Chapter Text
Baekhyun loved nothing more than waking up in his boyfriend’s embrace, so when one morning he didn’t feel Chanyeol’s strong arms coiled around his waist, he startled.
“Chan?”
He heard a soft hum come from across the room, lifting his eyes to see Chanyeol silhouetted by the big floor to ceiling windows of their apartment.
Of course they had agreed to move in together the minute Chanyeol had been discharged from the hospital, neither willing to spend a moment apart. Chanyeol had taken some time away from the running of Black Lotus due to his injury and health, but now that he was back to his peak performance, Baekhyun knew he was likely thinking about heading back.
“Are you okay?” Baekhyun padded over, wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s middle and instantly calming when Chanyeol pulled him in tighter.
“Yeah, I was just thinking.” He uttered softly “I… think there’s a lot I still don’t understand about what happened. Not fully at least.”
Baekhyun peeked a glance up at Chanyeol’s sombre expression “You mean, about Ilsung?”
Chanyeol shook his hair, his bed head spilling around his face “No… not exactly.” He turned Baekhyun in his arms so the other was stood in front- back pressed against Chanyeol’s chest, taking the time to slide his hands down the front of Baekhyun’s body in a way that made him shiver.
“I mean, how you found out about all of that… I know I never told you because I feared Ilsung would do something to you if he ever knew of your existence. It was better if neither of you knew of the other, I could maintain some control.” Chanyeol exhaled, his breath so close to Baekhyun’s ear that the other swallowed thickly.
“I was sure you left because of how I treated you back then…”Chanyeol wound his arm tighter, as if afraid Baekhyun might disappear again “But then you turn up with Ilsung…for revenge.Why don’t you tell me what happened, Baek? I really won’t be angry about it”
Chanyeol’s voice was soft, breath-taking almost as he nuzzled against Baekhyun’s neck. Baekhyun bit his lip, he had been trying to avoid talking about what exactly had happened that had led to Chanyeol being shot.
He still felt guilty. How could he not when he was the one who had set the trap – the trap was meant for Ilsung but he should have known there would have been consequences.
Sighing, he unwound himself from Chanyeol, turning to face him and cupping his cheeks “I think you should sit down while I explain…”
“Right.” Obediently, Chanyeol sat back down on the bed, eyes never leaving Baekhyun as the shorter man paced around by the window. Nervous.
“You don’t have to be nervous Baek, whatever happened has already happened, we can’t change it but I’d rather know the truth”
And Baekhyun knew Chanyeol deserved the truth, but his boyfriend was still the Emperor of the Underworld and that was something Baekhyun knew for sure now, couldn’t and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
“You promise me, you won’t get angry?” Baekhyun tried a smile, that came across shaky.
“Do I have a reason to be angry?” Chanyeol quirked an eyebrow, tugging on Baekhyun’s arms and pulling him back into his hold.
“I…” Baekhyun swallowed “Right, I should just tell you no matter what the consequences.”
“Well, it all started on that night with Anita and Jaeseok – I was hurt and angry that you would do something like that, but at the same time it didn’t make any sense to me…”
4 months earlier
It’s Jongin that leads him away to get dressed and clean up and Baekhyun remembers crying, his heart aching over and over again.
They had been together for a year and half, and everything Chanyeol had done had been carefully crafted with precision. Every punishment, every rule broken – every way in which he loved and cherished Baekhyun had been carefully planned. He had wanted so badly to differentiate the two sides of Chanyeol, but seeing what he had just seen – doing what he had just done… they were one and the same person.
And it seemed impossibly certain to Baekhyun, that Chanyeol could never love him back with the same intensity that he did.
In those last few moments, he had seen something worse than Chanyeol’s punishments – he had seen wrath, fury and anger. Aimed at him.
Chanyeol, even when punishing him had always been gentle. Had always been the one to look after him and coddle him seconds after they had finished.
This Chanyeol had stared at him with a gaze that made his blood run cold – unfamiliar.
“Jongin, I can’t… I can’t take this… I’m sorry” Baekhyun had sobbed against Jongin’s arms, the other barely holding him upright “Why did I lie to him, I could have just told him, asked him, begged him for mercy- but I lied. He asked me if I had and I… I..” He had whimpered and felt the life leave his body as his legs buckled under him.
Jongin had barely uttered a few words to him in the whole time. And when Baekhyun finally reached his limit, curled in the corner, the younger man had turned to leave, hand poised on the door handle.
He had heard Jongin, sigh – half agitation and half resignation. “Do you want to know why Chanyeol is the way he is? Why he fights so hard, and punishes harder?”
Baekhyun had stopped for a moment. He had never considered why Chanyeol was the way he was. To him, he had always been a mafia boss, immaculately dressed and impossible to read.
“Why?” He mumbled back “I never thought of why… I just thought he was…”
Jongin sat on the edge of the bed in the room “What I’m about to tell you, you can never tell anyone else. You can never tell Chanyeol I told you…he kept it from you for a reason – although I don’t understand why he would considering he cares for you above everything else.”
“He does?” Baekhyun had blinked back. He assumed everyone saw Chanyeol the way he saw Chanyeol right now.
“You get leniency, mercy, affection, lee-way.” Jongin scoffed “Chanyeol has never been shown love before and has never properly been loved. He’s only doing what he knows. What he was taught to do.”
And then Baekhyun listened keenly, his world into Chanyeol opening up a fraction more every time Jongin spoke;
“His mother was the only loving person in his life, but his father made sure he never saw her. If he did, it was brief – a brush by in the hallway where he could hear his mother cry desperate to hold her son. And then, it was a moment too late when she could. Chanyeol was a cold shell of a little boy – a murder machine created by his father. He knew how to kill in thirty different ways by the time he was ten, he looked at everyone with these cold hard eyes.
The only person that Chanyeol protected was Kang Ilsung. He took him under his wing, took his father’s beatings on his behalf. He did everything for Ilsung. To him, taking all that pain away from Ilsung was his love. And killing on his behalf was also love.
To Chanyeol, Ilsung at one point was his brother. Someone he had on his team. But Ilsung was never on Chanyeol’s side – he wanted what Chanyeol would receive – power, fame, notoriety – he was the kind of person who craved violence.”
Jongin swallowed “On his father’s death, Chanyeol was given the Black Lotus. It was his to rule, to control and to empower. Of course there were others, older and stronger but Chanyeol would take over the minute he became of age. And of course, while he was still a child and many tried to take his life, but his father had created a monster. A monster who slept with one eye open and would kill without remorse. Leniency, mercy – affection… these were things Chanyeol didn’t know and had never learned.”
“What about his mother… couldn’t his mother have looked after him after his father’s death?” Baekhyun had enquired, voice trembling, unable to comprehend how no one had loved Chanyeol his whole life.
“She tried – she really did.” Jongin ducked his head “She was the one good thing Chanyeol had. But on a night Chanyeol was to go and visit her in her room, he found her dead body hanging. They had considered it suicide from heartbreak from losing Chanyeol’s father – but most people knew it was a loveless marriage. She had cheated on him multiple times, once even with Ilsung’s father. There never was a conclusion as to why she did what she did, but the theory goes that when Park Leewon knew his time was up, he ordered his men to have her killed. Mercifully. It was his last wish.”
Baekhyun balked. How could a father be so cruel to rip away the only remaining parent his child would have, on his deathbed?
“Cruel, right?” Jongin snapped his eyes up to meet Baekhyun’s “That’s what Chanyeol had known all his life. And then he witnessed his mother’s limp body hanging from the ceiling. Even if what he didn’t feel for her was love, it definitely wasn’t hatred or rage. It is the one time I had seen Chanyeol crying. We were all children, at the time. I was younger than he was, but we all trained with each other. I had tried to hug him, but he had pushed me away with those dark eyes, glowering at me. He had told me to leave him alone.”
“But I didn’t – we didn’t. For some strange reason, we cared for Chanyeol. After our day of training ended, we had parents or siblings to go back to. They were cruel in their own ways, but parents none the less. Chanyeol had nothing but Ilsung. And Ilsung was driven mad at the prospect that he was not the heir to the Black Lotus.
It drove him insane that he couldn’t take everything from Chanyeol. That’s the type of person Ilsung is but even up until that point he had never hurt Chanyeol. That is, not until the were put up together to raid a warehouse of arms dealers. They were both ten.
Chanyeol must have known, or must not have cared. He had lost everything and if Ilsung was to kill him then maybe it was a done deal that he must go be with his parents.”
Baekhyun listened intently as Jongin explained how Ilsung had shot Chanyeol, how grown men had stomped on his body and beat him to a pulp to ‘irradicate the heir’, he heard how Ilsung had promised ask the new heir, to give them prominent positions for their help.
And then he heard how Ilsung set fire to the building. He had wanted to make sure Chanyeol never made it out alive.
“We had followed him. It was just me, Kyungsoo, Minseok and Jongdae. Junmyeon and Yixing hadn’t yet joined the Black Lotus, and Sehun was far to young to tag along. We had expected Ilsung to do something, but to actually try to kill Chanyeol had never been on our radar.
We rushed the building the minute the blaze erupted and had to bodily drag Chanyeol out. When he woke up in the infirmary he didn’t say anything to us and we were kids in the presence of the future leader. We didn’t dare say anything back. Chanyeol never thanked us.
But from that moment on, he protected us. He stepped up to the leader position at eighteen and by that time he had chosen the people he wanted by his side. The remaining seven that make up his closest men today.
The anger of that day never left him, he had vowed he would never be taken by surprise again, to be wounded or hurt again. But the number of times I’ve seen Chanyeol put his life on the line for us… that was his affection, that was the way he cared for us.
But with you, it was different. It is almost like you calm his killing instinct, you make him something different even if just for a moment. I’ve known Yeol for a long time, he wouldn’t have hesitated to put a bullet through your head if you had been just anybody to him. But you weren’t.
From the moment you set foot in his office, he liked you. And I think in his own way, he loves you. I think seven… has actually become eight.”
The whole set of events made Baekhyun’s blood boil. How could someone treat Chanyeol like that? Why try to kill him?
It baffled Baekhyun’s brain.
“I…is Ilsung still alive?”
Jongin nodded “He’s as good as Chanyeol is at combat, at killing. He was kicked out of the Black Lotus, but Chanyeol never killed him. He’s built his own group – the Red Tokara.”
Even Baekhyun, during his time at the Black Lotus had heard of the Red Tokara – name after a pit viper the Tokara habu. It’s killing strike was venomous.
“That’s what Chanyeol’s been focusing on lately. They’ve been gearing up to do something big – all the traitorous activities recently – the spikes in deals going wrong all seem to point back to them. And Chanyeol’s thinking of facing Ilsung one last time. I think he’ll kill him, even if he has to die in the process. That’s his way of thinking.”
Chanyeol was ready to die?
The thought itself was startling. Chanyeol couldn’t die – the scars on his body said as much. But he was very much human, he still had a heart, blood in his veins and flesh on his bones. He was still human.
“He can’t die” Baekhyun’s voice was a whisper, tears threatening to spill again “He can’t die.”
Jongin sighed “Whether he will or won’t die… I don’t know. I’m just trying to tell you why he is, what he is. It’s the same reason he can’t stand anyone lying to him.”
Baekhyun should hate Chanyeol for what he did. But instead he feels the need to run and hug him, to hold him a little closer and teach him how to love again.
He didn’t want to remove the Emperor from Chanyeol, he just wanted to teach him to love a little more freely – to love Baekhyun more freely.
He breathed slowly, the only way that Chanyeol would feel free is if Ilsung was gone. But if Chanyeol had wanted to do that- if Chanyeol could do that- he would have killed Ilsung a long time ago.
No, this was something Baekhyun would have to do. A show of love for Chanyeol that Chanyeol could understand.
He put on his best tired expression, feigning exhaustion despite his blood pumping in his veins. He would not give up on Chanyeol like everyone else had done to him. He wouldn’t turn his back on him.
“Right, but that doesn’t change anything. I’m sick of the way he treats me, I’m sick of the way he thinks he can do whatever he wants to me and I’ll just love him the same.” Baekhyun stared into Jongin’s eyes “I’m done.”
Jongin nodded “I get it, I really do.” He stood up and walked to the door, taking one last look at Baekhyun’s small frame “I just thought you would be different, is all.”
Baekhyun waited for the door to click shut before grabbing a pen and paper.
I am different.
“So, when Jongin told me what had happened to you, how the Red Tokara was planning something… I had to do something. I had to make you think I was gone, I had to gain Ilsung’s trust. I wanted to crush him like he had hurt you.”
Baekhyun’s voice cracked at the memory “I wanted to make him bleed, over and over.”
Chanyeol pressed a kiss against Baekhyun’s forehead with a hum. “And you did.”
It was a peaceful moment for them both, holding each other, while Chanyeol languidly placed kisses against his cheek and his neck.
It was some time before Chanyeol spoke again “So it was Jongin who told you, hmm?”
Baekhyun froze “I mean… yes… but I, it was my plan in the end – he didn’t have anything to do with that!”
The frantic look in Baekhyun’s eyes made Chanyeol chuckle “I’m not mad, just surprised. He’s a brat ninety nine percent of the time, but I guess he was really rooting for us all along.”
“So…” Baekhyun trailed off “No punishments?” He asked, hopeful eyes blinking up and Chanyeol snorted.
“Not the usual kind anyway” He mumbled, flipping Baekhyun down and pressing him against the bed. “I’m thinking of a little punishment just between me and you…”
Baekhyun moaned softly “God, yes.”
It had been a long time coming. Literally.
When Chanyeol returned back to the Black Lotus, Baekhyun didn’t feel the shift in Chanyeol almost like this side of him had lay dormant while he had been at home, recovering.
Chanyeol was as terrifying as always, his eyes dark and the atmosphere in his office was chilling.
Baekhyun knocked on the door and waited for the call to come in, from that cool, calm voice.
“Come in.”
He swallowed the nerves and pushed down the mild excitement as he stepped inside, clicking the door shut behind him. It had been a while since he had seen Chanyeol back in his element.
As usual, Chanyeol’s gaze didn’t falter from the documents he was scanning – some kind of trade deal was going down between the Chinese mafia and the Black Lotus. He assumed the Chinese mafia had no idea they were dealing with the Emperor himself. Why would they?
“Y-you wanted to see me, sir?” Baekhyun kept his gaze to the floor, not daring to look up as he heard Chanyeol’s chair roll back, and his steps across the floor.
Two lithe fingers pressed under his chin, bring his head up enough to lock his gaze with Chanyeol’s.
“I did.” Chanyeol stepped in closer, lips a breath away from Baekhyun’s “Did you miss me?”
While they had been at home, Baekhyun had spent ever second glued to Chanyeol’s side – dressing and re-dressing his wound, helping him shower – and of course, making love.
But he knew Chanyeol wasn’t asking if he missed him, Chanyeol was asking if he missed the Emperor. And Baekhyun would be a damn liar if he said ‘no’.
“Yeah, I missed you.” He breathed out softly, finally averting his eyes from Chanyeol, only knowing that Chanyeol found it slightly amusing when glanced up to see the quirk of his lips.
“Still as cute as ever.” Chanyeol leaned forward and kissed him softly “I missed you too”
“Was this what you called me here for, sir?” Baekhyun blushed, trying to hide his face behind his hands.
Chanyeol cocked any eyebrow at that “Obviously not. I had you do something for me last week, did you get it done?”
Baekhyun swallowed. He hadn’t because he was sure that the task was impossible for someone like him.
“I…” Baekhyun blinked to the ground. Don’t lie, don’t lie – just tell him the truth. He repeated the mantra. Now that he knew why Chanyeol hated lies and deception, he knew he couldn’t do that to him.
“I couldn’t” He whispered, almost expecting Chanyeol to hurt him like he had in the past.
“I see.” Was all Chanyeol responded, with a sigh “Wasn’t it you who had said you wanted to be able to do more within the Black Lotus?”
“I- I did, but Chanyeol – sir – I can’t just go out and torture information out of someone.”
“You can’t?” Chanyeol only blinked back at him “I feel like I distinctly remember saying, when I give an order, you obey without question?”
“I do… but…” Baekhyun swallowed back nerves that bubbled to the surface. “That’s too much for me to do.”
Chanyeol hummed once more.
“Yeol…”Baekhyun’s voice was timid, on the verge of breaking down. It was nice to have this Chanyeol back, but was he going to treat him the same also.
“I really like the sound of you saying ‘I do’” Chanyeol smirked, his voice teasing “Don’t look so scared, do you think I’m going to hurt you like before?”
“I don’t know, you could” Baekhyun mumbled, voice soft “You are the Emperor after all, what you say goes, right?”
“That is right” Chanyeol cupped his cheeks between warm hands “But for you, I’ll give an exception. I promised to protect you, to love you and to have no regrets when I’m with you.
I promised to give you everything I have, and in return, to take everything you are willing to give me. All of your love, your precious smile… your happiness. I want that forever, they are the only things I’ve ever truly wanted.”
Baekhyun’s eyes brimmed with tears. He could feel where this was headed, he knew as his heart clambered in his chest. There was no fear, no sickening anticipation. Just a readiness.
“I really thought hard about how, and where to do this.” Chanyeol chuckled as he pulled out a black velvet box “But I’m sure you already saw this coming…”
Baekhyun made a noise in the back of his throat that he hoped sounded like affirmation.
“I couldn’t help but think of the place we first met, right here, where you dropped that parcel. The look in your eyes, your face and how gorgeous you looked in front of me. If I had known everything I would put you through back then, I would have wished differently. But knowing everything you have done for me, that you keep doing for me, I can’t wish for anyone else.”
“Yeol…” Baekhyun wanted to reach out and wipe the tears on Chanyeol’s face. It was the first time he had actually seen him cry and it crushed his heart.
“But, I know, I know I don’t want anyone else beside me. I know I wouldn’t be able to live with or love anyone like I do love you.”
Chanyeol dropped to one knee in front of him, the cheesiest grin on his face “Byun Baekhyun, my love and the only brat I want in my life, will you marry me?”
Baekhyun gazed at the man in front of him. If someone had asked him two years ago, if he had ever expected a mafia boss to bow down in front of him, confessing his love, Baekhyun would probably have laughed at them like a maniac.
But this was real. Chanyeol was there in front of him, in the place they had met – and through all the trials and tribulations they had given each other, they had made it through to the end. To their new beginning.
“Yes, of course you dumb cheese ball, I will marry you.” Baekhyun sobbed, crouching down to wrap his arms around Chanyeol “I can’t be with anyone but you, I don’t want, and couldn’t dream of wanting anyone else.”
Chanyeol placed a kiss on his cheek, on his head and the tip of nose, before drawing in his lips in a gentle kiss.
He drew up Baekhyun’s hand, pressing a kiss against the fingers before sliding the ring on.
Yixing poked his head around the door “What- wait, oh my god… wait. What?!”
Baekhyun flashed the ring at him, grin wider than ever “We’re getting married.”
Chanyeol only smiled, drinking in Baekhyun as he stared at his hand, at the ring – and at their promise.
Finally, he raised his eyes “Yixing, can you cancel my appointments for the day? Me and my fiancé have something to do.”
For this short moment in time, everything felt right in the world.
Sure, there would be times of stress, times when they would push each other’s buttons – maybe too far, but in the end they would always come back to each other. This is the way it was meant to be.
Once the door clicked shut, with Yixing’s scream of joy fading down the hallway.
Chanyeol turned to Baekhyun, eyes soft;
“Are you ready, my love? It’s just you and me from here on out.”
His little Black Lotus.
[THE END]