Work Text:
Pang was on the run.
Not the usual run which you do for fun or because your gym teacher tells you to.
Not the usual where you run because society want you to be thin and you need to lose weight.
No, this type of run was the run for one's life. The run from the government.
It had been five days since Pang fled the press conference and left his old life behind. Five days of constant fear of being found and brought back to the school and face a penalty which no teenager should face; The NYX-88, the potential remover which can cause brain damage. Sounds like a pretty fun and mundane penalty, does it not?
The first day Pang was only running. Pain surged through his lungs as he once more bolted behind a wall to hide. He crouched next to a dumpster and made himself as small as he possibly could, fighting back tears which threatened to spill over. He pulled himself closer as he heard a pack on big men dressed in black suits rushed past him behind the dumpster. They must’ve not seen him as they sprinted further down the road, leaving Pang behind the dumpster. Even though he was supposedly safe, Pang didn’t dare move, and only pulled himself closer and let the tears spill.
Later that evening, Pang had finally dared to leave his hiding place. He hadn't seen the men in black neither anyone which he suspected came from the ministry. As he stood, Pang’s head was throbbing and heavy like lead and he quickly moved one hand to support it, as he used the other to support himself from falling back down by holding the dumpster. Pang was cold and alone, tears trickling down his cheeks, as he sought out shelter he so desperately needed.
How did it come to this?
The second day Pang found somewhere to stay. Funny enough, it was the same building where Korn had spent a couple of days when he was on the run. It was raining as Pang made his way up the stairs. The owner of the building had a weird sense of sympathy for runaway kids and had let him stay, even when Pang fondly explained he wasn’t on the run, just… experiencing life.
The room had no lights except a single lightbulb hanging above the lonesome mattress in the middle of the room. Pang was exhausted, terrified and most of all, exhausted so that he didn’t even sigh as he stepped inside and only fell asleep on top of the mattress the moment he lay upon it.
He slept for two days and one night.
The fourth day, when Pang woke up, everything finally hit him. Pang looked in the mirror which hung above a crack in the wall.
“The Director”, the spoke, quickly grasping his sore throat, “Mr Pom. Chanon. The Gifted. Wave.” Pang’s lips trembled. His face was pale and he barely recognised himself. His hair was pointing to all different corners and dark circles decorated the bags under his eyes. One week ago and Pang would’ve laughed if someone had shown his face. Now there was nothing funny about it.
There was no shower, but Pang had no energy to care. No energy to step away from the mirror. His fingers caressed his lips and moved alongside his cheekbones to his eyes. He could feel his heartbeat, but no thoughts could he hear.
“Wave”, a single word left his lips.
It struck him about the dream he had had. He and Wave had been on a Ferris wheel together. Again. But this time they weren’t in danger. They were just holding hands, Pang remembering the feeling of their skin touching even now when he had woken up. He remembered Wave’s puzzled face and the crinkles by his eyes. Pang never thought he would be missing Wave’s rare smile, yet here he was.
Pang’s head punched him from within and Pang quickly grabbed it with both his hands, suddenly forgetting Wave and collapsing on the floor. Before he passed out, Pang recognised the feeling as fatigue.
Wave. How are you?
The next day, Pang felt better. The woman who owned the building got worried as she never saw him leave nor enter, therefore she had decided to check on him. Passed out on the floor, Pang got help and finally food in his stomach. He even had the chance to shower which he didn’t know he had so desperately needed.
The water was cold against his bruised skin, yet his cheeks were burning at the touch. Pang couldn’t help but get the feeling he had a fever. If the ministry would burst in through the door as he was taking a shower, or doing whatever else, he wouldn’t be able to get far with his aching head and throbbing legs.
At dinner time, Pang noticed the lonesome feeling wash over him again. He had never minded eating alone, but back then he had always known he could the next day. And the day after that. Today, however, he wasn’t sure he would ever get to eat with anyone ever again. If he could ever eat with Wave ever again.
“What the hell, Pang”, he spoke aloud with a weak voice, “why do you keep thinking about him?” Truth was, Pang wasn’t sure what he could call Pang. Their first year he was sure to call him an enemy. Someone he resented more than anything and who he just wanted to punch at the sight of his face.
Then he had called him a colleague. They were working together against the Director but there was nothing more to it. They met up, made plans, acted out the plans and that was that. There was never any mutual agreement that they were friends.
Then, at the start of this year, something had happened within Pang. Something he had never felt before. With his heart beating over the speed limit and his palms sweating furiously. Only at the sight of Wave.
Then they had made out on the rooftop. Pang and Wave had made out on the rooftop.
Pang looked up as he heard rapid knocks on a door. He almost dropped his bowl of cold congee as he thought the knocks were on his door. He got up from the floor and bolted to the door to look out the peephole. But there was no one at the door. Pang figured the knocking had happened down the hall.
It must be the men in black.
Panicked, Pang grabbed his things and pushed them into the bathroom without a shower. He could hide there but…
The knocks were getting closer. There must be a way out, Pang looked around the room, heart beating loudly in his ears. He couldn’t jump out the balcony. He couldn’t have the same end as Korn. But if he would get caught now… it would all be in vain.
One door away. Should I just turn myself in? Pang was tired. So incredibly tired, but he couldn’t stop. He felt his throbbing head scream in protest as Pang bolted over to the door with a lamp high above his head. Whoever would be entering, would be getting bruises for months.
Three knocks on his door. Pang turned his head to the peephole and almost fell over when he saw who it was. If it would have been a man from the ministry, that man would have thrown the door open with no warning and force Pang to the ground. However, the person on the other side was looking around warily, as though hiding from someone. His glasses almost falling off the tip of his nose, not noticing or not caring. A simple black hoodie with the hood up covered most of his face as well as hair. A brown bag was thrown over one shoulder. It must've been a disguise.
Wave.
Pang couldn’t think clearly as he opened the door. It might've been a trap. Surrounding Wave might've been half the ministry with guns and machines, ready to strike any moment. But Pang didn’t care. It was Wave.
Wave was silent as Pang threw his arms around his neck. The familiar scent of firewood and dark chocolate washed over him and he only pulled Wave closer. Wave. Wave. Wave. God, how he missed him.
It was when Pang felt Wave wrap his arms around his back, that he noticed Wave was crying. It was mostly inaudible, but with Wave’s face buried in Pang’s next, he couldn’t miss the tears sprinkling his nape.
“Come in”, Pang whispered and broke the hug, pulling Wave inside.
“How are you?” Pang said after a few minutes of silence on the floor, “how’s everyone?”
Wave’s gaze was distant as he spoke, “you still care about everyone else more than yourself.” Pang gave him a meaning look, which made Wave sigh before answering, “No ones okay, Pang. The ministry they… gave us something. Said if we found you we had a way to stop you.” Wave pulled something out of his pocket and Pang’s eyes widened at the sight. The NYX-88. Pang grabbed it carefully, choking back his tears.
“You’re here to kill me?” Pang believed Wace would never do it, but in these circumstances… he wasn’t sure anymore.
Wave looked almost offended, “Yeah of course. Lay down and the process will be over quickly.” Pang’s heart was beating fast as he froze. Wave must've noticed, because he spoke, “Pang, I’m sorry, it was a joke. A bad one… I would never kill you. Despite our past rivalries… I would never intentionally hurt you. Don’t ever think that.” Pang couldn’t say anything as he fidgeted with the small glass bottle.
Pang didn’t notice Wave shuffling closer. He grabbed the bottle and let it roll over the floor to a dark corner.
“You have bruises”, Wave only said, “take off your shirt.” Pang only stared, but the meaning look on Wave’s face as he grabbed a small plastic box out of his bag, made him carefully lift off his shirt. Pang hadn't noticed before, but his collars, as well as big parts of his stomach, were purple and blue and yellow.
“This won’t heal you, but it will speed the process up”, Wave said as he moved a cotton ball drenched in some yellow liquid toward his bruise on his collar; Wave’s face only inches from Pang’s.
Pang winced at the touch and grabbed Wave’s shoulder in panic. He couldn’t see Wave’s face, but he bet his life savings that he was smirking.
“Ohm has already destroyed the glass bottle with the virus”, Wave said, “the twins too.”
“And you haven't?” Pang said and almost yelped as Wave pressed his bruise harder, “Sorry sorry. I’m just… I thought you would. Now it’s in the corner of my room.”
“I want to destroy it”, Wave changed the cotton ball and moved to the stomach, “but I want to destroy it with you. The hard part was to find you. Where have you been?”
“Passed out”, Pang couldn’t help but smile, but Wave pressed the bruise even harder, making him press his fingers into Wave’s shoulder.
“Do you want your bruises to heal? Because I’ll leave right now if you don’t stop joking about this.”
“Sorry Wave khun krab…” Pang bit his tongue not to smile at Wave’s serious tone, “the first two days I was just running. Then I found this place and was passed out for two more days. I ate my first meal today.”
“HUH?!” Wave shot his head up but didn’t even look angry to Pang’s surprise. He looked worried. “Good for you I brought you dinner.” Pang wanted to stop him and tell him he had already eaten, but when Wave pulled out a small plastic box decorated with a pink bow and a yellow post-it note, he remained quiet and spent his energy on trying not to laugh.
Wave rolled his eyes, “What? Incase you wouldn’t open I would just leave the box there and you would know it was from me.” Pang couldn’t help but to start laughing as Wave continued, “I asked Claire what to give to someone I cared about, but since you're this inconsiderate I will just…” Wave made an attempt to put the box back into his bag, but Pang quickly reached forward and snatched it out of his hand.
“I’m just kidding, I’m just kidding”, Pang smiled. Wave made him the happiest he had ever been.
Pang removed the small post-it note and read Wave’s neat handwriting aloud, “to my Pang…”
Wave reached for the note, a blush climbing his cheekbones, but Pang only turned his back to him and laughed, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” To Pang’s satisfaction, Wave only pouted.
“Pang, I trust you. Take care”, Pang traced the letters and the small drawing of a wave as a signature. Those few words would have been enough, but Wave had gone way over his head to make sure he met Pang to know he was okay.
Pang removed the ribbon which he simply tied around his wrist, “thank you, Wave.” Their eyes locked, Wave’s dark eyes glossy. Pang shuffled over and put the plastic box aside to grab Wave’s hands, “I’m going to be okay. Don’t you worry, my Wave.” Their lips met. Pang let his hands trace circles in Wave’s palms as they swiftly moved over each other's lips. Each time this happened, Pang always craved more. Always wishing there was a way for them to stay like this forever. He never found a solution.
The kiss broke, but Wave only pulled Pang closer and wrapped his arms around his body. Pang didn’t resist.
“You’re a good kisser for having no experience”, Pang said smiling, his eyes closed.
“Shut up”, Wave snapped back but Pang could feel he was smiling, “You haven't had any practice either.”
Pang only chuckled and kissed Wave’s nape, “that’s not true. I used to kiss Nac a lot. There was never anything romantic involved. We just liked it so we did it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah… I never knew I would actually turn out to like boys for real. I never told him that because… I thought he would think I liked him. A few weeks after I realised I liked boys and girls, I met you. And you know the rest.”
“What are you trying to say?” Wave sounded genuinely confused; as though he had finally found an equation he couldn’t figure out. Pang liked that.
Pang smiled, hoping Wave wouldn’t notice, “I’m just saying… sure we make out a lot. Hug a lot. Hold hands a lot… I did that with Nac too, but with you, I want to go even further. I couldn’t spend my life without you. I never want to see you getting hurt ever again.”
“Ai Pang…”
“Namtarns birthday… when everyone started to resent me for not dropping the matter. When Ohm yelled at me… everyone left the room and I felt it was inevitable and I honestly didn’t care that much. But when you left… that hurt more than being betrayed and lied to over and over again by the Director and Korn and everyone else. I couldn’t stand the fact I hurt you when all I ever want is for you to be safe.” Pang broke the hug to look at Wave. His was face hard to read; his lips slightly parted, his red cheeks tearstained and his glasses almost falling off the tip of his nose. Pang chuckled as he pushed the glasses up his nose bridge.
“Will you be my boyfriend?”
When Wave said nothing, Pang was afraid he had misjudged Wave’s feelings all this time. But then Wave reached for the yellow post-it note Pang had put to the side and grabbed a pen from his pocket. He began to scribble something which Pang tried to see but realised quickly that it was hard to move with his own legs entangled with Waves.
Wave was blushing as he pushed the note towards Pang who read aloud once more, “Pang, I trust you. Take care. – Your boyfriend, Wave.”
Pang looked up, shock decorating his face, “really?” Wave showed a tiny nod as Pang almost yelled, “Really?”
“Yes”, Wave simply said, “I am your boyfriend now.”
Later that evening when Wave snuck out, Pang could finally fall asleep and wouldn’t be afraid his he would wake him up. He lay on the mattress and thought about the memory of Wave’s lips. He had promised to come as much as he dared to; always giving him information about the situation and always taking care of him.
Pang smiled when he finally fell asleep, hugging the yellow post-it note as well as wearing one of Wave’s many shirts which he had brought with him in the bag. Despite everything, Pang really had a caring boyfriend.