When Baekhyun pulled up to his house, he shut his car off before climbing out, and patiently waited as Chanyeol got out after him before walking to his front door and unlocking it. He held the door open for Chanyeol to go inside first, and he followed after him, placing his keys in the bowl beside his door before leading the way to the kitchen. He pulled his fridge open and retrieved his water pitcher before filling up a glass.

He glanced up at Chanyeol as he asked, "Are you thirsty?"

Chanyeol shook his head and muttered, "No, I'm fine, but thank you."

Baekhyun nodded as he took a drink, his eyes still locked on Chanyeol from over the rim of his glass. He wiped his mouth before asking, "Do you want anything?"

Chanyeol's cheeks turned a soft shade of pink at the question, but he shook his head and quietly replied, "No, thank you."

Baekhyun pursed his lips and eyed Chanyeol as he said, "Hmm, alright then, follow me."

He beckoned to Chanyeol as he set his empty glass aside, and confused, Chanyeol instinctively followed him as he asked, "Where are we going?"

"The living room . . ." Baekhyun replied.

"Why?"

"Because I feel like watching TV, Chanyeol, is that alright with you?" Baekhyun said.

"Uh, y–yeah," Chanyeol stuttered.

"Alright, then," Baekhyun muttered.

Baekhyun walked into the living room with Chanyeol trailing behind him, and he gestured for Chanyeol to take a seat while he grabbed the TV remote. He clicked it on as he took a seat beside Chanyeol, just sitting close enough to feel the ghost of each other's warm touch. An from the corner of Baekhyun's eye, he saw Chanyeol shiver, and a knowing smirk curved across his lips.

Baekhyun turned the TV to a random channel and pretended to show interest, while his mind was actually creating scenarios for how he should proceed next. He wanted Chanyeol, and ultimately decided it would be better to show it instead of saying it. So with that, he glanced over at Chanyeol from the corner of his eye only to realize he was already watching him, and then something happened that hasn't happened in over a year.

Byun Baekhyun's cheeks turned a soft scarlet, and he found himself dropping his gaze to his lap. He was immediately embarrassed and ashamed of himself, as the memories of his past began to invade his mind and the perfect wall he had built to keep them at bay began to crack. And with that first chip to his mental barrier, came the memories that hurt the most.

Flashback: Four years ago

Byun Baekhyun walked along the crowded sidewalk as cars zoomed pass him along the street. He was on his way to a business firm, with the dream of starting his own company. He had a file of research tucked safely away in his satchel, and an endless amount of untapped potential and ideas he knew would be the key to launching him into his dream of owning a business.

He was preparing to cross the street, one foot moving in front of the other when out of nowhere a car came zooming around the street corner. Baekhyun had frozen as he stared horror-struck at the fastly approaching vehicle. An just before it could crash into his body and send him into the windshield and then the air, a strong pair of hands wrapped around his upper arms and jerked him out of the way, just mere seconds before the car was driving through the space he stood just moments before.

He fell against his savior with a gasp, the shock of near-death catching up with him and sending his stomach into a bundle of knots. He doubled over and threw up, unable to help himself. He coughed and wiped his mouth before looking up at the one who had just saved his life, and his cheeks filled with color.

Baekhyun's savior was beautiful with hair that fell to his chin, and his eyes held nothing but worry for the stranger's life he had just saved. And his voice was enchanting when he spoke, although it could have been because he just saved Baekhyun's life.

"Are you okay?" they asked.

Baekhyun nodded numbly, and tried to speak, but all that came out was mumbled nonsense. He cleared his throat before he replied, but his words still came out choked. "Y–yes, thank you so much, I–I don't even know what to say . . . You—-you're amazing, thank you so much."

The man smiled shyly and replied, "I had too, I couldn't stand by and watch you get hurt . . ."

Baekhyun didn't know what else to say, but to thank him a million times over again. Instead, he said, "Can I know my savior's name?"

The man blushed again, and when his eyes reconnected with Baekhyun's curious gaze, they smoldered and nearly took Baekhyun's breath away. "It's Heechul," he said as he held his hand out.

Baekhyun shook it dazedly as he automatically replied, "I'm Baekhyun."

Heechul smiled again, and in that moment neither one of them knew it, but they would meet again and eventually fall in love. They would move into together; and they would struggle to fight for their love while Baekhyun grew his company; and they would imagine their future together.

But fate had other ideas —- a twisted sense of humor —- and a week before Heechul planned on proposing to Baekhyun, he was hit by a car while getting his boyfriend coffee before he had to leave for work. It wrecked Baekhyun, and he spiraled while the foundation of his whole world was smashed to pieces. When the dust and debris was cleared away, all that remained was an empty shell of the man he use to be, until pain and hatred and unhealthy habits was the only thing felt to fill the emptiness.

End of flashback

For three years he loved the man who saved his life, who had been taken away from him cruelly at an age too young. An then a year later he met a man who was heart-achingly similar, who he couldn't help but slowly fall in love with —- that every moment, no matter what it was, slowly began to fight way the darkness within.

Byun Baekhyun finally found his light and warmth again, and day-to-day it slowly grew all because of the clumsy man who fell into his life.

Baekhyun had to blink and lightly shake his head to find his way back to the present, and when he did, he looked at Chanyeol again. He felt his heart's desires, and they weren't the simple need for sex to help pass his time, but something beautiful that he's lived so long without and was afraid he was too far gone to ever make it work.

Baekhyun had been wrecked so completely by the lost of Heechul, that he didn't believe himself capable of loving again. But Chanyeol's smile, his joy-filled gaze, and his usually happy nature could be the very thing that saved Baekhyun from his darkness.

He just wished he would have realized it sooner.

Word count: 1,198

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A/N: Merry Christmas, lovelies, I hope you enjoy your time with family! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, have a wonderful day/night!

Love from,
BunnyBaekkiee ❤️