the sum of its parts

fate

baekhyun is seventeen and horribly in love when it all goes wrong.

it's a little ridiculously clichéd, baekhyun thinks, that it's just after their second year anniversary, just after they've gotten each other promise rings, that chanyeol gets hit by a car.

it's all baekhyun's fault, really.

chanyeol laughs, chanyeol teases, and so does baekhyun, so it's no surprise when chanyeol teases him about his 'girly' ring, and baekhyun instinctively reaches out to push at his chest. it's no surprise, the way chanyeol stumbles back, snorting out a laugh and clutching playfully at baekhyun's arm.

what is a surprise though, is the car neither of them see, speeding through the parking lot so much faster than it should be. baekhyun doesn't see it when he pushes at chanyeol. chanyeol doesn't see it when he stumbles into the driveway. the driver doesn't see him either as he barrels into chanyeol trying to catch the light, and baekhyun doesn't see what's going on because it all happens so fast.

it takes it a moment to register, and when it does, baekhyun laughs through the tears trailing over his cheeks because of course.

it's better this time, than the last time, but it still hurts, and baekhyun can't even breathe past the pain to scream.

he feels like he can't move, everything blurred through tears as the impact throws chanyeol two lanes over, and baekhyun feels the pull in his gut as chanyeol's life force is snuffed out.

he moves then, making a show of being a distressed lover—which he supposes he is—timing it just right as the confused driver swerves to avoid hitting chanyeol, striking baekhyun instead.

there's a brief, intense pain as he rolls over the hood, a sickening crack when he hits the asphalt, and then everything goes dark. quiet.

everything is gray. chanyeol is shades of gray, but still so beautiful, baekhyun's grays not quite as vibrant.

chanyeol tries to make a joke of it, choking out a laugh as his fingers intertwine with baekhyun's. "well, that sucked."

baekhyun lets out something between a sob and a laugh, moving closer and nodding his head into chanyeol's chest. there's no heartbeat, not right now, and baekhyun swallows hollowly.

"where to next?" he asks quietly, shaky fingers squeezing the taller's.

"maybe the future?" chanyeol asks, voice warm and low and rough as he fights back the same emotions that baekhyun is.

"sure," baekhyun agrees quietly, feeling himself being tugged forward in time already.

"maybe things will go better," chanyeol whispers as they begin to fade out.

baekhyun's heart seizes in his chest. it's a vain hope, he knows. you can fight time, but you can't fight fate.

and fate has no future in store for chanyeol.

baekhyun is twenty-six and madly in love.

he watches chanyeol's face as he laughs too loudly, sunlight catching in his hair, and baekhyun wonders how fate will take chanyeol from him this time.