Fairy Lights to Guide Us | 1 |

[brittlepin]

Title: Fairy Lights to Guide Us
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: multiple pairings
Summary: Baekhyun is the Assistant Team Leader for SM Mission and he's decided to start an education camp for the refugee omegas. No close-minded alphas and betas are going to stop him from liberating the 'submissives'.
Warnings: too many to list down. Refer to prologue. In this part: mention of rape, malnourishment
A/N: To all the people who responded on the prologue, I want to thank everyone heartily for being so encouraging and supportive. I'm exploring something quite new with this, so I hope this will be a unique experience for everyone, myself included.
Heads up for stupid shit because it's me OTL

Basic gist of the story
A small team of young volunteers go to Ground Zero; a refugee camp for people escaping their neighbouring war torn country. Initially loved for their accommodative work, the team is soon shunned because one of their projects breaks the traditional norms of the foreigners - educating the omegas.

The team soon realizes that hostile refugees aren't their only concern. Ground Zero has been named so because of certain reasons; there is scarce food or water but abundant diseases, the military is their only salvation but also the chocking collar around their necks, rain comes in the form of bullets and missiles, while death is as regular a visitor as the Sun.

This is not the reality any of them was prepared for.

prologue | 1

Glossary of recurring terms

Maj.: Major (military rank)

Xhann: Language spoken in Xiana

ATL: Assistant Team Leader

Fairy Lights to Guide Us | one

True to his word, Joonmyun is softly calling for Baekhyun and Luhan around eight thirty the next morning. Baekhyun scrambles out thoughtlessly. He didn't get proper sleep and he doubts he can make himself presentable at any rate. Not without a proper bathroom and toiletries, and Joonmyun has seen him at his absolute worst more times than he'd like to count. "Is Luhan awake?" Joonmyun nudges him lightly. From behind him, Chanyeol comes forward to hand Baekhyun a small, metallic circular tray covered by a napkin. 'Breakfast' he mouths before he quickly turns back without waiting for any thanks. "I think he's been awake all night," Baekhyun mumbles, "we didn't get much sleep." He puts his nose to the tray and tries to guess what it is. Chanyeol returns with a large plastic bottle, the seal missing but water filled to the brim. The brand name has been torn off and the bottle has probably been refilled and reused more times than anyone can guess. "Heard the gunshots?" Chanyeol asks, head gesturing towards the white tents. He suddenly pulls a chocolate bar out of his jacket pocket and places it on top of the tray. Baekhyun's face lights up, partially pushing aside the thought that the Assistant Team Leader looks like a sleepy mess in front of another team member. "Bless you, Yeol, and yea. We heard. I don't think anyone would have missed it." "Do you think they actually shot someone?" Chanyeol directs the question to Joonmyun. The Team Leader sniffles but there's the beginning of a frown on his face. "I hope not," Not, no they didn't. But, I hope not. "Do you think they might ever shoot one of us?" Chanyeol asks quietly. Baekhyun kicks his shin and glares at him. "What? It could be a possibility." "Don't say stupid things." "They won't have a reason to if we follow the rules, and we have no reason to break them." Joonmyun answers. "Go have breakfast, Baekhyun. I'll call everyone when we're done." "Where did you sleep?" Baekhyun asks just as they turn to leave. Last night, only two tents had been separated for them. But with the omegas receiving a full space for themselves, only one was left for the remaining team. Baekhyun had no qualms sharing with anyone, but Lu Han minded it gravely. The betas were given the second tent and Joonmyun and Chanyeol went away with Captain Sehun to God knows where. "In the bus." Chanyeol answers good-naturedly, "it was like ditching class and sleeping on the rooftop." He laughs it off. "Ring me if you need anything." "Yea, watch where you're going." Baekhyun warns. Chanyeol looks down just in time and stumbles over the large rock in his path. Baekhyun decides to tell Chanyeol later that his phone is getting no reception, and neither is Lu Han's. They couldn't even connect to the internet last night. "I think you'll kill yourself before anyone else here can do it for you." Joonmyun says to the taller alpha, voice dry and face humourless. Baekhyun goes back inside his tent and finds Lu Han sitting on his sleeping bag, waiting for him. "I hope you're not very picky about food," Baekhyun jokes-but-not-really as he sets the tray down, along with the water bottle. He thinks about taking the chocolate too, Chanyeol gave it to him, but decides not to. It might offend Lu Han unnecessarily. "Was this part of the menu?" Lu Han asks, his eyes on the snack bar before he looks up at Baekhyun. "Uh... Chanyeol put it there," Lu Han picks it up. Baekhyun notices his dainty fingers and shaped nails, hands that have never worked a day in their life. He watches them extend the bar and he blinks in confusion. "Yours," Lu Han says, nudging it towards him. "Oh. Thanks?" Baekhyun takes it hesitantly. "I know you don't like me, but we're the only omegas on the team, so let's try to get along." Lu Han says softly, and even though his words are polite, his tone is somewhat officious and it irks Baekhyun. He's the one with the higher post and it's not like he was going to antagonize Lu Han for any part of the mission. "We have to be exemplary for all the omegas here." Baekhyun swallows his ego and nods in agreement. He watches Luhan pull the napkin aside and they both stare at the food for a full minute, unsure of what exactly they're looking at. "We should probably ... finish this ... before it gets cold." Baekhyun says unsurely. "Does it look edible to you?" Lu Han muses, and this time his voice is ringing softly with humor. "Then I'll do the taste test, your highness." It's ... edible. If they need to eat this gunk to survive. It's edible. They'll live. Baekhyun notes with dismay that Lu Han eats less than half of it, pushing Baekhyun to finish the rest. The only reason the he is able to do so is because he's starving and breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Lu Han gobbles up all of the water though. "Hope we don't get diarrhea." the Xianian mumbles as he stares at the bottle, thumb nicking at the small coat still left glued from where the brand name had been torn off. Baekhyun promptly drops the spoon. "We'll take a tour today, see how the people are faring." Joonmyun announces as he looks around at his team. They're all gathered by the bus they arrived in. The trucks with the relief goods are parked next to it in a proper line. "Let's make a general overview first. I feel like we'll have to modify the plan accordingly." "Exactly my thoughts!" Joonmyun points a finger in Baekhyun's direction and the Assistant Team Leader smiles a little proudly. "Someone in uniform is supposed to accompany us at all times, especially you two," he waves a hand in the direction of the omegas --both of whom frown-- "and we're not supposed to take off these." he holds up the card strung around his neck. "Without it, we'll be classified as refugees and treated as such." "Is there any reason for all of this?" Kyungsoo inquires, a little put out. "None that I was told straightforward, but I presume we're going to find out everything, eventually. We're going to be here for a long time, after all." Joonmyun says soberly. He pulls out his cell phone. "Signals are dead. Did anyone notice?" A chorus of acknowledgement passes through the group. "I was told there are jammers around the camp, so there's no point in trying." "Jammers?" a flabbergasted Jongdae almost shouts. "No internet." Jongin mourns, seemingly uncaring of the constant shocks that keep passing through the group. His little dog sits by his feet, looking quite tired for so early in the day. "Why does it feel like we're in a detention camp instead of a refugee camp?" Jongdae laughs, trying to dispel the tension. It does not help any and the frown on Zitao's face only deepens. "Don't wander far from your escorts. If we play good and obedient now, they'll let us off for little slipups later. Be exemplary." Joonmyun instructs. "Whatever they say, listen to them." "Shouldn't be hard for some of us." Zitao says quietly, an obvious jab at the omegas. Chanyeol flicks his forehead. "Down boy," Baekhyun and Lu Han pretend not to have heard anything. "Please don't forget anything we discussed." Their Team Leader pleads, "we're finally here, and we're going to do what we came for. There's no need for unnecessary drama, because I can guarantee you there will be a enough of it on Ground Zero." They split up into odd groups. Chanyeol and Lu Han are paired together. Baekhyun is grouped with Jongin and everyone else is supposed to be on their own. Baekhyun silently pulls Joonmyun aside and the alpha explains it in crystal clear words, "I don't trust these people and I am not going to risk you or Lu Han by leaving you to fend for yourselves." "Why are we being singled out everywhere?" the younger hisses. "Two reasons," Joonmyun holds up two fingers, "the Xianian don't take well to independent omegas," he pauses in thought before he opens his mouth again, "the Major told me they've had discipline issues with some soldiers recently." "Discipline issues like what?" Baekhyun presses. The silence between them grows heavy, faintly filled by the sudden outburst of laughter from their group. The alpha closes his eyes and lets out a long slow breath, "they've had cases of ... abuse," Baekhyun takes time to process this. He knows that tone. "Like what?" Of course, it can't be real until Joonmyun acknowledges it. Not until it's spelled out for him by the person he trusts the most. "Rape." Joonmyun says the word so easily, like water, or food, or hello, but the weight of it is so indescribably heavy on them both, it leaves Baekhyun breathless for a moment. His eyes snap from his Team Leader's face to the camp over his shoulder, back and forth, back and forth. "Then why did you allow us to come?" Baekhyun says finally, softly and disbelievingly. "I wasn't aware," he breathes, sincerely apologetic. "You've been here before!" Baekhyun glares at him. "Not like this, Baekhyun. I was a part of a visiting group. Everything was controlled and filtered. None of this- I swear- It wasn't like this at all." Joonmyun places his hands on Baekhyun's shoulders, "You've known me for years. I never let any harm come to anyone. I swear, on my life, I won't let anything happen to any of you." "I'm not worried about me." Baekhyun says, stepping back to let Joonmyun's hands fall off. "You've known me for years. Have I ever been incapable of handling myself?" "You," Joonmyun grins at him, "you're the most resilient person I've ever had the honour of meeting." Baekhyun isn't sure if he's relieved or worried that Major Wu Yi Fan will be accompanying him and Jongin. He thinks pairing with this kid was a good choice, because he's a boxer and despite his lazy posture and aloof face, Jongin is actually a very capable fighter. Or so he's deduced from how often Joonmyun pulls the younger aside to chide him sternly about fights. Jongin is never hurt, so Baekhyun assumes it's always the opponent, though the marks on his knuckles tend to disagree with him sometimes. The boy has the attitude of an alpha, probably because he comes from a family dominated by alphas, shame though, he was a born one rank lower. Baekhyun checks the time on his phone and quickly realizes how useless the gadget is from now on. He tacks a sticky note on the home screen to put an order for a wrist watch before he pockets it and leads the other two. Jongin has never minded following Baekhyun's lead, used to being bossed around by the short omega ever since he joined the mission, but the military alpha is an altogether different case. "Please, follow me," he steps ahead of the two. Jongin throws an amused look at the Assistant Team Leader whilst Baekhyun discreetly rolls his eyes. "We can skip the first rows and start from the back instead," Baekhyun suggests, "I'm sure everyone is already wandering around here." "Good idea." Jongin quips. Yi Fan looks at him hard. "No." His answer startles the other two. Baekhyun starts to protest but quickly holds his tongue, recalling Joonymun's words. "Okay. Then where are we allowed to go, Major?" The sun beats on them as if it's only a few miles above their heads. Baekhyun's water bottle is almost empty and he's never perspired as much on the track as he has at the moment. Jongin threw in the towel a while ago, taking off his shirt and using it to wipe away his sweat. He nudges it playfully towards Baekhyun too, until the omega kicks him back. Major Wu seems to be least affected by the heat. He has only touched his canteen twice and the cap on his head shelters his eyes well from the glare of the sun. When the officer pulls out his canteen for the third time, Baekhyun notices the gun strapped on his belt. Their eyes meet and the contact breaks just as quickly when Yi Fan hands his bottle to Jongin. Baekhyun looks around at the small group of children that has been following them for the past hour, gradually growing to accommodating a few curious grownups as well. They're all sickly thin, showing bones and veins, and have grime gathered on the folds of their skin. Most of them have straw like hair, dry skin and cracked lips. The sickly color is shared by every child, dirt filled nails and smudged skin with smalls scars littered even on their faces. It hurts just looking at them. Baekhyun has to blink away his tears a few times and he stops looking back to see the tumbling little legs following them, some barefoot. The refugees fire off questions at Yi Fan at irregular intervals and then stare admiringly at the two new faces after he answers them. Baekhyun is surprised to find out that Yi Fan speaks Xhann. He thinks it would have been a little more convenient had he been paired with Zitao, or even Lu Han, since they speak the language as well and they probably wouldn't mind translating for him. Chanyeol and Joonmyun also have a good grasp of it, but Baekhyun only knows formal greetings and goodbyes and nothing beyond or in-between. He did give a greeting to the small group but only a few seemed to understand what he said and they grinned back at him in reply. Jongin turns to wink at the children once in a while, and they scatter off giggling shyly before they regroup. When Baekhyun is about to pass his chocolate to them, Yi Fan physically stops him. "Don't touch me without permission." Baekhyun snaps as he pulls his arm free. "Don't encourage them with your behaviour." Yi Fan says darkly. "This is only going to make them more problematic." "They're children." He defends and his voice drops to an icy undertone, arm still burning hot from where Yi Fan squeezed it. "They look like you've been eating their share of rations." The officer's nostrils flare. He raises his hands as if giving up, "Suit yourself, Mr. Byun." Baekhyun turns back and the children shy away from his approaching form, big eyes still curiously lingering on his flushed face. He holds out the bar. The way the entire situation changes feels like a button clicked somewhere and triggered something. They jump on him like piranhas, little fingers pulling his, nails scratching, trying to lay first claim on the treat. And Baekhyun never feels his skin being torn because adrenaline has never run through his blood at the sight of children jumping on him before. He yelps in surprise, taking a step back only to step on his own foot and fall backwards. Jongin is instantly by his side, hoisting him up and the children scatter when Yi Fan comes up. Baekhyun stares flabbergasted at the little miracles as they scream, push and pull, fighting for that one stupid bar of chocolate. A lanky teen suddenly appears out of nowhere, plucks the food away from the tussling hands and runs off. Baekhyun isn't sure if he watched a movie scene play out in his head because of how dehydrated he feels or if everything actually transpired before his eyes. "Hey, you're hurt," Jongin holds his wrist. Baekhyun looks down to the red streaks on his hand and wrist. It stings. He looks up again to see a large part of the group gone, chasing after the food. The few children that remain stare at him like prowlers. They edge closer, but shriek when Yi Fan stomps towards them and scramble off. A loud cackle resounds from one of the nearby tents, a few adults having come out to witness the commotion. An old woman laughs hysterically. Jongin looks uncomfortably at the omega but Baekhyun is still staring at the spot the children were. Yi Fan makes a loud announcement and the adults retreat back to their tents, watching the three pass with newfound interest. "We're going to the infirmary." Yi Fan says, and strictly adds, "Drink." He hands Baekhyun his canteen. The omega doesn't think twice before he uncaps it and empties it of every last drop, his heart beating erratically inside his chest. The medical unit is set off to the side in a marquee tent, a large crowd already sitting beside it under a shabbily made shelter. The tent is white and unlike the rest of the camps, with the flag of Joseon and the Joseon Armed Forces fluttering gently side by side on top of it. There are a few posters --probably instructions-- hanging around it, all in Xhann and out of Baekhyun's understanding. Major Wu Yi Fan leads them to cut across the line. Baekhyun feels guilty about the aggravated looks the refugees shoot them, before the flaps of the tent are parted by one of the armed guards to let them in. Even here, the omega inwardly rolls his eyes, security reasons. A bunch of bullshit, he thinks is the more probable reason. Armed men against devastatingly starved children. There's a soft hubbub of sounds as everyone speaks in hushed voices. Someone from across the room signals Yi Fan in a certain direction and the Major guides them as instructed. They round a partition and the first thing Baekhyun sees is- "What happened?" Jongin and Chanyeol burst simultaneously, Chanyeol jumping off the folding chair and approaching Baekhyun, whilst Jongin moves past the omega and approaches Lu Han. "He fainted." Chanyeol replies --Oh great! A fragile princess, Baekhyun thinks bitterly-- before he turns his attention to their Assistant Team Leader, looking him over from face to feet. "I'm fine." Baekhyun grumbles as he tries to shrug off Chanyeol's hands that are running down his arms and stubbornly searching for injuries. "Who did this?" He holds up Baekhyun's wrist and looks at Yi Fan, demanding an answer, as if the officer is responsible for Baekhyun. "I'm fine." he pulls his wrist easily and looms over his ashen faced, unconscious teammate. Luhan's shirt is taken off and folded by his feet, only a thin sleeveless undershirt on him. "What happened to him?" Before he can receive an answer, a short male bustles into the secluded area, "please don't suffocate the patient!" Baekhyun instantly recognizes him as a medic from the white armband, the universal symbol of medics stitched on it in red. His beret is folded and held securely under the shoulder pads of his camouflage uniform, while a surgical facemask conceals half his face. "Excuse me," he nudges Baekhyun aside before he suddenly pauses, "omega?" he inquires, small tired eyes nestled above dark circles that look curiously at the male. Baekhyun nods in response, unsure if something bad is to come out of this. "Ah, please take a seat." The medic drags a folding chair towards him, the one that Chanyeol vacated. Then his eyes zero in on Baekhyun's hand. "Tch." He shakes his head. Baekhyun feels like a child about to be told off. "Some kids," Major Yi Fan answers the unasked question. The medic shakes his head again, rushing out of the area. "Some kids?" Chanyeol repeats, looking inquiringly around Jongin at Baekhyun, whom is standing beside the small chair. "They went a bit out of control when Baekhyun gave them something." Jongin answers, "Is Lu Han going to be ok?" "He's fine." The medic returns with a small kit. He urges Baekhyun to take a seat, before he crouches in front of him, "Your hand, please." "It's really alright," "It's already swelling." The alpha's head is still bent low, but his eyes peek up and Baekhyun feels intimidated. The medic gets up and leaves again. "Just let him check," Jongin says, "what's the harm?" The medic quickly returns, this time with a file. He hurriedly flips through the pages, pausing at one and his eyes skim over the contents. Everything about him is rushed and coloured in urgency, like he has places to be, things to do and not enough time for it all. "Byun Baekhyun, correct?" Even his voice is clipped and his words quick to spill one after the other. He speaks as fast as his small fingers move. "Yes." Chanyeol answers for him. "Yes." Baekhyun repeats, purely out of frustration. He can handle himself, thank you very much. He's ATL for a reason. "You already took the necessary shots." The medic nods to himself. He hums, looking over the list again, "I'm assuming your entire team took them before arriving." "We did." Baekhyun answers before Chanyeol can open his mouth again. "Just patchwork then." He closes the file. Baekhyun wonders where he got this data from. Captain Sehun perhaps? He did have copies of all their documents. "Please, follow me." Baekhyun shoots Chanyeol a look --'you stay'-- before he follows the cat eyed medic. He spots the name tag 'Kim Minseok', and realizes this is the first alpha he has come across whom isn't as tall in stature as the rest of the soldiers. The medic makes an abrupt turn into a partition, Baekhyun quickly follows, and they end up in a small makeshift office/storage room. The alpha stacks the file in a one of the metal drawer cabinets, slamming it shut, not giving the omega enough time to look around before he guides him to a basin in another section. The omega washes his hand thoroughly while the medic leaves him be, only to return within a minute to take him back. He has a small, half empty tube, possibly medicinal cream. The medic easily dodges the other uniforms walking around and Baekhyun is rather glad he was social in his university days because he's used to congested crowds, otherwise he's pretty sure he'd be stepping on toes or awkwardly bumping into people right now. What makes it worse is how everyone towers over him. Looking up at all the alphas in uniforms only seems to make them more intimidating then they should ever dare to be. Back in the partition with Lu Han, Chanyeol and Yi Fan are engaged in quiet conversation and Jongin is slumped in Baekhyun's chair. He immediately vacates it when the omega returns. "It's fine." Baekhyun waves him back but Jongin takes a seat on the edge of the bed. The medic gets him to sit down before he inspects the hand and applies the ointment. "Do you want me to wrap something around that?" "Doesn't seem necessary." Baekhyun shrugs. He doesn't have to see the alpha's face to know he's grinning underneath the mask. "Thanks." He looks towards Lu Han. "How long will he be out?" "He's resting now." The medic pulls down his mask as he stands up, picking up the unopened kit with him. With the mask off, the dark circles become balanced with the rest of his face and he suddenly looks years younger compared to how old Baekhyun had presumed him to be. "Please take care of yourself." He hurries away again. "We need something to stay in contact with each other." Baekhyun crosses his arms across his chest. "And please put something on Jongin." "I'm comfortable!" He protests. "Your abs aren't impressing anyone," Baekhyun scolds, "and if you really need an impressive example, please refer to Joonmyun." "Why does everybody compare me to him?" Jongin groans. "My shirt is missing by the way. I forgot about it when you got mobbed. I think someone picked it up and just ran." Jongin seems least bothered by the loss, "I've never seen Joonmyun without a shirt though, now that I think about it." THIS, he seems genuinely concerned about. "I don't think anyone has." Chanyeol muses, but his eyes teasingly linger on Baekhyun, "Except-" "Please focus!" Baekhyun snaps his fingers. "Our phones do not work, and we need to stay in contact at all times for incidents like these," he waves his hand over Lu Han. "Maybe you should get your entire team some HT devices?" Maj. Yi Fan suggests. Baekhyun would have felt irked by his involvement in their affairs but he seems to know what he's talking about. "Hm?" "Handheld Transceivers." He supplies, "I think we have one or two lying around." "Walkie talkies?" The beta grins, "Maybe we can use pagers?" "HT sounds good." Baekhyun nods. "Cheap too, and maybe we can just hog them from these guys." Chanyeol jokes. The officer does not laugh, though Jongin snorts. "I'll talk to Joonmyun." Baekhyun keeps nodding lightly to himself. Lu Han rouses to consciousness after a while. The escort accompanying Chanyeol and Lu Han arrives around the same time, informing Yi Fan that he has prepared his report. Baekhyun has half a mind to ask if their tours around the camp are actually going to be filed in as military reports. Only Joonmyun's words keep him from being his usual forward and demanding self. When the small group is exiting the medical camp, Lu Han in Chanyeol's arms --though he makes a big fuss of it, yapping nonstop that he's fine and this is too much-- when they run into Kyungsoo and his escort. "Dude, are you alright?" Jongin asks, alarmed. Kyungsoo's face is blotched pink, his fair skin burned up. "I think I have some allergies." He mumbles, "or maybe it's the heat?" "Today is fucking insane!" Baekhyun mumbles under his breath, "and it's not even half a day yet." Major Wu still manages to hear him despite the constant buzz of noise around them. The omega spots him hiding his smile behind his large hand before the officer puts his cap back on and leads them out. honour before blood, duty before love next

I should probably throw this in now that this fic more or less makes A LOT of people look bad --pretty much everyone-- but these institutes and people are NOT bad in real life. I kind of had to make them for this fic >.<