Rapture: A Monster Story (Part 2) | chanbaek

- Chapter Twenty-Two -

WITHOUT YOU, I'M STILL WITH YOU

Baekhyun's p.o.v.

Baekhyun went back to his house after leaving the hospital. It was dark and cold when he opened the door, nothing like Chanyeol's house that oozed warmth and comfort. Numbly Baekhyun walked down the hallway to his bedroom and pushed the door open, and with tears flowing down his cheeks he collapsed onto the bed. He wanted the darkness to visit him; he wanted to be distracted from his pain, and he had to remind himself it was for the best.

Monday morning when Baekhyun woke alone, he was instantly filled with emptiness. How could he go to school and see him? How could he sit next to him and pretend nothing was wrong? How could he sit next to him and force himself not to look at him? How could he force himself to resist the urge of throwing his arms around his neck and kissing him? How long would he have to stay away from him? How long would he have to go without saying he loved him?

. . . .

Chanyeol's p.o.v.

Chanyeol didn't care how he looked as he got ready for school that Monday morning. He didn't care if he looked like he hadn't slept. He didn't care how broken and lost he looked. He just wanted him . . .

In their first hour class together they were forced to sit together. Baekhyun didn't acknowledge Chanyeol's presence, and with a sickening ache it reminded Chanyeol of the days before when Baekhyun kept pushing him away — and now he was doing it again . . .

Baekhyun's p.o.v.

Baekhyun couldn't sit next to Chanyeol without feeling the urge to look at him; to touch him; to kiss him. With the scrapping of his chair against the floor, Baekhyun walked out of class and went to the bathroom. He locked the door behind him and went to the sink as he said, "You've gone eighteen years without knowing him, Baekhyun. So you can go a few weeks without talking to him. You want him safe, and that's what you're doing. You're leaving him alone so he can be safe." Baekhyun looked at himself in the mirror as he watched himself whisper, "But why does it have to be so hard . . .?"

Chanyeol's p.o.v.

Chanyeol couldn't help but look at Baekhyun as he sat in the bleachers with his head in his arms. He so badly wanted to go to him and wrap him in a hug and never let him go, but Baekhyun needed time because he was afraid of seeing Chanyeol get hurt.

"Yah. Chanyeol," Kyungsoo's voice broke through to Chanyeol's subconsciousness. Chanyeol unwillingly tore his eyes from Baekhyun as Kyungsoo continued to say, "Why is Baekhyun sitting on the bleachers? Is he sick?" Chanyeol shook his head. "Then why is he over there?" Kyungsoo pressed. "I can't talk about it," Chanyeol muttered as he went to sit on the bleachers too, staying four rows away from Baekhyun.

Baekhyun's p.o.v.

Baekhyun watched from the crack between his arms as Chanyeol approached the bleachers and sat down with his back to him. Biting his lip Baekhyun turned his head to the side, imaging himself talking to Chanyeol as he quietly whispered, "I'm sorry for doing this. I'm sorry that I'm hurting you. But Chanyeol, I can't have you getting hurt. I don't know if you understand that, but I know you hate it, and so do I . . . I have to do it though. I have to stay away from you until Yixing is caught because I can't have him coming after me and hurting you too. I love you, Chanyeol. Please, just wait a little longer."

Chanyeol's p.o.v.

Chanyeol thought he heard Baekhyun's voice whispering to him, but he shook it off as a trick of his subconscious because he just missed him so much. Chanyeol really wanted Baekhyun to come back to him. Maybe if Chanyeol explained that the danger never really went away, maybe then Baekhyun would realize staying away from him wasn't going to solve anything? Maybe even Chanyeol would be able to hold him in his arms again and feel his lips brush against his. Maybe Chanyeol should say something now . . .