read @startingatmidnight 's fic The Astrobiology Immersion Program, then read it again, then again, then drew fanart about it. it's the world's most perfect bodyswap fic and everyone should read it right now!!!
pairings: platonic!batfam x L!male!reader
summary: Bruce's other son is⌠not what all of them expected. And why does he need a butler for? Alfred is right there
tags: reader still uses L when doing investigation, but the family is not aware of that; '(name)' is used by the family, but it's up to y'all if it's his real name or not; kira mentioned; murder mentioned too
a/n: might make a kira/light!reader next⌠like imagine the angst the pain how fun would that be
sillies | part two
After finding out he had another biological child, Bruce did the right thing and reached out to the orphanage his son was in and gained custody of the boy. He was ready to fly out to England to make sure he would return safe, but the facility had assured him that (name) would arrive safe and sound and that Bruce didn't have to move an inch.
Bruce only received a few messages from a person that signed off as 'W'. The whole process felt more like a package was supposed to arrive and not a child.
(Name) arrived at the manor in the evening; the sleek black car he came in looked more like the head of the house had an important guest over and not his long-lost son's arrival.
A man so old in age he could rival Alfred stepped out of the driver's side of the car. Alfred and Bruce watched as the man circled the car and opened the door in the back. (Name) stepped out of the car while the man moved to the trunk to take out bags.
The first greetings were⌠short. (Name) looked uninterested in the small talk Bruce was ready to offer, asking where his room was before his father could ask about the journey.
Alfred, thinking the man would be leaving now, tried taking over the new master's bags.
"Do not worry, I got it," the man smiled, walking inside the manor.
Alfred glanced towards Bruce, who only shrugged, thinking the man might want to check the conditions (name) he will be living in. The man will check and leave.
Except the man, who later introduced himself as Watari, never left. He brought all of (name)'s belongings, leaving them in the teenager's room, and took out more bags, putting them in a room next to (name)'s.
Bruce decided to watch the two before making any decisions on the matter. After all, maybe (name) was the one requesting for the man to stay and is too ashamed to admit it. But the longer he watched, the more he realised Watari acted more like a butler than a caring social worker.
He approached (name) while he was looking at one of the books in the library. Alfred accompanied him, taking a place at the side of the doorway. He had to stop himself from groaning when he noticed Watari standing on the other side.
"I don't think another butler is a good idea," Bruce admitted, taking a seat across from the boy.
"Why? Worried he's going to find out about Batman? "Don't worry, he knows already," (name) shrugged, putting his thumb up to his top teeth.
"What?" Bruce gasped, glancing towards his son's butler. "Where would he get that from?"
"Oh, I told him," (name) sighed, standing up and moving towards the exit. "Watari knows everything about my living arrangements so I make sure to keep him updated."
Bruce decides that Watari can stay alongside (name), telling the rest of his kids that his older son seems attached to the butler, using the fact that he was the only one that could enter (name)'s room freely as an example.
Later, he asked Barbara and Tim to run another background check on the two to find out anything about them and check the cameras if either of them had entered the Batcave without them knowing. Both of the checks came out empty, the cameras showed no signs of entry by the two and looking up their names and faces only showed 'results not found' on the screen.
The three decide to keep it between each other to not alarm the rest of the family.
Most of the time, the manor feels the same way it did before (name)'s arrival. The teenager spent most of his time in his room, almost never joining the family for meals. The only person that actually felt the difference was Alfred, who had to share a kitchen with the new butler.
It was also Alfred who brought it to Bruce's attention that the new member of the Wayne household might not be satisfied with his living quarters after finding the desk from the teenager's room in an unused study.
Bruce made his way to (name)'s room right after, walking inside after his son granted him permission to do so. He offered to buy the teenager a new desk after finding his son crouched on the stool in front of his computer's screen.
"I prefer working on the floor; it's less distracting," (name) informed him, without ever looking up from the screen.
A day later the family found (name)'s bed in the hallway and caught him in the library to ask about it. They found (name) by one of the bookshelves checking something. Damian rolled his eyes after noticing the empty plates with the crumbs of cake on them.
"I don't sleep," (name) explained. "Don't need it."
"But you do�" Tim hesitated, ready to educate him on the danger of sleep deprivation.
"No", (name) objected, moving away from the bookshelf. "I need to be alert."
(Name) left right after, leaving the rest of Bruce's kids in the library with Watari.
"To be fair, he does sleep," the old man sighed, picking up the plates. " Most of the time, a few minutes here and there while he works or stays up for multiple days and then crashes and sleeps for a few hours.
"You know what, Watari? "That makes it so much worse," Duke admitted, watching (name)'s butler leave the room.
Bruce went up to Watari to ask him to convince (name) to eat breakfast with them, explaining how they barely see him and how it might be a great way to get to know each other better.
Watching (name) take a seat at the table the next morning made them think that Watari was some sort of deity, capable of having (name) do something he asked for.
Alfred, happy to finally show off his cooking to the new family member, set a plate of perfectly scrambled eggs in front of (name). Only to be forced to watch the other butler move the plate of eggs to the side and place a few slices of cake in front of the teenager.
Alfred followed Watari, who grabbed (name)'s eggs, back to the kitchen. He watched the butler take a bite of the eggs, sighing.
"You really need to stop feeding him only desserts; it is not good for his health." Alfred argued, watching the butler eat the breakfast he prepared for his new master.
"His health is perfectly fine; his brain requires much more energy than the normal one, and sugar is the fastest to give said energy." Watari explained, finishing the plate and setting it in the sink.
"So does sleep and vegetables, orâ" Alfred tried to reason, turning towards the sink to wash the plate. "And he's gone."
While the butlers had their disagreement in the kitchen, Bruce and his kids watched (name) devour slices of cake one by one.
"Why do you sit like that?" Cass blurted out before she could stop herself.
"It helps with my deducting," (name) explained, liking the spoon clean. "Sitting like you will make me forty per cent less efficient."
"Is it too late to give you back?" Damian scoffed, looking at his 'brother' in disgust.
"Damian!" Bruce yelled, ready to scold his youngest when his other son spoke up.
"I believe it might be seeing your father has already claimed me as his son in the eyes of the law," (name) pointed out, standing up from the chair. "Though, I could think of a few ways that would help with getting rid of me."
"(Name)!"
The news of a killer going after criminals had hit Gotham; the public had nicknamed him 'Kira', and he was the pain for everyone living in Gotham, regardless if they were a criminal, villain or vigilante. After all, per Batman's rules, murder is still murder even if the people who are dying are criminals.
Everyone were so preoccupied with trying to crack who and where Kira was that they didn't notice that they weren't the only ones following Kira's whereabouts.
"(Name)! Finally caught you," Tim yelled out, running up to the teenager. "I was wondering if you wanted to helpâ"
"No." (Name) shook his head, letting Watari drape a coat over his body. "I have taken an interest in Japan, and I will be leaving to travel there. I do not have the time for boring Gotham cases."
Tim froze watching (name) leave the manor. He only returned to his senses when the car disappeared from his view. He ran to Bruce to inform him that (name) had left. They tried following Watari's car, but only got up to the edges of Gotham were they found it without the passangers.
They returned back to the manor, torn between following (name) to Japan and trying to catch Kira.
For everything we do here, please be sure to be careful with what you edit, and restart your computer to lock things in.
If you don't have access to the Group editor, (likely to happen if you're on base windows) you can do this as well by opening your Registry Editor app, then inputting this after your 'computer' or whatever the initial segment is. (Mine is computer. If I just try and paste the below string it gets SO mad at me)
Navigating to your "turnoffwindowscopilot", hit modify, and set the value data to 1.
If done correctly, it'll look like this.
While we're at it, you can also get rid of the integrated search, (or that thing where it searches the web when you search anything, whether or not you want it to) and such through regedit as well.
Navigate to your "DisableSearchBoxSuggestions" bit, if you don't see it, you can make it by right clicking and creating a new registry D-Word key of that exact name. Edit the key, set it to 1. It'll look like this if you do it right!
To get rid of Windows Spotlight, (The thing where it pulls up ten billion pages on windows start page, shoving ads in your face and cluttering everything) we go to
And set "Enabled State" To 0. If you do it right, it'll look like this!
Disabling edge on startup will also help a fair deal with processing speed and the like. This you can do in all sorts of ways, the easiest being turning it off entirely on startup through settings in the like.
If you want to kill it *entirely*, though? :)
In regedit, run along to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft
Navigate to your MicrosoftEdge key subcategory. If you don't see it, you can make one! Note, this is a KEY, not a d-word. *inside* that subcategory, we want to either make or find the D-Word key of PreventLaunchEdge and set that to 1 in the same way as all the others.
It'll look like this.
Aaaand while we're here, I'd HIGHLY recommend shanking Killer Networking Services. It's just bloatware. (Ostensibly it's supposed to monitor your network bandwidth and even things out, but that really means it's constantly monitoring and pinging things, which eats up the bandwidth you DO get, and also chunks your computer's processing power.) Getting rid of it entirely is borderline impossible, since it's set to redownload on regular updates and intel is very pushy with its updates.
This you can do by opening your Services.msc, which basically shows you all the background stuff that Windows does. Find Anything with Killer in the name, right click it, go to properties, and disable startup. It should look like this, if done successfully. It will probably reenable itself in time/in later updates for windows, but it's a quick fix. I'd also check your TaskScheduler app to make sure that nothing's scheduled to open up there, either.
If you CAN completely kill Killer services through uninstalling and the like, I would warn that at very least for my computer, the only ethernet/lan support applications that are available ARE Killer's. When you download updates, you really do have to do it manually and ONLY download the ethernet services, or just be cool with not having Lan functionality.
One last thing, not a shit application but is a shit service. If your computer's constantly overheating or just warm, you likely have Turboboost enabled. (Default setting that you can't change) If you want to be able to turn it off and drop your temps by like 40 degrees, in Regedit go to
(Note- This isn't the string copy paste from the reddit thread, this is mine that does the same thing. If my string doesn't work for you, check the reddit thread string. If that doesn't work either, you can follow the path and find it pretty easily. Probably has like, one letter of difference somewhere. The bits all start the same, though, so it's easy to find.)
and go to "attributes". Set the value from 1 to 2, and now in your advanced Power Plan settings in control panel, you'll be able to *see* turbo boost and turn it off.
It'll look like this, and in power options, a successful disabling of boost should look like this.
Turning off quick startup's also a good call, since that basically stops your restarts from actually shutting things down properly.
GOOD LUCK OUT THERE YALL. MAKE SURE TO CLEAN YOUR PC!
I would like to once again recommend to you all Winero Tweaker, a free program that lets you adjust a bunch of windows settings with a single click instead of digging through 30 different setting screens and registry entries.
There's well over a hundred settings, here's just a few of them:
(sorry the classic taskbar option no longer works with current windows 11 version)
Fair warning: This is a powerful tool which means it can also do some damage if you don't know what you're doing, but every setting comes with an extensive explanation, as you can see in the Ads and unwanted apps screenshot.
This tool will even turn windows 11 from a bloated mess into a (more or less, this tool isn't magic) usable operating system.
I just watched this with the sound on and i really recommend it because the utter silence of the last teapot is both perfectly predictable and totally remarkable.
yeah i like to give my blessing to the most pathetic looking weak little knight at the tournament. she canât even look me in the eye when i give her my flower and she stutters out that sheâll do her best or something of the like. i think its funny when she has to cry and beg my forgiveness and i get to say âsuch a shame, i suppose my hand in marriage will have to go to someone elseâŚâ and then i get to hear her whimper like a dog. ive done this like 6 times alrea-
Characterizations | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19
SoulBond!AU
Pairings: Yandere!Saja Boys x F!Reader
Synopsis:Â You were never supposed to remember them.
Four hundred years ago, a pact was madeâa blood-soaked bond tying five demons to one human soul:Â yours.
Theyâve waited lifetimes for your reincarnation, cursed with obsession, tethered by fate.
And now that youâve returned?
Theyâll burn the world before they let you go again.
Warnings: Soul bond with the Saja Boys, Yandere themes!, obsessive behavior / possessiveness, romantic psychological tension, intense emotional fixation, yearning, emotional manipulation, hurt/comfort, angst, moral dilemmas, emotional turmoil.
A/N: We're almost to the end, guys! Only one more chapter to go until the end of the main story! + another chapter for epilogue. I'll be doing side stories as well in the future. Thank you guys for reading this far!
The blast had been instantaneous, a supernova blooming outward, engulfing the stage, the stadium, and the sky itself. And in those blinding seconds, silence pressed in like a tomb. The singing stopped. The boys dropped from the air, bodies slamming to the ground, knees buckling.
Jinuâs roar tore the stillness apart.
âY/N!â His voice cracked, raw with terror, his throat breaking on the scream. He clawed at the stage as if he could rip you back from the light, his amber eyes wide with the same horror that had haunted him for centuries.Â
This was the vision he had seenâŚRumiâs motherâs body splitting apart, burning away into nothingness.
And now it was you. You, who had always been fateâs victim, who he swore he would never let slip away again. He had become Daehyun. He had become the man who could not protect the woman who bore the tether. Powerless. Useless. Watching love dissolve into ash.
Haneul crumpled forward, hands shaking against the floorboards. His chest heaved, every muscle in his body screaming to fly to you, to drag you out of the fire, to take the hit himself. But the light had been too bright, too absolute⌠there had been no pulling you free. His eyes burned, veins throbbing, and for the first time in lifetimes, his strength meant nothing.
Seohaâs illusions flickered violently around him, scattering like shards of glass. He staggered, lips parted, unable to breathe as the color drained from his face. He had tried to convince himself during the fight that this ritual would save you, that he could weave hope like another one of his sweet lies⌠but no magic could disguise this grief. His eyes brimmed with tears he couldnât blink away, his chest tight with the weight of losing you by your own choice.
Seungho slammed a clawed hand into the floor, wood splintering beneath the blow. His voice was a guttural snarl, but his eyes, sharp, red-rimmed, betrayed the panic beneath. He had sworn if he couldnât have you, no one would. But this wasnât him losing you to someone else. This was worse. This was you gone forever. His body shook as the rage drained, leaving only raw devastation.
Hwimori howled, the sound unearthly, the beast inside him mourning with primal grief. His massive form shuddered, ears pressed flat, eyes wide with panic and pain. The tether threads burned crimson in his chest but felt suddenly hollow, empty. He thrashed, tearing at the floor with his claws, as if he could claw open the light itself to drag you back.
The weight of their grief pressed like chains against the stage.
Mira and Zoey stared from across the circle, blades still in hand, but lowered, eyes wide at the sight of the boysâ anguish. It was written in every shake of their bodies, every scream and sob.
For so long, Huntrix had painted demons as incapable of true love, of feeling anything but hunger and obsession. But here, they saw no monstersâŚonly men broken open by despair.
Miraâs throat tightened, her heart aching with sympathy despite everything. Zoeyâs lips trembled as she looked at them, at Jinu especially, his body wracked with sobs. Was this what love was, even for demons?
Off to the side, Rumi stood frozen. Her pulse thundered in her ears, hands trembling at her sides. It couldnât have failed. It couldnât. They had followed everything⌠every line of her fatherâs journal, every instruction. She had believed so strongly that this time would be different.
But what if she was wrong? What if her interference, her insistence, had led to your destruction? Her chest clenched, bile rising in her throat as fear overtook her. Had she killed you? Was she the one who had doomed you to burn like her mother before you?
Her thoughts spiraled, clawing at her like jagged glass, until Zoeyâs sharp cry cut through the despair.
âYou guysâ!â Her voice cracked, urgent. âThe light⌠itâs fadingâŚâ
Every head snapped upward. Faces streaked with tears, jaws slack with grief, eyes wide with a desperate, fragile hope. For a moment none of them breathed, the silence stretched taut, trembling, as the brilliance began to soften.
The dome of light shimmered, dimming slowly. In its place, a silhouette appeared, glowing, indistinct, blinding at first. The figure hovered in the haze, descending at a pace agonizingly slow.
Shock. Disbelief. Awe. It rippled across their faces in waves. Seohaâs lips parted soundlessly, his tears still streaking as his gaze locked on the descending figure. Seungho staggered to his feet, claws trembling in the air as if reaching. Haneul pressed a fist to his chest, his breath sharp and ragged. Hwimori whimpered low in his throat, eyes wide. And Jinu⌠Jinu fell silent, his entire body shaking, amber eyes staring like a man seeing salvation where only death had been.
As the glow ebbed, the details emerged.
Your form, bathed in white, clothes gleaming as though woven from starlight. Hair floating, haloing your face in a radiant crown. Skin smoothed like porcelain, though that wasnât the most shocking of all.Â
Across your body rippled an iridescent sheen, markings alive and shifting, etched into your skin like living sigils. They shimmered with colors beyond mortal description. Threads that moved as though breathing. They looked like the Honmoon itself, carved into you.
The power pulsed from you in waves. Ancient. Otherworldly. It hummed in the marrow of everyone present, proof that you were no longer human.
The boysâ expressions fractured, relief tangled with awe, disbelief, terror.
Haneulâs eyes brimmed as his lips shaped your name like a prayer. Seungho pressed a shaking hand against his mouth, unable to disguise the tremor in his chest. Seoha let out a soft, broken laugh, tears blurring his vision, muttering âimpossibleâ under his breath. Hwimori whimpered, his beastâs ears flattening as tears streaked his cheeks.Â
Jinuâs tears fell freely now, his hand reaching upward instinctively, as though he might catch you out of the heavens.
Huntrix stared in stunned silence. Miraâs blade dropped slightly at her side, her eyes wide with awe. Zoey pressed a hand to her lips, unable to stop the tears that welled. And Rumi⌠Rumi sobbed silently, gratitude and disbelief shaking her shoulders. You had survived. You had become the tether.
Your descent suddenly grew faster as the glow faded, your body beginning to fall like gravity had suddenly reclaimed you.
âNoâ!â Jinu bolted forward, faster than thought, leaping into the air. His arms caught you as you dropped, cradling you to his chest before you could hit the stage. He landed on his knees, pulling your body impossibly close to his own.
Your body was warm, glowing faintly, your eyes still closed. His tears spilled into your hair as he clutched you tight, voice breaking on your name.
The boys closed in on Jinu in a frantic circle, bodies hunched and trembling, their fear spilling into the air so thick it was suffocating.
âBabyâŚâ Haneul dropped to his knees before you, his hands fisted helplessly against his sides. His chest hitched, eyes red and wet as he stared at you limp in Jinuâs arms.
Seungho pressed close at your side, his face contorted, eyes hollow. He reached for your hand with shaking claws, curling your limp fingers into his palm. âIs she breathingâ?â His voice cracked into a whisper, broken by the weight of terror. âOh, gods, pleaseâŚâ
Hwimori had shifted back into his human form and crouched low, chest rumbling with a trembling whine. His hands felt along your wrist, heart thudding as he felt your beating pulse.
Then, softer than anyone expected, his voice rasped through clenched teeth. âSheâs alive.â
Jinu choked on a sob, crushing you to his chest, rocking you back and forth like a mother would a child, as though holding you tighter might force life back into your body. Tears fell freely down his face, dampening your hair.Â
âMy girl,â he whispered, voice shaking with a rawness none of them had ever heard. He pressed his lips to your forehead, his whole body trembling. âMy baby⌠my everything. Mine.â
âThank god,â Seoha muttered, his composure shattered. His hands dragged through his damp hair as he crouched closer, blinking tears. âDonât you do that to me again. I canâtââ His words cut off as his throat closed, and he pressed his forehead to your temple, whispering against your skin, âI canât lose you. Not after everything. Not now.â
Seunghoâs hand tightened around yours. He lifted it slowly, pressing your limp palm to his cheek as tears streamed down his face unchecked. His voice was hoarse, trembling. âYou scared the shit out of me⌠I thoughtâI thought youâd left us. Donât you dare do that again.â His cheek pressed harder into your palm, eyes squeezed shut. âI love you too much for this.â
Hwimori was silent, palms clutched tight as he stared at you. Alive. Breathing. Here. He let out a desperate whine as tears flowed freely down his face.Â
Mira, Zoey, and Rumi had run closer, their weapons now gone, but they couldnât keep from stopping at the sight. The girls huddled together, arms around each other, sobbing quietly as they watched the boys weep over you.Â
They had never seen them like this⌠utterly undone. Tender. Vulnerable. Human. A wave of awe, sympathy, and something softer swept through them, as they looked at you with newfound care.
Mira sucked in a breath and looked around, âWe canât stay here.â she muttered, glancing at the crowd, still believing this was performance. âToo many eyes.â
âLetâs get her backstageâ Rumi stated. She ran towards Jinu who was clutching you to his chest.Â
âJinu!âÂ
But the demon didnât look, he was too focused on you, your warmth, in his arms.Â
âJinu- we have to move her.â She muttered nervously. It was like he wasnât hearing a word she said. She glanced to the nearest boy to herâ Seoha.Â
âRomance, please,â She pleaded. He blinked, tears still staining his cheeks and disbelief still on his face. As if waking up from a trance, he looked at Rumi.Â
âThere are too many eyes here. Letâs move this backstage.â
As if waking from a dream, Seoha glanced around at the crowd still cheering. Some of them happy, most confused. He clenched his jaw and nodded to her.Â
In a swift motion, he was able to gather Jinu and the others to move you out of sight. Jinu didnât have it in him to stand, so the boys all apparated him and you elsewhere, out of prying eyes.
Once out of sight somewhere in the stadium, the boys had huddled around you once again with Huntrix standing over them. You were still unconscious in Jinuâs arms, and they were getting desperate to have you wake.
âBaby? Open your eyes, pleaseâŚâ Seoha coaxed, brushing his thumb gently across your cheek. His tears spilled freely, falling onto your skin, sliding down the curve of your face. He pressed his forehead against your own, voice breaking, begging: âPlease⌠come back to us.â
You felt it before you saw anything.
Warmth. The press of strong arms around you. Salt in the air, tears dripping onto your skin. Sobs. Sniffles. Pleas. It was dark, but they were there⌠you could feel them. Their warmth, their scent, the sharp spice of Seunghoâs sweat, the faint incense of Seohaâs cologne, the earth-and-fire musk of Haneul, the feral tang of Hwimori, the bittersweet smoke of Jinu. They were wrapped around you, shielding you, holding you.
The pain was gone. Where had it gone? Was it over? Or⌠had you died?
Peace washed over you like a tide, light and endless, a coil of magic humming through every vein. Your body felt lighter, charged, threaded with power you didnât understand. Iridescent streams wound around your soul, soft but potent. It didnât feel human anymore.Â
Maybe this was what death felt like⌠empty, quiet, at peace.
And then, faintly, you heard them.
ââŚpleaseâŚâ
ââŚstayâŚâ
ââŚdonât leave us againâŚâ
Your breath hitched. Your chest rose. The world came rushing back as your eyes fluttered open.
Jinu was the first thing you saw.
He looked down at you with an expression so raw it seared your heart, a mixture of disbelief and uncontained relief, tears still spilling, his lips parted like he couldnât believe you were really there. His hand trembled against your cheek.
Beside him, the others leaned in, every one of them tear-streaked, red-eyed, broken open by fear and awe. Their gazes locked on you, drinking in the sight of your open eyes, proof that you were alive.
But your eyes werenât the same. They glowed crimson, deep and unyielding, no longer flickering but⌠permanent.
Your hand lifted weakly, cupping Jinuâs tear-wet face. He broke into another sob at your touch, closing his eyes as if savoring the feel of your skin.
You smiled faintly, whispering, voice raspy but tender. âI didnât think I could take you with me to heavenâŚâ
Jinuâs chest shuddered as he cupped your hand with his, pressing into it like a man dying of thirst. âAs if anyone could separate me from you, baby. I would never allow itâŚâ His voice broke on the vow.
Tears welled in your eyes as you turned your gaze.
âYou came back,â Haneul muttered hoarsely, his voice almost a question. His eyes brimmed, his body bent low before you.
Your gaze swept across them, confusion mixing with wonder. Tear-streaked faces, raw eyes, trembling lips. They looked devastated⌠like men who had shattered and stitched themselves back together in the space of a breath.
âWhy are you all crying?â you whispered.
Seoha let out a breathy, broken chuckle, brushing your cheek again. âWe thought we lost you. And you wonder whyââ His voice caught. He shook his head, forehead pressing to yours again. âGods, youâre impossible. Even at the edge of death, you donât know what you do to us.â
Your eyes widened, realization dawning like a flood. âWait⌠Iâm not dead?â
âNo, sweetheart,â Haneul whispered, lifting your wrist to his lips. He kissed it tenderly, tears streaking his cheeks. âYou did it.â
The words sank in slowly, disbelief breaking across you like a tide. You gasped, pushing yourself up shakily. Jinu held you close, steadying you, unwilling to let you go for even a second.
The world was still the stadium but darker, somewhere in the back perhaps? It was still filled with the stench of smoke. And yet, the boys surrounded you, each of them alive, each of them staring at you like you were a miracle. Above them, Rumi, Mira, and Zoey clung to each other, sobbing openly, their faces lit with awe and gratitude.
âIâmâŚâ Your voice faltered as you looked down at yourself. Your clothes shimmered white, your skin etched with iridescent sigils that rippled faintly with movement, glowing softly. Your fingers trembled as you lifted them into the light. âI did it?â
âYes.â Jinuâs smile broke through his tears, soft and disbelieving.
âGave me the scare of my life while you were at it,â Seungho muttered, voice still raw.
A stunned laugh burst from your lips. The joy swelled suddenly in your chest, breaking through your shock. You let out a little squeal and flung yourself toward Seoha. He staggered, caught off guard, before wrapping his arms tight around you, crushing you against him. He pressed desperate kisses into your hair, muttering incoherently, âNever again, never againââ
The others couldnât hold back.
Haneul pulled you from Seohaâs arms to clutch you against his chest, his lips pressing to your hairline, your cheek, your temple. âYou terrified meâŚâ he whispered. âHow are you feeling now, baby? Anything hurt?â The tremble in his voice made your eyes well with tears.
âIâm fine, Haneul.â You soothed, wiping away at his tears. âJust a little tiredâŚâ
He released a breath of relief, almost a sigh, before he proceeded to kiss your lips over and over again in short, loving pecks, âMy love. My baby⌠Youâre here. Youâre hereâŚâ
Seungho tugged you next, his lips trembling as he kissed your knuckles, then your lips, then buried his face in your neck with a groan. âYou broke me and saved me in the same breath. I canât breathe without you.â
Hwimori nudged his head against you, whining softly before seizing your face in both hands and kissing your tears away. âI thought Iâd lost you again.â he mumbled, and the ache in his voice gripped at your heart.Â
âYou didnât. And you wonât. Not ever.â You soothed.Â
Your soul beast closed his eyes, savoring the sound of your voice, whispering in broken repetition, âMine. Mine. Mine.â
And Jinu⌠he held you last, trembling, his mouth finding yours in a kiss that was more a sob than anything else, his tears mixing with yours. His forehead pressed to yours as he whispered, âIâm sorry I ever doubted you,â his thumb went to caress your lower lip tenderly, âYouâre everything. My tether. My love. My forever. My strong girl.â
Huntrix stood close by, tears spilling as they watched, arms tight around one another.Â
Miraâs voice caught in her throat as she whispered, âShe did itâŚâÂ
Zoey nodded into her shoulder, crying with relief, while Rumi simply stared, her face wet, her chest rising with the deepest gratitude she had ever felt.
For the first time since the nightmare began, there was peace.
After what felt like an eternity of being smothered in tears, kisses, and trembling hands, you turned, reluctantly tugging free from Jinuâs arms. He clutched you like heâd never let go, but at your soft look, he loosened his grip.
The girls stood just beyond the circle of the boys. Their arms still locked around each other, but their eyes, gods, their eyes. They looked at you as though you were something ethereal. Something not of this world. You could see it in their faces: the awe, the disbelief, the way their gazes traced the iridescent markings etched into your skin, the faint shimmer that still clung to you like light refusing to let go.
You walked toward them slowly, each step quiet against the wooden floorboards. And before you could even speak, Rumi broke.
She hurled herself forward, arms wrapping around you, sobbing into your shoulder. The force of her skin against yours made you gasp. The moment you touched, the markings on your arms rippled and shimmered, light vibrating outward in a low hum.
You both pulled back in shock, wide-eyed, clutching each otherâs arms. Your eyes stared down at where her hands glowed against your skin, the sheen of your markings pulsing alive under her touch.
âWoahââ you both gasped together, eyes darting up to one another, startled, breathless.
Mira and Zoey froze mid-step, their jaws slack. The boys instantly surged forward, alarm flashing across their faces, claws twitching, but they halted when they saw you werenât in danger.
âWhat was that?â you breathed, staring at your glowing arms.
âI⌠I have no ideaâŚâ Rumi whispered.
The two of you just stared, confusion tangled between you, until a laugh bubbled from your throat. A shocked, breathy chuckle. Rumiâs lips broke into a watery smile, and then you both laughed, disbelieving, giddy.Â
She pulled you in again, holding you tighter this time. âIâm so glad youâre okayâŚâ she whispered hoarsely. âFor a moment I thoughtââ Her voice cracked, the words tumbling out broken. âI thought I hadâthat you hadââ
You pulled back to see her face, tear-streaked, raw with guilt. Your heart clenched. You squeezed her arm gently, grounding her. âIâm okayâŚâ
She sobbed, wiping her cheeks messily. âYouâre kind of insane, you know that?â
You laughed, but before you could respond, Zoey threw herself at you, nearly knocking the breath out of your lungs. You hear Hwimori growl somewhere to your left.Â
Again, that ripple of magic thrummed across your skin, light shimmering faintly. You gasped softly, but Zoey didnât notice, her eyes were squeezed shut, arms banded tight around you like a vice.
âOh my god, Y/N!â she cried, voice breaking. âIâm so glad you didnât like⌠die.â
A laugh slipped from you, awkward and shaky, as you patted her back. âThanks, ZoeyâŚâ
You looked up over her shoulder, only to find Mira watching you. Her gaze was sharp, calculating, like she was trying to piece together a puzzle. But as your eyes met, the hardness softened. She gave a faint nod, her voice low, ââŚsame here, Y/N. Iâm glad youâre okay.â
Your chest tightened. You hadnât spent much time with Mira⌠she was distant, sharper than the others⌠but you remembered. She had been the one to save your life on the train. Beneath all that steel, there was a woman who cared fiercely for those she swore to protect. And somehow, you realized, she was including you now. You dipped your head to her, gratitude swelling.
âOkay, thatâs enough,â Seungho muttered, stepping forward, his claws twitching as if ready to yank you back.
Zoey whipped her head to glare over your shoulder. She held onto you tighter, scowling. âBack off.â
Seungho bristled instantly, lips curling.
âHmph.â Zoey huffed, stubborn, clutching you tighter. And then, without warning, you were pulled right out of her arms by Hwimori.
âHey!â Zoey screeched.
Hwimori pressed you against his chest, baring his teeth at her in a low growl. His eyes narrowed, feral, daring her to try and take you again.
Zoey shot him a glare like he was a misbehaving dog. âSeriously?â
âCalm down, Hwi, itâs fine,â you soothed, laughter spilling despite yourself. He only whined, clutching you tighter, refusing to let you go.
The girlsâ eyes softened as they watched. Something strange rose in their chests⌠something they couldnât quite name. Was it relief? Gratitude? Affection?Â
They had played a part in this, in you becoming what you were. The ritual had worked because of them, because of their voices, their magic intertwined with yours. And now, looking at you alive, glowing, impossibly radiant like the Honmoon had been⌠they couldnât shake the sense that a piece of their power lived inside you. That they were connected to you, bonded in some new, inexplicable way.
Miraâs thoughts churned, unsettled. The way the markings on your skin had flared at Rumiâs touch⌠It was the same reaction the Honmoon gave when theyâd activate it. Was it possible the tether was not only demon-born, but hunter-touched as well? Her mind spun, questions forming like storm clouds.
Everyone exchanged looks, the silence heavy, almost awkward.
âSoâŚâ you murmured, exhaustion thick in your voice, âwhat now?â
The world felt muted when you woke up an hour ago. Soft sheets tangled around your legs, warm bodies pressed into your sides, the faint hum of magic still lingering in the air like the aftertaste of smoke and honey.Â
Your body ached, heavy with exhaustion, but also lighter in a way you couldnât name⌠like some invisible burden had lifted even as another, stranger weight settled in its place. You blinked up at the ceiling of your room, the dim light spilling in from the half-closed curtains painting thin lines across the walls.
They were draped around you like a living shield. Seungho sprawled half-atop you, his face buried against your stomach as if he never intended to lift it again. Seohaâs long frame curled along your other side, his arm slung protectively over your waist, fingers twitching even in rest like he couldnât trust you to stay. Haneul was at the headboard, shoulders pressed to the wall, your hand caught firmly in his grip, knuckles white, like if he let go for even a second, youâd vanish again. Hwimori tucked himself by your legs, cheek pressed against your thigh, a quiet tremor still running through him as though the memory of last night was trapped in his body.
You had surprised them all. Youâd thought they might never forgive themselves, and for a moment, when you stood against them, youâd believed you might never forgive them either. That they would go through with the massacre, bind themselves in blood, and leave you behind in every way that mattered. But then you chose otherwise. You leapt, and the world changed.
The door creaked open. Jinu entered, phone loose in his hand, expression set in that unreadable calm that always concealed something deeper. He stopped at the sight of you surrounded by them, and for a moment you caught the flicker of relief break through his mask.
âWell?â you asked.
âI sent the message,â he sighed, and with a graceless dive, he landed onto the bed, trampling over Seoha in the process.
Seoha groaned, half-heartedly shoving at him. âDo you mind?â
âTheyâll meet us tonight,â Jinu finished, ignoring him, his gaze already drifting to you.
âDo they really have to?â Seungho groaned into your stomach, his voice muffled by fabric and skin. He refused to lift his head, clutching you tighter like a child refusing to let go of his blanket. âI donât like the idea of hunters in our living spaceâŚâ
âThey have no reason to hunt you⌠not anymore,â you murmured, your hand sliding into his hair, combing through the strands as if to soothe him. âBesides⌠we need to figure out how this all works together.â
âWhat do they have to do with itâŚâ he muttered, voice heavy with petulance and weariness.
âTheir magic created the tether,â Jinu reminded softly, though his jaw tightened. âI donât like the idea of them being here either, but we need to figure out what happens from here on outâŚâ
You caught the weight of his eyes on you then, lingering longer than necessary. Something in his stare made you falter, as if he were memorizing a new version of you. His gaze traced over your skin, paler, as if dusted with moonlight. The faint shimmer beneath your veins where the tether pulsed, the subtle glow that rimmed your irises when the light struck them just right, no longer entirely human.Â
You had changed. You had sacrificed what you were to become this.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed, his thoughts loud even in his silence, she had to change for us. She had to give up her humanity because of us.
And yet⌠he wanted to believe that meant forever. That this form, this bond, meant there would never again be a world where you were torn from him.
Relief warred with fear in him, and it cut you to feel it.
Your own thoughts spun wildly, your chest heavy with all the questions you hadnât had the strength to face. What did it mean to be a tether? Why had you survived, when by all accounts you should not have? Why hadnât the boys disappeared along with the fractured Honmoon and all the other demons? What would Huntrix do now, without their barrier?
âWe need to discuss this,â you said softly, your voice trembling. âIâI donât know a single thing about what it means to be the tetherââ
âUs either,â Seoha interjected with a humorless chuckle, brushing his thumb absently over your waist. âYouâre the first one in the history of forever to become oneâŚâ His lips tilted into a half-smile, though his eyes betrayed him. âAlthough, Iâm not complaining⌠just look at you.â
He lifted your hand and pressed soft kisses up your arm, his mouth warm and gentle. His lips trailed to your collarbone before he paused, and when your eyes met his, your heart nearly broke. His gaze held a love so fierce it hurt, tempered by a fear that twisted deep. He cupped your cheek, thumb trembling against your skin.
âPlease,â he whispered, voice raw. âDonât ever do anything like that againâŚâ
And then it hit you. Harder than ever before. Their presence wasnât just around you anymore, it was in you. The bond had deepened into something unbearable in its clarity. Their emotions pressed into you like tidal waves.Â
Fear, grief, love so sharp it cut. You felt their memories, fragments of last night flashing in your mind as if you had lived them yourself. Seunghoâs silent scream when your body fell limp, Seohaâs desperate prayers muttered through blood, Haneul breaking against the chains to reach you, Hwimori clawing at the ground, Jinuâs hollow eyes watching you crumble.
It was stronger than ever before. No longer a tether of threads woven between you, but something deeper, more permanent. You werenât just bound to them. You were them, and they were you. Anchors. Mirrors. Reflections of the same existence.
You looked at their faces, creased with anguish, softened by awe⌠and knew, yes, you were the tether now, but more than that, you were tethered to them most of all.
The silence shattered with a voice choked on tears.
âForgive me.â
Your head turned. Jinu had sunk to his knees by the bed, his hand clutching the sheets like they were the only thing holding him to reality. His eyes shimmered with unshed tears, uncharacteristically bare.
âForgive me, baby,â his voice cracked, softer than you had ever heard it. âI⌠did so many things you didnât deserve.â
Your chest seized. He bowed his head, shaking. âI locked you in. I lied to you. I let you think you were free when I was weaving chains around you. I convinced myself it was love, that it was fate, when it was selfishness. And thenâthen I was ready to damn the world just to keep you. I almostââ His voice broke, and a tear slid down his cheek. âI almost made you hate me forever.â
âJinuâŚâ
âNo.â His eyes snapped up, red-rimmed, desperate. âDonât tell me I did what I had to. Donât tell me you understand. I donât deserve that. I should have respected you. I should have listened instead of trying to control you. But I couldnât. I canâtâŚâ He choked.
â...Not after hundreds of years mourning you. Not after lifetimes of losing you. I couldnât let you go again. I thoughtâI thought if I had to burn the whole world, at least youâd still be mine.â His hands shook as he reached for you, hesitated, then finally pressed into your shoulder, clutching you. âAnd when you fell, when I thought you were gone againâI swear, I wanted to tear myself apart.â
You silenced him with your arms, dragging him into your embrace. His sobs broke against your shoulder, muffled by your hair. His fingers dug into your back as though you might dissolve if he didnât hold you hard enough. âIâm sorry,â he kept muttering against your skin, voice fractured, âIâm sorry, Iâm sorry, Iâm sorryâŚâ
Seoha was the first to move. His body shifted against yours, head bent low, and for this moment, the playful gleam in his eyes was gone. His lashes trembled as though he was ashamed to even look at you. His voice, usually silken and coaxing, barely broke above a whisper.
âI tried to make you live in a dream,â he confessed, each word halting as though it burned his tongue. âBecause I was terrified reality would take you from me. If I could make you believe in my fantasy, I thought youâd never leave⌠but it was cruel, wasnât it?â His hand ghosted over your wrist, the lightest brush, as if he feared you might recoil.Â
When you didnât, his fingers clutched desperately, knuckles paling. âI wanted you to think you were free, when all I did was bind you tighter. Iâm sorry,â his voice cracked, and the weight of his fear spilled raw in his amber eyes, shimmering wet. âI canât forgive myself for what I did to you.â
Before you could speak, another voice broke in. Strained and trembling. Seungho bent to wrap his arms around you. He had buried his face in your stomach, and his hair tickled your skin as he refused to look up. When he finally did, his lips were parted in a shuddering breath, eyes dark with unshed tears.Â
âI wanted to cage you,â he said hoarsely, words guttural with shame. His broad hand slid down your side, clutching too tightly, then loosening when he realized his grip shook. âTo lock you somewhere the world couldnât hurt you. To keep you so safe youâd never see the sun again.âÂ
His throat worked, and he laughed bitterly, brokenly. âThat isnât love. Thatâs⌠smothering. And still, I did it. I nearly broke you under the weight of my obsession.â His eyes met yours at last, brimming with regret. âI donât know if I can ever forgive myself, but⌠I need you to know that every cruel thing I did was born from the terror of losing you.â
The bed shifted again as Haneul moved closer. He hadnât spoken until now. His silence had been heavy, suffocating. But when he finally lifted his face, you flinched at the rawness etched there. His usual cocky half-smile was gone, his lips trembling instead. He gripped your hand, pressing it to his chest like it was the only thing keeping him breathing.Â
âI hated myself,â he choked, his deep voice breaking in ways youâd never heard. âFor every second I wasnât your shield. For letting you fight alone. For every scar you took because I wasnât fast enough, strong enough.â His thumb rubbed circles over the back of your hand, but his eyes were wide and unblinking, like he was begging you to carve the truth into him.Â
âYou almost died, and it was my fault. I swore Iâd protect you, but I failed. And if I lose you again, I⌠I donât think Iâd survive it.â His chest shuddered under your palm, tears slipping past his lashes.
Then came Hwimori. He was already curled against your leg, trembling, and when the words burst out of him they werenât elegant confessions. They were sobs. His voice cracked like glass, raw with desperation.Â
âAll I thought about was owning you,â he cried, clinging to you so tightly your leg ached. His nails bit into your skin through the sheets as his tears dampened the fabric. âClinging to you, holding you, because I was so afraid youâd slip away. I didnât know how to love without consuming you.âÂ
His head shook violently against your thigh, as if shaking himself apart. âI was selfish, I know. I know. But the thought of being left behind againââ His words strangled into a sob, muffled against you. âI couldnât take it. I still canât.â
One by one, their apologies carved deeper into you. Seohaâs whisper trembling with regret. Seunghoâs guttural confession cracking his pride. Haneulâs voice breaking under the weight of his vow. Hwimori sobbing like a puppy clinging to its owner. Each word tore at your heart, unraveling pain you thought you had buried, but at the same time⌠every word bound you tighter to them, stitched you together in threads of agony and devotion.
Your thoughts spiraled. You remembered every lock, every manipulation, every lie, every choice stolen from you in the name of devotion. You remembered nights staring at walls you couldnât escape, the confusion of being loved so intensely it burned, the ache of feeling trapped in affection that suffocated even as it warmed you.
And yet, you looked at them now, wrecked, ruined, begging for forgiveness with their whole souls⌠and you understood. You understood that their love was not cruelty, not really... It was brokenness. It was the sharp, jagged edges of centuries of grief. They had suffered for you, bled for you, waited for you across lifetimes, and in the end, they only knew how to cling too hard.
Your tears spilled hot and silent as the realization cut you open.
âI hated it sometimes,â you whispered, and all of them froze. You lifted your gaze, wet eyes shining. âThe way you trapped me. The lies, the half-truths, the way you made me feel powerless. I hated how much it hurt, how much it confused me. How much it made me doubt whether love could be something good.â
Their faces shattered with guilt.
âButâŚâ your voice shook, but you pressed on. âBut I understand you. I see you⌠all of you. How could I not, when Iâve lived it with you now? Youâre broken. Youâve always been broken. And all youâve ever tried to do is love me, protect me, keep me safe, even when you didnât know how. How could I blame you for wanting to hold on? For being terrified of losing me again? How could I ever hate you for loving me too much?â
Their breaths caught, hope warring with disbelief.
âThis is my choice,â you said firmly, tears slipping down your cheeks. âI chose to become this. To be your tether. To be with you, no matter what it means. And whatever happens nextâweâll face it together.â
Your voice softened to a whisper, fragile as glass. âI thought Iâd died⌠but when I woke, all I felt was you. And I couldnât have asked for more.â You sobbed softly with a smile.Â
âI love you,â you said at last, the words tumbling out in a voice cracked but unwavering. You looked at each of them, your gaze trembling between their tear-streaked faces, your heart so heavy and so full it threatened to split in two. âI love you all so much⌠so I forgive you.â
For a heartbeat, the room froze. A sharp silence fell, thick enough to suffocate, and then⌠the bond thrummed like a living thing. It surged through your chest so powerfully it made you gasp, like your ribs might break beneath the weight of it. Their eyes widened all at once, disbelieving, as if they had never dared to hope you might speak those words to them again.
âYouâre more than ours now,â Seoha whispered, his voice hoarse, breaking on the edges. He leaned forward as though pulled by gravity, brushing his lips against your temple. The kiss lingered, trembling, like a prayer he was afraid to finish. His fingers slid into your hair, clutching the back of your head as though he could anchor himself there. When he pulled back, his lips were wet with his own tears.
âYouâre our anchor,â Seungho murmured, his voice low, almost guttural. He pressed himself into your side, his arm banding tightly around your waist. His mouth found yours with desperation, hot, trembling, a kiss that bruised and begged in the same breath. His tears smeared against your cheek, and when he broke away it was only to press his lips again to your jaw, your neck, frantic as though he couldnât kiss you enough.
âOur tether,â Haneul added, his deep voice breaking into something almost boyish with the weight of his grief. His rough hand clutched yours so hard it hurt, his thumb dragging across your knuckles like he was memorizing every ridge. He leaned in and captured your lips in a kiss so tender it made your breath hitch⌠slow and lingering. His forehead pressed to yours when he pulled away, his breath shuddering out as though you had just pulled him back from the edge of drowning.
Hwimori pressed his face into your thigh, his tears soaking through the fabric, his voice shaking with devotion and fear. âWe canât imagine a world without you,â he whispered, broken, his lips brushing your skin with every word. âNot anymore. Not ever.âÂ
Then, with a sudden desperate movement, he tilted his tear-streaked face up and kissed your mouth. It was messy, wet with tears, but so full of aching need you thought you might shatter under it. He sobbed against your lips, his hands clutching your waist like he was terrified youâd disappear.
Jinu hadnât spoken yet. His amber eyes, usually so steady, were glistening with something raw and unguarded. When he finally moved, it was slow, as though approaching something sacred.
His hand cupped your cheek with trembling care, his thumb brushing away a tear you hadnât realized had fallen. âMy fate has always been you,â he whispered, voice low and steady but breaking at the end. Then he bent, pressing his lips to yours in a kiss that was devastating in its gentleness. He kissed you like a vow, like a man who had waited lifetimes to taste forgiveness, his breath mingling with yours in aching silence.Â
When he pulled back, his forehead rested against yours, and his whisper trembled into the bond, âAlways you. Only you.â
And one by one, they kissed you again, like broken men, like drowning souls finding air, like sinners kissing the altar of their only salvation. Seohaâs mouth soft and pleading. Seunghoâs hungry, unrestrained. Haneulâs steady, shaking. Hwimoriâs raw, desperate, unfiltered. And Jinuâs achingly tender, worshipping, as though every brush of his lips was a vow carved into eternity.
Each kiss bled into the next until you were surrounded, consumed, smothered in love so fierce and twisted it was holy. And as their words sank into you, heavy and sacred, you knew with terrifying certainty that they were right. You werenât just theirs anymore. You were the thread binding them to existence itself⌠their tether, their anchor, their salvation.
You stayed tangled with them on the bed for what felt like both an instant and an eternity. The hours bled into whispers, every breath heavy with devotion.Â
They murmured promises into your skin, worship into your bones. The room was hushed save for the soft sounds of affection, foreheads pressed together, lips brushing, hands unwilling to let go. The bond pulsed gently, soothing but alive, weaving you closer with every thrum.
Eventually, Haneul was the first to pull away, though not without a lingering kiss to your hair. âIâll make breakfast,â he whispered, sliding off the bed with reluctant grace. His absence left a void against your side.Â
Jinu and Seoha followed, muttering something about work. âDamage control,â Jinu had called it with that sharp sigh of his, though the way his hand hesitated at the door betrayed his reluctance to leave you. Hwimori, eyes still puffy from earlier, slipped out to make your favorite morning tea.Â
Which left you with Seungho. He didnât waste a second, catching your wrist and tugging you upright with effortless strength.Â
âWe need to get some food in you, princess,â he muttered against your shoulder, his lips brushing over the bare skin in a kiss that made your knees buckle. You laughed softly, swatting his chest before moving toward your dresser to grab a hair tie. But the mirror stopped you cold.
You froze, staring at your reflection as though seeing a stranger. Your breath hitched, hand trembling in the air mid-motion.Â
âOhâŚâ The sound slipped from you in a gasp, your voice trembling. Your skin glowed faintly, almost iridescent, as though light was trapped beneath it. Not just healthy⌠but unnatural, divine. And your eyes⌠were now a deep crimson, rich as spilt wine, burning like molten rubies. They seemed alive, threaded with an unearthly power that pulsed in rhythm with your heartbeat.
âIs that⌠really me?â you whispered, chest tight with a mix of wonder and fear.
Seunghoâs presence was a shadow and a warmth, his tall frame moving behind you before you even heard him. His hands, broad and steady, slipped around your waist, grounding you. His gaze locked onto yours in the mirror. Not your skin, not your form, but your eyes.Â
He kissed your shoulder softly, his lips lingering like a vow against your skin. âThatâs you,â he murmured low and tender. âMore than youâve ever been. But nevertheless⌠still you. Still the you Iâm in love with. Still the you weâve all been waiting centuries to find.â
You swallowed hard, heart stuttering, unable to look away from your reflection or from him behind you. When he turned you gently to face him, his hands cupped your cheeks like you were fragile, breakable glass. His eyes, usually sharp and cold, softened into something that made your throat ache.
âYouâre beautiful,â he said simply, but it wasnât simple at all. His voice cracked with sincerity, his thumbs brushing your cheeks as if to memorize the new you. âNot because of this,â he tilted his head toward your glowing skin, your crimson eyes. âBecause youâre you. And now the world finally sees it the way we do.â
He kissed your forehead, tender and grounding, before twining his fingers with yours. Still dazed, you let him lead you from the room, your palm burning with his warmth.
The kitchen was filled with the sizzle of a pan and the scent of garlic and eggs. Haneul stood at the stove, sleeves rolled to his elbows, humming under his breath while flipping something that smelled heavenly.
Hwimori spotted you first. He hurried over, setting your tea on the table with a grin that reached his still-amber eyes. He bent down and kissed your head firmly. âHere, for you,âÂ
The warmth of the mug seeped into your palms as you smiled, pressing a kiss to his cheek in thanks.
Seoha pulled you toward him almost immediately, settling you onto his lap with a possessive ease. His lips brushed your shoulder, sending heat crawling over your skin. âSit. Rest. Youâve done enough.â
Your gaze drifted to the counter, where unfinished trays of sweets sat untouched. The sight made your stomach twist. You groaned, covering your face with your hands. âOh my god, I completely forgot I had just left them there.â
Seohaâs mouth moved against your shoulder again, softer this time, his tone coaxing. âDonât worry about it, angel.â
âBut⌠we have to celebrate Hwiâs birthday,â you mumbled, the words heavy with guilt.
Hwimori looked up from pulling out a chair, his lips quirking into a sheepish smile. âYou donât have to, my love.â
âYes, I do! I promised. And you need a birthday celebration.â
âI meanâŚâ He sat down, shrugging, âI donât neeeed it.â
You narrowed your eyes at him. âYes, you DO.â
His smile widened, soft and touched, his gaze shimmering with warmth at your insistence.
âWeâll shop for more ingredients tomorrow,â Haneul chimed in sweetly, glancing over his shoulder at you from the stove.
Your eyes lit up. âReally?â
âOf course, baby.â
âYay!â You bounced happily in Seohaâs lap, earning a strangled groan. His hand clamped on your thigh.
âAngel, donât do that unless you want me to forget thereâs food on the table,â he growled into your ear, voice dripping with suggestion.
Your face went scarlet. âOh my god, youâre insufferable,â you grumbled, smacking his arm.
He pinched your thigh teasingly, and you squeaked in protest. Your exasperated glare only made the others laugh, the sound filling the kitchen with a lightness that soothed your chest.
Haneul set plates down just as Jinu walked in, his hair slightly tousled, a crease between his brows. He leaned over and kissed the crown of your head before sinking into a chair with a sigh, grabbing his coffee.
âHowâd the damage control go?â you asked, tentative.
He shook his head, taking a sip of the lukewarm drink. âTried to convince venue and management it was part of a performance. They werenât happy, but for now theyâre asking when weâll come in to start planning the next steps. New EP. Promotion. All of that.â
Your brows knitted. âAre you guys going to continue being idols? Even if you donât have to work for Gwi Ma anymore?â
âFuck no,â Seungho grumbled around a mouthful of food. âI donât like being away from you longer than I have to. And the job comes with a busy scheduleâŚâ
âYou guys donât like it?â you asked, curiosity stirring.
Hwimori perked up faintly. âI like the music part. Maybe Iâll produce or compose. Something where I donât have to leave you.â
Seoha smirked, hand tightening at your waist. âI donât really like the idea of marketing myself to other women. BesidesâŚâ he tilted his head, lips brushing your ear, âwonât you get jealous?â
You scoffed, crossing your arms. âMe? Jealous? Iâm literally tethered to you.â
He grinned, voice low and taunting. âMm, sure. Tell that to the thousands of girls who scream my name every night⌠Half of them probably write smutty fanfics about me already⌠or when I make eye contact with a girl in the front row and she swears I sang just for her⌠you gonna share me with them, angel?â
Your cheeks heated instantly. âOkay, I change my mind. Itâs time for a job change.â
The boys roared with laughter, the sound vibrating through the bond, light and contagious.
Breakfast continued in a haze of food, chatter, and warmth. You found yourself smiling between bites, glancing from one boy to the other, the glow of the bond alive in every shared look.Â
But even amid laughter, little sparks betrayed something new. The way your fingertips brushed the table and the cutlery rattled faintly, how the steam from your tea lingered longer than it should, curling as though drawn to you.
You tried to ignore it. Tried to pretend you didnât notice. But the others did. You felt it in the way their gazes lingered on you, puzzled, almost afraid.
You set your fork down and turned to Jinu. âWhat did Rumi say earlier? When they agreed to come?â
Jinu exhaled slowly, swirling water in his glass before drinking. âI asked if she knew anything else about what happens after the Ritual. Her father had some text we didnât transcribe in the journal⌠maybe it holds the answers. But then she said something strange.â His brows drew together. âShe said she knew someone who could probably give us what we need.â
âOh?â You tilted your head. âMaybe another hunter?â
He shrugged, clearly uncertain.
A thought sparked, and you set your fork down. Narrowing your eyes, you asked, âSo⌠when exactly were you having secret meetings with Rumi?â
Jinu stilled. Every pair of eyes at the table turned toward him with cheeky curiosity.
âWellâŚâ he started, clearing his throat.
âWellâŚ?â you pressed, crossing your arms, enjoying the way he shifted uneasily in his seat. You knew it wasnât romantic, never for Jinu. The man was literally obsessed with you. But making him nervous and seeing him squirming was always fun.
âI was trying to get answers out of her. To exploit Huntrixâs weakness,â he admitted slowly. âI found out she was part demon months ago, and I needed to know what that meant.â
âUh huh,â you said skeptically, arching a brow.
Beads of sweat seemed to form on his temple as he hurried on. The boys struggled to hold their snickers. âShe had her fatherâs journal. I was helping her translate. Thatâs all. Nothing more.â
You leaned closer, lips quirking. âMmhm. Youâre awfully nervous for someone who claims he has nothing to hide.â
âI donât! I swear!â
Seohaâs shoulders shook with muffled laughter against your back, his hand tightening on your waist.
And as Jinu scrambled for words, the room filled with the sound of the othersâ amusement, your laughter blending with theirs until it felt like, for the first time in forever, you were exactly where you were supposed to be.
The living room was thick with silence, the kind that hummed like static in the air, like a storm crouching just beyond the walls. The couch and chairs had never felt so small, cramming everyone into a space that seemed too fragile to contain the storm of tension inside it. Even the air felt brittle, like a wrong word might shatter it.
You tried to soften the edges with a smile, your voice light, but no amount of warmth could fully cut through the jagged stares being exchanged across the room.
Huntrix sat together in a neat line on the opposite couch, unified in posture. Mira sat stiff with her arms crossed and chin tilted high, her glare locked on Seungho, who returned it with equal fire, jaw twitching like he was daring her to blink first.Â
Zoey shifted between them, her bright, awkward smile hanging in the air like she was trying to plaster sunshine over a battlefield. Rumi perched on the edge, shoulders tight, her discomfort written in every line of her body, though her eyes never stopped flicking to you, concern softening her usually sharp gaze.
The boys, in contrast, were a wall around you. Jinu and Hwimori flanked you on the couch, their bodies taut as coiled springs, posture screaming shield.
Haneul stood behind you, arms folded, jaw locked so tight you thought his teeth might crack. Seoha leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, dark eyes never leaving the girls, suspicion etched deep into every line of his face. Seungho had stationed himself by the window like a guard on watch, body angled toward the exit but his gaze snapping like a dagger toward Mira every time she so much as breathed.
The silence stretched, unbearable. Even the clock on the wall seemed to tick louder than it should have.
Zoey broke first, her voice pitched too brightly, too forced. âNice place you got hereâŚâ Her eyes swept the apartment, lingering on the shelves lined with books, the faint smell of coffee, the framed photo on the table. âYou guys rent this place, orâ?â
âBought it,â Seoha muttered without sparing her a glance, his shoulders rigid.
The silence that followed was so loud you wanted to sink into the floor. Even Seungho, who had been groaning all afternoon about the audacity of inviting hunters into their home, seemed satisfied that the awkwardness was proving his point.
You cleared your throat, smoothing your palms over your thighs as if you could rub the tension out of the air. âIâm glad you guys were able to find it,â you said gently, glancing at Jinu. His expression was carved in stone.
âWell, after someone managed to break through my wards,â Jinuâs voice cut sharp, his amber eyes spearing into Rumi, âI needed to strengthen the security on this place.â
âDoesnât help when we know your address now,â Mira shot back smoothly, her smirk all venom. âOr, you know, can just walk through the front door.â
Jinuâs jaw flexed, and you leaned forward quickly, your tone lighter. âWell, I want you guys to feel welcome here⌠so I had him key you into the new wards.â
Seungho scoffed. You snapped him a look sharp enough to cut glass.
Miraâs smirk only widened, slow and deliberate. âYeah⌠soooo welcome.â
The tension vibrated like a plucked string until Rumi finally cleared her throat, turning her eyes on you. âSo⌠how are you feeling?â
The question yanked every gaze to you at once. You felt the weight of it, heat prickling over your skin. You smiled softly. âI feel fine. Great, even. Lighter.â A furrow creased your brow. âBut⌠I did notice a few strange things. Iâm still getting used to what it means to be a tether. To have this⌠magic inside me.â
Rumiâs eyes softened. âI understand. Weâll figure this out together.â
âDo you mind telling us exactly how you feel different?â Zoey continued.
You hesitated, chewing your lip as you searched for words. âItâs⌠like a charged energy. Like static, always buzzing. And I think it affects things near me.â Your eyes drifted toward the boys. âI can also⌠sense everyone. Itâs strange.â
Zoey tilted her head, curious. âWhat do you mean?â
âItâs like I can sense what kind of magic people carry,â you explained carefully. âHwi feels different than Jinu. Jinu and the others feel⌠similar, but not the same. I think itâs because Hwiâs a soul beast.â
âHwi?â Mira raised a brow.Â
Your eyes widen, âOh- sorry, I mean, Mystery.â You pat his lap, causing him to purr at your touch.
âAhâŚâ Zoey let out. The girlsâ eyes widened. Theyâd seen Hwiâs transformation last night, yes, but hearing it named hit differently. This was the first theyâve heard of a demon soul-beast.
âAnd yoursâŚâ your gaze shifted to them, a hand rising to rub your temple. âYours feels ancient. Familiar, but not in the way the bond with the boys feel. Earlier, when I greeted youâit was like something inside me recognized your magic. Like it recharged me somehow.â
Zoey sat up straighter. âI felt that too. When I hugged you, it was⌠weird. But good weird.â
âLetâs test it,â Mira said immediately, raising a hand.
Jinuâs grip on your waist tightened, reluctant, but after a long moment he let go. You leaned forward, extending your hand. The moment your finger brushed Miraâs, a ripple shimmered over your iridescent markings, flowing outward like ripples on a pond.
Everyone sucked in a breath. Miraâs eyes glittered, fascinated. âHuh.â
Seohaâs teeth ground audibly. âWhat does that even mean?â
âIt means sheâs connected to them,â Jinu muttered, his mind already racing. âGiven it was their power that had induced the transformation⌠it's not impossile to assume it would react to contact once they activated it.â
âI was thinking the same,â Rumi added, voice thoughtful, her chin propped in her hand. âIt reacts pretty similarly to the Honmoon.â
Zoey frowned. âSo⌠Y/N is basically the Honmoon now?â she tilts her head to the side, âWhat does that mean for us then? I meanâ as hunters, our job was to strengthen and maintain the Honmoon... does that mean Y/N would need something from us?â
âShe doesnât need anything from you,â Seungho snapped instantly.
âSeungho,â you scolded, sharp.
Rumiâs voice stayed calm. âIf the tether needs maintenance like the Honmoon did, thenââ
âWeâll handle it,â Seungho growled.
Jinu pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling through his teeth. âItâs not that simple. We donât know what sheâll need long-term. And it was their magic that enabled this. Weâd be fools to ignore that.â
Seungho muttered under his breath but fell back, leaning against the wall with a scowl. Mira smirked.
âDoes this mean youâre immortal?â Hwimori asked suddenly, tilting his head like a curious puppy. "Or will the tether have to be made again if she isn't?"
The question silenced the room. You bit your lip, hands curling in your lap. ââŚI donât know.â
That answer sat like a stone in everyoneâs stomach.
Finally, Rumi reached into her bag and slid her fatherâs leatherbound journal across the table to Jinu. âThere are only three pages left we never transcribed. Maybe the answers are there.â
Jinu took it, flipping through, eyes narrowing as he skimmed the demon script.
The silence stretched again. And thenâ
âSoâŚâ Zoey leaned forward, smirk tugging at her lips. âSeungho is it?âÂ
Seunghoâs glare could have frozen hell over. His jaw locked, eyes sharp enough to cut glass. Zoey tilted her head innocently. âDo you always look constipated, or is that face just for us?â
His nostrils flared. âYouâre still alive only because she told me not to snap your neck.â
Zoey gasped, clutching her chest. âOh my god! Did you hear that, Y/N? He threatened me, again!â
You sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose, âSeunghoâŚâ
âCry harder,â Seungho muttered, still glaring daggers at Zoey.
Seoha clicked his tongue, surveying the three girls like they were an inconvenience on his shoe. âDo you hunters rehearse being this self-righteous, or does it just come naturally?â
Miraâs eyes narrowed. âFunny coming from someone who spends his life lip-syncing for screaming teenagers.â
Zoey burst out laughing. âOh my god, sheâs right! Do you pout in the mirror before concerts too?â
Seoha smirked lazily. âBetter than punching a bag with abs taped on it.â
Mira froze, jaw dropping. âYou saw that?!â
âYou should really start closing your dressing room doors, you know. Other performers walk the hallways too.â Seoha teased.Â
Mira growled audibly, fists clenched on her lap like she wanted to kill him right then and there.
Rumi cut in smoothly before she combusted. âHonestly, you four act like children. No wonder you need her to hold your leashes.â
Haneulâs jaw twitched. âThe fuck did you just say?â he growled, âMaybe if you three werenât so loudââ
âLoud?â Mira cut in with a grin sharp as her blade. âSorry, grandpa, should we whisper so you can nap?â
âI can always put you to sleep, right now.â Haneul threatened.
âIâd like to see you try,â Mira spat.
That broke Hwimoriâs patience. He growled from next to you, voice cracking raw. âDo you people ever stop talking?â
âGods,â you muttered, rubbing your temples. âItâs like babysitting a pack of rabid wolves and feral cats.â
At last, Jinu sighed heavily, snapping the book shut. âNothing. Daehyun never thought this far⌠or maybe he didnât need to.â His eyes slid to Rumi. âYou said you knew someone who could help.â
Rumi hesitated, throat bobbing. âHe⌠was a friend of my fatherâs.â
âA demon?â Haneul asked sharply.
She nodded. The boys groaned in unison.
âAnd how are we supposed to contact him now?â Seoha demanded, eyes darting toward you. âThrough her?â
âMe?â you echoed, incredulous. âHow am I supposed to get him from there?â
âWell, you are the tetherâŚâ Haneul responds.
"I've only just found out what a tether was last night," you groan, "I don't know how this shit worksâ"
âYou donât have to,â Rumi cut in quickly. âI already spoke with him this afternoon.â Mira and Zoey stayed silent. "He'll be able to talk to us."
The room snapped. Every head whipped toward her. âYou what?â Jinuâs voice was lethal.
"How? Don't tell meââ Seoha groaned.
âI⌠invited him over,â Rumi said sheepishly.
Jinu looked at her, confused, "Did you not hear what I said on the phone? I said this place was warded to keep demons and anyone with magic out."Â
She shrugged, "He said it wouldn't be a problemâ"
Before Jinu could explode, the air cracked like thunder.
You gasped as it hit you, a surge of ancient demonic energy, heavy and suffocating, pressing into your lungs like lead. The bond screamed, and the boys reacted instantly, bristling, claws and fangs flashing, every one of them snapping into defensive positions around you.
âRumi, what the hell have youâ!â Haneul barked, shoving himself in front of you, his claws lengthening.
The air split open. A fissure of darkness tore through the center of the living room, splitting reality itself. Shadows spilled like liquid, the lights flickered violently, and the scent of burning sulfur filled the air.
The energy was old. Older than Gwi Ma. It throbbed in your bones, a drumbeat that rattled your teeth and made your skin crawl.
The boys moved tighter around you, growls rumbling in their throats. Huntrix, for all their bravado, looked rattled, wide-eyed at the sudden shift.
And then he stepped through.
The Old One didnât so much arrive as he was suddenly there. The rift peeled open, and from it stepped a man. Tall, slender, clothed in garments that shimmered faintly like silk dipped in shadow. His hair was silver-white, combed back with unnatural precision, his face clean and ageless, yet lined in just the right places to suggest wisdom rather than frailty. He looked almost regal, like an old king or a grandfatherly figure carved out of marble, his refinement so sharp it was unsettling.
But his eyes betrayed him. They were not mortal eyes. Gold threaded with black, depthless, too steady, too knowing⌠as if when he looked at you, he was not looking at your skin, but at every lifetime you had ever lived.
The room warped around him, reality bending politely out of his way. The light seemed to dim in deference, shadows stretching unnaturally toward his polished shoes. Even the air grew tight in your chest, each breath harder than the last, as though your lungs were no longer your own.
The bond screamed, threads thrumming with panic, the boysâ bodies trembling with the instinct to shield you. But even they knew, even as they stood in front of you, this was not something you fought. This was not just a demon. Not just a god.
It was the thing that powerd over gods, over even the demon king himself.
Slight fear gripped you as you gazed at his familiar face. Youâd seen him before. Weeks ago, in that mall. His words then had clung like thorns in your mind, vague and terrifying, and now seeing him again sent your pulse racing.
At the flicker of your fear, Hwimori snarled low in his throat, the sound raw and animal. He positioned himself in front of you, shoulders squared, teeth bared, glaring daggers at the old, powerful demon as if his very hatred could tear him apart.
But to your surprise, it wasnât just the boys bristling. Zoey and Mira stepped forward as well, weapons already alive in their hands. Zoeyâs blades shimmering with a dangerous pulse, Miraâs Moon Blade glowing faint under the dim light. Both stood slightly in front of you, angled protectively, their eyes locked on the stranger.
The Old Oneâs eyes sparkled, amusement and intrigue twined in their golden depths as he leisurely glanced around the room.
Jinu stood frozen. His chest rose and fell shallowly, his eyes wide, lips slightly parted. He had never thought⌠never imagined⌠that this was who Rumi had been speaking of. His mind reeled at the sight.
Beside him, Haneul bristled, a low growl caught behind clenched teeth, muscles tensed to strike. Seohaâs jaw set hard, every inch of him simmering with sharp distrust. Seunghoâs gaze narrowed, shoulders rigid, one hand flexing like he was resisting the urge to draw blood where he stood.
âGet back, Y/N,â Seoha ordered sharply, voice firm, eyes never leaving the Old One.
The old man tilted his head almost kindly, the faintest smile brushing his lips.
âWhat are you doing here, Itharos?â Jinu finally rasped, his voice hushed, cracked with disbelief.
Itharos. The name seemed to shift the air, heavy and dangerous the moment it was spoken aloud.
âIâve only ever seen you in passing,â the old one murmured, his smile deepening. âHello, Jinu.â His eyes twinkled, and then he bent his head slightly to the side, peering past the barricade of bodies trying to shield you. âAnd you too, Y/N.â
âYouâŚâ you mumbled, breath hitching, your eyes widening as the memory of that mall slammed into you. âWhatâ?â
âHeâs the old one we encountered in the mall,â Hwimori growled, every syllable venom. âI didnât get to land a blow then. Donât think Iâll make the same mistake twice.â
âHello, beast,â Itharos smirked, almost indulgent. âYou have nothing to worry about. Iâm only here becauseââ
âGet out.â Haneulâs voice was gravel, sharp and cutting as a blade. His stance shifted, ready to spring.
The tension was a fuse, burning fast with both the boys and Huntrix (except for Rumi) crackling with hostility. Shadows thickened, weapons gleamed, and it felt like the room itself was about to shatter from the clash.
But before anyone could move, Rumi leapt forward, arms outstretched, blocking them from Itharos. âWaitâ!â
âRumi, step aside,â Seoha snapped, grit in his voice, anger and panic welded together.
âWait!â Her voice cracked but carried. âHeâs here to help. I asked him to comeââ
âThis is who you meant when you said you knew someone?!â Haneul barked, incredulous.
âYes!â Rumi pleaded, eyes darting frantically between them. âPlease, heâs the only one who knows anything about what creating the tether means.âÂ
She looked at Jinu with urgency, almost desperation. âHe was the one who told me how the ritual before failed, and how to succeed now. He knew my father. Justâplease, letâs hear him out.â
Everyone froze, conflicted. The weight of her words settled like a stone in their chests.
Jinu exhaled slowly, the sound breaking the silence. His expression was weary, heavy with a knowledge only he carried. He finally spoke, his voice low, strained.
âItharos⌠how are you here on this side of the realm? I thought all demons vanished when we created the tether. And more than thatââ his eyes narrowed, suspicion sharp, ââhow did you make it past my wards?â
Itharos chuckled softly, the sound unhurried, condescending in its calm. âYou forget how old I am, boy. My essence is not bound to either realm. Nor does it adhere to magic created after its conception. Your wards will not work on me.â
The boysâ jaws clenched, their teeth gritting in frustration.
âYou need answers, donât you?â Itharosâ voice was smooth, coaxing, cutting through the tension like silk over steel. âAnd I am the only one old enough to provide them.â
Jinuâs gaze faltered. Against his will, he yielded, just slightly. And one by one, the others did too. All except Haneul, whose chest heaved with fury, eyes still burning like fire on the intruder.
Itharos turned his gaze toward him, smiling faintly, knowingly. âIâm only here to explain. To answer your questions. Nothing moreâŚâ His head tilted, golden eyes landing on you again, unwavering, unblinking. âWell, that andâŚâ His voice softened, as if savoring it. âTo finally meet the tether.â
Haneulâs jaw worked, grinding, but even he at last lowered his stance, though the fire in his eyes didnât dim.
The girls were slower to yield, their weapons still firm in their hands. Zoeyâs blades pulsed, Miraâs grip tight. Finally, reluctantly, they too lowered them, but did not release. Not entirely.
Mira blew out a sharp breath, glaring daggers at Rumi. âYou didnât mention how he was a literal ancient demon, Rumi.â
Rumi smiled sheepishly, wincing. âSorry. I didnât think you guys would agree otherwise.â
Everyone groaned or sighed, frustration mixing with unease.
âLook, we need answers, right?â Rumi pressed, voice rising. âHeâs the only one who could give us that. Arenât you at all worried for Y/N? What this means for her? How youâre still here?â She turned to the boys.
Then to the girls. âWhat happens to us now with the Honmoon goneâŚ?â
Her words struck silence into the room. Everyoneâs faces turned, pensive, conflicted, the weight of it pressing down.
Itharos looked at Rumi softly, his expression unreadable, but you didnât miss the strange look in his eyes.
Your pulse thrummed. His presence was still terrifying, unsettling to your very bones. But⌠Rumi was right. You needed answers.
Slowly, you stepped out from behind Hwimori, who stiffened at your movement. Your heart hammered, but you nodded firmly. Itharosâ lips parted into a smile, slow and deliberate, as if fascinated by your very existence.
A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the ending I've chosen! I told y'all that I'm not one for sad, depressing endings. I already planned this ending from the start, so it was such a joy writing this one out and also fleshing out the boys' regret and apologies (desurv).
I'll be flushing out the ending next chapter to clear out what happens next and what this means for all of them.
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