Shining Star//Dimming Light (VOL.2) (Felix X SKZ ONE-SHOTS)

True Friend (?) [PART 2]

Pairing: SURPRISE! & Felix ft. SKZ & TBZ

Genre: University AU

!!TW!! : angst, mentioned toxic friendships, the TALK, but it's actually not too bad, inspired by the "OH" MV

(requested by OHWOWSOMANYPEOPLETHANKSFORTHESUGGESTIONSGUYS!!!)

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Two years.

Two years had gone by in the blink of an eye.

Through the course of these two years, the seven distraught boys had to learn how to live with the omnipresent guilt consuming their hearts. They had to learn how to properly communicate not only as to avoid another loss, but also because they held onto the slim hope that maybe, just maybe, Felix would one day return – and when he did, they'd be able to show him how sorry they were.

They couldn't contact him. All phone calls and messages were blocked, all e-mails went unanswered, and it was against school's policy to divulge where he'd transferred. A tad desperate, they'd even reached out to Felix's family in the hopes that they would know more, but his parents couldn't care less and his sisters resented them too much for what they'd put their brother through to give them any answers.

They spent an entire month completely cut off from each other, the seven of them going their separate ways in order to make a point on the situation, clear their heads, and try to understand what, exactly, they wanted to do now that their precious sunshine was gone.

When they eventually met up again, only one answer came to mind: they didn't want to lose each other, no matter what.

Hyunjin and Minho talked – really talked. As it turned out, Minho hadn't cheated on him but he had been questioning his feelings for Jisung for quite some time, which stopped him from properly loving Hyunjin back. And Hyunjin had also had to admit to his faults – in the time they were together, he always refused to respect Minho's boundaries or constantly pushed them, trying to do what was best for them rather than what was best for Minho.

Many tears were shed during that serious talk, but there was no shouting – they'd done enough of that. And, when everything was finally said and done, they had another serious talk with everyone else. How and why they picked sides, how one's actions or words provoked the others, how they could and should have done things differently because damn it, they were all friends and they shouldn't have let it go this far.

And they talked about Felix. They talked about how they constantly pushed him to choose between one or the other, how they tried to guilt-trip him and manipulate him, how they curb-stomped his feelings for the sake of a toxic competition that had no reason to be. How they ended up ignoring him or pushing him away instead.

How maybe, just maybe, Minho and Hyunjin had also fallen a bit in love with Felix, a factor which had only added oil to the spreading fire.

But Felix was gone and wasn't coming back. He'd completely cut ties with them and, though hurt, they were forced to understand that this was their fault. Their friendship had been sinking into the depths of toxicity and pain for months – it was only natural that Felix would cut ties before he was completely dragged under too.

In the end, they figured only time would help mend the notable cracks in their friendship, and so they got to work. Little by little, piece by piece, they began slowly, but surely, rebuilding what they once had. Trusts had been broken and the emotional wounds wouldn't just heal right away, but they were determined to make it work.