Wooyoung made sure the rest of the group was out of earshot as he dragged Yunho behind the building they raided. Sparse vegetation tugged on the legs of their pants with spindly branches, as if trying to leech the fluid they craved out of their veins. Stomping boots ripped past them until Wooyoung deemed them far enough. Then he whirled around to face Yunho. The anger on his features was foreign to his boyfriend, but he had seen it coming and pursed his lips.

"What the fuck, Yunho?! Did you miss the point of this mission? The whole part about working together and saving the world?!"

As ludicrous as it sounded, that was what Wooyoung signed up for. And that was where some tenacity was required.

"I didn't know he was that repulsive! Had you simply moved on I could have stomached the disappointment, but this is absurd. He isn't worth your time, especially while saving the world," Yunho hissed back. They were used to receiving criticism from one another, but this time, it stung. Usually, even when a scolding was due, they considered each other's feelings first. Splitting pain already dominated Wooyoung's head, and it got worse when he studied Yunho's frown. He didn't pause to check on Wooyoung and his disapproval hurt Wooyoung where he was most vulnerable.

It wasn't as if Wooyoung wanted this. He fought it for so long and was well aware of San's doubtful circumstances, but things happened.

Caught in the act, Wooyoung ducked like a coward under the accusation. That he had cheated on Yunho with someone like that. That it did hurt his boyfriend, no matter how he smiled it off.

"He can pull his weight. He fights and he listened to my nonsense after you disappeared. Shit, I might be dead without him," Wooyoung gritted out, though he hated admitting San helped him. It was the sole reason they cultivated a closer relationship, he swore that to himself.

Not that it mattered, now that Wooyoung ruined it all. Though he wanted to hide in a hole like some foul, it got worse and worse the longer he let San dodge him. Wooyoung picked the easy way out, but now unnecessary fights broke out.

"You saw his skin, didn't you? When you let him fuck you? I only didn't shoot him on the spot because I heard him talk proper sentences," Yunho barked, much harsher than the soft voice Wooyoung was used to. He hated this, hated arguing with Yunho when his presence was supposed to mean Wooyoung always had someone to count on. Someone who would understand when he came crawling back licking his wounds.

Wooyoung missed him. He missed them. But he was the sole reason it became like this. 

"He's had an incident, but he is fine. It's not our place to judge his looks," Wooyoung grumbled. His shoe whirled up the dirt below as the anger thrumming through his veins needed its outlet. Yunho had crossed his arms and his towering figure was unmovable, like a rock.

"And I didn't let him fuck me. Not like that, we just- Nevermind. It shouldn't matter. He doesn't need to be shot; I made sure of that."

"I am contemplating right now if you are trustworthy still."

Another stab. It choked Wooyoung's breath away and hot tears tickled his eyes. He was pinned in the spot with nowhere to go and he had no excuse. He did something awful. 

Gulping harshly, Wooyoung tried to regain his senses. He felt vulnerable in the harsh desert, felt every prick of the sand brushing his skin. Yunho's stare was judgmental, robbing him of the security he felt for the past eight years with his partner.

"The other two also approved of him. You don't have to like him, but you need to work together. What if that foul bit someone earlier because you didn't communicate?"

Wooyoung was fighting a losing battle. He knew he was in the wrong and Yunho had no reason to be patient if San gave him every reason to hate him. The raider's loud mouth and its constant mockery would cause more and more damage.

"I would have made sure it didn't come that far," Yunho dismissed. His gloved fingers waved carelessly before they settled back on his hip. So handsome, he stared down at Wooyoung as if he were a misbehaving child. As if he should have known better.

Wooyoung couldn't meet his eyes. He stared at the bleak ground, sandy and barren of life. 

"Why him, Wooyoung?" Yunho demanded to know. Back in the shelter, he accepted Wooyoung's scrambled apology to fix things, but after thinking about it thoroughly, he didn't. He couldn't.

The betrayal burned hot in Wooyoung's chest. He rubbed at it subconsciously, trying to get out the rotten feeling.

"Why does he still catch your gaze when I am back now? What about him do you like? What about his... weird body that made you jump him so readily? Because it can't be that ghastly personality."

Ashamed, Wooyoung kept his head lowered. It wasn't his place to preach about San, and he hated that he wanted to defend him. Wooyoung would like to know the answer himself.

"I'm sorry, Yunho," he winced instead. "I'll try to talk to him and figure this out. You two don't have to be enemies."

"If I at least knew he was good for you I wouldn't bother," Yunho stressed, keeping his aching heart sealed away though he had every right to hate Wooyoung for this. "Things happened but you are the person most dear to me, Wooyoung. If I think about him touching you with that skin-" Yunho broke off when a shudder wracked his body. He physically shook the thought out of his head.

"It's none of my business. I don't know what transpired between you two, but he's a bastard. Don't fall for him." Yunho turned on his heel, done with the topic. Shocked, Wooyoung leaped after him to grab his hand. He tugged Yunho to a stop.

"Wait," he begged. For a moment, he fumbled for words. Never did he hesitate before Yunho. Never did it feel so cold to get stared at, but not offered help. 

When Wooyoung ran his fingers through his hair, they trembled.

"I don't want to leave things like this. Later, I will talk to San as well, but for now, I'd like to assure you, not to postpone your hatred. Do you want me to tell him to keep it professional? You don't have to talk to him aside from mission-related matters!" Wooyoung offered, desperately groveling to get another chance. When Yunho contemplated him, he hastily continued.

"San hates me now anyway. I kept talking about you and then you appeared just as I started to move on. Let's not fight, please."

"You are asking me to ignore the asshole on our team who also stole my lover away and did whatever disgusting things to him? Don't be ridiculous," Yunho replied, voice a warning that he wouldn't put up with this any longer.

"I would get him kicked out for half of those things. Let me talk to Jongho and Mingi. We two are more than enough to bring them to Anda. He can fuck around somewhere else." Once more, Yunho spun on his heel, but Wooyoung clung to his arm. His head throbbed, made dark spots dance before his eyes because every thought hurt and the whiny pitch of his own voice was embarrassing and obnoxious even to his own mind.

"Please," he begged, eyes clenched shut against the wave of agony and upset. "Please, just leave him alone. I will tell him the same."

"And what? Kiss him so he actually complies? He's abusing your weakness, Woo. You never would have let him touch you had you been sane," Yunho uttered, pitying the trembling raider by his side. When his hand cupped Wooyoung's pale face and noticed his tremors, the tension in his shoulders eased and he cooed. His arm braced around Wooyoung and tugged him close to that familiar body he missed so much.

Though he felt he had to throw up from the overwhelming guilt and his mind now yelled at him because this wasn't San, Wooyoung sunk into Yunho's embrace weightlessly. 

"Please stop saying those things about him," Wooyoung choked out. "You don't understand. It wasn't like that. I was the stubborn one." He bit back the bile in his throat.

"You're quivering. Whichever it is, I will have a conversation with him. If not for you as my lover, then as my best friend. I can't work with someone like that," Yunho said lower, offering empathy yet convinced San was an enemy. He moved to back off, but Wooyoung packed his collar. Weak fists shook at Yunho, shoving at his chest until he stumbled and his hold around Wooyoung's waist tightened. 

"No! Leave it to me and don't fight!" He sobbed, too overwhelmed with it all. He didn't have the capacity to store all those emotions inside him, needed to sort them one by one. But those two bastards equaled each other in their ability to rob Wooyoung's patience.

"You have to just... Shut up. Just shut up, Yunho. I will do everything. But don't make it worse. I don't want to lose either of you." Wooyoung hung his head when the treacherous words slipped free. His hair dangled in his face, but he noticed the wetness of his lashes. 

Yunho did as well. His thumb dipped into the tracks of Wooyoung's tears and he fell silent.

Every breath hurt and Wooyoung knew if he tried to stand by himself, he would topple over. Yunho grounded him, as always, as he choked on his tears. 

"Are you... Are you crying?" It was a stupid question, but Yunho's shock had him blurt it out. He cradled Wooyoung's chin and though he resisted, Yunho was the stronger of the two. With gentle conviction, he tilted Wooyoung's face to look at him. His free hand tucked Wooyoung's messy hair behind his ear, unveiling the mess of his features.

Miserable, Wooyoung continued to try. His heart felt close to bursting, but with each tear, some of the pressure lifted.

"I don't think I ever saw you cry like this," Yunho muttered. The tenderness had returned to his voice and his large palms cradled Wooyoung's face like a treasure meant to be put in those number-locked boxes. 

There was never a reason to cry. Crying didn't save them and Wooyoung had enough worries. Occasionally, they clung to each other, trembling in fear, but they rarely cried. Wooyoung started theorizing whether he couldn't since he never drank enough water. Perhaps he was right, because now he could.

"He's important to me," Wooyoung sobbed out from trembling lips. "I also hate it, but he's important to me. I owe him a lot." And just like with Yunho, he felt terrible for leaving it like that.

Yunho wiped at his tears, and understanding filled his expressive eyes.

"I got it. I will leave it to you. If it's this important to you, I have no business to meddle."

Relieved, Wooyoung nodded. His whisper of gratitude died between their lips when Yunho ducked to kiss him. It was light, a mere brush of their mouths against each other as Yunho comforted him, but it still made Wooyoung lock up. 

Pain danced across Yunho's eyes, but he made no more demands. Didn't force Wooyoung to give him anything.

"Let's go back to being friends, at least until you figured it out. You don't have to force yourself."

Wooyoung wanted to throw up again. His entire body ached because it was San, and he hated it was San. He whirled into Wooyoung's life like a storm and ruined everything he had so far.

At his meager nod, Yunho straightened. He stood with Wooyoung until the tears ebbed off and he could breathe again. His outburst was embarrassing, but it gave Yunho the answer he needed. This wasn't a competition, it never had been. Painful as it was, Wooyoung made his decision.

"I'm so sorry," Wooyoung whispered again when they pulled apart. He wiped at his eyes and fixed his hair, but Yunho looked at him with the fondness Wooyoung knew from him. 

"You have awful taste, Woo," he snickered and Wooyoung had to grin. It was faint on his lips but enough to bring back Yunho's radiance.

"I sure do..."

They left their argument behind that shack and returned to being the team they were supposed to be. The world awaited saving, and they agreed that this was the most important part of their lives. No one knew whether the group would break apart afterward and what would happen until then. But as long as Wooyoung had Yunho with him, there was always a solution.

When Wooyoung returned to the car tucked into Yunho's arm, he felt San's frigid stare on him. He huddled tighter into his best friend and Yunho exhaled his irritation into Wooyoung's hair.

"I hate him."

Wooyoung didn't ask him to make an effort not to. It wasn't rationality that drove the beat of his heart.