the stack of clean dishes on the granite counter. He took off his apron and stuffed it under the counter, retrieving his black duffel bag simultaneously. He was done for the day. He switched off the lights, plunging the shop into pitch black darkness.
It was one of those days he dreaded going home. He had no umbrella to shield him from the relentless rain, and even if he did he would still be sopping wet by the time he got home. Gritting his teeth, he opened the door of the bakery and let himself out. Icy bullets of water pricked at his skin, so cold and continuous
"Fuck," Tao cursed under his breath, fumbling with his keys. His fingers (and the rest of his body) were shivering so hard that he couldn't jam the the blasted key into the keyhole. When the key finally turned in the lock, he was already thoroughly soaked. He leaned against the shop, looking at the scene around him. The road was free of cars and people, the only sound that filled the night was the pit-pattering of the raindrops hitting the ground, making a big splash. It was as if no one wanted to be out in such weather.
Tao sighed. He wished he didn't have to either.
"Bad day?"
He turned. Beside him, leaning against the window of the bakery was a man. He had pale, milky skin which was heavy with eyebags and he had auburn-brown hair which stuck to his forehead. He was hugging his knees and Tao could see the well worn rips on his jeans. A piece of cardboard stood beside him, accompanied by a photo frame. The streetlight illuminated the words on the cardboard and Tao could almost make out what it said.
CHANYEOL.
Tao realised he was staring all too obviously. He cleared his throat and leaned against the window, feeling the water soak into his sodden clothes.
"Bad day," he agreed.
They were silent for a moment, looking out at the ferocity of the storm. Puddles formed pools which in turn resulted in a layer of water above ground that reached the ankles. Water was everywhere.
Tao shivered, wiping his dripping face. He looked at the man beside him. He looked young, too young to be a homeless beggar. Besides, Tao couldn't see any containers or hats nearby that could be used as a tipping box. The man didn't seem to be a beggar.
But what sort of crazy man would stay out on the sidewalk on such a night? he wondered.
"What are you doing?" Tao asked.
"I'm waiting," the man said softly. Tao looked at him. There was something odd about the man, something that told him there was more than what he seemed, sitting outside a bakery in the middle of a heavy downpour.
"I'm Baekhyun by the way," the man said.
"Zi Tao."
Things changed after that. Tao sat next to the man named Baekhyun, leaning against the glass window of his uncle's bakery. They watched the raindrops pelt the ground, felt the slanting showers dot their skin, leaving tracks of water down their faces
The cardboard was soaked through and the ink was running, leaving puddles of swirling black around them. Tao held up the photo frame. It was a photograph of a smiling man. The man had big doe eyes and a kind, happy expression on his face. He had loose curls framing his face and his teeth shone brightly in the dark. He looked happy, smiling his charming smile up at him.
"That's Chanyeol," Baekhyun said.
"Is he the one you're waiting for?" Tao asked.
The silence that hung in the air was stifling. Tao snuck a look at the man beside him. He wasn't sure if it was the rain or genuine tears trailing down his pale face.
"Yes."
Tao learnt that Baekhyun was waiting for Chanyeol. He had been waiting for almost a year now, camping outside their favourite haunt. They had been together until a car accident happened.
"I woke up, and he was gone," Baekhyun said.
There were many possibilities, none of them very pleasant. Tao didn't have the heart to voice them out.
"Chanyeo is strong guy," Baekhyun continued, his eyes glassy as he reminisced. "H is till alive, I know it. I woke up in the hospital two years after the accident alone. The doctors didn't mention Chanyeol at all. It was weird. No one knew where he was. And then I thought, if he was out there somewhere and he was looking for me, he would go back to the place where we'd meet. And he'd find me here, waiting for him."
Baekhyun's voice was confident and full of conviction. Tao admired his faith and optimism for someone who could be dead. Waiting for someone was a difficult task to do, especially alone. Tao leaned his head against the shop window and closed his eyes. The rain wasn't stopping anyway.
The sounds of morning woke Tao from his slumber. His back was sore and he felt cold and clammy. He was still sitting outside the bakery, leaning against the glass window
"Hey."
Tao looked at Baekhyun who was painting a piece of cardboard with the name "Chanyeol" in bold, black ink
Boy, was the guy persistent.
"Hey," Tao greeted him, standing up and stretching. His Nike sneakers squelched as he walked, leaving trails of water as he walked. His clothes were soggy and wrinkled and he wrung out his shirt. A stream of water came splashing down onto the road. The air felt heavy, humid, wet against his wrinkled skin. He checked his watch. It was 9a.m. He ought to be getting home.
"I'll be off," he said to Baekhyun. The man smiled over from where he was painting.
"See you," he said.
Tao shoved his hands into his pockets and went on his way, leaving wet footprints in his wake.
Tao saw Baekhyun a lot when he went to work. The man would be sitting on the pavement, clutching the photo frame. There would be apiece of cardboard next to him with "Chanyeol" painted in striking black. Tao would sit next to him after his shift, listening to him talk about the mysterious Chanyeol. He liked Baekhyun. He was kind, warm and interesting. He told him the most interesting things, like how he had ridden on a camel's hump before, how he had won the national hapkido championships when he was thirteen and still scrawny. He was optimistic, bright and determined. He always spoke about Chanyeol with happiness. His eyes would sparkle with added glow and his face would light up like a street lamp on a dark night. Tao liked the fact that everything felt brighter when he was with Baekhyun, he liked how the man made him feel confident and positive about life. There was something about the child-like face that tugged at his heart, gnawed a hole and creeped in silently, growing and filling the barren chambers in his heart. Before he knew it, Baekhyun had become a part of him. His heart would thump in anticipation when he went to work in the bakery; he would count the minutes till his shift was over and he could finally meet the man who sat outside the shop, never taking a single step from it.
Tao bit his lips to hide a smile as he sat down on the sidewalk. Cars zoomed past, their flashing lights illuminating Baekhyun's face. He surveyed the man from the corner of his eye. Baekhyun's eyes were hazel in colour, and sort of puppy-eyed. When he smiled, the corners would crinkle and form perfect crescents with a slight wing at the end, and it made Tao's heart flip. He didn't know it then, but he lost part of his heart to that smile.
"Do you think he'll ever come?" Baekhyun asked one day. Tao was taken aback. It was the first time he had questioned the possibility of Chanyeol coming back. Deep down inside, Tao didn't think he would ever come. He never voiced his opinion, for he didn't want to crush Baekhyun's hopes, but he was a realistic person. From the looks of it, Chanyeol had probably died in the traffic accident years ago.
Tao shrugged. "I don't know."
Baekhyun sniffed, staring intently at the moon that loomed above them
"Me too," he whispered, his voice so small and insecure that Tao felt a pang in his heart.
As the days went by, Baekhyun's doubts intensified. It was the breakdown, the meltdown of his conviction, his belief in Chanyeol ever coming back. He was hurting; Tao never missed the tell-tale signs of his red-rimmed eyes, his splotchy face and his muffled sniffling.
"I miss him," Baekhyun confessed, his voice frail and choked. Tao felt a splitting sensation in his heart. It was raw and painful and robbed him of his breath. He clenched his fists. He opened his mouth, but nothng came out. He didn't know what to say.
"CHANYEOL!!! WHERE ARE YOU?" Baekhyun screamed, his voice soft and small in the deafening silence of the night. He kept on screaming, yelling, shouting till his voice cracked and his neck veins popped out. His face was a mess, all red and scrunched up with shiny trails of moisture running down his sunken-in cheeks.
"Come back," he whispered.
Tao felt a pressure behind his eyes. A drop of water splattered on his jeans, making a small stain on the expensive denim. And then another. He couldn't stop, his jeans just kept getting wet. His eyes burned and he couldn't see anything but faint outlines and blurry figures. His heart squeezed tightly in his chest, so tight that it hurt.
Two wounded hearts on the sidewalk that night, drowning in the misery of tears and heartbreak. One who loved him, and he who loved another.
They stayed out all night watching the darkness fade to light. They listened to the sounds of the city awakening, honking cars and the scratch of rubber on gravel. They watched as lights flickered off with the rising of the sun, high up in the sky, lighting up the world. People spilled out onto the roads and pavements, going about their lives. Baekhyun and Tao sat on the pavement outside HwangZi Bakery (otherwise known as Prince Bakery), heads resting against each other, physically close yet worlds apart.
Tao had made up his mind. He had to let go. Baekhyun was never in his league in the first place. Besides, the man he had fallen in love with was the man who had Chanyeol in his enclosed heart. It was the man who camped out on the sidewalk every night, waiting for the man who would probably never come. Tao was never part of it.
"I'll help you find Chanyeol," Tao said that night. It was snowing, fresh white snow covered the road and sidewalks, pure and undriven. Baekhyun's cheeks were red from the cold and his hands were shivering, icy cold to the touch.
"How?" Baekhyun asked, his breath a puff of smoke in the chilly air.
"I'll make it so that you'd never lost him in the first place."
Baekhyun's eyes widened. Tao took that as a cue to push away the fabric that covered his wrist, revealing the gold watch securely strapped to his wrist. To many, it looked like a normal watch, all numbers and arrows. He twisted the screw at the side and new dials appeared on the watch
"I am a Timekeeper," he said solemnly, "I can manipulate time, push it forward, turn it backwards or stop it altogether. With this, I can take you back to where you last saw Chanyeol."
Baekhyun gaped at him, almost as if he couldn't believe his words.
"R-really?" he breathed
"Yes."
Baekhyun told Tao the time and date of the day he'd last met up with Chanyeol. Tao spun the wheels of the clock, gripping Baekhyun's hand tighter than was necessary. It was hard to let go, he didn't want to let go, but as the the wheels of the clock turned and everything whirled around them, the cold hand slipped out of his grasp.
"Thank you," he heard Baekhyun say before he was sucked into the time portal. The grateful smile the man shot him was enough to send him crashing back onto the sidewalk, broken and sobbing.
And alone.
Everything was a whirl. Baekhyun spun around in a vortex of black and grey and moving objects gulping for breath. It was crazy. After what seemed like a roller-coaster ride, he landed, hard. It was dark and the stars in the night sky glittered like diamonds
A wave of nostalgia overwhelmed him. He knew what the night entailed, that in a few seconds Chanyeol would walk up to him from behind and say---
"Heya," came the deep-throated voice he knew so well. He turned to see perfectly chiseled face, the huge doe eyes, the charming smile he'd missed so much.
"Chanyeol!" he cried in relief and hugged the man. A surge of feelings choked his airways.
"What's wrong?" Chanyeol asked, patting his back. His palm was big and comforting on his back, making him feel that nothing could go wrong.
"I love you," Baekhyun gushed, not giving Chanyeol a chance to react before he smushed his lips against his, kissing the man with a ferocity that spoke of love and longing. It was a long moment before they broke up for air.
"I love you too," Chanyeol said huskily as he stared right into Baekhyun's eyes. They kissed again, off in their own little world under the cover of darkness. Hands intertwined tightly, they walked to the place where they had first met, a little shop tucked down the corner of the street. It was called HwangZi Bakery, otherwise known as Prince Bakery. It was a cafe that served pastries, Baekhyun's favourite. They ate there, a large slice of oreo cheesecake shared between them two. The night was full of magic. Baekhyun was just so happy to be back with Chanyeol. He surveyed the bakery. There was only an old man humming to himself at the till, no sign of the black-haired boy with perpetual eyebags hanging under his big, cat-like eyes
They finished their meal and left the cafe, stepping back out onto the sidewalk that was so familiar to Baekhyun. He almost expected to see the piece of cardboard with "Chanyeol" painted on it with the photo frame beside it. He closed his eyes and imagined the tall, muscular boy with the baggy shirt and black duffel bag slung on his shoulder, talking to the man in worn clothes who was waiting on the sidewalk. He glanced at Chanyeol and a contented smile spread over his face.
Thank you Tao, for helping me find this guy. I'll never lose him again, I promise.
The streetlights shone on Chanyeol's hair, making it appear redder than usual. His smile was golden, a perfect effect of muscles under his smooth, silky skin. Baekhyun smiled back, an undescribable emotion in his chest. It was the feeling of fluffiness, happiness, the feeling one had when jumping around in a pool of marshmallows. It was light and yet full, filling his heart with a sticky, clinging emotion that was sweet and intoxicating.
The world was theirs, the night silent and dark. The roads were empty of vehicles and the pavements free of roaming people
They were alone, but together as one.
"Let's dance," Chanyeol said excitedly, pulling Baekhyun out onto the road. They giggled as they spun around, twirling clumsily on the rough gravel
"Chanyeol loves Baekhyun!" Chanyeol yelled as he swooped Baekhyun up into his arms in a princess lift which would have been humiliating if they weren't alone
"Baekhyun loves Chanyeol too! Very very much," Baekhyun yelled back, laughing happily. He stared up into Chanyeol's chocolate brown depths and felt his legs go jelly. His breath was hot against his Chanyeol's skin as he pressed his lips on his, delving into the sweet, sugary depths.
The thing about time is that it is uncontrollable. Sometimes it would slow, like the agonising tic-ticking of the clock. Sometimes it would stop, like in all magical moments, giving the illusion that the moment would last forever. And there are also times when it creeps up on you, so fast and merciless that it hits you like a car crash, mind too frozen in the previous moment to react.
No one heard the honking of the racing vehicle before it was too late. The truck barrelled towards them, wheels skidding on the pavement, screeching as it struggled to steer clear of the couple standing stark in the middle of the open road. A split second before it happened, Baekhyun squeezed the big palm in his grasp before throwing the tall guy to the ground, as far away away from him as possible. He never tore his gaze away from the screaming figure, not even when he felt the crushing impact of solid metal against his skin, the excruciating bone-breaking crunch of the wheels against his bones
The smell of metallic copper hung in the air, fresh and heavy.
Tao stepped out of the shop, feeling the rain soak into his clothes. It was a combination of harsh elements, a bone-chilling downpour with thunder and lightning raging in the night sky. It was such a night that his heart ached in memory of the night he had met Baekhyun, the man who couldn't be moved from the sidewalk where he waited every single day. He managed to jam the key into the lock and turned it even with his fingers shivering in the freezing rain
"Bad day?"
He turned in surprise at the deep-throated voice that greeted him over. It belonged to a brown-haired man with big doe eyes and teeth that shone when he spoke. Tao knew the man. His name was Chanyeol. Beside him was a piece of cardboard with the name "Baekhyun" scrawled on it in bold, black marker ink. It was accompanied by a picture of a dark haired man with crescent shaped eyes and a kind smile that gripped his heart. The rainfall intensified, as if the Heavens were crying in sorrow. Shots of cold water pelted him relentlessly. A warm streak of water trickled down his face. It was the rain. It had to be.
"Bad day." Tao agreed.
a/n: First fic I ever wrote, and yes i know, mistakes and cliches everywhere plus the sudden time travelling out of nowhere, but I hope you enjoyed this! ( reposted from sncj)