Beomgyu traced the back of his fingers down Taehyun's forearm, leaving his skin burning and tingling where they touched. He laced their fingers together and leaned in close.
“Come away, Taehyun,” Beomgyu whispered, his lips brushing Taehyun’s ear. “Come away to a place where it can just be you and me.”
Taehyun shivered.
“Okay,” he breathed. “Okay, let’s go.”
Rating: M
Word Count: 12k+ (ongoing)
Tags: Alternate Universe - Peter Pan fusion | beomgyu as Peter Pan | Taehyun as Wendy | pirate Choi Yeonjun | pirate Huening Kai | they're not actual pirates they just call themselves that | lost boy Choi Soobin | Neverland | Inspired by The Dream Chapter: Temptation | Choi Beomgyu is seductive | Kang Taehyun is under a spell | a bit of angst | happy ending | making out | kissing | Choi Beomgyu just wants love | memory loss | magic | immortality | implied sexual content (no smut - I don't write smut)
Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Epiologue
Part 1: Devil by the Window
Taehyun stared down at his plate, pushing what was left of his dinner around with his fork. Physically, he was at the dinner table with his parents and older sister Seoyeon, but mentally he was wrapped up in his latest internship application.
Two months until university starts. One internship application due at the end of this week. Three due next week. If I play it right, I can pace myself at three hours a day—
“Taehyun, what do you think?”
His head snapped up and found his family staring at him expectantly. He gave them a sheepish smile.
“Sorry, what were you saying?”
Seoyeon gave him a fond look. “I was just asking if you thought Namjoon would like the lilies or the hydrangeas better for table pieces? Do you remember when we went to the florist last weekend? I need to place an order soon, but I can’t decide.”
Right, his sister’s wedding was coming up at the end of the summer and he’d been trying to help her with the preparations. Seoyeon was six years his senior, but he could hardly say no to helping her when she’d asked. At the time, she’d said she felt closer to him than her own maid of honour.
Of course you do, Taehyun had joked. I’m your brother. I’ll do whatever you need.
He still felt that way, but he was barely 18 years old, and the more he tried to help, the more out of his depth he was.
“Um, I think the hydrangeas would be good,” Taehyun offered. “The petals are kind of like the patterns on your dress, and I think Namjoon would be happy with anything that reminded him of you.”
His parents cooed at him.
“Such a sweet little brother,” his mom said. “You should take his advice, Seoyeon.”
His father was nodding. “Definitely. You know, when he talks like that, I just know he’s going to get himself a wonderful wi— er, husband one day.”
Taehyun rolled his eyes. He’d told his family he was gay just a week before his high school graduation, and even though Seoyeon had been great, his parents were still a little awkward about it. He knew they were trying their best and would get there eventually, but it was tiring.
“May I be excused?” Taehyun asked. “I have some more internship applications to work on.”
His mother pouted. “Oh honey, you know your father was just teasing.”
“I know, Mom,” he said, trying put on his best reassuring smile. “I really am just busy. I need to get these done if I want a decent resume after university.”
“Go on, son,” his father said. “But try not to worry so much. You haven’t even started university yet. Your future isn’t going anywhere.”
Taehyun nodded, then grabbed his plate and left the table.
Up in his room, Taehyun opened his window, hoping that the fresh air of the summer night would help him concentrate. His room wasn’t very big, with just enough space for a single bed, his desk, and his dresser, and it tended to get stuffy when the weather got warm.
With a sigh, he fell into his desk chair, his list of engineering internship applications still open on his computer. He still hadn’t decided if he wanted to pursue mechatronics or chemical engineering, so he figured he’d apply to all the student internships in both fields just in case. He knew it would be hard to balance an internship on top of his classes once he started at university, but he knew he had to be competitive and do whatever he could to stand out.
As he banged away on his keyboard working on an application, time passed by around him. He felt good at first, satisfied with his answer to the question he’d been working on, but that only lasted for about an hour when the stress and fatigue started to get to him. He frowned at the next question on the application, his mind drawing a blank on what he should answer.
Maybe I should stop for a bit, Taehyun thought. Just a quick break.
He grabbed his phone from where it sat on the desk beside his keyboard and unlocked it to check his messages. The first was one from Jay to their group chat with Jake and Sunghoon.
Jay:
yo so my parents booked our tickets to the US a month early
i guess i’m not gonna make it to sunghoon’s in august :(
Taehyun chewed on his bottom lip and closed the message. Jake, Sunghoon, and Jay had been his best friends all through high school. They were all going to different universities in the fall, with Jay moving to the US to study, so Sunghoon’s parents agreed to let them plan a trip to their family cabin to hang out one last time before they had to separate. Now Jay wasn’t going to be there.
Taehyun ran a hand through his pink hair and closed the message, moving onto the next one. This one was from his boss at the landscaping company he was working for over the summer.
Mr. Park
Taehyun, I need you to work on Saturday.
Don’t give me excuses. Be a man and tell your sister you have more important things to do.
Taehyun scowled. What an asshole.
Mr. Park knew Taehyun had planned to go wedding cake tasting with Seoyeon that day. He’d booked off every single day he’d need to help her out when he’d taken the job, but the old bastard didn’t care. Taehyun had just wanted to spend some time with his sister before he had to leave for school and make some money to start paying off his tuition. He questioned whether this job was going to be worth it.
Taehyun threw his phone at his bed without answering either message and groaned. He rubbed his face with his hands.
I just want it all to stop, he thought. I wish it would all just stop. Just for little while.
A light breeze swirled through the room, his curtains fluttering slightly before settling back down, still.
Taehyun tried to pull himself together. If it hadn’t been so late, he’d have gone for a run or headed to the gym to distract himself. Instead, he turned back to his computer and his internship application, hoping he could at least get that done before he had to face anything else.
He read over the question that had originally stumped him and immediately dropped his head on his desk. There was a satisfying thud. He certainly found the pain distracting, so he did it again for good measure.
“You know, you’re going to hurt yourself if you keep doing that,” a voice said.
Taehyun shot to his feet and whipped his head around. He was about to yell, but the sound caught in his throat when he laid eyes on the intruder.
There, sitting on his windowsill, was the most breathtaking boy Taehyun had ever seen. He had one knee bent with his foot propped on the sill, while the other dangled down towards the floor. He wore a pair of tight brown pants and a deep green cardigan of a light, knitted fabric, one side hanging off his shoulder. He wore nothing beneath the cardigan but a couple of rope necklaces adorned with stones and shells, leaving his toned chest exposed. His skin seemed to shimmer in places where it was covered in a fine, glittering dust. Taehyun had to force himself to pull his eyes away from the boy’s dazzling body to look at his face. The boy was smirking, but his eyes were intense—deep brown and settled on Taehyun as if he were prey to be devoured.
“Wh-Who are you?” Taehyun stammered. “What are you doing here?”
The boy stood up and took a step towards Taehyun.
“Who am I?” the boy mused, pretending to think for a moment. “You can just call me Beomgyu. But I’m much more interested in who you are, gorgeous.”
Beomgyu took another step forward, and Taehyun found himself backed up against his desk chair when he tried to step away. Had his room always felt so small? His mouth ran dry.
“You didn’t answer my second question,” Taehyun said, trying to keep his voice even.
Beomgyu smiled and moved closer, so close that Taehyun could reach out and touch him if he dared. He knew he should be scared, should yell for help or do anything to get away from this intruder, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t pry his eyes from Beomgyu.
“Hm, you’re as clever as you are handsome, aren’t you?" Beomgyu purred, his eyes raking over Taehyun’s body. “How about this, you tell me your name, and I’ll tell you why I’m here.”
Taehyun suddenly felt very warm, his cheeks burning.
I have to be dreaming right now.
He swallowed before he spoke. “Alright, I’m Taehyun. Satisfied?”
Beomgyu’s eyes darkened, hungry, and he moved so close that he and Taehyun were chest to chest. Taehyun could hardly breathe.
“Satisfied? Not nearly,” Beomgyu murmured. “But at least I have your name now, Taehyun.” He reached up to twirl a stand of Taehyun’s hair. “As for what I’m doing here, well…Your heart made a wish. I’m simply here to grant it.”
Taehyun had to close his eyes for a moment. His heart was sure wishing for something with this intoxicating man so close to him, but he was absolutely going to ignore that. He tried to think, but there was nothing else in his head but Beomgyu, his fingers still twirling his hair and the heat of him against his body.
“What do you mean?” Taehyun said, opening his eyes and forcing himself to be calm.
Beomgyu smiled, sickeningly sweet. “You wanted time to stop, didn’t you? What if I told you I could make that happen? You just have to come with me.”
Taehyun bit his lip and tried to look anywhere but at Beomgyu. He ran the words over in his head, fighting to be rational.
“I didn’t mean I wanted it to stop forever,” Taehyun started. “Just…just for a little. But it doesn’t matter. It’s not possible to stop time. And you…I think I dreamed you.”
Beomgyu laughed — a deep, warm sound. He untangled his fingers from Taehyun’s hair and caressed his cheek, running his fingertips along his jawline.
“Oh, Taehyun, you flatter me, but I promise you, I’m very real. And there is a place, just as real, where time stands still. I can take you there. We’ll go together.”
Together…
Taehyun’s resolve was crumbling. Beomgyu was a stranger, but his touch was like fire on his skin, and his voice filled him with such want.
More time…all the time in the world, if what he’s saying is true. All that time with Beomgyu…Him. Me. Us…Together. If I’m not dreaming, then I’m dead and Beomgyu was sent to drag me to hell.
“How?” Taehyun whispered. “How do we get there?”
Beomgyu moved his hand down from Taehyun’s cheek to trace circles on his shoulder.
“We fly, of course. It’s deliciously simple.”
“But I can’t fly.”
“I can help you,” Beomgyu said, his voice low. “I’ll share my magic with you.”
“And how will you do that?”
Beomgyu moved ever closer, his nose brushing against Taehyun’s, his eyelids fluttering closed.
“Just kiss me.”
So Taehyun did. He closed his eyes and leaned forward to close what little space was left between them until their lips pressed together. His heart pounded and there was nothing but heat rushing through his body, nothing but his lips moving against Beomgyu’s. His body ached to be closer, wanting—needing—more. But just as Taehyun pushed forward to deepen their kiss, Beomgyu pulled away.
“Perfect,” Beomgyu said, the smirk back on his face. “I think that’ll be more than enough.”
Then, Beomgyu traced the back of his fingers down Taehyun's forearm, leaving his skin burning and tingling where they touched. He laced their fingers together and leaned in close.
“Come away, Taehyun,” Beomgyu whispered, his lips brushing Taehyun’s ear. “Come away to a place where it can just be you and me.”
Taehyun shivered.
“Okay,” he breathed. “Okay, let’s go.”
So Beomgyu led Taehyun to the windowsill, their hands still clasped together. Beomgyu stepped up, then pulled Taehyun up next to him, with nothing but the cool night air in front of them.
“Do you trust me?” Beomgyu asked playfully.
Taehyun shook his head. Truthfully, he thought Beomgyu was leading him to his death, and Taehyun was going to let him just because he was hot.
Beomgyu giggled. “Okay, then just hold on to me. Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.”
Before Taehyun had a chance to react, Beomgyu leapt forward and pulled Taehyun with him. Taehyun squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his hand around Beomgyu’s like his life depended on it. And then they were rising.
Slowly, Taehyun opened his eyes to see the lights of Seoul shrinking below him. Just above him, Beomgyu kept floating upward, tugging Taehyun along by their joined hands. Soon, they were above the tallest skyscrapers, and the stars brightened, seeming almost close enough to touch. Taehyun relaxed his grip on Beomgyu’s hand, awestruck by the world around him.
“We’re flying!” Taehyun yelled.
Beomgyu looked back and smiled at Taehyun, warm and genuine. He squeezed his hand.
“Yes, we certainly are.”
They continued upwards until the clear sky gradually filled with clouds. Eventually, Taehyun could see nothing around him, and he only knew Beomgyu was still there because he refused to let go of his hand.
I’m an idiot, Taehyun thought. An absolute fool. He’s leading me to my death and I’m so gay I let him do it. Not that I have much of a choice at this point.
Still, they kept going. The clouds grew so dense that they were shrouded in darkness. But just before Taehyun started to really panic, he started to see light again.
The clouds gradually faded to fluffy white around them, then into whisps, until they were almost dissipated. It was then that Taehyun chanced a glanced below him, and his eyes widened.
“Wow,” he said.
Beomgyu turned to look back at Taehyun and swept out his free arm to gesture at the world below them.
“do you want to be comforted or do you want to be distracted?”
“what can i do for you right now?”
“that’s okay.”
“i’m not okay with that, though.”
“are you okay with that?”
“it’s okay if you’re mad. it’s okay to be angry and it’s okay to cry and be sad. its okay to not be okay at all.”
“do what you need to do, i’m here when and if you’re ready to speak.”
“i’m okay with waiting— i’ll be here no matter how long you need.”
“yeah, but i don’t want you to be that for me. i don’t want you to be that person, that’s not who you are.”
“i’m okay with you caring for me and defending me. what i’m not okay with is you thinking that caring for me makes you entitled to being my partner or #1 in my life.”
“im not afraid to cut you out of my life if it’s what i need to be sane, okay? i need you to understand that i can and will survive without you.”
“no. you don’t have that power over me.”
“you’re not entitled to my love, especially not after how you treated me.”
“i love that i’m strong as hell without you but i’m stronger with you. i love that i know that, now. i don’t want to live without you, but i know i’ll survive even if i’m forced to. i love us.”
“i love our growth so much.”
“i love that i’m a person i can be proud of. i love that you’re with me on this journey.”
“i’ve been talking to a therapist lately.” “marry me now.”
“my love isn’t conditional.”
“your love was conditional. that was the issue.”
“i need you to take initiative.”
“let me know now if this isn’t something you want to work through.”
“i felt like we were at the end and i’m sorry i avoided talking to you instead of confronting that.”
“i’m sorry i made you feel like there was something here.”
“im sorry i assumed something was here. that’s not fair to you.”
“i shouldn’t have believed that. not without talking to you.”
“let me take responsibility for my faults. going through this doesn’t mean i get to hurt other people and get away with it.”
“i’m sorry i hurt you.” “i know, but that’s fine.”
“just because getting hurt is inevitable doesn’t mean you should let yourself be.”
“i don’t need you to tell me i’m worth something. Goddammit i was worth something without you and i will be even if you don’t want me.”
“i don’t think you made me someone of worth. you helped me realize that i had worth all along.”
“stop saying thank you. you being cared for isn’t something that i’m rewarding you with it is your right as someone who cares about you.”
“you aren’t entitled to everyone’s love but damn if you shouldn’t settle for people who use that to their advantage.”
“you have no right to my secrets. if i wanted to tell them to you i would and you have no business hurting me over jealousy.”
“this jealousy thing isn’t working.”
“this isn’t working. how can we make this work?”
“i want to work through this.” “me too.”
“i need you to listen to me right now.”
“i need you to look at me right now.”
“understand that i’m my own person. i need you to understand that. please.”
i feel like we as humans are problem solvers! we always want to fix issues but sometimes people just want to know you’re there :) hope u have fun letting your characters experience healthy relationships bc they deserve it!!!!
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