Here you can find quick links to the array of stories I've made. I'll try my best to update the list periodically, but let me know if a link is broken/wrong.
β Technically, this is a part two to "Lunar Cycle" though it could also be read alone without really missing anything. Basically, it's just an nsfw addition to the oneshot, but warning - it is my first real nsfw work (sorry if it's a bit rough)
Warning(s): Werewolf characteristics. Swearing.
Mature: Switch!Chan, masturbation (m.), oral (f. receiving), talks of breeding, unprotected sex (don't be like Bang Chan folks), marking, praising, slight size kink.
β€ wc: 4.3k
β°ββ€ You've learned a lot about Chan over the last month, but as a new full moon approaches, you realize that you certainly haven't learned everything yet. There are still different phases to being a werewolf that you may just have to learn the hard way.
Having a werewolf boyfriend is certainly... interesting. It's nothing like what dark romance novels will have you thinking; not in the way the werewolf acts or the way they treat you. In fiction, they are often described as dark and brooding types, filled with a tortured past and a lust for blood. They ghost through your life outside of their monthly frenzy like some lost soul.
Chan is the absolute opposite of that stereotype.
Chan, despite his feral condition, is just as much of a polite fool as he seemed before the secret was released. There was no brooding, no tsundere tendencies when you offered help or to hang out. No, Chan reveled in the attention like a puppy begging for scraps. He was cheerful, not trying to hide himself away, and was always happy to indulge you. Gone was the bloodlust that overtook his mind during the transformation, leaving a shy and stumbling man who made you fall deeper for him every day.
After the 'moonlight incident' as you both had deemed it, he was ever so eager to satiate your curiosity. Any possible question, well at least those you were comfortable asking without combusting from embarrassment, were answered immediately and with a smile. Chan was simply overjoyed to have another person he could be himself with, someone he didn't have to worry about leaving when they noticed his quirks. Plus, Felix was just as happy to have someone to rant to when he came over to the cabins, stealing you away to tell any and all embarrassing stories he could.
Still, you can't deny that there have been some new oddities to Chan that you hadn't noticed before, or at least ones that had escaped your lovestruck mind during the first month of meetings. Certain traits that aligned far more with his canine soul-companion than his human half, even outside of the full moon. They were odd, certainly a change that needed to be adapted to, but you loved each and every little quirk. Plus, the more of them you noticed, the more you saw how open Chan had become. No more was the shy midnight-star-gazing companion from before; now you could see the full picture beyond just the mortal persona.
For example, when stressed, the man craved physical reassurance. A small touch or quick hug had his entire body melting during a rough composition. Just the ability to feel the pulse drumming beneath your skin made his own calm to meet its pace. "It's like listening to another song." He'd whispered one day, head basically buried into your collar as his ear pressed against the skin. "Helps erase everything."
You'd also learned that even outside of the full moon, Chan's senses were increasingly sensitive. His eyesight was like a hawk, noticing things about to fall long before they did or reaching out to steady you before you even knew you'd tripped. But his sense of smell... that was turned up to the nines. His nose constantly scrunched up when the wind blew, head unconsciously tilting towards it before muttering something about birds or smoke.
Honestly, you hadn't noticed too much of it around you until he came over one night and his entire face scrunched like he'd hit a wall. "Are... Are you wearing perfume?"
Whipping around from the stove, you pulled up the collar of your shirt and sniffed lightly. "Yeah, just a bit. Did I put too much on?" You inhaled a few more times, only catching small hints of the light fragrance, but obviously Chan could smell more as the man refused to leave the still open doorway.
"No, probably not. It's just-" He flicked his nose, cheeks red and head down slightly. He felt guilty for even mentioning it, wishing he had just ignored the overflowing floral aroma after one look at your embarrassed expression.
"Oh shit!" You quickly turned the stove down, hands shaking as you resisted the urge to bolt. How had you forgotten about his sensitive nose? Granted, you'd never worn that perfume near him, but its effects should have been a no-brainer. "Sorry! I'll go change my shirt, just give me like 5- no, 10 minutes!"
Chan didn't even have the chance to guiltily dismiss your worries before you dashed off to your room with a damp washcloth. The rest of the dinner had been nice, albeit a little awkward as you were now ultra aware of just how much he could smell you. "Could you always smell me like this?" You finally asked as the two of you settled against the couch, curiosity beating out the mortification.
Chan glanced away with red cheeks, easily answering your question without words. The shame and sudden overthinking made you groan, hands pressed against burning cheeks and body wishing it could melt against the seat below. Quickly, Chan pulled your hands away. "It's okay! I like the way you smell." The two of you froze, Chan's eyes widening as he realized how creepy that may have sounded. "I mean, it's subtle, natural. Don't worry! It's nice and... and-"
The more the man stumbled, the less embarrassment you felt, groans turning to giggles as the brunette turned and glared. "Oh hush, I'm trying to be romantic here." That only made you laugh more, which Chan responded to by collapsing on your chest and threatening to smother you with his own. By the time you two settled down, he had made himself comfortable against your skin, nose tucked gently against your neck. "It calms me. You calm me, that's what I was trying to say. I like to be able to smell you, just you."
So over the last few weeks, you'd learned to adjust yourself to his lifestyle. Never intruding or demanding him to change, but observing and altering your typical reactions. You didn't push him, and in return, he never pushed you for your quirks. With that being said, the last few days had been different - unnaturally odd.
Chan had all but disappeared from your life, choosing to hunker down in his home rather than accept your invitations for dinner. Even the short conversations you'd managed to get when catching him coming back from a run were curt; not unkind, but empty in emotion and dismissive. His eyes refused to look at you, always over your shoulder or towards the treeline instead.
As far as you knew, you hadn't crossed any boundaries, but no amount of polite questions or quiet meetings seemed to make it any better. You even went as far as to call Felix, but your worries were shrugged off with a short "Chan just gets this way sometimes".
The full moon wasn't for another week, you'd checked, and last month he hadn't exhibited any of the same coldness as you were receiving now. All of the possibilities circled your mind and kept you pacing long into the night. He hadn't actually told you to leave him alone, simply opting to brush you off or ignore you instead, which actually made you spiral even more. Finally, as the sun set on the fourth day of no explanation from Chan, you had had enough.
Throwing your blankets off, you angrily stormed out of your house and towards his. The cabin was hauntingly silent, just as it had been for days, but your hand roughly pounded against the heavy oak. "Chan!" You waited approximately 10 seconds before knocking again. And again. 3 rounds later, and there was still no answer, making you swear.
You didn't want to cross another boundary, but you were starting to get worried. Stress easily overrode any rationality, and you found your fingers quickly digging into the potted plant settled on the porch. Pulling out the dirtied spare key, and with all shame washed away by anger, you swiftly unlocked and entered the door.
The house was uncomfortably hot, yet from where you stood, you didn't see any fire glowing. "Chan?" You called out one last hopeful time, but again received no response. With bated breath, you turned to re-lock the door and slowly headed up the stairs.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
Chan had been having a rough day - no, a rough week. He always felt a little odd before the full moon, but never to this degree. Everything was turned up to the max, uncomfortably overstimulating in every way. His ears felt like they were going to explode, his nose too sensitive for even the lightest of floral breezes. Everything ached, and just being around you made him feel insane.
All Chan could focus on was the way your heart hummed beneath your flesh, how you looked so good bending over the garden by the treeline, and -by all that is holy- how he wanted to bite down and drown in you. One look -one small catch of your scent- was all it took for you to send his mind reeling and his blood burning. It was embarrassing.
Granted, he typically got a little... pent up... before the shift, but this was nearly unmanageable. His body burned and all he could think about was you. The feeling of your skin under his hands, the cute blush against your cheeks, the way your eyes would look down as your lip pouted. It was intoxicating; he wanted to devour you and claim every inch of your skin
Plus, don't even get him started on the way your dress would ride up during the movies you two watched, exposing a sinful sliver of your underwear that he was both too shy and too gleeful to mention. Or the way you smelled when he flirted with you, the spike of arousal teasing your natural beauty with a tantalising spice. You think he didn't notice the way you squirm when his lips ghost against your neck, the way your legs clench when he greets you with his rough morning voice. But he does, and he lives for those memories.
Oh just the thought of it alone made him want to rip his door open, storm over to your house and take you right there. Damn the consequences.
But he couldn't damn the consequenses. Not with you.
It isn't as if the two of you hadn't gotten intimate in the last few weeks, lots of makeout sessions and over-the-clothes action happening nearly daily, but nothing beyond a little oral. He didn't want the first proper time to be during his pre-transformation rut stage. Not when he couldn't guarantee he'd be patient or gentle.
That's why your messages lay unanswered on his phone, why he begged Felix to keep you off his back for another week. Maybe next month he could explain it, but not now, not when all he could think about is you falling apart underneath him.
Another flash of heat rolled over him as he pushed his head back against the wall, an airy groan escaping from his swollen and harshly bitten lips. In one hand, his phone lay locked open on a picture of you, something candid that you'd taken on your last date night. The bra had pushed your boobs up beautifully, and the higher angle he naturally had revealed more of your cleavage than it probably should have.
In his other hand, Chan felt his cock jump, twitching and sensitive as he ran his hand up towards the tip teasingly. His shirt remained clenched between his teeth, a desperate and useless attempt to keep himself quiet as breathy groans escaped in desperate huffs. Precum leaked from the slit as he swiped his thumb over it, back arching as he imagined your mouth in the place of his hand. How your lips, so puffy and perfect, would wrap around it and struggle to take him all.
But you would be so good. Such a good girl, using your hand to take what your throat couldn't, making sure not an inch went without. Chan tightened his grip as he imagined the feeling of your throat squeezing against it, speeding up his desperate thrusts. The phone had long since fallen back against his bed, that hand desperately running through his hair to act as some form of anchor.
But Chan was too far gone.
He could feel the pressure building, thrusts frantic as he chased the high. The shirt fell limply from his lips as he moaned out your name, freely gasping and growling, mutterances of how you felt so good falling on empty ears. He squeezed as the first wave of his orgasm hit, cursing softly as it splattered against his stomach and dripped down his hand. His head felt dizzy with each wave, barely dissipating as he slowed and tried to catch his breath.
"Chan?" His heart stopped.
There you were, the real you, staring wide-eyed at him from the edge of the doorway. You weren't sure when you had moved forward, initially frozen in shock at the sight of your boyfriend, but somehow you had walked from the hall and into the sinful room.
A brilliant flush covered every inch of Chan's body as he tried to cover his manhood, pillow roughly thrown as he squeaked out your name. "Wh-What are you doing here?"
You didn't answer right away, eyes still cast down at the pillow that now hid his shame. "You were ignoring me... I got worried." You then let out the prettiest sigh he'd ever heard, sending blood rushing southward as your scent filled the room with each step. "Oh baby, is this why you've been hiding away?"
"I-" Chan didn't know what to say, brain too dazed by the fact that you were actually there before him. His skin, sweaty from everything, began to boil again as his eyes flickered over your pajama clad body.
"Hun," You whispered, sitting against the edge of the bed and ghosting a hand over the side of the pillow. "Why didn't you ask me to help? Is this part of pre-full moon stuff?"
Chan gulped, cheeks ablaze. "I didn't want to risk anything, or to make you feel like you had any obligations."
Your tongue darted across your lips; perfect, pink, and oh-so wet. "Baby, I would have jumped to help you. We've been through this. I want to see every part of you, no matter what it entails. Wherever the moon takes us, remember?" You moved your hand further up, both too close and too far from the area he so desperately needed you. "Can I help?"
Chan bit his lip, breaking skin with a quick sting before he nodded. With little hesitation, you pulled the pillow back and nearly gasped. While you'd seen him before, something about this was different, more erotic. Covered in his first orgasm, it still remained hard and desperately flushed, tip so pretty and puffy your mouth watered just at the thought of it in you.
Against your more pressing desires, you pulled your eyes away and shifted closer, "Come here." Pulling him in by his shirt, you messily pressed your lips against his swollen ones, moaning lowly as you tasted the iron lingering on them. Chan immediately responded in earnest, trailing his hands up and under your shirt and reveling in the feeling of your skin and tongue against his own. Your lips, desperate against his, slowly migrated down his neck, nipping at the sensitive skin as you travelled further south.
Before you could reach his cock though, Chan's eyes widened and he quickly pulled you up. "No wait-"
You looked so confused, lips puffy and nearly drooling. "Chan?" Guilt replaced lust as your thoughts spiralled. Had you pushed too far too fast? Made him uncomfortable in some way?
No, that wasn't the case at all. Chan was drowning in desire, drowning in a need to be covered in every way by you. "I need to taste you." It came out as more of a plea than anything else, lips licked and eyes wide in begging. "Please."
Already, the scent of your arousal had filled every inch of the room, but he needed the source. With a quick nod of your head, you let him shift positions, your head resting against the pillows as Chan worshiped down your body. His warm hands trailed softly, nails nipping against sensitive skin before he reached your sleeping shorts. Another nod, and they were gone, both the shorts and your soaked underwear lost in the chaos of the room. The hot air felt oddly cool against your exposed lips, already glistening in need.
"Oh fuck," Chan exhauled, finger gently trailing up and down the puffy slit, eyes threatening to roll back as the thick juices coated them. "You're so beautiful. So perfect."
Your breath hitched as Chan used his now soaked fingers to spread your lips, glancing up at you one more time for reassurance before diving in. The pleasure was immediate, hips threatening to buck under his powerful hand, his tongue flattening against that little bundle of nerves beautifully. "Chan!"
Between your legs, Chan felt like he'd finally gone to heaven. The taste of you coating every inch of his tongue was exquisite, somehow better than the first time. His two fingers pressed against and into your hole, groaning as the sensitive flesh sucked him in. His tongue alternated between suckling against your clit and lapping up the nectar gathering. His hips, aching and heavy, ground against the bed below him, further adding to the immense pleasure surrounding his senses.
Chan was basically whimpering, inaudible begging escaping as he feasted. Your moans echoed through the room as the pressure built, sounding like angels singing to him and spurring his fingers to move with more pressure. His tongue remained on the nub as he heard the familiar broken moan, a sign that you were soon to peak.
You reached out to grab hold of his hair, roughly pulling him closer as if afraid he'd deny you. But Chan wouldn't, not when he was just as desperate. With one last suckle, you cried out, arching against the bed as your nerves twitched with relief. Chan echoed your moan, feeling the muscles tighten and the slick pooling against his skin. He lapped up every drop you gave, drowning in it until he felt your hand gently tug his hair to get him away.
Chan's face was sinful, lips glistening and pupils blown wide. He looked drunk, hips still stuttering against the bed as he laid his head on your inner thigh. Your muscles twitched, weak as you tried to shift, but the brunette's tight grip kept you grounded. "Chan, it's my turn."
"No," He glanced up, near tears. The inner beast begged him to claim you, push you against the bed until you could think of nothing but him. "Please, I can't take it any longer. I need you, need to be inside you. Please baby, let me take you. I need it so bad."
Who were you to deny him when he looked so damn pretty?
"Then take me, baby."
Chan needed nothing more, legs stumbling as he scrambled to pull your shirt off and audibly moaning as your braless chest was exposed to the open air. All he could think about was how good you were going to feel, how good he could make you feel, and you were lost in the same thoughts.
His cock, painfully swollen and needy, slipped across your slit a few times, gathering up the dribbling lubricant before Chan shifted so that the tip was kissing against your opening. He resisted the urge to just shove it in -the desperation to feel you all around him- and instead gradually pushed the puffy tip in inch by inch. "Oh shit."
You felt ethereal. Unreal and so damn tight. Your lips parted in a breathy moan at the stretch, painful pleasure striking through your core like lightning. "Baby-Shi... You're so fucking big."
Chan panted, grip bruising against your hips as he pushed the last few inches in, reveling in the way your walls fluttered as he bottomed out. The two of you moaned in unison, breathless and already oh-so lost in the pleasure. You could feel the way his cock pulsed, heavy against your spongy insides and twitching every time you unconsciously squeezed.
"Fuck," Chan wanted nothing more than to snap his hips, caging you beneath his heavy body as he claimed every inch, but for both your sakes, he waited. "Can-"
He couldn't even finish the question, but luckily you understood, practically begging. "Please, I need you."
And the string snapped.
Hips roughly pulling back, Chan's eyes rolled back as he snapped them forward, feeling every inch of you sucking him back in. The wet squelch of sweaty skin against skin filled the room, only drowned out by the obscene moaning escaping your bruised lips. "Fu.. You feel so good, so good for me."
Your legs desperately wrapped around his hips, heels pushing him closer as your fingernails dug crescents into his back. Chan didn't mind though; no, he loved the marks that bit against his skin. Proof that he was yours just as much as you were his. His own teeth nipped against your neck and collar as his hips thrusted, leaving wet and purple bruises along their way.
"Mine," he growled, hips shifting to reach deeper as he fell to his forearms and caged you against his body. Every inch of your senses was filled with him, his sweat, the smell of sex in the room, the feeling of his cock bullying deeper into you as a desperate attempt to mark you. "Only mine. Fuck-" He could feel you tightening, his pelvis moving against your clit with each thrust as he crushed you beneath him. Each time he pushed, he could feel a small bump against his stomach as your body struggled to let him in.
So small, so perfect. You took him like you were made for it, made to be his. Oh, how pretty you'd look all full and fucked out. How gorgeous you'd glow after he'd pumped you full enough to leak, bred thoroughly until it caught. He whimped, choking back a long moan at the thought, the image of you swollen with life doing irreparable damage to the same beast that threatened to devour you whole.
"Gonna fill you up, yeah?" He kept his pace steady, hand reaching down to add extra stimulation to your nerves. "You want that? To be filled with me, every inch inside and out claimed by no one else but me?"
You could feel your orgasm approaching, back arching near painfully as his words sent you spiralling. "Please! Wa- want you so... oh fuck... so bad. A-All... all of you."
Chan growled; an actual primal growl ripping through his throat as you tightened around him, walls fluttering and pushing him closer to his own orgasm. The way you fell apart was exquisite, puffy lips parted in a choked off scream and eyes rolled back to heaven. His own orgasm followed quickly, hitting rough and uncontrollable as he spilled inside you.
His teeth, once nipping gently against your skin, dug deep into your shoulder, a sharp pain erupting that only made you moan more. He felt so warm, filling every inch as he lazily slowed his thrusts down, riding out his high until he was finally spent. The two of you laid there for a few moments, basking in the high and one another's warm presence.
"You okay?" His voice, gravely and worn from the noises that had escaped, sounded so calming against your pounding heart.
Your whole body warmed at the genuine question, tired arms shifting to run your fingers through his hair. "I'm great- that was great, baby. You okay?"
Chan weakly nodded, head still buried in your neck. "Fuck, that was amazing." With spent muscles, he finally pushed himself up and onto his palms, love-filled gaze looking down at you. "You were so perfect." Gently sharing a kiss, Chan finally pulled out, nearly whimpering at the overstimulation. To be fair, just watching his seed dribble out almost made him come again, biting his lip to hide the shaky moan that threatened to break free.
The two of you cleaned one another up, Chan pulling the blanket away and carefully laying another one down before he pulled you tightly against him. "I love you so much, did you know that?"
You hummed, smiling and taking in the warmth surrounding you. "You may have said it before."
Chans grip tightened, "I don't know what I did to deserve someone as understanding as you." Falling into mutual comfort, you two listened to the world slowly wake up outside, simply happy to be near one another again without the awkward tension of the last few days.
Shifting against his hot body, you buried your face further into his chest and took comfort in the way he adjusted. "So, how long does this pent-up phase usually last?"
"Until the full moon." Chan sleepily mumbled, face tucking away against your hair, eyes closed.
You hummed in acknowledgment, slowly beginning to doze off as well until his words fully sank in. Full moon? Which is- "Wait, a week!?"
β This prompt was sent by @someone-elseworld and I absolutely fell in love with the premise. Any type of ethereal / mythological Felix is a one-way ticket to my heart.
Warning(s): Fluff(?). Love at first sight (for Felix). Slightly possessive nature.
β€ wc: 4.1k
β°ββ€ Felix loved his job; he loved love. In all its forms, no matter who or what, Felix loved to witness romance bloom and grow. He took great pride in guiding souls together and never failed a mission. Well, until you.
The concept of love is more complex than most people think. There is no simple chemical formula that makes one fall in love, nor is it entirely a matter of personal choice. No, love is personalized to each and every being in the universe. It's a force controlled by an outsider; a combination of both fate and mythological beings who guide and pierce the souls of people, binding them together for eternity. Love is controlled by an invisible wire wrapped around our hearts, its fate written in the stars and guided by special creatures: Cupids.
Unlike modern portrayals, there is no one Cupid, nor do they look like giant toddlers in diapers and bibs. No, cupids are the offspring of love itself; a combined effort from Lady Aphrodite and the strings of fate binding together to create beings of pure passion. They are ethereal, just like the angels they mimic, and behold a beauty far beyond that of what could ever be portrayed by a human. Their job lay in the hands of seduction rather than scripture, having a much more hands-on approach to their duties.
A cupid's sole duty is to be the guide of love. They help bring souls together using their charms and golden arrows, enhancing the attraction felt and molding them into one. Felix is one of these cupids, often remarked as the Cupid by his hyungs and dongseang purely due to the intense nature of his passion. His arrows always flew true, never missing their target and entwining them in a long and healthy relationship. People often teased him for being Aphrodite's favourite, muttering that he had been kissed by fate, but in reality, Felix just really liked his job.
Other cupids often became mischievous or jealous towards their human subjects over time, abusing their power and lead arrows to stir up drama and misfortune. Felix simply never understood why. The disruption of fate was sacrilege, and to destroy the pure love involved was just cruel. How could one find any joy in others' misery? Simply seeing tears in anyone's eyes sent the blonde into overdrive, desperate to fix the situation in any way he possibly could. Felix simply couldn't understand wanting to disobey his purpose.
Well, that was until your assignment landed on his desk.
It was meant to be like any other mission; a quick scouting to see when the two souls were bound to cross paths, a priming of the arrows, and boom! A new soul link would be created. Plus, you were the perfect cadet, a hopeless romantic who worshiped her ladyship, Aphrodite. It should have been the easiest job in a century.
But then Felix saw you.
By the Gods, he could see only you.
Everything else faded out into the background, leaving you as the sole focus. It felt like he'd been pricked by an arrow himself, unable to turn away from you as his skin warmed and a blush rushed to his cheeks. You looked so exquisite under the warm sunlight, its rays perfectly framing your whole body and shining against your hair. Your smile - dear Aphrodite, your smile - was so warm as you cooed towards the kitten in your lap, quiet laughter filling the air as it kissed against your nose. Felix felt his feathers ruffle at the sound, vibrating against his spine and filling every bit of his being. All he could focus on was you and the vibrancy of your soul.
"Hush now, I have to leave soon." Your voice, sweet as honey against his ears, echoed as you held the kitten in the air, shaking it playfully as it tried to pat against your dress strings. "Mama will kill me if I'm late, and I don't think she'd buy me using you as a valid excuse."
The kitten meowed back, as if disagreeing, and hung in the air with little care. Your playful glare immediately dropped into a bright smile as you pulled it in tighter, carefully balancing it in your arms as you pushed yourself to your feet. "Ah! I can't just leave you here." The kitten mewed in agreement, immediately latching on as you began to walk down the road, wide green eyes staring behind your body and straight into his own as if the cat could see him.
It was only when your body became but a speck in the distance that Felix finally broke from his spell, nearly falling to the ground as he gripped against his racing heart. Everything felt dizzying, too loud and too fast at the same time. Never had he ever reacted that way before; not to humans, to other angels, - by the gods - not even when he met with Lady Aphrodite herself. He had never felt such a connection, such an infatuation with just one glance.
Scrambling, Felix searched his pockets for the charmed scroll he had slipped inside before he left, frantically unraveling it and staring down at the information. He skimmed the words quickly, taking in everything there was to know about you before he landed on your fated other. His rapport was far less impressive than yours, a boring man you so clearly could do better than. You deserved someone who shared your interests, who shared your passion, and who viewed life like it was the only one you would ever witness.
Someone like him.
The thought was so corrupted, so sudden, but it felt so right. Who was this man to deserve someone as bright as you, when Felix could so easily give you anything you could desire?
The blonde was quick to shake his head, as if frantically trying to remove the idea that had already dug its claws into his flesh. Who was he kidding? He had a job to do, one he actually quite enjoyed. This was just a momentary lapse in judgement, one that by tonight would surely fade.
Right?
Unlike his usual reconnaissance, Felix found himself avoiding you and relying purely on estimation for where you'd be by the time the sun fell. Instead, he peeked in on the other half of the proposed soul bond, lightly sneering at the pigstye he encountered. The man was a brute, full of toxic masculinity and muscle. He seemed to have not a romantic bone in his body, purely driven by madness and mayhem. Each second spent watching made Felix want to turn and run even more, solidifying his earlier thought of his undeserving nature.
While you worried about your mother and cared for strays who wandered into your path, the man seemed to take pleasure in misery and poked wars in hopes of a fight. This pairing between the two of you echoed the stereotypical 'opposites-attract' storyline, and Felix was not happy about it. Yet he stayed; he waited for the sun to fall and followed the burly man as he stumbled from the bar.
In his hands, a magnificent bow materialized from the last sliver of the sun at dusk. It weighed unnaturally heavy, string drawn too tight, but Felix held it up with steady arms. He watched as you sauntered down the road, opposite side to the man he had been following all day. Your head seemed to be in the clouds, humming a soft tune and completely unaware of what was to happen tonight. The golden arrow formed as Felix pulled the string back, aimed directly at the mans heart as he walked.
One second. Then two.
The string began to waver under the pressure, but Felix just couldn't let go. He didn't want this. For the first time ever, he disagreed with fate. His fingers itched, but all it took was one soft sigh from you for him to twist his wrist and let go.
The brilliant arrow flew through the air like a firefly, zipping soundlessly before it struck its target and exploded. The poor creature yelped and froze before its unnaturally wide eyes blinked up at the object of its newfound affection. Fuelled with the energy of a hundred suns, the raccoon rushed out of the alleyway and towards the man with passionate chirps escaping from its mouth.
Felix couldn't even smile as the creature chased the human, only able to watch you with a heavy heart of guilt. You, who were none the wiser to what had just occurred, only choking down a chuckle as the burly man rushed down the street beside you. You didn't know how he destroyed the ring of fate intertwined with your heart, nor how he so desperately wanted to wrap his own around it. You knew only peace.
But Felix knew it all.
He had defied his orders - his purpose - for you. Craved you in a way he struggled to grasp, but he knew he could not let you suffer with another. This was far beyond a simple physical attraction. Your soul sang to him, its kindness echoed in the way you interacted with other things in your life. You were more than just beautiful; you were an elysian human - closer to heaven than humanity. You deserved more than some boring human companion.
Someone like Felix.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
The teasing was relentless after word got out about his 'failure'. Not a day went by where he didn't hear something about a "blemish on the golden record" or how he must have been sleeping on the job. It kind of hurt, Felix wouldn't lie, especially the look his hyungs gave him, but the blonde kept his lips sealed under false apologies.
The rest of his missions went undisturbed, complete successes just as they always had, but a new pull kept him lingering on Earth longer than necessary.
"Felix!" Your soft voice called through the crowd, overflowing with excitement. You jumped slightly, hand waving through the crowd until he spotted you with a smile.
He, under the glamour of a mortal, had introduced himself to you less than a day after the whole incident, masquerading as a travelling artist in seek of a muse. The first introduction had admittedly been orchestrated by him, enlisting the help of a few strays to make himself seem more approachable, but you hadn't seemed afraid. Shy, undoubtedly, but not afraid to approach and help him carry the animals towards their colony.
It had been so cute, the way you avoided eye contact until you got really passionate on a subject, the blush across your skin gradually dimming the longer you spent in his presence. You soon found yourself talking like old friends, sharing a tea, and wasting the day away in good company. The whole interaction had Felix falling even harder, solidifying his choice and easily drowning out the guilt.
Back in the present, warmth burst through the stress surrounding him, a warmth only you could bring, and he began to shuffle towards you. "___! What are you doing out here?"
You stumbled slightly, his hands reaching out on instinct to balance you, and grinned up towards the blonde that you were quickly becoming more than fond of. "Vana cancelled on me so I figured I would go out and enjoy the sun. What about you? Finally found your muse yet?"
Felix wanted to say yes, to sweep you off your feet and exclaim that it was and always would be you. But that would be taking things too far, too quick. Instead, he cheekily grinned and shrugged. "Perhaps. I'm still weighing my options. Why? trying to get rid of me already?"
He could have sworn your expression wilted for half a second in response to his vague answer, but just as quickly as it happened, your smile was back and brighter than ever. "Me? Never. If I could, I'd shrink you down and hide you in my jacket pocket. My little personal Felix forever."
His cheeks immediately flushed at the notion, the idea sending his concealed wings fluttering about. To be with you forever, so close to your heart? Sign him up immediately.
"Well," He coughed to clear the words he desperately wanted to say but couldn't. "I can't guarantee forever, but how about today? We're both free, may as well make a day of it, yeah?"
You were quick to agree, looping your arm in his and pulling him around the city. Your skin felt so warm against his, pulse drumming steadily and masking his own rhythm. With each step, he felt himself being pulled closer to your soul, wings desperately fluttering behind him like a fledgling. Everything about you was just so perfect it drove him crazy.
"You know," The two of you had slowed down, the sun setting and well-deserved icecreams in your hands. "I've never gotten so close to someone as quick as I have you, Lixie."
Felix choked at your sudden admission, coughing up the dairy treat roughly before muttering a soft, "Oh?"
Perhaps it was just the day getting to you, but you nodded and continued on the bold streak. "Yeah. It... It feels almost like fate, you know? Like I've known you all my life."
While his heart sang under the unadulterated praise you sent his way, that same stone-heavy guilt he carried for days bullied through his stomach. Because this wasn't fate; he had taken that away from you with his selfish decision not to strike you with his arrow. "Maybe we knew each other in another life?"
You hummed softly, smiling at the idea. "I like that, and somehow we found each other again. Even if it's just for a short while." You softly closed your eyes, tired from both the day and your own brewing feelings, and leaned your head against his arm.
Immediately, Felix tensed, too scared to move. His wings puffed out from his back -luckily still glamoured - and glowed under the intense emotion running through his veins. Ever so carefully, he wrapped his arm around your shoulders and pulled you closer, shifting so that you were leaning more against muscle than bone. "I'm glad I found you too."
Everything was perfect, a peace that Felix hadn't felt in weeks, until the atmosphere shifted. Something low hummed through the air, making his feathers twitch. Then he saw him. Your fated. Casually strolling down the road a mere few feet before the two of you. He seemed none the wiser, casually talking on the phone, but his presence set the blonde on high alert. His eyes scanned over the darkening city, searching carefully for a sign of what he hoped was just his fear talking.
But no, it wasn't. There, sitting dutifully up in the tree a few feet away was another cupid. Someone young, not quite recognizable from the distance, but their pink-tinted wings and glowing bow made their role painfully apparent. The two arrows were already aimed, trained to strike you and the other man's hearts within seconds as the new cupid loosened his grip.
Felix couldn't even think, panic overtaking every inch of the once peaceful setting as he fluttered his wings and spun. You squeaked at the sudden movement, head shoved against his chest as the two of you tumbled onto the ground. His weight fell heavily against your body, pushing the air out of your lungs as you tried to claw your way to freedom.
Above, the two arrows flew true, striking the man perfectly before the second one meant for you landed on a truck mirror not too far from his face. Golden dust filled the air as he exclaimed, before it all settled and the now love-drunk man found himself stumbling towards the inanimate object. "You're beautiful." He muttered, looking deep into his reflection. Perhaps if it were another time, Felix would have genuinely felt sorry for the man, but your struggle beneath hin quickly regained his full attention.
"Sorry!" His body basically flew back, frantically scrambling to his feet as he tried to locate the now missing cupid while also offering to help you stand.
You huffed, body aching when you were finally freed. Your legs stumbled weakly to stand as you tried to fix your clothes, glaring up at the man you had been so comfortable with minutes prior. "What the heck was that, Felix!?"
"Uh," He dumbly muttered. "I saw a bug?"
It came out as more of a question than a statement, making you cross your arms. "A bug? You, the same guy who easily moved a giant spider not even an hour ago, were so scared of a bug you threw us on the ground?"
"It was a big one." He sheepishly squeaked out, rubbing the back of his neck before suddenly freezing as a loud pop resignated right by his ear.
"What in the world was that, man!?" The young cherub was yelling, clearly invisible by the look of disinterest on your face, and flailing their arms around in the air. "You think it's funny to play with people's missions like that? That was my final exam! They're gonna fail me now because of you!"
Felix tried to inconspicuously wave the fluttering annoyance off, but by the way your face scrunched, he was clearly not doing a very good job. "Sorry, bugs everywhere, you know?"
"I don't see any bugs." You muttered, arms crossing as you watched the usually calm and collected man flail about.
"Oh, so many. I think I have to head out-"
"If I have to retake this test i'm gonna-"
"Yep! I really have to go, so sorry!" Felix frantically waved, hand finding its target as he gripped the fledglings wing and tugged. "I'll talk to you later, yeah?"
Not waiting for a response, Felix rushed down the street and around the corner before rounding on the young cupid. "Look, I'm sorry about your test, but it was never going to succeed. I mean, using two arrows at once? That's the quickest way for accidents to happen like tonight."
His explanation did nothing to calm the cherub; instead, it made his wings glow with anger. "Don't blame me! It would have hit her if you hadn't jumped like a maniac." Their hands then gripped Felix's sweater. "You're coming with me and explaining all of this to her Ladyship."
Eyes widening, Felix tried to pull away but the two were gone in a puff of pink before he could succeed. Landing roughly on the golden floors of home, the young fledgling wasted no time in basically dragging his stumbling body into the main prayer center. Both of them fell into a polite bow when spotting the lounging lady, her ever-changing irises flickering with amusement.
"Well now, what brings you two young ones to seek me?" Her voice filled the air like a sweet-smelling fog, distracting the young one before they could launch into a lengthy explanation.
"My Lady," Felix felt his body quiver in fear. Aphrodite was a fair creator, but when it came to love she could be cruel. He hated to think what his punishment for disobeying the fates would be; whether or not she would take it out on him or you. "I... I have failed you."
The goddess lifted a perfect brow. "Did you now?"
Felix moved to explain, but the young cupid beside himself had gathered enough of their senses back. "He interrupted a binding! Threw his whole body on one of them and made me miss my shot!"
Aphrodite hummed, waving a hand in her mirror and stifling a giggle as the poor human appeared, kissing against his reflection messily. "Oh my, it appears we have another Narcissus on our hands." She then turned back to the pair, tilting her head. "Dual arrows?"
Felix solemnly nodded while the fledgling looked offended. Before they could defend their bad choice, the goddess waved him off. "You'll be reassigned a new test tomorrow. Leave now, please."
They looked like they wanted to argue, but one sharp glance from the woman sent them scurrying to bow and escape. Then it was just Felix left alone to face his fate. The goddess watched him in silence for a few moments, eyes glancing up and down before motioning him forward with a finger. "Why?"
Such a simple question should have had such a simple answer, but Felix truly didn't know. He was made to serve one purpose: to carry out the will of love itself. But with you, he just couldn't. "I don't know."
"Hmm, but I think you do." Aphrodite pointed towards his heart, finger intertwining with an invisible wire. "You, my darling little creature, fell in love." With a harsh tug against the wire, Felix stumbled forward and gasped, a sharp buzz resonating from his core to the tips of his feathers. The string, once invisible and unknown to him, glowed a vibrant gold and stretched across the room, only fading out as it met the end.
"What-?" His voice trailed off, unable to breathe as he stared down at the string of fate wrapped around his heart."But that's impossible."
"Who told you that?" Aphrodite cooed, trailing her fingers along the wire and making his body hum. "You're a creature of love and passion, are you not? Is it really impossible for you to feel exactly that for another?"
"But she has a fated." His voice was low, too afraid to dare let in any hope.
Aphrodite simply hummed that same gentle and bored tune. "The fates are fickle, always crossing the yarn over and mixing the colours. Do you want her to go to another?"
"No." Felix wasn't sure of much lately, but he was certain that if he saw you with another, it would break him.
Aphrodites curious expression morphed into one filled with joy. "Then tell her."
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
In hindsight, it was a stupid idea to rush down to Earth immediately after the life-altering reveal, but Felix couldn't risk anything happening between now and when the sun finally woke up. His little wings fluttered frantically, wind biting against his skin before he tumbled out of the air and skidded to a rough stop outside your house.
"___!" His breath escaped in sharp gasps, air refusing to enter his lungs at a great enough capacity for comfort. "Please, I need to talk to you."
Your head peeked out your window, hair pinned back and out of your paint-stained face. Perhaps if he were of a clearer mind, he would have been overjoyed that he hadn't woken you, but instead, he just frantically motioned outside. With a confused squint, you complied and slowly meandered down the balcony ladder. "Felix? What are you doing here at," You glanced at your watch and hissed, "4 in the morning?"
"I needed to talk to you, to clear some things up." Felix moved closer, reaching out to grab your hand before pausing. "I-"
"Yeah?" You whispered, suddenly too aware of how close the blonde was.
"I think I love you."
The confession hung heavy, flooding your mind as it reeled frantically. "You... love me?" The words that should have filled you with glee - that you had wanted to hear since you first met him - instead filled your gut with uncertainty. "Why?"
Felix looked taken aback. "Why?" His hold against your hands flexed. "Because you're you? Everything about you is perfect. Your laugh, your smile, the warmth you show. I love you for your kindness towards strangers, and the way you blush under every compliment. I love you for your entire being."
His words filled the cool air with certainty, fully prepared to continue before you crashed your lips against his. The sensation felt like fireworks in his bones, lighting up every inch of his skin. He could feel his heart singing, reaching out desperately for your own as his arms wrapped tightly around you.
Only when it became hard to breathe did Felix dare pull back, lips swollen and eyes heavy. "Gods, I wanted to do that since the first time I laid eyes on you." His breath tickled against your lips, soothing the overwhelming warmth.
"Me too." Your grip tightened, pulling him closer and with great happiness, he complied. Your warm body molded perfectly against his, hearts singing in unison. Below his skin, Felix could feel the tightness of the wire decrease, a bond unseen by most solidifying as the two of you swayed under the moonlight.
Felix loved love, but he could admit that nothing would ever look as beautiful or feel as good as your love for one another.
They're finally all done! Each name is linked to the corresponding oneshot (hopefully)! Thank you everyone for the support you've given towards this project!
Masterlist
Cw: Descriptions of blood, death, and organ (heart) consumption. Slightly suggestive.
β€ wc: 3.6k
Χβ°ββ€ Jeongin just wanted your heart. Not in a romantic sense, but in the literal tear it out and feast on it sort of way. It was what Kumiho's like him do; seduce and feast to starve off the eternity of boredom. It was meant to be a quick and easy game, until you showed up and refused to play by the typical rules. Now Jeongin found himself chasing after his prey for the first time in years.
The crimson splattered against the tub with the same soft pattering as rain. Cruel and contrasting against the pure white linoleum, thickly dripping down and against his skin. The breath left her parted lips like the tail end of a whisper, willowy and oh so sweet against his skin. He could feel her life force merging with his, warmth building in his veins as he carefully guided her body back. Gentle, as if handling glass, he laid her against the cool tiles and softly closed her eyes.
She had gone quick, no fight, no worries. It was likely she hadn't even realized what was happening before she fell, and that made Jeongin proud. He was a monster, most definitely, but he was not cruel. There was a balance he kept, a relief that always came at the end of a game. Perhaps it was a small reward for playing, a silent thank you for the meal that would be given. Or perhaps he just didn't care to hear their screams like others of his species did.
Carefully sweeping the woman's hair away from her face, the ginger trailed his dark claws against her quickly cooling skin, his blazing irises flicking to life as the sharp edges caught and snagged on the flesh. He paused, hand resting just under her chest, before he finally dug in. The sound of tearing filled the small room, quickly followed by dull cracking of bone and cartilage before he ripped his hand back. There, coated in thick, warm blood, lay a bulky muscle. Her heart.
The weight hung heavily in his hands, a balancing act reminiscent of ancient Egyptian afterlife as he shifted the organ back and forth. It glistened under the harsh lighting and leaked crimson down his arm. Jeongin could feel his canines itching against his gums as he stared down at the piece of meat, his body buzzing as his inner beast begged to be released. His back ached, skin twitching until a sleek tail appeared.
And then another. And another. Repeat.
Each fell against the floor with a dull thump, pristine fur glinting and warm against his exposed skin. His teeth finally emerged, and his irises burned with a great intensity as he brought the muscle to his lips and bit down. The taste was euphoric as iron blood mixed with the essence of life itself. It couldn't be described; how could you describe the taste of a soul, of humanity?
He feasted, teeth tearing against flesh as he absorbed the very essence of his prey. Two became one, and power filtered through his veins as he leaned back, grinning widely up at the ceiling when he echoed the same position as the girl by his feet. The Kumiho had won that day, another round of the game finished, simply waiting for the next contestant.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
The apartment next to his never remained empty for long, no matter how many women had to suddenly 'move away' with little to no notice. It was in a nice part of the city, low rent, plus Jeongin was diligent about how he handled the whole process. It certainly wasn't hard to imitate the latest woman's voice, nor her way of texting. He'd pay a few months' rent, mention the sudden move, and boom; everyone was none the wiser.
It certainly made everything a whole lot easier for him, making sure that the young Kumiho never stayed bored for long. Within no time, his ears caught the ever-familiar sound of a moving van pulling in, the rough tones of the workers echoing up and into his room. He moved to peek out the window, narrow fox-like eyes squinting down at the small group outside. A wolf-like grin immediately stretched across his lips as he spotted you.
You, who waved her hands through the air animatedly as you spoke, motioning from the moving van to the building in quick succession. You, all bundled up in warm autumn clothes that made you look like a little kitten hiding in the grass. You, who combated the sweet innocence of your appearance by spouting out curse words like there was no tomorrow.
"What the hell do you mean you can't help move them to my apartment? That's what the contract said when I signed it!" You frantically glanced around at all the boxes lining the sidewalk, stressed tones flowing through Jeongins ears like music.
"Ma'am, I already told you, we were told to do this by our boss. You apparently paid for delivery, not assistance, and we have 4 more houses to hit before the day ends. I'm sorry, but we have to leave." The elder of the two movers was quick to wave his companion into the car, the younger sending you a sympathetic smile before the van rushed down the road. You stood still, frozen in shock as you watched the taillights dim before ultimately throwing up your hands and cursing the world.
Jeongin's grin never faded as he slipped away from the window and pulled on his shoes with practiced precision. He gracefully slipped from his apartment and into the elevator with ease, smug expression masked by a false look of surprise when he spotted you stumbling with the boxes in your arms. "Oh my, here let me help."
His hands easily took the place of yours, pulling the boxes away and revealing your bright eyes to the world. You blinked twice, confused, before smiling softly. "Thanks, I seemed to have really over-estimated my ability to walk blind."
Jeongin swiftly jutted out his hip, resting one corner of the pile against it so he could see you more clearly. "Are you just moving in? I don't think I've seen you before." The question was redundant; he already knew you were his neighbour, but you were clueless so it was up to him to play the role of kind-hearted helper.
"Yeah, actually." You shifted the couple of boxes remaining in your hands and smiled brightly. "I'm moving into 4-B."
The kumiho gave a fake little gasp and widened his eyes. "No way. Well, nice to meet my new neighbour so early, I live in 4-A." Motioning towards the pile of boxes outside, he continued. "Do you want some help?"
The way your cheeks lit up was cute, like a little pup embarrassed by all the attention. Gods, it was going to make this game so easy. "I wouldn't want to bother you."
Jeongin spun on his heels, grin full of teeth. "No problem, I don't have any plans today." He motioned towards the elevator with his head. "Come on."
Your embarrassment quickly faded into a genuine smile, following the boy up and onto your floor. Stumbling to take the keys out, you motioned for him to set the boxes down wherever. "I'll organize it all later, seeing as I didn't really organize it while packing."
Jeongin followed you out the door and into the elevator again. "That's relatable. When I moved I just threw everything into trash bags and hoped it would survive." He then turned to fully face you, "I'm Jeongin by the way."
You were glad he hadn't reached out for a handshake and smiled softly back at him. "___. I really appreciate this."
The boy simply waved you off and the two of you gradually moved the pile of boxes up and into your new home. You shared little quips as you walked, lighthearted talk between newly acquainted strangers, but by the end of it, you were exhausted. Jeongin hadn't even broken a sweat, still infuriatingly perfect as he effortlessly carried piles of bags and boxes up and down the hall, all with a smile twitching against his lips
You were so cute - a little lamb scuttering about in its new habitat. Your cheeks were quick to warm under every little compliment and tease, looking deliciously rosy. The sound of your laughter was so pure and unadulterated it made his own heart sing. Every movement made his tails twitch from beneath his skin, shivering across his spine. He hadn't felt like this about a game in ages, and oh my were you going to be so easy
"Well, that was fun." He spun around by the door as you walked, casually leaning his back against the frame. "Maybe we can get some dinner? I've got some leftover tteokbokki and meat buns I could fry up at my place." It was a line that never failed, the casual invitation that snagged every person into his web.
He certainly hadn't expected you to smile oh so sweetly at him, and then shake your head. "Sorry, I'm already super exhausted, and I don't think I know you well enough for that yet. Thanks for the invite though, maybe next time?" and with one last beautifully soft smile, you closed the door on him.
The gentle click of a lock echoed, solidifying his fate and rejection, leaving him standing there gaping. Huh? Jeongin had done that move multiple times before and never had he had someone reject him. They were always so infatuated with his 'nice-boy-neighbor' persona and blinded by his smile to even think about their lack of acquaintance. So why had you?
Numbly, he stumbled back to his own apartment and collapsed against the couch as soon as the door clicked, staring up at the ceiling. It was silent, deadly so, for a few minutes before his lips twitched. Then they stretched, a delusional smile torn into his flesh. He had been wrong for the first time in years. You were no easy lamb who falls into a spider's den; no, you were cautious. Intelligent enough to know when the game became too dangerous.
And by the stars was that going to make this so much fun.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
The game progressed over the next few weeks with little success; the two of you dancing around each other like swans drifting through water. Jeongin had pulled out all his usual moves - corgile, kind, and playing the patient man - but you were going to drive him into insanity. The flickering of your eyelashes when you turned to look at him, the subtle lick of your lips when you spoke, even the warmth of your skin when you dared walk too close for casual friends.
And still, you didn't give in. You didn't play into Jeongin's lingering touches, his not-so-faint stares, or the way he'd glance at your lips for a little too long. Most girls would have fallen to their knees by now, courted and consumed before the month was up.
But not you.
You played with fire and dared it to burn you. Tempted both his patience and fate with the same wavering of the line. The Kumiho found himself caring less for the reward at the end of it all and more for your attention. Just a sliver of your time to tide his begging beast. He craved it, deserved it. After all, he had been so good, so kind.
"Sorry, Innie." You pitifully smiled at the pouting boy. "I already had plans tonight."
If his fox ears were out, they would have flopped against his head. "Doing what? What could be better than sitting back in your apartment and watching old classics with a buffet of food?"
You chuckled at his childish nature, a big shift from the suave persona he had early on in your friendship. "It isn't better, trust me I would much rather do that, but I promised my coworkers I'd attend the dinner tonight."
"Dinner?" Jeongin scoffed. "It sounds more like you're going to the club." He bit down on his tongue, suppressing he whine that threatened to bubble up at the thought of you in such an environment. Dancing under the dull lights, breath hot and heavy.
You had the audacity to laugh at his pouting. "Technically, you're right but I'm just going for the food. And maybe with the hopes of seeing my boss do something embarrassing so I can blackmail him." You then smirked. "Why, jealous?"
Yes.
"No. Jealous of what? Your bad dance moves?" Was what escaped instead. His inner demon hissed, tempted to reach out and grab hold of your wrist to demand you stay home instead. But he knew he couldn't. It had taken him far too long to get this close and any wrong movement would sabotage everything indefinitely.
You simply giggled, knocking your shoulder against his gently. "Sure, whatever you say."
That evening was absolute torture as Jeongin listened to you get ready, your low hums echoing through his wall and into his ears. He could hear every little detail: the gentle clack of your heels, the sinful zip of your dress, the breathy laugh as you greeted your friend. It was painful to hear you leave.
Too painful.
Which is how Jeongin found himself stepping into the overstimulating crowd of the club, casual clothes forgone and replaced by a loose white top and dark jeans. His head pounded with the intense beat, cringing back at the influx of stimuli before he could seek out you. Your voice was muffled, too many other sounds in the air, but his ears caught it nonetheless. There, towards the bar, you stood with your back facing him, casually leaning against the bartop as you chatted with the man beside you. It was likely your coworker from the still business casual the man had on, but an uncomfortable rage simmered low in the mans heart.
He expertly avoided all the bodies in his path, eyes fixated and skin buzzing. By the time he arrived, the man had already noticed him, tone faltering and posture shifting. Taking note, you turned around and grinned. "Innie, what are you doing here?"
Jeongin plastered a polite smile on his face. "Figured I'd save you from drowning in bad bar fries alone." He then turned to the man, "Hey, I'm Jeongin." Like always, he didn't off his hand, not wanting to touch the mans likely slimy skin.
You simply brushed the oddities off, "He's my neighbor. Jeongin, this is Mark, a new transfer to my department."
The older man winced out a smile, waving awkwardly. "Hey."
"Hi." He greeted back plainly before settling his gaze on your ravishing form again. "Dance?"
Surprisingly, he offered his hand out to you, all discomfort regarding his skinship rules gone in the face of another companion. You didn't think twice before grabbing it, a spark travelling between you upon contact. "Sure. Talk to you later, Mark?"
The man couldn't even answer before Jeongin whisked you off to the dance floor. He spun you around, grinning as you giggled and swayed your body to the beat. Every movement felt heavy, hot against his skin despite the inch of distance between you. His inner fox grinned under the praise you directed, tails threatening to puff up as you cheered him on.
He felt like a pup again, young and free. This wasn't just a hunt anymore; it was something beyond that.
Gradually, your swaying staggered as your legs became tired. The happy, albeit dazed, smile persisted through the entire ordeal and only widened when Jeongin once again held your hand and guided you through the crowds. The air outside was crisp as it entered your lungs and cool against your warm skin, prompting you to sigh blissfully and take a deep breath.
Jeongin watched with sickly sweet affection in his gaze, hand still daring to hold yours. "Ready to head back home then?" He could have sworn his heart fluttered when you looked at him, the bright full moon above highlighting you in an angelic glow.
With a nod, the two of you began your trek home, a slow meander through the streets as neither of you really wanted the night to end. "So why did you really come to the bar?"
Your sudden question had him pausing, trying to figure out an answer himself. It had all happened basically on autopilot; the thoughts of you alone with another under the intense music and hot atmosphere left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Maybe I just wanted to make sure you were safe."
"I was with my coworkers." You shot back, eyes glinting under the starlight. "I was safe as could be."
Jeongin shrugged, trying not to focus on you and instead glancing around the neighborhood. "Alcohol and music are a dangerous concoction. You can never be too sure."
"Yet you decided to join in on the danger." Your tone was teasing, but the intensity of your gaze made the kumiho blush, a feat not accomplished by many.
The rest of the walk was filled with an intensity barely palpable, toeing the line between danger and desire. Your hands brushed every so often and sent sparks across his skin. By the end, Jeongin was basically running towards the apartment, bursting through the door and into the hall. It was ridiculous; this sort of sensuality and connection is what he wanted to achieve during his first meeting, what he had been working so long for. Yet now, as soon as it began to build, he found himself scurrying away.
"Jeongin." The way you basically sang his name made his skin blush, muscles twitching and threatening to release the human form he had on. "Look at me, please."
The poor man didn't want to, knowing full well if he did, all bets would be off and he'd surrender to his bare instincts. Whether that ended with your lips against his or your heart in his hand, he wasn't sure yet. But you had other plans, unaware of the instability you toyed with as you cupped his jaw and pulled. Your pupils were blown wide under the harsh lighting, flickering dangerously from his eyes to the plush lips below. "My, what happened to the bravado from before, huh?"
He actually whined when you whispered that, low and far too pathetic for someone of his demeanor. But he couldn't help it. Not when you looked at him like that, when your hands felt hot enough to mold metal against his skin. He, the hunter, was nothing more than putty in your gentle hold.
"Can I kiss you?" You whispered after a few seconds of silence, low like the question itself broke a hundred rules.
Jeongin wanted to say no, to warn you of the threat he possessed, but he couldn't. Another whimper escaped, "Please", and then your lips were on his.
Soft.
Wet.
And oh so perfect.
It felt like eating a hundred hearts, the life force of an army behind just a simple gesture. It was better than any high he'd ever gotten; better than all the adrenaline he'd ever felt from his hunts. He wanted - no, needed - you closer. His hands dug into your thin jacket to pull you in, shifting and digging into the flesh beneath. You moaned slightly at his grip as your tongues battled for dominance, returning the favour by entangling your fingers in his hair.
Jeongin wanted to devour you whole, to take everything and combine it with his own so he would never be without. He needed to breathe your air, to only smell of you. His fingers itched, claws slowly creeping out as his whole body vibrated beneath his skin. Too lost in the sensations, the Kumiho was oblivious to the glamour that began to fade, ears flickering to life atop his head and tails thumping against his legs. All he could feel was you.
Unfortunately, the need for air made you both pull away, lips wet and swollen and you struggled to pull in oxygen. It wasn't until you looked up and let out a little "oh my" that the boy realised what had happened. His irises burned, turned to feline slits as his ears twitched. He expected a scream, a chase, but instead, you surprised him just like you always did by reaching up and brushing your fingers against the fur of his ears.
"Cute."
His ears immediately flattened against your palm as he leaned closer, damn near purring at the sensation. It was all wrong; the whole situation and reaction were entirely opposite to what it should be, but Jeongin couldn't find it in himself to care. Instead, he basked in the warmth of you. "Why aren't you scared?"
You hummed, still running your hands over his fur. "Maybe because it's you. Anyone, anything, is dangerous. But if you trust them enough, that danger doesn't seem so bad." You then shrugged, finally pulling your hands back. "Plus, I've always been a bit more open minded than most."
When you stepped away, Jeongin felt himself whimper for your touch once more, making you smile and reach out a hand. "Come on then, I think we have lots to discuss."
Of course you did, after all he was still technically a threat. A beast primed for nothing more than carnage and cruel games. Biologically, he should have taken that chance just now to rip out your heart and end the game, but he couldn't. He loved the chase, the back and forth. For once, it didn't feel boring or empty. It felt like something more; something new.
Cw: Brief description of bloodstains. Unknowingly being watched. Swearing (light).
β€ wc: 4.9k
Χβ°ββ€ You were going insane, you had to be. That was the only plausible explanation for the constant, sudden appearances of Seungmin, your new neighbour. He constantly popped in and out of your house whenever he wanted, always making sure to disappear whenever anyone else was around... Almost like a ghost.
Moving to a new city was always stressful, but moving across the country after a messy breakup with little to nothing to your name really upped the stakes. It quickly turns what should have been an easy 4 to 5 hour drive into a fun adventure where you get to live off cup noodles and play chicken with your cars gas tank. Who will run out of steam first, you or the hunk of metal you depended on?
At some points, it was bleak. Like being stranded in the middle of an abandoned village, bleak. Somehow, against all odds, you found yourself rolling through Seoul, the loud city quieting as you all but dragged your car to the near-abandoned outskirts and into the neighbourhood you would hopefully call home. The tall, modern skyscrapers faded out into decaying cottages, old homes that hadn't seen any work in decades. Older women watched from their windows, cold eyes filled with judgment as you rolled by, their husbands likely at work or long dead.
You tried to ignore the stiff atmosphere, keeping your eyes straight and avoiding making any potentially challenging glances, but that didn't stop the community from staring at you as you finally rolled up to the decrepit, subdivided house. It had most certainly seen better days, with old wooden panels bloated and buckling. Most of the clay giwa tiles had cracked and shifted away, revealing the thin layering beneath. The small seating area out front was crumbling, a rotted sunning seat sitting on the side opposite yours. The entire area smelled of mildew and smog, clogging your car with the stench despite the refresher hanging by the window. Just staring at the house made you feel sad, sympathetic to the loss of life it had endured. Then again, that was the only reason you were even able to afford to live there.
With old-aged buildings came sleezy landlords and cheap prices, cheap enough for you to outright buy half of the divided home, finally owning something you could fully call yours. You had been interested in the whole house, but the old man had adamantly denied its availability. He spoke low, broken Korean, which made it hard to understand him, so in the end you just gave up, figuring that someone else was likely already living there. Hopefully, they were nice enough, considering you now shared multiple walls with them.
Gathering up as much courage and energy as you could muster, you finally shifted the car into park and began to climb out, nose wrinkling as the smell intensified. The path to the house looked daunting, tiles loose and uneven, but with one last resigned sigh, you grabbed the first few bags and headed towards your new abode. Each step up the disintegrating steps felt like it could be your last, croaking lowly underfoot and bowing. You attempted to avoid the floorboard junctions, where the wood looked weakest, and stumbled to find the key stashed away in your pocket. Low curses passed by your lips as you fumbled, only looking up when you could have sworn you felt eyes on you.
The key was clutched in your hand, still shoved deep in the bag, when you glanced around, hoping to catch whatever peeping tom was enjoying your misery so much. Yet no one was there. Even the grannies sitting in the windows were gone. Still, the pressure of someone staring persisted, making you shiver and your hands shake slightly as you finally placed the key into the lock.
The door creaked like an ancient crypt when you finally got it open, groaning under your weight when you slammed your shoulder against it to move the rusted joints. The assault of dust and mildew almost made you crawl back, unexpectedly filling every inch of your mouth and nose. Quickly, you covered them with the sleeve of your sweater, eyes slightly watery as you fought back a cough. Honestly, the inside of the home wasn't much better than the out, exhibiting the same apocalyptic decay. Cheap wallpaper peeled away from the bloated wood, an ugly shade of faded yellow and smelling of smoke and booze. Across the floor, empty beer bottles and half-smoked cigarettes were scattered, likely from some teens long before you bought the place. It appeared that the landlord hadn't even attempted to make it look livable, but I suppose you get what you pay for.
Too distracted by the disaster in front of you, you failed to notice a shadow shifting in the corner, unseen eyes narrowed down at you. The same intense pressure from earlier persisted, but you were too far gone in planning the great purging of your new home to notice. The figure floated from room to room as you walked, careful not to get too close but never letting you leave its sight. It watched with untrusting eyes as you shuffled about, kicking the bottles closer into a pile and dropping your bags off by what used to be the seating area. Low, displeased mutterances left your pouting lips as you continued to walk, the same disaster greeting you with each turn.
The sight of the bedroom was the final straw, full-on cursing escaping as you stormed back towards the door, nearly running directly into the invisible figure. He jumped back, glaring eyes widening at your vocabulary, before he shifted away from the scene. Outside, you groaned and muttered, hands falling against your face and pulling down. The amount of hard work that needed to be done within that house was already draining the little battery life you had left. The bedroom was a complete disaster zone, with disgusting paraphernalia scattered across the floor and mouse droppings accompanying it. The window was cracked and jacked open with what appeared to be an old crowbar, ruling the lock completely broken. The room was completely unusable until you found a way to keep it closed, and with all the trash scattered around it, you wouldn't be able to sleep there tonight anyway.
The back seat of your car called to you like a desperate lover, reminding you that you could sleep on it for one more night. Who cares about what the old neighbors thought? After all, what were a few more rumours to your already stellar first impression on the neighbourhood? The thought of having to sleep upon the pigstye that was your floor sent shivers down your spine, even with the roll-up futon acting as a barrier. It was decided; you'd put everything into the house tonight and start the cleaning sweep tomorrow when you had a bit more energy. Well, at least enough energy to not crash out and burn the place down as you began to clean.
With one final sigh, and a deep breath of the miraculously less vomit-inducing air outside, you gathered up another row of boxes and trudged back into the war zone. The invisible figure watched the entire fiasco, scoffing as you battled with boxes full of books and artwork. He watched from the upper window as you stumbled over broken tiles and cursed into the open air without care for the elders peaking from their homes. It wasn't long before the sun began to set and you stepped from the house once again.
Unexpectantly, though, you turned to lock the door before shuffling off towards your car. The man watched, expecting you to start it and drive off with loud music blaring from your stereo, announcing your departure. Instead, you opened the back seat and pulled out a folded futon, laying it across the dirty seats of your own car and stumbling to climb inside. He almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous you looked, struggling to get the door closed. Instead, his face remained impassive.
You, having finally closed the stubborn door, huffed and collapsed back against the old cloth beneath you, eyes staring up at the worn ceiling before flickering outside. As you did, you caught the slight movement from one of the windows above, a low shadow shifting, its humanoid shape too blurry to make details of. The man, likely your neighbour, looked down at you with what appeared to be judgment, his head tilted like a dog. Embarrassment flooded your veins briefly before another emotion quickly overtook it. Huffling, you stuck your middle finger up at the voyeur, who appeared completely unbothered before he finally stepped away, leaving your brows furrowed.
"What an asshole."
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
The night had certainly not treated you well, muscles taunt and sore when you finally clambered out of the car. You probably looked like a haggard mess, yesterdays clothes shifted to the side, and your hair greasy, but all you could do was smile and wave at the older occupants who were trying desperately to ignore you. The house loomed before you, a reminder of the absolute chaos that needed to be tamed, so with one last groan of resentment, you trudged into the home and began to get to work.
It took forever, the whole day filled with nothing but sweat and tears. You'd gathered at least 3 bags of trash just after the first hour and another bag full of just beer bottles. Your gloved hands itched from the slime sticking to them, and you had stumbled across far too many stained erotic magazines for your comfort. Even after hours of scrubbing against the floor, a slight sticky residue remained in some places, prompting you to huff and move your cheap shelves to block those areas off.
By the time the sun had crested into evening, your arms felt like they were going to fall off and your new home was finally starting to look livable again. The rag clung to your palm and hung heavily at your side as you looked around, eyes only finding more and more work to do. During your sweep, you suddenly froze, staring towards the door as a man leaned against it. He wasn't talking, seemingly taking his own inventory of the place, until you screamed and threw the dirty rag at him.
Quickly dodging before it could wetly slap against his face, the brunette looked back towards you with equally shocked eyes. "What the hell?"
"What the hell, me? You scoffed, reaching out for the bottle of bleach like a weapon. "What the fuck are you doing in here, you perv!"
Mr. Mystery-man looked back towards the doorway, then you, a few times before he pointed a finger at his chest. "Me? You can se-" Suddenly pausing, like a switch had been flicked, he straightened up and his shocked expression was quickly hidden. "Well, sorry if you didn't hear me come in. Such rude manners."
Your jaw dropped at his informality, "What? Who the hell enters a house that isn't theirs uninvited?"
The man raised a brow before pointing out into the hall. "You left your door open."
Glancing behind him, you cheeks warmed as you realised you had in fact left the old door open, a wide view of the porch unabstructed. "Well, "You cleared your throat, "That still isn't an invite to walk into someones home like you own the place. Who even are you?"
"Kim Seungmin, your..." He trailed off for a second, contemplating before finally landing on, "neighbour."
Your nose scrunched slightly. "So you're the creep who was watching me in my car last night."
Unashamedly, Seungmin shrugged. "Just making sure you weren't some creep planning to burn the place down." He then looked around and tilted his head with a fake-looking innocent smile. "I'm honestly still not convinced you aren't"
"Hey! Would I really torture myself for hours just to burn the place down?" Seungmin shrugged again, gathering his senses and sauntering further in like he owned the place. His eyes ghosted over the books on your shelves with false interest, careful not to touch anything. Careful not to disrupt whatever power that was letting his form stay corporeal for that long.
It was odd having a full-on conversation after so long stuck in one-sided silence, nostalgic in a way that it made his heart clench and his stomach flip. It didn't help that you were quite the odd being, nothing like the grumpy old women who wandered the streets or the scandalous teens who used the house for their parties. You were so... human. So authentic. It was like a breath of fresh air after being buried in a cave for so long.
"Who knows what the lady cursing into the night and sleeping in her car is capable of." His grin widened as you huffed in offense, finally putting the spray bottle down and facing him with your hands on your hips.
"Did you see this place? I would have contracted the plague and died if I'd slept here among the rubbish. At least my car seat doesn't have the chance of giving me an STD just by sitting on it." Your hands frantically gestured to the magazines in the corner and the disarray of your home.
Seungmin actually laughed, large puppy grin stretched painfully across his cheeks. Hell, it had been far too long since he had smiled, let alone laughed aloud. It was so freeing, completely opposite to the dark haze that usually infected his mind, but the dull buzzing beneath his skin reminded him of its temporary nature. "Whatever you say, neighbour."The man turned around, sending you a casual wave of dismissal. "Make sure to close your door next time, eh ___?"
You made a noise of offense, head whipping back around to give the all too casual neighbour a piece of your mind, but he was somehow already gone. The mysterious neighbour left no evidence of his abrupt presence, no lingering cologne or wobbly books. It was as if he had never existed in the first place, blinking in and out of reality within a blink. "What a weirdo."
You were so confused by your new neighbour and his unique demeanor that you had failed to notice one odd thing; you had never told him your name.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
Over the next few weeks, you learned two things: one, your neighborhood was filled with cryptic old ladies, and two, Seungmin had a nasty habit of disappearing without notice. Those two things combined really led to some unfortunate circumstances, painting you out to be the block nutcase when you rambled off at him, only to suddenly turn around and realise he had stepped back inside from the porch.
The two of you had slowly gotten closer, fueled mainly by the apparent lack of boundaries and dry humor. More often than not, you'd turn around and find him popped into your living room, lounging against the couch or watching whatever drama show you had put on the TV. Despite your insistence on some boundaries, Seungmin acted like a lost puppy, glued to your heels and yelping out unhelpful input on your artworks. It was starting to grow on you, no matter how much you tried to deny it, the man was endeering and hard to hate with his little cheeky grin and dark eyes.
To Seungmin, though, you were far more than just someone he enjoyed tormenting. He'd never tell you, of course, but you were everything that kept him going now. Gone were the days spent staring into the darkness of his boarded-up room, begging to be released from his pain. His spirit felt lighter now, more alive than it had in years.
Of course, he had tried to see how far this new corporeal form could last, but an embarrassing attempted greeting of a woman passing quickly told him everything he needed to know. For some reason, unknown to him and lingering on his every thought, you were still the only person who could see him. The only person with whom he could interact. Everyone else still only saw the invisible hauntings, scrambling in fear when he accidentally moved a chair or stood by the curtain too long.
But Seungmin didn't mind. If he were to have one person to talk to, he was glad it was you. You, with all your fake annoyance, didn't mind his dry humor. You didn't seem to mind him ghosting (pun intended) after you from room to room. Naturally, you had no idea he still followed you long after his energy depleted and left him invisible once more, but what you didn't know wouldn't kill you. He hadn't even meant to make it a habit, but once he arrived back in that damned room, where his blood still visibly stained against the flooring, he knew he couldn't stay away.
It was too dark, the reminder of death too suffocating. With you, there was light - life - to be seen. He finally felt real, not like he was just floating through time, but like he was alive. He wished to reach out and touch the warmth of your skin, feel your pulse beat under his fingertips. But he couldn't, so instead he basked within your presence, content for the time being. Unfortunately, even with all the joys he had experienced in the last few weeks, Seungmin wasn't delusional enough to believe it would last forever. The neighborhood was still filled with elders who knew his story, the true story, and believed that he haunted the house. They weren't wrong - clearly - but it wasn't going to be long before someone finally broke and told you.
When that inevitably happened, Seungmin wasn't sure what he could do. Would you believe them? Scream and run away like so many others did before they even stepped foot into the house? He didn't think his heart, beating or not, could take the sight of you leaving for good. But there would be no way to stop you. His soul was tethered to the house, where he drew his last breath, now his prison for eternity. The furthest he could reach was the delapidated seating area out front.
So instead, Seungmin resigned himself to his fate, filling each day with comfort before someone inevitably burned it all down.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
As you tended, or at least tried, to the little herb garden out front of your house, a sudden ice-cold hand engulfed your shoulder and sent you scrambling back with a choked scream. The culprate, an older woman with a willowy frame, looked undeterred by your lack of grace and instead simply stared at you with harsh, dead eyes.
Frantically, you tried to calm your heart before you passed out and stuttered out a weak apology. "Hello, sorry ma'am." Licking your lips, you glanced around to see if anyone else was there. "Is there something you need?"
The woman simply stared, gaze unnerving before she looked away and up at the house before you. "You need to leave."
Her voice was raspy, cruel and confusing as you stuttered again. "Excuse me?"
"You need to leave before he gets you too." Her attention drifted from the windows and back into your soul. "If you don't, you're going to die."
Each word she spoke felt like another puzzle, pushing you furtehr from an answer as you scrambled to stand. "Sorry? I don't think I understand."
Her gaze narrowed as she hobbled closer, still looking back every once and a while like the house was going to come alive and eat her. "A ghost, the ghost. He's going to drive you mad."
"Ghost? Ma'am, there's no such thing - do you need help?" You tried to approach again, thinking that the only plausible answer was that the older woman before you was having a crisis. Honestly, ghosts? You knew older generations often believed in the occult, but your house hadn't shown any stereotypical signs of haunting.
The granny nearly hissed, sneering up at you as she began hobbling away, muttering, "Foolish girl. Dead before midnight. Stupid youth," leaving you absolutely gobsmacked.
"What the fuck?" The whole situation left a bad taste in your mouth, just odd enough to stick to your skin like a layer of sweat. Even as you tried to get back into gardening, it kept coming to the surface and flowing through your mind to a point where you simply threw down your shovel and ran inside to get away from the prying eyes.
"Ghosts!? Is she high?" You stormed through your house, feet still clad in boots and likely caking mud across the floor. Unfortunately for future you, you were much too occupied cursing the older woman to ever care for your floors. Cabinets squeaked open and slammed closed as you tried to find something to drink, adding to the intense atmosphere. "And to call me a fool, when she was spouting off death prophecies!? HA."
Seungmin, having been drawn from his typical spiralling by the noise, watched in fascination as you paced. "You okay?"
Too caught up in your frustration, you didn't even jump at his sudden appearance, only glaring quickly. "Our neighbors are insane."
"You're just realising that? We're surrounded by old people, it's kind of inevitable."
You brushed off his attempt at humour, running a hand through your hair in frustration. "This woman just approached me out of nowhere and started ranting about ghosts and death. She said something in the house was going to kill me! Insanity, right?"
Seungmin's blood would have turned cold if he still had any, teasing smile wilting ever so slightly as the g-word escaped your mouth. "Yeah, crazy." He weakly coughed out.
His odd tone immediately caught your attention, pausing the little crisis you had spiralled into and making your eyes search his form. The usual laid-back posture was weakened, his spine curved as if to make himself smaller, and his puppy grin was wilting with each minute. He looked skeptical in his agreement.
"Seungmin?" You moved closer. "Do you honestly believe in ghosts?"
The man stumbled back, "Of course not. Like you said, she was probably just superstitious and thought all the party noises were from spirits." His laughter came out forced, an obvious cover-up that had your brows furrowing. In the time you'd gotten to know him, Seungmin never really gave off the vibe of someone who believed in the supernatural. He'd laugh and mock the characters on the screen, tease you when you watched scary stories. Never had he seemed so skiddish around the topic.
A small bit of regret lined your stomach, suddenly realizing how offensive your anger may have sounded. "If you do, that's fine, I just meant-"
"I know what you meant," Seungmin hurried out, trying desperately to turn the conversation away from ghosts in general, "And I really don't. I just have to get back to my place soon, just popped in to make sure you were still alive." He smiled, so fake it hurt. Your worried expression persisted, and if he could, the man would have been sweating buckets. "Honestly, ___, she was probably just a paranoid old woman."
You stared for a few more seconds, trying to find a string to pull on his lie, but ultimately sighed and turned back around to grab a glass for water. "It was just weird, Minnie, and so random too. You should have seen-" Like he had a habit of doing, Seungmin had once again disappeared when your back was turned, invisible to the eye but still watching.
Your face scrunched, breath hitched before anger overtook your whole body. "That asshole." Slamming the cup down, you stormed out the front door, prompting the ghost to scramble after you. "Seungmin, get your ass out here!" You stopped in front of his door, the same door he constantly told you to never open. He had made up some fake story of it coming off the hinges most of the time, but in reality, it was the only thing keeping his secret a secret.
"___" He scrabbled to gather the energy to form again, basically teleporting behind you when he finally buzzed into reality. "Hey, I said to leave that alone." But it was too late, and as a ghost, he had no power to stop you.
One last slam of your shoulder sent dust flying, the door heaving heavily and bouncing off the wall as you stumbled. It assaulted your nostrils and made you cough frantically, eyes blurry and body swaying. The smell was immediate, even worse than what your own house had been at the beginning. Light weakly filtered through the dust-covered windows, barely highlighting the sections of mold growing in the corners and the spider webs covering every inch of the room.
Your knees shook as you stepped closer, lungs struggling to combat everything filtering through, but you couldn't stop. The furniture was roughly torn and strewn across the floor, but one thing really drew you in. At first, you had thought it was just a spot of water damage, yet with each inch closer, you could see you were certainly wrong. It was brown - no not brown, it was a muddy crimson, tinged red when the light hit it just right. Blood. Blood seeped and stained into the floorboards beside the carpet, a large pool too much for a simple injury.
Your throat felt painfully dry, desperate vocals trying to break through as you scanned the clearly abandoned scene before you. "Seun... Seungmin?"
"I didn't want you to find out like this." His voice was merely whispered behind you, barely standing in his doorway when you slowly turned to face him. His eyes looked teary, scanning the abandoned home he had once lived in with a heavy heart.
Your mind reeled in denial, trying desperately to find some type of reasonable explanation, but as the sun shifted in the sky and shone against his back, your throat closed up. You had never noticed how pale he was before, too distracted by sarcastic quips, but as soon as the sun shone, you realised he wasn't just pale, he was semi-transparent. His skin glinted slightly, and through the faded veins, you could see the path behind him.
Your mouth opened and closed, unable to form a coherant thought as it spiralled from the revilation. Seungmin was a ... "Ghost?"
His face scrunched at the cracked tone, visibly flinching back. "You're dead?" You continued, feeling lightheaded. "How-?"
"I don't know." His own voice cracked, body daring to move closer against his will. "I woke up one day unable to leave, my body on the floor and police around the house."
You desperately swallowed, trying to suck in any moisture to make speaking less painful. "When?"
"Over a decade ago."
Your thoughts jumped between possibilities; the old lady's warnings clashed with the image you had begun to associate with Seungmin. Was he a killer? Could he, the same man who whined when you changed the channel, be capable of that?
As if reading your mind, Seungmin quickly shook his head. "I don't know what that lady was talking about; no one's ever died here other than me, I swear. I'm not dangerous, just..."
"Dead." You finished, body weak and threatening collapse. The brunette could only nod, watching sadly as your body began to shut down, slumping against the dirty wall. The last 10 minutes had entirely changed your life's view, challenged and broken beliefs, while also shaking up the entire foundation of your relationship with the man. It was too much for your brain to handle, and where you should have felt fear, you simply felt numb.
"Where do we go from here then?" You finally whispered as the minutes of silence stretched on.
Seungmin sighed, "I expect you'll move away."
You couldn't deny the thought had crossed your mind in the fit of madness, when the fear had first hit. But now, you weren't so sure. To begin, you had basically nothing to your name, buying out your half of the house with your last dollar. Even if you wanted to run, you couldn't afford it. Additionally, you found yourself knowing you'd miss the man ghost beside you if you left.
He hadn't hurt you, made no move to cause your demise just like it had been done to him. All he had done was make you laugh, becoming a central friend in a time where you so desperately needed one. You couldn't just leave him alone. "No."
Seungmin's head jolted, eyes wide. "No?"
Again, you shook your head, finally pushing yourself to your feet. "No. I'll be staying - I have to stay. After all," You pulled the strongest smile you could muster onto your face. "Who else is going to annoy you in your never-ending afterlife?"
Seungmin let out a sound, half laugh, half sob. "Okay." He grinned too. "I guess I'll just have to learn to live with that."
A strong laugh echoed through the abandoned room as you began to move towards the door, "Live with it?"
If he could, Seungmin would have pushed you, but instead, he just moved the rug to the side and watched gleefully as you tripped. To everyone else, it likely looked like you were going mad, stumbling out with cobwebs in your hair and laughing into the open air. But you couldn't care less. For now, it was just the two of you - one living and one dead - basking in each other's presence and getting ready to face whatever the future may bring.
Cw: Religious imagery and sacrilegious depictions. Light stalking. Descriptions of blood and injury.
β€ wc: 5.9k
Χβ°ββ€ Felix had always followed the rules, living dutifully within his given code and never straying from the path of grace. That is, until a chance meeting with a beautiful human during a routine visit has him questioning the entire system and sending his whole world spiralling. Now he finds himself falling, desperate to cling onto whatever - or whoever - he can.
Long before the idea of humanity ever passed through Gods mind, he created angels. Perfect, obedient creatures to worship at his feet, praising him and all his power. He created Heaven, their home, to reflect that devotion. A seemingly perfect land of white, purity in its simplest form. There was no risk of deviation in a land so well miraged, blinding in its colour as God had blinded them in their false freedom.
Then, when humans came to be, God turned to using them as a tool for control and security. He could order them to scorch the earth and raise plagues against any unruly pariah who dared question him. They were mere puppets, an ethereal creation meant to be paraded around; their thoughts to be hidden away and not heard by any. And the best part was they didn't care.
Angels were naturally the followers; they had no urge to lead. If left to their own devices, the rigid structure of heaven collapsed and chaos invaded. They needed someone to tell them how to think, how to breathe, and God took advantage of that. Of course, there were a few outliers, rebellions written in blood and broken wings, but as always the creatures were quick to return to their routines: watching over and protecting humanity in the way God intended. No one had dared to question their role or the gospel in millennia, and Felix had no wish to be the first.
He enjoyed his job, at least he thought he did. Perhaps just as much joy as he could get away with without overindulging in narcissistic behaviours unbefitting of someone of his standing. After all, he was no seraphim, barely a fledgling with less than a century of creation. He was still learning his place in the world, and the other angels were no help. It was always "Just listen to Gabriel" or "God will let you know" to every question. It got to a point where he just stopped asking, falling directly into the line expected of him and ignoring anything that may contradict it. Even his curiosity towards Earth had dampened.
After all, Heaven wasn't so bad. Right? Perhaps a little dull, too white and empty, but he still enjoyed the little hidden paths winding between the garden trees. Though on the other hand, the garden was hardly ever open, leaving him to wallow and meander through the empty ethereal plains until he was summoned. There would always be a small hunger for something more buried deep beneath his heart, but Felix knew he could never act on it. Not unless he wanted to fall.
The blonde boy let out a low sigh as his thoughts jumped back and forth, arms crossed and leaning against the stairwell banner in boredom. "Felix," The sudden heavy tone from atop the stairs sent him scambling, spine immediately straightened and eyes widely staring. The archangel looked less than pleased at the display, stone-cold eyes boring down with a harsh intensity. "You're late."
Felix gulped, hands quickly tucked behind his back to hide their shaking. "Late, sir? I was not informed I was needed anywhere today."
Michael continued to stare him down, expression flat while openly searching for any hint of deception. It made his skin crawl, uncomfortable anxiety spiking before the man finally spoke up, "I suppose I'll have to have a word with the malakims then." Without another moment, he spun around and began walking away, his wings flickering in a waving movement before hanging heavy across his back. "No matter, follow me."
Felix stumbled forward, trying not to trip on his own fluffy appendages as Michael stormed off to Lord knows where. His heart still sang with anxiety, unsure as to what the messengers had failed to let him know. A dozen possibilities fluttered through his mind, ranging from a mistake in paperwork to being smited for something he didn't even do. Each idea made every step harder to take, but as the Archangel refused to slow down, he was forced to keep walking to what could likely be his doom.
They didn't stop until they reached the end of the elongated corridor, where a heavy, golden door greeted them. Felix had never been inside that room, the charmed lock unable to be opened by anyone lower than an Archangel. Michael glanced back with an unamused huff as the blonde stumbled again, likely praying for strength, before he reached out and pushed the door open. The inside was just like every other part of Heaven, unnaturally clean and blindingly white. Felix tilted his head, glancing around before Michael all but shoved him through the doorway.
"Gabriel."
The only other person in the room turned around, his vibrant golden wings tucked neatly behind him, and his expression slightly warmer than Michael's. Still, Felix felt terrified. "There you are, I had thought you got lost."
The older angel simply pushed the younger one forward once more, "The malakims seemed to have shirked off on their duties again. I imagine you can handle this from here?"
Gabriel simply waved his brother away. "Go, this will not take long." His words did little to quell Felix's racing heart, and as soon as the door closed behind Michael he could feel his knees threatening to collapse. "Do you know why you are here Felix?"
"No," He croaked, throat drier than a desert. "No, sir"
Gabriel's eyes twinkled, seemingly enjoying the torment of the fledgling. "God had gifted you a purpose, a mission down on the mortal plane." His hands flourished at his sides in a pose similar to a preacher while Felix felt his entire world stop.
Earth?
He was going down to Earth, to the humans?
Gabriel's soft smile slowly twitched the longer Felix stood in silence, his eyes wide and staring down at the cloud-covered floor with little movement. "Felix?"
The fledgling jumped back, finally coming back to his senses. "I- Me... Earth? Whatever for, Sir?"
Gabriel dropped his smile and motioned towards a small opening in the clouds. Moving closer, he watched as the image rippled and revealed a younger man, likely in college. He was surrounded by friends in the memory, whispering back and forth with muted words. "You are to watch over this human, observe him and report back every night. While on Earth, you must make sure no harm comes to him."
Felix's head tilted, watching the boy curiously. "Me? I've never had any guardian training though. What if I fail?"
Gabriel simply stared down at him with an unreadable expression. "You were given this task by God himself, you will not fail."
The words felt more like a warning then reassurances, making the blonde wince slightly. He watched as a few more memories played, uncomfortable yet curious as the group of students acted more like children than grown men. "What about the others, his friends, should I keep them safe too?"
Gabriel was quick to decline. "Under no circumstances are you to intervene with another human, do you hear me?"The uncomfortable atmosphere immediately heightened, drowning Felix in a thick fog as he kept his eyes downcast, "I do not care what happens to the others while you are there, and neither should you. You are to observe only, Yongbok." Gabriel's tone was sharp and cold with no room for argument.
"Yes, sir." Felix quickly whispered, eyes refusing to meet his superiors as he felt his gaze burning against his skin. Gabriel glared for a few more minutes before straightening up and swiftly moving towards the door.
"Remember, Felix, he is always watching. Do your job, not a thing beyond that."
Then he was gone, leaving the younger man to watch the memories play out, the sudden excitement around visiting Earth drowned out in an intense fear of failure.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
The first few days on his new mission hadn't gone that bad. It was tiring sure, and the object of his observations was starting to get under his skin, but the scenery around basically made up for it. The man, whom he now knew as a newly graduated law student, was the stereotypical human. He enjoyed his vices, clubs and drugs, while also hypocritically spouting off the Lords praise. Perhaps that's why he was sent to observe him, to report on his blasphemy in order for the higher-ups to decide his fate. Most of the time, the things he did didn't sit very well, but it wasn't really Felix's job to pass judgment. He was an observer only, meant to report and leave the decisions to the higher angels above.
Currently, Felix found himself perched up atop a nearby roof, legs dangling over the edge and wings spread comfortably. Below, his mission stumbled along the streets, friends cackling and beers spilling. The musk from their bodies wafted up and into his senses, making him scrunch his nose and turn to watch the sparkling stars above. It wasn't until he heard a sharp two-toned whistle that he refocused, noticing another body joining the scene.
A woman this time, not someone he had seen with the boys before, briskly walked towards them, though on the opposite side of the street and with her head down. Even with his evident lack of human social cues, Felix could tell she wanted to be left alone. Another whistle echoed, his mission smirking and calling out to the girl. His friends followed, screaming out comments about her looks. While her beauty was quite evident, even from where Felix sat, disgust clawed against his stomach at the display of indecency from the group of men.
"Come on, baby. Just a taste."
Felix began to stand as his mission stumbled onto the road, trying to cross it to reach you with unsteady legs. He hated the way your body tensed in fear, eyebrows furrowed in sympathy. You kept silent, hoping the man would lose interest without the game he clearly wanted, but the drunkard wasn't taking your hints. "Please leave me alone."
Unconsciously, Felix felt his wings tremble as your voice filled the air. It was soft; gentle and warm despite the fear peaking through. It carried through the wind like a church bell and prompted him to jump down from the rooftop. "Come on baby, I know you want me. Don't be shy now." His mission's words slurred more and more the longer he stumbled through the street, an embarrassment to witness for both you and the invisible angel.
Fear filled your eyes as the drunkard reached out, grasping your wrist while his friends hollard in the background. "Let go." His grip was bruising, uncomfortably tight as he struggled to pull you closer. "Now."
Felix, still unseen, tensed at the display, body twitching to move forward before his status and job jumped to the front of his mind. He wasn't meant to intervene; only there to gather intel and report, but surely they couldn't expect him to just sit back and allow his mission to harm you?
You struggled against the oddly strong grip for someone so intodicated, and kicked out against his shin. The man groaned in pain briefly, but only tightened his hold on you. "Listen here you bi-" Suddenly, a loud slam echoed from the alleyway a few feet beside you, trash cans toppling over and raccoons scurrying from their hiding spots. Taking advantage of the mans distracted state, you ripped your arm away painfully and broke out into a sprint, only daring to look back once. When you did, you could have sworn you saw a tall blonde figure slipping away behind the fallen trash heap, eyes watching you leave before disappearing entirely. You kept moving, too afraid to stop, but something about the mysterious saviour burned into your brain, a forgotten thank you fading away in your throat.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
Heaven was oddly silent when Felix returned. Something he was thankful for, considering his inner turmoil was already loud enough. The rest of the night had gone by without a hitch, his mission now passed out against his bathtub, but the incident still left a bad taste in his mouth. With every blink, he could see your fearful expression, a bruise no doubt forming against your skin already. It was horrible, his mission was a horrible person, and he couldn't just stay silent about it.
Rushing through the empty skies, his tired wings aided in bringing him towards Gabriel's office, only to basically collapse in exhaustion when he finally arrived. With a heavy hand, the blonde reached up to knock on the door, but before he could gather the courage, it opened on its own. Sucking in a deep breath, Felix moved into the candlelit room and stared up at the angel settled behind his desk. "Do you need something, Felix? The report can just be handed to the messengers later."
Felix shifted from foot to foot as Gabriel spoke, the sudden realisation of what he was about to ask settling in. It was terrifying, but he needed answers; he needed to tell them what had happened. "Sir," when he finally spoke up, his body tensed in fear and threatened to choke him into silence, but he pushed through the clog in his throat. "I understand that the Lord asked him to be protected, but is there any way you could reconsider? This human, he doesn't deserve it." The words spilled out, filter lost. "He's blasphemous, falsely living under the words of God. He indulges in sin and seeks out women to terrorize just like the one tonight, and yet I am meant to turn away and protect him? It's wrong, demoralizing."
Gabriel sat silently up on top of the stairwell as Felix spilled his heart, deadly still with his vibrant eyes empty of emotions. The two fell into an uncomfortable silence once the blonde finished his rant, chest heaving heavily as he tried to catch his breath. It stretched on for an unnaturally long time before the elder finally spoke. "Yes, you are." Those three words felt like a punch to the gut, deminishing any bit of confidence and hope he had left. How was this Gods will? They were meant to protect the innocent, not enable the guilty. Still, despite the obvious look of disbelief, Gabriel's gaze only seemed to turn colder when staring down at the fledgling. "You are a soldier, Felix. You are not to question his orders, only obey. We can not ever hope to fully understand the Lord and his ways, but we are to listen and follow. Do you understand?"
Deja vu hit the downcast angel, a similar conversation having been uttered before he even left for Earth, but this one felt different. It was heavier; long gone was his curious and hopeful naivety. Now all he had left was a growing pit of disgust in his stomach, and a guillotine hanging dangerously overhead. "Do you understand?" Gabriel repeated, voice booming through the room.
A choice lay before Felix, winding paths of danger and deceit. His mind raced, battling against everything he ever knew. Finally, he answered with no more than a whisper, the decision made. "Yes, sir." Gabriel looked pleased, swiftly waving him off before returning to his paperwork.
As Felix stepped out of the room though, he felt his body sag under a thousand stones, wings suddenly a little too heavy. Because even though he had answered, the angel had lied, his curt tone of agreement nothing but falsities. And with each heavy step, Heaven seemed to know the state of his mind a little bit more.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
Oddly enough, after the first lie, each sequential one became a whole lot easier. The wings on Felix's back still felt like lead every time he stepped into Heaven, but on Earth he was free. It had become more of a sanctuary, a constant he could turn to when he needed an escape. Soon, the young angel found himself wandering, shirking off his duties of observation after merely an hour and instead taking in everything the world had to offer.
He'd quickly picked up the trick of hiding his wings, an unnatural glamour that kept them tucked away in his back. It felt uncomfortable, but with each day that passed, the weight began to decrease. Now he could speak, could smile. He'd pet animals and danced in the rain. It all felt so freeing, so right. How could God hide this from them all? How could he seek to control the wonders of humanity so strictly?
Beyond the newfound independence, Felix also found his eyes wandering. Particularly in seek of a certain girl who infected his every thought; the catalyst to his damnation. He'd stare wistfully every time he caught sight, body hidden behind an invisible wind as he watched you move about your day. It was beautiful, the way you still smiled through the pain, the only lingering effect to show what had happened being a now faded bruise upon your skin.
Every time Felix caught sight of the blemish, an unusual anger boiled low in his gut. He wanted to reach out and soothe the discoloured skin, to transfer your pain to anyone else and kiss against your flesh until all remnants of it were washed away. Honestly, the first time those thoughts had sprung to his mind as he watched you, the poor angel had blushed brighter than the sun and quickly flew away, but now? Now he let them slowly corrupt his mind. After all, he couldn't deny the pull you had, both your beauty and human soul singing out for him.
Plus, he caught the way you looked for him in a crowd too. It took a while to notice, too busy trying to make sure you didn't catch him staring, but Felix felt the soft caress of your gaze every time his glamour would slip, soft and gentle against his body as he hurried to escape. Perhaps you were drawn to him just as much as he was to you. God, the idea of that was intoxicating.
Even now, as he wandered the empty park, he couldn't shake you from his mind. A low sigh escaped, Felix tilting his head to the heavens, not daring to pray for guidance but hoping perhaps the stars could shine the way. "Excuse me?"
Your voice was soft, oh so soft, as it chimed from behind him. Just two simple words sent a shiver down his spine, his body freezing and wings threatening to flutter from their hiding place. You looked so shy, bundled up in the night air with your hands stuffed in your pockets. You tried to maintain eye contact when the man turned around, but one close-up with his unnaturally beautiful face had your mind stuttering. "I'm sorry, I just..." You trailed off and Felix had to bite down on the whine of endearment that threatened to escape. "I just wanted to thank you. I don't know if you remember me, but you helped me get away from that man a few weeks ago. I would hate to think what would have happened if you weren't there."
Your sudden bow sent the boy scrambling, eyes wide as he frantically waved his hands in the air. "Eh? Please stand up. It's fine, really! I should have done more, please don't bow." As your head refused to raise, he gently grabbed hold of your shoulders, ignoring the zap that flowed through his body at the contact. Helping to straighten your spine, Felix couldn't stop the soft smile from growing. "Really, it's what anyone would have done."
You stared, speechless at the beautiful man before you. His hair perfectly framed his face in the wind, nearly glowing under the moonlight. Soft freckles dotted across his skin like shining stars. "But most don't." You finally muttered, blushing as you came to terms with his warm and gentle hands against your shoulders. "So thank you."
Felix's smile widened in turn, "It was truly no problem. What are you doing out here though? It could be dangerous." He briefly glanced around the empty park before fixating on you once more.
"I work not too far from here." You sheepishly turned your head, looking down the street. "But when I saw you wandering the park, I just had to say thank you, especially considering I never thought I'd see you again."
The angels soft skin warmed under the hidden praise of your hopeful tone, a reassurance that you had been looking for him just as he had you. "Well, could I walk you home then? Just to make sure you're safe?"
Logically, you should have declined. After all, he was still a stranger even if he had helped you, but there was just something so different about him. A pull that begged you to move closer, to keep him by your side. So instead, you beamed and shyly nodded. "Please."
Felix wasted no time in offering his arm, a move perfectly matching his prince-like beauty. Your hand was warm against his skin as you accepted, the hum of your vibrant soul threatening to release his wings. Beneath their glamour, Felix felt them twitch and flutter, desperate to present and wrap protectively around the girl now in his arms. With great discipline, he kept them hidden and instead opted for moving closer to you. "Do you often walk alone at night?"
You hummed in acknowledgment. "My car broke down a few weeks ago, so it's my only option. But I don't live too far away, so it's not so bad. What about you?" You glanced up to look at the way the moonlight fell around him. "Are you new to Seoul? I don't think I've seen you before."
Felix kept smiling despite the small amount of panic. "Yeah, I just moved here. Just needed a bit of a change in scenery, you know?"
Immediately, you chuckled. "I probably know more than most. It's not so bad here though, once you get passed the bad apples. Especially with the right company." Your half-lidded eyes twitched to meet his own, the implication hanging heavily and warming him to his core.
Teasing, Felix leaned closer. "Then I suppose I'll just have to make sure I find the right person." His voice rang low, reverberating through your chest with its deep octave. That same angelic smile never left, even when he winked. "If she'll let me."
Wildly, your cheeks burned, unable to continue looking the man in his eyes. Felix blushed back equally as hard, but he kept the false confident smile up and continued to guide you down the street. You fell into a comfortable and teasing silence, each basking in the other's presence and too scared to push any further. Not that you needed to talk, sometimes just being around another person was enough to soothe all worries. On occation, you would pipe up with a story, swapping names and grand tales as you followed the streetlights.
But all good things must come to an end, and soon you had to start slowing down as your apartment came into view. Felix's lips twitched into a frown, knowing he would have to let you go despite the aching feeling that begged him to keep holding you close. Perhaps he could just wrap you up and whisk you away to paradise. No one had to know, and he would keep you so safe, providing everything you ever needed.
No, he couldn't do that. Humans needed their freedom to live, and Felix was no cruel tormentor. So instead, he slowly unwrapped his arm from yours and smiled. "I suppose this is goodbye."
Your arms felt empty, already missing his hold. "For now." You added hopefully. Felix was quick to nod, smiling even brighter.
"Of course, for now. I-"
Before he could finish, an all too familiar voice called from the nearby curb, rough and layered in drunken warbles. "Hey, you! I know you!"
Felix's head whipped back, disbelief filling his body as he watched his mission stumbling across the road. You tensed beside him, stepping back and holding your already aching wrist to your chest. The man looked more disheveled than the last time you met, stench wafting from his torn suit and assaulting your nostrils. Felix was quick to hold his arm out and push you behind him, typically bright expression turned dark and angry.
"Go away, sir. She's not interested."
As if just realizing someone else was there, the disheveled man stumbled and scrunched up his face. "Huh? Back off dude, this is between me and her." He tried to side-step Felix, but the taller man was quick to intercept.
"I said, go away."
For a split second, it truly looked like the man was going to back down. His hands slipped into his pockets and his feet stuttered back, but within the blink of an eye, he had lunged forward. A silver weapon glinted in the moonlight, likely a pocket knife, and slashed towards Felix. You let out a fearful cry, trying to force your feet to move and pull the blonde back, but before you could a bright light blinded you, making you stumble blindly.
Felix felt the sensation before he actually understood what had happened. The heavy weight behind his back suddenly became a whole lot lighter, and the sky suddenly much brighter. Power buzzed to the surface of his human disguise, pushing through the air protectively and without thought. There was a loud cry, a whistle of wind, and then the frantic slamming of brakes that tried to drown out a sickening crack.
Something warm dripped from his face, falling to the ground without sound before your frantic breathing filled the air and broke through the daze covering his mind. Slowly, still not fully there, Felix turned around to look towards your wide-eyed body. He looked hauntingly ethereal, large white wings spread proud behind him, basically glowing. His whole body had this shine to it, eyes brighter than a star. The image would have been so pure if not for the crimson stain splattered across it, thick blood dropping from ruined wings and a small bit splashed across his face.
He looked lost, blinking slowly as he shifted towards you. "___?" The angel that stood before you was not the same as the one from seconds ago, anger diminishing and leaving a wounded dove in its wake. Your heart raced in fear and shock, unsure how to react, but your hands weakly reached out for his.
"Felix?"
The blonde blinked, then looked over his shoulder at the carnage. There, sprawled across the pavement, was his mission. Blood covered the road, streaking from the car that had stopped not even a few feet away. The humans around scrambled, blind to his presence and desperately trying to help the man, but Felix knew he was gone. He could feel his life-force soaking into the ground, leaving behind a husk of jumbled flesh and bone.
Dread pooled in his gut, regret tainting his mouth. With wide, fearful eyes, he looked back towards you and moved to reach out but before he could make contact, a force pulled him back with such strength he couldn't even look into your eyes one last time.
You stood frozen as the blonde was suddenly wrenched back by a bright light. One second he had been standing there and the next he was gone, leaving your body shaking and your mind racing, left alone to face the disaster before you.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
Pain was the first thing to register in Felix's mind. Blinding. Echoing through every nerve in his body. The ground beneath him felt unnaturally soft and his body whined as the bright light hit his pupils. It only took a second before he was scrambling, ignoring the sharp pains and pushing himself to his stumbling feet. Barely a blink passed before a sharp weapon slammed against the floor where he had lain, clanging painfully. He glanced up, eyes wide as he spotted the armor-adorned angel glaring down at him.
Michael gripped the sword tightly before swinging again, barely missing the bloody fledgling as he ducked. "Sir-"
"Silence traitor. Your silver tongue has no place in our walls." Michael swung again. "You shall perish before you taint the heavens anymore."
Felix grunted as he slid across the floor, fearful eyes narrowing. "If you would let me explain-" Another dodge, "You would know I never meant to harm the mortal! I was just protecting someone!"
Michael's chilling irises burned into his very soul. "You killed the mortal you were meant to protect, Yongbok! You committed a greater sin than simply disobeying orders! He is dead because of your waverance in the Lords trust!"
Rage flushed against the blonde's skin. "Perhaps he deserved it." It came out as a hiss, tone sharper than the sword pointed towards him, but anger washed away any lingering fear. "He was vile, a demon in human flesh. Is it not our duty to protect humanity? Have I not protected her from that devil?"
Michael glowered, "It was not your place, it was not your decision!"
Felix scrambled as the sword swung again, pulling the door behind him open and rushing through. The golden light from outside glittered against the marble, blinding, but the angel just kept running. His body screamed for him to stop, wings weighing a thousand pounds on his back, but he kept moving.
If he were to stop, he would die. And if he were to die, you would be left alone with no one to keep you safe. Felix couldn't let that happen; he refused to even entertain that possibility. No matter what, he had to find his way back to you.
Michael stalked behind him, deadly silent as he moved, but Felix could still feel him. He dashed across the halls, frantically looking around at the rooms that passed before he landed on one familiar, golden door. Without a second thought, he rushed through it, thanking the stars that it had been propped open or else he would have been trapped. The room was just as empty as it had been before he started this entire messed-up journey, white clouds obscuring everything except what he needed.
There, nearly hidden away, was an opening from the heavens. The clouds around it parted, showing the dark expanse of earth in an ominous greeting. It represented a chance, a hope. But one that would come at a great cost.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Gabriel's voice carried with heavy intentions from the door, posture immaculately straight despite the tension. "You are aware of what will happen if you leave without authorization, are you not?"
Felix didn't even look up, keeping his eyes on the sleeping planet below. "I have to."
The elder angel scoffed. "For what? Some human; nothing more than a fleeting effection?" He stepped closer, as if approaching a wounded dog. "Don't be ridiculous. You can still be saved, you can still learn the correct way to follow. Just back away."
Felix could feel as Michael entered the room as well, silent and behind Gabriel with his sword still in hand. It was that which solidified his choice, an acknowledgment of the corruption within Heaven. If an archangel could lie so easily, then how was there any hope for change? Closing his eyes gently, Felix whispered, "Wait for me, my dear", and then he fell forward.
The curses behind him were inaudible as he plummeted, wind whipping through his ears to a deafening degree. His limp and stone-heavy wings hung by his sides, useless under the lingering curse from heaven, but Felix didn't mind. He watched as the golden palace disappeared from view, numb to the pain that licked at his nerves as feathers ripped from their places. He could only think of you, of your worried face and the gentleness of your hands. Would you still care for him now?
Like all good things had to, the peace was quick to end. The feeling of his bones slamming against the harsh soil was enough to break through any daze. He screamed, raw and harsh, feeling his wings crack beneath him. The warmth of his own blood against his body felt wrong, too sticky and unnaturally hot. Around him, his feathers burned, pure snow white colouring now tinged with black ash: a branding to his damnation. Air refused to enter his lungs as he lay there, blind, broken and alone.
Felix thought for sure this was the end. Not every angel could survive a falling; in fact, most perished before they ever found earth. If that was his destiny, then perhaps he should be thankful he had met you at least once, something small to cling to in his moment of death. A pair of soft hands grabbed his face, but Felix could barely feel them. They tilted his head back and forth, words nothing but a dull buzz in his mind. Something wet and warm dropped on his face, not rain but so similar it made him want to smile.
"-Lix. Felix!?" You desperately gripped the boy below you, pulling his head up and into your knees as you glanced around at the carnage. His wings were twisted, lying broken by his sides and his body was stained a painful crimson. His eyes, typically wide and so full of life, stared dazed up at the stars. "Felix, can you hear me?"
The blonde slowly brought his gaze from the blurred night sky and looked deep into your tearful eyes. "___?" His deep voice came out broken, barely a squeak. Despite the pain it took to even think, he found himself finally smiling. "You found me..."
Another tear fell from your face and onto his. "Of course." You sobbed, trying to keep even just a bit of control. "Who else can I trust to protect me?"
Felix's smile widened even more, forcing his broken body to move despite the pair and curl around you. "I knew I could trust you." His arms, barely functioning, reached up and caressed your hair. "Stay with me?"
You choked out a watery laugh. "Of course I will. No matter what."
The two of you stayed that way for hours, alone and crying in that abandoned lot. Ever so slowly, Felix's wounds began to dry, the crimson staining his body becoming tacky and his pain shifting into a dull buzz. Still, he never wanted to let go of you, too scared that if he did, you would disappear forever and he would find himself trapped in the depths of hell. "Can you stand?" You finally asked, shifting so carefully as to not reopen the slow healing scars.
"Just a bit longer." Felix practically begged, nuzzling his face further into your stomach, desperate to keep feeling your warmth against his skin.
With a heavy heart, you simply smiled, returning the favour by pulling his body even closer than before. "Okay, we can take as long as you need."
"Thank you." He whispered softly before falling back into that comforting silence, the two of you sharing one heartbeat, one soul, under the diminishing moonlight. Tomorrow would bring challenges, a whole new world to get used to, but for tonight, all Felix needed was you.
Χβ°ββ€ Han Jisung had it all: a thriving career, looks to die for, a smile that sent women and men alike weak in the knees. He was perfect, but underneath all that glamour there was a hidden secret to his success, something much odder than anything you had imagined. Something that pulled you in from deep within your soul.
The world of music was cut-throat and ruthless against anyone who dared attempt to join its ranks. It tore down the weak and strangled the strong, pushing everyone far past their limits in their pursuit for just a taste of the popular life. It was a dog-eat-dog world and, no matter how good you were, the risk of someone newer - even younger - coming up was always a threat. In this industry you could study and train for years with no breakthrough, wasting all your efforts on art with no one to appreciate it. Artists often fell into an endless loop of projection, desperately trying to climb up an unscalable hill.
And perhaps that's exactly what you had been doing.
Music was your passion, the reason for breathing, but you couldn't deny that lately it felt more like an endless chore with no return. Spiteful critiques from managers with no musical talent burned into your brain, and countless hours spent perfecting moves under the dead of night stretched your muscles thin. Your body swayed on the edge of destruction, each push a threat of complete collapse. But how could you stop when music was all you knew?
The rush of performing was indescribable; nothing could ever match it no matter how hard you searched. So despite how much you wanted to quit, how desperate the urge to disappear into obscurity came, you pushed on. The studio around you was already stifling, sweat clinging uncomfortably against your skin, but you kept moving. Mindless and robotic, you followed the gruff tone of the instructor, not even wincing anymore when he cursed towards you.
"Enough. Enough." Abruptly, the music was shut down, the instructor sneering as every single persons body dropped to the floor with dead weight. "Ridiculous. One dance, that's all, and yet none of you could achieve even close to what is needed."
The girl to your left groaned, a newer trainee who hadn't gotten the memo about being silent in your pain and disagreements. "We did it exactly like you told us! It's not our fault!" Like sharks to the scent of blood, the instructor swooped in, teeth pulled back in a disgusted snarl. He wasted no time before he pulled the girl up by her arm, muttering insults as he all but dragged her away from the room, leaving the rest of you in quiet agony.
"Hey," Mimi, one of the girls who had joined the record label a year after you, quietly spoke up when the footsteps had gotten far enough away. "Do you think the boys train this hard."
Yuna scoffed, curling in on her side. "As if, they flash their pecks once and consider it done." Her voice trailed off at the end, her head slowly turning to face the remaining two of you. "Though, did you hear about the new recruit? I heard he bypassed the entire introduction trials."
Interest piqued, you watched as Mimi's eyes sparkled. "Oh yeah! One of the boys mentioned something about being shown up on the first day. Did he really pass first try?"
"Yep," she hummed, "Vocals and all. They think he's going to be the one to finally make another breakthrough for this company. A real Ace up their sleeves for award season."
A small twinge of jealousy bubbled within your gut; an uncomfortable, albeit too familiar feeling that you had to shove down. "Aces are a myth, especially for newbies. It's just something the instructor tells you to keep you from shutting down." You would know, having heard that exact same spiel within the first two weeks of your career, just to have the rug pulled from beneath you.
Mimi huffed, an odd determination set upon her exhausted face. "It isn't! You'll know when you see him, ___. He's just-" A small squeal escaped as the girl fell onto her back. "Perfect."
Reluctance heavily clouded your expression, prompting a sigh as you forced your body to move. No matter what Mimi praised, you doubted the boy was any better than the top talent in the industry. Not as a newbie at least. Talent takes time to build, to train, and while perhaps he had potential, it would need to be refined before you gave into her cries of 'perfection'. Plus, with all the ego boosting coming from your two aquatenses alone, you'd imagine the boy likely had a head far too inflated for his own good.
"If you say so, Mimi. I'm just pointing out the facts."
"Excuse me," All of your heads whipped towards the now open door, watching as a new face peeked into the room. He looked around at the three of you before stepping in, "Have you seen the instructor? I have something I need to give him."
When he took another step closer, you couldn't deny the man was beautiful; a vision dawned in a loose black overshirt that perfectly matched his dark slacks. With each decreased inch of distance, the light glinted off the multitude of silver adorning his body, rings flashing and bracelets chiming together. He looked like a rock star plucked from the magazine cover. If not for his oddly youthful face, you would have thought him to be an old alumnus.
His polite smile never dropped, even under both Mimi and Yuna's gobsmacked expressions and burning eyes, leaving you to speak up instead. "He just left, had to take one of the girls back to the dorms. Sorry, you just missed him."
His dark eyes flickered towards you, shifting his body so he could send a small bow. "Ah, too bad. Well, thank you anyway. If you see him again, do you think you could let him know Jisung is looking for him?"
Before you could agree, Mimi jumped to her feet, eyes somehow even wider than before. "You're Jisung?" Yuna quickly followed as he nodded, both of them basically swarming the poor boy as they began to spit questions at him.
You stayed behind, body now leaning against the wall as you observed who you could only guess was the elusive new ACE of the company. He seemed polite enough, not too smug as he indulged the girls rambling, but every time his gaze flickered up to meet your own you saw a small glimmer of something underneath the puppy-eyed expression. Just his presence evoked the same creeping claws of jealousy to scratch against your chest, uncomfortable and branding as a reminder of what you craved to be.
To Jisung though, he could only feel curiosity when looking at you. There was no lust-driven haze in your eyes when you looked at him, nor any swooning every time he spoke. No, you watched from a distance, unaffected by the glamour and instead with an underlying hint of anger buried deep within your expression. It was intriguing, especially considering he felt no glamour of your own that could have combated against his effect. This was all natural, determination burning bright enough in your soul to destroy the fog like magic that blinded everyone else.
"Girls, let him breathe." Your voice was sharp when you finally spoke up, missing the softness that had earlier accompanied it before you learned who he was. It made him smirk in amusement, slightly reveling in the now obvious jealousy.
"But-" The vibrant pink-haired girl to his left moved to whine, quickly silenced by a steady palm raised.
"We still have to clean up before fittings tomorrow and unless you want to be photographed in sweat and tears, I'd suggest we move." Finally, you turned to face Jisung head on, an obviously forced smile present. "Sorry again for not being able to help, I'll make sure to let him know when we see him next."
Jisung returned an equally fake smile back stating, "Thanks, I appreciate it." before he turned and winked at the other two girls. "See you around, yeah?"
He didn't linger long enough to watch their reactions but from the clipped breaths and frantic murmurs, he could tell it had the desired effect. Well, on all of them but you. The sound of your low scoff sent a buzz under his skin, a new type of determination began to grow the further he moved from the dance room. It was a challenge he hadn't felt in years since he honed his craft. No matter what, he'd get you to fall under his spell just the same as everyone else had.
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You were going to kill Han Jisung.
That's it. You needed that little doe-eyed boy gone before he drove you insane and made you light the dorms on fire. Ever since your chance meeting in the dance studio, you just couldn't escape him. He was like a mold, suddenly everywhere you looked and frantically spreading. In the recording studio while you tried to work, getting his makeup done in the chair across from you, even in the kitchen late at night after you came back from a workout. He was a disease, clinging to every inch of your life just to keep reminding you he existed.
In just a few days he had become completely unavoidable; and don't even get you started on how the people around you talked about him. "Oh my gosh, did you see Jisung?" this and "He's so amazing" that. It was like hearing nails against a chalkboard every time someone spoke his name. They all gushed and treated the man like he had created hip-hop himself, even when he had moments where he obviously faltered.
For example, during one performance practice, you had watched with a smirk as his voice cracked against a high note, waiting for the vocal instructor to call it out and berate him like he had everyone else that day. But that never came. Instead, Jisung was praised like he had just reinvented the sound of music, his smug expression winking back at you after everyone had congratulated him. It made you sick, he made you sick, with his stupidly bright smile and dumb doe-eyes.
Jisung, on the other hand, was enjoying your torment entirely too much. The way you flushed in anger every time someone complimented him had him giggling like a school girl. He loved to let the glamour fade just the smallest hint to give you a chance before re-masking the fog with a quick cleanse during rehearsal breaks. Those instances, where he would let you think you found a flaw only to be disproven, always ended with the most adorable expressions. Teasing you was basically already worth the hassle of keeping up his image.
To be fair, the glamour was only to enhance his natural strengths, allowing the viewer to fall deeper into a trance, much like a sirens call. It wasn't nearly as hard as giving himself a new talent or disguising an obviously bad attempt, but it was draining nonetheless. The gods demanded equal payments, a balance, and with each passing day Jisung pushed the boundary further and further for his own amusement. The ritual, once an easy blend of herbs and a dash of his own blood for binding, weakened and begged for a stronger catalyst. Something, or perhaps someone, with a stronger lifeline than he currently had.
Someone like you.
It wasn't a secret that you had a strong soul, determined enough to burn away the encroaching magic around you. Jisung had actually mentioned it in passing to a colleague, getting nothing more than a shrug back in return, which served to further his growing infatuation with you. You were enigmatic; strong and determined on the inside but seemingly serene and placid on the out. It was your own form of glamour. You took every criticism, even when not warranted, and returned with more power in everything you did. If you had access to the same teachings as him, Jisung was certain you could have ruled the studio by now and easily overshadowed any attempt he made.
"Han, ___. Get in the booth."
You both jolted from your own, separate yet oddly similar, thoughts and turned towards your manager with an eyebrow raised, "Me?" You spoke in sync, pointing a finger at your chest. Behind you, the other trainees giggled.
The older man rolled his eyes. "Yes, you two. We're doing a duet, remember?"
You opened your mouth to combat his abrupt decision, especially considering you had been paired with someone else that morning. Yet, once again, Jisung beat you to speaking with a casual, "Okay", leaving no room for arguments. Reluctantly, you moved and hissed as Mimi sent you a wink as you passed her. The two of you headed into the small recording booth with opposite effects: Jisung overly relaxed while you felt wound tight enough to snap. From the first step into the small room, you could already feel his body far too close to your own for comfort, but it only got worse when the door closed and left you shuffling closer to the mic. From there, you could feel his breath on your skin, hot and raspy with each exhale. You could hear the steady drum of his heart too, playing in sync with yours like a tortured beat.
"Ready?" The manager's voice called from the speaker, receiving a quick thumbs up from Jisung as you threw on your own set of headphones. The rhythm soon flowed through them, easy beats counting down steadily in a familiar symphony. Jisung began the song, voice lower than his typical pitch as the rap verse flowed effortlessly. You hated the way it made you sway, flawless in its execution and perfectly suited. Every syllable matched the tune playing, rhymes bouncing from one to the other in a harmonic pattern. His eyes briefly glanced up from the lyrical sheet, meeting yours in an oddly intimate embrace. All thoughts regarding the others outside faded, leaving just the two of you.
Soon the song transitioned into your own part, overtaking his as he stepped back and watched with a small smile. Hearing you behind closed doors was one thing, but he couldn't deny that nothing would ever match up to hearing you live, not even a foot away from him. You shifted between syllables with trouble-free flow, drawing him in with each beat. Your eyes refused to look away from his, lyrics memorized and body hypnotized. By the time the chorus approached, Jisung felt like his skin was going to catch on fire, buzzing under the friction of your contact.
The tension crackled as you harmonized, sinful symphony filling the air. Neither of you could look away and you could have sworn you felt a spark against your skin as his hand crept closer. It was mesmerising, his voice alluring in a way beyond just good rhythm. It felt like something more intense, more sensual, and Jinsung could only mentally beg to feel the sharp singing of your skin as your souls reached out. His hand crept closer, daring to seek out the pull, and to his delight yours didn't pull back.
Before you could make contact though, the last note chimed and the song was over. Both of you frantically forced yourselves away, backing against the wall to create as much distance as you could. The air was hot, heavy breathing only serving to make it more stifling as you both heaved with heavy lungs. It felt dirty, sultry beyond just the hitting of a high note. Neither of you felt like you had just sung a duet, but you were apprehensive to even attempt to approach the new tension between you.
Your skin burned under the mans intense stare, feeling his eyes flicker over every bit of your body. It felt like he was disecting you, flesh peeled back to expose your inner nerves and truth. With oddly steady hands, he reached out and tucked a bit of your hair back, caressing behind your ear and down your chin. His eyes burned with an intensity even beyond what they had been filled with a second prior, daring and obsessive in nature.
Luckily for you, before you could find yourself falling deeper under the spell that was Jisung's dark gaze, the manager spoke up from the speaker, prompting you two away once more. "Good, that was a good start. Let's take it from the top." And so it began again. The same tension, the same buzz, this time intensified under the mutual acknowledgment of its intimate existence.
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Jisung couldn't shake the humming beneath his skin, still low and powerful days after your forced proximity. He could still feel remnants of the small zap every time your bodies ghosted over one another, the power that bolted through his fingertips as they caressed against your skin. It was utterly intoxicating.
He desperately needed more.
Craved it.
Begged for it.
The small bit of hair from your head whispered away in his hidden pockets, like a dirty secret. Too tempting. It had honestly been an accident when he acquired it, having shaken loose while he moved your hair aside during the recording, but he couldn't just throw the golden possibilities away in the trash. Hair had meaning; it held connection and power in his craft just as blood and tears did. After all, what could one more spell hurt? One last attempt to pull you over the edge of this ridiculous dance you two found yourself in.
You had to have felt the connection between you two. The way you leaned closer during the duet, how your eyes dug into his soul. There's no way he was imagining this, but one spell could so easily solidify it. Just one tiny spell. His late teachers warnings briefly flickered to the surface, hidden under years of practice, but they were quickly swept away as Jisung began to gather the needed equipment and herbs. He knew soul magic, especially soul bonding, was a dangerous path to traverse. One wrong move or a push too early could shatter any form of building connection between the two souls and leave them a husk of their selves.
If he was wrong about your feelings and attempted to pull on the soul string too early, it would collapse everything. Realistically, his best option was to just wait, but he was going to go insane if he had to continue this dance. The opportunity was too perfect, a clear sign if he had ever seen one to attempt a bonding. After all, if he was right, nothing could go wrong.
Quickly drawing the blackout curtains closed, Jisung pulled the rug up from the floor and pushed it into the corner, revealing a dark and burned insignia on the ground. Carefully with well-practiced hands, he placed his grimoire in the center and laid the candles out along the edge with perfect precision. Taking a deep breath, he waved a hand over them and watched as the wicks sprang to life with a deep orange flame. Once the insigna was illuminated enough, he scattered the bloodroot and vervain across it, careful not to overlap.
When everything was aligned, Jisung finally closed his eyes, cutting himself off from the vibrant candles and instead focusing on the tug buried in his chest. The warmth in the dark room increased as he dug deeper, his body unnaturally still before he finally spoke. The words were soft, but well-practiced, and clear. Their meanings were locked behind a long-dead language to those unknowing of the craft, but to Jisung each word was specific and grounding.
His hand reached out overtop the flame as he spoke the second chant, doing so with little care of the burning threat. He could feel it licking against his flesh, fluttering over the long-healed scars, but the pain was numb. Reaching out with his other hand, Jisung grabbed hold of the adorned knife to his left, bringing it closer as he wrapped an imaginary hand around the source of his aching chest.
Finally opening his eyes, he raised his head up towards the sky, chanting the final verse before whispering, "Come find me" and slicing the blade down against his palm. The wound wasn't deep, small and barely beneath the first layer of tissue, but it was enough to well blood to the surface. Squeezing, he let the thick crimson drop against the flame, bursting and sizzling yet refusing to snuff it out. At this, his lips stretched into a smile, already feeling the chain connected with his heart pulling. "Answer my call, jagiya."
Across the dorms, you shifted uncomfortably against your desk, eyes blurry against the scratched out lyrics before you. An uncomfortable weight dug into our chest, one that didn't seem to dissipate with any amount of massaging. It was heavy, restricting your breathing to nearly an unbearable degree.
"Jagiya"
The wind seemed to whisper, so gently like a chime swaying back and forth. Your body tensed in reaction, unsure if you had imagined the term of endearment, possibly having lost your mind during the pain.
"Come find me, Jagiya"
Your heart clenched again, pain radiating through your entire body until you forced yourself to stand. Taking a step away, the tension loosened just the smallest amount, but enough to let you heave in a heavy breath. It felt like something was pulling on your heart; invisible claws dug deep into the muscle and scratching against the surface with each second you waited.
"Let it guide you"
You stumbled forward, legs a little too heavy as you walked. The dorm walls around you were suddenly too close, closing in as you moved to escape and chase after the invisible tether. Jisung could feel your reaction from his position on the floor, his own heart nearly singing with each step. The flames around him danced happily as you neared his door, the ribbon wrapped around your souls binding tighter and tighter with every second.
Your name echoed both through your mind and the open air as you pushed open the mysterious door, eyes settling down upon the scene. It looked like something from a horror movie, dark and dreary with only a small amount of candlelight to dance around the shadows. The man in the middle, who you could immediately recognize as Jisung, looked up at you with wide and begging eyes. He had a slight layer of sweat against his skin, his clothes hung loosely and his hair tousled.
But against everything he looked gorgeous.
"Han, what are you doing?" it came out whispered, unsure of how to proceed yet unable to tear your eyes away from the scenery before you.
"Don't you feel it, ___?" His eyes glowed under the flickering candlelight as he finally climbed to his feet, swaying in the air as if drunk. "The pull, the urge? It calls you, doesn't it?" He stepped closer, leaning towards you like a puppy seeking the calming hand of its master.
And just like a dog responding to a whistle, your heart clenched and your hands shook, his own echoing the feeling and making Jisung's eyes roll back momentarily. The bond demanded more from both of you, begging you to submit but he couldn't push you, not during this section, not when it could all so easily fall apart.
"What is this?" You decided to ask instead of reaching out to cradle the boy like your body begged you to.
"This is everything," Jisung breathed back. "Your soul, mine. Both reaching out." He cupped his hand over his chest, fingers digging painfully against rib bones. "This is power, everything you could ever dream of."
"Everything?" You muttered back, feet moving unconsciously in staggered steps. The room got hotter the closer you got, but at this point you didn't care. Something within Jisung called out for you, soothing against the harsh buzz beneath your skin. It felt as if every nerve was sparking to life, desperately seeking some sort of calm yet unable to break through the tension.
"I could show you how to use it," Jisung began, looking down at his book and then back to you. "How to rule, to lead. Just say yes."
You paused once finally within touching distance, his breath ghosting over your lips as you looked down at the grimiore. Was this how he stayed on top of the charts? A little glamour to keep him looking perfect no matter what? Could you really have it all too? Your soul hummed at the thought, pleading to reach out and smooth your fingers against his skin.
And for the first time ever, you listened to the urge. Immediately, you felt as if fireworks had been lit beneath your skin, the low hum bursting to life. But oh did it feel so good. Both of you let out low huffs as the candles' flames burned brighter and your bodies sang, Jisung reaching up to return the gesture, only strengthening the reaction.
Leaning closer, you breathed deeply, desperately trying to find any semblance of order in your mind. "Teach me?" You whispered against his lips, half-lidded eyes looking so pretty as you nearly begged. In reality, Jisung was sure you could ask anything in this position and he would gladly give it to you, but there was something extra enticing about your question, the raw authentic thirst for knowledge that only he could give you, that made his hands tighten. You wanted to learn his craft, to have him guide you every step of the way. You wanted to claim the power you so deserved while beside him: while intertwined with him. Just the thought alone, along with the teasing idea of your potential power together, had him muffling a groan.
Leaning closer once more, he pressed a gentle kiss against your lips, hot and oh so perfect. The flames gave one last burst before dying out, leaving your chests heaving and the tether fully formed. "For you? Anything."
Cw: Descriptions of blood/blood-drinking. Light stalking. Slightly suggestive.
β€ wc: 5.2k
Χβ°ββ€ Hyunjin seemed like any typical artist, proud and tortured just enough to make his art come to life. But hidden underneath all the teasing smirks lay something more. Something... hungry.
There was something uniquely beautiful about the city after dark, a stark contrast to the bustling streets of the day. Bright lights washed over the streets from above, darkening certain corners and basking others in a stream of flickering colours. The loud market calls turned to soft meows as stray cats peeked their heads out, padding away from their temporary homes and out for the hunt. While most people traveled to Seoul for the hurried nature of its daytime life, you couldn't deny how gorgeous it was once the moon peeked out and the city slept.
Camera in hand, you calmly traversed the open roads, eyes sweeping across the stunning shots and smiling softly at the few animals daring enough to glance towards you. The gradual shutter of the machine echoed, disrupted by the padding of little paws and the soft chuckles that escaped. Kneeling down, you watched a pair of younger kittens tousle about, snapping a couple of photos as they batted against one another. The mother watched with narrowed eyes from a nearby crate, her tail swishing but her body relaxed. For good measure, you snapped one of her too before moving on.
The barely audible music streaming from the inner city gradually began to grow as you walked, rolling drums and techno buzz filtering in. The noise overlapped, each song trying to drown one another out, but one tune caught your ear. It was lower, aggressive, closer. Jumbled English lyrics stood out against the typical Korean dialect, grabbing your attention even more. Diverting away from the road, you found yourself drifting into the dark alleys behind it, the bright streetlights blocked by the large building and your path barely visible.
With each step the music became clearer, its beat drumming against the ground and travelling up through your body. Foreign words spilled out, beautifully blending with the beat before you spotted him. A silhouette against the dark wall, barely visible as he moved across the pavement. He floated, beautiful and graceful, barely touching the ground as he danced. His body jerked in a way that almost looked painful, each limb perfectly moving to trigger the next, never stopping before he transitioned into the next move.
He was exquisite.
Ethereal.
His head whipped back, neck spinning. His body, lithe and agile, jolted against the buzz of the music. As he moved closer to the small bit of city light, his eyes rolled back, and his long dark hair sprawled out to follow. You couldn't move, hypnotized by the dancer and his complete control. Your heart beat with the tune itself, immersing you even deeper in the trance. It wasn't until you heard the familiar click that you realised what you were doing, your arms already raised and the camera focused in on the performer.
With the first click his body quickly paused, not stumbling but head jolting towards the source. The music continued to play from the small speaker, but the dancer only tilted his head, his expression shadowed. Mortification filled every essence of your body, hands slowly beginning to shake in their hold against the camera but not daring to bring it down. The two of you stood in awkward tension, unsure how to proceed before you finally crumbled. "I am so sorry!"
Everything rushed back, your camera quickly falling against your chest as you frantically raised your hands. "I- You-" Sentences refused to form, every excuse you could think of jumbling together in your throat. "I-"
An unexpected laughter joined in the musical melody, pausing your frantic motions as the man moved to turn down the speaker. "You're not very good at this are you?" He moved closer slightly, just enough for the city lights to chase away the shadows covering his expression. Instead of the annoyance you expected, or the rage you feared, you found a hint of a smirk pulling at his curious appearance.
"Not really," You finally squeaked back, "I swear I wasn't trying to be creepy. It's just a habit."
The man slid closer once more, his heavy boots making nearly no sound against the pavement. "You have a habit of taking pictures of unsuspecting men?" Despite his accusation, you could have sworn his eyes twinkled mischievously beneath the darker makeup.
Immediately, your face ran hot, cheeks burning so bright you feared combustion. "No!" it came out as more of a scream than anything, "I mean, no of course not. It just... you looked so beautiful. Angelic." If even possible, your blush intensified, mortified by your apparent lack of a filter.
The dancer only hummed, brow raised and smirk growing. "Well, I suppose I should thank you then, a fellow artists recognition is hardly deserved."
From the decreased distance, you could more clearly see his entire form. The clothes he wore hugged his body while flowing freely from his arms and legs, mimicking ribbons during his workout. His hair, too dark to make much out of, was tusseled and strands freely fell against his face from the tie-up. What struck you most was his eyes though, a deep rich colour that must have been brown, but from where you stood they nearly had a crimson tinge to them, adding to the ethereal nature of his entire being.
"Can I see it?" He stepped closer, making you take a small one back knowing full well any deeper proximity would send you stumbling.
"I would love to, but this camera runs on film. I won't even know if it captured anything until I develop it."
Perhaps a trick of the light, you could have sworn his shoulders relaxed at the news, mouth opening as a sigh of understanding escaped. "Ah, too bad then. I would have loved to see the 'angel' you spoke of." He winked, smiling wider at your blushing body.
The two of you settled, the earlier awkward tension gradually dissipating as he began to clean up the small corner he had set up shop in. You watch, still keeping your distance for the sake of your own heart, but observing the expert way he floats around. "Do you dance often?"
"When I can." He hummed, glancing up and grinning. "Why? Hoping to get more candid shots?"
Never-ending, you blushed again, his grin only widening as your heart beat quickened. "No, it's just- the way you moved it was almost second nature. Like you had done it a thousand times before."
The man shrugged, "Perhaps I have, in another life. All it takes is getting lost in the music. Everything else just kind of," He flourished an arm, expertly rolling the muscles along it from side to side. "Clicks."
You nodded in understanding. Though it wasn't the same media, photography kind of came the same way. There wasn't a way to explain the perfect shot, or how you knew when and where to snap the photo. It was all just second nature at this point, unexplainable.
"I am an artist though," He continued, swinging his bag over his shoulder. "As I see you are too."
You clung to the machine around your neck with gentle hands, cradling it in a way that made the dancers smile soften. "I suppose you're right, one artist to another. But your dance truly was beautiful, beyond anything I've seen before."
He laughed, the sound filling your ears like music. "Can I know the name of my adoring fan?" At the sudden question you paused, all thoughts gone before you could finally choke out your name. He hummed once again, trying it out on his tongue before facing you with a brilliant smile. "Well then, untill we meet again ___. My name's Hyunjin. Make sure to remember it, yeah?"
And with that he sauntered out of the alley, leaving you stone still and brightly blushing, his name echoing through your mind and branding every part of your very being with each utterance against your tongue.
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"And make sure to keep your distance, any disruption of the artists and their process could lead to disastrous effects and thus a significant cut to your pay." The gallery manager, Min-Jung, droned on as the two of you walked, voice high and nasally as she sneered. Her heels clanked against the linoleum in harsh stuttered steps, far too stiletto for a woman of her age. Yet every time you so much as paused to take note of the gallery lighting or position of the set up booths, she looked down at you like you'd spat on the floor and clicked her tongue as if calling a horse.
"We have a lot of big names coming in tonight, and if I get just one complaint towards you I will not hesitate to have you thrown out, damn what owners think." Her sharp eyes snapped towards you, "Understood."
Fighting against the strong urge to roll your eyes, you simply gave a small polite smile and nodded. "Yes ma'am, seen not heard unless told otherwise."
Her nose curled. "Good, maybe there's still hope for you yet." And with that the two of you were off again, harsh regiments describing breaks - rather the lack there of - and the artistic setlist bringing you closer to the gallery opening. Gradually, you watched as the artists began to set up, some sending you polite waves while others prepared in a world of their own and completely ignored everyone else. In the downtime, you prepped your camera, adjusting the focus lens and tampering with the light filtration before Min-Jung whistled sharply to signal the start of your long job.
The goal was to meander through the bustling crowd of artists and take periodic photos of their work. The owner of the gallery wanted to create a sort of time-lapse cut collage of the true artistic process including every mistake or doubling back the artist did. His idea was to make art seem more approachable to the average viewer by showing a side beyond the pretentious perfection. Though, by the look of some of the artists and their introductions, they may not have been told about your position in the gallery.
As predicted, as soon as the bell signalling the start of the live painting, even the most egotistical fell blind to your movements. Quiet clicks disguised behind the casual chatter of the onlookers kept you covered and your constant movement kept from gathering any unnecessary attention.
There were all types of exhibits, from live sculpting to gigantic pieces of stained glass. Each one had a little bit of the artist showing through, but none of them really spoke to you. They were amazing, perfect showcases of talent, but easy to snap a photo of and walk away. Well, everyone but one of them. The last artist of the bunch laid further from the crowd, slightly hidden and closer to the back of the exhibit. As you moved closer, the crowds dissipated, still caught up in the shiny exhibits by the door.
But with one singular glance at the piece, you were mesmerized.
Entranced.
The painting was already far beyond what other artists had down, the abstract reds and browns already blended into an expression of anguish. The scenery was pained; no distinct edges to the images creating a blurred effect in the blending that beckoned you to take a step forward. The artist was missing, likely taking a water break or cleaning their brushes, so you raised the camera up and took your time to focus the painting perfectly, capturing it in the glory it deserved.
"We really have to stop meeting like this." You jumped at the sudden intrusion, shoulders bunched like a kid caught stealing. The owner of the voice, a voice so familiar as it had been haunting your every thought the last few nights, smirked at the reaction. "Though I should be thankful it's not a secret photo of me this time."
He gracefully slid into the exhibit room, ghosting around the doorway and sauntering closer to the painting. Instead of sitting down like you expected, he detoured and instead leaned closer to you, glancing over your shoulder at the digital screen. "Digital this time? I hope you weren't lying about our photo." His warm breath ghosted over your skin, a stark contrast to the cool air around. The way he drawled the word our was personal, a pitch lower than the rest.
You're entire body tensed, barely able to hold his smug expression for more than a second before you jumped back. "No!" A few wary heads turned your way making your skin burn and your body shrink back. "I- I'm on a job." Holding up the camera, you made sure to show the smirking artist a few of the other shots, trying desperately to protect yourself from the creep label you seemed destined to have.
Hyunjin barely glanced at the photos, eyes instead fixated on you, glancing up and down your body. He licked his lips at the sight of your cardigan slipping, skin tight undershirt beneath leaving little to the imagination and showing off the upper collar area sinfully. Even from his distance he could catch the tail end of your perfume, mixing with your natural scent beautifully and matching your image in a way that made his head dazed. You looked cute, all flushed under the fluorescent lights, like a rabbit put up for auction.
"And I wasn't lying." Your final mutter snapped him from his momentary daze, your nose wrinkling adorably at the insistence. "I don't use my film camera for work, it takes too long to develop the photos and there's too much risk for error."
Hyunjin's smirk softened into a smile, rigid posture relaxing as he moved closer. "I know, jagiya. I was just teasing you. You're so cute when you blush."
The pet name sent a shiver down your spine, body basically melting at the soft tone. You almost let out a small whimper, masking it with a heavy sigh instead and screaming internally. From the closeness of your bodys, you could see his features much clearer than that late night encounter, his ethereal beauty only cemented by it. His hair was pulled up again, this time a contrasting white ribbon holding the majority of it while the stray pieces framed his face perfectly. The slight red tinge in his irises swirled dangerously, hypnotising as they peered down at you. His lips, unnaturally full, lifted and flashed his oddly sharp canines. Unlike some though, the oddly surreal beauty of his teeth fit perfectly with his aesthetic rather than contrasting it.
As you observed - gawked - at the man before you, Hyunjin's smirk returned and he moved to step towards his painting. "Do you want a closer look?"
"Huh?" Was all that tumbled out as you blinked, dumbly staring him down. Was he asking you to move closer to him?
"Of the painting?" He motioned towards the golden ribbon tied around his station to keep viewers at bay. "If you're actually on a job then surely they wouldn't want just far distance shots alone."
You flushed in embarrassment at the casual miscommunication, swiftly looking back for any sign of Min-Jung before nodding. Hyunjin gracefully lifted the ribbon up and over you before following, barely a hands length between you. "What do you think?"
"I think it's beautiful." You breathed out, the picture much clearer up close. "The way you utilized the reds to add contrast instead of blue like most... It created a deeper visualization to the entire piece." The words began to jumble, every feeling and thought provoked by the art battling. Taking a deep inhale, you closed your eyes before choosing your next statement. "It's painful, yet angelic at the same time."
Hyunjin's smirk softened once more out of your focus, his eyes solely on you. "It's meant to be anguished. A commentary on loss of freedom and power." He stepped closer, clothes brushing as he leaned closer to the painting and in consequence, you as well. "I'm glad you can read it so well."
You finally looked back, "It's easy to do when it's so well displayed." The two of you were far too close now, one wrong trip and you'd be falling against his chest, but neither of you dared to move. Your heart stuttered as his eyes flickered downwards, to your lips and back in a dangerous game of temptation.
Luckily fate had other plans, with the familiar stuttering heels of a certain elder storming into the exhibit. "What do you think you're doing!?" Min-Jung's angry glare was set solely on you, sweeping past Hyunjin like he didn't exist, "I warned you! Do not bother the artists and yet here you are with our largest name-"
"Min-Jung." The woman immediately stopped as he spoke, babbling mouth hung open when he moved in front of you. "I'm the one who pulled Ms.___ in, I wanted her to get a few close ups of the piece before I begin the next layer, just to get a true feel for the brush strokes,." His entire demeanor had shifted, eyes wide and smile polite compared to the dangerous and hungry expression a few seconds ago.
You ducked your head down, basically hiding as he effortlessly disarmed the roaring lion before you. Min-Jung blinked once, then again, and a third time just to fully absorb what she was hearing. Hyunjin waited patiently, only tilting his head in question at the long silence. "I," She coughed, clearing her throat before stepping back. "My apologies. I only wish to make sure she gets adequate pictures of everyone's art tonight, sir. I meant no offense."
Hyunjin hummed, obviously fake smile on his face as he nodded. "Of course, it will only be a few more minutes and then I'll be sure to free our little photographer." He waited for her to move, and when she didn't he raised a brow, "Is there something else you need?"
Min-Jung blushed before she scrambled back, quickly muttering apologies and sending you a poorly disguised glare. You let out a sigh of relief when she exited the doorway, already feeling the rooms temperature change. "I thought she was going to throw me out herself."
The dark haired beauty waved your worries off, "She's always been like that, thinks she's higher up because her father gave her the job when she was a teen. Just needs to be reminded of her position every once in a while." Clapping his hands together, he grinned. "Shall we take a few shots though, before she comes back for another round?"
You were quick to comply, leaning in close to capture the detailed strokes against the canvas before swiftly excusing yourself, blush beginning to climb once more as Hyunjin merely chuckled. The rest of the night held a new intensity to it, each brief glance caught by one another accompanied by a blazing flush. You made sure to keep circling the gallery, not letting yourself fall back into his expertly spun web no matter how much you desperately wished to.
By the time you made the last rounds for final photos the crowd had become barren, only the artists straggling about to pose before their creations. You saved Hyunjin for last, perhaps hoping for a longer conversation or a chance to photograph his beauty without worrying about moving to the next. Unfortunately, when you arrived the artist was already gone. His supplies had been packed up and his space left barren with only his painting on display. Upon it, draped down like fallen snow, was his crisp white ribbon, a stark contrast against the dark background and the only proof that he was ever even there.
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Hyunjin drifted through the next few days, typically focused mind overtaken by thoughts of you. It had infected everything he touched. Every movement done with the idea of your gaze upon it, every thought and word curated for your ears no matter how far away he was. It was tainting his art, drowning it in you. He found himself ripping apart current projects to make them more centralized, flourishing touches of your face in every one. The supple curve of your cheek, the brightness in your eyes, even the way your clothes had adorned your body. It all needed to be captured perfectly, frantic brush strokes against stretched canvas until he could feel your presence in his studio.
It was all consuming, obsessive in a way he hadn't felt in years, in centuries.
When he closed his eyes, Hyunjin could still envision your blushing cheeks, could still taste the embarrassment ringing high upon your natural scent. You looked so cute, bundled up and blushing. So much so that he knew he had to see more, to see how far the colouring dropped against your skin. He had to see you again. Even if it were just for a second, something small to tide him over until the next hit.
It started out small, accidental really.
Small glances in a crowded coffee shop. A few seconds of staring as you photographed the wildlife in some random public park. All places he could justify if caught, and he had been. One glance too long in the grocery store had brought your eyes to his and that only made everything worse. Because as soon as that pretty little blush lit up and you smiled that sweet smile he was a goner. The interaction was quickly starved off by a small wave and escape of his own but the image lasted for days.
Thats when it became more, an obsession driven to extremes. Hyunjin found himself chasing you, going far beyond the casual public spaces he justified. Now he was catching glances from street corners, watching you laugh as it filled his chest with a warmth long forgotten. He'd follow you until you entered your neighborhood after late night wanderings, just to make sure you were safe of course. He was never untoward with his gaze, balancing the fine line between connoisseur and creep. Yet every little interaction and taste, no matter how small, sent him spinning.
Gods he was going to drive himself into a frenzy just thinking about you.
Throwing down the golden brush in his hand, Hyunjin licked his unnaturally dry lips, feeling the all too familiar burn within his veins as his skin shuddered. The hunger threatened to boil over, a warning that he hadn't fed in nearly two weeks, shifting into a dangerous level of starvation. But how could he when he had discovered you? You with your bashful eyes and warm skin. You, who smelled so sweet, the perfect mixture of scents to send him in a daze with only one touch. You, who in comparison outshone everyone else by miles. He just couldn't bring himself to find someone else, his usual line of fans felt wrong, inadequate.
Sure he could do bagged blood. Though not nearly as appetizing, it didn't carry the now nauseating smell of another person. Unfortunately for him though, his typical contact was on a personal leave from the city and he had burned through even his emergency rations after the first two encounters with you.
So that left him here, desperately chasing the creeping hunger away by drowning it out in music and art. Hopelessly trying to escape any thought of you before he made a mistake he was sure to regret. Obviously it wasn't working, with how his skin itched and his fangs caught against his lips with every twitch. Groaning in frustration, Hyunjin threw himself to his feet and stormed out the door, ignorant to the way the night air bit at his already cold skin.
Seoul was deader than usual, even the strays wandered off, but that didn't stop him from wandering. Especially not when his nose caught the smallest hint of a familiar face. His body moved on autopilot, shifting in and out of shadows without a sound. He danced around the abandoned roads before crisp music floated into his ears and the intimately known face of you came into focus.
You were wandering, just as you had so many nights before, with your headphones blasting some casual beat. It was inaudible to the human ear, but even from the roadside where he stood, Hyunjin could make out every syllable, accompanied by your light hums along with them. You looked gorgeous as you swayed under the moon, and by heaven and hell you smelled so sweet. Ripe, like an apple begging to be picked.
Unconsciously, he had moved closer, nearly touching you with his outstretched hand before you jumped. Headphones roughly falling around your neck, you strambled to put a few feet between you and the stranger before you recognized the familar face of a certain artist. "Hyunjin! You nearly scared me half to death. What are you doing out here?"
The usually confident man looked unsure himself, posture uneven and body shifting. Immediately, you could tell something was wrong. "Hyunjin? Are you okay?" You moved forward to grab and stabilize him, but the man was quick to step back and shake his head
"You can't, I... I don't want to hurt you." Confused, you tried to step closer again to the same result.
"You wouldn't hurt me Hyunjin." He once again shook his head.
"I could." This time, he faced you and through the shining moonlight you spotted something different. Something wrong. While Hyunjin always had this type of ethereal, supernatural like beauty, everything seemed to have been sharpened. His eyes, typically tinged red nearly glowed in crimson. Over his puffed lips, you could have sworn you seen fangs, but when he whimpered again, head tilting, your assumption was confirmed.
Could he be..?
Hyunjin stumbled as you gawked, hand reaching up to cradle his face as he tried to gather enough power to escape you. But you were too enticing, locking him in place and torturing him with the sound of your blood and body. "It hurts." He whimpered, half-lidded eyes flicking down at you, his lips curled into a grimace as he struggled between moving closer and pushing you away. You watched with baited breath as his hands flexed, veins prominent against pale skin. He looked pitiful, pulling on your heart strings as another whimper echoed.
"Would," The words faltered, "Can I help?" It sounded unreal, oddly sure in your question despite the implications. But how could you not offer, especially seeing how in pain he was in. It hurt you to watch the usually strong man flinch and falter.
On the other side, Hyunjin felt his gums burn at the proposition, having to bite down on the cry of acceptance that threatened to burst out. Every second spent close to you lit his dead nerves on fire, begging for a taste. Even just a small drop. "___, you can't. I'm a-"
"I know." Your soft voice sounded like honey against his ears, soothing the pain with two words. "I still want to help, you look so in pain."
Hyunjin stumbled closer, "I am." He stared deep into your eyes, fingers twitching as he looked for any hint of reservation. "Are you sure?"
You gulped, throat bobbing heavily, but you ultimately nodded, taking your own step closer in invitation. Hyunjin could have sung in sweet victory. Carefully, as if handling fragile porcelain, he cradled your shoulders and pulled you closer. The first hint of his warm breath against your neck made you tense, his hands immediately soothing the muscles along your back. Within seconds the first swipe of his tongue against your neck sent shivers across your body. He repeated the action a few more times, nearly groaning at just the taste of your skin.
"Let me know if it gets too much," it was muffled by your skin as he basically suckled against it, but it was audible enough to receive a nod of acknowledgment from your already overstimulated form. And then he bit down. The pain came first, sharp and stinging as his fangs pierced the tender skin connecting your collar and neck. That was quick to dissipate though with each suckle, tender flesh numbing and an overall hum of warmth taking its place. The man before you let out a sinful moan with the first drop against his tongue, eyes rolled back as he nuzzled deeper into the supple flesh.
You stumbled, but Hyunjins grip kept you close, relishing in the thick crimson blood coating his throat and savoring each mouthful like it would be the last. He felt euphoric, riding high up in the clouds from the delicate taste of you. From the first sip he knew all others were entirely ruined for him, perhaps even bagged blood. Nothing would ever match the sheer intimacy you two shared, bodily fluids swapping as he mouthed at the open wound. You two were no longer separate beings, your blood flowing through his veins as one.
He groaned again at the thought, the noise reverberating through his chest and into your own, eliciting a breathy whimper of dazed pleasure from yourself. Your breath panted heavily in thick white puffs, body too far despite the temperature around. After a few more seconds you began to feel your head spin, a weak and shaking hand tapping twice against the mans back. Immediately he backed off, teeth retracting and mouth simply lightly ghosting around the wound to clean it up. You felt his tongue dart out again, lapping up the last trickles before he stilled, head still nestled in your neck.
"Hyunjin?" You weakly questioned, his soft eyes turning to face yours. You both stared in silence for a few seconds, still dazed before the man leaned forward again. Instead of your neck though, his lips bumped softly against your own. Buffering slightly, you struggled to return the favour, tasting the tinge of iron against your tongue, but Hyunjin didn't mind, taking control and guiding you into an intense make out. His arms tightened and you bit at his lip, not enough to be painful but claiming as he pushed you closer together. Tongues battled and lips crashed until the desperate need for oxygen became too much and you had to separate.
"I..." Your breath seemed to be stolen away, lips heavy and swollen as your head spun from the reeling blood and oxygen loss. Hyunjin groaned under his breath in response, still holding you close but not shaking nearly as bad as he had been. A small trail of blood dripped down his chin and onto your collar but neither moved to clean it away. The night seemed to freeze around you, both left with heavy breaths and stunned expressions. In the background, you could hear your playlist click to the next song, invoking a soft laugh from the man before you.
"I love this song." His raspy tone echoed through your entire body, crimson eyes settling on you with a gentleness you'd have never expected after everything that happened. Delicately, as if you were going to fade away, Hyunjin untangled himself before offering his hand out, back slightly bowed like a prince. "Dance with me?"
Perhaps it was the lingering buzz, the absolute dream-like daze you'd found yourself in, but you didn't hesitate for a second before taking his hand. With expert precision, Hyunjin pulled you close in a proper hold, one hand placed soothingly on your hip as you both swayed. Neither spoke, too caught up in the feeling of one another as you danced under the moonlight.
Questions could come later, for now it was just the two of you in a peaceful embrace. And that was all you needed.
Cw: Violence. Descriptions of blood and injury. Swearing.
β€ wc: 4.0k
Χβ°ββ€ Changbin always had a short fuse. Hanging on by less than a thread, one wrong breath away from falling off the edge. But he liked it. He loved the chaos and power; the rush as his fists damaged skin and the blood fused against his flesh sent his head spinning. He was proud, until he met you. Suddenly rage doesn't seem like enough to keep him going.
The spotlight was too bright. Too loud. It swung roughly overhead on a half-broken chain, threatening to fall with each creak. Everything was blinding, the room around a blur of dark silhouettes behind the vibrant fluorescence. Then there was the noise, both too much and too little at the same time. Enigmatic in the way the blood rushing through his veins overtook the roaring crowd, dampening it and creating a twisted base drumming across his skull.
Everything was too much.
But it was perfect.
Fists raised, the man circled the ring, letting the assault to his senses fill every nerve in his body. He was floating, euphoric as the ringmaster counted down. His body bounced back and forth on the balls of his feet, his entire being jonzing for his next hit. It wasn't for any type of narcotic, no he craved something deeper, begged for something more - something violent.
The bell echoed across the damp room like a war-cry, prompting the two central fighters to lunge. Fists flew, bodies dodged and the sound of flesh breaking filled the air. Iron invaded the senses, yet everyone cheered. Their calls echoing through the mans ears like a choir.
Angelic. Powerful.
He could feel his opponent faulter with another strike of his fist, weakly lashing back with an easily avoidable one of his own. It wouldn't be long now. Another hit to his face sent a spritz of crimson out of the boys nose, covering his fist and splashing across his face yet he didn't stop. Not when it felt so good, so right. His name cheered on in the background, filling his chest with pride as he struck again. And again. And again until the man slumped across the floor.
As much as he wanted to send another fist down, to give into the vibrant buzz beneath his skin and the violent images of crimson spilling freely from every inch of his opponent, the fighter stepped back. Immediately, the crowd silenced, the ringmaster jumping in and kneeling down towards the other man, counting down.
"8, 9, 10! Chul is down for the count! Let's hear it for our raining champion, Changbin!" The crowd immediately sprung to life as his hand was raised, chanting his name and relishing in the power of his victory. His dark brown eyes scanned the sea of people, grinning with wide bloody teeth. The rush sent his head spinning, yet he kept grinning, floating atop cloud nine.
Everything was too much in the ring, that was for sure. But he wouldn't give it up for the world. He drowned in the feeling, the power and relished in the way the spotlight shined down on him. It was home, a comfort.
A place he belonged.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
The night had finally wound down, crowds dispersing and money quickly exchanged, yet Changbin still felt the adrenaline rushing through his veins. His skin buzzed, thirsty for more as he headed down the desolate street with little care. It was always like this after a big fight, the hunger for something extra battling out with the knowledge of secrecy. If he could, Changbin would be bathed in red, letting his rage fly unrestrained, but he knew better than to give into the temptation.
He'd seen others like him do it, watched with hidden jelousy as they released the beast hidden away inside. It always seemed so freeing, so natural. But it never ended well for them. There was a reason Oni's were so rare, so powerful. If one lost even the slightest bit of control they never got it back, drifting in a sea of lust and rage. Back in the Heian period, when monarchs ruled the world, it was easy to evade capture. Oni's could freely torment and enrage citizens across the land with little punishment. But in modern Korea, it was much harder to evade detection.
So Changbin settled for the momentary rush, enough to feed his inner demon and settle it with whatever humanity remained in his mind. Looking down at his hands, he could still see the faded blood that had tainted his skin, his muscles tensing in memory. An abrupt yell cut through his reminiscent thoughts, his fists clenching as he turned towards the dark alleyway before him. Within a second, another yell came, louder and more urgent prompting the stalky man to swiftly head down the pavement.
The scene was hard to make out at first when he arrived, two figures scuffled together and nearly hidden behind the building. As soon as one of them fell though, it was easy to see the situation. A female, much smaller than the assailant, stumbled back as a fist hit her face, hands reflexively reaching up towards her nose. The man immediately moved forward, a slight limp to his left leg and he snarled. "You bitch, I'm gonna make you regret that-"
Quickly, Changbin moved closer, fist already flying and clipping the man across the jaw upon his first step. The punk stumbled back, clearly taken off guard. His arm moved to swing back, but Changbin was already approaching, familiar grin taking place of the previously bored expression. "What the fuck man, whats your problem-"
Another punch against his nose shut the whiney complaints of the boy, his breath leaving his body as a knee joined the assault. "Sorry what was that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of me kicking your ass."
Changbin raised his leg, launching the heavy boot out and up at the mans chest, making him stumble accross the pavement. Behind him, he could hear the girl stumbling to her feet, but he didn't stop. he kicked again, nearly laughing as the man tried to sit up. "Fuck are you doing man? I'll fucking kill you."
The pair backed further towards the alley opening, a small bit of light shining down on the rat-like man beneath Changbins foot. "Yeah? You think you can kill me? A little fucker like you?" He leaned closer, stepping just enough out of the shadows to show his face, blood once again splattered against his skin as he grinned even wider. "Try me."
The man below froze, eyes widening unnaturally as all fight left his body. Changbin could feel his eyes glowing, teeth threatening to breech his lips as the canines extened. "What the-" the frantic sound of scrambling legs filled the air as the assailant tried to stand up, a wet spot forming in his pants the closer Changbin became. "You- Fuck! You're a fucking monster." With piss-stained pants and a bloodied body, he finally scrambled off into the street, leaving the Oni grinning in satisfaction.
After making sure he was actually gone, and calming the raging demon who demanded a better fight, Changbin turned around to the girl before him. It wouldn't be his first time comforting someone after a similar situation. The interactions were always filled with more tears than he was comfortable with but like always he would help her home just to be polite. This time, his heart stuttered upon first glance. There were no tears on the womans face, her body shaking but it wasn't from fear like usual. No she was mad.
Her entire body quivered in rage as she stared out the alleyway behind Changbin, her eyes unnaturally dark and her bloodied fists clenched to her sides. There was blood streaked across her face, slowly dripping from her nose as she tried to wipe it away. Gods, she was gorgeous. All words left his brain as he buffered, staring at the art piece before him with a dumb, gawked expression.
"What are you looking at?"
Shit even your voice was breathtaking. "Sorry, you just got a little," He choked out, motioning to his nose with his hands. "Here." Pulling out a relatively clean cloth from his jacket, he held it out to you.
You paused, glancing down at the cloth and back at him a few times before taking it. After a few moments, you pulled it away and nodded. "Thanks."
Changbin could only dumbly nod, still staring at you like a drunk teenager. It wasn't until you shifted back, clearly uncomfortable that he jolted up, taking a few steps of distance himself and trying to get some semblance of a polite smile. "Are you okay? Did you know him?"
"I'm fine," You nearly hissed, clearly still on edge from the whole night. Your face ached, but you didn't dare faulter before the stranger, especially with how quickly he had just dismantled the other man. "Just an ex who got a bit too handsy."
The shorter man huffed, keeping his face clear of the obvious bloodlust brewing under his skin. Maybe he should have pummeled the boy a little more before he let him go. "Do you need help getting back home? I've got a car not too far-"
Quickly, you held your hand up. "No thank you. I can get home just fine."
Changbin tilted his head, watching your sway lightly as you tried to keep your pain hidden. "Really? It wouldn't be a problem. Let me help you."
You visibly stepped back as Changbin shifted, fist gripping the bloodied towel like a sword. "No offense, but I don't know you. Thanks for the assist and all, but I've had one hell of a night and I don't think getting in a strangers car is going to be a good end to it."
Embarrassment coloured the mans cheeks as you stated your point, mentally slapping himself for being so narrowly focus. "Shit, right sorry. That makes sense."
At his easy admission, your body relaxed the smallest amount, having fully prepared for him to push and for you to have to run again. Instead, the mysterious dark haired man took a step back himself, putting a comfortable distance before you two and looking properly guilty. "Do you need money for a taxi?"
The heavy weight from the nights match burned in his pocket as Changbin asked, dreams of splendors on BBQ drifting away at the offer but you were quick to shake your head. "It's not too far."
Humming, the two of you fell into a tense silence, neither moving. "Can you," You cleared your throat, shifting uncomfortably. "Can you leave first, please."
Changbins head jolted, eyes wide as he looked towards the alley opening with red cheeks. "Right! Sorry!" He scrambled to move forward, almost tripping as he did.
Behind, a smile twitched and you covered your mouth with your sleeve to hide the laughter threatening to escape. It was a complete 180 to his earlier stance, all the confident macho energy bleeding into a stumbling faun. Sort of cute if not immensely surprising, contrasting in a way you didn't expect to see from the mysterious midnight saviour.
From in front, Changbin cursed himself for the absolute fool he was acting like. This was Jisung levels of foolery and it mentally killed him to ever imagine being in the same catagory. He was supposed to be the cool one, Mr. Smooth. Yet there he was, choking on his spit and buffering like a scratched CD. The two of you awkwardly exited the alley, Changbin looking back one last time just to make sure you were there. Your feet moved slowly, scraping with each step, yet you stood tall. Keeping your shoulders straight and body ready for any sudden movements. The entire show of power made him want to bundle you up into his arms and keep you away from the pain.
"Thank you again." You suddenly called out, a dim blush of embarrassment colouring your cheeks. The man glanced back, the smile on his face making him look much more like an innocent rabbit compared to before.
"My pleasure. Couldn't just leave you to deal with that asshole alone."
You nodded, looking away from his adorable smile as your skin warmed. "Yeah... Well, bye." You willed your exhausted legs to shuffle quicker, turning right abruptly to escape before your hardened expression combusted.
"Wait! I never got your name!" He called out frantically behind you, waving his arm.
Looking back, you cheekily smiled. "I never gave it."
He huffed, "I'm Changbin!"
You finally laughed, quickly turning around to make your escape. "Nice to meet you Changbin. Maybe next time."
And with that you left, leaving him wide eyed and breathless, a new type of determination building. Next time. There was going to be a next time.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
Fate seemed to have a sense of humour. A bad one.
It had been weeks since Changbin had rescued you in that dark alleyway, yet despite his countless roaming walks along the streets and his purposeful attendance of the nearby coffee shops he had yet to even catch a whiff of your perfume. Everytime he came back to his house with another overpriced coffee and frustrated expression Hyunjin burst into laughter.
It was starting to become frustrating, but he couldn't bring himself to stop trying. There was something different about you, something that pulled him. Maybe it was the way you faced your attacker, or the strength you stood with afterwards. It was more than just a physical attraction to a pretty face, something primal that left him begging for more. He had to meet you again before it drove him insane.
At the start of the third week, Changbin was at his limit, the punching bag swinging roughly before him with each slam of frustration, groaning and threatening to collapse. "You're gonna kill that thing." The smug and frankly unwelcome voice of a certain artist overpowered the blasting music, leaning against the door as the poor bag continued to be abused.
"Maybe it deserves it."
Hyunjin rolled his eyes, "Whats with you, Binnie? Over one girl that you met for less than five minutes? Calm down."
The man didn't listen though, fists flying even faster as he refused to look at his friends smug expression. If he did, Changbin couldn't guarantee his face wouldn't take the place of the bag. "I told you, something about her was different."
Hyunjin huffed, "She was bloody. You already told me. Don't you think this may be a reaction from your demon part more than you? I mean come on, Binnie. You haven't been to a fight in weeks. You're going nuclear."
Jumping forward, the skinny man stopped the bag, masking a pained noise as Changbins fist landed one last punch. "Look at yourself." Hyunjins expressed softened from teasing to genuine worry as he pointed towards the mirrored wall. Turning, the smaller man froze at the reflection staring back at him. Eyes a glowing dark crimson and teeth elongated painfully, Changbin looked far from human. His Oni features had slipped out against his knowledge, that low buzz beneath his skin tripling at the sight.
Behind him, Hyunjin held out his phone. "Go to a fight, tonight. Before it consumes you." And with that the man was gone, slipping out just as suddenly as he arrived, leaving Changbin standing alone and confused with the underground chat pulled up and unanswered on his phone. A heavy decision weighing him down.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
The underground ring was just as chaotic as he remembered, filled with an onslaught of disgusting scents and sounds that made his head spin. In a way it was comforting, a breath of fresh air compared to the chaotic frantic nature of the last few weeks. That same familiar buzz beneath his skin pulsed with the crowd. After everything he needed this and the manager was more than happy to have his favourite bloodthirsty fighter for the night.
"Feel free to go all out," The slimy man grinned widely, inhuman. "I scored a couple of ring doctors tonight. Young kids, desperate for a quick buck but they're reliable." The managers hands spun around in the air as he talked, hyping up the fight to an obviously disinterested Changbin.
All he wanted was a fight, and if the manager wanted bloody then so be it he'd give it to him.
His opponent was definately bigger than last time, towering over Changbins shorter form but that only made his grin widen as the two met in the ring. There was something even more exhilerating about beating someone who so obviously thought they could win, who looked down on him like he was nothing. This fight was going to taste so sweet.
The bells barely registered before Changbin was throwing his fist out, desperate to hear that sweet sound of bone against bone. His knuckes dug painfully into the mans jaw, side stepping and letting his other fist fly with reckless abandon. The older man stumbled, clearly not expecting the power behind his hits, trying to dodge and regain any semblance of balance before Changbin could advance. He too tried to launch forward, but Changbin was in a world of his own, dancing with the dazed music of his blood rushing.
The crowd cheered when the smaller man landed an uppercut, gasping when the opponent finally landed one of his own. But Changbin only smiled, teeth bloody and proud. The two exchanged hits periodically, a dangerous dance of blooming bruises and broken bones. He could feel the ache against his skin, screaming with each hit given and taken, but he couldn't dare stop. Not when it felt so right. Not when his body craved the chaos, on fire beneath the blood coating it. He needed it all, needed more.
The large man before Changbin had already started to faulter, unable to dodge the barrage of punches, but he didn't stop. The usual restraint was gone, replaced by something hungry for more. The crowd screamed in excitement as Changbin kept advancing, ignoring the man as he fell to the ground and moved to try and sit up. He coudn't hear anything beyond his own body, something dark climbing to the surface with each second. Teeth sharpening against the hard plastic mouth guard, his nails elongating and digging into the palms of his hands. He couldn't stop, not when the man cried out, not when he began to slip away. Changbin had to finish it.
This was his destiny, consumed by the raging Oni inside.
A sudden smell cut through the iron filled haze as Changbin slammed his fists against the man below, filling every sense and providing a brief relief from the stench of violence. It was something lighter, more natural. Something familar. Within those few seconds of clarity the ring-master had jumped in, taking the sudden break as a signal to count and inadvertantly stopping Changbin from landing the final blow.
The crowd cheered as the final number was called, but Changbin couldn't move, paralyzed with the scent still reeling through his mind. He didn't feel the pairs of hands gripping his arms, pullin him back. Didn't feel the way they guided and dumped him into his decrepit changing room. It was all a blur, body dazed between demon and human. He could still feel his claws dug into his flesh, heavy huffs escaping from over-grown canines. No matter how much he tried to fight back to reality he couldn't seem to get a grip, spiralling further and further as the bloodlust clawed against his control.
A low demonic growl escaped, sending him punching the mirror before him, inadvertently masking the sound of the door opening and blinding himself to the other person until they gasped. Within seconds Changbin turned around, teeth bared only to be assaulted by an all too familiar scent and your wide eyes. Like a scolded cat, he immediately stopped, frozen in a wide eyed stare-off.
"What the f-" Like a bolt of lightning he was up, covering your mouth with wide eyes and frantically shaking his head. You gulped, unnatural red eyes staring down at you but unlike the fearful display before, all malice had melted away from them leaving a guilty, scolded look instead.
"Please don't" Changbin squeaked out, too shocked to notice the change in his Oni form. His muscled tensed as footsteps approached, stopping just outside the once again closed door.
"Hey, did you need something?"
The two of you shared a small back and forth, your eyes looking down at the hand across your mouth while raising your brow and him shaking his head. Whining, you moved to bite the bloodied flesh but Changbin was quick to pull back. With baited breath he waited for you to reply. "All good, just dropped the med kit." You moved the metal back and forth, mimicking the sound of cleaning up a mess as the person outside shifted.
"The Beast okay? Boss wants to give him his half."
You looked over at Changbin, then back at the door. "He's fine, just has to be patched. Tell Sleezeball to give me a few minutes."
Relief washed over the buff man as the person outside grumbled and walked away, leaving just to two of you and a lot of unspoken questions. Neither of you dared to move, waiting for the other to jump. Changbins nose twitched as a trickle of blood dripped down his face, but he kept his eyes on you as your body tensed. Within seconds, you sighed. "Sit down."
Guided, he listened and sat back down on the chair in confusion. Your body moved slowly towards him, hesitant before you placed the med kit down and began to rummage. From here, he could drown in the smell of your perfume, an odd comfort against the thick iron air. Once again, silence stifled as you began to clean the gashes littering his face, gently guiding the antiseptic wipes and placing butterfly strips against the thicker wounds. It wasn't until you dared to move to his hands, those litered with the gaping holes left behind by his claws that he began to speak. "Why are you doing this?"
You hummed, grabbing another wipe and avoiding his eyes. "It's my job."
He glared, opening his hand wider to show the damage. "You know what I meant."
Your hands never stopped working even as you stood in silence, trying to come up with an answer yourself. What you had walked into was impossible to explain, any chance of it being an elaborate special effect washed away by the wounds you were healing. So why were you still there? Why hadn't you ran away screaming about demons and blood?
"Maybe," Changbins ears perked up, "Maybe because I can still see the dumb idiot who saved me." Placing down the wipes, you grabbed hold of the gauze and began to expertly wrap his palms. "Maybe I'm still blinded by the idiot who screamed his name into the dead of night with his hands high in the air like a child."
Changbins skin glowed. "You remember?"
You hummed, eyes still focused on the task. "I can't explain what I saw, and logically I should be running for the hills, but maybe I want to know more about the other sides of my saviour."
Changbins breath hitched, hope battling with self-loathing as he leaned closer to your touch subconsiously. "I looked for you," His eyes flittered at the gentle nature of your fingers. "Everyday. I wanted to meet you again, learn your name, learn who you were."
The well practiced motions dwindled to a hault as you finally looked up into Changbins eyes, the red washed away to a familar brown. "You did?"
"Drove my friend crazy." His admission garnered a laugh, slightly water as your shoulder relaxed.
"I can imagine so." A more comfortable atmosphere fell over the room as you both laughed, hands mindlessly packing up the med kit and disposing of the bloodied supplies.
"Do you still want to?" Changbins sudden question had you pausing, a tilt of your head to signal him to continue. "You know, get to know the other side of me."
Those few seconds of contemplation nearly killed Changbin before you hummed again, "I think I would." turning around, you began to shuffle towards the door. "My names ___, by the way." You looked over your shoulder with a soft grin.
He watched you leave with a goofy smile of his own, hands nearly wrapped in mittens and so warm from your lingering touch. ___, a beautiful name to match everything else you had to offer. The name of the girl who saved him from himself, even if she didn't know it yet.
Cw: Descriptions of death. Voices and hallucinations. Parental death.
β€ wc: 5.0k
Χβ°ββ€ Lee Minho had always been a bit ... odd. Bored expression twitching every so often, his eyes sweeping to dark corners filled with things unseen. He had a few quirks, but over your childhood you'd learned to ignore them. It was just Minho being Minho. But as the hidden shadows seemed to swell, threatening to swallow your friend whole, you may just find out first hand the danger his oddities could bring.
"You're going to fall."
The flat, desolate tones of a certain man cut through the peaceful air of the studio with little care. From above, atop the large ladder, you squeaked at the sudden intrusion , your hands flailing out to the sides like a pair of broken wings. The brush swipped roughly across the canvas before falling to the ground with a heavy thud, followed closely by the paint tray you so desperatly tried to keep upright. The man watched with a smug expression as you thrashed around, stumbling to wrap your arms around the teetering metal beneath.
You whipped around to face the deadpanned man as everything finally settled, lips snarled and heart racing. "Minho! What the heck!"
The brunette shrugged, casually stepping further into the studio and expertly avoiding the now splattered paint. "I was just letting you know. Your balance was entirely off." The way he moved was lithe, a cat strolling into the room with little care.
"Because of you." You hissed back, carfully untangling your limbs and stepping down from the now unstable perch. "Look at this mess, now I have to re-mix that entire shad."
Again, your friend shrugged, a glimmer of amusment in his dark eyes. 'Good, it was off anyways."
Offended, you whipped around to face him, ready to cuss him out before glancing up at the canvas slowly. To your horror you took note of the muddied green streaked across the white background, nowhere near the soft tone you had been envisioning. The scolding died out, shoulders tensed as you felt his proud grin burn against your back. You didn't turn around, too afraid to meet his gaze and fuel his already dangerous ego.
Advancing, Minho leaned closer and grinned behind your shoulder. "Told you." His breath warm against your cooled skin sending unconsious shivers down your spine. Just as quick as it came, his presence was gone, already walking towards the door leaving you immobilized and your skin running hot. "Come on, we're going to be late if you don't get moving."
As if nothing happened, he walked out the door, sparing no more than a single glance towards you with twinkling eyes. Your heart beat quickened briefly as he disappeared, dangerously loud to a point you could have sworn he heard it. The silence that followed was heavy, a dangerous dance between you two pushing closer to the edge of insanity. Quickly patting your face down, you turned to groan at the now empty and messy studio. Even after years of knowing him, Minho still managed to get under your skin every single time. His jabs always dull in nature yet they never failed to leave you reeling.
Swiftly gathering the fallen equipment and lazily wiping the puke coloured paint from your already stained floor, you headed out towards the awaiting man, his bored expression not even flinching as you arrived. "You know your moms going to be pissed if we're late again."
Grabbing your discarded coat, you slipped in front and out the door with a scoff. "It's fine, I'll just blame it on you. Something about your undevoted attention to your cats that left me alone and begging you to go."
Minho raised a brow at the jest, lips twitching as you walked towards his car. "As if your mom would believe that. She raised you, plus I'm perfect in her eyes."
Sending back a playful glare, you climbed inside. "I hate how right you are about that. I swear she only puts up with me in order to see you, you little demon."
He smirked, winking as you settled down and headed off towards the restaurant, "Of course she does, compared to me you're a stumbling mess. I'm basically an angel. But don't worry, ___. I'm sure Nabi still loves you.""
You cursed the man with a laugh, pushing his shoulder roughly as he turned away. His words brought up a memory from the prior month, your mother leaning down to you with a proud smile under the shining spot lights. "You're like a deer, ___. Look at him, he flies like a swan. Don't you want to join him?" It wasn't meant to be rude, a playful tease during your cousins wedding, but in hindsight she had a point.
"One day, Lino. One day I'm going to watch you fall and I won't do anything but laugh in your face." Minho only scoffed, turning up the radio to drown out your taunts as you cruised down the road. Within no time, you both arrived outside the comfortable family owned building, waving towards the older street vendors lining the corner outside. The atmosphere was bright and heartful, keeping the grin on your face even when the man dragged you away and through the aroma filled doors.
"My love!" Your mothers cheer resounded from the back of the building, gradually getting closer until you spotted her grinning form.
"Momma!" You cheered back, only to be swept aside as she wrapped her arms around Minho's body, sqeezing tightly and muttering soft praises. Said boy looked back at your shocked expression with a grin, winking before wrapping his own arms around her. "Hello Iseul, you look lovely as always."
Still frozen with your arms awaiting a hug, you quickly whined "Momma, what about me?"
Peaking at you over the grinning cat-like mans shoulder, your mother scoffed and slowly unwound herself from his arms. "Be patient dear, I haven't seen Minho in over a month. I missed him."
"But you didn't miss me?" You hung your head playfully and winced as she gently cuffed the back of it. "Momma."
"Don't be a fool. Of course I did. Now, come on you two, you're already late as it is."
Swooping in, Minho smoothly guided your mother with a hand on her arm, winking back at you. "Apologies, Iseul. ___ got so caught up, you know her. Head in the clouds."
You gawked, mouth mooving like a fish as your mother nodded. "Of course, of course. Thank you for sticking around for her. I swear she'd wander off if not for you." The two of them laughed softly at your expense, leaving you dazed and alone.
"Are you hearing this Nabi? He's turned her against me, left me in the dust." The small cat slowly looked up at you from the doorway, large yellow eyes unblinking as you sighed. "I guess you really are the only one left to love me." The two of you had a mini staredown before you smiled, lightly tapping your thigh. The calico blinked once, tail sweeping only for her to snuff and walk away with a raspy meow, leaving you alone.
"Asshole." You muttered roughly before admitting defeat and heading into the restaurant.
The other two dinners were already seated, Minho proudly staring you down as you approach, tempting you to start something with your mother sitting right across from him. "Finally, dear. I thought Nabi may have eaten you."
The three of you glanced down at the menus, quickly stating your orders before the waiter dissapeared into the kitchen. The staff was kind enough to bring out some tea, setting it down before you and handing your mother her own glass of honey as she gave a little cough. "How have you been, Momma? I teased before, but is everything going okay?"
Your mother only waved off your worries, mixing the steeped tea with expert precision. "You worry too much dear. I'm the same as I was last time we spoke. No changes, same old little cough. It's expected, I'm not exactly young and spry anymore." She covered her mouth, letting out a few more huffs before Minho reached over with a napkin.
"Nonsense. You're timeless Iseul." He reached over and gently rubbed her back, sharing a small glance with you. "Have you seen a doctor."
Waving him off as well, your mother nodded. "Of course I did and they said the same things as me, it's just age. Now enough of this, lets talk about you huh?" The two of you shrugged taking a drink before she spoke up again. "When's the wedding? I'm not getting any younger you know."
The water bruned in your throat as you inhaled, sputtering up and back out your nose as Minho choked beside you. "MOMMA!" You hissed, scandalized with how relaxed she seemed.
Your mother didn't care for your struggles though as she leaned forward. "Oh please, you're both adults. Very pretty adults that would look very good next to each other."
Minho coughed, finally getting control of his breathing as he frantically blinked the tears of pain away. "We're just friends, Iseul." You nodded beside him, despite the small biting feeling that had began to settle in your chest ever since your mother spoke up.
She scoffed, "Please, its been years. Friends don't act like you two."
"Well we do, momma." You shot back, trying to avoid eye contact with the man beside you. "Besides, did you even ask if we were with someone? This would be so inappropriate if I had a boyfriend."
She deadpanned at you, taking another sip of her tea. "Do you?"
The both of you fell silent, mouths open as if to rebuttal before settling down into your seats again. "Still momma, wer're just friends."
Finally relenting, she waved her hand once more dismissively. "What ever you say dear. How is work then?"
Minho was oddly silent beside after the shift in focus, staring intensely down at his tea and tuned out as the conversation changed to that of your current commission in progress. He kept his expression neutral but beneath it all a blush fought to break the surface. A wedding huh? When he couldn't even think of how to kiss you without buffering and shutting down. Ridiculous.
The longer he stared down at his cup, the quieter everything around him became. At first Minho didn't even notice, mind racing with thoughts of you in a white dress occupying every moment, but as the familar kitchen sounds faded, a low buzz took its place. Something familiar.
No.
Not now.
A rush of wind echoed through his ears, invisible to the two sitting before him, yet surreal enough to involk goosebumps across his skin.
Please, go away.
Barely visible through the fog that threatened his vision, the near empty cup in his hands tremored. The wind quickened, biting at his skin. Whispers of intangible words focused in and out as the muddied leaves shifted around the porcelain. They danced, sliding under and around one another before stopping, a singular image laid out clearly in the middle.
An hourglass.
Danger.
The wind whipped harder, stinging bites against his skin turning to harmful slashes, buzzing and digging into the flesh in an invisible wound. His hands shook, unable to look away from the leaves as his throat clogged. "-inho" The voice cut through the noise softly, barely audible over the muttering howls. "-nho come back". It dug its soft hands into his own as the cup clattered on the table, blocking out the whines beneath his ears.
"Minho-MINHO!"
Within a blink it all was gone. No noise, no whispers. The clog in his throat disipated as his head was forced to look up meeting a pair of worried eyes. "Are you okay?" Your face filtered into focus, clear against the blurry surroundings of the restaurant. "Minho?"
"Dear?" Your mom moved closer as well, older and wiser eyes filled with just as much worry though twinged with a hint of knowledge. "Deep breaths."
You opened your mouth to debate, ready to tear his clearly false excuse apart but your moms hand against your own quickly stopped you. "Of course, do you want some water?"
Shaking his head, Minho quickly pulled back from your hold, straightening out his back and blinking away the lingering daze.
"Sorry, I just choked."
Minho cleared his throat again, looking down at the spilled tea leaves before nodding. "Please." Without a second glance, your mom waved over one of the younger waiters with a glass of ice water, handing it to him and allowing him to cool his burning throat. She smiled briefly before launching back into a clearly exaggerated rant about whatever you two had been talking about before his specticle. Like nothing had happened.
You on the other hand were much more hesitant. Eyes sweeping over him with clear worry that made his skin burn. He expertly avoided your gaze, pitching in small inputs towards your mother as if he had been doing that the entire time. The lingering buzzing beneath his skin never fully left him the rest of the dinner, invisible eyes burning against his back. The once peaceful air disturbed, offset by something heavier between you all. Before you knew it, the night settled to a close, all three of you stepping out into the cool, crisp air.
"Well that was lovely." Your mom hummed softly, smiling at the two of you while patting her stomach. "Nothing beats a free meal."
You playfully glared, "Free for you two maybe." Beside you, Minho grinned, happy that the lingering tension was finally starting to fade away. "I'm going to be eating Minho's catfood and cup-noodles for weeks."
"I would never share Soonie's food." You squeaked in offense as the man ignored you, looking back towards your mother. "Do you need help getting home?"
She quickly waved her hand, pointing just across the street. "Nonsense, it's barely a few feet. You make sure to get this one back home before she wanders off for 'inspiration'".
With another noise of offense, you moved to step closer before your mother waved you back towards the car. "You know I'm not wrong, now get into the car before I make you clean dishes all night." Too tired to fight, you gathered your mother into a tight hug, wishing her a goodnight and promising to call soon before you head out.
Minho quickly followed suit, giving her a quick hug but before he could move away, your mom grabbed hold of his forearm and smiled softly. "The wind sure is loud tonight isn't it?"
Without waiting for his response, she squeezed his arm once more and began waddling off towards her room, leaving him wide eyed and frozen on that clear, windless night.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
Ever since the dinner with your mother, Minho had been... off. And that was saying something because he was already an odd man, but all of his little quirks had been turned up to the max. His body was always tense, on the verge of darting out of whatever situation you two found yourselves in the weeks following. His small habit of looking behind him had been dialed up to a constant vigilance, eyes darting around every corner and jumping everytime you moved. If it wasn't Minho you were talking about, you would have thought he was on drugs with how paranoid he was being.
Everytime you brought it up to him he only shrugged you off, muttering low scoffs of insanity and how you were reading too far into his motions. But you weren't. Something was clearly wrong with your friend and you wanted to know, especially with how it seemed to be hurting him. Dark, painful bags had settled down beneath his eyes the last few weeks and at one point you could have sworn you'd seen scratch marks on his arms.
But even talking to his fellow bandmates had garnered no results. Bang Chan had softly reasured you that he was safe, promising to keep an eye for anything different while Jisung had blamed the scratches on his cats, quoting them as "Little Demons" hyped up on catnip. These were all obvious lies, but with no proof beyond your own hear-say there was not much you could do.
On the otherside of the coin, Minho felt like he was going insane. Between trying to filter in reality from fiction to keeping your worries at bay the poor boy felt like he was going to combust. Everyday the urge to scream got louder, the whispered wind harsher and the illusions more clear. He hadn't had an attack this intense in years and it terrified him. With symptoms this far in advance and this harsh, he knew it had to be personal. After all he'd screamed before, at concerts to doomed fans lost in the crowd and hidden in his music but never had he felt such a strong reaction this far in advance.
Death clawed at his very soul, trying to dig into his skin the longer he fought against it. It whispered in his ears, clawed at his brain and tried to pluck out his eyes. It tainted everything around him, painting the once bright atmosphere black. He didn't want to do this, didn't want to be a curse upon those closest to him, but your mothers words continued to echo through his mind. Did she know? Was she aware of the curse she treated as a son, the beast she allowed so close to her daughter? If so then why, why did she allow him to stay close? Why hadn't she turned around to scream at him, to push him away just as the rest of them always did?
Night had long overtaken day, hours past the apex of the moon, yet Minho could still not find sleep. It evaded him like smoke in a bottle, pushing him closer to his breaking point as his blood became more caffeine than iron. The world was silent, too silent compared to the onslaught of random sounds that had filled his head the past few days. He sat, waiting for something to come. A whisper? A scream? Another howl of some random word too garbled to undertand? Anything-
"Minho~"
He jolted against the soft sheets beneath him.
"Minho~" His name echoed dangerously through the empty apartment, like a sirens call. He glanced around, taking sight of his sleeping children before carefully standing. "Open your eyes~"
His body moved against his mind, stepping closer and closer to the bright moonlight shining through his balcony window. On autopilot, he pulled back the dark curtains and looked down towards the sound, eyes finding your own as you grinned up at him. It was you, or was it? Dressed in a fine silk dress that flowed dangerously in the wind. It looked like you, from your soft expression to the jingling of your bracelet. But something was off.
Perhaps it was the way you swayed, as if guided by some hidden tune just out of ear shot. Or the way you smiled up at him, all exhaustion and annoyance from the days prior gone and leaving a dangerously serene expression. "Come find me." You spun, cloth flowing behind and you laughed, all but dancing into the deserted street.
Minho's heart jumped as you avoided the car approaching, sending him scrambling for his shoes and out the door. You only laughed as he fumbled, spinning around a tree and humming a tune so familiar to him yet undistingishable in his frantic mind. Something nostalgic.
"No wait!" Minho desperately called out to your fleeting figure, reaching out as you danced across the street. "Wait!" You only answered in soft laughter, the flowing dress dancing in the wind.
Giving chase, he recklessly rushed down the road, world blind to him except you. Your laugh, the quiet chime of your bracelets, the way your hair moved as you danced around the street lamp. Everything was you. "___!" He desperately begged, heart pounding painfully and chest constricting.
You glanced back, eyes seeming to glow as you danced towards the street. Stepping down from the sidewalk, you slowly turned back towards him and plafully held your hand out. Three fingers raised up to the sky as you spun around, ignoring the faded honks getting closer in the distance. He gasped, trying to move closer before you suddenly stopped, raising one finger to your lips in a hushing manner. "You can't save everyone" and with that the car came rushing past, tires screeching when Minho let the scream clawing at his throat loose as soon as it hit your body. He felt it shake his very soul, loud and feral through the air, his eyes frantically searching the pavement before him. But you were gone, no body left laying bloodied against the asphalt. Just blinding headlights and the smell of burnt rubber. His knees ached against the pavement but he still coudn't move, throat raw from the sheer power that had overtaken him.
Someone stepped out of the car, a couple of people moving towards him but he kept his eyes on the spot where your body should have laid. A pair of soft hands gripped his shoulders, shaking him before migrating up to his cheeks. They were so warm against his skin, comforting and familiar in a way that slowly reeled him back from insanity. "Minho?"
It was you, the real you. Unharmed and bundled up in your warm autumn jacket. You looked close to tears as you held his face, fingers caressing his cheeks as a way to ground both of you. Blinking, he glanced behind you to see your mother leaning against the car, eyes narrowed in sympathy towards the both of you. "___?" It came out as barely more than a croak, scraping against his vocal chords painfully.
You sobbed suddenly, pulling him in and wrapping your arms around his shoulders. "What were you doing out here? Are you okay?" His body shook with your sobs, hands frantically running down his back to reassure yourself that he was still there.
His mouth opened, but nothing could escape. He was stuck between realities, trying to comprehend where and when he was. "Dear." Your moms voice trickled in, "Let him breathe."
Another sob shook your body as you frantically shook your head, too afraid tha he would dissapear if you let go. "Dear," Her own shakng hands rested upon your shoulders and gently pulled you back, detangling your koala hold on the man. "He's okay, he's just in shock."
You sniffled, obeying the distance but keeping your eyes on him at all times. "What are you doing out here?"
He blinked, slowly, a few times before he could gather any sense of speech. "I... I was on a walk."
You gawked. "A walk!? I saw you rushing across the streets like a madman! You almost got hit!"
Your mom softly ran her hands down your shoulders in warning before stepping closer to Minho with unsteady legs. "Come on Love, lets get you home." He looked up, blinking unsteadily before carefully reaching out for her hand. As soon as he made contact, a chill ran down his spine, freezing and nearly ripping it out of her grip if she hadn't placed her second on over his to cage it in. She guided him to the car carefully, helping his shakey form get settled before turning to motion you forward.
You sat still on the ground for a few more minutes, tense and unsure before you followed after your mother. The car ride towards his house was suffocating, and by the time you arrived he all but fell out of the car. Moving to help him, your mother gently raised her hand and shook her head before heading out herself and carefully guiding his dazed form inside.
The cats were quick to swarm the pair, large unblinking eyes sparing the older woman no more than a brief glance before surrounding their father. Your mother softly huffed before helping Minho into his room and onto his bed. She smiled, so soft and understanding in a way he didn't think anyone but you could ever look at him before wishing him goodnight.
"Wait." His hand reached out to stop her, pulling back immediately as the cold feeling washed over him. "I-"
She softly hushed the stumbling boy. "Just take care of her, okay?"
Unsure whether to ask how she knew, if she had heard the whispers of death in his scream tonight or how she was so calm, Minho said nothing more. He watched the older woman shuffle towards his door, walk already weaker than it had been days ago.
And he cried.
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
The next two days were an absolute mess of stress and anguish. Minho couldn't bring himself to move, rotting alone with his door locked no matter how many times you came knocking. Bang Chan had been given a heads up, redirecting your frantic questions whenever you peaked into the studio. It wasn't that he didn't want to see you, he wanted that more than anything, to reassure himself you were real and to battle away his nightmares. He just didn't know how to face you.
How could he possibly explain what you saw, what you heard from him that night without sounding insane?
The phone laying against his leg buzzed again, signalling an incoming call but one glance at the user sent his finger sliding across the decline button.
"Minho I swear I'll break this door down!"
The sudden roar from his front door sent him jumping, Soonie huffing as he slid off his lap and onto the bed unceremoniously. It was quickly followed by heavy thumps, your fist likely slamming against the oak wood. "Unlock this door right now or I'll threaten Jisung into giving me his key and you'll be left dealing with both my fists and a crying quoka."
You opened his call option again, not stopping even as he kept declining them. Finally, the incessant knocking coupled with the worried message his neighbor sent him about the cops, Minho rushed towards the front door. "Leave me alone, ___." He didn't dare open the door, projecting his voice loud enough to be heard.
"Not happening. It's been two day, you owe me an explination." You huffed, taking note of the shadow beneath the door and slamming your fist against it again. "I'm not leaving until you let me in."
"The neighbors will call the police before then."
"Then let them." You shot back, "Then I'll explain what a possible risk you are to yourself and they'll knock down your door for me." The knocking continued as you spoke, making him cringe. After a few more minutes, and a few angry meows behind him, the frustrated man growled and ripped the lock back, opening the door wide enough where your fist came flying in and at his face.
The two of you froze as contact was made, neither blinking or moving until the blood began to drip from his nose. "Oh shit!" You quickly rushed past him and into the house. The raging atmosphere immediately shriveled up as you gathered up an old towel, frantically rushing back to him and holding it up to his face. "I am so sorry!"
Minho just groaned, taking the cloth and holding it against the bruised flesh. Neither spoke, your body tense as you stepped away and watched the man. Slowly, as if sensing the rooms temperature, all three cats began to descend from his room. Polite meows filled the air as they sniffed at him and turned towards you for attention. Softly, you laughed and leaned down, an image so familiar it made his chest hurt.
"What are you doing here?"
You looked up, the raging rant you had dying out. "I'm worried about you." Your voice was weak, soft against the open air. "What I saw that night, you- It wasn't you and I was worried. Then you cut me off and my thoughts just spiralled." You took a deep breath, shaky as you tried to distract yourself by running your hands throuh the cats fur. "I thought you were dead, or hurt and no one would answer me when I asked about you."
Guilt settled into Minho's gut as he watched your eyes blink the tears away. "I'm sorry." He softly muttered, looking down at the bloody towel and back towards you. "I just needed some time. To figure it out."
You looked up, head tilted. "To figure what out, Lino? Momma seems to know but she refuses to tell me anything beyond that you're okay. Even the boys seem to know more than I do!" He winced as your voice raised, making you quiet instantly. "What's going on?"
"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." He whispered, keeping his eyes downcast at the floor.
Soft hands encompassed his own, your warm body shifting closer slowly, testing the waters. "Try me."
With a dry mouth, Minho fought against the tears of fear that threatened to fall. "I'm a Banshee."
The room fell silent, even the cats pausing as your eyes widened and the warm caress of your fingers stuttered. "A what?"
"A Banshee." The admission didn't sound any stronger the second time around. "Bringer of death, caller of doom, whatever you remember from those movies. Thats me. I can sense death, maybe bring it I don't know. All I know is whenever someone close to me is about to die, I can tell yet I can do nothing about it."
One tear escaped, closely followed by another until Minho was silently sobbing. No sounds escaped, but his vison blurred as he prepared for your shove of disgust and disbelief. He tensed his body for beratement, ready for the calls of insanity. But instead you leaned closer, hands shakey, and you wiped away his tears. Gentle touch trailing over the hurt and clearing it away as tears of your own began to fall.
"So when you screamed?"
He nodded at the unspoken question, unsure how to elaborate.
"Who?" Your voice cracked, trying to remember everything your mom used to say about Banshees during those 'fictional' stories you'd been told in your childhood. The person who was about to die had to hear the banshees scream for it to trigger, right? That left only you and- Minho shook more in your hold, only solidifying the idea slowly digging to the surface. Fear gripped at your heart and clawed into your throat, clogging and choking you in anguish.
His arms immediately reached out, wrapping around you in a warmth you both so desperately needed. You leaned against one another, sharing your unspoken pain as the minutes passed. Both too afraid to let go, as if the other would fade away if you even considered it. "Will it hurt?" You whispered.
Minho's breath stuttered, "I don't know."
"When?'
He hummed lowly, voice echoing through his chest and into your own, "Soon."
And the conversation fell. The two of you laid against the couch, clinging to one another desperately as the cats fluttered about, nudging you every so often. Soon, night broke away into day, the two of you barely asleep before the sound of your ringtone cut through the air. It jolted you, blurry and sleep heavy eyes blinking rapidly as you tried to get your fingers to work.
"Hello?"
Minho watched with slow blinking eyes as you talked, body tensing before it began to shake and your voice croaked out a polite goodbye before dropping the phone down to your lap. Slowly, a tear fell from your already swollen eyelids, "She passed, last night. An aneurysm."
Minho wasted no time in gathering you back up in his arm, softly humming as you shook. With a heavy heart, he looked up at the ceiling and cursed. Because for the first time in days, he didn't feel like screaming.
And somehow that made him feel sicker than before.
CW: Descriptions of blood and bodily transformation. Bloodlust. Predator/Prey.
β€ w.c: 7.4k
Χβ°ββ€ Your new neighbor was seemingly the perfect man, albeit a raging insomniac, but who were you to judge. Restless nights lead to casual midnight conversations underneath the stars, admiring the bright natural light and immersed in one another's presence. Too bad neither of you were tracking the shifting moon until it was far too late.
After years of living outside and away from the bustling Korean cities, you'd think you would have gotten used to the hauntingly silent nature of the forest. Not tonight though. Something was different, wrong. All that work into conquoring your fears had been unravelled, its collapse triggered by one singular noise. A howl.
Not a whimper or the cackle you had come to aquate to the other fauna bounding around your home, but an immensely loud howl, one that broke through the piano tune you'd been working on. Loud enough to silence every other being in the forest. One that, though so life-like, had to have been imagined because it was impossible. Wolves were extremely rare in Korea, hunted to basic extiction and any modern sightings were nowhere near your house.
A few moments later another howl pierced the air, louder this time. Closer. Your fingers remained frozen atop the bone white keys, unable to move as the sound filtered through the air. Where you finally going insane? Were you so sleep deprived that you were imagining effects to such a realistic degree?
As the night creeped further into morning, your house remained dark, illuminated by only the moon outside. And though the fullness of its shape provided a bright light across the typically blind forest, it could only do so much to peirce through the thick branches. The sound came again, lower and reverberating through the thick walls of your cabin. Eyes darting outside, you tried desperately to locate the source, unable to move closer to the window.
Then came the scratching, splintering of wood far too close to your safe haven for comfort. There was no howl this time, instead something much more sinister escaped what ever creature lurked just beyond the moonlight. A growl, deep and territorial filled the night. No one dared answer back, the forest itself hiding from its calls. All but you. Unable to move, you could only listen as heavy thumps drew closer to your door, pacing from end to end of your cabin, so close yet just out of your visual reach. The sound of claws against bark sounded again, this time nearly inside your own home as a growl sounded again.
You couldn't move, dead still as your front door jolted againt the deadlock, heavy oak thumping before stopping. You couldn't breathe, couldn't think, forced to watch as the door jerked and thumped against the hinges. Only when it stilled did you hear the grating tearing of wood, the low gruff howl accompanied with a growl as the creature pushed against the wall. A creak, a scape, a growl. Repeat. Creak, scape, growl. It only grew in intensity, filling every inch of the house before abruptly stopping.
Uncomfortable dead silence left you unable to tear your eyes away from the now still door. The air heavy and suffocating before the now familar growl reverberated through the house. With stiff muscles, you forced yourself to turn towards the source, eyes painfully wide as they connected with a pair of glowing amber irises peering in through the window. The beasts form remained shrouded in shadow, only its eyes visible as its lips curled back, sharp canines exposed enducing a terrified scream-
ββββ ΰ¨ΰ§ ββββ
Bolting upright you let out a fearfull gasp, air desperately being sucked back into your aching lungs. Your hand, cramped and filled with needles grasped at your throat as you tried to regain your senses, eyes flickering wide and unfocused. Gone is the haunting moon, its pale rays giving into war yellow streams of sun. Outside, the dead silent forest is alive once more, birds echoing overhead with taunting songs.
Your eyes couldn't help but flicker towards the cracked window just a few feet away, but gone were the sharp yellow irises that had stared you down, replaced by familiar trees dancing in the light wind. "It... It was a dream?" You breathed out in disbelief. It couldn't have been, it had all felt so raw, so real. The wolf had been so close you could smell the death upon his breath. Shifting, you cringed at the cold wood beneath you, pushing away from the instrument. The piano below you felt wrong, surreal in your still muddled mind, but it was the only thing grounding you to the scene from last night. It felt so real, and yet could it really have been just a manic insomnia induced nightmare?
A loud engine cut through your spiralling thoughts, making you jump from the cold bench beneath and towards the window in worry. It wasn't often that anyone came up towards the cabins and even less often for anyone to come so close to your own. As it drew closer, a heavily filled pickup rolled into sight, winding past your driveway and to the connected one just past the treeline. From where you stood, you could barely make out the bodies of two men hop out, seemingly laughing as they faced the long abandoned cabin in front of them.
Curious, you headed towards the doork and stepped out into the crisp morning air. A shiver ran down your spine at the change in temperature, but your attention stayed occupied by the new neighbors. From your porch it was much easier to see them, the cabin of intrest covered by tree cover but the two men stood between a break in the branches, leaning against their truck as they muttered to one another. You tilted your head at the one furthest from you, his body relaxed against the metal behind him but in comparison to the other blonde in front, he looked exhausted. His body curled in around himself, clothes far more disheveled with heavy set eyes despite the plesent grin he exchanged with his companion.
Both of them were beutiful, you couldn't deny, though your face ran hot at that thought alone. Lost in your own head, you tensed at the sudden low whistle that carried through the air, eyes snapping up towards the pair and blushing brightly to see both men staring back at you, one with a bright smile and the other with an exhausted wince.
"Hey there!" The blonde cheered, giving a hearty wave that you could barely return before the embarrassment of being caught settled in and you squeaked, turning and rushing into the house. With your haste to escape, you failed to notice the heavy gaze the dark haired man sent as your door closed, revealing the multitude of deep gashes gouged into the thick wood.
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After the not so smooth first meeting of your new neighbor, if you could call it that, you had resigned yourself to staying in your own house, fighting against the curiosity to venture out again in hopes of gaining a small peak of the tall dark haired man. He had seemed so exhausted, and your little companion starved brain couldn't help but feel sympathy for whatever had possible driven him to that point.
Most people didn't move out to the middle of nowhere for nothing, and with how tired he seemed, his story of migration likely wasn't one of pure curiosity. Maybe he was running away from a failed relationship, or escaping the pressures of his family legacy? Or maybe you were just being dramatic and the two men were here for some casual summer relaxation in the forest like normal people.
A loud groan escaped you as you swung your arm over your eyes, thoughts racing and sleep slipping ever further from your grasp as the hours ticked by. With a huff of defeat, you swung your legs off the bed and snagged a hoodie hanging from your door as you strolled out of the stifling room, trudging out the door in a fit of habit. Usally when your mind got like this you'd play something on the piano or mess around with another instrumental chord, but ever since the dream a few nights prior your once safe piano bench felt wrong, uncomfortable as if cursed to pull you into a nightmare again. So with heavy feet you headed out into the crisp night air, light from the slowly eroding moon shining down to light your path.
The forest was silent, but unlike the silence in your dreams, this one was comforting, not haunting. A natural silence that alluded to peacful sleep instead of nightmarish fear. Settling down on the bench closer to the treeline, you couldn't help but close your eyes, sinkin into the serene atmosphere.
"Hey." A loud yelp escaped at the sudden intrusion, body jerking in reflex and tumbling to the grass below. From above, the man froze staring down at your now collapsed form, basically buffering in shock. The two of you stared in silence for a few moments before he suddenly exclaimed; "I am so sorry!"
The frantic movement of his eyes from the bench, to his hands, to you and back was almost too comical as he seemed too flustered to figure out what to do next and instead stood there like a dumbfounded fool. Unable to take the visual any longer, you let out a laugh, bellowing from your chest and into the air. The man, who you could now recognize as your exhausted neighbor, looked almost shocked before letting out a few breathy giggles of his own and finally extending his arm down towards you.
"I am so sorry again. I noticed you walk down from your cabin and thought you heard me. I-"
He paused as you reached out towards his outstretched hand, smiling up at him despite the burn of embarrassment beneath your skin. "It's no problem, really. I was just lost in my head too much to hear you approaching. Sorry you had to see me go all spider mode."
He laughed lowly, hand still clenching yours even after you had stood up, eyes flicking between you and the forest around you. "I'm Chan by the way, Bang Chan" He finally focused on you, eyes meeting your own in an oddly intense gaze. "Sorry I wasn't able to introduce myself at our last meeting, seemed like you had somewhere to be."
His tone was almost teasing, warm hand squeezing your own as you groaned and closed your eyes to avoid his cheeky smile. "Don't remind me, I can't believe the first time you saw me was in my pajamas."
Chan just chuckled, glancing down briefly, "Seems like thats our fate."
Confused, you opened your eyes and looked at the man before suddenly jumping back, ripping your hand from his as the realisation of your state filtered through. "Oh my... Please, forget you've ever seen me." You covered your face with your hands, skin hot and cheeks flushed.
Chan could only chuckle at the absurdity of the situation, taking in your slippered form with a grin. "How could I after you've made such a lasting impression? Though if our third meeting goes the same way I'll be forced to dub you P.J in place of your name."
The light tease made you grin despite the embarrassment, peaking through your fingers at his shadowed form. "Funny. My names ___, though if it does happen again I couldn't blame you."
"Lovely to meet you, even if it is with us both in our plaid pants." He motioned to his own state of sleepy comfort, efforless grin stretched across his lips.
For the first time since the chaotic meeting, you really looked at your neighbor, taking in his features that were unable to be seen from afar. The lingering exhaustion that had weighed him down the first day seemed to dissipate, no longer unhealthy looking despite the shadowed eyebags. He was stalky, muscles obvious even through the t-shirt he had thrown on, hugging his abdomen in a way that was almost sinful. "What are you doing out here?" You finally asked, tearing your gaze away before your cheeks could literally light on fire.
Chan shrugged, taking a seat on the far edge of the bench. "Couldn't sleep, you?"
Following his lead, you settled down on the opposite end, "Same. I figured I'd try and let the cool air lull me into exhaustion. It usally works."
"Does it?" He pried, tilting his head back and looking towards the sky. "That makes sense, everything around heres just so-" taking a deep breath, Chan almost melted against the bench. "peaceful."
"Isn't it?" You followed his lead, head back and eyes closed once more, letting the suttle scents of pine and dirt fill your body. "I never thought I'd live in a place outside the city but ever since I moved here I could never imagine going back. The stars alone are worth fighting off a few wryly animals."
Chan hummed in agreement, silence settling before you spoke up; "Why did you move out here?"
The tension rose as the man beside you tensed, a flicker of guilt echoing across your expression to which he softly smiled before you could stumble over yet another apology. "Guess I just needed a change in scenery. You ever go through something that just taints every part of your soul to the point where you can't look at anything the same anymore?"
Grimacing, you hum. "More than you'd know."
"Then you'd get it. Sometimes you just have to runaway I guess, escape everything that reminds you of it." He glanced away from the stars, dark sihouette bathed in pale moonlight. "Start with a clean slate."
"Well, this is as clean as it gets." You grinned, "No judgement here considering already know each other so intimately."
Chan scoffed lightly, "Intimately?"
"Oh yeah, peak intimacy." You waved a hand to gesture between the two of you. "I don't just have deep conversations in my plaid pajama set with just anyone, Mr. Chan. Thats like level 3 intimacy."
Taking in the oburdity of your words, he let out a loud barking laugh, raising both hands in defeat. " Alright, you make a good point. clean slate and intimate friendship achieved already." You couldn't help but mirror his grin, the two of you settling back into an odd comfort, surrounded by the sleeping forest.
Minutes passed in comfort, hours as the forest began to awaken bit by bit, disrupted by the brief and casual conversation between the two of you. From lighthearted stories to deep digs at each others music tastes, you two found yourselves getting closer, any lingering awkwardness washed away like it had never existed.
"This was nice." Chan hummed through a yawn, the briefest bits of sun breaching the skyline as the stars gradually went to sleep. "I don't think I've talked this freely in ages."
"Hmm" You copied his yawn, contagious as you nodded too and began to stand. "It was nice having someone who actually answers back rather than me talking to the forest alone."
Chan followed suit, stretching. "Well, same time tomorrow?" His grin showed his teasing tone, but you couldn't help the warmth filling your chest at the proposition.
"After tonight I think I'll need at least a few days to recharge, can't have anyone spreading rumors if they find me out here in my p.j's three nights in a row."
"Oh no, can't have that." Chan playfully poked before settling into a soft smile. "It really was nice though. Get some sleep, okay?"
"Alright Mr. Hypocrite." You waved the chuckling man away, watching as he stumbled towards his own cabin before turning to send you one last way. With warm skin and a newfound light feeling in your chest you grinned and shook your head, "What are you doing to me?"
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As expected, neither of you woke up the next night in time to bask underneath the starlight, but gradually as the nights ticked by you found yourselves gravitating towards one another. It wasn't consiously at first, chance passings and gentle waves, but with each sleepless night you found yourself looking for the dark haired man, grinning like a school girl everytime you spotted him already sitting in the spot you two claimed.
He was perfect, kind and always willing to follow your lead. Whether the two of you talked well into day or simply laid beneath the stars intertwined in eachothers atmospheres, it was perfect no matter what. You never pushed too hard, never demanded answers to why he left the city and he did the same, respecting one another equally. Honestly, it was almost frightening how close you had become in such a short time.
Close enough to notice the small oddities that made Chan, well Chan. It started with gentle touches. Like a child reaching for a toy just to ghost over it to make sure it still existed. His hand would search out for yours, fingers ghosting over your pulse point as the two of you conversed only to pull away when you stumbled to return the gesture. He seemed hyper alert at all times too, eyes flickering between you and the forest at random intervals as if searching out for an invisible threat beyond your own senses.
It was all harmless, little quirks that endeered you to the man, though at some points you could have sworn you'd felt him sniff you. When asked, Chan quickly denied stating he had inhaled a mosquito and was trying to keep it out of his nose, and as undenyably false as that story likely was, you let it be.
Within the blink of an eye, a month of late night meet ups and stolen touches had accumlated. No longer were your restless nights filled with solemn piano tunes and pitiful longing, you had finally found something worth continuing for beyond just your music. Someone who cared, who shared a deeper pain but wasn't afraid to show it. With each meeting you could feel yourself falling further, returning home with a warmth blooming beneath your skin and a dull buzz in your chest. With each touch you wanted more, to be closer, to feel him beyond the ghosting of his fingers across his skin where he dared not linger.
Perhaps tonight would be that night? The two of you, bathed in the moonlight as you inched closer daring one another to make the first move-
Squealing, you paused the track and pushed your hands against your cheeks at the thought. Just how desperate were you? This wasn't some cheesy Kdrama, no matter how fast you were falling for the odd insomniac. With his stupidly warm smile and his inticingly cheerful laugh. The two of you all cuddled underneath the stars - did he even know what he was doing to you!?
Sighing, you rolled out your shoulders and slowly pushed yourself to your feet, moving through the house with trained precision. Your mind was spiralling far too much to even think of getting anything productive done. The air outside was cool, but not cold enough to warrent the heavy hoodie you usally wore. Glancing out into the dawning lawn, you spotted Chan sitting outside by his truck, smiling softly at the little sparrow jumping between the trees before him. The last few rays of the setting sun bounced off his hair, making it glow and match his shining smile.
With soft feet, careful not to disturb the peaceful scene before you, you headed towards the man who plagued your thoughts. "Hey stranger."
Peeling his gaze away from the cheerful sight, Chan grinned towards you, not even jumping at your sudden appearance. "Stranger eh? Is that all we are, I'm offeneded. And after I shared by chips with you last night, the betrayal."
Scoffing, you lightly pushed his shoulder, unable to stop the grin stretching across your face. "Those were my chips that you stole, thank you very much. And you still owe me from the countless snack raids you've already done to my poor cupboards."
"Legistics" He teased, waving you away. A familiar, comfortable silence settled between you as you too sat down beside him, watching the birds dance before they headed back to their nests for the night. "I thought you were going to head to bed early tonight?"
"That was the plan but something decided to keep me awake."
Chan glanced up at you, catching the slight rosey tint of your skin before matching it with his own. "Something," He paused, biting his lips slightly, "Or someone?"
The question caught you off-gaurd, sudden and all too directed as you turned to Chan. His eyes were already on you though, deep and intense brown irises twinkling under the gradually growing starlight. Your throat ran dry, all the words you wanted to say, the confessions you'd practiced with red cheeks in the privacy of your own home dying out.
Chan's cheeks gradually became more red as the silence stretched on, mentally kicking himself. "Hey I was just kidding-"
"Yes." One simple word shut him up, breathy and barely audible.
"Huh?"
You forced yourself to look into his eyes, squirming against the nerves that told you to shut up and run before he rejected you. "Yes, someone has been haunting my thoughts."
Chan gulped, fingers twitching as he resisted the urge to reach out, to grab your trembling hand and settle it in his own. "Who?"
Slowly, you shifted closer, the two of you barely breathing. "You." Before you could second guess your actions, you leaned forward. His lips were soft on the first brush against yours, impossibly so as you leaned into him even more. At full contact, you could have sworn your skin was going to light on fire, the feeling on him lighting every nerve up in tandem.
Chan couldn't believe this was happening. You, soft, perfect you were actually here. Kissing him. Filling every sense with yourself. You were so gentle, skin pillowy beneath his fingers as he pulled you closer. Neither of you wanted to stop, but the burn for oxygen became too much, forcing you apart just an inch. Your breaths filled teh cool air, chests heaving.
"That was..."
"Wow." You finished, bringing a hand towards your lips. They were warm, slightly puffed from the experience. A small, huff of disbelief escaped as you glanced from Chan to the sky above. "This is so cliche."
Chan tilted his head, chest still heaving. "What is?"
"That our first kiss would be under the full moon. Like some Kdrama moment. Its... surreal."
The man before you froze suddenly, his soft caresses pausing against your skin. "Chan?" His eyes frantically looked up towards the sky, begging for you to be wrong. But there it sat, just below the apex grinning down at him tauntingly. His hands suddenly pushed against you, body jerking back. "Chan? Are you okay?"
You sounded so worried, trying to reach out towards him again but he pushed back. "I, I can't. This was a mistake." His words came out jumbled as he frantically stood up, backing away to put as much distance between him and your heart broken figure as he could. "I'm sorry, I- I can't." And with that, the man who had just filled and broken your heart took off into the dark treeline leaving you sitting there with empty arms reeling from the shock.
What had gone wrong? One moment he was kissing you, basking in the moment and then suddenly he had to run? He couldn't do it? Couldn't what, be with you?
The fingers that had once felt warm against your lips suddenly dropped, your heart following suit as you stared towards the forest. How could everything fall apart so fast? Shaking, you pushed yourself to your feet, the gut wrenching feeling of dispair quickly erroded by rage and confusion. With little thought, you began to rush towards the trees, following after Chan's faint footsteps. You needed answers, even if it was just a rejection, you needed something more than just a stumbled "I can't".
Your heart pounded beneath your skin, blood rushing in your ears as you stumbled across the forest floor, using only the brief moon beams to guide you. "Chan?" His name echeod through the silent trees, no answer following. "Chan where are you? I-I'm sorry if I read the signs wrong. Please, just come out. We can talk, just briefly, I just don't want to leave like this."
Nothing beyond the haunting creek of swaying oak returned your call. Your nerves felt like they were on fire, tension buzzing on the surface as your muscles tensed in a fear to flee. "Chan, this isn't funny. Please." The forest seemed to taunt you, your last plea echoing as a reminder of your mistake.
"Go away ___!" The voice cutting through the air made you freeze, its low raspy tone reverberating through your chattering bones. "Go back inside!"
Shaking from the shock, you desperately looked around, trying to locate the man just to have a look, to make sure he was okay and that you hadn't absolutely destroyed the first good thing to happen to you in ages. "Please Chan, I just want to apoligize. I... I need to make sure you're okay before I leave."
Something cut through the air, an inhuman noise to your right. "I said go back inside! Leave!" Through the brush you could hear shuffling, a heavy groan following. "Go away!"
Again, you couldn't bring yourself to listen to his plea, footsteps ever so carefully carrying you towards the clearing. He sounded in pain, a low grunt escaping every so often. Had he tripped? Broken something in his desperation to flea? He couldn't seriously be so scared as to go through whatever pain he was in alone. Step by step you moved towards him, his desperate noises only growing in volume until you went rigid, the deep growl replacing pained huffs causing your heart to stop.
It couldn't... how...
On autopilot, you reached out, hand grasping the branch before you and pulling down, exposing the sight. Without thought, you gasped as your gaze fell upon Chans crumbled form, his body hunched painfully and swaying from side to side. At the sound of your arrival, his head jerked back, unexpectedly meeting your gaze with his own now glowing yellow irises - hauntingly familiar eyes that taunted you for countless sleepless nights.
"___." He growled out, your name no longer softly whispered and instead spat almost like poison from his lips. "Leave."
But you couldn't, anchord to your spot by a force out of your control. Forcing you to watch as a wave of pain rushed over the man you had began to care for - to love. His body folded in on itself, pained grunt devolving into whimpers as his body snapped, sharp and loud evolking a flinch from your own. "Please..." He begged as the tremors lightened, eyes flickering between vibrant yellow and his usual comforting brown. "Please I don't want to hurt you."
The words, pleading and desperate, died in your throat as another wave of agony hit the man below. A resounding CRACK echoed through the air as his spine arched, followed by the haunting rip of both cloth and flesh. You could only watch is terror as deep crimson stained the remains of his shirt, followed quickly by rivers of red from his hands as his fingernails peeled away, pushed down with the emergance of dark sharp claws.
Chan gave out another agonized cry, a warble of deep animalistic growls and high pitched whimpers. You could see his face shifting, teeth elongating painfully and ears stretching out. His pale skin dimmed even more as it cracked open, revealing small tuffs of fur along his arms and chest. With one last final crack, you watched the creature - no longer a man- crouch upon the blood stained ground, body tilting from side to side. Nothing but inhuman huffs and growls escaped into the air as the beast gathered its bearings, claws flexing before suddenly jerking his head up and snarling towards you. "___ RUN!"
It didn't sound like Chan anymore, lost was his soft teasing tones, and perhaps that was what finally broke you from your spell. No longer were you standing before the man you loved, instead face to face with the very same creature from your nightmares. Stumbling back like a new-born deer, you crumbled to the ground wasting no time in clawing at the hard soil beneath to force yourself upright and into a sprint. Behind, a piercing howl rippled across the night, signaling the start of the hunt. You couldn't look back though, no matter how much you wanted to stop, to wake up from whatever nighmare you'd fallen into, you couldn't. If you stopped, you died. Torn apart by the very man you were prepared to give your all to.
So you ran, rushing through the trees that no doubt left marks on your currently numb skin. The branches scrapped against the soft flesh of your legs but you pushed on. Another howl, closer this time, made you stumble to turn, praying you'd remember the way home. Though, could your home really keep him out? A creature strong enough to tear through flesh, who broke through the trees as if made from paper.
"___" The call was warbled, jumbled within a mess of huffs and growls behind you. Chan was gaining ground fast, his piercing gaze giving him every advantage he could need coupled with the intoxicating smell of your very being. It was hypnotizing to the wolf, pushing whatever resignations his human half tried to cling to. He needed you, Needed to feel your skin, to sink his teeth into the soft flesh hidden beneath your jacket, needed to drown in your scent until he made it his own. He would devour you, bring you close in an intimacy only known between prey and predator. He had to.
Tears streaked down your cheeks as you forced your body forward, legs and lungs burning deeply to a point of dizziness. You could see your home, just behind the treeline, the pale light from your kitchen window barely illuminating the driveway. Safety was so close, nearly within your grasp before the slam of a heavy force from behind sent you tumbling across the forest floor. Your senses blanked at the impact, everything going in and out sporadically as you desperatly tried to regain your bearings. Not even two feet in front of you, you could hear the heavy gravelling huffs, the sound of soil shifting beneath his claws as saliva dripped from his elongated teeth.
"___." He nearly whined, garbled beneath the possessive growls escaping his throat as he began to shift closer. "You..." Unable to form the right words he needed, Chan lunged, caging your trembling form in uncomfortable closeness yet not daring to take the final bite just yet. His eyes rolled back in his head as he leaned down, hair uncomfortably touching your skin as he huffed against your neck, letting out another deep growl. "Need."
Another tear escaped as you whimpered, eyes clenched as tightly as they could. "Please, stop." You knew it was useless, not with how close he was. You were trapped, with no possible escape within reach. You dared to peak at the beast above, only to whimper as he drew closer.
For a breif moment, you swore his eyes flickered, dimming in amber intensity ever so suddenly but like a blink it was gone. "I can't." He nearly whimpered, your inticing aroma surrounding him and making his head spin. From here, he could hear your heart pounding beneath your ribs, blood rushing through your veins in overtime. It was too much, too tempting.
You watched in horror as his jaw extended, pale moonlight glistening off his saliva stained teeth as he drew in, preparing for the ending strike. Resigned to your fate, you closed your own eyes and let out one last cry. But there was no pain, no piercing as he clawed at your bones. Instead, the sharp sound of metal against bone echoed followed by a low, pitiful whimper. Still, you couldn't dare to open your eyes.
The whimpers died down above you, shifting into anothers heavy huffs. "___? Are you..." The mysterious savior paused, cringing slightly, "Are you okay?"
Gradually, still afraid to see Chan's snarling teeth, you opened your eyes and gazed up at the huffing blonde, armed only with a heavy shovel. At first, recognition escaped you, the stranger making you shift back before he stepped closer into the light. "Felix?" His name was foreign, only spoken in the grand tales of Chan's and his adventures during your nightly talks. It was surreal to see him standing above you, having last heard that he was far away in Seoul.
Wincing, Felix shared a small grimace of a smile, trying to look as non-threatening as he could with the bloodied shovel still clasped in his grasp. "Did he hurt you?"
The man of the hour laid sprawled out on the soil below, your gaze weakly flickering down towards his still wolfish form as you moved back slowly. Crimson covered the back of his head, striking a low hum of worry deep in your mind that you didn't dare act on. "Is he-?"
"Dead?" Felix finished, quickly shaking his head and holding out his hand. "No, it would take a whole lot more than that to kill him. We've got to go before he wakes up though."
The two of you quickly scrambled towards Chan's house instead of your own, Felix expertly chaining up the wooden door behind you before guiding you deeper into the house and settling down in the dark living room. The shock had started to seep through the adrenaline as you moved, making your body feel heavier and heavier with each step. "Am I dreaming?" You couldn't help but mutter as Felix settled down across from you.
Sympathy was all you could see on his face. "Unfortunately not."
"Then Chan is really a werewolf?"
He nodded, tensing as a familar low growl began to fill the air once again. "He is."
"Oh." Was all you could mutter, mind too muttled to comprehend what had even happened within the last few hours.
You looked pitiful, curled up on the floor with tear stained cheeks and muddied clothes. Felix winced as another tear rolled down your cheek at the loud howl outside. "I know it's hard to believe right now, but he really does care for you. This, the beast, he isn't Chan." Felix shifted towards the door as the familar scraping of wood began. "It's something too far beyond his control."
Silence fell between the two of you after that, heavy and broken between the loud, hungry sounds from outside. Yet neither of you moved, frozen in place upon the living room floor, eyes glued to the door as the hours ticked by. One by one the stars disipated into the night, the moon shifted in the sky and began to hide beneath the rising sun. With each ray of light the noises decreased, growls turning to whimpers before dropping to silence. Still, neither of you movied until the sun was safely in the sky.
Felix opened the door carefully, shovel still in hand, to reveal a crumbled Chan. His clothes were basically ribbons, clinging to his body only because of the sheer amount of blood coating his skin. The hair was gone, claws retreated back into broken nails and fangs nowhere to be seen. Despite all the carnage, he almost looked peaceful.
"You should head back." Felix leaned down and huffed as he began to drag the man through the doorway. "Try and get some sleep."
"I- Is he going to be okay?" Chan let out a low whimper as Felix got him through the door, his voice no longer low and animalistic and instead filled with pain.
Felix glanced up, a small grimace on his lips. "He'll survive. He always does."
Unsure how to respond, you could only nod, eyes unable to look away from Chan until Felix had moved him towards the hallway. "Can you tell him I'm sorry for me?"
"Huh?" Felix peaked around the corner, eyebrows furrowed, "You're sorry?"
"He told me to leave and I refused. I know this isn't my fault, but if what you said was true, and they are two different halves, I want him to know I'm sorry for not listening. " You wrung your hands together in front of you as you walked towards the door. "I- Take care of him, please."
Felix only nodded, watching with narrowed eyes as you escaped out the door, careful not to step in the crimson stain that had no doubt seeped into the wood. Huffing, he turned around and glared down at his fallen friend. "You idiot."
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The world was too bright, too loud. Everything turned to the max as his senses slowly filtered back into focus. "Idiot, absolute idiot." He heard, far too loud in his ears despite the obvious distance between him and the speaker. "I'm gonna kill him. Literally this time! Silver spear right to his chest Hyunjin I swear!"
The other side of the phone was too garbled to hear, but if the conversation was anything to go off, it was likely mocking laughter. "I'm not kidding, Hyun. I had to swoop in like Indiana Jones to keep his ass in line, the idiot forgot- again!"
It all hit Chan at once, the night prior flashing before his very eyes as his head pounded. He could hear her screams, could still smell the scent of her fear and the forest mixing together. His heart stopped as he remembered lunging towards her, claws and jaws extended. Despite the pain, Chan jolted upright, breaths escaping in pitiful gasps from his weak and bruised ribs, but the pain was nothing of the intense fear radiating through his very being.
___ ... Had he killed her? Had it happened again?
"Huh? Hey, hold on I think-" Felix's voice drowned into the background, overtaken by the sheer pounding of his heart beneath his chest. How could he have forgotten? After everything, how could he have let himself free again, let himself be around her in such a way that threatened her life. How could he survive knowing he may have killed the very being who had kept him alive the last month.
"-n... Chan-... Chan!" Soft yet strong hands gripped at his shoulders, forcing him to focus on the blonde standing in front, eyebrows furrowed as he assessed the spiralling man.
"Is she dead?" He couldn't help but ask, voice broken. It was a question he didn't actually want answered, didn't want to face the reality just yet but he needed to know.
Felix's worried expression softened, "She's fine, probably sleeping the exhaustion off in her bed."
"Shes-? But I-?" Tears sprung to his eyes, bruning as he tried to fight them off. "Shes alive?"
"Yeah, mate. Shes alive." Chan let out a sob of relief, the foreign feeling taking over his body and making him collapse.
Beside him, his friend watched as he unravelled, sympathetic gaze settling on the vulnerability overtaking him. "She wanted me to tell you she was sorry, you know for not running."
The brunette paused, tears still streaming but confusion overtaking anguish. "Sorry?"
Felix chuckled, "That's what I said. She was insane, apoligizing after literally almost getting her heart chewed on." His giggles slowly dissipated. "I think this ones different, Channie. You didn't see the way she looked at you. You need to talk to her."
Said man sighed at his friends admission. "I seen how she looked at me-"
"No, you didn't" Felix cut him off, "You saw how she looked at the wolf, the one who was chasing her. You didn't see how much it hurt her to see you in pain afterwards. She isn't like the last girl, she actually cares for your dumbass"
Did she?
Was there even a small sliver of a possible chance with her?
"So get your head out of your ass and go talk to her."
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Despite everything, you did end up crashing after you entered your home. The adrenaline had windled down into nothing and left you running on fumes. As soon as your head hit the pillow, you were out, and you didn't wake until well into the next morning. Everything hurt, your skin on fire from the multitude of scratches and your muscles ached from the torn fibers, but what hurt most was your mind.
Werewolves.
They were real.
And Chan was one of them.
It was incomprehensible. Impossible. Yet it had happened. And now you didn't know what to do. Logically, you should want to immediately pack your bags and hightail it the hell out of there, but you just couldn't. Something was keeping you back, an undeniable pull towards the kindhearted man that had stolen your heart over a month of latenight rendezvous. You needed to talk to him, to see him at least one last time. If he wanted you gone, then after that you would go, but you needed closure.
As if summoned, a heavy and reluctant knock echoed through the house. With stumbling steps, you opened the door and paused as you spotted the very same man who had overtaken your thoughts. He looked reluctant, eyes downcast and shoulders hunched to make himself seem smaller. "Hey." it came out as a whisper, as if speaking to loud would startle you into running.
"Hi." You breathed back, still frozen.
Chan glanced up, tense. "Can I... Can I come in? Please?"
Your heart stuttered, brain frying and rebooting before you finally jumped back, awkwardly opening the door. "Yeah, sorry."
He nodded in thanks, making sure to move opposite to you, avoiding all possible contact. Once inside, the two of you lapsed into another bout of silence. It was heavy and awkward, complete opposite to the comforting atmosphere you two used to share.
"I'm sorry."
It came out rushed from you both at the same time, heads bowed before you both glanced up confused. "Sorry-" You coughed, "You first."
"I am so sorry ___. Unbelievably sorry. Theres nothing I could ever say to make up for what I put you through and I could never imagine even asking you to forgive me. It was horrific, and completely irrisponsible of me to ever put you in that position. If I could, I'd go back in time and never ever disturb you on that bench. I should have left you alone and turned around..." He continued to word vomit out his feelings, talks of regrets and apoligies muttled by those last few points.
"You wish you never met me?" The words escaped in a low whisper, a few tentative steps back to distance yourself from the fumbling man. It was odd how much it hurt to hear, after all isn't this what you wanted? Closure? It couldn't get more closed and locked than this.
Chan's eyes widened as he frantically shook his head. "No! No, thats not what I meant. You were the best thing to happen to me in years and I wouldn't give that up for the world. I meant I wish I hadn't ever put you in danger for my selfish desires. It was stupid and deceitful, but I just couldn't help wanting more time with you. It blinded me and because of that selfish act, you almost died."
You took a small step forward, "But I didn't." With shaking hands, you reached forward and lightly grabbed onto his frozen arms , pulling you closer. "I didn't die. And as scary as the whole situation was, I don't regret meeting you Chan. I don't regret kissing you, or falling for you under the stars. I-"
"You don't?" Chan choked out, every bit of his well rehersed apology dying on his tongue. He hadn't expected this, fully prepared to say his piece, get cussed or screamed at, and then leave with his invisible tail tucked between his legs.
"I don't." Slowly, you moved your fingers from his forearms down to his palms and intertwined yours with his own. "I am willing to try, whatever we started, and learn. I can't guarantee to always make the right choices, but I'm willing to try."
The two of you stared one another down, his hands trembling ever so slightly in your own. "Even after everything, with who- with what I am?"
You nodded, gently squeezing. "Yes."
Chan took a deep breath, letting it out i a shaky sigh before nodding. "Then we try. We learn together and take this wherever the moon lets us."
Welcome to my page! I write imagines and dabbles occasionally when I find the time to express my ideas.
I write for a variety of fandoms (which vary depending on which ones I'm fixated on at the moment), though they usually come in waves.
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β Here you can find my Request Rules
β» Here is a Masterlist of the stories
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As always, be respectful and feel free to request something! Theres no guarantee I'll do it, sometimes they don't spark inspiration or I'm unable to find the time but I will always try my best.
These include things I am comfortable doing, and things I do not do. Please be respectful when asking and again, know it is not a guarantee I will fulfill your request.
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Will Write About:
Angst
Fluff
Occasional smut
Character death (usually reader but will do others)
jbbartram-illu
vaporwave
kianamaiart
andulkaphoto
izzy806
ellievsbear
pixelskylines