Yandere fic. This is your warning.
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“Who knows? Maybe I’ll keep you.”
There comes a time in every life that a major crossroad is reached, a point where two paths diverge as Robert Frost so elegantly put it. Sometimes it's a natural pathway: Do you take this job…or that one? Should I ask that person to dance or stay here with my friends? Do I turn left? Or right? Other times though, the crossroads are forced upon us by the actions of someone else.
You lay there, the darkness broken by dancing lights, Baekhyun’s hand travelling up the outside of your thigh, tracing along the edge of your skirt; the lithe fingers you'd admired skimming over the swell of your hip and the dip of your waist. His body followed along the path of his hands, crawling over you, his form hovering, a bare inch away from resting his weight on your smaller frame. You shivered; you were well and truly trapped. Bound by the lights, caged in his arms and captivated by the gleam of his eyes.
You were tempted to struggle. It would be futile, you knew it would be, but you were tempted. Instead you took a different path.
“I’m home! Are you ready to go?” Baekhyun’s voice echoed through the house, and up the stairs to your bedroom. You hurried to slip on your shoes, standing just as he came bounding through the doorway, his exuberant grin widening at the sight of you waiting for him. Pulling you into his arms, he laid a kiss upon your brow in greeting. “You look divine, my star. Are you excited for tonight?”
You were, if you were being honest, it wasn't often you had dates outside of your home, too many opportunities for oglers and too many people in general. You hated crowds so why bother dealing with them? Home was always the best option, in your opinion. “I set out your favourite shirt and slacks like you asked. You have time for a quick shower if you want before we go.”
“What would I do without you?” Pulling his shirt over his head, he headed towards the en suite, your eyes following the broad expanse of his shoulders as he walked. Cheeky as he always was, he called over his shoulder, “If you keep staring we won't make it in time for our reservations.”
You smiled at your own predictability, shoo-ing him off. “Get dressed, I'll be downstairs.”
The smell of blood was strong, the metallic tang of it coating your nose and throat as you watched horrified as Baekhyun strode towards you, the knife in his hands dripping with red. You were paralysed by fear, a deer in headlights as blood coated hands gripped your arm and pulled you forward, twisting you into his arms and making you look towards the grisly sight of your coworker Kyungsoo’s mutilated body.
“I don’t like violence, my star. Why do you make me do this?” His voice was low in your ear, a warning and a promise.
“Wha…I didn't make you do anything. Why did you kill him? He didn't do anything!” You may have disliked Kyungsoo and his wandering hands and his unrelenting commentary on your physical attributes, but that didn't mean he needed to die.
“You need to ask that? He touched you. I saw the look on your face. It made your skin crawl didn't it? Made your stomach roil and churn? I know you and you hated every second of it.” Baekyun wasn't wrong, every time you’d felt Kyungoo’s touch you’d felt slimy, unclean; always returning home with a severe need to shower. “You can't tell me that there isn't some small part of you that feels safer. Feels relieved.”
“There were other ways of accomplishing that.” Your voice was little more than a broken whisper, but Baekhyun caught your words nevertheless: jerking you around to face him, his tacky hands gripped your chin, forcing you to meet his eyes. He leaned in, his tongue rasping along your cheek, collecting the tears that you'd been unaware of and tracing their path back to your eyes. The soft press of his lips to your eyelids was a marked difference from the ferality he’d exhibited over Kyungsoo’s body and you couldn't help but sob at the gentleness.
“Shh. It's okay. You're alright now.” he cooed, running his hand over your hair, “Just let it out, I know you're not used to being cared for this much. You're mine now and you have to know how far I'll go for you.”
There was something soothing about the drive into the city; the houses and yards flickering by, the stereo on low as Baekhyun sang along, the cool breeze through the window and Baekhyun's hand warm on your thigh. You watched quietly as the buildings got taller and taller, content in your evening going as planned.
“Stop playing with your necklace, you'll break the chain if you keep tugging at it.” Startled out of your reverie, you quickly let the gold chain fall from your fingers, letting it rest once more at the hollow junction between your neck and your collarbone. He was right, it really was a short chain and, delicate as it was, it could tear so easily.
“So how was work?” Baekhyun had hired another shopkeeper ages ago, opting to focus on you rather than running the shop on his own. It was sweet of him, especially since it allowed you to spend more time together now that you weren't working any more. But even with a new shopkeeper, Baekhyun still needed to go in once or twice a week.
“Boring. You weren't there.”
“Well, somebody has to do the ordering, have you considered letting Sehun learn the process? He’s taken over almost everything else, what’s one more thing?”
“You miss me when I'm gone don't you?” Baekhyun teased, poking at your cheek, “Soon, you won't have to, we’ll let Sehun run the shop as manager and we can move to the cabin full time. Just us.”
“Just us.” Your echo was almost silent, but you knew Baekhyun heard you, he always did.
The shops had been busy, but Baekyun’s home had run out of groceries. It wasn't surprising, two weeks of… getting to know one another had resulted in an empty fridge. Baekhyun had promised to run out after closing his shop…but that was a few days ago and so far he’d neglected to do so. You were frankly tired of pizza. So you'd left the safety of his four walls and set out to get some much needed supplies.
You weren't sure how he’d react once he’d returned but you wanted to try and build some much needed trust. He hadn't let you out of his sight at all since he’d taken you to his home, leaving you alone only to go to work. It was stifling, you could admit, and you desperately wanted to return to your own job…the leave of absence Baekhyun had insisted you take would only work for so long. People would start to wonder. If they hadn't already. Your phone had been locked away, a distraction he’d called it. You missed your friends, your family, but as he liked to remind you…you’d asked for this. Asked for him.
Juggling the shopping bags, you let yourself back into the apartment, locking the door behind you. Slipping off your shoes, you carried the bags into the kitchen, setting them onto the counter before starting to put them away. You were humming softly to yourself, an earworm you'd picked up from Baekhyun, when you heard the sound of footsteps coming towards the kitchen. The slow measured pace was familiar at this point, Baekhyn walked heavily enough that you could,even after so short a time, tell where he was in the two bedroom flat. This wasn't coming from the front door, you hadn't heard that particular creak. No, this was from your bedroom, the one gifted to you for your use, sparse as it was. It had none of your tchotchkes from your own home, none of the blankets or pillows that defined your comfort, just the bed really and a small dresser.
“Where’ve you been?” The question seemed harmless enough, though you tensed at the tone. Cold and devoid of the playfulness you’d found in him, it echoed back memories of coloured lights in the dark. It rooted you to the spot, leaving you unable to even turn and face him.
“At the store. We needed groceries.” You deliberately placed the eggs in the door before turning and grabbing the quart of milk, avoiding Baekhyun's gaze in the process.
“You left.” The words were hissed at you, surprising you into meeting Baekhyun’s eyes. They had hardened into something feral, cornering you, trapping you in a way not even the Christmas lights had managed. You found yourself backing up, Baekyuhn’s longer legs crossing the small kitchen quickly, leaving you with your back pressing into the counter and him looming over you.
“Did I tell you you could leave?” You shook your head no, afraid to verbally respond. The last thing you wanted was to set him off. You’d considered he'd be…upset, at your having left the building, but this was a level of aggression you hadn't anticipated. You should have known better than to risk it.
Ducking your head, unable to continue under his glare, you attempted to placate him, “I just thought I could make a meal for us. Something to share.” Bringing your hands up to rest on his chest, you told him,”It was supposed to be a surprise for you.”
His posture relaxed slightly at your words and you breathed a small sigh of relief as he grabbed your hands and brought them to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles. You'd noticed during your stay that Baekhun was a very tactile man. Always pressing his lips to your cheek, your forehead, the back of your hand. He always had a hand somewhere on you when he was in reach, often pulling you into his lap to cuddle as you talked or watched television. Pressing you further back into the counter, your spine bent unnaturally as Baekhyun held your arms above your head, resting them against the upper cabinets. His free hand grasped your chin forcing you to look up. “At least look me in the eyes when you lie to me.”
You tried to contain the anger that coursed through you, but you sniped back at him, “I'm not lying. I went to the store since you couldn't find the time. I'm not eating pizza yet again.”
“Then can you back up so I can fix us an actual meal?” He took a small step back, but the retort you held on the tip of your tongue was lost in the small shout you gave as Baekhyun bent and tossed you over his shoulder, carrying you upstairs towards the bedrooms.
“Hey!” You unceremoniously greeted the floor of the spare bedroom, not dropped, but certainly not gently set down either. Scrambling to your feet, you chased after Baekhyun as he exited the room, barely missing having the door shut in your face a second before you reached it. Yanking at the handle you tried to follow, futile as it was. Pounding against the wood, you called for Baekhyun to let you out, only to be met with silence.
Turning to wait him out on the bed, knowing he couldn't leave you in here forever, you were met with emptiness. Confusion stained your thoughts as you processed the fact that the furniture had gone missing. No bed. No dresser. Your clothes were gone from the now doorless closet. A short search revealed the only thing left in the room was the door to the ensuite and the basics for hygiene care.
“Baekhyun!” You renewed your efforts at demanding his attention with vigour. “Baekhyun get back here!”
The road congestion was frankly atrocious, traffic had stalled for over a half an hour, Baekhyun becoming more and more agitated the longer you’d sat. His pianist's fingers clenched at the steering wheel, knuckles whitening more and more as time crawled along. Reaching over you took one of his hands in yours, smoothing over the strained muscles before intertwining your fingers with his. “We have plenty of time to make the reservation,and if you're worried you can always call and let them know we may be a bit late. They’ll hold the table for us.”
“Right as always my star.”
It was a relief when traffic started moving again.
The parking garage was filled almost to capacity when you reached it, but thankfully Baekhyun was able to find one near the top. Helping you out of the vehicle, Baekhyun tucked you into his side, his arm casually slung over your shoulders. You relished in his nearness, the soft clean scent of his cologne teasing your senses as he guided you along the sidewalk. He was animated as you walked, his eyes crinkling as he told some joke or other. Laughing in the appropriate places, you surreptitiously admired the flash of his teeth with each smile. You could admit you carried a certain fondness for the sharp incisors and small overbite.
“Am I that handsome, my star?” Ducking down he pressed a kiss to your hair, “You only look only at me, right?”
“Of course not, my pretty star loves me.” Peppering kisses over your face, he caused you to swat ineffectually at his arm to keep him from ruining your makeup. “I love her too, pretty and beautiful and all mine.”
Your cheeks burnt furiously at his words, his compliments always left you feeling overwhelmed with his attentions and you routinely lost the words to express his effect on you. Hiding your face away into his arm, you did what you always did to express your care for him.
His skin was slightly chilled in the twilight, the cool breeze having stolen much of his heat, sinking your teeth into the lower half of his arm; you were gratified to hear the small intake of air from Baekhyun as you found the necessary purchase to leave your own mark on him. It wasn't much, but it was enough. His smile softened and his eyes burned as he tugged you closer. “Come along my star, before you make us later than we already are.”
You were cold. Your bones aching with it. The logs Baekhyun had left for you in the cabin had run out the day before and temperatures had plummeted overnight. You eyed the window casings and the glint of silver nails embedded in them, even tightly sealed as they were, they still managed to let in the cold air. The frost that coated them in swirling fractals hid the snowy wonderland that lay behind the glass. With a sigh you turned to face the wall, burrowing deeper into the blankets. Baekhyun would be back soon. He’d promised. The only reason he wasn't here now was because of Sehun. This was his fault for needing help at the shop….or truly….it was your own for not using the firewood better. There was a whole stack of it on the side of the cabin, waiting to be brought in but Baekhyun wanted you to stay inside, out of the cold, and you would listen. He'd be home soon and he’d bring in more firewood then. In the meantime there was nothing to do but wait and sleep.
You woke to Baekhyun crawling under the covers behind you, contorting himself around you and wrapping you in his arms. “I'm sorry, my star.”
“Shh, go back to sleep.” Baekhyun admonished, “I stoked the fire back up. It should get warmer soon.”
“I’m sorry. I should have used the firewood better. Do you have enough of the blanket? You’ll get cold before the fire warms the room.”
You tried to move, to check the blankets were covering Baekhyun, you were cold yourself, your body shivering at the warmth radiating off of him, so much so that you knew you'd leech any heat his body carried within moments if he wasn't cocooned well enough. However, Baekhyun's strong arms secured you in place, trapped against his chest leaving you with the irrational urge to turn and bury your face in the long line of his neck. You were certain he'd smell of the smoke from the fire, perhaps with the lingering nip of cold from the winter air highlighting the soft clean scent of his preferred soap. “Stop talking and just…. let me hold you like this for a while…”
“She’ll have the scallops special.” Handing over the menus, Baekhyun turned to you in a clear dismissal of the waiter. “I’m thinking, once I get Sehun trained, we could rent out the house. We wouldn't be needing it anymore, and we can use the extra income to upgrade the cabin. It needs another room or two. We may need the space in the future.”
You were thankful for the private room Baekhyun had reserved, you may have thought you'd misheard for a moment. The quiet meant you were saved from having to ask Baekhyun to repeat himself, you wouldn't want him to think you hadn't been paying him attention. “What would we need more room for?”
“For this.” The small box was innocuous in its simplicity. Black velvet and small enough to fit in the palm of Baekhyun’s hand, its hinged lid popped open to reveal a platinum band securing three emerald cut sapphires. It was beautiful. Sparkling like the star he'd claimed you as. You had no words as he took the ring from its resting place, sliding the cool metal onto your ring finger. “We’ve waited long enough, my star.”
He’d taken the heater this time. You’d been back to work for a few weeks, having finally convinced him of its necessity, and you'd been late getting home. It had been fine at first, the residual heat from the rest of the apartment had kept most of the chill off, the loss of the heater acting as a discomfort at best. It was fine, you could handle it.
Until it wasnt and you couldn't. You'd tried to stave off the inevitable sickness, but you did have to keep clean. Wet hair and a cold room were not compatible companions. Ultimately, you’d needed to call in sick. You were almost afraid you were gonna get fired one of these days. Or that Baekhyun would make you quit. You'd already come off of a long leave of absence already, how would they react to you calling in so soon? Hopefully, it was just a bug and it would pass quickly.
“Baekhyunah!” you knocked softly on his bedroom door, sucking up your pride to ask for the heater back. You were almost afraid he wouldn't open the door, that he’d ignore you, though, as he opened his door you realized it would have been a kindness. He stood there, the sight of his broad shoulders unhindered by cloth, his hair damp from the shower, staring at you, eyebrow quirked as he waited for you to speak.
“I…” You had to pause to swallow, your mouth inexplicably dry, grimacing in pain, you managed to croak out the rest of your request. “I think I'm sick….could I please have the heater back?”
The clench of his jaw softened, Baekhyun’s features morphing into concern as he took a closer look at you. Placing the back of his hand against your forehead, he muttered a bit at the warmth he felt there. “You're burning up. Go lay down. I’ll be right back.”
You turned to walk back to your bedroom, unsure of his intentions, but having done what you could to rectify the situation. The firm grip of his hand on your wrist, halted your steps as he tugged you into his bedroom. A soft nudge towards his bed had your brow wrinkling in confusion. “Lay down. I’ll be back.”
You followed his directions, sinking into the soft embrace of his fleece sheets and the fluff-filled heaven of his pillows. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that the bedding smelled of him, though the sense of safety that enveloped you did leave you reeling for a moment. Or was that the headache? Blatantly ignoring that train of thought, you listened for the sound of Baekhyun’s footsteps, he was puttering around in the downstairs bathroom. Maybe the kitchen. It was hard to tell through the blood pounding in your head. You almost didn't hear him return, but return he did, carrying with him a shot of cold medicine and a small glass of orange juice. He held the glass steady for you as he urged you to drink. First the bitter syrup and then sickly sweet juice.
Sleep came quickly after you’d taken them, your dreams fevered and delirious as you slept. When you woke it was to an empty bed, the sheets next to you already cold. Stumbling a bit to Baekhyun’s bathroom, you fumbled through your morning ablutions before making your way carefully downstairs. You were far too tired to be up and about, but you couldn't let Baekhyun handle the cooking. Not if you wanted something edible.
“You should be in bed. Why aren't you in bed?”
“Sit down. I’ll get you some juice.” Doing as he bid, you sat at the kitchen island, watching him as he grabbed a glass from the cupboard. The lean lines of his muscles pulled taut as he stretched, bunching and shifting under golden skin as he moved around the kitchen. It wasn't the first time you’d found yourself ogling him, despite everything he was still a handsome man. It also wasn't the first time you'd been caught in the act. It was however the first time that Baekhyun had not regarded you with a teasing grin or a ready quip. Instead he set the glass of juice down in front of you alongside your phone. The phone you hadn't seen since Christmas.
“Feeling better this morning?” His hand drifted across your forehead, brushing back the hair there to better feel your skin. “Still a bit warm. Better call your mother.”
Your heart leapt to your throat at his statement. You’d been missing her for a while, wanting to hear her voice, but Baekhyun had denied you your phone from the start. You were his and didn't need anyone else, so why would he want you to call her now of all times.
“Baekhyunah….?” You trailed off, unsure of how to frame your question.
“You cried for her in your sleep.”
“Unlock the phone, my star and call her.” Hesitantly doing as you were told, you noted the lack of notifications on your screen. No missed texts. No calls. Not even a notification from your group chat. Opening the contacts menu you scrolled down to your mother’s number and pressed dial. One ring. Then two. And another. And another, until finally, it clicked over to voicemail. You didn't bother listening to the automated response. There was a grim satisfaction radiating from Baekhyun as he took the phone from your unresisting fingers. “I told you my star, they don't care for you. I'm the one that's here for you. I'm the one that does. Now drink your juice and go back to bed. You're still sick. I'll call you off work again.”
You nodded dumbly as he spoke, unable to prevent that nagging feeling that he was right, and did as you were told.
The ring felt heavy on your finger, unused as you were to wearing one. You found yourself fiddling with it; twisting it round and round, the once cold metal now warmed by your skin. You were unsettled by the implications and had barely managed to make it through dinner. Thankfully Baekhyun hadn't noticed, or rather, had ignored your disquiet, suggesting a short walk through the nearby park to settle the meal. You'd watched the sun set over the river, your eyes fixed on the water rather than the sky as the sun died and the stars were born. You’d settled into Baekhyun’s embrace with the same ease as always.
You wondered if you could do this. The ring felt like a test. A final hurdle to overcome in the ordeal of loving Baekhyun.
Turning to face him, you brought your lips up for the expected kiss, drowning in the taste of him, his arms securing you tightly against the raging flood of emotion. In turns gentle and demanding, he stole your breath with every press of his mouth to yours. You'd come to yearn for this, the affection he bestowed on you. You reward for allowing him to keep you, the only thing you'd come to truly need from life. Him.
Pulling back from your embrace, Baekhyun beamed down at you. “What was that for?”
As the night grew dark, and you stood under the dimly lit sky breathing in his essence, you gave the only answer you knew. “For keeping me.”
