AS unlikely as it may sound, aelius respected an artist’s privacy. respect and privacy were very loose terms around aelius, but he cherished art products, and he knew they emerged easier without his immediate intrusion. of course, he really did want to have sex during the process of creation – but kyungsoo’s mind was not ready for that. he left him alone, miraculously. he did not disturb his lecture, instead he dealt with his things. he shifted images of his toys on the window, the first one was alexander. he knew kyungsoo was nowhere near, so he could not see what aelius was doing anyways. he smirked, the boy was packing for a journey. another boy was waiting in the doorframe, asking a lot of questions – that was noah, the boy was definitely cute. aelius wanted to play with him again sometime – perhaps after he was done with alex. he shifted the image to other mortals living in different parts of the world, some sleeping, some in painful agony, some partying, and a few killing. aelius was watching his world orb entertained, he enjoyed the programs he had on.
he sensed kyungsoo come back, and heard him speak. he wanted to crash in, hold kyungsoo, touch him inappropriately, lick his cheek. he decided against it, the first painting should be created undisturbed. he waited for kyungsoo to finish, he almost got bored. but he played alexander’s image while he waited, he could tell the phoenix was closer to figuring out where aelius keeps his new toy hidden. and it was exhilarating, he could only smirk. he closed the image once he heard the paintbrush drop. aelius teleported behind kyungsoo and inspected the painting. he was very close, looking at the painting over kyungsoo’s shoulder. his tail was out by now, all the excitement made him wag it. it would have been cute, if he was not a sadistic demon. it took him a while to take every detail in, he was rather impressed by kyungsoo’s performance. it was as close as he could get, and he was satisfied.
“excellent,” aelius said with a smirk, and stepped back. now, the only thing he had to do, was test the waters. limbo was not nearly as bad as the other circles, it was a rather peaceful place. he took kyungsoo’s hand and lifted it to press it against his chest. “we should change that, love,” his smile was plain evil, and his form changed. his skin was red, his horns were out, his claws were long grabbing kyungsoo harder. his featherless wings opened, but his face remained the same. he turned with his back against the painting, and pulled kyungsoo closer, so close he was able to embrace him. and then, he dropped.
he fell through the painting, straight inside limbo. it was like a hot summer day, and sombre like death. it looked close to kyungsoo’s painting, some details were missing. aelius did not let go of kyungsoo, he could not have him run off in hell now, could he? he pulled him along to the front door – it was rustic, and decorated with ugly faces and peculiar writing. flames were burning near it, it made aelius smile quite happily. he heard souls hovering around, they were wailing, screaming, sobbing. it was where all of them came, it was the first step – and most of them never escaped this in-between state. it was where kyungsoo will find himself after death, this was where the judgment will be passed. he knew what the place did to mortals – the overall grief, hatred, murder, scent of death, everything would be overwhelming. and they have been there for exactly three minutes, but time in hell worked differently. some working demons spotted them, and they bowed immediately in front of aelius. they spoke a foreign language only aelius could understand – they called him master. aelius felt kyungsoo burning up, and he knew they have to depart at once. he pulled him close, and spread his wings, flying off.
he flew right out of the canvas, and it was night again, the next day. they have been there for a day and a half – in human time. three minutes in limbo. aelius changed back to his human form, he was very pleased. he summoned a blanket and put it over kyungsoo’s shoulders – he hugged him. it was rather charming, but aelius’ purpose was to absorb the last bit of hell out of him. he knew kungsoo will come down with a fever, and perhaps he will not be able to recover soon. he did, after all, see hell. aelius cupped his cheeks and looked into his eyes – he leaned in to press his lips over kyungsoo’s, surprisingly not in a sexual way, but a rather sweet manner. his grip was strong, and quite harsh. he pulled out a string of darkness, one that he bit off kyungsoo’s lower lip. it was visible in the air, it tailed aelius as he stepped back. it was something that found a home around kyungsoo’s heart – a feeling he acquired in limbo. aelius took some of it away, and spit it at the canvas. it took the form of a spirit in the sky, aelius’ lips were stained black, he looked like he drank paint – and it made him more attractive, almost artistic. it was real, it was accomplished. kyungsoo was the one after all. aelius eyed him, with a deceiving kindness.
“after such a honeymoon, you should rest. I will make some tea,” aelius announced and made his way to the kitchen. he decided to leave kyungsoo with his thoughts for a while – the tea he will prepare for him will put him to sleep right away. perhaps the mortal had questions, aelius was waiting for them. he had the robe on again, and no clothes underneath – he felt more comfortable that way.
MINJUN had to maintain his eager excitement, xavier on the other hand was getting a tad bit worried. it was not a worry that would scare him, not one that could potentially kill him – a worry that the man before him could read his intentions. he worked hard to be here, and he was willing to step on the law for this brute, and for his unorthodox ways. how far was it too far? apparently, it was not far enough. minjun had to get his hands dirty, he just hoped the task will not exhaust him.
rest. an insomniac like xavier cannot relate to anything relaxing – he was planning to digest the conversation the entire night. he listened, he did not protest. he gave a nod of approval, he was attentive. he was pleased suho liked his excitement, his lips were curled in a smirk during the entire conversation. minjun was not subtle with his liking of the man – xavier x-rayed him. he had to research him, if he can even find anything about him. he doubted someone like him would leave anything valuable on the surface. he might have to dig in places that were not so legal.
“that’s awesome,” minjun commented after he heard the plan. of course, it was brilliant. xavier would have praised him – but minjun resorted to a subtle admiration, almost childish in nature. for someone who enjoyed to beat people up for fun, he could look quite innocent at times. perhaps it was his charm. “that’s a cool strategy,” he approved, there was still excitement in his words. he did not flinch at the mention of the early hour – he was not a morning person, but given his tendencies he was almost sure he will be awake.
he listened, he recognised suho’s test. he was prepared for such occasions, he could not use his real address or phone number. after all, minjun was someone else. four in the morning, that gave him some time to think. he thought it was the best he could get, he had to be up for the challenge – he had to be up for him. “sounds a’ight,” he answered and looked at suho. when he touched him, he felt every single muscle in his body clench. it was not obvious, but he felt danger surging through his veins. could it be? xavier crept in for a second, he looked deep into suho’s eyes – there it was. suho’s flame was there. minjun grinned, and it was almost cute. if twisted was cute. “I’ll count on ya for some rad weapons,” he said cheekily, he even winked.
he asked for a piece of paper and a pen from suho’s men, and he scribbled down in a messy handwriting the address, and phone number. it was readable – his writing style had to match his personality. he knew the last sentence was an invitation out. he was not planning to deny suho, their conversation was, after all, over. after he handed in the paper, he saw himself out – led, and followed by two massive men. he decided it was best to leave now and have his ‘rest’, just like suho suggested – or, well, ordered.
***
xavier reached the fake home late in the afternoon, around dinner time. he was still in his minjun attire, and he had no plans on taking it off – only briefly for a shower. he had to stay in the mind-set. the apartment suited a lowlife, it was in a weird neighbourhood, and it was cheap. there was not much inside, only the bare minimum – after all, minjun was poor-ish. only the mafia job paid for his necessities, his fake mechanic job did not cover all his expanses. he made sure his story was believable, everything about minjun had to be authentic. everything but ethan. xavier nearly attacked the boy – luckily he did not throw him against a wall too hard.
“merde. what are you doing here? I could have killed you, you idiot,” xavier’s french accent was so heavy, ethan had to frown. he knew it was there on most days, but xavier had a pretty good control of it. he breathed out once xavier released him, and his boss gave him the sexiest worst glare. it pierced his brain. “how did you find me?” xavier inquired, and ran his hand through his black locks. he was getting worried his location was not secluded enough.
“bloody hell, calm down, xav,” ethan lifted a set of spare keys and let out a sigh. “you forgot daeho is a genius. we know about a few of your safe houses – and I know what you will say. listen, xav. we do not get involved with your covers and other things, but we have to make sure you are alright,” he explained, xavier was not pleased. he was not a team player, he was a solo rider. ethan knew – he knew his boss will be displeased.
“you better leave, ethan,” xavier said, he was serious. if anyone sees ethan and tails him – he did not want to think about it. not only was ethan in immediate danger, but he was a way his cover could be blown. and out of all covers, he could not lose minjun, not now.
“I am sorry for making you sleep earlier, I was worried,” he explained, but xavier already dismissed him. xavier was moving around, picking stuff up, busying himself. ethan looked at him so worried, his eyes did not leave him. he saw him as this particular cover before, but he knew nothing about it. he felt like a stranger, xavier was there but not entirely. ethan approached and placed a hand on xavier’s shoulder. his boss sighed, and moved away. “xav,” ethan sighed as well and decided to give up. “fine,” he picked his jacket, he was ready to leave.
“you do not have to worry about me,” xavier said and approached ethan. he looked straight up murderous, ethan was starting to feel uncomfortable. he saw him mad before, but right now he was just off. ethan could read him, better than most people.
“I am your partner, whether you like it or not. I am here to help, if you -” ethan did not get to finish his sentence. xavier’s pulled him in for a wild kiss, and then more.
***
“you should go,” xavier said as he slid his pants back on. ethan wanted to know why he did not remove those tattoos, at the same time, he found them kind of hot. “I have somewhere to be in a few hours. you cannot be seen,” he said, serious once more. he leaned in and looked into ethan’s eyes. ethan felt his cheeks getting warm. “and please do not come here again. as for daeho, I might need to pick his brain later,” his voice was surprisingly nice. ethan got the message, he did not want to pry. he sneaked out very carefully, following xavier’s instructions to the letter. he was a good boy.
a few hours after ethan left, the clock struck four. minjun was on edge, he slept about two hours all thanks to ethan – he was kind of glad he managed to sleep a little. but now that he was awake, he popped a pill – he could not risk falling asleep. his heart was filled with adrenaline, it was almost time. he waited, he was prepared.
THE pure desperation in kyungsoo’s eyes made aelius’ glimmer with joy and malice. he spread on the bed, trying to reach for the boy before he ran off – but alas, he was too slow, perhaps on purpose. however, he did not hold back a laughter – one that sounded playfully evil. when the bathroom door was slammed, aelius sighed in boredom. he was lying on the bed, speaking loud and clear enough for kyungsoo to hear.
“I can appear in your home at any time, what makes you think a door would hold me back, mortal?” he almost teleported himself inside the bathroom, but he did not want his poor drunken mortal to get a heart attack. if he dies now, aelius’ fun would be popped like a birthday balloon. he rolled around in the bed playfully, almost like a cat, leaving behind his scent. when he got up, his robe was opened, and he did not bother closing it back. he started snooping around with a child’s curiosity. he went through kyungsoo’s nightstand first and rolled his eyes at the amount of useless things he had in there – paper, some pencils, some medicine, blah, blah, blah. aelius fashioned a pack of condoms and put it in the drawer with a smirk, then made a vibrator appear as well, sliding it inside the drawer to be accessed easily. he closed the drawer and could not wait for the moment kyungsoo will discover the little present – when he needed a pen to do whatever he was doing. he then looked under the bed, and was not surprised to find the spot clean – only a lone paintbrush managed to slide under. aelius fashioned a whip, and some cuffs, and placed them under the bed in a pretty box, for entertainment. he searched under the pillow – empty. he slid a blindfold under it, making the bed look neat afterwards.
aelius heard the door click and turned around to face kyungsoo, his robe still open. he felt compelled to close it, because kyungsoo was already dressed up – if he cannot see a naked erection, he might as well not lose his time. at kyungsoo’s words, aelius smirked all too eager. he never did listen – he enjoyed having people at his mercy, begging for help. he rarely found someone who said ‘do not touch me’, and it was exciting for him. he approached, but did not touch kyungsoo, letting him believe his request has been granted.
“nothing much, mortal,” aelius smiled charmingly, and stepped back, urging his toy to follow to the living room. “I sure hope our night together will inspire you,” he maintained the theatrics, seeing kyungsoo freak out was too fun to break the illusion. “it did inspire henry fuseli. who do you think gave him all those insane visions?” aelius said with pride, gleaming at the memory. he was, after all, responsible for many great works of art – and terror, and bloodshed. “I remember he liked to paint fluid motion, and he used a lot of burgundy. I used to watch him by the window, but he was rather peaceful. and very into religion and all,” he trailed off, but stopped when he saw the book he brought. “anyways,” he turned to look at kyungsoo, and when he did, clothes appeared on his body. he was now dressed elegantly, and looked very much like a prince – of hell. his smile matched the new attire.
“I want you to paint hell for me, or at least parts of it,” he was eager, excited. he lifted the book, and gave it to kyungsoo. “I took the liberty to highlight every description dante gave, he was a visionary. a lot of what he describe is pretty accurate, it should help you paint as close to reality as possible. I wrote the korean translation for you, but of course, the italian just sounds so divine,” aelius stepped closer again and his smile got even prettier. he was incredibly smart – and he had a great memory. he memorised dante like poetry, and he was able to recite the entire book.
dinanzi a me non fuor cose create
se non etterne, e io etterno duro.
lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate.*
he touched kyungsoo’s chin with his thumb gently while speaking italian as easily as a native, and with a cadence only a true artist could possess. he completed the regal imagery – and when he stepped back he knew he made an impression. he sat on the couch, and summoned a glass of wine for himself. “if you need any help, all you have to do is ask, even if I love it when you beg,” he took a sip, and waited, observing every move kyungsoo made.
--
*before me were no things created
except eternal ones, and i endure eternal.
abandon every hope, you who enter.
AELIUS has not had fun in days and for him that was absolutely intolerable. the demon enjoyed a healthy portion of fun at all times, and the fact that he has been stuck made him moody. he was even too lazy to put his tail away. his horns were perking, and his tail was wagging aimlessly – he was resting his legs on the armchair, letting his upper body hang upside down. he needed a new angle, an inspiration, he needed…angel. that was it. a smirk crept on his lips as demonic inspiration hit him. he got up in an instant, all excited – he returned to his human form and moved one of his hands across the window. a fluttering image appeared – a beautiful boy, sitting peacefully, reading. aelius almost burst into flames as a devious plan was playing in his mind.
at least, all was well until he saw the boy was not alone. aelius was stunned, and frankly he did not expect it. he knew they have not seen each other in a hot minute, but to be stepped on like that? only leliel could disgrace aelius like that – and it irked him, he wondered where his feelings lay. aelius could not love, but he could adore, and leliel was his favourite toy. his favourite toy should not go around snuggling against someone else’s chest. an enraged aelius was even more dangerous than a normal aelius – and the normal one was pretty delirious. aelius teleported in a matter of seconds, and appeared inside leliel’s home without consideration. he frequently broke privacy – aelius was shameless after all. the sight made him livid, and he could tell from leliel’s reaction that he did not expect his little plan to work. but it did, gracefully. aelius approached, an evil smile on his lips as he looked at the boy who was now too scared to stick around.
“I do not share my toys, mortal,” aelius said casually, almost bored by the mortal’s sudden cry for help. leliel watched, he did not intervene – perhaps it has been his plan all along to lure aelius out. whichever the case was, aelius was far too annoyed to play with his meal. he suspended the mortal mid-air, and made him float towards the window. he switched to his charming tone, and smiled rather sweetly at the unfortunate boy. “guess who is a fallen fool now?” aelius enjoyed himself inflicting fear in the mortal, making him squirm and cry. making him feel like his life was over. then, he made him disappear into thin air, destination unknown. but he was certainly still alive.
now that the problem was removed, aelius turned towards leliel. he was not pleased, frankly he looked quite upset borderline hurt. and whoever knows aelius, they know the demon does not hurt easily. the fallen angel managed to hurt him, in one way or another. “I go out and play with my other toys, and you decide it is high time to get a lover?” aelius snarled, he moved so quickly he could barely be seen. he grabbed leliel’s throat, and pushed him against the wall with force. he did not take his breath away per se, but was bloody close to doing it. aelius leaned closer, and growled loudly. “how many times do I have to tell you, you are mine. no matter how long I go missing. next time, I will kill your useless spare time activity,” he released his grip, but he pushed leliel by his shoulders, pinning him on the wall. aelius’ eyes started glowing in rage, and his horns were visible. he could not control his true form much – so his claws appeared, along with his tail and skin-wings. his face remained as handsome as ever, however, there was pure anger written all over it.
HE was quite charming, in a sadistic, chaotic way. a quality many leaders possessed. if xavier’s heart was truly in this – if he were not a man with a moral code, he would have tried to win suho over to more than just a chat. he would have happily made him beg for release, and paint him while he gave him his sluttiest breath. in reality, he was attracted to chaos – perhaps it was why he loved his job so much. suho’s pretty destruction was muse-worthy, and xavier had to beat the artist inside of him to subdue him. he reminded himself that this man was probably the one he has been searching for, the leader and mastermind behind many crimes, and many deaths. yes, it was best to call the rationale in cases like this one.
xavier’s body tensed slightly – but he did not let it show. xavier recognised the same control in suho, and frankly he believed he will have troubles with him. two men asserting dominance, when one of them had to pretend not to – it was a hard task. it made his blood boil – he was so close, he could feel that what was about to come was something that will determine his double life inside the mafia. he was there for the right reasons, he had to repeat that in his mind over and over again. if suho caught onto even one ounce of hesitation, it would be minjun’s funeral. and xavier’s hard work would go down the drain. he had to stay determined, he was a soldier once – he was taught that the best way to take down an enemy was by making them trust you with their lives. minjun would not hesitate to save suho’s life to earn his respect, and trust. he recalled a lesson from criminal psychology that talked about how a narcissist will always find a way to sink in the lake – xavier just had to find suho’s reflection.
minjun’s daring behaviour was making an impression, he could tell. however, he could not go too far, he could not defeat suho just yet. his reckless behaviour had to stay within limits – he could read a very short moment of doubt in suho’s eyes, the man was surely good at disguising his emotions. luckily, minjun was too. his gaze betrayed some admiration. he was impressed by suho’s power, and was ready to join this ‘adventure’ he mentioned. he answered confidently. “yeah, I live for danger,” and went silent afterwards. he wanted to hear suho out, and felt like he should not interrupt. so he did not.
the situation was eerily familiar – he knew there has always been tension between gangs. and this one was the strongest, hence why he decided to infiltrate. xavier read countless files on who runs the streets, but he never came far. this circle was closed off – however, other gangs were not as lucky. they caught some of them, but they were never convicted – xavier assumed someone in the police was pulling the double agent card. the divine dragons though, he has heard of. they were known for petty crimes, and extreme violence – they killed people with their bare hands. they did not enjoy weapons, and rumours were they ran an illegal fighting business. and as most rumours with guys like these work, they were likely true stories. xavier felt his consciousness wake up, he almost said something. minjun saved him, luckily. he recognised the danger of getting near these guys – and thankfully his training was sufficient to help him survive an encounter.
minjun took the picture and inspected it superficially – but xavier took a long, hard look at it. he recognised the man, he had seen him around before. he never knew which gang he belonged to, however, he guessed from people’s reactions he was not supposed to be there. one time, minjun interacted with him at the bar. well, interaction is an understatement. altercation would be a better description of what went on. the guy touched a girl, and minjun almost broke his arm for it. he did not see him much around the bar afterwards, only lurking around from time to time. it was quite safe to assume he was the spy, and minjun guessed from suho’s behaviour that han will be hard to catch red-handed. when suho finished his instructions, minjun looked at him with a sly smirk. it was almost charming, and indubitably charming. the girls confirmed.
“you’d be pleased to know this lad’s been snoopin’ around,” minjun said and handed the picture back to suho, then relaxed in his seat. “I’ve seen him ‘round, and I’ve heard of divine dragons. they’ll be less divine after I’m done with this broomstick,” minjun motioned at the picture, almost rudely. it was to show disrespect for whoever was trying to infiltrate the gang, a ploy to show suho they were on the same page. “I’ll happily tag along. bonding sounds fun,” his smirk was mischievous, he understood what type of ‘bonding’ suho was referring to. he was already preparing his fists. he got up from his seat, and fixed his messy clothes. “so, when ‘re we goin’?” he was eager, almost childishly so. he expected the job to start right away, and he was certainly ready to participate.
ONLY a sadist like aelius could eat cake after such an encounter – his sweet tooth was something else. he was back at his apartment, walking around naked, eating some chocolate cake. he was smiling, humming as the tears did reach him – kyungsoo’s desperation, he could feel it. and he enjoyed every single bit of it. he moved his hand in front of the window, and an image appeared – it was kyungsoo sleeping. aelius decided to let his sleep be peaceful, for now. he swiped the image and a blonde, well-built man appeared. aelius’ smirk grew wide, his spoon hanging from his mouth. the boy was just running, training no less. he did enjoy messing with him a lot, it got him so excited he almost turned into his demon form again. he decided to put some clothes on – although he would have been more comfortable naked – and he transported himself all the way to berlin.
he started running as well, catching up with the blonde, pacing with him, knowing he is too focused on his task to notice him. but once aelius got bored of waiting – which was merely one minute later – he made a huge fire love heart appear in front of them, and the blonde boy ran straight through it, stopping shocked afterwards. he was panting, the fire did not affect him one bit – he absorbed it quickly. aelius’ grin was almost cute, he could not help but put his most innocent appearance on – which was, to everyone who knew him, a big fat lie.
“I see you are getting much better, xander,” aelius almost cooed in german, he knew the language will make him seem more appealing to his prey. however, it did not exactly work the way he wanted it to – which is why he loved messing with alex, he was unpredictable. alex grabbed aelius’ neck without hesitation, he tightened his grip, his eyes were burning.
“why the bloody heaven are you here, filthy demon?” alex growled in his clean british accent, not enticed to hear the german. aelius could not help it, he smirked and disappeared from his grip, appearing behind him. his fingers danced on alex’s back before he could turn with a punch, dodged by aelius at the last second.
“you are so fun to tease. reminds me why I love you so much,” it was meant as a mockery – but not really. he adored him, but there was no love in aelius – not the kind humans knew. alex was getting angrier, his hands burst into flames, and his eyes were glowing. around aelius he had no control over his powers.
“what do you want, aelius?” alex emphasised every word, letting the demon know he was not messing around.
“say my name more,” aelius purred playfully, then stepped closer. he grabbed alex’ burning hands, and held them at his chest. aelius was burning, and smiling. he did not mind the heat, he absorbed it. but alex’ gaze grew wearier, he was so afraid of his own powers that the sight of someone burning, even someone he hated it, scared him. aelius placed a hand on alex’ cheek in a loving manner.
“I have a task for you, my love,” aelius brought his own british accent out, and it was too charming for alex not to lose his mind for a second. “you should find my new toy, I know you want to save an innocent soul from damnation. just like you saved noah. only this one is human,” alex wanted to say something, his astonishment was visible. but before he could, aelius pressed a peck on his cheek and dissolved in flames. alex’ rage is a story for another time.
***
aelius’ attention was solely on kyungsoo now. he has watched him go through all impossible emotions humans go through, and it did not really get boring. he was drinking wine, enjoying every bit of kyungsoo’s suffering. he admired the countless paintings dedicated to him, he smirked at how detailed they could get – yes, his plan was still in motion. and there was no sight of alex yet, which meant the boy must be confused, obsessing over aelius’ words. good, it was exactly what aelius wanted – people obsessing over him, thinking about him all the time. he quite enjoyed himself like that. and when he decided kyungsoo had enough liberty, he appeared inside his apartment again.
he does know how to make an entrance, and that is no secret.
aelius appeared in the middle of the night, dressed in a red silk bathrobe with golden details, naked underneath. he walked around the place with a glass of wine in hand, drinking it peacefully. he knew kyungsoo was asleep, so he prepared the scene whilst at it. he fixed a canvas on the easel, prepared the needed colours, and placed a book with highlighted sections on the coffee table. it was one of the best – dante’s inferno. he described many places in hell in detail, and that was exactly what aelius needed, he needed kyungsoo to paint those. he was not sure it will work, not yet. hence why they had to start effective immediately before alex appears to play the little hero.
aelius walked inside kyungsoo’s room in silence. he watched him sleep for a while, then sent his glass of wine away. he moved slowly, and sat on the bed. kyungsoo’s face was very peaceful, he could guess no bad dreams were visiting him. aelius leaned closer, his alluring scent all over the room now. he pressed a peck on kyungsoo’s cheek, then on his earlobe. his kisses were very soft, merely a breeze against kyungsoo’s skin, he knew it would not wake him up. he played the part of an incubus very well.
“how rude of you not to invite me to your gallery,” he whispered into kyungsoo’s ear, making sure it was loud enough to at least startle him. aelius’ hand moved down kyungsoo’s shoulder, barely touching it. “I see you are not wearing the collar anymore. a pity, really. but I can always give you another one,” he spoke louder this time, snapping his fingers to turn the light on. not just any light – a sensual red light. his robe was falling down his shoulder, and he did not bother to slide it back up. “come on, we have work to do. no time to lazy around after sex,” he said it in the most convincing tone. he wanted kyungsoo to believe they did it, his reaction would be too fun to watch. and aelius was there to witness it all.
XAVIER was careful. his power of observation served him well – he could pick up many details at once without looking suspicious. he saw the tattoos on the men around, he was sure they were part of the big league. the girls did not interest him much, they were mere participants, ones that liked to hang around for fame. and he was certain they slept with whoever they had to in order to get in this room. his face was somewhere between amused and serious – one that would fit his appearance. he did obey, it was not like he could say anything. the closer he got, the more he saw. the man was certainly handsome, the type of person one would follow without much to say against. he had the power to keep them there, he had the influence to make xavier, no, minjun really important. and he could not pass on that opportunity – if this man was not the boss, he was certainly someone very close to the leader.
however, the confidence, and the mannerism betrayed him. minjun sat down, and immediately knew he was in a lion’s cage – no escape, he could not say no, he could not show fear. he had no fear, he only had a moral code, which he has already betrayed in favour of getting closer to his answers. it was like that for everyone who joined the mafia – you are either all in, or dead. and suho was definitely one of the people who would call the shots – minjun did not want to have his head on a spike just yet. and xavier needed minjun, so he had to go against his instincts, against his independence and show subordination. he did not let the girls touch him for too long, he helped himself with the wet towels and cleaned his knuckles. the blood was wiped, and minjun tightened and loosened his fist to help the pain go away. he was pretty strong, so such pain meant nothing – yet his hands required some help. he looked at suho, his smirk on his lips – it was clear from his behaviour that he did not come there to turn down such an offer.
“I know plenty,” his husky voice was asking for the alcohol, so he accepted the glass and took a sip. he leaned back to get more comfortable, resting his arm on the backrest. it was a gesture of accepted equality, one that was in suho’s favour. minjun’s body language was calculated, expressed carefully, he did not show an ounce of disrespect – which would have been odd in any other circumstance, small members had the tendency to lash out and be disrespectful, or cocky. not minjun. he was almost gallant in his approach, and perhaps a fragment of xavier was creeping through.
“I’m comfortable with it. I’ve been beatin’ information out of rats ev’ry now and then,” at his words the men around sounded excited, they leaned closer to listen with an admiration that was not greater than the one they showed suho, but it was still something. “I ain’t gonna boast, I’ve done it for a good cause,” his smirk got mischievous – they should all know he did it for dirty reasons, to help the ones he was hunting down. he had to convince suho he was up to take any job – for now. he had to get closer to suho, and if diving headfirst into a fight was the way to earn his trust, then so be it.
“boss, he beat carpool,” one of the men said, and when he did, minjun paid close attention to suho, his eyes never leaving his face. carpool was someone he should know – a drug dealer who chose to make alliances with the wrong side. so minjun beat him up, and acquired information –that helped the investigation, and at the same time offered him some glory.
“as I said, not squeamish, suho,” it was interesting how he chose to speak the name out, and perhaps surprising to everyone present. though, minjun only but obeyed suho’s desired to be called by his name. the way he uttered it was quite melodious, there was a charm to his rough speech that was rather hard to identify – unless one knows xavier. it did not sound weird, perhaps just sweeter, maybe just a sign of obedience. it was unconscious, and minjun did not show anything else with his body that could potentially betray him, or his intentions. one of the women came closer, she wanted to sit next to minjun – for reasons unknown. he had to raise a hand to gesture her to stop moving. “I’m sorry, pretty. this talk can’t be interrupted,” and with a rather dreamy sigh, she walked away, and minjun’s eyes fell on suho again. “so, what’s the plan?”
KYUNGSOO’S reactions amused aelius to the core, he was so eager to see him slowly lose his mind. the humans he usually coaxed into signing the contract would go ballistic, would throw things at him, try to curse him away, and the like. he did not like hostility, and he often punished those who showed it. however, kyungsoo was a different type of contract. his talent cannot go wasted, and even if he does not know it, aelius is forced to go easy on him – for now, at least. his sadistic mind will not be able to stay away for long, he enjoyed torturing his prizes.
his prey was docile – it made aelius quite excited, he loved obedience. of course, he had is fun with disobedience, especially sexually. but when it came to business, he wanted total submission, without any whine, any complaint – and kyungsoo was delighting him with it. well, at least he was doing his best. aelius’ satisfied smirk stayed on his lips as he finished his glass of wine, listening to kyungsoo, watching him inspect the supplies, slowly showing more of his fear. aelius would give anything to be able to read minds, the fun he would have. alas, he could only read dreams at times, his powers had limitations albeit being quite extensive. he got up from his seat, and approached. kyungsoo’s stuttered ‘don’t touch me’ was on his mind when he did exactly the opposite.
aelius sat next to kyungsoo, so close his hot body was almost stuck to kyungsoo’s side. his smirk got out of hand for a while – it looked a lot like a demonic expression of something once very beautiful. with a short snap of his fingers he made a collar – much like one seen on animals - appear around kyungsoo’s neck, and he did not let it go to waste. he grabbed it, pulling kyungsoo close enough to breathe on his face. he made sure his grip was tight enough to coke kyungsoo briefly. “something tells me you will get used to master, kyungsoo. but, of course, if the way to speak my name satisfies me, I can let it slide,” he emitted a deep growl, leaning closer to lick kyungsoo’s cheek, his tongue much like a serpent’s – longer than a human’s, yet shorter than a reptile’s.
he released his grip, and stood up again, bringing an easel forth. he placed an empty canvas on it, and fixed it – he knew his way around art, just like he knew his way around people. he moved his long fingers again, knocking the drink out of kyungsoo’s hand without even touching it. he turned to look at him, his eyes glimmering maliciously. he was so excited, it was plain obvious by now. he stepped to the side to theatrically present the empty canvas – he could not help acting, he was quite the actor.
“I present you, your first task,” he said, imitating the voice of a showman. he moved his fingers again, like magic, and unscrewed one of the tubes of colour – it was deep red. and just like every respected entertainer, he made flames appear in his hands, letting the paint levitate. his eyes turned a deep shade of red, and his laugh was like one they would record for a horror house. the flames exploded around them, but nothing caught fire. they were not real, a mere illusion – just like the dimming of entire room was another one of his clever tricks. it left aelius glimmering in all his demonic glory. the paint started to act on its own – tracing something on the canvas in the dark – and then everything went dark. there was no light, no glimmer, no sound for a few minutes. then flames exploded again, and the room turned bright – aelius close to kyungsoo’s again, pulling on his collar with a twisted grin. there was a huge grin painted on the canvas, something like a devil-emoji, only much creepier. it looked as if it was painted with blood, and the paint was slowly dripping. aelius stepped back, and bowed gracefully.
“that was fun,” his alluring smile appeared on his lips again, and he moved the canvas – making the drawing appear on one of kyungsoo’s walls as a reminder that he is always watching. he got close again, not caring if this repeated proximity will make kyungsoo uncomfortable. he pressed a soft peck on the top of kyungsoo’s head, and continued to smile sweetly. “for now, paint whatever you wish. however, you will have other obligations later. if you need me, just call for me. if you beg, I will come quicker,” he winked, and vanished – this time not to be seen until he is needed or until he wants to have fun again.
THE process of arresting anyone involved with the mafia was daunting to say the very least. cases involving mafia were out of reach, and frankly, the police did not like getting involved with criminals like that. but perhaps the fact that they were so restricted was what intrigued xavier in the first place. he was not someone to accept ‘not possible’ or ‘do not get close’ when it came to justice. his hunger for it was insatiable, so he knew very well that he had to do something about the entire situation. he created his mafia alter ego a few years ago, and has since grew quite fond of his identity. baek minjun was your typical broken home boy, who enjoyed rebelling against everyone, and anyone. a master of many hidden arts, he was the one responsible with getting information whenever it was required. he has gained some popularity for his brutality – of course, they all enjoyed violence.
xavier tried to stay lowkey, and only rarely went undercover as minjun. of course, since he was already known in the mafia scene, it was easier to stay away for longer – too much bad influence would mess with his mind. he closed several cases revolving around small mafia members, most of them associates – he could not get one of the important people, it would raise suspicions. he has long worked on finding out who exactly leads the entire operation, and after reading file after file, he came out empty-handed. and his team was no help, the situation rested on his shoulders – and xavier did feel the pressure. but he was good, very good at his job – and at overworking. he would stay up for nights in a row, popping modafinil, drinking coffee, smoking – to the point that ethan’s worry made him stay with xavier every single day. no matter how many times he would tell xavier to rest, the latter would not listen. and ethan resorted to the only thing he knew – stick by his side, help along, sleeping whenever he got the chance. whilst xavier would have been disturbed by any other presence while working, he was alright with ethan – the boy learnt to be obedient over the years, so he would not speak if he did not have to. it was thanks to ethan that xavier ate, drank water, and took a few minutes break.
just when they thought xavier pushed himself enough, another case rolled in – a tight connection to the mafia. a homicide that needed immediate and close attention – xavier accepted it, like he accepted a lot of cases, regardless of how tired he was. luck has it, that his team cared enough to take most of burden, helping the investigation along. ethan ended up slipping a sleeping pill in his friend’s coffee, knowing that rest should help his recklessness. xavier dozed off on his desk, sleeping soundlessly for more than half of the day. when he woke up, and realised he has been knocked out for eighteen hours, he stormed off – and fair enough, ethan was glad he did not punch him, or anyone else in the process.
xavier was in his car when he decided it was time for minjun to step in – his team did not know about his covers, and it was best to keep them ignorant. he started putting his piercings in, his hair luckily dyed black this time. he applied the fake tattoos, took his blue-grey contact lenses out, and put his tongue piercing in. he drove his car back home to change it – when he was minjun he had to use a different car, one that he would not regret smashing against every wall. because that was what minjun did, he chased cars around, he crashed them – hence why he preferred his motorcycle. however, the bike has been at the repair shop for too long, and xavier had no time to waste. his mind was filled with case details, some a little blurry – his mind was hazy from his sleep, and he wanted to curse ethan. he knew deep inside that the sleep actually helped, but his stubborn mouth would never utter a ‘thank you’.
xavier, no, minjun drove to one of the mafia’s frequent hangout spot. it was outside the bar that he witnessed a transaction – drugs, and fuck. minjun dodged the gaze of the police officer, who was cleverly dressed in perfectly normal attire. his breath stopped, and anger crept in – the officer was dirty. with all the evil in the world, he could not stand the thought that those who were supposed to bring justice turned a blind eye. he got out of his car, and walked towards the group of people. the two bad guys greeted him cheerfully – they liked him. his grave look, however, made them swallow their tongues.
“‘re you idiots? this is a cop,” minjun’s speech was heavily influenced by the streets. it was nothing compared to xavier’s beautifully polished, artistic speech. his ability to easily switch languages, accents, and registers was admirable – and a great source of entertainment when he wanted to make someone giggle, or blush. the guys looked at the cop, but minjun was quicker. he grabbed his collar, and punched him in the face – blood started to drip down. he broke the guy’s nose as if it were an old branch. “now, tell us, mate. you’ve told your cop friends about this?” he shook him, pushed him until he crashed against a wall. the guy was barely breathing, his mouth was full of blood.
“no, I-I-I s-swear nobody kn-knows,” the guy stuttered, but minjun did not believe him. he passed him to his ‘friends’ and gave them the signal to finish the job. he turned away and walked inside the bar, hearing the groans, and screams. he convinced himself he did not care. he had to convince himself.
he walked in, and a lot of people came up to him. they respected him, they were in awe of his accomplishments – and word has it he was more powerful than he let on. they believed he had an important role in the entire operation – and that was exactly what he wanted them to believe. he wanted to be famous, needed that recognition in order to attract the attention of his person of interest. and for the first time, he realised, it worked.
“mj, there’s someone who’s dying to meet ya,” one of the people minjun regularly talked to approached, and urged him to follow him to a secluded room. the bar was lively, but once they left the main area, everything became silent. the room he was brought to was filled with smoke, laughter, alcohol, and beautiful girls who were there for a good time. minjun definitely did not fit in this scene, his distressed jeans, leather jacket, piercings, and tattoos were in opposition with the neat, clean look of everyone inside. there was one person who caught his attention – he was surrounded by girls, giggling in his ears, and he exuded power. xavier’s gut feeling made him extremely careful, this man was someone he did not want to upset. this man was someone who should never know his real identity.
“boss, this is the guy we’ve been tellin’ you ‘bout. he just beat up a cop,” the guy laughed and pat minjun’s back in admiration, minjun smirked satisfied. he did not like to brag about his accomplishments, but he was clearly satisfied. he fixed his leather jacket, some dried blood still visible on his knuckles.
“surprised nobody smelled him out before,” minjun said it casually, not meaning it as an insult. It was rather a show of his modesty, something to gain him respect. as if he was saying ‘no big deal, I got this, I am your man’. he laid his eyes on the man, and waited, almost holding his breath in the process.
THE minute kyungsoo signed the contract, aelius was cunning enough to snatch the paper away, and roll it. it was sealed in blood, and it started to glow – yes, the deal was final. in his excitement he forgot just how quickly the boy will recover – and well, he forgot to conceal his demon form. it was not like he wanted to conceal the truth from kyungsoo anyways, oh no, he wanted to slap it right across his face. once his eyesight was back, aelius looked at him and smiled – so maliciously, his angelic features faltering at the evil he displayed. he made the contract vanish, and sat down quite happily on the sofa before kyungsoo, legs crossed, tail waving in the air like a cat’s.
“oh no, deceit? oh me, oh my. I wonder how someone could do that to a poor soul like yours,” he said it in a mocking nice voice, smirking pleased. he was not even moved by the sudden display of violence – he fed on it after all. he got up from his seat, and tucked his tail away, along with his horns, and wings. his skin was back to its human self, and his appearance was much of the person kyungsoo saw before he went blind. he approached, so dangerously close – he had nothing to fear, and he had no fear in his bones to begin with. he grabbed the bottle of wine with a charming smile, and fashioned two fancy glasses out of thin air – letting them float around them.
“a drink? how nice of you. your hospitality shall be rewarded,” he traced kyungsoo’s cheek with his fingers, only barely touching it – he did a good job pretending to be loving. but maybe he did have some kind of twisted love for his trophy, he enjoyed owning things, and especially people. he had a large collection of exquisite items, and kyungsoo was – as he already considered him to be – one of his most prized possessions. aelius poured wine in the two glasses, and handed one to kyungsoo, taking a seat again afterwards. he pushed a box forward – that he has brought along, but hid until now. it was filled to the brim with the best art supplies – oil paints that were far too expensive for the common person, canvases, brushes, and gold foiling. it was a beautiful gift, that would have costed anyone a fortune – but it cost aelius nothing.
“you shall not be discouraged. after all, I only did ask you to paint. I thought that is something you love doing the most. you love it so much in fact, you signed your soul away to have it. now that is rather brave, I must admit. you will be quite a piece in my collection,” aelius took a sip of wine, then smiled – his smile was too damned beautiful, it was indeed a blessing. “my name is aelius, son of asmodeus. your word has no power over me, so you may as well know my real name. I do prefer master, or sir. it makes me feel a certain kind of way,” he smirked, taking another sip of his beloved wine. “might as well get used to me, kyungsoo. I am not going anywhere,” and with that he continued drinking without saying another word. he was watching kyungsoo closely, his reactions, his desperation. aelius loved just how distraught kyungsoo looked – and if he had any sense of self, maybe he would have pitied him.
THE extent of his malice does not end with a grieving man on the floor – no. aelius found joy in making his companions suffer in the most cruel way – giving, and especially taking away was a method of utmost evil. he enjoyed toying with hearts, he cared less about tears – but ah, the begs were divine. he could understand why the lord enjoyed the prayer – the veneration, the admiration, the trust. whatever the artist must have felt, whatever aelius said to convince him was less relevant now. his exasperated reach for him made aelius ecstatic. a proper celebration was in order – like they say, having fun while someone is suffering. or something along the lines.
aelius appeared again, and he sat on the couch. he knew kyungsoo cannot see him, so he definitely did not notice his subtle journey through space and time. he brought back a piece of cake – yes, he is that mean. he loves chocolate cake, appropriate for such a childish demon – the amount of power he had made everything a child’s play. he knew how to be serious, but really, when you can end the world with a slight wave, there is no need to be serious. his humour was dark, and his smirk and satisfaction were simply demonic. he took a bite of cake, indulging in its sweet flavour. all the while, kyungsoo was crying on the floor. aelius suspended the plate in the air, and sighed when he decided the cries were starting to give him a headache.
“alright, mortal. so shall it be,” he spoke, his sweet voice filling the entire room. he knelt next to kyungsoo, leaning close enough to whisper in his ear. “it is quite simple, really. you have to pledge the vacancy of your soul – let power grab it as it will. the freeing of your soul will offer a clear passageway for the divine,” he sounded seductive, he was touching kyungsoo’s bare arm with his hot fingertips. he moved away, whispering in his other ear now. “you have to swear to obey to everything I ask of you. you shall paint for me, you shall show loyalty towards me.”
aelius lifted kyungsoo, helping him take a seat on the couch. he let the plate with the cake sink slowly on the table, then took another bite, enjoying every single ingredient in his mouth. afterwards, he got dangerously close to kyungsoo’s face, perhaps another taunt – it must be frustrating not to see, aelius should know, he was blind for centuries before his father gave him his sight back. his body started glowing a red-orange colour, his skin smooth but boiling hot, his eyes a deep red, horns growing on top of his head. a tail was casually swinging behind his back, and his red wings were tucked in carefully. he was in his demon form, holding a contract and a very sharp pen. “last step, you have to sign this paper. something that will ensure you will never, ever break our agreement. breaking the rules will displease the lord, and we do not want him to take your eyes away, now do we?” his voice remained the same, so tempting, so trusting. he took kyungsoo’s hand, and prickled his finger with the sharp pen. the tip of the pen was coated in his blood, and aelius made sure kyungsoo was holding the pen properly. “when you are ready, sign here,” aelius guided his hand on the rough paper, waiting patiently for kyungsoo to sign it. “you shall regain your sight the second you do.”
AELIUS gladly stepped inside when he was invited – of course, it was his intention to enter the home in the first place. he dragged his hypnotising dark aura along – he knew some mortals could sense danger, perhaps they sensed evil. nevertheless, kyungsoo did not question – but oh, he wanted to. aelius’ smirk never left his lips, it was only appropriate to leave it painted on – after all, his plan was going exactly as he pictured it. he took the surrounding in – the messy canvases, paintbrushes, and stains of paint all over the modest home. he smelled the struggle, the pain – he was not surprised kyungsoo’s knuckles were white, all that tension. aelius bathed in the negative emotion in the home – the suffering was charging him. as a demon of rage, kyungsoo’s frustration was particularly alluring. call him insensitive, if you will. but he was not very fond of humans – nor did he care much.
he trailed his long fingers across a wet canvas – the yellow, and green mixing on his fingers. he adored art, he loved the process even more. the destroyed canvases were a lot more interesting than those that were hanging on the walls – all polished, neat, and boring. aelius enjoyed the chaos of torn art materials – he almost wanted to drip paint all over the floor and watch kyungsoo stain every bit of that almost interesting apartment. when he sat down, aelius felt obliged to join him – even if the need to explore everything was getting to him. there was no way he was leaving without what he came there for. seeing kyungsoo’s state, reading his feelings, smelling his fear – aelius just hit the jackpot.
his attractive smile returned to his lips, and he fashioned a fancy glass for himself. he let red wine fill it – it was just a little trick he was able to perform as a powerful demon. he was also powerfully lazy. dwelling on kyungsoo’s alcoholism was exciting, he did not have time to ask where to get a glass, watch kyungsoo tremble while pouring a drink – it would have bored him to death. “oh, I know you, kyungsoo,” he said casually, taking a sip of his magical drink. there was a glimmer in his eyes – almost malicious, red, flaming. aelius could be childish – and his excitement was definitely belonging to the category of reckless childishness. but he was so careful with his actions and his words – he was a walking contradiction. mayhap it was what made him so attractive to people – the mystery, yes, people often enjoy a good mystery. “already got one, kyungsoo,” he insisted on repeating his name, such a powerful tool.
aelius moved closer to kyungsoo – emanating his distinct bitter-sweet scent. the experience was different for everyone – depends what attracts one’s nostrils. you could call him a walking love potion if you will, one that would certainly drive you mad. aelius raised his hand in front of kyungsoo’s face, without touching him. he pulled his hand back, as if he was lifting a cloak of darkness. he restored kyungsoo’s vision briefly – perhaps out of narcissism, because his smile gathered an innocence that did not exist in his soul. “I have a lot of names, kyungsoo. my mortal name is asahi. you see, I am here to grant you something you have been praying to have. your sight is a gift from the lord himself, and I, his humble servant and archangel, am here to restore it. however,” aelius’ voice trailed off, so sweet and tender, his lies were sugar-coated. “you are put to a test first. that is why the lord took your sight in the first place. and I am afraid without cleansing, you will not be able to get what you wish for,” he continued, and moved closer. he touched kyungsoo’s face gently, his fingers hot. and in one second, he put the cloak of darkness back – but no, it was not everything he did. he took kyungsoo’s sight away, completely. his blindness was absolute, and only he could give it back. aelius smirked, his voice still sweet and innocent. “until we meet again, kyungsoo,” and he vanished, leaving the mortal behind to linger for more, to pray for more, to beg for more.
