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"Are you not going home for the day, Taehyun?"
Taehyun lifts his head, drawing his gaze away from the piles of paperwork laid out on the desk. Soobin hovers near him, worry etched on his expression but he dismisses it with a wave of his hand. It doesn't matter to him to make little connections with the people around him, even with people like Soobin. He always thought that the older boy is nothing but awfully sweet but it would be a pain to get attached once he leaves this job.
"I'm fine, hyung."
"I can stay and help you with your paperwork."
The laugh that leaves Taehyun's lips is a little breathy, a smile starting to curve on his lips. It's fairly obvious that Soobin has already developed some sort of fondness for him, despite the way the younger boy had tried to limit their interactions. It's not a crush, as far as Taehyun knows, but Soobin is fond of him.
Maybe something draws him near but Taehyun isn't surprised. It happened too many times but it's a secret that he keeps hidden under the desk for so many years already.
Still, he needs a cover. He can't keep doing what he's been doing for the years that have passed by already — a regular job of being a secretary at a high end company is enough to mask what he needed to keep under the wraps.
"I told you, I'm fine, hyung."
There's no bite in his voice, no real tension but it forces the edges of Soobin's lips into a frown. He clearly hesitates, glancing around the lights that have already been turned off since an hour ago. Seeing the obvious reluctance on the older male's face, Taehyun heaves out a sigh. There's no harm in soothing out the worries etched on his features, right?
"I'm almost finished with this, anyway. I'll go home soon."
Soobin stands there, blinking before a breathy sigh falls from his lips, "Okay." He says though it's quite obvious that he doesn't believe him all that much. But he never wanted to break down the boundaries they've already set so Soobin finally, finally curves his lips into a smile, lifting a hand to give him a wave.
"Have a good night, all right?"
"You too."
The sound of his footsteps recede, plunging the office in a subtle darkness. Making sure that Soobin isn't around anymore, Taehyun leans back against the office chair and pulls his hand out. A flicker of flame lays on the tips of his fingers but he snuffs it quickly, a quiet hiss that echoes around his desk.
He can't hold this in for much longer. The thought of doing anything mundane as compared to the itch that settled in his wrists is driving him insane. Taehyun can finish all of these paperwork tomorrow morning instead.
Hastily standing from his chair, he pushes himself from it and lets it roll back slightly. His hand is heavy, the urge to let another flame flicker on his palm is killing him but he has to hold himself back. Taehyun takes a deep breath and shoves the paperwork at the side, trying to neatly pile them up before he fixes his desk.
His steps are fast, unaware of anything else as he pushes the chair back into place. Taehyun's head is starting to spin and he's sure that he's the only one around — this occurence happened so late at night for too many times already. It's getting much further later in the night and it's driving him insane, the urge growing stronger in his chest as he pushes the button to the elevator.
The mechanical box finally falls to his floor, the doors sliding open smoothly. He steps inside, fingers twitching the slightest as he stares at the ground. His throat is tightening as he presses his back against the wall, watching the doors fall shut.
Just before the doors completely shut, the flicker of flame appears yet again on the base of his palm. This time, he doesn't conceal it, a fiery expression written across his features.
He can't be defeated tonight.
Not again.
The cold air stings his skin but it's a welcoming feeling, as compared to the warmth running through his body. He long since changed out of his stiff suit, a relief to him since the tie always manages to remind him that he's in an environment where he could cause chaos. He can't let himself be free, especially when he has the target painted on his back because of his unusual powers.
It happened when he was younger — he has always been a little different as compared to the other kids in his age. The first that the flame appeared in his palm was when he was publicly humiliated by a classmate in elementary school. He was furious, anger boiling to the very end of his patience that when he landed his palms on the table, the flames easily licked up the wood. He didn't feel the burn; he never does but still, he flinched away as his classmates and teachers yelled in surprise.
They think it was an accident, that Taehyun had never done it. But it was too odd to ignore what had happened so sometimes, he'll sit in the garden of his house, watching the flames roll off from his palms, never burning him. It's as if they obey his commands and that sends Taehyun into a sense of control and euphoria.
Still, he kept it as a secret, even from his parents. He practiced alone, controlling his emotions so the flame would not get bigger than it always has been since the start. It was fascinating to watch them grow though he never had the desire to burn anything.
His fire only became helpful in little situations when the cold stings him too much. Like that time when he was in the beach with his classmates and they could not find a lighter nor do they know how to start a fire from scratch. Taehyun only stood near, making sure that he was alone at that time before he felt that wood grow warm beneath his touch.
That only happens — he could only feel the intensity of the warmth, that sometimes, it makes him flinch away in surprise. And that's exactly what happened; the wood grew warmer and warmer until the fire finally consumes it, letting it grow just big enough to keep everyone warm. He never told anyone about it and everyone just assumed that one of them had found a way.
But sometimes, there's an itch in his wrists when he feels like he hasn't used his power for a long while already. Maybe it's fate that he stumbled right into this place when he needed it the most, when the desire to burn fills him with an overwhelming need to do it.
Taehyun pauses, glancing around the streets surrounding him. It's nearing one in the morning and everyone seems to be asleep right now so he pushes in, walking up to a huge warehouse. To anyone, it seems to be normal; a factory of some sort if anyone lingers outside. But when you draw near, you can feel the urge to use your power grow stronger, like the temptation hanging itself on your shoulder. It's always hovering near, not letting Taehyun taste the serenity again unless he pushes through the doors.
He stood outside and he can see the way there's a flicker of a scanner on his body. If there's even an ounce of magic in your veins, the warehouse willingly opens its doors for you. And right now, as Taehyun gets granted with access inside as he always does, he finds himself marveling at the structure all over again.
It hasn't been long since he started doing this. It's illegal, Taehyun had first tried to convince himself when he first slipped past the doors. I don't need to do this. I can't stoop down this low. Taehyun kept telling himself those words, hoping that they'll become true but of course, the subconscious need to see what this was about had always been stronger.
He knows the route now and the guards that he passes by knows of his presence so they don't flinch. The cold air continues to sting his skin as he walks down the hallway, eyes fixated on the double doors, awaiting for him as they always do.
Taehyun sucks in a breath, chest constricting as he stands outside. He can hear it — a harsh blow of wind, the muddled screaming inside. He grips the handles and pushes the doors open, letting the harsh light overwhelm his line of sight for a moment before his eyes finally adjust.
Inside, he sees it; he catches sight of the large dome encased right at the very center of the room. It rises so high that the pain runs through Taehyun's neck so he forces himself to look elsewhere. He sees everyone else — the people that he had become acquianted with for months now. They all hold different powers in their bodies; some of them were similar with Taehyun, flames licking at their palms and down their jackets. Some of them had water swirling at the tips of their fingers, a quiet practice before their name rings in the intercom to call them forward. Some were a little more subtle, like teleportation or mind control.
Taehyun prays that he doesn't stumble into any of those people, choosing to conceal himself right before his name is called out. He drifts to the wall, walking around the circular frame of the room as his eyes fall on the two people trapped inside the dome.
He knows them well enough — it's Yeonjun and Beomgyu fighting against each other again. Yeonjun can mimic abilities at his own will though his abilities are always at a limit where the original holder of the power can easily beat him in a battle. But Yeonjun is smart, skilled enough to gather as many abilities and use them to his own knowledge.
Beomgyu can manipulate the wind, creating hurricanes and windstorms inside the dome; they don't bother holding themselves back since the glass of the dome was strong and thick enough to withstand their powers. If it ever shatters (though as far as Taehyun knew, that never happened), there were enough people around who can fix the shards and fixate them into place, like it never broke in the first place.
Taehyun stays silent and hidden away, carefully watching as Yeonjun bends the light to his will, making himself invisible to anyone around him. Beomgyu lets out a loud sigh of frustration, flicking his wrist to tug on the wind around him and swirling it around as he glances around.
"Come on, hyung. Don't be a coward."
Beomgyu snarls, anger painted on his features. With the way he acts in a fight, Taehyun could easily mistake him to be someone who can control fire like he does, due to his short temper. He watches as Beomgyu stalks around the huge dome, eyes continuously searching for a flicker of movement. Beomgyu pauses, heart in his throat and Taehyun becomes curious why the other boy is staring at a vacuum of space.
"You think I'm an idiot, don't you?" He says out loud, his voice ringing in the intercom as he stalks forward, reaching out to grab something out of the air. Except he didn't uselessly claw at the air — his hand encloses around something and Yeonjun finally flickers into view, eyes wide as he grips Beomgyu's wrist. Taehyun is fairly amazed at Beomgyu is quick enough to pick on other people's abilities, watching in interest as he harshly throws Yeonjun to the side.
The older boy coughs, slamming a fist against his chest to catch his breath. He's not so easily defeated this time though; he rushes to his feet and out of his palm, a flicker of flame appears suddenly.
Taehyun rolls his eyes as he hears the laugh that spills from Beomgyu's lips. For a brief moment, Beomgyu breaks free from his serious demeanor, knowing exactly how Yeonjun had acquired the power before.
They've crossed paths a week ago, when Beomgyu and Yeonjun were out together and Taehyun had once again felt the itch in his wrists. The two had a practice ground out in the open air, away from any sense of civilization, in case they create anything that can destroy the society they live in. Taehyun was the only one that they had grown closer with, enough that they wouldn't want to kill him accidentally in a fight.
Yeonjun had been watching Taehyun with a careful eye the entire time they were together, always observing how the flames lick at Taehyun's palms and how he manipulates and bends them into his will. Yeonjun was fascinated to say at least and he was able to mimic his ability in less time that Taehyun had first expected him to. Even Beomgyu was caught by surprise at the way Yeonjun mimicked the younger boy's ability, scowling hard to himself.
If I end up getting partnered with you again, are you going to use that? Beomgyu seemed annoyed that day but Yeonjun didn't even flinch, only eliciting a laugh at his words.
Take a guess, pretty.
And right now, Taehyun thinks that Beomgyu is smart enough to figure out what Yeonjun's intentions were at that day. The older boy seems cheeky enough as he stands in the dome, mischief present in his movements as he steps forward.
The flame is weaker as compared to Taehyun's graceful fires spiraling from his wrist and down his arms. But still, he seems to have mastered it enough in a week because when Beomgyu rushes forward, Yeonjun drags his hand and the fire spreads into a line, separating them.
"Coward!"
Beomgyu yells through the scorching heat, stepping back hurriedly so he wouldn't get burned. Yeonjun only laughs, bending the fire to his will as the flames lick the ground, slowly rushing after Beomgyu's path.
But Beomgyu is not supposed to be underestimated in a fight. Especially when he can control the wind; of course Yeonjun should have expected it when he mimicked Taehyun's ability.
The rush of wind catches Yeonjun off guard and the flames that were small enough before grow in size, intimidating even the older boy who's controlling it. He only pushes the flames back in Yeonjun's direction, backing him away into a corner. The flames drag against his pants and they start burning, filling the dome with smoke.
"Fuck!"
The smoke temporarily erases their view and Beomgyu rushes forward again, carefully separating the particles in the air until the fire slowly dies out. The smoke gets filtered out almost immediately and Yeonjun did not have enough time to flinch away when Beomgyu launches himself, going for a greater distance since the wind by his feet pushes him enough to have his hands on the older boy.
This time, they don't use their powers for a moment as Beomgyu wrestles him to the ground. He lands a punch across Yeonjun's cheek, not stopping himself anymore. His knuckles drag against the boy's mouth, leaving behind a bloodied lip as the male laying on the ground groans in pain. Yeonjun doesn't hold himself back either — he struggles to grab hold of Beomgyu's wrists and to the younger boy's surprise, the fires tighten around his hands, burning him.
"What the hell?!"
He backs away and the flames disappear but it has given Yeonjun enough time to tackle him. Beomgyu must have grown weak at the fight, the use of his power too much draining him of energy as Yeonjun encloses a hand around his neck.
To anyone else's view, they would have seen them both to be ruthless, not stopping until the enemy is dead in their hands. But Taehyun knows them well enough to see their deadly expressions, the way they know their boundaries.
The grip around Beomgyu's neck must be too stifling, stealing his breath away because soon, he rasps out, "I concede."
"What?" Yeonjun looks taken aback, loosening his grip around his neck and Beomgyu coughs, laying against the ground with flushed cheeks and features twisted in bitterness.
"I concede."
He says loudly, just enough for the rest of the people to hear him. Taehyun arches a brow, shock present on his features. Beomgyu isn't one to back down but here he is, laying on the ground as the healers rush over to patch him up, like they always do.
"Huh, he broke his winning streak for Yeonjun hyung?"
Just at the sound of his voice, Taehyun finds the corners of his lips twisting into a frown. He spares a glance at the intruder and the sight of him is enough for him to roll his eyes in annoyance.
The dark haired boy rests against the wall, watching the way the parademics pull Beomgyu out of the dome so they can continue healing him. Yeonjun trails behind them, worry etched on his expression as a frown curves upon his lips. The boy continues speaking though there's a lilt of amusement of his tone, eyes falling on Taehyun this time.
"Beomgyu hyung had always been tough and ruthless but lately, he grew too soft ever since he started dating Yeonjun hyung."
"How did you know about that?" Taehyun grows rigid, on his guard this time and the boy laughs lowly, shaking his head. Standing in the shadows right beside him, the light barely reaching them, he looks much more sinister, forcing Taehyun to frown even more.
"I have my ways." That's all he says as he pushes himself off the wall. Taehyun tries to ignore the slight tug on his heartstrings when he sees the light flickers on the other boy's features. He catches sight of the slight scar running under his eye and the smile that lingers on the taller male's lips.
"I'll see you in the dome later, Taehyun."
With that, he drifts away, watching the other contenders take their place this time. Taehyun, despite how much hatred he feels for the other boy, finds himself drawn to his words and the way his heart collapses in itself in his chest.
He lets the boy's name roll off his tongue and this time, he can feel his fingers twitching, anger rushing through his veins as the flames start to run through the lines of his palms.
Hueningkai.
His name is foreign on his lips but Taehyun knows it well enough that he has grown tired of hearing it and constantly getting mad. He stalks away, moving in the direction of his two friends and pointedly ignoring the gaze lingering on him by the other boy.
He doesn't want to deal with him right now.
Hueningkai is one of the first people that he had ever fought with inside the dome. Taehyun only knew how to manipulate the fire at his own will, for his own benefit, but he had never used it in a fight before.
He did win once but he was badly bruised, the pain circulating through his veins. Even when the paramedics' healing touch was soothing on his skin, the exhaustion still laid itself upon his bones. But for the first time in his life, he felt so excited, so full of life — he was addicted to the adrenaline and the way he always calculates his way to win a round.
Winning started to become easy to him after three or four times, Taehyun is smart enough to figure out his own weaknesses and further push his strengths to his own benefit. It's constantly satisfying to hear the broken yell of I concede! ring through the arena as he stands tall.
But of course, someone like Hueningkai isn't one to be underestimated.
Maybe Taehyun had been too into his head but he was so sure that the moment the dark haired boy entered the dome, he would ruin him with his flames, hear the screams of I concede echo through the place again.
"Ready?" He had the audacity to smirk, flames already flickering at the tips of his fingers. Hueningkai only laughed, sounding brighter as compared to his rogue look of a scar under his eye and the secretive smile that curves upon his lips.
"Ready as you'll ever be."
It turned out, Taehyun could never prepare himself for what was about to come. He shouldn't judge people's powers based on how they act or look — he always just assumed that Hueningkai can control water or manipulate the wind, like Beomgyu's power. But instead, as the sky grew darker through the window, the fear crawled through Taehyun's veins as he stared at the other boy. A flicker of his wrist and a lightning bolt is suddenly thrown right at him, not even leaving him enough time to dodge.
The bolt electrocuted him, a spike of pain through his body as he yelled out loud, falling to his knees. Blood seeped through his ripped sleeve but he didn't care about that too much. Despite his body shaking too much, he tried to fight back, sending sparks of fires and drawing out lines of flames when the boy got too close. But Hueningkai is as calculated as he is, not attacking mindlessly and reserving his energy.
He lost count of the times he had felt the electricity course through his body. Taehyun was almost sure that he could drop dead at that moment but somehow, his body wasn't giving up on him. But he was bruised and bloodied already that when he fell to the ground and Hueningkai had his boot pressed against his chest, he forced himself to say the words past his lips.
"I concede."
His voice was rough and raspy and the boy stared at him in amusement, pulling away as the parademics rushed over to Taehyun to patch him up, their touch as soothing as it could ever be for his pounding headache and his fast paced beating heart.
"That was fun, Taehyun. Let's do it again."
There's a glimmer of playfulness in his eyes and that was enough for Taehyun to scowl when Hueningkai turned his back on him. He sat there, letting them heal him as much as they can before he stumbled out of the dome.
"Don't feel bad, Taehyun." Beomgyu met him by the entrance, arching a brow at the way the boy was limping over to him. They fall into step as Beomgyu flicked his wrist, sending a cooling breeze over to Taehyun's direction with a sincere smile.
"Hueningkai owns the title for the longest winning streak. 187 wins and no losses so far."
"I can beat him."
Beomgyu nodded his head, giggling as he elbowed his side. "Sure, you will."
Hueningkai seemed to have taken a liking in Taehyun, constantly requesting to fight with him every time the older boy attends the rounds. Taehyun finds out through Yeonjun that Hueningkai's father is one of the first owners of the warehouse and founded the underground fighting since years ago.
"Of course, he'll get the little privilege of deciding on who to fight with." Taehyun frowned deeply as Yeonjun settled right beside him, watching another fight break out within the dome. Beomgyu was stuck by Yeonjun's side, as he always does and Taehyun could see the way their fingers brushing together to hold each other's hands. Taehyun rolled his eyes at the sight but he didn't say anything else.
"Yeah, but Kai never picked out the same person twice in a row," Beomgyu glanced at his direction, raising a brow, "And in your case, he had picked you for five times."
"Seven times." He corrected him halfheartedly, exhaustion seeping through his veins as he crossed his arms over his chest. Yeonjun allowed a laugh to fall from his lips, playfully ruffling Taehyun's red hair and earning a rightful scowl shot at his direction.
"Maybe he likes you." Yeonjun commented and Taehyun snickered immediately at the thought, shaking his head.
"Or maybe he wants to keep his winning streak and since he knows that he can beat me, he keeps requesting for me?"
"That's idiotic, Kai can beat anyone here. He doesn't need to keep someone around to keep that streak going." Beomgyu piped up, a teasing smile gracing his lips. Taehyun hated how the two of them had relentlessly teased him ever since they somehow got roped into the idea that perhaps, Hueningkai had taken a liking on him this time around.
"He wants your attention."
"Shut up."
"You know that we're right," Yeonjun wrapped an arm around Beomgyu's shoulder, throwing a smile at Taehyun's side. The youngest out of all of them only huffed, moving away to avoid them this time around. He could hear them calling after him but he had drifted through the crowd, his heart racing beneath his chest as the heat rose to his cheeks.
No, it's stupid of him to have any sort of feelings for the other boy. They barely interacted outside the dome and whenever they do, it was always Hueningkai telling him good luck, because you definitely look like you'll need it. Taehyun can't even fire back because he always loses so he keeps his mouth shut, rolling his eyes in response instead.
All he wants is to finally beat him, even just once.
He can't lose again tonight.
"You okay, hyung?"
Taehyun drops by when he sees how Beomgyu is hunched over on top of a crater, sniffling a little because of the stinging pain on his burns. Yeonjun looks so apologetic beside him, crouching down right beside him to keep a careful eye on him as the healer continue to soothingly run her fingers on Beomgyu's wrists until the burns have faded into a barely noticeable mark. The bruises on his face a moment ago were not there anymore, or at least Taehyun can't see any more noticeable difference.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Beomgyu says, voice still rough but he does smile at the healer beside him. "Thank you." He murmurs, checking his wrists for a moment as Taehyun's gaze fall on Yeonjun. He still had a bloodied lip and a bruise on his cheek and jaw but the burns that he endured a moment ago have disappeared.
"I'm sorry, I feel like I went too far."
"Are you kidding me, hyung? That was a really good fight out there. Good enough to make me concede, you know."
The lighthearted tone in Beomgyu's tone and the way he smiles widely at Yeonjun seems to have soothed down his boyfriend's worries this time. He heaves out a sigh and exhaustedly drapes himself over Beomgyu's body.
"I'm tired."
"Come on, let's get you healed then we can leave." Beomgyu turns to Taehyun with a questioning gaze. "Do you want us to stay, in case you ever need us to soothe your bruised ego?" The smile that graces his lips is teasing and Taehyun only rolls his eyes at his direction.
"Oh, shut up."
"Come on, this is going to be like, the ninth fight you had together. I'll be surprised if Kai doesn't end up asking you out."
"I don't have any idea what you two are saying." Taehyun lets out an exasperated sigh at their words, "Go home. You two did well today, by the way."
"Thanks, Taehyun. Good luck out there, yeah?"
He only nods his head, watching as Beomgyu half carries Yeonjun over to the parademics so they can get a quick healing for his boyfriend. As he turns back to the dome, the dread pools in his stomach as he imagines himself and Hueningkai right inside, fighting for their lives once again.
Taehyun feels like he felt Death's grip on his body for too many times already but he always comes back, breathing hard like he had come up from drowning under the ocean. The waves of the intense emotions collide within his ribcage and it leaves him wondering with so many questions lingering in his head.
What is he supposed to think now?
"Kang Taehyun and Kai Kamal Huening, please proceed inside the dome."
He takes a deep breath, the sigh that falls past his lips is shaky and unsteady as he tries to calm down his beating heart beneath his chest. He can see the crowd parting just enough for Hueningkai to drift through the people, a smile lighting up the dark haired boy's lips. He stands tall, so much taller than Taehyun and the red haired male scowls at the thought of him using his height to intimidate him.
Taehyun had stopped being intimidated by someone younger than him for a long time already. But that doesn't mean his heart isn't pounding in his chest as he walks in sync with the younger boy. His fingers are twitching, the ache seeping through his veins and god, does he want to burn the dome down from how much he wants to use his power.
"You know, we've been fighting each other for so long already," Hueningkai speaks up as soon as they step inside, the dome enclosing in a tight space with no way for them to escape. Taehyun digs his heels against the ground, heaving a deep sigh at the dark soil that wraps around his shoes.
They change the location of the arena every now and then, forcing the challengers to use whatever resources they can find in a certain location for their own advantage. Some might end up being lucky, others not so much. Right now, the setting is in a deep forest, with trees hanging over their heads and their shoes sinking into the soil, limiting their movements.
Taehyun is so deep in his thoughts that he fails to hear the words that falls from Hueningkai's lips. "What did you say?" He says out loud, taking a step backward to leave some distance between them. There's a flicker of amusement on the dark haired boy's expression, a smile gracing his lips.
"I said," He takes a step closer and out of instinct, Taehyun takes a step back. "Maybe there needs to be something at stake here for you to finally get the upper hand." He keeps walking closer and Taehyun feels like he's being backed into a corner, his legs shaking slightly at the fear running through his body. Hueningkai easily changes his demeanor whenever he's in the dome and right now, he looks intimidating, eyes fixated on him with a tilt of his head.
"What do you hold close to you, Taehyun-ssi?"
His throat tightens, rendering him breathless. But still, he finds himself speaking. "Nothing."
"False," Hueningkai keeps his tone steady though there's a flicker of mischief in his eyes, "You hold your pride close to you."
Taehyun is speechless, not knowing what to say anymore. He didn't expect that answer and he certainly can't find it in himself to refute because oh, maybe Hueningkai is right. Maybe Taehyun had such a tight grip on his pride that it wounded him that Hueningkai managed to beat him in every fight they had.
"That's okay, I feel the same." He finally takes a step backwards and Taehyun releases a breath that he didn't know that he was holding. "How about we make a bet? A friendly bet, that is."
"We're not even friends."
"I know we aren't," He tugs on the edges of his mouth and there's another glimmer of playfulness on his features before he speaks, "How about we make a bet where the winner can ask anything from the loser?"
"You're already planning to beat me."
Hueningkai only shrugs his shoulders, taking another step back. Once he's satisfied at the distance, he calls out to him. "Surprise me then, Kang Taehyun."
At the sound of his words, a long sharp whistle echoes around the dome, signaling them that the fight has started. He winces at the sound but he doesn't let it distract him, choosing to let a flicker of fire spark up in his hands. He lets it roll around his hand, watching attentively as Hueningkai manages to darken the sky and lightning crackles between his hands. The lightning bolt comes to life and Hueningkai is quick to throw his arm back and send the bolt rushing forward.
Taehyun is quicker now, dodging the bolt easily as he bends the fire at his fingertips, rushing foward once he sees that Hueningkai is vulnerable. He throws himself forward and lands a punch across his cheek, his hand running with flames landing against his shirt. But even then, Hueningkai's jacket doesn't catch on fire, the flames quickly snuffed out.
Of course, he's going to wear a flame resistant jacket in a dome like that.
Still, Taehyun knows that only his jacket can put out the flames. Flicking his wrist, he lands another punch against Hueningkai's jaw, not giving him enough time to recover as the flames drag against his fingertips, pressing them against his shirt.
A rough yell falls from Hueningkai, clearly shocked when his shirt is ridden up with fire. He hurriedly snuffs it out with his jacket, a scowl now climbing on his features as he pulls out another lightning bolt. This time, it crackles with energy, the electricity clearly running through it before he throws it in Taehyun's direction. He doesn't stop, throwing more bolts though they become smaller in time.
Taehyun can't avoid every object thrown at him, wincing when the electricity runs through his body. He's thrown forward, blood pounding in his ears as the fire weakens in his palms. He can't create fire if he's too weak, seeing that it takes up so much of his energy.
Hueningkai easily pushes him down the ground, throwing a punch that leaves a bloodied lip behind for Taehyun. He winces in pain, reaching up to hastily grip the taller boy's collar to harshly pull on it so he can do another attack by colliding his fist with his jaw. Hueningkai stumbles back in shock and Taehyun takes the time to press a finger against his bloody lip, grunting in frustration.
He rolls to the side when Hueningkai throws a bolt of electricity at a high distance, sending a tree crackling with energy before it bursts into flames. Hueningkai frowns at his own mistake but Taehyun doesn't have time to dwell on anything else as he uses the fire to his own advantage — he bends the flames at his own will, sending large lines of fire towards the dark haired boy's path. He narrowly avoids them and for the first time since they've started fighting, Taehyun feels like he's gaining the upper hand this time around.
The red haired boy is ready to pull himself up and finish the job but when his eyes fall on where Hueningkai is suppoded to be, he doesn't see him. Fear travels through his veins as he pushes himself off the ground, eyes flickering through the trees, trying to catch a glimpse of the dark hair. The smoke temporarily blocks out his views, coughing wildly as it slowly gets filtered out from the dome.
He continues to let the fire spread, bending the flames at his will as he searches through the heavy and thick forest. A bolt of lightning passes by him but it barely grazes his cheek, blood painting his skin. It's not a serious injury but it hurts — Taehyun blocks out the pain as he turns around.
Taehyun sees him, rushing forward and he goes breathless, his body suddenly rigid.
But before he can even react, his body is thrown forward and a shock of electricity runs through him. His entire body is shaking and his head is spinning that he can start to see black spots in his vision. A hand around his neck and the pressure leaves him breathless as he stares at the intruder.
"Are you not going to concede, Taehyun?" Hueningkai lays on top of him and there's a flicker of emotions that passes through his expression. Taehyun carefully calculates his chances of survival and right now, with him trapped down on the ground and his body already weak, he leaves out a noisy sigh. He parts his lips once again, anger twisting on his features.
"I," He swallows his pride and grits his teeth, forcing the words to slip by his mouth.
"I concede."
Hueningkai is quick to release his grip on him and to Taehyun's surprise, he sees the worry etched on the other boy's expression. Though he can hear the intercom announcing Hueningkai's win again, this time, the dark haired boy doesn't pull away from him.
"Are you okay?" Taehyun snarls at him, obviously irritated that he was beat again. It didn't matter to him that he endured through bruises and bloodied injuries; all of those are for nothing since he still lost. His pride is nowhere near to being revived right now.
"I'm fine."
As he tries to stand up, he only wobbily stays on his feet for seconds before he ends up collapsing in Hueningkai's arms. He didn't understand what's happening but he feels the other boy's strong arms pull him close.
It's all that he remembers before he passes out completely.
When he lets his eyes flutter open, he's met with the harsh light. He frowns deeply, raising an arm to block out the light, trying to recollect his memories as much as he can. Taehyun takes in the sight of the line of beds and the quiet humming of machinery near him.
He realizes that he isn't alone when he turns his head, catching sight of Hueningkai so close to him. He must have fallen asleep since he had his head resting against the bedside, eyes shut tight. What's odd is that their fingers are brushing against each other, almost holding onto each other's hands.
His heart jumps right out of his chest and he finds himself frowning slightly though it doesn't mean that he doesn't find the warmth radiating from the other boy comforting and inviting. He pulls his hand away too fast, afraid that he'll feel the electricity run its course through his body. The way he tugged his hand away must have woken the boy up from his slumber, narrowing his eyes the slightest as he stares at Taehyun for a moment before he straightens up.
"Hey, you're awake."
"Yeah," Taehyun shifts his position so he can sit comfortable but he ends up falling back on the bed again with a wince. He lays back down, sighing softly as Hueningkai rises from his seat, a hand pressing against his forehead.
"How are you feeling?"
"Why are you here?" Taehyun wants to stop speaking, honest to god. But whenever he lets out an exhale, there's a weight pressing down against his chest. It reminds him of what happened earlier when the electricity squeezed his body tightly. "You should have gone home instead."
"You fainted."
"Whose fault is that?"
When his eyes drift to the other boy, he sees the streak of regret on his expression. Taehyun isn't supposed to feel guilty, especially when he knows that he's never really in any real danger — ever since he found out about his powers, his body had changed drastically. He doesn't get hurt easily and even if he does end up injuring himself in the arena, the parademics were always there to heal him as much as they can.
But still, Taehyun can't get rid of the phantom feeling of electricity coursing through his body.
"I'm sorry, I think I went too far."
He doesn't have it in himself to reassure the boy though the frown on his lips does fade away. A sigh falls from his lips and the silence descends over their heads, allowing the hum of the machines lull them into their thoughts.
"Why did you stay even when you won already?" Taehyun murmurs quietly, head turned as his eyes fall on the other boy. He reaches out and he can feel the way their fingertips brush the slightest — the moment he feels the smallest touch, the light flick of electricity leaves Taehyun pulling away with another frown.
"Were you there so you can shove the fact that you really won against me?"
"My winning streak doesn't mean that much to me."
Taehyun only gives him a deadpanned expression, forcing Hueningkai to take back his words almost immediately.
"Fine, maybe it does." He pauses, teeth sinking down onto his lower lip as he keeps his hands on his lap. Hueningkai may be taller than him but right now, when they're anywhere outside of the dome, he seems to be smaller. It's as if he loses any sense of intimidation or confidence that he radiates in a fight.
Right now, he's Hueningkai, the boy who stayed with Taehyun and quietly wondered how can he make this better.
"I'm not backing out of that little bet though." Taehyun tugs his lips into a small smile, arching a brow at his direction. He pushes himself to sit up, a sigh spilling from his lips as he curls up against himself. It feels like the day is still nearing the darkness, like the coldness draping over his body but it doesn't feel so lonely when he has Hueningkai right now.
"I was about to say that let's give up on that bet but fine."
Hueningkai emits a soft laugh but even through the dim lighting in the room, Taehyun can see the way the blush rushes to his cheeks. It looks pretty on him, when he's so flustered like this. He seems to be further away from the little persona he created whenever he participates in the fights — he looks like a teenager that's still caught up in the overwhelming crash of feelings and emotions.
"I kind of want to take you out on a date," He shifts uneasily in his chair, eyes downcast as he nervously tugs on the bedsheet. "I mean, we only talk whenever we need to fight but I've been interested in getting to know you better."
"That's strange, I thought you only liked the feeling of winning against me, that's why you kept picking me."
"That too."
Taehyun holds himself back from rolling his eyes but he fails, lips curving into a slight smirk as he stares at his hands. When he raises his head, he suddenly notices how close Hueningkai is — the lack of distance between them is sending his heart into a spiraling mess. Under the one light hanging over their heads, he sees the way Hueningkai's lashes kiss the curve of his cheeks or the way he stares at him with the fondest smile.
Has he always been this pretty?
He sucks in a breath when he realizes the distance is lessening between them, parting his lips to speak.
"I don't kiss anyone before the first date."
His own words catch him off guard and Hueningkai hurriedly backs away, cheeks more flushed than ever. He wants to take back the words that slipped by but he's more amused at the sight of the blush across the curves of his cheeks. It's slightly endearing, like a small tug on Taehyun's heartstrings.
"At this point, I feel like we've went on like nine dates already."
"I don't think normal people like to consider that fighting in an arena every week, to the point of injuring each other, is a first date material."
"We aren't normal people though."
Taehyun bursts out laughing at that, shaking his head as he heaves out another sigh. When his eyes fall back on the other boy, they unknowingly smile at each other. He leans in and holds out a hand, letting a flicker of flame come into view and sending a blaze of warmth around their bodies.
"I'm still not going to kiss you until you take me out on that date."
Hueningkai doesn't flinch, only raising a brow before another laugh falls from his lips. He leans in, blowing out the flame with a grin, his eyes bright with mischief as they always do.
"Looks like I have to take you out on that date soon."
(Taehyun knows that it's morning already and so, he gently pushes Hueningkai's wrist, telling him go home, you need to rest too.
"Will you be fine?"
"I survived nine fights with you. This will barely leave a scratch on me."
Taehyun flashes a wide smile at him, eyes crinkling as he watches the way Hueningkai pushes his chair backward so he can stand. The red haired boy hesitates for a moment before he reaches out, fingers barely reaching to brush against Hueningkai's arm. The touch alone leaves tingles through his body, pulling his hand back with a deep frown on his lips.
"How come I can't hold hands with you without being electrocuted?"
"Oh," Hueningkai's cheeks become flushed, teeth sinking down onto his lower lip as he reluctantly meets Taehyun's questioning gaze directed at him.
"Well, you see, I can't control my power sometimes when my emotions are intensified. Like, when I get angry or when I get... nervous." Taehyun's brow shoot up in surprise as Hueningkai avoids his eyes, cheeks turning redder than ever. It's such an endearing and pretty sight, to see him more flustered than ever.
"Are you saying that you get really nervous around me?"
"I'm not saying anything." He dryly replies though it's obvious from the twitching in his fingers that his answer is strikingly different from what he's saying. Taehyun thinks he's even more endearing, laughing softly as he reaches out to let their fingers lace together. The rush of electricity is still there but Hueningkai's hand feels warm against his own so he stubbornly holds onto it, despite how he's afraid that he might get electrocuted.
"There. Maybe you can be less nervous if you held my hand more often."
"You're so stubborn." He comments offhandedly but he can't stop himself from smiling either. His thumb brushes against Taehyun's knuckles, his eyes so bright under the light.
"As much as I want to stay over and hold your hand, I need to head back home."
"Fine." Taehyun sulks, not pushing for more though he lets their fingers linger for a moment before he pulls away. Despite how his heart feels like it's going to jump right out of the chest because of the small tingles of electricity, he likes holding onto his hand a whole lot more.
Hueningkai stays there for a moment before he leans in, pressing a quick kiss on top of his head. Taehyun feels his heart rush to his throat, eyes widening as his own cheeks heat up in embarrassment. They're flustered right now, completely different from how they fought hours ago but Taehyun likes the change a lot.
"I need to go now," Hueningkai takes a step away though he's smiling widely, obviously happy. "I'll see you on our date, Taehyun."
"Yeah," Taehyun murmurs as he watches Hueningkai slip out of the room. His heart doesn't stop beating so fast in his chest, as a smile curves on his lips.
"I'll see you.")