Welcome back to part two of "Mission Bluebird" Please make sure to have read the first book "From the Darkness" first ^^

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No preparations in the world could have readied the group of survivors for this. For the man, Mingi picked up cluelessly in the middle of a dystopian desert. The man, who was supposed to be dead.

Wooyoung stood rooted in his spot for a good minute. He scrutinized their guest all over, sought a lie, but the truth lay in every detail, every particle of dust on Yunho's clothing. Before him, and with a faint smile of gratitude under all the grime, sat Yunho. He held a spoon in that large hand that provided the most soothing touches and the can of food in the other.

But that smile died down when Wooyoung blurted out his name. And for a long, scary moment, Yunho looked at him with the same confusion as Jongho and Mingi.

Then he was the one whose jaw dropped in surprise. The chair knocked into the table with a jarring noise when Yunho jumped up. He needed a moment to understand. During that time, Wooyoung stood at the hood of the jeep with his fingers curled into nervous fists by his sides.

"Wooyoung? Is that you?" Yunho blinked his eyes. He left his can and spoon in a rush to come Wooyoung's way. For a moment, they just stared at each other with mutual disbelief. Wooyoung had to tilt his head back to accommodate the height the other had on him, and every memory of every single one of Yunho's smiles overwhelmed him.

Faster than Wooyoung gathered the movement, Yunho wrapped his arms around him. He yanked him into a hug so warm and doting that tears welled in Wooyoung's eyes.

Could this be true? Was this truly him? It felt like him. So warm. So familiar.

A sob broke over Wooyoung's lips when the walls keeping his heart together shattered. His hands clutched to Yunho's shirt, tugged him closer desperately. He could feel the softness of his cheek against his head; the stutter of his voice inside his chest.

"Where were you?" Wooyoung croaked. "Why did you leave me alone like that? Where did you go?"

Part of him was triumphant since he had always known Yunho was still out there. But the larger, more vulnerable part of his heart was devastated in shock. The pain was pleasant and meant this was real, but it was ever so disjointed.

"I'm so sorry," Yunho whispered. He buried his nose in Wooyoung's hair and breathed in his scent that was barely Wooyoung anymore after his bath. "I'm sorry it took me so long. I thought I would never see you again."

Wooyoung wailed harder. His tears soaked Yunho's shirt and no amount of shushes could calm him.

Yunho had been out there all along. Searching for him, fearing about him the same as Wooyoung did. No one was as loyal to them as the other, ever since they had been kids.

By the time Wooyoung's sobs quietened to the occasional hiccough, Jongho carefully cleared his throat. He didn't dare come too close, vigilant to the way Yunho's hand rubbed Wooyoung's back with so much intimacy. They stood in the blinding headlights of the car and Wooyoung just wanted to bury his face in Yunho's chest and never resurface.

"You know each other?" Mingi prompted. Though there were only a handful of people Yunho might be, everyone in the room was sure without needing to say it. Jongho's eyes were wet with their reunion, as he hadn't recognized Yunho through the grime at first. He quickly fell in before the two needed to pull apart.

"He's Death's team partner. I never saw him up close, so I didn't think he would return after their involuntary parting." Awed, he watched the scene. Wooyoung's vulnerability came with a deep trust they hadn't witnessed so far.

"The one that got buried?" Mingi continued with a frown. He eyed Yunho up and down and Wooyoung wiped his eyes so they could participate in the conversation. Yunho brushed a stray tear from his cheek with a pained smile. He was just as glad to see Wooyoung. Everything that needed to be said could wait.

"The desert swallowed me, but I was lucky to end up in an underground mining tunnel. It wasn't in use anymore and it took me forever to find the exit, but it led out here. I spent only a night on the surface ever since," Yunho explained, voice scratchy with emotion. Wooyoung held him tighter.

Yunho went through so much, fighting for his life while Wooyoung relished his luxury. He deserved all the torment of his conscience.

"I saw them before. You were very lucky," Mingi nodded. "What now? Shall we push out our leaving date a day further? Death doesn't seem to be in the condition to depart right now."

Wooyoung glanced at Jongho with bleary eyes. Their leader nodded hastily.

"Definitely. Yunho deserves a break and Wooyoung has a lot to catch up on. Let's talk about it tomorrow after you two got some rest." He subtly freed Seonghwa from his confinements and carried him off before Yunho would ask questions. Not that he could, distracted by Wooyoung as he was. He stared at him as if they met for the first time. The fingers tucking his hair behind his ear trembled.

A shudder crawled over Wooyoung's spine.

Wasn't he forgetting something?

His head whipped around, finding San still seated in the jeep. His left leg dangled out of the open door as he lit another cigarette. Though his expression was unreadable, his eyes didn't leave the two. Team partner, Jongho said. But San didn't forget the other part of their relationship. How could he, when it was everything Wooyoung ever talked about?

Wooyoung felt nauseous. He didn't know whom of the two he wanted to apologize to, perhaps both. He felt like throwing up and when he sacked in Yunho's grip, his boyfriend noticed immediately. With a warning yelp, he tugged Wooyoung against his frame.

"Can we sit down somewhere? I think we both need a break," he asked Mingi. His eyes were kind and ever so disarmingly gentle. Wooyoung was overjoyed to have him back, but he couldn't forget San's quiet stare.

He was an awful person.

"'Course. Follow me, I'll take you to his room," Mingi offered. He strode ahead, and they left San where he was. Wooyoung curled in on himself to protect his hurdling heart. It ached in every way possible.

Yunho rubbed his back for him, blind to his turmoil. He barely had the time to look around until they already arrived and he tugged Wooyoung to sit on his bed. Mingi brought the water bottle along and left it by Wooyoung's side.

"Tell me if you need anything," he said with a glance at Yunho when he kneeled on the ground to cradle Wooyoung's face in tender hands. He shut the door before they had to pull apart.

"Yunho," Wooyoung sniffled. He hung his head, so sorry for everything that had happened. For Yunho's fear when he fell alone, for leaving him, and for being ready to move on with his life before they met could reunite.

Another distorted smile.

"I'm here. You don't have to cry anymore. Here, have a drink." He uncapped the water bottle for Wooyoung to replenish his fluids but Wooyoung felt a headache throb behind his eyes.

Yunho's affection.

San's stare.

He shivered.

"I searched for you. I dug all over the place," he whimpered as if that could absolve him from his guilt. Yunho's smile was much too doting and hopeful.

"I feared for you every day, as well. I felt horrible for leaving you alone. You did well finding these people to take you in." He didn't challenge Wooyoung's prior resolve not to team up. It had been a dark time apart and each of them made it through somehow.

Wooyoung couldn't believe it.

Since words couldn't convey his feelings and even less resolve the turmoil in his head, he merely leaned forward into another hug. Yunho put the bottle aside to embrace him back.

"I'm so glad I followed your friend. I didn't trust his promise for a meal, but you were the last person I expected to meet here."

Especially with a new gun, a purpose in life, and a love interest, yes. It was almost as if the old Wooyoung died that day together with Yunho. This new one betrayed everything their duo had ever been.

When their bodies stiffened from their angle, Yunho shifted them up onto the bed. He sprawled out against the wall, squeezing against it so there would be enough space for the two of them. His arm wrapped around Wooyoung and snuggling up to his chest felt all kinds of right and wrong.

Yunho still wore his outside clothing, but neither of them cared. Wooyoung clung to his oversized pillow and Yunho held him how he had held him every night before that incident.

"Who are these people, Woo? Did they treat you well?"

Too well, Wooyoung wanted to cry. So well that he forgot about Yunho.

"They gathered up my pieces for a new objective," Wooyoung uttered. "They are good people, all of them. I wished so desperately to have you here with us. Look at this shelter. All the food," Wooyoung whispered if just to excuse his treacherous heart.

Yunho glanced around the room, sharing his awe.

"You were on your own for only a few weeks, and this is what you made of it. Did I hold you back?"

Wooyoung made a protesting sound, and Yunho snickered.

"Never," Wooyoung uttered as he buried his face into Yunho's chest. He breathed in his scent, needed it to ground him.

"Jongho, the one with the limp, had been watching us for months. He approached me shortly after we lost sight of each other to make me part of his team. They have a grand mission going on," Wooyoung explained. His confession was soft and his fingertip drew mindless circles over Yunho's chest as he had back then when they found a moment to themselves. Things were so painfully the same, yet shifted just enough to feel off.

"Really?"

"Both of us," Wooyoung hummed. "He was bummed when he got only me. We were about to go on a long journey."

That had Yunho's breath stutter. He craned his head to look at Wooyoung and Wooyoung did the same. The pain in Yunho's eyes sent another jab into his heart.

"I'm sorry," Wooyoung choked out. "I thought you were dead. I moved on only when I could make up my messy mind. Ask Jongho. I almost didn't come along."

"No, it's... It's fine. You didn't know. I'm just glad I caught you on time." Yunho pressed a feeble kiss to Wooyoung's forehead and Wooyoung was also glad. As much as it hurt.

"Will you still go with them?" Yunho asked, as if afraid to settle back into their routine, if it meant another inevitable goodbye.

Wooyoung felt horrible for doing this to him. Tears brimmed in his eyes once more, but he had no right to cry about this. Yunho was the one who got hurt, time and time again.

"I- I don't know... I promised and I like what they are doing but how could I ever leave you behind?" Wooyoung whispered. They clung to each other in mutual fear, but as usual, Yunho knew how to resolve their predicament. While Wooyoung drowned in his emotions, he kept a clear head.

"Then tell me more about it. I want to be where you are. If it's time to move on from the desert, let's go together."

Wooyoung wanted to cry. Yunho was too good for him and while his loyalty made Wooyoung's heart jump in adoration, he knew things would become so much more difficult.

"Okay," he muttered. "As soon as we rested, I will take you to the others. They can explain everything. If you don't like it, we can figure something out. We don't have to separate anymore."

If one of them had to go, it was San and the mission. What Wooyoung had with him was fleeting and it was never supposed to find root. Yunho was his life, his lover.

Relieved, Yunho squeezed Wooyoung in his arms.

"I like that. Let's wait until the tears dry and then I'll happily hear what you found here."

Wooyoung nodded meekly. He would have to tell Yunho what transpired with San, needed to beg for forgiveness he didn't deserve. Perhaps Yunho would regard that as a reason to discard him, and as painful as that thought was, he deserved to know. And Wooyoung needed to talk to San. He already knew everything he needed to know, but he should get a chance to share his opinion.

Exhausted, Wooyoung rested his throbbing head on Yunho's chest.

As much of a fortune as his return was, it made everything he assembled so cautiously crumble. Now Wooyoung needed to build it anew with Yunho in the picture.