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Baekhyun swore that if this measly man didn’t de-ass the area in front of Baekhyun, someone would get shot. 

This man was a member of Baekhyun’s infamous white-collar mafia, the Black Lotus. However, somehow the man managed to inflict the wrath of one of Baekhyun's trusted clients, so here the man was, kneeling in front of Baekhyun, practically groveling for mercy. 

“Please sir, it was a mistake, I never meant to damage the painting,” the man said pitifully. Baekhyun merely looked at the man’s bent back with bored eyes.

“Mr. Jong, Junmyeon tells me that upon transferring the package to the client, you stumbled and fell, dropping the painting on the floor and denting the canvas.” Baekhyun recited. He leaned forward slowly and deliberately. “That little mistake of yours cost me $10,000, so convince me. Why should I show you mercy instead of killing you right here, right now?”

The man visibly cringed away when he heard Baekhyun’s harsh words. “Because sir...” the man started to say before he suddenly raised his head, focusing his bloodshot eyes on Baekhyun. “I have a family, sir, and I swear on my life that it will never happen again!”

It was obvious that the man was in terror because of his fear for whatever Baekhyun would do to him. Baekhyun knew this, and would be lying if he said he wouldn’t enjoy torturing the man a little more. But enough was enough, it was a long day and Baekhyun wanted to get home.

There was a little ping from Baekhyun’s phone. He pulled it out and saw a cheerful message on his lockscreen. 

Dae: are you coming home soon?? I made souuupp ;)

Automatically, a small smile appeared on Baekhyun’s lips. But he saw Mr. Jong looking at him oddly, which made Baekhyun clear his throat and throw up his mask of cold anger. 

“Mr. Jong, you’re lucky that I am in a slightly more merciful mood today,” Baekhyun announced, causing the man to give a small sigh of relief. “Therefore, I will not have you killed for the sake of you and your family.”

Mr. Jong bowed his head several times in thanks and opened his mouth to express his gratitude before Baekhyun started to speak once more. “However, I will have you stripped of your Lotus membership privileges and banished from our ranks. I wish you luck on finding a new life.”

At the news, Mr. Jong’s eyes grew wide with shock. “B-but,” he stuttered out, but Baekhyun was done with talking with him. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a couple of men to take Mr. Jong, who was clearly upset, away.

Once the man was gone, Baekhyun stood up from his chair that he had been sitting so comfortably on and stretched. One of his men emerged from the shadows. He, like Baekhyun, was dressed in black with a customary lotus pin on his chest.

“No killing today, huh Baek?” The man said casually, his hands stuffed in his coat pockets.

“Not today, Kyungsoo, I want to go home already,” Baekhyun said with a tired smile. Kyungsoo returned it with a smile of his own, a privilege reserved only for Baekhyun’s close friends. 

“Chanyeol and Jongin have returned as well, do you have anything else you want us to do?” Kyungsoo asked. Baekhyun shook his head in response.

“Take a break, hit a club, I’m just going to go home,” Baekhyun said while waving his goodbyes to his friend. Baekhyun hurried to his car, nodding in response to the greetings from the guards around him. In no time, he was speeding down the streets in his black Maserati, eager to get to the one person he knew he could count on to rescue him from his bad mood.

——

Jongdae was used to Baekhyun coming home late at odd hours. It was just a condition that came with being engaged to a mafia boss. 

There were a lot of conditions that Jongdae accepted when he said yes to Baekhyun’s proposal only eight months ago. One of them was that Baekhyun would rarely be able to pick up Jongdae from his work, a tea café called A Taste of the Sky . Instead, Baekhyun sent two of his trusted friends, Chanyeol and Jongin, to pick up Jongdae and take him home.

Not that Jongdae was complaining, Chanyeol and Jongin got along well with Jongdae and were usually always on time and cheerful. 

“Hey Jongdae!” Jongin greeted him loudly as he slid smoothly through the café doors. Unlike Baekhyun, Jongin liked to dress in flamboyant designer clothes with his lotus pin on his sleeves. With his good looks and fit body, one could easily mistaken Jongin as a high end model instead of a ruthless fighter. It was rather ironic that Jongin loved to do his dirty work in his fashionable clothes, but detested getting a single drop of stain on them. Jongin pranced towards the counter and eagerly sat down on one of the wooden stools. “Hit me up with a cup of that good stuff.” 

“Make that two,” Chanyeol said, sitting down on the stool next to Jongin. Chanyeol was actually dressed in customary black but with navy blue hues for accessories and his pin on his collar. Jongdae gave both of them a warm smile and immediately placed a couple cups in front of them. 

“We have the Midsummer’s Night as a special today,” Jongdae said, propping his head up on his elbows. “Do you want that or something else?” 

“Anything you make is good, Dae,” Jongin replied, fiddling with his lotus pin on his coat sleeve. 

Jongdae nodded and turned away from them, choosing his favorite tea pot from the shelf on one of the tree trunk brown walls. It was an elegant looking pot, snowy white with golden etchings all around it. There was an intricate drawing of a flower on the crystal-like lid. Baekhyun had given Jongdae the pot as a gift after his proposal. Jongdae used it with immense care and always brought it home after his shift.

After he scooped a small bundle of tea leaves and placed it in the pot, Jongdae left the tea to simmer while he cleaned up around the café. One of his coworkers, Yixing, was in the back writing reminders for the next day.

“Hey Xing, I’ll be heading out now,” Jongdae called out as he removed his green apron and hung it up. Yixing looked at the mention of his name and nodded.

“Good work today, see you tomorrow!” Yixing said, giving Jongdae a small wave. 

Jongdae waved back and said a cheerful goodbye to his other coworker, Minseok, who was carrying a load of tea boxes. 

When he went back to the counter, he saw that Jongin and Chanyeol has poured themselves a cup of tea and were happily sipping.

“Ready to go?” Chanyeol asked. He took a long sip from his cup and closed his eyes in contentment. “I swear, your teas taste like literally heaven.” 

“Almost!” Jongdae replied, quickly cleaning the bar counter with a rag and spray bottle. He refilled Jongin’s cup, to the latter’s thanks, before dumping out the tea dregs into a sink. With an experienced hand, Jongdae rinsed the pot and wiped it clean, careful to not leave any water spots. He picked up his bag from underneath the counter and slung it around his shoulder. “Ok, I’m good to go.” 

At his words, Chanyeol and Jongin got up from their seats, leaving several bills in their wake. They ushered Jongdae out of the mellow cafe and into a waiting sports car. Chanyeol sat in the driver’s seat and waited for the other two to sit down before driving towards Jongdae’s apartment. During the ride, Jongin kept Jongdae entertained with tales of his latest antics involving a lost wallet and a very angry bartender. 

Jongdae was still joking with the two when the car pulled up alongside his apartment. It was a modern looking building in a nice area that Baekhyun had handpicked himself when the two moved in together. Jongdae wanted something a little more homely, but the later made the argument that this apartment would be the safest. 

And when one was engaged to a mafia boss, safety was certainly a concern. 

But luckily, Baekhyun wasn’t completely inconsiderate and allowed Jongdae to furnish and decorate their rather large apartment. Since he couldn’t choose the apartment itself, the least Jongdae could do was make their living spaces as comfortable and aesthetic as possible. 

Jongdae had a passion for exotic teas and gardening, which made for a very relaxing interior. The combination of green plants and soft blues was soothing to the eye and to top it off, Jongdae went wild with Baekhyun’s credit card to go on a Ikea shopping spree for furniture. He had to stifle a laugh every time he thought about Baekhyun trying to assemble a desk and swearing as he wrestled with the instructions. The only reason why the two managed to have their Ikea furniture was because Jongdae convinced Baekhyun to call in the big guns, a.k.a Junmyeon and Sehun, to help them. 

Baekhyun threatened to shoot them if they said even a word to the other mafia members about Baekhyun’s lack of Ikea skills.

Needless to say, Sehun and Junmyeon have kept their mouths shut. 

After he waved his goodbyes to Chanyeol and Jongin, Jongdae entered his building and immediately went up to his apartment, not before saying hello to the kind landlady. In his bag, he had a compilation of various ingredients. Jongdae had a plan to cook creamed broccoli soup for supper, instead of his usual dishes. He hoped that Baekhyun would like it.

Roughly an hour later, the soup was finished. Jongdae set the table neatly and spooned soup into the two bowls. Then, he sat down on his couch and relaxed while waiting for Baekhyun to come home. 

He was used to Baekhyun coming home at odd hours, but that night, Jongdae was especially anxious for Baekhyun’s return. He bit his lower lip and sent a quick text to his fiancé, tapping his finger against his phone. Jongdae raised his left hand and admired how his silver engagement ring caught the dim light from the coffee table lamp. He never took the ring off, even when sleeping or showering. Jongdae had promised to never remove it, since it was a symbol of the bond between him and Baekhyun. He closed his eyes and pressed the ring to his lips, feeling the cool metal graze his skin. 

A couple minutes later, he received a response from Baekhyun.

Hyunnie: on my way

That was it. No apology or estimated arrival time. But Jongdae was used to it, and if anything, he anticipated Baekhyun’s short messages. It was how Baekhyun normally showed his affection. Jongdae stood up and sat down at the table, testing the soup to see if it was still warm.

Exactly eight minutes later, Baekhyun barged into the apartment with a bang, practically kicking the door in like a soldier. He tossed his suit jacket on the couch, nearly tripped on the table leg and gave Jongdae a peck on the cheek before sitting down.

“You never made this type of soup before,” Baekhyun commented, picking up his spoon and taking a small sip. Jongdae waited to see his reactions and was satisfied with the way that Baekhyun’s eyes lit up.

“I wanted to try something new, do you like it?” Jongdae asked while also eating his food. 

“Like it? Dae, this is the best soup I’ve ever eaten,” Baekhyun answered, giving Jongdae one of his rare smiles that was reserved just for his fiancé.

Jongdae chuckled at hearing Baekhyun’s compliment. “You said that about my miso soup just a week ago too.”

“Well I guess my soup preferences changes whenever you cook them.” 

“Just like how your work schedule changes every day?”

Baekhyun put down his spoon and saw Jongdae’s worried gaze on him.

“I’m not accusing you of anything,” Jongdae raised his hands in defense, “I just want to know that you’re safe and everything.” 

Baekhyun nodded in understanding. Naturally, Jongdae would be worried for the safety of the love of his life. “Sorry baby, it was just not a good day at work,” Baekhyun said apologetically, running his hand through his gelled hair. He, like Jongdae, had a thin band of silver around his finger, although his ring was painted a jet black. 

Jongdae reached over and poked Baekhyun’s cheek affectionately, again, a right only for him. “Do you want some tea to calm you down?” He asked, picking up the bowls and getting up. 

Baekhyun nodded eagerly. There were only three things that Baekhyun could never say no to: strawberries, Jongdae, and Jongdae’s tea. He wasn’t sure how his fiance made it, but Jongdae’s tea tasted like Jongdae took the leaves from the Tree of Life and the water from a heavenly spring. 

He leaned back in his chair and watched Jongdae bustle around the kitchen. Jongdae carefully pulled out the white teapot from his bag and placed it on the marble counter. He opened a cabinet and reached for a small rose colored box.

“Is cherry blossom sky alright with you?” Jongdae asked. Baekhyun nodded eagerly, prompting the latter to scoop out a small batch of tea leaves.

Baekhyun always loved to watch Jongdae make tea. It was relaxing to see his fiancé in his element, working passionately on something Jongdae loved. Jongdae liked to talk about how satisfying it was to brew tea and watch people enjoy his work. Baekhyun shared the same sentiment, except with his mafia work rather than tea.

A sweet aroma filled the kitchen as Jongdae gracefully stirred the tea and filtered the leaves away. He poured a cup and set it in front of Baekhyun, with a soft smile.

“Thank you, Dae,” Baekhyun said gratefully, before raising the cup to his lips and taking a small sip. Jongdae’s speciality tea, Cherry Blossom Sky, could only be described like the taste of falling blossom petals on a calm spring day. It never failed to relax Baekhyun after a long day. It was also how Baekhyun first fell in love with Jongdae.

Baekhyun closed his eyes once more as memories started rushing in, as swiftly as tea being poured down into a waiting cup.

——

“Excuse me, but who’s the dumbass that wants to conduct a meeting in a damn tea shop?” Sehun asked, as he raced down the hallways of the Black Lotus headquarters in an attempt to catch up to Baekhyun. 

“Like I know? Ask Junmyeon if you’re so curious, he’s the one who talked to the bloody bastards,” Baekhyun retorted as he hurried towards his office. He quickly stepped in, pausing only a second to let Sehun slip by him before locking the door. Baekhyun sat heavily on his chair, resting his head on the mahogany wood table.

“Chanyeol, get out from behind the bookcases,” he said in a muffled voice. At the command, a tall, lanky man dressed in navy stepped out from the bookcases where he was indeed hiding behind.

“Damn boss, and here I was thinking I could surprise you,” Chanyeol responded with a good natured grin. Baekhyun raised his head and gave the latter a skeptical look.

“No surprises, Park, why are you here?” Baekhyun asked. 

“Well I just talked to Junmyeon and it turns out that the meeting itself won’t take place in a tea shop,” Chanyeol announced, to Sehun’s joy.

“Oh thank god,” Sehun said, clutching his chest in mock shock, “I thought I was going to have to learn tea manners and shit.” 

“You didn’t let me finish,” Chanyeol said curtly. Sehun stopped in his small celebration.

“What now.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes and turned towards Baekhyun, who was looking on at the two with an air of mild disdain. “The meeting will take place in an upscale restaurant, but, the client hired people from a tea shop to serve us.” 

“What tea shop?” Baekhyun asked. He wasn’t extremely fond of the circumstances of this particular meeting, but it was for an important client so Baekhyun just has to suck it up. He wasn’t much of a tea person either, he preferred red wine and bitter coffee.

“It’s, uh,” Chanyeol said, pulling out his phone and checking something, “The shop is called A Taste of the Sky.” 

“Sounds like a fucking drug that some gang scum would be carting around,” Sehun commented. Chanyeol opened his mouth to retort but Baekhyun waved his hand to end the conversation.

“That’s enough, thank you Chanyeol.” Baekhyun said, “both of you, dismissed.” Chanyeol and Sehun bowed and murmured their goodbyes, before quickly retreating from the office to continue their little squabble outside.

After they were gone, Baekhyun reached down and opened one of his drawers, taking out an orange pill bottle. He downed one of them with a couple sips of water and laid his head down on the table once more. 

The past few days have been extremely stressful for the young mafia boss. Naturally, taking over a large mafia group like the Black Lotus would be enough to give anyone intense stress. The pills were a headache tamer and a stress reliever for him.

But it was even worse for Baekhyun, because the previous leader passed in such horrible circumstances: brutally killed by a rival gang. Every time Baekhyun closed his eyes, he had flashes of memories of bloody hands, flashing knife blades and bloodcurdling screams. The worst memory of all; Baekhyun cradling the head of his dying boss and begging him not to leave as a fierce street battle raged around him. 

Sometimes, Baekhyun swore he could even smell the blood from that night once more. 

The days after the previous boss’s death were spent hunting down every affiliate of the rival gang and punishing them as fit. It was a grueling month but a time well spent, as the rival gang was dissolved and eradicated by Baekhyun’s soldiers. The Black Lotus wasn’t a particularly murderous mafia; the group was more into white collar dealings such as forgeries and money laundering. But during that particular month, Baekhyun didn’t know anyone who didn’t have blood on their hands.

As the new mafia boss, Baekhyun had to establish himself as a strong leader and a formidable contender in the underground. He was pleased to say that so far, he has been very successful. With the help of his friends and now lieutenants, Baekhyun had clawed his way up to the top levels of the mafia food chain.

The client that Baekhyun was meeting with was another stepping stone in his conquest for respect and power. It was a wealthy businessman with a passion for wood carvings and music boxes. Baekhyun expected good pay from whatever job the man had for the Black Lotus.

But a meeting with ceremonial tea, that was an idea that was rather unappealing to Baekhyun. He hated tradition and ceremonies alike. Of course he knew how to perform a tea ceremony; the previous boss had taught him just in case, but he never thought he actually would have to use his skills. In his opinion, the ceremonies were nothing but a waste of time and tea was no better than flavored hot water. In addition, the meeting would take place in a public restaurant, meaning security would be an issue. 

As if things couldn’t get worse.

Baekhyun sighed and pulled out his phone, texting someone to come up to his office. A couple minutes later and there was a knock on his door, Baekhyun answered it to find a  man waiting at his office threshold. 

“You wanted to see me boss?” The man asked, entering the office with the grace that was present in his every movement. How fitting for his main job, money laundering and security.

“Junmyeon, have you done security for the meeting yet?” Baekhyun asked, taking a seat once more. Junmyeon nodded and pulled out a slip of paper from his coat pocket. He unfolded it to reveal building plans with various marks on it. 

“The client has a private room in the back for us, so I’ll be placing guards around the main entrance and in these areas,” Junmyeon explained, occasionally gesturing at the marks where soldiers would be placed. Baekhyun appeared to pay close attention, but in reality, his mind was still somewhere lost in his thoughts. Junmyeon noticed this and folded the map back up. “You seem tired, I’ll leave you to rest.” Junmyeon said kindly, exiting out of the office without waiting for a goodbye.

Baekhyun didn’t even feel like dismissing him. Junmyeon was right, he was exhausted. Perhaps it was time to sleep a little before his meeting. He would need all the energy he could get to handle the clients. Baekhyun slowly exited the mafia headquarters and drove him, taking his usual lengthy and confusing route to throw off any stalkers before arriving home. He entered the apartment and took another pill, before collapsing on his bed, not bothering to even change. 

——

The day of the meeting arrived and Baekhyun was dressed in one of his nicest black suits. He was standing in front of a lavish table, set up with various small delicacies and plates. The client was rambling on about the importance of some subject that Baekhyun had no interest in whatsoever. He suppressed a sigh, and was rapidly elbowed in the ribs by Junmyeon, who was standing beside him, to take a seat. 

The rest of the introductions went without a hitch, Baekhyun smiling and talking only when necessary. The client seemed very invested in the item that he wanted Baekhyun to deliver, an antique music box from the 18th century. It wasn’t until the client clapped his hands and commanded for the tea to be brought that Baekhyun started actually listening. He heard the sound of soft steps around him. Baekhyun mentally prepared himself to take a sip of what he was sure was bitter hot water, when he looked up, 

And was greeted with a head of black hair, sharp cheekbones, and eyes that seemed to pierce into Baekhyun’s very soul. The person recoiled in surprise when he saw Baekhyun looking at him, and quickly lowered his head, continuing to pour tea before retreating away with a small bow. 

Baekhyun was intrigued and stared at the quiet server before raising his cup to his lips and taking a sip. To his surprise, Baekhyun found the tea extremely calming, it seemed to seep into his bones and relax the tension out of his muscles. He took a longer sip. Same effect. At this point, Baekhyun was very surprised that any tea could be as delicious as this one.

“This tea is rather marvelous, Mr. Seowoon, may I ask who made it?” Baekhyun commented before discovering he had already emptied his cup. He was about to reach for the teapot once more, but remembered the ceremony and stopped. 

Mr. Seowoon gave Baekhyun a smile, and gestured the quiet server to emerge from the corner where he was waiting. “This is Jongdae,” Mr. Seowoon responded as Jongdae gave a low bow. Baekhyun examined him from head to toe, silently pleased with what he saw. “He made the tea, he can answer any questions.” 

Jongdae seemed rather nervous, which made Baekhyun want to coo from affection. “So Jongdae, you made this tea?” Baekhyun said lightly, wanting to put the server at ease. Junmyeon gave Baekhyun a surprised glance, as he never heard his boss talk so gently to someone before. 

“Yes sir, it's called Cherry Blossom Sky. It’s one of my specialty teas,” Jongdae responded politely. Baekhyun liked hearing Jongdae call him “sir”.

He wondered what it would sound like if Jongdae was calling him-

“Baekhyun,” Junmyeon said gently, shaking him out of his thoughts. Baekhyun realized what he was doing and composed himself.

“It’s very delicious,” Baekhyun complimented with a smile. Jongdae smiled in return, which made Baekhyun feel warm inside, as if someone poured an entire pot of tea down him. It was new for Baekhyun to smile so easily as he did that day. It was rare for Baekhyun to smile at all. 

The rest of the meeting went smoothly, with Baekhyun making small talk to Jongdae, who no longer acted shy. He even managed to make Jongdae laugh, which in Baekhyun’s opinion, sounded like soft bells during a winter evening. When the meeting was over, and Baekhyun and Junmyeon were leaving, Baekhyun made a mental promise to go to the tea cafe, and find Jongdae once more.

The next day, Baekhyun did just that. He treasured the look of happiness on Jongdae’s face when Baekhyun entered the mellow cafe. From then on, every day, Baekhyun came to Jongdae’s working, sipping slowly at cups and flirting shamelessly with Jongdae. That was a start of a beautiful relationship, gradually blossoming into the relationship that Baekhyun adore to date. 

——

“Baekhyun? Are you alright?” 

Baekhyun was awoken from his trip down memory lane with a soft touch to his cheek. He looked up to see Jongdae’s bemused expression, peering down at him. “Ah sorry, I was just thinking about something.” Baekhyun took another sip of his tea to discover that the drink was a bit cold. 

“It must have been something important if you stop drinking your tea,” Jongdae lightly teased, pouring another cup. 

“It was, I was thinking about you.” 

Jongdae smiled at Baekhyun’s flirt and reached over and poked his cheek once more. “You’re so cheesy.” 

After Baekhyun had finished the tea, the couple cleaned up and prepared for bed, with several soft touches and kisses in between. At last they were both settled, Jongdae on the right side of the bed and Baekhyun on the left. With a chorus of “Good Nights” and “I Love You”s, the couple finally fell asleep in each other’s arms.

——

The next morning, Baekhyun woke especially early to prepare breakfast to make up for his lateness. He wasn’t the best of cook but he hoped he had the culinary skills to prepare a simple meal of eggs and rice.

He was mistaken.

Jongdae woke up to the smell of burning eggs and Baekhyun’s panicked voice.

“Um, honey? I think we need to order takeout.” 

After a tiring 15 minutes of Jongdae cleaning the kitchen and Baekhyun ordering breakfast from a local bakery, Baekhyun was feeling extremely guilty.

“Hey babe?” Baekhyun said, wrapping his arms around Jongdae’s smaller figure. “You know I love you right?”

Jongdae turned and smiled affectionately. “Of course you love me,” Jongdae said, poking Baekhyun’s cheek. “So why did you try to cook breakfast?” Baekhyun flinched at his fiancé’s sudden change of tone.

“Because I wanted to surprise you?” Baekhyun said, laughing nervously. Jongdae crossed his arms and gave Baekhyun a stern look.

“Well you certainly surprised me with the mess you made.” 

Baekhyun pouted and grasped Jongdae’s hands in his own. “How do you want me to make it up to you, Dae?” 

Jongdae had a slight mischievous look when he heard his fiancé’s offer. “Well,” Jongdae said thoughtfully, swinging his hands back and forth, “I would love for you to drop me off at work tomorrow, oh, and some flowers.”  

Baekhyun looked doubtful. “Tomorrow? I don’t know babe, I-”, but Baekhyun immediately changed his tone when he saw Jongdae slowly pout and look away, because if there was one thing he couldn’t stand, it was Jongdae being sad. “Actually, I think I’m free tomorrow morning.” 

Jongdae clapped his hands in excitement. “Wonderful! I need to be at work at 8 am sharp,” Jongdae said, clearing the table of tea cups and bowls. Baekhyun leaned heavily back in his chair, smiling ruefully at his cheerful fiancé. Baekhyun may be a fearsome mafia boss, but at home, he was reduced to a doting fiance who has eyes for only his love. 

Baekhyun didn’t want to think about what would happen if word broke out that the Byun Baekhyun had a joyful, innocent tea brewer for a fiance. 

Most likely chaos, and a lot of questioning. 

Which was the main reason why Baekhyun did his best to be so careful about  Jongdae’s safety and identity. He didn’t want any of the rival mafia groups to discover Jongdae’s relationship with Baekhyun and target Jongdae. That’s why Baekhyun rarely associated with Jongdae while working, to maintain an air of secrecy. He would send Chanyeol and Jongin to fetch Jongdae, to run errands with him, and to guard him against any attackers. There were some days where Baekhyun wished that he could be the one driving Jongdae around in his car, but Baekhyun knew that to keep his lover safe, he had to do what was necessary.

Luckily for Baekhyun, it was one of the rare off days he had. So he coerced Jongdae to take a day off and spend it with him. The two stayed indoors the entire day, watching reruns of various drama shows and laughing at the cheesiness. Baekhyun felt like he was going to burst from happiness and contentment. He reached up and brushed a stray hair from Jongdae’s forehead, leaning his fiance’s head onto his shoulder. 

For dinner, Jongdae made alfredo pasta, a meal that Baekhyun loved after eating once in Italy. The meal was spent with coming up with new and unique ways to plan their wedding. Jongdae had even gotten out his plan book, where all the details for the wedding were. He made Baekhyun promise not to be late to their appointment with the planner, a mere few days away. Baekhyun readily agreed, as he understood that their wedding was something so incredibly important to him and Jongdae.

After Jongdae had finished cleaning the table, and Baekhyun had taken a shower to wash away the day’s tiredness, the two slowly got into their bed. Baekhyun instinctively pulled Jongdae closer to him, the two snuggling close to each other. And with that, the couple drifted off into sleep.

——

The next morning, Baekhyun was awoken by the sound of Jongdae’s loud singing from the kitchen. Baekhyun stayed in bed for a couple more minutes, enjoying the musical voice serenading him. It wasn’t until Jongdae’s voice switched from singing to calling Baekhyun awake that Baekhyun got up and prepared for the day.

When he got to the kitchen, Jongdae had already prepared the table with a cup of tea and strawberry pancakes, a secret indulgence of Baekhyun. “Hey babe, sleep well last night?” Jongdae asked, giving Baekhyun a kiss on the cheek as he sat down. 

“Yup,” Baekhyun gave a cheerful response, “I also heard you singing something, what was it?” Baekhyun inhaled the sweet smell emanating from the tea and took a long sip. Delicious as usual. 

“Oh, it was Married to the Music , by SHINee!” Jongdae answered, grabbing his own breakfast and sitting beside Baekhyun. 

At his fiance’s happy response, Baekhyun couldn’t help but tease Jongdae a little. “Married to the music? But I thought you’re going to be married to me!” Baekhyun said, with a cute little pout. Jongdae merely chuckled and playfully pushed Baekhyun, resulting in a small mock fight.

After breakfast was over, Jongdae grabbed his usual work bag while Baekhyun prepared his stuff as well. The car drive to A Taste of the Sky was noisy, with Jongdae doing rock covers of whatever songs were on radio and Baekhyun making mock jokes about their wedding. At last, they arrived in front of the little tea shop.

Jongdae leaned over and gave Baekhyun a long kiss. “Thank you for driving me!” Jongdae said, fondly pinching Baekhyun’s cheek before getting out of the car. Baekhyun stayed there, waving goodbye until Jongdae disappeared into the store. After making sure that no cars were following him, Baekhyun shot off like a bullet to the direction on the Black Lotus headquarters. His phone was already beeping with urgent messages from his lieutenants, but Baekhyun paid no heed to them until he safely pulled into an isolated parking lot. 

Baekhyun hoisted his bag over his shoulder and set off at a brisk pace towards a low, inconspicuous grey building. He entered through a side entrance, as going through the front would attract too much attention. After passing through his tedious security, he was immediately met by Jongin. 

“Hey boss,” Jongin greeted cheerfully, “Did you just drop off the package?” The package was essentially code name for Jongdae, since Baekhyun was so careful about security that he didn’t even allow his husband’s name to be uttered near any Black Lotus member. At Baekhyun’s nod, Jongin continued to speak, “I’m glad to hear that, the package deserves the best care.” 

Baekhyun knew exactly what Jongin was insinuating and gave his lieutenant a pointed look, but it was to Jongin’s credit that he didn’t back down at Baekhyun’s icy stare. 

“I assure you, I treat the package very well,” Baekhyun said slowly. There was a sudden air of intimidation around him that caused the guards next to them to shrink away.

“I know.” Jongin was undeterred by the atmosphere, and hooked his fingers through his belt loops. “Sometimes though, I feel like the package gets a bit lonely.”

“Everything is fine,” Baekhyun grumbled under his breath. He quickened his pace, not waiting to catch up.

He knew that Jongdae had some disagreements with their arrangement. But there wasn’t much that Baekhyun could do; he just could not risk the safety of his fiancé for selfish reasons. 

As he unlocked the door to his office, Baekhyun made a small mental note to spend as much time with Jongdae as possible. Especially with the last minute wedding preparations approaching, there was no better time to deepen their relationship. 

Unfortunately, as much as Baekhyun wanted to dwell on thoughts of his love, work had other plans for him. As soon as he entered his office, Junmyeon barged through his doorway in a way only a frantic man could.

Baekhyun raised an unimpressed eyebrow, but before he could ask what was going on, Junmyeon interrupted up with a hurried, “There was a squabble at our borders with Bear. One casualty on their side, a few injuries on ours.”

“Who started it,” Baekhyun switched his question at the explanation. At the mention of the name “Bear”, Baekhyun’s expression darkened. 

Bear, or Mutilated Bear, was a rival mafia group known for their messy killings and careless attitude. They lived for the fight, and weren’t afraid to draw blood from anyone. 

A poisonous thorn in Baekhyun’s side, really. 

He pulled out his phone and typed a few hasty messages to one of his scouts, an excitable member named Mark. If there was anyone who would be loitering by Bear territory, it would be Mark. The boy had a rather unhealthy obsession with getting himself into dangerous situations. 

“We have to check the cams first,” Junmyeon said, tapping his finger against his tablet as he looked downwards. “But it was probably them, which makes it the third time Bear has tried to instigate us.”

“Please don’t say words like instigate,” Baekhyun interrupted with a small sigh. “You sound too smart and I don’t want to deal with any smart people other than me.”

Junmyeon blinked in confusion, before rolling his eyes.

Mafia bosses, so demanding.

“Sorry,” Junmyeon replied sarcastically, “It’s the third time they tried to piss us off.”

“Much better.”

“What do you want to do about Bear.”

Baekhyun plopped down on his leather chair, swinging it back in forth in thought. Junmyeon stood patiently, waiting for his final verdict.

“I want to see the videos first, from all the incidents,” Baekhyun decided. “Then I’ll decide whether we declare an offense or not. I don’t want to rush into any fight if I don’t have to.”

Junmyeon nodded, seemingly pleased with Baekhyun’s answer. No one in the Black Lotus wanted to go to war with Bear; the enemy’s bloody style was much too violent and vile to be honorable. 

“I’ll send you the videos in a bit,” Junmyeon assured him, “Although, the members are in the infirmary if you want to speak with them.” 

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Baekhyun agreed. With a short bow, Junmyeon left his office as promptly as he came, and Baekhyun slumped down in his chair.

“One day,” he grumbled to himself, looking down at his hands. “One day, I just want a break.” Baekhyun heaved a weary sigh, mind wandering to what it would be like to stay at home with Jongdae. Much more peaceful, he imagined. Less bloodshed and grime.

Baekhyun pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation, and stood up. No use anymore he thought as he left his office and headed down towards the infirmary.

He caught sight of an agitated Kyungsoo, and widely steered clear of his friend. It seemed that the Bear situation set everyone on edge. It was like a time bomb, just waiting to blow up.

Baekhyun hoped that, when it does, the Black Lotus would escape the sharparel. 

The infirmary was a long white room, tucked neatly under the majority of the facility. There’s a road leading in and out for easy access, and several patient rooms. It doubled as a lab, for Sehun who liked to experiment with unwieldy chemicals.

Baekhyun pushes up the steel doors of one of the patient rooms, where there was the sound of chatter and metal clinking.

“Ah, sir, I didn’t know you were coming in,” The nearest, a young but kind man named Taeil, said. The other doctors straightened immediately, and gave a respectful bow. Next to them, lying on a set of padded beds, were two men. One of them was bandaged around the waist, but he forced himself to sit up against the headboard.

“I just wanted to check in,” Baekhyun informed Taeil kindly. He walked over to the man sitting up, and patted his shoulder. “How are you feeling, Johnny.”

“Could be worse, at least we gave it to them good, right bossman?” Johnny replied with a goofy grin. 

“Yes you did,” Baekhyun said with a light chuckle. “What about you, Jaehyun, how are you feeling?” He looked over to the other man, who was bandaged around his leg and arm.

“Feeling a bit like crap, honestly,” Jaehyun said with a shrug. “But we’ll get them back.”

“About that.” Baekhyun trailed off as he looked over at Taeil and the other attendants. They got the message, and hurried off to their respective positions. “I need to know: who struck first, Bear or us?”

Jaehyun and Johnny exchanged looks at the question, and Baekhyun caught on to their uneasiness. “If it was us, I won’t punish anyone. I just need to know so I can decide what will happen next.” 

“It was us,” Jaehyun said after a small pause. “But they were taunting us and basically asking for a fight. So we gave it to them.”

“And this is all on the body cams?”

“Sure,” Johnny answered with a nod. “We already gave the footage to Junmyeon, sir, everything should be there.” 

“Alright, that’s all I needed.” Baekhyun stood up and clasped both of their shoulders. “Rest up, I expect you two to be back on duty soon.”

“Yes sir!”

Baekhyun offered one more reassuring smile, before he walked out of the infirmary. He needed to find Junmyeon before anything else happened.

He figured the man would be holed up in his office, surrounded by stacks of loose paper and emptied coffee mugs. Junmyeon never was the cleanest of people. Kyungsoo still refuses to even step one foot into the room without a bottle of Febreeze and a wet rag. 

When Baekhyun pushed open the heavy door, he saw Jongin, Junmyeon, and Mark huddled around one of Junmyeon’s large computers. 

“Oh, Baekhyun,” Jumyeoned greeted him. He gestured him over. “We’re reviewing the videos right now. Mark just came from his patrol.”

“Apparently Jaehyun and Johnny attacked first,” Baekhyun said, scooting closer to the screen. “They said they were taunted, so let’s see.”

The video started off rather slowly, with Johnny and Jaehyun making their rounds around winding streets and dark side alleys. It was in Jaehyun’s perspective, so Baekhyun was able to fully see the shadows of four Bear members, slinking into the view. They jeered at the two, yelling raucous things that made Baekhyun fume. 

He almost doesn’t blame Jaehyun for jumping on one of the offenders a minute later.

“That’s provocation, alright,” Jongin said once the video finished. 

“Enough to warrant a declaration?” Mark asked, looking over at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun stared at the monitor, weighing the consequences of his decision. But either way, he needed to show Bear the results of targeting the Black Lotus.

“Send the word out,” Baekhyun announced, starting to walk out of the office. “As of now, Bear is our enemy and will be treated as such.”

Jongin and Junmyeon exchanges identical looks of eager anticipation. It’s been a while since the Black Lotus has a good old-fashioned turf war. 

“Right away, sir,” Junmyeon agreed just as Baekhyun left the room. Jongin hurried to follow Baekhyun closely behind.

“Call the board, I want a meeting before anything starts,” Baekhyun commanded Jongin. “Ten minutes. I’ll be down there shortly.” Jongin let out a quiet “Sir” before pulling out his phone and dialing numbers.

“It’s Jongin, boss wants us down in the Room.”

Ten minutes later and Baekhyun was sitting at the head of a long table. All next to him were his most trusted lieutenants and runners. They had similar looks of eagerness and determination on their faces.

Baekhyun leaned forward, balancing his chin on his interlaced fingers. “First things first, Kyungsoo, mind sending a message to our dear Bear?”

Kyungsoo swiveled back and forth on his chair with a cold expression. “Any preferences?”

“Big, let them know exactly what’s happening.”

A smile, with a hint of pleased excitement, on Kyungsoo’s lips. “Sure, I’ll take Taeyong and the rest of the boys with me for border patrol.”

Baekhyun nodded before continuing down his list of tasks. There was much to prepare: supply stocking, imposing the rules of engagement, contacting the Bear leader for negotiation. And most importantly, security.

“Jongin.” The member’s head snapped to attention at his name. “I need you to be with the package at all times.”

The mood around the long table darkened ever so slightly. Of course. The first thing Bear will go for in a turf war is the Black Lotus’s family and loved ones. 

“I won’t be able to see him as often,” Baekhyun said with a sigh. He ran his fingers through his hair wearily. “But I can’t just leave him alone, so I need you to be security. You as well, Chanyeol, whenever you can.”

“Sure, Boss,” Chanyeol agreed with his usual good natured grin. “We’ll take good care of the package.”

“No one touches him, understand?” Baekhyun’s stare was dark and heavy as he locked eyes with his men. “If any Bear comes even close, shoot him. I don’t care if it’s in daylight or not, just don’t let anything happen.” He didn’t realize his voice was growing louder until he felt a touch on his arm.

“Baekhyun,” Junmyeon said softly, leaning over. “He’ll be fine. But we need to focus on how we’re going to break down Bear’s territory.”

Baekhyun blinked once, and exhaled. Junmyeon was right, Jongdae would be safe with Jongin and Chanyeol.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Jongin piped in. “He’ll be safe with us, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun gazed at Jongin’s solemn face, and looked around the room. He took in everyone’s sincere eyes, and determined smiles. 

“Alright. I trust you.”

——

Baekhyun came home to a pouty, but worried, fiancé.

“It’s late,” Jongdae whined as he rocked back and forth on his heels. He’s dressed in grey sweats and one of Baekhyun’s few hoodies layered on top. “Your dinner is already cold.” 

“I’m sorry, baby,” Baekhyun said. He dropped his suit jacket and scooped Jongdae into a tight hug, kissing the top of his head. He thought Jongdae looked absolutely adorable, and couldn’t resist pressing another kiss on the tip of Jongdae’s nose. “It was a bad day at work today.”

Jongdae sighed in contentment and nuzzled Baekhyun’s neck, blowing hot air on the exposed skin and making Baekhyun shiver. “I know,” Jongdae murmured. “Jongin told me that you’d be busy now.”

“Did he tell you why?”

“Not yet,” Jongdae admitted. He tangled his fingers with Baekhyun’s and tugged him over to the kitchen, where a slightly steaming plate of food was waiting. “I figured you would.” 

“I don’t know if I should…” Baekhyun trailed off when he caught sight of Jongdae’s disapproving look. “It’s for your protection, Dae.”

“I’m perfectly protected because of you,” Jongdae pointed out. He poked Baekhyun in the cheek gently, jutting out his bottom lip in a killer pout. “I just want to know where my future husband is going to be.”

No point in arguing with Jongdae. Baekhyun knew just how stubborn his fiancé could be at times.

“It’s a bit of a turf war between us and another group,” Baekhyun explained in between bites of food. “It shouldn’t take that long, plenty of time before our wedding.” 

“Speaking of that, you didn’t forget our appointment with the wedding planner, right?”

Baekhyun halted mid-chew, and Jongdae chuckled at his alarmed expression. “Of course I didn’t!” Baekhyun exclaimed, nervousness in his voice as he rubbed the nape of his neck. “I, uh, even cleared my schedule and everything.”

Needless to say, Jongdae wasn’t at all fooled. “Sure, babe, you didn’t forget at all, huh?” 

“Sorry, it slipped my mind. But I’ll let the boys know first thing tomorrow.”

“It’s alright, I can push it back a week or two. They’re flexible with us, anyways.”

“You’re amazing.” Baekhyun lifted Jongdae’s hand and kissed his engagement ring. “Text me the day and I’ll clear it out as best as I can.” 

He was rewarded with one of Jongdae’s signature crescent moon smiles and a kiss on the cheek. Jongdae told him to finish his food, before heading to the bedroom. 

Once both of them were clean and sleepy, they rolled into bed talking about aimless things. Baekhyun waited until Jongdae quieted down, to pull Jongdae into a tight hug. Jongdae fit against his body like a puzzle piece, limbs in the right spot and head resting comfortably on Baekhyun’s chest and arm.

“I have to bump up security for you,” Baekhyun whispered by Jongdae’s ear. His fiancé gave a sleepy hum of acknowledgment. “Jongin will be with you, or at least near you, until it’s time to go home.”

“Whatever you think is best,” Jongdae mumbled into Baekhyun’s sleep shirt. Baekhyun smiled adoringly, and caressed Jongdae’s cheek.

“I love you, Jongdae.”

“I love you too, Baek.”

——

In the years that they’ve been together, Jongdae could only remember one other time that Baekhyun was engaged in some sort of blatant war. It was nothing major, a few squabbles here and there. Sometimes Baekhyun would come home with a scratch and bruise, and Jongdae would fuss as Baekhyun attempted to calm him down.

It certainly wasn’t this bad.

Jongdae watched with pursed lips how Baekhyun stumbled into their apartment, looking battered with a cut on his cheek and a dirtied suit jacket. He kissed Jongdae on the cheek absentmindedly before heading to the bathroom and then to bed.

There were no longer any dinner table chats or movie marathons. Jongdae was left alone more often than not, and he barely saw Baekhyun except at night when Baekhyun was too weary to be friendly and loving. Sometimes, he wouldn’t even see him, getting a text that Baekhyun would be coming home too late or not at all.

Jongdae tried to understand, after all, he couldn’t imagine the pressures his fiancé was going through. But it still hurt him to see Baekhyun act in such a cold and aloof manner.

It showed in his work, when he didn’t serve customers with his usual blinding smile. Yixing asked him what was wrong, but Jongdae waved him off with a weak excuse. He couldn’t even talk to Jongin, because the other was hiding somewhere in his car or the back of the cafe.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the malicious pairs of eyes watching him from the shadows. 

Jongdae didn’t mean to, but when Chanyeol and Jongin came at their usual time to pick him up, Jongdae let slip Baekhyun’s odd behavior. They exchanged looks, before Jongin turned around with a worried expression.

“You should talk to him, Jongdae,” Jongin advised, “I’m sure he doesn’t realize it. He has a bit of a fire under his ass from this fight.” 

“But when?” Jongdae asked, sulking like a petulant child, “He’s always so tired when he comes home and I don’t want to bother him.”

“I’ll push him to go home a bit early tonight,” Chanyeol promised, “It’s high time Boss got a break anyways.” 

That satisfied Jongdae, because he rewarded both with a wide smile, and an affectionate poke to the cheek. 

So when Baekhyun came home much earlier than he had for the past two weeks, Jongdae was ready. 

“Baek?” Jongdae called out, “Come sit with me.” 

Baekhyun sat down on the couch without a word of protest, immediately leaning into Jongdae’s warmth. “Something up?” Baekhyun’s voice so close sent little shivers down Jongdae’s neck.

“How you feeling?”

“Tired.” As if to emphasize his point, Baekhyun let out a long yawn and squirmed in his place. “But you didn’t answer my question, babe, is something wrong?” Baekhyun turned to gaze deep into Jongdae’s eyes at the question, and Jongdae suddenly lost a bit of his nerve.

“Nothing,” Jongdae answered, breaking eye contact hurriedly. But Baekhyun wasn’t fooled, as he turned Jongdae’s face with a slender finger.

“Jongdae…”

He tried to stand up from the couch, but Baekhyun’s strong arm tugged him right back down. There was no running from this conversation. “I just miss you,” Jongdae admitted, picking at one of Baekhyun’s shirt buttons. “It feels like I barely see you around now.”

“What do you mean? I see you when I come home from work.” Baekhyun was confused, judging by how he tilted his head to the side like a small puppy. 

“But you’re always so tired and I don’t want to bother you.” Jongdae huffed when he’s unable to communicate his point. “I want to see you more, please, it’s been almost two weeks of this now. So-” He didn’t say anymore, or couldn’t, because Baekhyun leaned forward and kissed him deeply.

“I get what you’re trying to say,” Baekhyun said once they broke apart. “And I’m sorry, you’re right. I’ll try to come home earlier from now on, for you.”

That made Jongdae happy enough to kiss Baekhyun once more. “I love you,”  Jongdae said in a sing song voice, tapping the tip of Baekhyun’s nose with his finger. His fiancé grinned and pulled Jongdae closer, till he was almost perching on Baekhyun’s lap. They continued lazily kissing until Jongdae felt a hand slip down to his ass, and he broke apart.

“No sex on the couch,” Jongdae reprimanded Baekhyun, scooting off his lap.

“But babe,” Baekhyun whined, trying to pull Jongdae back on. “Come on, just once.”

“No way, Byun.” Jongdae flicked his forehead with a pout in response. “Last time we did it here, you fell and cut your hand on the coffee table.”

“One time!” But Jongdae wasn’t listening to any of Baekhyun’s protests. He stood up from the couch and walked over to the bedroom.

“If you’re so horny,” Jongdae said, looking back with a playful smile. “Then the bed is better.”

Immediately, a smirk appeared on Baekhyun’s face, and he got off the couch in a hurry. “Kim Jongdae, is that an invitation for something?”

Jongdae let out a breathless chuckle from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. 

“Why don’t you come over here and find out?”

Baekhyun didn’t need to be told twice.

——

Lustful heat filled the room as Baekhyun pushed Jongdae backwards onto the bed and captured his lips deeply. He swiped his tongue across Jongdae’s lips and the other understood, parting his mouth to let the other inside. 

Jongdae’s hands roamed down Baekhyun’s torso to unbutton his dress shirt, before tracing small circles on Baekhyun’s abdominals. Baekhyun stifled a small moan when Jongdae brushed past his pelvic area, fingers dipping teasingly beneath his pants waistband.

They broke apart for breath, and Baekhyun caught sight of Jongdae’s eyes, blown dark with desire. His hands tugged Jongdae’s oversized sleep shirt over his head, tossing it carelessly in the room. 

Baekhyun leaned down and began to leave a trail of kisses all around Jongdae’s neck. He sucked hard at a particular spot that he knew his fiancé was sensitive at and the groan he received in response sent spikes of heat down his stomach. 

“Ah-Baekhyun,” Jongdae gasped, one hand tangling with Baekhyuh’s hair and the other tugging down his own pants. 

“You’re excited aren’t you, baby?” Baekhyun said, low and heavy beside Jongdae’s ear. He gently bit the outer shell and smirked at the way Jongdae tensed up. Baekhyun dipped his hands below Jongdae’s sweatband, fondling his ass for a moment before pulling the fabric down. His underwear was discarded in a moment, and Jongdae was left quivering with excitement, naked underneath the dim light and Baekhyun’s lustful gaze.

“Look at you, gorgeous,” Baekhyun commented. His fingers traced all the way down to Jongdae’s hip bones, brushing at his rapidly hardening cock. “So eager for me.” 

Jongdae leaned up to wrap his arms around Baekhyun’s neck, pulling him down. Baekhyun’s own cock twitched at the way Jongdae’s heated skin pressed at him. “Been waiting for you,” Jongdae confessed. He smirked as a finger traced the underside of Baekhyun’s jaw. “It’s been too long sin-“

Jongdae broke off in a loud groan when Baekhyun fisted his length suddenly, tugging slightly to put Jongdae on edge. Baekhyun let go quickly, and began to suck Jongdae’s erect nipples. “It’s been too long since what?” Baekhyun prompted, before licking a stripe down Jongdae’s heated chest.

“Since I felt your cock inside of me-oh fuck!” Jongdae moaned, his hands scrunching up the sheets beside him as Baekhyun nibbled the soft skin of his inner thigh. 

Baekhyun ministered love bites all over Jongdae’s pale skin, not wanting to leave a single inch unmarked. His hands gripped Jongdae’s petite waist to hold Jongdae steady as Baekhyun hummed contently. He glanced up to see Jongdae staring at him with wide eyes. 

He smirked once, before dipping his head lower till he was level with Jongdae’s quivering hole. Baekhyun blew hot air on it once, and was pleased with the soft gasp in response. Jongdae realized what Baekhyun was about to do a second too late, gripped with unbeckoned gasps. His rim fluttered helplessly as Baekhyun licked at the ring of muscle.

“Fuck, Baekhyun, I swear.” Jongdae grabbed at Baekhyun’s hair in an attempt to tug him closer, but Baekhyun held fast. “Baekhyun!” Jongdae’s cry broke off into a high whine, as he squirmed in his place. But Baekhyun’s strong hands on his hips prevented Jongdae from doing much moving. 

Baekhyun felt saliva dribble down his chin as he continued to trace Jongdae’s rim, driving him so close on the edge but never enough. A lewd moan from Jongdae had Baekhyun finally looking up, his mouth wet and his lips slightly swollen.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Baekhyun asked, the sweetness of his voice starkly contrasting the way he was squeezing Jongdae’s hips hard enough to bruise. “Come on, tell me what you want.”

The hand on his hair tugged him forward until he was face to face with a red faced, panting Jongdae. Rough lips seized his and Jongdae’s moans were muffled as Baekhyun probed his tongue deeper into his mouth. “I want,” Jongdae said breathlessly. Jongdae’s hand shifted down to Baekhyun’s neck, and Jongdae kissed him once more. “You, to make me feel so good.” 

“And how do you want me to do that?” Baekhyun absolutely loved the way Jongdae begged for him. Arousal gripped Baekhyun’s mind and he felt his heart pumping blood to his lower regions.

He felt a rush of cold air when Jongdae managed to slip off his belt, leaving his pants to pool around his legs. Baekhyun leaned back for a moment to allow Jongdae to fully slip off his clothes, before leaning back in, fingers massaging Jongdae’s thighs. 

“With your big cock,” Jongdae gasped out, his voice husky from desire. “Please, Baekhyun, I need you to stretch me and fill me up so good.”

Baekhyun couldn’t say no to a plead like that, so he slotted his hips downwards, grinding against Jongdae as he reached over to their bed stand. Baekhyun uncapped the lube bottle and lathered a generous amount of his fingers. Jongdae watched his every moment eagerly, breath hitching at the way Baekhyun stared at him with hooded eyes. He stared at a drop of sweat trickling down Baekhyun’s neck, down to abs before falling onto the sheets. Jongdae licked his lips appreciatively, and Baekhyun smirked. 

Baekhyun leaned forward to capture Jongdae’s lips before slipping two fingers inside Jongdae. His long fingers disappeared within Jongdae’s hole with ease. Jongdae arched his back at the sudden intrusion, a breathy groan muffled by Baekhyun’s lips. Baekhyun hooked his fingers, tips searching for the sweet spot hidden within. He knew he had found it when Jongdae let out a loud gasp, breaking off the kiss and panting heavily. 

Baekhyun took the moment to slip in a third finger, scissoring them apart expertly. “I wish you could see yourself right now,” Baekhyun said in between butterfly kisses to Jongdae’s collarbone. “Your pretty hole taking me in so nicely, like you were made for it.” 

Jongdae’s hands found their way onto Baekhyun’s shoulder and back, squeezing tightly as Jongdae mewled with pleasure. “More, Baekhyun,” Jongdae gasped out. Baekhyun used his other hand to cup one of Jongdae’s butt cheeks, spreading his ass apart for easier access. He pinched the skin, marveling at the way it fit within his hand.

“Are you sure you can take more, babe?” Baekhyun mused, “You looked so wrecked, so eager.” He dipped his head under to duck at Jongdae’s stomach. He felt Jongdae digging his nails in his back, leaving red marks behind.

“I’m not a doll, Baekhyun,” Jongdae hissed out. Baekhyun brushed his prostate once more and Jongdae moaned loudly, his eyes close with pleasure. The way Jongdae tightened around Baekhyun’s fingers sent a rush of heat straight to his lower region, making his cock even harder. 

“Hurry up and fuck me already,” Jongdae almost plead. “Please, I want you inside me so badly.”

Baekhyun couldn’t resist letting out a breathy chuckle as he stared at Jongdae. “Then beg for it, baby, come on. Let me know how much you want me to fuck you with my cock and make you leak for days.” His fourth finger slipped through with ease. Baekhyun’s cock was leaking clear precum at the way Jongdae jolted and squirmed with every movement of his fingers.

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae lewdly moaned, pulling at Baekhyun’s hair to bring his mouth down to Jongdae’s. “Fuck me so hard. I want you to fill me up so good, babe.” There was a sudden drop in Jongdae’s voice as he whispered right by Baekhyun’s ear, “Come on, sir, put your cock right in me.”

The sudden use of a roleplay made Baekhyun blink in surprise, but it was immediately replaced with renewed lust and desire. Jongdae knew exactly how the name would make his fiance act. “So that’s how it’s going to be,” Baekhyun said. He pulled his fingers out with a lewd squelch, and wiped them on the sheets. “You want me to fuck you? Dominate you? Let everyone know you belong to me?”

The sudden emptiness made Jongdae shiver with anticipation. “Yes, sir.” Jongdae’s seductiveness sent a carnal like urge through Baekhyun. 

“Sit up, head against the headboard.” The authority in Baekhyun’s voice made Jongdae obey with no questions. “Now close your eyes until I say so.”

Jongdae closed his eyes, quivering with anticipation at what was to come. But he wasn’t expecting his arms to be lifted up above his head, and a silky fabric to be tied around his wrists to the headboard post. He tried to peek but Baekhyun hummed lowly in his throat and Jongdae closed them once more. At last, Baekhyun told him he could open his eyes. 

Baekhyun’s pupils, dark with lust and excitement, almost made Jongdae come on the spot. His arms were tied above his head, restricting his movements and leaving him in Baekhyun’s care.

Baekhyun began to run his hands up and down Jongdae’s body, feeling every crevice and brushing feathery touches by his nipples. “I’m going to fuck you so hard,” Baekhyun murmured in a way that made Jongdae groan. “Make you see stars and forget everything but my name.” He reached down and spread Jongdae’s thighs apart, exposing his fluttering hole. “Wouldn’t you like that?” He pinched at the inside skin, leaving nail marks and red over white skin.

“Oh yes, sir,” Jongdae said desperately, “I want it so bad. Please, please, sir, give it to me. Let everyone know how much I belong to you.”

“So needy.” Baekhyun drew out the words as he tore the foil wrapper, slowly to make Jongdae ever more desperate. “You just wanted me to fill you up with my hot cum, make you so sore you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.” 

“Yes, yes,” Jongdae exclaimed, struggling in his spot. Baekhyun’s words made Jongdae squirm with anticipation, legs opening even wider until his knees were bent and his legs were slightly raised. His cock curled up at the edge of his stomach. “I need you so badly.”

Baekhyun rolled the condom carefully onto himself, and positioned himself so that the tip of his cock aligned with Jongdae. His dick twitched at the thought of pleasuring Jongdae. He leaned forward to put one hand by Jongdae’s head for stability, while the other held Jongdae’s hip down. 

“Call out my name, babe.”

“Baekh-“ Jongdae broke off in a gasp when Baekhyun suddenly eased into his body before thrusting deeply, all in one movement. He bottomed out quickly, grinding his hips against Jongdae’s ass before repeating the motions over and over again until Jongdae was reduced to a moaning mess. There were small stabs of pain, but they morphed quickly into thrills of pleasure and heats all around Jongdae’s body. He heaved for breath, wiggling in his bonds and trying to force his body deeper onto Baekhyun’s cock. Baekhyun let out his own set of low groans at the way Jongdae felt around his member. 

“You’re so fucking tight, even after all that stretching,” Baekhyun let out in between thrusts. He leaned forward to suck on Jongdae’s tongue, muffling the other quickly. He didn’t stop moving, as his hand reached down to press down on Jongdae’s other hip. He angled his body slightly to slam into Jongdae’s prostate.

Jongdae wailed at the pressure against his body’s, Baekhyun’s cock pressing at his prostate. His wrists were chafed from the restraints and his back ached when he hit the headboard with every movement. He felt tears leak out of his eyes at the overstimulation but it felt so good to him. 

“Harder,” Jongdae managed to gasp out. He managed to grind his hips for a little more friction, mewling at the sensation of Baekhyun against him. “I want more, even more.”

Baekhyun listened, his thrusts growing stronger until he was hitting Jongdae’s prostate with every other movement. Jongdae’s back bounced against the headboard with the power from Baekhyun, his head hitting the wood with dull thuds. The sounds were absolutely pornographic: moans and heavy breaths overlapping, skin slapping against skin, the bed rocking back and forth. 

Jongdae couldn’t say anymore between his wails and groans, only closing his eyes and letting Baekhyun abuse his prostate. Baekhyun was fucking him open mercilessly and it made Jongdae’s mind go blank with pleasure. When he felt Baekhyun’s breath against his face. Jongdae opened his mouth and let the other slip inside easily, biting and tugging at Jongdae’s lower lip. 

“Open your eyes, Jongdae,” Baekhyun commanded. Jongdae obeyed and the sight made him whimper with desire. 

Baekhyun was sweaty with exertion, his chest and face hot and flushed. But his movements never ceased, pounding deep into Jongdae’s body and shaking him. Jongdae’s tongue lolled out of his mouth in pleasure as Baekhyun increased his pace, rocking Jongdae up and down. Tears trickled down his face as he panted and moaned, his body shuddering with the power of Baekhyun’s thrusts. 

Jongdae couldn’t keep his eyes open for much longer, the way Baekhyun’s cock hit his walls sending him closer and closer to the edge. He couldn’t take it any longer, wailing, “Fuck, Baekhyun, I’m-“ He wasn’t able to finish, for Baekhyun suddenly pulled out, letting the tip of his cock trace Jongdae hole teasingly.

Jongdae heaved at the loss, his body feeling empty and cold. He was so close to his climax, just ready to release. He trembled as he whimpered Baekhyun’s name. 

“That’s it, babe,” Baekhyun encouraged him, a hand coming up to flick at Jongdae’s chest. “I just love seeing you like this.” He edged his body closer, cock pressing at Jongdae’s entrance but never entering fully. The teasing stimulation sent a new wave of pleasure and desire through Jongdae.

“Don’t stop,” Jongdae plead, desperate for Baekhyun’s touch. “Baekhy-“ Lips captured his, silencing his pleas, and Jongdae unconsciously closed his eyes, letting Baekhyun roam his body and mouth. 

But there was no warning as Baekhyun thrusted inside with a low groan. He ground his body downwards, hips creating so much friction with Jongdae’s body that Jongdae’s vision grew white and he yelled Baekhyun’s name as streaks painted his stomach. He felt he was on Cloud Nine, head up with the stars as his lungs heaved for breath.

Baekhyun didn’t stop fucking him through his orgasm, relentless in his pursuit as Jongdae lied there in pleasure. He moved his hands down to Jongdae’s ass, gripping at the flesh and kneading them. Jongdae clenched in response to the stimulation, and Baekhyun moaned, finally slowing down as he felt himself approaching the edge. 

“Fill me up, Baekhyun,” Jongdae heaved, “Feels so good, so big.” He clenched around Baekhyun’s next thrust, eager to please Baekhyun.

The sinful words and stimulation were enough to push Baekhyun over, and he gasped as his cock released, filling Jongdae with heat. He pulled out carefully, his legs almost shaking from holding him up for so long. Baekhyun fell on top of Jongdae, chest against chest, as he kissed his fiancé deeply. “You’re so good for me,” Baekhyun whispered in a low voice. “I never want to let you go.” With one hand, he undid the ties around Jongdae’s wrists, and Jongdae slipped downwards, into Baekhyun’s waiting arms. 

“I’m all for you,” Jongdae replied, sighing in contentment against Baekhyun’s swollen lips. “I belong to you.” Jongdae rubbed Baekhyun’s face with his left hand, letting the metal of his ring brush against the skin as a reminder. 

Baekhyun gazed into Jongdae’s eyes, love and adoration evident on his face. “I love you so much, Jongdae.” 

Jongdae didn’t hesitate as he replied with just as much passion and fondness in his voice, “I love you too.” 

——

Baekhyun woke up with a head of black hair tickling the tip of his nose, and a pair of arms wrapping around his naked midsection. He also woke up to the shrill sound of his phone rapidly beeping. He carefully untangled himself from Jongdae, and reached over to the bed stand for his ringing device.

“Hello?”

“Baekhyun, you’re late! Hurry the hell up!” 

Baekhyun winced as Kyungsoo’s voice made his eardrums throb. Beside him, Jongdae groaned softly, nuzzling deeper into the crook between Baekhyun’s neck and chest. 

“I’m on my way,” Baekhyun responded, “Try not to make anything explode before I get there.” He hung up before Kyungsoo could yell at him any further, and set his phone back down. 

He prodded Jongdae’s cheek, admiring how his fiance’s eyelashes fluttered as he slowly stirred. “Morning already?” Jongdae asked, yawning softly and blinking his eyes sleepily. 

Baekhyun began to kiss the corner of Jongdae’s eyes and cheeks until his fiance giggled and swatted at him playfully. “I have to go to work now,” Baekhyun told him apologetically, “Kyungsoo will have my ass if I don’t.”

“Oh we can’t have that,” Jongdae exclaimed with an undertone of amusement. Baekhyun jolted when he felt a sudden pinch at his butt. “This ass belongs to me, right?” 

“Everything I have belongs to you, baby,” Baekhyun said in a husky voice. Jongdae grinned and leaned forward to kiss him slowly. They stayed in their position a few moments longer to bask in each other’s company and the warm sunshine, until Baekhyun stretched out. 

He swung his legs over the side of the bed after gently unwrapping Jongdae from his body. “You have work in a bit as well,” Baekhyun reminded him. “Don’t be late, Jongin and Chanyeol will be here soon.”

Jongdae waved a hand nonchalantly from where he was lying on the bed, head buried in the pillows. “Have a good day at work, babe, I’ll see you soon.”

Baekhyun was pulling on his slacks when an idea struck him. “Hey Jongdae?” A lazy hum for an answer. “If you get up now, I can drive you to work.” 

In a flash, Jongdae was out of the bed and practically fell on his face from the movement. His ass twitched with pain and Baekhyun helped him stand up.

“I’m sore,” Jongdae whined, flopping back onto the bed. “It’s all your fault.” 

Baekhyun chuckled from where he was changing. “You weren’t complaining that much last night when you were moaning my name, babe,” Baekhyun said with a wink. “I’ll help you, just take it easy today.”

With gentle hands, he helped Jongdae off the bed and into his clothes. Jongdae fixed Baekhyun’s tie carefully before kissing the tip of his nose. “We smell like shit,” Jongdae commented, “Should’ve woken up earlier for a shower.” 

In response, Baekhyun opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle of body spray, deftly spraying a cloud over him and Jongdae. “Problem solved,” Baekhyun grinned. Jongdae shook his head but smiled in return.

“Then let’s go!” Jongdae said happily, pushing Baekhyun into their shared bathroom to get ready. Baekhyun let out a laugh at Jongdae’s actions, and received a face splashed with water in return. 

“Are you sure it’s okay for you to take me?” Jongdae asked carefully once they were in the car.

Baekhyun shrugged and answered, “You’re pretty early, anyways, plus everything is winding down.” He leaned over to peck Jongdae affectionately. “It’s alright.” 

They arrived at the cafe minutes later, and Jongdae got out of the car with an obnoxious air kiss. “Jongin will be here in five minutes,” Baekhyun said, “So just wait in the cafe.” 

“Ok!” Jongdae gave him a wide smile. “Have a good day at work, babe, I love you!” 

“Love you too!” Baekhyun smiled and waited for Jongdae to safely enter the cafe before shooting off. But if he wasn’t so preoccupied with thoughts of work and Jongdae, he would have noticed the shadows hiding at the edge of the building. 

——

True to his word, Jongin arrived at the cafe a mere five minutes later. But right from the start, everything was wrong. There was a crowd surrounding the building, murmuring anxiously. Jongin pushed his way through, and was halted in his place.

Shards of broken windows were scattered on the floor, with the door having a hole where the knob was. Inside, stools were tossed carelessly, and the tables were strewn with ceramic pieces. Some bystanders tried to stop Jongin, but a distressed Yixing waved him through.

“What the hell happened?” Jongin demanded. 

Yixing shook his head. “I don’t know,” the worker said hopelessly, “I came here two minutes ago, and it was like this.” 

Jongin walked around the cafe, taking note of the shattered cups and pots, when his blood ran cold. By the bar counter, was Jongdae’s favorite teapot. Completely destroyed into hundreds of tiny pieces. A few inches away, was a small pool of blood next to a broken stool. The final indicator was a mark etched next to the blood, as if taunting Jongin.

A bear paw print.

The sight was all Jongin needed for his fears to be confirmed. He pushed his way out of the cafe without a word, and took out his phone. He bit his lip anxiously while he waited for the call to be picked up. 

“Baekhyun? It’s me, Jongin.”

A garbled answer. Jongin sucked in a deep breath, not wanting to be the one to break the news. But he had to.

“It’s Jongdae, he-”

——

Baekhyun punched his office door in frustration, denting the polished wood. “Fuck!” He yelled out, not caring if anyone heard him. Behind him, Kyungsoo and Junmyeon exchanged identical worried looks. “I’m so fucking stupid!” Baekhyun grabbed at his hair and groaned loudly. He whirled around to the other two, his eyes blazing with anger. His blood boiled throughout his body and his heart was pounding so loudly Baekhyun thought it was vibrating in his head. 

“Call everyone, I don’t give a damn anymore.” Baekhyun waved his hand and Kyungsoo immediately pulled out his phone. “Get me the location of Bear’s main base. Now.” He stormed out of the office and down to the barracks, where he knew Chanyeol and Sehun were already waiting.

Junmyeon hurried after him anxiously. “Baekhyun, we shouldn’t-“

“Shouldn’t what?” The ferocity of Baekhyun’s question cut Junmyeon off, and the man went mute under Baekhyun’s intense gaze. “He’s there, I know it. Kwangseon isn’t an idiot. He’s doing this on purpose.” 

He stalked down the hallway with the aura of blood lust, his mind spinning with thoughts of Jongdae. “Tell Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said to Junmyeon, “To go down to the lab and get the explosives.”

Junmyeon frowned momentarily but nodded, and walked off to find the other.

Baekhyun made it to the barracks and shoved the door open. Immediately, the group of men waiting stood up and looked at Baekhyun with rapt attention. He surveyed them for a moment, cold fury etched on his face. “We’re storming Bear’s headquarters,” He announced. The group looked excited at the prospect, eager to get out. “And to give you all a bit of an incentive.” Baekhyun paused for dramatic effect. “Every man receives a cash reward for every Bear dead.”

That set off a bomb in the room, as the men exploded into eager chatter and cheers. Junmyeon and Kyungsoo started directing people off into various directions towards Bear’s main base, as Baekhyun looked on. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see a visibly distressed Jongin.

“I’m sorry, Boss,” Jongin said sadly, guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders, “I should’ve gotten there faster.” 

“It’s ok.” 

Baekhyun’s acknowledgement made Jongin look up with slightly hopeful eyes. “It’s not your fault,” Baekhyun reassured him. “It’s Bear’s, and we’re going to get those sons of a bitches.” 

Jongin grinned his saucy smile, and nodded. “I’ll see you there, Boss.” He hesitated briefly before continuing, “We’ll find him, you know we will.” He clapped Baekhyun’s shoulder with a grim smile, before walking off. 

The barracks was almost empty, the weapon racks missing all sorts of weapons. The only people loitering behind were the doctors or technicians. Baekhyun stayed in place, breathing deeply to calm his racing heart. He flexed his hands, staring at the engagement ring on his finger. He wouldn’t let Bear get away with no consequences. The blazing fury in his chest quieted down to a cold determination. The only thoughts on his mind were Jongdae, and revenge. 

“I’m coming to save you, Jongdae.”

——

When Jongdae finally regained consciousness, he was in a dimly lit room tied down to a chair. There was a cotton rag in his mouth that cracked his lips when he breathed and made his throat feel dry and scratchy. His ankles and wrists felt raw and sore, and there was a pounding in his head as he wiggled in his place.

He let out a weak groan as he tried to gauge his surroundings. The last thing Jongdae could remember before he blacked out was a group of angry men storming into the cafe, breaking everything in their path and smirking at Jongdae. He tried to escape and call Baekhyun, but two of them blocked his path before someone hit the back of his head, and he lost consciousness.

Jongdae felt some of his strength return to his numb arms, before the door in front of his was thrown open. A tall man with a cruel face and a gleaming smile strolled into the room. Behind him trailed two more, dressed in red with their faces covered by white masks. 

“So the princess is awake, huh?” The lead man’s voice was nasally and harsh, like a knife scraping along the bottom of a ceramic bowl. He walked over to Jongdae and roughly seized his chin, forcing his head up.

“I didn’t know that the Black Lotus mob boss had such a pretty plaything,”  The man said, tilting Jongdae’s face from side to side and devouring him with his cold eyes. “Look at you, so delicate and fragile. It would be a shame if-“ The man’s grip tightened around Jongdae’s jaw and if it wasn’t for the gag, Jongdae would’ve cried out in pain “-we were to break something.”

Jongdae, with all his determination, threw a look of pure hatred towards the man, but the figure was unintimidated. “My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself.” He let go of Jongdae’s head, leaving red streaks in his wake, and bowed mockingly. “My name is Kwangseon, the leader of the Mutilated Bears. But you, pretty, can call me your future master.”

Jongdae wanted to vomit on the spot from pure disgust and horror. Kwangseon caught his horrified expression and grinned, making his features even more twisted and villainous.

“Don’t worry, pretty, it won’t be for a while. First we have to kill that little boss of yours,” Kwangseon told him. The man put his hands behind his head and surveyed Jongdae with interest. “I imagine it’ll be soon, so let’s enjoy the time that we have together, ok?”

At these words, the two other men slowly approached Jongdae, their eyes dead and blank. Jongdae shook his wrists and twisted his body to get away from them, but to not avail. From their pockets, they produced small pocket knives that they used to cut at Jongdae’s dirtied cafe uniform, until parts of his chest and legs were exposed. 

He felt tears drip down his cheeks as he shivered with fear and chill. Jongdae’s heart was pounding louder and faster than ever, so much he thought it was going to burst out of his throat. 

“Get started,” Kwangseon told his men, “I’ll be back soon.” He turned towards Jongdae and gave him one last smirk. “Wait for me, pretty, we’ll have lots of fun.”

As the white masked men grabbed at Jongdae’s neck and arms, the only thought in his mind was Baekhyun. Jongdae felt something touch the lower half of his torso, and everything went black. 

——

Jongdae lost sense of time in that dim room. The aching in his body increased tenfold, but now he had shallow cuts around, pooling on the floor. He felt violated and dirty, when the white masked men, and sometimes Kwangseon, probed and touched him in places that made him jerk sharply away. 

He never felt so helpless, and so broken.

The torture finally stopped when there was a loud shouting outside, and someone burst through the door. One of the men let go of Jongdae’s arm, and demanded what was going on.

“They’re here!” The man announced, waving the gun in his hand. “Get out and to your positions. Boss said he will take care of the prisoner.” 

The two white masked men exchanged looks, but relented and left the room. Jongdae let out a loud sob once the door closed behind them. His body shook uncontrollably and the cuts throbbed with pain. 

But something in his mind told him that there was only one explanation for who was breaking in.

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae whispered feebly, “Please hurry.”

A few minutes passed before the door was thrown open, and Jongdae flinched as an angered Kwangseon stalked in. There was a gun in his hand, and flecks of blood on his clothing. He seized the back of Jongdae’s chair, dragging him towards the back wall of the room. 

Kwangseon was staring straight at the ajar door, but his gun was lax in his hand. Jongdae could barely breathe as he heard the sounds of fighting and gunshots going off in the corridor. 

There were footsteps approaching the room, and Jongdae suddenly choked when Kwangseon cut his wrists bonds and hoisted him up in the air by an elbow chokehold around his throat. There was cold metal pressed to his temple, and Jongdae felt a new rush of fear in his heart.

In the doorway stood a bloodied figure dressed in black. The once gleaming silver lotus pin on his collar was stained red, and there was a look of cold anger on his face.

“Drop the gun, Byun,” Kwangseon yelled, “Or your plaything gets a head filled with lead.” Kwangseon shook Jongdae to emphasize his point, and Jongdae was practically suffocating under the pressure. The gun pressed closer to his head, and he muffled a desperate sob.

Baekhyun was pointing a gun at Kwangseon with a steady arm, but his eyes flickered unsure at Jongdae’s tear stained face. He saw the cuts and bruises on Jongdae’s body, and he gripped the gun with more determination. 

“Give it up, Kwangseon.” Baekhyun’s voice was calm, nothing compared to the shaky panic of Kwangseon. “Your men are all dead, it’s just you and me.”

“Don’t be fucking cocky,” Kwangseon spat. The gun trembled slightly as Kwangseon leered at Baekhyun. “You really think you can beat me? Don’t make me laugh.” 

He cocked his gun, and Jongdae felt something in his stomach drop. He looked around frantically for anything to stop him. But his legs were weak and his strength was nothing compared to the mob boss. The pressure increased at his throat and Jongdae began to claw at Kwangseon’s arm, but to no avail. Even a small trickle of panic began to creep into Baekhyun’s expression.

“Leave him alone, and I’ll let you live.” Baekhyun stepped forward and Kwangseon immediately stepped back, pressing his back against the wall. “The Black Lotus will be merciful to you. Now let Jongdae go.” There was a strong emphasis on every word.

“Merciful?” Kwangseon’s voice was hysterical now, rising up in volume. “You think you’re the best, just because you can shoot a couple bullets. What a joke.” His eyes took on a crazed look, and Jongdae made one last attempt to break free. He locked eyes with Baekhyun in despair, pleading with muffled cries. Kwangseon pressed his gun and-

Boom!

A sudden explosion broke the room, causing the back wall to collapse right on top of Kwangseon, knocking the gun out of reach. His arm loosened around Jongdae, and Jongdae would have fallen had it not been for Baekhyun rushing forward and barely catching him. 

A lanky figure emerged from the rubble, dusty but with a triumphant smile. “Get fucked, bitch ass,” Chanyeol crowed at Kwangseon, whose lower body was trapped underneath a pile of plaster and cement. “That’s what you get when you mess with the Black Lotus.” 

In an instant, Jongin and Kyungsoo stormed into the room, guns up as they surrounded Kwangseon. Jongdae let out a heart wrenching sob of relief as he buried his head into Baekhyun’s chest. He felt his fiancé’s hands rub soothingly over his back, and Jongdae began to cry.

“I’m so sorry,” Baekhyun whispered, his voice full of despair and relief. “I’m so sorry, Jongdae.” He began to press light kisses on the top of Jongdae’s head, his hands holding Jongdae right and close, as if he was afraid that Jongdae would be taken away again. His heart ached at the sight of Jongdae, broken and wounded.

Jongdae took a few moments to respond, his head still pressed to Baekhyun’s body, relishing the familiar comfort of the other. “It’s ok,” Jongdae said in a hoarse voice. He locked eyes with Baekhyun, and gave a small smile. His cheeks were stained with red and tear tracks, but his eyes were bright with happiness and relief. “I knew you would come.”

Baekhyun caressed his cheek lovingly, wiping the marks away with a gentle thumb. “I’m never leaving you again,” Baekhyun promised him. “I swear, I’ll always be here for you.” 

Jongdae pressed his forehead to Baekhyun, briefly touching their lips together. He wrapped his arms around Baekhyun’s neck, clutching tightly, and Baekhyun understood what he was trying to say, but couldn’t with words.

Baekhyun stood you slowly, wrapping his arms around Jongdae and hoisting him up in a bridal carry. “Let’s go home,” He said with a tentative smile. Jongdae sniffled in reply, and wrapped his arms around Baekhyun’s neck, clinging on tightly. 

Baekhyun took a few slow steps forward, and walked out of the dim room, into the cold night.

——

1 Month Later

The wedding was perfect. Shimmering white drapes hanging from the eaves and window sills of the church, perfectly bloomed flowers decorating the steps and the aisles, and beautiful musical tones drifting through the air. 

Jongdae couldn’t help but tear up after Baekhyun delivered his heart wrenchingly sweet vows, and gently slipped on the gold wedding band onto his finger. They’ve come so far from the incident with Bear. Sleepless nights and comforting touches have led up to the most important day of Jongdae’s entire life. He barely choked out the last words of his own vows, meeting Baekhyun’s shining eyes with his own glistening ones. 

When they promised their everlasting love to each other and kissed, a flock of snowy white doves flew from the open doors, adding the magical atmosphere of the event. The audience thundered with applause, more of the half of the attendees members of the Black Lotus. Jongdae grinned when he saw Jongin and Chanyeol repeatedly wiping their cheeks with their handkerchiefs and Kyungsoo scolding them with a trembling upper lip.

At reception, Baekhyun would not let go of Jongdae’s hand for a single moment, even when he cut his food or stood up to shake hands. People flocked to their center table with congratulations and warm wishes as soon as possible.

“Congratulations, boss,” Chanyeol said, pulling Baekhyun into a tight hug, “It’s about goddamn time.”

“I’m not your boss anymore, Park,” Baekhyun reminds him with a chuckle, “Stop calling me that.”

The rest of the core Black Lotus members standing around the table gave a collective shudder and head shake. “It’s too weird,” Junmyeon commented. “You really want to retire?”

“Hell yeah.” Baekhyun’s words were filled with determination and resolve when he answered. He held up Jongdae’s left hand, kissing the ring on the finger. “I have something that’s too important for me to lose.” 

The broad smile that Baekhyun gave him made Jongdae’s heart pound in his chest, and he automatically leaned over to kiss Baekhyun’s cheek in response.

The other men exchanged fond looks, silently swooning at the display. “There’s no better reason than love,” Kyungsoo agreed. He smiled at Baekhyun and nodded. “We’ll miss you, Baekhyun.” 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Baekhyun promised.

When they went back to their seats, Jongdae leaned over to whisper, “You know, you didn’t have to give up everything for me.”

Baekhyun gave him a startled look, before winking mischievously. “What do you mean?” He answered, “You are my everything.” The glow in his eyes made Jongdae’s heart stop and his vision suddenly tunneled. Everything surrounding Baekhyun blurred and all Jongdae could see was his husband’s radiant smile. 

Jongdae blinked once, breaking the shimmer, before playfull rolling his eyes at the cheesiness. “Let’s just start the official toast,” Jongdae muttered to Baekhyun’s amusement. 

A clink against their glasses had the crowd quieting down and looking expectedly at the couple. 

“From the bottom of our hearts,” Baekhyun began, “Jongdae and I would like to thank you all for coming out to help us celebrate this amazing moment.” 

Waiters filed out of the kitchens, balancing trays of cups and ceramic teapots. “As a token of our appreciation, please enjoy this sample of one of our favorite teas,” Baekhyun continued. A waiter set a familiar looking white teapot in front of the two, deftly pouring two steaming cups. 

Baekhyun held up a cup and smiled, and in that moment, Jongdae realized that no matter what challenges the world had in mind, he would stay with Baekhyun forever. 

“Black Lotus Blossom tea.” 

Jongdae squeezed Baekhyun’s hand as he took a sip, and when Baekhyun squeezed it back, Jongdae knew Baekhyun felt the same. 

Fin