Ateez Au - Tumblr Posts

This is the cutest gif ever

I don't make the rules ✋

Heart nutted too much

This edit is everything omg

The number of body rolls omg I CAN'T

ngl this is sexy

HALA HALA SOLO MOTION by Yeosang

©® to owner

THE IDEAS FLOODING BUT IT'LL MOST LIKELY BE A SMUT now I just gotta find out how to make it enemies to lovers. :,D

Challenge!! Create a fic plot based on these images

Bonus Points: Make it enemies to lovers

First & Last Soulmate (Part 1)

au millionare!Seonghwa x worker!Hongjoong

Summary: Seonghwa is in his first life, Hongjoong is in his last one. After finding eachother, realization hits when they notice now Hongjoong will spend only his last life along his soulmate and Seonghwa will stay alone for the rest of his lives.

Warnings: None. Yet.

Word Count: 1094

A soul has 8 lives. Each soul has a necklace with a color depending on their life number, and it’ll be used by law by the same soul during all their lives. The necklace turns black when all lives have been used. The necklace has a few seconds glow when it’s close to their soulmate’s. Once the soul finds their soulmate for the first time, the surrounding of the gem will turn from gray to silver for the rest of its lives.

1- White 2- Orange 3- Yellow 4- Green 5-Turquoise 6-Blue 7- Pink 8- Purple

fuck everything this has been in my drafts for weeks-

Seonghwa parked at the nearest gas station and turned off his car just as it was about to reach its highest heat point. He laid his forehead against the steering wheel, black strands of his hair falling over and his gray bordered white gem dangling from his neck. "Damnit, wasn't this thing new?!" He referred to the car bought a few months ago. He was supposed to make a fast trip outside the city and go back the same day but his car overheated.

--- "Two hours?- just come over!" He hanged the phone call and sighed; the insurance company would take long to come and fix the car. It was almost middayay. Maybe he'd go inside the gas station and order something. After some hesitation, he decided he could wait until he reached a decent place some time later. --- An hour passed... The insurance company had yet to come. Seonghwa groaned. He didn't have breakfast. Maybe he would go in, order something and come back to his car. He went out and locked the car before getting in the store. The cashier was staring at his phone, he couldn't clearly see his face from the cap, only a few strands of blue hair were noticeable over his nape. His necklace was inside his polo uniform, so he couldn't catch a glimpse either to his life number. He shrugged it off and walked up to him to order. "Hello." He smiled politely and the guy left his phone at a side, looking at him. His nametag read Hongjoong. "I'd like to order-" He paused when he noticed a brief glow inside the polo. His eyes widened. He took a step back and a step front to see if it would glow again but nothing happened. Once again, he took a step back and forward, trying to figure out if it had really glowed. "...you'd like to order?" The guy didn't seem to notice any glows and looked confused at his reaction. "-order a combo, please." Seonghwa laughed it off. He paid and even though he decided to eat in his car he went to take a seat. He began eating, occasionally looking at the cashier who kept himself busy with his phone. His shirt glowed. Did his own necklace glow too? Had he really found his soulmate in his very first life? He looked at his necklace, it looked the same. He pouted and looked at the guy again. He was way too focused in his phone to notice Seonghwa's stare. He stared at him for a while, making up a plan to get close enough to watch his necklace glowing. After finishing, he threw everything but his cup to the trash. He walked up to the cashier again, staring at his own neck this time. In fact, right in front of Hongjoong, his white gem glowed a few seconds before turning off. He squealed excited, catching Hongjoong's attention and making him look at him. "Yes?" "Uh- do you have refills or do I have to buy another drink...?" Seonghwa asked nervous. Hongjoong stared weirdly at him and took his cup, briefly looking at the others' necklace. He sighed before refilling it. White gems were known for the the amount of excitement, youth and surprise they had at everything. It really crashed with the purple gem holders' calm and calculating personality. He gave him back his cup. "Thanks!" Seonghwa laughed nervously and left the line. Just then, he saw the insurance truck drive in. He looked at Hongjoong again who was already back in his phone before leaving. He was absolutely coming again. --- Seonghwa stared at the mirror in awe, euphoria bubbling in his chest. He was about to go to sleep. However, before leaving the bathroom, he found out that the previous opaque gray from his gem's surrounding was now shiny, bright silver. He laughed and held his gem in excitement. Usually, people weren't able to find their soulmate in their first life. It was difficult, only a small part of humanity were able to bump with their soulmate while their gem was pure new white. But he had easily found his soulmate, in the place were he least expected. "I need to tell my assistant to get a new car ASAP... I gotta go back there tomorrow, first thing in the morning!" He ran out and took his phone, tapping vigorously and not really caring if it was over midnight. --- Seonghwa drove inside the parking lot, looking at the closed store. "Oh no... I came way too early..." He looked at the time. 6:44. The store opened at 7, he could wait in the meanwhile. He parked his car and waited for the blue-haired guy to appear. He wondered if his family would be proud of him for finding his soulmate this early but at the same time found him in a cashier guy. He began tapping his finger against the steering wheel, growing anxious.

Finally at 6:50, he saw Hongjoong walk past him and begin unlocking the locks. He got out of the car and ran at him while he lifted up the first gate. Hongjoong looked at him, furrowing his eyebrows. Hadn't he been there yesterday? He looked at the car and noticed it was a different one. He hadn't paid attention yesterday but now that he looked closely, that guy screamed 'I'm rich' from the top of his lungs. "Do you need help opening?" He asked him, and Hongjoong just became even more suspicious. "...no, it's my job, thanks." He kept on unlocking and lifting up the gates. "Weren't you here yesterday?" "Yeah." He answered with a nod. "Do you live or work around here?" "No, I live and work inside the city." He blurted out. Hongjoong couldn't make him a weirder look. "So... People who live in the city tend to mobilize inside the city and go to a gas station in the city." Seonghwa laughed nervously. Hongjoong opened another lock but his keys got caught and lifted along with the gate. "-damn it." He tried tip toeing to catch them. Seonghwa towered over him and pulled the end of the key down again. He was mentally grateful to have decided to use high heel boots that day, even though he was taller than the other boy. Hongjoong slightly shrunk and moved aside to not stay caught against Seonghwa and the glass pane. He took the keys once the lock was lowered. "...thank you." Why did he have the feeling that this guy wouldn't unstick from him?

.

.

(Part 2)

-

Masterlist

First & Last Soulmate (Part 2)

au millionare!Seonghwa x worker!Hongjoong

Summary: Seonghwa is in his first life, Hongjoong is in his last one. After finding eachother, realization hits when they notice now Hongjoong will spend only his last life along his soulmate and Seonghwa will stay alone for the rest of his lives.

Warnings: Suggestive Content.

Word Count: 1655

A soul has 8 lives. Each soul has a necklace with a color depending on their life number, and it’ll be used by law by the same soul during all their lives. The necklace turns black when all lives have been used. The necklace has a few seconds glow when it’s close to their soulmate’s. Once the soul finds their soulmate for the first time, the surrounding of the gem will turn from gray to silver for the rest of its lives.

1- White 2- Orange 3- Yellow 4- Green 5-Turquoise 6-Blue 7- Pink 8- Purple

In fact, days passed and Hongjoong became used to the familiar face that would always arrive early in the morning and leave before midday. He still didn't fully understand why did Seonghwa live and work in the city but came in so early every morning, sometimes before him. After a few weeks, Hongjoong let him help with lifting the gates to open after much insisting. Sometimes he'd help restocking too or in the storage room. Strangely, ever since the day he first saw him. Seonghwa had hidden his gem underneath his shirt. He already knew he was in first life, so he didn't understand why would he hide it now. He shrugged it off, thinking that maybe he just forgot to hide it at first. He himself didn't like people to see his gem, as society could treat you different accordingly. In fact, he tried being slightly nicer and less tempered around Seonghwa considering it was his first life. Even if at the beginning he was a slight pain in the ass, he had now turned into a regular client and maybe... a friend?

Hongjoong shrugged, it was nice to have someone there besides him. That gas station was a bit afar so after a while Seonghwa's company was gladly received.

After much thinking, Hongjoong began changing to get ready to bed. He took off his shirt but a button got stuck with his necklace's chain. He groaned, his head stuck in his shirt. He decided to take the necklace and shirt all together. As he unraveled the chain from around the button, he noticed something different in his gem. He held it up, not quite catching a grip of what was it. He then noticed, the surrounding was a bright, shiny silver. He gasped and covered his mouth. Usually, purple users had already accepted their fate of not having found their soulmates in the 640 years they were given to live before. It was even more uncommon for an old soul to find a soulmate than a new soul finding its soulmate. It was usual for people to have replacements who weren't their soulmate if they hadn't found theirs, but it would never be the same happiness as the souls were not meant for each other. Still, there was his purple gem surrounded in silver. Maybe that was the reason Seonghwa was visiting so much that gas station? Someone like him would never go to a place like that. Everything fell in its place, and even though his heart dropped a little at the knowledge that Seonghwa had just befriend him cause he was probably his soulmate more than actually befriending him because of being himself, he still wanted to figure out if it was true. He couldn't see if his gem was silver surrounded or glowed from underneath his shirts, white glows are difficult to see. He only had two ways to take the gem out of his shirt.

First, he could make him trip. Put some boxes at the entrance so when he came in he would fall and the chain would spill out of his slightly unbuttoned shirt. But it could fail, and even though Seonghwa could be slightly clumsy, he doubted he was dumb enough as to not see the boxes from outside. The second option would be having to take off...

He wasn't that desperate for a soulmate anyways.

---

Hongjoong walked across the street, bags underneath his eyes. He barely got any sleep, less than his normal sleep-deprived nights. Hell no, he IS desperate for his soulmate. The thought of finally being able to find what most people searched during their eight lives was too overwhelming, the promise that your soulmate is someone that can love you unconditionally and be there for the rest of his last life. He wasn't going to let it pass just like that. He decided he would get to see Seonghwa's gem, no matter what. He couldn't just ask to see the gem, he didn't know if Seonghwa trusted him enough to follow an order only authorities usually gave. Even if people were obligated to use them, they weren't obligated to display them. He had come up with something anyways. If he was able to get into a "comprimising" situation with Seonghwa, he could just unbutton his shirt enough for the chain to spill out.

He reached the store and as usual, Seonghwa was already there.

"Hi." Hongjoong waved at him before beginning to open the locks.

"Hello. You look tired, were you able to sleep last night?" Seonghwa remarked as he lifted up the gates Hongjoong had already unlocked.

"I had a few nightmares, so I couldn't really sleep well." He opened the door and stepped in, followed by Seonghwa. He turned all the lights on.

"Do you wanna sleep a bit while I take care of the store? It's not like people come here anyways." Seonghwa asked but Hongjoong shook his head.

"No, I still work here and you are practically a customer. You shouldn't help me in anything in first place." He remarked, and Seonghwa pouted. He took one of the treats in stock to begin eating as usual as he chatted with him, but instead Hongjoong began walking around the place.

"What are you doing?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

"...My boss told me yesterday to begin checking for empty items every morning." Hongjoong answered, his half created plan already in action. He desperately searched for an empty space as the storage room was the only room without cameras.

"Do you need help?"

"No, thanks." He finally spotted a place. His stomach twisted. He still had time to halt everything but curiosity took the best of him so he went to the storage room. He pulled on the farest box up there he could find, and as he thought Seonghwa followed him to the back. Seonghwa saw him struggle with the box.

"Are you sure you don't need help?" He asked. Hongjoong wasn't even close to reaching that box and even for himself it was a bit difficult. After a few attempts of trying it for himself, he figured out they both weren't going to get anywhere alone. He stood behind Hongjoong who looked back at him, confused. He held Hongjoong's waist, watching him flinch in front of him and turn his head back to his front inmediately. Seonghwa carried him to reach the box, and Hongjoong could feel his face burning already. He wasn't expecting this but it would be easier now. He pulled on the box but instead of holding onto it, he let it fall. Seonghwa immediately moved but bumped his back against the wall, falling backwards thanks to another box in an attempt to move away. And as expected, Hongjoong fell right over him, keeping his elbows stretched to avoid any damage to any of them. His neck was right in front of Seonghwa's face, and he waited for any other box to fall after the clumsy mistake. He then lowered himself a bit to be face to face with him. The twist in his stomach became worse when he noticed his plan was successful and now he was topping the older boy. His cheeks turned light pink as his eyes traveled to the other's lips. He was just a few milimeters away from his lips, he could already taste the peach chapstick smell emanating from them. He could see he was becoming slightly flustered too, his shaky breath hitting his own lips. He seemed to be hesitating way too much so Seonghwa held his cheeks and pulled him closer, pressing his lips against his and sealing the little space left between them. At first it was a timid kiss, none of them moving for the first few seconds, just getting used to the warm and distinct feeling. But after those few seconds, the kiss turned from a shy one to a bolder on, the younger boy pushing against the other to try and get closer but the whole kiss being lead by Seonghwa. He licked Hongjoong's bottom lip, and almost immediately did he give entrance for his tongue to explore his mouth. He moaned slightly when his tongue slid against his, and Seonghwa found himself wanting to desperately hear more of him. The kiss had become sloppier and messier, the urge to feel the other closer coming before anything else. As he lost all control from the kiss, Hongjoong let the other do as he pleased and roll on top of him. He gripped on his hair slightly, earning a tiny gasp from the older one. He smiled in the kiss, forgetting completely about his plan to find out about Seonghwa's necklace. He found himself drugged in Seonghwa's scent as much as Seonghwa was in his, thirsty for more of what they were already having.

The store bell ringed and the door creaked open, footsteps were heard. Out of all days... Hongjoong slightly pushed at Seonghwa's chest when he noticed he wasn't halting his actions. Still, the older boy refused to break away from the kiss so Hongjoong turned his face to a side, a thin broken thread of saliva which previously connected their tongues together falling over his check. He felt Seonghwa's lips ghost over his neck and he had to use all his will to stop him.

"...'m s-sorry, give me a moment..." He told Seonghwa who whined slightly in reply. Still, he rolled off him and sat at a side, panting a bit. He got up fast while composing himself and trying to get rid of his laid appearance. He wiped his cheek and hoped he didn't look flustered at all while walking to the front counter. It was more of a hope, as his lips were swollen and red and his eyes slightly glassy. He did his best to control his panting in vain. "H-hello,-how may I help you?"

. .

Masterlist

First & Last Soulmate (Part 3)

au millionare!Seonghwa x worker!Hongjoong

Summary: Seonghwa is in his first life, Hongjoong is in his last one. After finding eachother, realization hits when they notice now Hongjoong will spend only his last life along his soulmate and Seonghwa will stay alone for the rest of his lives.

Warnings: NSFW, masturbation, handjob.

Word Count: 1,276

A soul has 8 lives. Each soul has a necklace with a color depending on their life number, and it’ll be used by law by the same soul during all their lives. The necklace turns black when all lives have been used. The necklace has a few seconds glow when it’s close to their soulmate’s. Once the soul finds their soulmate for the first time, the surrounding of the gem will turn from gray to silver for the rest of its lives.

1- White 2- Orange 3- Yellow 4- Green 5-Turquoise 6-Blue 7- Pink 8- Purple

So sorry for taking so long I had a serious writing block. TT The Felix drabble will be ready soon.

Seonghwa couldn't break away his stare from the ceiling. He couldn't sleep, his eyes were wide open. He couldn't stop thinking about that morning's kiss. How fast had he fell as soon as he felt the younger boy's breathe over his lips and the flustered look he gave him seconds before the kiss, how his hands traveled through his hair tugging just enough as to make him lose his mind, how he let his own tongue wander without hesitation inside his mouth. It was surprising how could get turned on even with such little touches. And the way he let out small moans... It was too much for his imagination. Enough to keep him thinking all day about him. Hongjoong was the reason he couldn't sleep, couldn't stand a day without going to that isolated gas station, the reason he had gone crazy.

Drifting back to reality, he found himself panting slightly right after a light hipthrust. He was alone now, after controlling his need all day. He bit his lip while flustered and looked around his room, knowing nobody was there. He slowly bucked his hips to lower his pants and underwear. He uncovered from the sheets before wrapping his hand around his already hard cock, eyes closing again. He let out a sigh from the relieving touch, and couldn't help but imagine how would it feel with Hongjoong's smaller hand around him, barely closing around his whole length. How would his hand feel dragging itself around his cock, increasing the pace of his strokes, rubbing at the tip, and maybe even taking part in his warm mouth. Seonghwa snapped his hips harshly at all these thoughts when he felt near his release.

"J-Joong~!..." He couldn't help but moan out his soulmate's name as he kept thrusting his hips upwards, bucking against his own hand while cumming, his imagination and the pleasure taking him far away from reality. Thankfully, he lived alone in his apartment, or else he was sure more than a few would've heard him. He continued to stroke himself in a decreasing pace while riding down his high, panting, eyes still closed.

-----

Seonghwa parked at the gas station. He was slightly later than usual since he had woken up late, but he blamed everything to his last night thoughts. Obviously, the store was now open. Hongjoong and Seonghwa hadn't really talked about the kiss yesterday, mostly because Seonghwa had to leave a few minutes after that costumer appeared. He was eager to mention it, slightly afraid too. Would Hongjoong like to go full with him or just play with him for a while? Did he like him as Seonghwa liked him or was it infatuation?

-----

All these thoughts roamed Seonghwa's head while opening the door. However, with a 'puff' all thoughts dissapeared when he saw the cashier. He definitely wasn't Hongjoong. His heart stopped and he looked around while approaching the man, trying to not be suspicious.

"How many I help you?" The man asked.

"Eh... Hi, I just wanted some directions, I got lost."

-----

Seonghwa groaned as he got in his car and took his phone, dialing that familiar number he could now recite by memory.

"Hello?" Seonghwa felt instant relief upon hearing the younger man, his panic and anger slowly fading away.

"You didn't tell me you quitted..." Seonghwa said while turning on the car. A laughter abrupted from the other side of the line.

"Was it necessary to tell you?"

Seonghwa could feel his cheeks slightly burn at the question. Did he have the right to now so soon? Well, he was a friend, right?

"Well I thought we were friends..." Seonghwa finally answered after a few seconds silence.

"Fair, fair. I didn't quit. I just chose the night shift." Hongjoong explained through the phone.

"Night shift?! So you'll be out there alone all night in that solitary gas station?!"

"I don't need to necessarily be alone..." The other teasingly said from the other side, and Seonghwa did his best to push any thoughts from the previous day out of his head before he kept on talking.

"At what hour do you start?"

"6 pm sharp."

-----

"So why did you move your shift?" Seonghwa asked, leaning on the counter while watching Hongjoong rearrange the products on the shelf.

"Personal stuff." Hongjoong murmured. Seonghwa sighed. Even though he might know Hongjoong for some time now, he never seemed to be openly expressive about his personal whereabouts. Not that Seonghwa had given his own complete life story to the younger boy, but he knew significantly more about his life.

"Is it because it's emptier?" Seonghwa tried asking but he didn't recieve an answer. Instead, Hongjoong walked away to the the other side of the store when he finished fixing everything. Seonghwa groaned and walked torwards him.

"Joong." He tried catching his attention in vain. Hongjoong kept piling the bars from the box to display, almost ignoring him. "Joong?

"I tend to sleep more during the day-" Hongjoong yelped when he turned around and pushed the box against Seonghwa's chest, the older boy jumping a bit and taking a step back.

"-I'm sorry." Seonghwa said before taking another step back. "Do you want me to take you back home? I wouldn't like you walking around so late..."

Hongjoong looked inside the box to check if the products were alright before looking back at him. His eyes traveled to his chest, where the white gem was now to his display.

Well that wasn't what he had planned but still, now he could see the gem. He took a few steps closer, attempting for the gem to begin glowing.

"...Uh... Joong...? Then you do want me to take you home once your shift ends...?" Seonghwa asked once again, not moving even though the younger one was inching close. He secretly hoped for the other to keep on getting close, but Hongjoong stopped before. He hadn't seen the gem glow yet... was he not close enough? He shook his head before abruptly turning around to continue organizing. Seonghwa let go of the deep breath he didn't know he had contained, freezed in place. "Hongjoong? Would it be alright if I take you home?"

Hongjoong only nodded, now unsure if he was right or wrong about his suspicions. Maybe Seonghwa wasn't his soulmate, just someone he found comfortable to be with. And maybe that was good. Considering he was in his last life and Seonghwa in his first, it would have been a bad move from destiny to choose souls that wouldn't be able to meet ever again. But then, why was his gem's surrounding silver? He had gotten close to many people since the day he found out his gem's surrounding was silver, and even more before finding out. It would be impossible to contact each and every person he had seen, he would literally need to contact all costumers that came into the store. Maybe it was still gray and it was his imagination. He would double check when he reached home.

Seonghwa did notice something was off about Hongjoong at the moment he had moved away so suddenly after approaching him. Plus, he had talked very little since Seonghwa arrived. He looked lost in thought, and now he was unsure if he should mention yesterday's kiss. He walked over to one of the tables and sat down, crossing his arms over the table and laying his head on top, watching the other one continue with his tasks and waiting for the shift to end to be able to take him home or for him to talk back to him.

.

.

Masterlist

Bitter Lovers

AU rapper!Kim Hongjoong x singer!Park Seonghwa (enemies to lovers)

Word count: 5183

Warnings: NSFW (minors dni), au!solo artists, tiny bit of angst (I'm sorry Hwa TT), top!Seonghwa, bottom!Hongjoong, anal play, anal fingering, anal penetration, slight nipple play, marking, handjob, one night stand, drunk sex, drunk confessions, did i forget something?

5k!??!?! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS 5K I THOUGHT IT WAS 3k. I'M FINALLY DONE WITH THIS AJSHJJS HERE YOU GO WORLD-

Challenge created by @treasureourfever

Challenge!! Create a fic plot based on these images

Bonus points: make it enemies to lovers (i tried? :/)

Hongjoong sat down in his designated seat as he waited for the ceremony to begin. As a well-known rapper/producer, he was usually seated in the first row in events, this one not being any different. He looked around, trying to recognize familiar faces. He was early, so he wasn't surprised to find some empty spaces around him. As the time for the event to begin came closer, the seats were slowly beginning to fill. All but two seats besides him.

These artists were really late. The beginning performance was already a few minutes in, and Hongoong's two right seats remained empty. He wasn't really paying attention thought, way too into the performance. That until he saw a person hurriedly sit next to him, hunching over to not bother the others behind him. Hongjoong looked at him and groaned in annoyance.

The artist turned out to be Seonghwa. He was just beginning his career, but his first single was already a mega hit. Plus, his mother being a famous actress had helped to his own fame. Climbing charts and gaining collabs with bigger artist, Hongjoong didn't think well of him. He seemed superficial and while most people had to work hard to get where he was, he did it in a few months with just a single.

"Late..." Hongjoong muttered before looking at the performance again, enough for the older boy to hear him.

"It's not as if it affected you." Seonghwa answered him. Seonghwa found Hongjoong hard to stand. They have only met a couple times. But while people considered him talented and understanding, Seonghwa thought he was kinda self-centered. Hongjoong would usually scoff or roll his eyes at him, he even tried ignoring him once. Still, Seonghwa wasn't someone who hated easily, and let that all slide in the past.

A girl rushed to other seat beside Seonghwa, fixing her dress before sitting down.

"Did I miss something?" She asked Seonghwa.

"No, honey-"

"You lost the whole entrance performance, did you guys not read the event planning?" Hongjoong looked at them annoyed.

"Could you- Please, mind your own business." Seonghwa answered him before looking back at his girlfriend. He might tolerate him, but he wouldn't let him talk back to his girlfriend.

*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*….*

"Guess what did I do?" Hongjoong's manager proudly asked while Hongjoong tweaked some tunes in his computer, his DAW open.

"What did you do?" He asked monotonal, way into his work.

"I was talking with Seonghwa's manager yesterday and he agreed to do a collaboration."

Hongjoong spun in his chair as fast as he could, breaking contact from his computer, eyes wide.

"You did WHAT!?" He asked dumbfounded.

"Do you imagine that? Two striking artists in one song! It's gonna be a hit!" The manager kept saying excited.

"What are you saying, I don't wanna collaborate with him! He's superficial and his fame isn't even real-"

"Oh, but you will. Think in the money, think in the money." The manager kept nodding at his perfect idea.

"Money?! I am in this industry because I love music, and I'm not quite excited to work with someone like him! Besides, I have a new single coming out in a few days!"

"Ok then you'll love making music with him and I'll love the money."

"THAT'S- DAMMIT!" Hongjoong slumped in his chair.

*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*….*

Hongjoong listened through the headphones to Seonghwa singing in the booth. At the end, he really didn't have an option and had to follow his manager and CEO's orders. Seonghwa wasn't a horrible singer, he was actually... A not so bad singer. Still, Hongjoong felt his presence make the ambience tense as soon as he walked in his studio. Besides, being his own producer, Hongjoong was usually the only one in his own studio unless he was during the last steps, where more producers would come and help by his request. Seonghwa had still tried to be court with him, despite Hongjoong's attempts to piss him off.

He stared at the taller boy with a poker face, trying to not express his surprised face when he kept on going higher in that high note. When the instrumental finished, Hongjoong clicked the button for Seonghwa to hear him in the booth. He paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts to not spit out his voice was outstanding.

"Might need loads of tuning but I can work with it, get out of there." Seonghwa sighed at Hongjoong's harsh words and took off the headphones, leaving them on the microphone. Hongjoong sealed his lips to avoid smiling as he felt he was finally beginning to get into the older's hair. Maybe he'd leave faster that way. Still, Seonghwa walked out and pulled a chair besides Hongjoong before sitting down.

"Can I check it out?" He asked, trying to contain the passive aggressiveness slowly growing in him as he felt Hongjoong tried to annoy him on purpose.

"I don't know, can you?" Hongjoong answered, still looking at his computer. Seonghwa groaned and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.

"Hongjoong-"

"Oh, do you wanna call your mommy to accuse me of bothering you?"

It was impossible to be nice at him, really, but he still did his best to keep himself calm.

"Fine. Send the file to me once it's done, please." He got up, taking his jacket from the chair. He didn't even bother saying goodbye or looking back, he just left. Hongjoong looked back at the door after it was slammed, not actually surprised by it. He looked back at his computer, finally letting the edges of his mouth curl in satisfaction.

Actually, he hated to admit it but Seonghwa's voice did sound naturally good. He tried convincing himself otherwise, adding tuners but just ruining everything. His parts were outstanding when raw, just the mixing had to be done. Turned out he had more talented than Hongjoong originally thought. He never had paused himself to hear a full song of him, maybe he had judged him wrongly. That cute, fluffy, pink-haired boy looked like he meant no harm, and had tried being nice to him all along. Hongjoong shook those weird thoughts away, too stubborn to accept even the tiniest idea of him being wrong.

The door opened again, but Hongjoong didn't bother to take off his headphones nor turn around, knowing it would be either Seonghwa or his manager. He felt a tap at his shoulder, making him look back. Surprisingly, there was Seonghwa's girlfriend. Dressed in a very revealing dress. Hongjoong took off his headphones, still looking at her.

"Do you need something?" He asked, trying not to sound bothered.

"I was looking for Hwa. Do you know where is he?" She asked him before fixing her hair.

"He left a few minutes ago. You should call him with your phone, he might answer you." He said in a sarcastic tone, nodding at her.

She sighed.

"He doesn't answer my phone calls and we were supposed to have dinner together tonight... I guess he forgot..."

Hongjoong shifted uncomfortably in his seat, obviously not wanting to get between couple problems. He said nothing, expecting her to leave faster if he was silent. Seonghwa didn't look like the type to actually forget his girlfriend, so this was pretty weird.

But instead of leaving, she looked at herself.

"Do you think my dress choice is alright?" She twirled once, showing off her dress. To Hongjoong, he couldn't care less. He tried giving a discrete opinion.

"It's fine, depending on where you're going."

She pouted, bending over a bit and pulling at her skirt. Hongjoong slid back in his chair to keep distance, her sudden approximately making him feel even more uncomfortable than before.

"I'm not that pretty anymore, right? Do you think I'm pretty?" She asked, earning a confused look from Hongjoong. Well, he had seen prettier people, or maybe it was his own taste. Her own boyfriend was prettier than her, his broad shoulders and thin waist being more appealing to him.

Hongjoong stared nervously around as his cheeks began flushing a light pink. He was too nervous as to notice the girl in front of him smiling.

"Joongie?" Hongjoong flinched, looking at her while raising an eyebrow, the nickname shattering all previous thoughts. She actually was acting very suspicious now that he noticed.

"Won't you ask that to your boyfriend?" He replied, now slightly angry. If anything, she should try to respect her relationship with Seonghwa, or else someone could try taking him away from her.

*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*….*

Seonghwa arrived back to his apartment much earlier than expected. Turns out he had confused dates and he didn't have to film with Hongjoong as his newest single came out today.

Hongjoong. His efforts of being nice with him finally worked when he slowly seemed to accept him more. Two weeks ago, he might've thrown him out of his studio when he arrived. Today, still sarcastic and harsh as ever though, he told him he confused dates, and even insinuated inviting him to go drink with his team after the single was released. He declined, having plans to surprise his girlfriend to have dinner since he had been too busy working the last days to focus on her. He wasn't even close to being as nice as Seonghwa was with him, but he could accept that.

He took off his coat and loosened his tie, sighing at the feeling of being home. He walked towards the living room to have a seat when he noticed something oddly weird. Half a bottle of wine and two glasses were sitting over the table. He furrowed his eyebrows, confused. It didn't look like a setup; someone had been here.

Then he thought that maybe his girlfriend was back home early too. Maybe she chatted with a friend before leaving and left it all like this. He shrugged it off, knowing the maid would pick it up later. He went upstairs, thinking about taking a nap before going out again if his girlfriend hadn't arrived yet. However, things became odd by the end of the footsteps. Clothes were scattered on the ground, making a path to his own room. Not just his girlfriend's clothes, but also other men too. His heart raced, wanting to still be oblivious at the truth he had come to see. He kept walking, taking his time to reach the room as if everything would disappear in his way to the door. He felt his stomach twist at the same time he twisted the doorknob.

He couldn't come up to say a single word at what he saw, not even a sound. His throat closed, too many thoughts flashing in his head. He turned around, dumbfounded and ran away despite his girlfriend's-no, ex-girlfriend’s shouts, tears in his now red eyes.

*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*….*

A few hours had passed since Hongjoong's single release, and it was already beginning to climb charts. It looked like the single strived to reach the top, just as all his previous ones did. To celebrate, his team and him had decided to go have a night out at their favorite bar in the heart of the city. They didn't meet too late, 5pm, but did chat quite a lot for it to become dark. And in all that time, Hongjoong chugged down bottles after bottles of drinks, along with his team.

Hongjoong began feeling dizzy and lightheaded around 9pm. He shrugged it off and kept on drinking, thinking that it was product of his restless nights in front of his computer.

"Wow, take it easy, we don't want a scandal." He heard his manager say but didn't quite recognize him. He then felt his bottle being taken away from his hand. He immediately touched his head, feeling a strong pulse inside. "I think that's our cue. Let's get going." He heard the chair screech when his manager got up. "We'll see you tomorrow at the studio, guys." The manager said, lifting Hongjoong from his arm. He began pulling him to the entrance while calling the driver and order him to stay right next to the door as a drunk Hongjoong would be getting out of the installations.

Hongjoong suddenly froze, not moving with his manager anymore.

"Hey, let's go!" His manager tried pulling him. Hongjoong still didn't budge, squinting his eyes towards the bar counter after seeing that familiar styled pink hair.

"Seonghwa?" He whispered to himself. Why was he alone in a place like this so late if he had a girlfriend?

Hongjoong pulled his arm away from his manager and tried mixing with the people as fast as he could, avoiding his manager's yells. When he finally reached the counter, he sat beside who he had now confirmed was Seonghwa.

"Hey. What are you doing here so late? Bored of your girlfriend?" Hongjoong jokingly asked him, and Seonghwa turned to look at him for a moment. His eyes were red and puffy, his cheeks had wet trails from where his tears had fallen. His eyes held a mixture of disappointment and sadness, now surprise at the boy's sudden appearance. He looked away as soon as their eyes met.

"...Gosh, you reek of alcohol..." Seonghwa murmured instead of answering his question. Not like he wasn't tipsy, he had already drunk a few more glasses than what he normally managed.

"What happened? Why were you crying?" Hongjoong asked, his sarcastic tone fading away for some moments, staring anxiously at him. Seonghwa didn't answer right away, alternating between a spot in front of him and his drink. Hongjoong didn't know why, but he felt genuine worry about what had brought Seonghwa to this state, as he had never seen him before like this nor on tv nor personally.

"...I broke up with my girlfriend... She..." He murmured. He took a deep, shaky breath before he kept on talking, staring at his drink. "She cheated on me..."

Hongjoong's jaw tightened and he looked around. He wasn't actually surprised, she seemed to be an attention-seeker that day she came into his studio. And with the time working together, Hongjoong had noticed small flirty actions from her towards other men, especially when Seonghwa wasn't there. He didn't tell Seonghwa for this exact reason. The thought of Seonghwa tumbling down to his currently broken state made Hongjoong feel uneasy. So, he had always given his girlfriend piercing glares to drop her slutty act after threatening to tell Seonghwa about her real persona, at least while Seonghwa was close.

Hongjoong remained silent, deciding with his little sense left it was better to not talk about the theme. When he finally organized what to say, he talked.

"It'll be better if you go home instead of drinking here until you get as boozed as me."

"How can you still make sense while drunk...?" Seonghwa looked at him once again, and he shrugged. "I can't go, I don't know if she's still there with... that other guy."

"SHE CHEATED ON YOU IN YOUR OWN HO-" Seonghwa slapped a hand over Hongjoong's mouth.

"There goes what was left of your good sense- Please, I don't want a scandal!" Seonghwa scolded him before slowly removing his hand from his mouth.

"You can stay over my apartment then." Hongjoong blurted out as soon as he could talk. Seonghwa gave him a weird look in return. "What? It's better than staying alone in a hotel where you'll probably keep drinking your tears out."

Seonghwa thought about it for a few seconds. He didn't want to risk going back home and finding his girlfriend there, even though he was partially sure she had already left. Partially. But how could he spend the night over Hongjoong's house. Hongjoong didn't look like he hated him, but to be honest, he felt as if he could get stabbed while sleeping. It's not like he had many options, though, and it was getting late.

*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*….*

Seonghwa followed Hongjoong across his apartment silently, looking at the city through the enormous windows. It felt oddly familiar, new and comfortable at the same. Hongjoong's apartment was more of a mess though, compared to how clean and tidy Seonghwa kept his.

"You can stay here; I'll be across the hall if you need me." Hongjoong said while opening the door in front of them.

"Why would I need you...?" Seonghwa murmured while walking inside, straight to the glass pane to continue gazing at the city.

"I was just tryna be nice." Hongjoong muttered, staying at the door. Seonghwa walked towards the bed without answering, never removing his eyes from the window. Hongjoong felt a moment of awkwardness, unsure if to leave Seonghwa alone to his thoughts or stay for a while to keep him company. Well, why would he want his company anyway?

"...thank you, it's pretty weird to receive help from the person I least thought would care about me." Seonghwa said just before Hongjoong touched the doorknob.

"Thank my drunk self, I'd probably laugh at your pain while sober." Hongjoong joked, trying to light up the mood. Once again, Seonghwa didn't answer. Hongjoong stared at him for a few moments, expecting any type of reaction that would mean he didn't fuck it up. Seonghwa moved his hand up to his face, sniffling softly. Hongjoong tensed up immediately and walked towards the bed, sitting beside him. He felt words stuck in his throat. "...I was joking. You'll find someone better anyways, believe me. She wasn't worth you."

Finally, Seonghwa's head lifted up and he laughed a bit, wiping his eyes with his forearm.

"Don't worry, it wasn't your joke that made me feel like that." He sighed before looking at Hongjoong. "She wasn't worth me?" He asked smiling. Hongjoong spun his head to the front as soon as he finished formulating the question, trying to avoid his gaze.

"...again, I was trying to be nice." He answered. He felt his face slightly hot. Thankfully for him, the little light provided by the moon illuminating the whole room wasn't enough to display his blush. "Plus, she was way too slutty."

"You shouldn't talk about her like that... And she was worth it for a while." Seonghwa replied at his comment, looking back outside.

"She literally cheated on you in your own house. What should I call her? She wasn't half worth it. Anybody could be better." Hongjoong said.

"Anybody is...? Are you better?" Seonghwa blurted out. He didn't expect Hongjoong to answer, he didn't even know why did he ask that in first place. His expectations were confirmed when a long silence was the only thing he heard. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed and cleared his throat, unsure of how to get out of the situation.

"Yes." Hongjoong answered after the long silence. Was he even supposed to answer or was it a rhetorical question? His mind told him to shut up but his wasted self-kept spilling words. "I don't even think I can compare myself to her. I wouldn't ever think on doing something like that to you."

Seonghwa stared at him, shocked from him answering, a slight blush growing over his cheeks.

"But you've always acted as if you... had something against me."

"We can change that tonight." Hongjoong did his best to try and not escape his stare, he felt completely tense but strangely weird. Seonghwa didn't move though, nor did show signs of wanting to leave. "I've come to notice you're caring, sweet and talented, not to mention handsome. You're worth it all-"

Hongjoong's eyes widened when he felt a pair of soft, plump lips pressed against his. To just have finished a relationship, he had moved on very fast. Or, he thought it would be easier to try and forget it with someone else, that someone else being Hongjoong. In either way, Hongjoong kissed him back after a few seconds, his lips moving against his. The bitter taste of alcohol was still present in his mouth, combined with the sweet peach chapstick and a tingle of salt due to his previous crying.

Seonghwa didn't know he'd fall that easy for some sweet talk, but it felt different coming from someone so cold and indifferent to him. It's as if secretly, he had always wished for Hongjoong to praise him, as if deep inside he wished for his nice actions to be returned. And it could also be too much alcohol in his system plus Hongjoong's tongue intertwining with his in an intoxicating and addicting way.

As the kiss went on and became steady, the younger boy laid over the bed, Seonghwa following to avoid breaking the kiss and ending up topping the other. He supported himself against the bed pressing his hands on both sides of Hongjoong's head, caging him in the process. Hongjoong's arms wrapped around the other boy's neck, pulling him even closer if still possible. When there wasn't enough air left between them, Seonghwa broke the kiss but never breaking contact with his skin, immediately drawing a trail of kisses from Hongjoong's mouth to his jawline. Hongjoong tilted his head to give him more access as Seonghwa kept descending to his neck, his soft, wet kisses plus his panting against his skin leaving goosebumps wherever his lips touched. For a few seconds he thought he was being used out of spite by Seonghwa to forget his girlfriend, but he had tried being nice the past few hours. He could keep being nice for him a few more. Just to make him feel better.

Hongjoong gasped slightly when Seonghwa nibbled midway through the path on his neck, beginning to leave small love bites. Before he could keep on marking him, he held Seonghwa's hair with one hand and pulled softly.

"No hickeys..." He said in between pants. Seonghwa nodded and kept on kissing until he found himself halted by Hongjoong's shirt collar. His hands slipped to the shirt's hem. Hongjoong lifted his back from the bed while Seonghwa pulled his shirt above his head. As soon as the shirt was off, Seonghwa kept moving lower, sucking very lightly at his chest as to not leave any trace. Just as he began unbuckling Hongjoong's belt, he felt a little push. He looked up to check on the other boy, ceasing his actions.

"...let me bring the lube before it's too late to stop." Hongjoong murmured, pushing a bit stronger to move Seonghwa aside.

"Where do you keep it...?" Seonghwa asked, staring at Hongjoong while he got up.

"In my room, I'll go get it." He answered right before leaving the room. Hongjoong went into his room and right to his nightstand, opening the first drawer and shuffling desperately along the objects for a few seconds, his mind still clouded in want. He pulled out the lube and a condom, closing the drawer before leaving his room back to the one in front. He found Seonghwa already shirtless and unzipping his pants. Hongjoong stayed at the door a few seconds, staring at his muscles flex with every little movement and feeling his mouth water. He shook his head and walked in towards Seonghwa, tossing the lube and condom over the bed, catching the other's attention.

Before he could say anything else, Hongjoong pulled him once again into a kiss, pushing him back onto the bed and making sure he was the one on top this time. He straddled him, never breaking the kiss, shifting his position to press himself against the other's crotch. Seonghwa moaned in the kiss, moving his hands to the younger one's waist, bucking his hips slightly upwards at the feeling. As soon as their lips broke contact, Seonghwa flipped Hongjoong over to have him under him once again, earning a small yelp from the younger one at how sudden the movement was.

Seonghwa finished taking off Hongjoong's pants from where he left off, pulling down his boxers in the process too. Hongjoong's eyes kept tightly shut, his cheeks a vibrant red. Of course, he wasn't a virgin anymore but there was something about Seonghwa that had him feeling intimidated and exposed. Maybe it was how easy did his strength overpowered his own, how he submitted so easily to slight touches and how he was the first person who actually topped him from all his sexual encounters.

Hongjoong gasped and held tight on the sheets when he felt a single lube-coated finger push past his rim knuckle deep, stretching him. It slowly began moving, and Hongjoong rolled his hips to try to make it move faster. Seonghwa chuckled over his skin and kissed his chest before moving his head to lick over one of his nipples. He pushed another finger inside after seeing the other boy's eager actions, moving them faster. He groaned when he felt Hongjoong clench around his fingers while moaning, his mind wandering off to think he would soon be feeling the same heat around his own cock.

"H-Hwa, I'm close..." Hongjoong whispered, his moans growing in pitch as Seonghwa increased the speed of his fingers. His hands flew to hold onto the older one's pink hair who kept nibbling softly at his nipples, hips moving in a desperate attempt to try and make Seonghwa's fingers reach even deeper than they already were, make them stretch even further his insides.

Hongjoong opened his eyes, panting heavily, a very slight whine leaving his lips as he clenched around nothing after Seonghwa removed his fingers. He didn't complain though, watching Seonghwa open the silver package and roll on the condom. He bit his lip and laid his head back against the bed, his eyes still staring down at the other boy who pumped himself after adding more lube onto his cock.

Seonghwa pushed the tip past through his hole, sealing his lips at the tight feeling that slowly engulfed him, and Hongjoong closed his eyes, a moan escaping his lips.

With a single, careful but fast thrust, Seonghwa bottomed out while gasping, and Hongjoong felt the air being knocked out of his lungs. He used all his will power to not move, leaning forward onto the younger one while he waited for him to adjust.

After one or two minutes, Seonghwa pulled out a bit before thrusting forward once again, testing the other's reaction after watching him relax under him. Hongjoong whined and gripped onto Seonghwa's shoulders.

"...g-go on, please..." Hongjoong muttered, his eyes still closed to not have to face any tease Seonghwa might give him. Instead, Seonghwa groaned slightly, the words clicking somewhere around his clouded mind and making him give a thrust harsher than the last one, earning a loud moan from Hongjoong after hitting right against his prostate.

Soon enough, his hips had found a solid, steady pace, speed increasing every second until he found himself drilling the other one against the bed. Hongjoong kept on panting and moaning his name, nails digging into Seonghwa's skin to try and keep himself together as Seonghwa's tip pressed against his prostate over and over again. Seonghwa hid his face in the crook of his neck, panting over his skin and occasionally whimpering at the warm feeling. He knew he wasn't supposed to leave marks, but he couldn't help to begin sucking slightly at the exposed skin, Hongjoong not even minding anymore in his current state.

Seonghwa wasn't sure he was able to resist much longer while watching the smaller body underneath him wither and moan out his name repeatedly, all while clenching around him each time he was inside and sucking him back while he pulled out. He bit his lower lip and wrapped a hand around Hongjoong's throbbing cock, almost sure Hongjoong was as close as he was. In fact, Hongjoong whined even louder just at the contact, trying to buck up his hips and making Seonghwa hit newer spots inside him.

"G-gonna cum, Joongie..." Seonghwa warned him, his thrusts becoming sloppier and his hand jerking off the younger one. Hongjoong could just nod, mouth too busy in moaning, assuring the older one he was close too.

Hongjoong felt his whole body tremble and he let out a broken cry as he came, spilling his cum on both of their torsos, all while Seonghwa groaned against his neck, snapping his hips while coming himself too. He decreased the speed as he slowly rode down both of their highs, pants filling the room. Hongjoong wrapped his arms around his neck, eyes still closed and pants still loud. Seonghwa let himself fall over him, head lifting up from his neck to look at his blissful state. His eyes traveled to his lips, swollen and red from the making out session they had earlier. He gave a quick peck at them, almost as if he weren't allowed to do so freely.

Hongjoong, who was slowly drifting to sleep, couldn't help but smile when he felt Seonghwa's lips against his for a brief second. He woke up a bit more when he felt Seonghwa pull out slowly and his weight on top of him moving, hearing the sheets ruffle and Seonghwa standing up. For a moment, he thought he would be leaving, not wanting to talk about what just happened. It didn't make sense for someone like Seonghwa to do so, but Hongjoong wouldn't blame him if he did leave. Therefore, he didn't bother in opening his eyes when he heard a door open.

He did open them though when he felt a cold cloth against his skin, his whole body jolting at the sudden feeling.

"Sorry... I'll be done soon..." Seonghwa told him while cleaning him up. The particular care and warm voice made him unconsciously melt, and Hongjoong wondered if it was the alcohol in his system playing a bad move at him. After a few minutes, Seonghwa joined him in bed once again, arm creeping around his waist to hug him and the other one combing back his blue hair. It didn't take him long to drift to sleep.

*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*…..*….*

The sunlight hitting against Hongjoong's face finally made him open his eyes. For a second, he wondered why were the curtains open. His eyes traveled through the room and he once again wondered why wasn't he in his room. He touched his head with a groan; it was pounding aggressively. How much had he drunk yesterday? He stared at the floor, clothes scattered around. As his view shifted to look at himself, he stared at an arm locked tightly around his naked waist, and that's when he noticed the warm body flushed against his own. He turned his head around, eyes widening in the process.

Seonghwa was still asleep, his usual perfectly styled pink hair disheveled, strands falling over his closed eyes, breathing peacefully. His lips were slightly parted and his cheeks just a bit rosy, one of them squished against the pillow. His naked tanned skin was glowing underneath the sun light, just adding to the cute, heavenly view.

Eyes still wide, Hongjoong began remembering the events from last night, his own cheeks turning bright red, his stare lost in the scene he had in front.

"...oh, shit..."

.

.

Masterlist

Late Night Devil [Part 1]

Police Officer! Seonghwa x Gangster!Hongjoong

Summary: "Never in all my life have I met such a hot officer... Makes me doubt if I should give myself up already." Seonghwa's breath hitched at each word, eyes fixated on Hongjoong's fingers while they traveled south, reaching his belt. "May I?" He asked, looking through long lashes to the older boy, a playful glint in his empty eyes and a mischievous grin plastered on his flushed face.

Word count: 3987

Chapter Warnings: NSFW/Minors DNI, drug mentions (as a business), guns, mentions of murder, blood, tiiiiny bit of bloodplay, bit of facefucking, blowjob, cum eating, rough sex, handcuffs, anal fingering, anal play, anal fucking, overstimulation if you squint, idk if I'm forgetting smth, ok bye.

1. TAKE YOUR STUFF @hiimnicki05

2. In other notes, I'm so sorry for taking so long and being inactive. I have the full story written out for this one, so no cutting out this time. (For those who follow First and Last Soulmate :,D)

3. I haven't done any grammar/spelling check so excuse any typos.

4. My Google history looks like I've just shoot someone and now I'm trying to revive them :v

5. I'm sorry if some stuff doesn't make sense, but nothing makes sense in the fiction world, so. :D

6. Couldn't think of any other title, sorry.

7. Last thing, I swear. Sets place during Deja Vu era ig? and I was inspired to write this story after listening to Gunshot by KARD, in case you wanna hear it.

"...looks like the drug business is a lot more profitable than I thought..." Seonghwa broke the silence while sitting down on the bed and taking off his black tie, watching the other boy opening the first aid box the hotel staff had provided him. Hongjoong chuckled lightly.

"Never imagined I'd hear a police officer saying that." Hongjoong scoffed, taking out some gauze pads and a bottle of saline solution. "Less from one who nearly arrested me. Twice."

At the police station, Kim Hongjoong's name was close to the top in the most wanted criminals list. His gang, leaded by him, had established their turf around most of the city, their main business being drug dealing but didn't limit itself to that. Robbing, street races and arms trafficking were some other of their crimes. Not to mention Hongjoong himself took part in various murders as gangs didn't follow the city's rules but their own rules; justice was done by their own hands. But in a city where murder is condemned with murder by law, criminals like him were prosecuted insanely. Seonghwa had previously tried catching him, his neat, perfect plans to corner him failing even if it might've been close. Hongjoong was too smart, he was the leader of his gang for some reason.

It made him majorly frustrated, and maybe that's way he didn't think it twice when he saw Hongjoong that night, even if he tried to motion him to leave back in that dark alley. Obviously, his awareness and tense moves should've alerted the police but instead he stepped right in to try and catch him, aiming his gun at him but failing once again when a bullet from the opposite gang brushed against his chest. After both managed to escape, Hongjoong could've easily shot him down in the spot. Seonghwa had some type of obsession to catch him, and he could get rid of his plans and him easily. But even though Hongjoong had killed before, he only killed when his close friends' or his own life was in danger. Seonghwa was a new officer and he was entertaining, he would let him think he had caught him only to escape so easily. It was like playing an eternal game of the cat chasing the mouse, the police in front of him thinking he was in the winning side. For him, he wasn't any type of threat. So instead of leaving him there with a wound in his chest, he took him back with him with the condition of not saying a word about where were they going AND giving him his own weapon, radio and phone, along with some other stuff that might compromise him.

Seonghwa really thought Hongjoong was stupid enough to take him to his own place if he followed him, maybe that was why he acceded. Maybe he was the only stupid one here for following a criminal who most likely wanted to get rid of him. To his relief and disappointment, Hongjoong took him to a rather expensive hotel room. The place was nearly empty except for the staff due to it being late at night, but it still was incredible how the staff didn't know about Hongjoong, about these criminals; they treated him like some other normal person. They were all oblivious to what happened in the crime world.

"I was just doing my job." Seonghwa answered, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink when the younger one kneeled in between his legs to take off the black vest and begin unbuttoning his black shirt. Hongjoong's eyes swiftly looked at the name tag while doing so. Park Seonghwa. He smiled to himself as he finished exposing the older's chest.

It surely was a very suggestive sight, and he scolded his own mind for imagining such things. Seonghwa tried focusing on something else in the meanwhile, deciding on the orange hair the younger one sported. It looked soft, and it made his hand itch to comb back the short bangs. He jumped slightly at the light sting when Hongjoong tapped the gauze pad carefully against the scratch.

"...it doesn't look as bad as I thought, blood makes it scandalous. I thought you'd need stitches." Hongjoong murmured without looking at him. Seonghwa hummed, trying to stay still as the other one finished. He didn't look at him anymore, wondering instead if the station would track down his phone and if he should tell Hongjoong about it. When he least noticed, Hongjoong finished patching the micropore tape over the bandage. He looked back down, expecting the younger one to get up. Instead, black nails trailed south, grazing the skin in their way.

"Never in all my life have I met such a hot officer..." Hongjoong muttered. "Makes me doubt if I should give myself up already." Seonghwa's breath hitched at each word, eyes fixated on the latter's fingers until they reached his belt. "May I?" Hongjoong asked, looking through long lashes to the older boy, a playful glint in his empty eyes and a mischievous grin plastered on his flushed face. Seonghwa cursed under his breath, unable to resist the offer. He nodded, looking back at the other boy's eyes.

Hongjoong's grin grew bigger as he began unbuckling the belt, fingers fidgeting to undo the buttons and unzip his pants right after. He pulled at the underwear waistband, freeing the elder’s cock to begin stroking it immediately with one hand. He gave an experimental lick right over the sensitive slit, earning a gasp from Seonghwa and making him grip on the edge of the bed from the sudden contact. He moaned, watching as the younger one pushed the tip right into his warm mouth, sucking softly as if it were some candy, resisting the urge to throw his head back to keep on looking at the scene between his legs. Pink lips stretched around his cock as Hongjoong pushed his head down, small hand not big enough to wrap around his length completely as it slowly grew bigger by the minute.

Seonghwa bucked his hips, too desperate from the younger's slow pace. He pushed deep down at once into the other's warm, wet throat, groaning at the feeling and surprised when Hongjoong didn't move away even when he gagged around him. Instead, he sucked harder, swallowing from time to time around his length.

"Shit..." Seonghwa groaned once again, placing one hand over the orange hair to grip slightly, just to hold on to. He nearly whined when Hongjoong pulled his cock out of his mouth, licking his lips and clearing his throat.

"You can set the pace; I like it rough." He told him, referring to the controlled grip Seonghwa kept on his hair.

Fuck, this boy was temptation itself. How did he even end up here after aiming his gun so many times at him? The same criminal he had desperately tried catching the past month was kneeling right in between his legs, blowing him. Destiny's ways were crazy.

Seonghwa didn't waste more time as he gripped harder on the orange hair, pushing his own cock back down the younger's throat. He bucked his hips into the tight heat, groaning at the way his throat continuously tightened around hin each time he gagged.

It didn't take long for that knot to begin appearing, tightening with each time Hongjoong's nose touched the skin below his belly. The younger one just closed his eyes, enjoying the stretch in his throat provided by Seonghwa's cock. Seonghwa was sure that if his mouth wasn't stuffed with cock, he'd be smiling.

"H-Hongjoong..." Seonghwa moaned as a warning, close to his release. He threw his head back, gripping impossibly harder onto the orange hair but movements becoming sloppy. Hongjoong began working his head down instead, sucking once again and twirling his tongue around. With a last gasp and a few thrusts of his hips, Seonghwa released his cum into Hongjoong's throat.

Hongjoong did his best in swallowing the bitter but tasty substance, pulling Seonghwa's still half hard cock out of his mouth to lick the remainings that spilled out of his mouth and onto his lips. Seonghwa let go of his hair while panting, and Hongjoong took the opportunity to stand up and hold a tight grip on his jaw before kissing him.

Seonghwa couldn't help but gasp in surprise at the unexpected action, the younger one's tongue sliding immediately into his mouth within seconds of beginning the kiss. It was sloppy, desperate and messy, addicting at the least which made Seonghwa pull him closer. He could taste the bitter remainings of his seed in Hongjoong's mouth, blushing at the flavor.

Hongjoong's grip softened until he was cupping Seonghwa's face in his hand, pulling him impossibly closer while straddling his lap.

At least half of Seonghwa's senses where gone by now. He still was aware that one of the most wanted criminals was sitting in his lap, devouring his mouth. He didn't know where to set his hands on other than the one on his nape, didn't know if he was allowed to touch. Was it too late to push him off? More importantly, did he want to push him?

He moaned when Hongjoong bit his lower lip, hard. Hard enough to make it hurt, to want to pull away but he still moaned. Within a few seconds, he tasted the metallic flavor of blood. He had actually drawn blood, and fuck, did that turn him on even more. It was as if the last string broke, because his hand dropped from his nape to slip them both down the outline of Hongjoong's curves, not bothering anymore about neither of their statuses. He was just going to enjoy what was happening right now. It's not as if it was going to repeat itself anyways, right?

Hongjoong was the one who pulled pulled away from the kiss first, panting. "...Getting bolder, officer...?" His hands roamed down Seonghwa's exposed chest, just before pushing him without care to lay him down. He stared for a few seconds at the older's new look; lips swollen and red, cheeks flushed down and dark eyes. He smiled and bended over him, attaching his lips onto Seonghwa's neck, nibbling softly at the tanned skin. Seonghwa arched his neck to a side, sighing from time to time and hands sliding lower, down his thighs. He stopped when he felt the leg harness around his left thigh, the one holding his holster. He didn't plan on taking the gun, but he would feel more relieved if the gun was out of the way. When he tried reaching out for the gun's handle to pull it out, he felt Hongjoong's grip around his wrist.

"No, nobody touches my gun. Especially not you." Hongjoong murmured, pressing a kiss against his jawline. He slipped the gun out of its holster and threw it away to the floor. He immediately went back to leaving small, red bites on the other's skin until he was turned over on his back and pinned down. He yelped at the action, eyes widening before relaxing under the officer's soothing touch. He couldn't take his gun anymore anyways, it was way too far from the bed. So instead, he closed his eyes, hands combing back Seonghwa's black hair before gripping on it while Seonghwa went back to kissing him.

The kiss was much shorter this time, Seomghwa pulling away within a few seconds. Hongjoong felt the officer's hands pull at his wrist to untangle his fingers from the black mop of hair, while leaving a trail of wet kisses from his jaw down his throat. He sucked particularly right over the beauty mark on his neck, pushing the younger's hands above his head.

Hongjoong gasped when he heard a click, looking above to see handcuffs around his wrists, locking him to the headboard. Where did he have those? He swore he took them away from him earlier. Seonghwa didn't seem to bother, his hands slipping below Hongjoong's navy blue shirt and travelling around the smooth skin.

"...S-Seonghwa..." Hongjoong looked back at the older boy, a tingle of panic in his voice. Seonghwa lifted up his shirt, bunching it right under his armpits and latching his mouth to one of the hardening nipples, sucking softly. Hongjoong let out a whiny moan, arching his back against the other's mouth and closing his eyes, not really sure about how to catch his attention. Seonghwa sucked harder, long tongue twirling around the sensitive bud. One hand went to roll his other nipple between his index finger and thumb, tugging it from time to time. Hongjoong's moans progressively grew louder, and he tried pulling on the handcuffs to let go and cover himself at the increasing sensitiveness on his chest. He wasn't sure it he felt aroused or scared at the cuffs. He wouldn't mind it being a bed play but he was a wanted criminal and he was successfully handcuffed by a police who he didn't know if he'd arrest him after pleasing himself. "Seonghwa!" He managed to shout in between his moans, trashing a bit from side to side and attempting to close his arms in front of him. Seonghwa halted his actions, looking back at him and humming back in response, lips slick and dark brown eyes blown. Panting, Hongjoong looked up at the cuffs and pulled a bit on them, making the chain jingle. He looked back at Seonghwa, hoping he would get the message and ready to speak if he didn't. Seonghwa in response kissed his chest before looking back at him.

"Trust me..." He mumbled, hands rubbing at his waist to soothe him.

"Trust you?!" That was the only thing Hongjoong could blurt out. That was something he couldn't ask for, Seonghwa was the specific officer who chased him around!

Seonghwa hummed once again, nodding while unbuckling the gangster's belt. "Just like I trusted you to not kill me when I followed you. I won't arrest you."

He had a point; but to be honest, if Hongjoong had been Seonghwa, he wouldn't have followed himself to a hotel in the middle of the night.

"We can go back to being enemies tomorrow." Seonghwa finally sighed upon seeing Hongjoong's hesitating stare. The criminal's eyes looked around for a moment before he let his head fall back on the pillow, closing his eyes. Seonghwa smiled, leaving a peck on Hongjoong's milky white tummy. He finished unbuckling the belt, pulling his pants down along with his underwear while Hongjoong lifted up his hips to ease the action. His cock hit his abdomen, red and hard from previous stimulation.

Now having his whole lower body naked, Seonghwa pushed Hongjoong's thighs up against his chest to gain a better access to his small hole. He came a bit closer, his hole clenching around nothing before spitting over it and watching his saliva slowly being swallowed inside. Hongjoong whimpered at the feeling, and Seonghwa hushed him while pushing in a finger.

"I'll take care of you..." Seonghwa said right before kissing one of his inner thighs. Hongjoong moaned at the stretch, biting his lower lip harshly when Seonghwa slowly pushed in a second finger. He scissored them, opening him up, fingers rubbing against his walls and tugging against his rim while he only gasped and whined helplessly. He arched his back off the bed and was close to screaming when Seonghwa curled his fingers inside of him, finger pads pressing against that sensitive nerve. He writhed on the bed, moaning and unsure if he wanted to get away from the torturing pleasure or try to gain more friction on that area as Seonghwa pushed a third finger inside. He kept on kissing his inner thighs, occasionally leaving some red love bites. The tenderness of his kisses, the rough pace of his fingering; He felt the knot starting to tighten below his stomach and whined, not wanting to cum just yet.

"...N-need... Need you inside..." Hongjoong said in between pants and moans. His body finally relaxed when Seonghwa pulled his fingers out, frustrated too as he climbed down the high he was having.

"Whatever you wish for, pretty boy..." Seonghwa cooed, lining up at his now hard cock against his entrance after pulling his pants further down. Hongjoong blushed hard when he heard the pet name, opening his mouth ready to protest but only a scream came out, back arching off the bed one again and handcuffs jingling from the force he pulled at them. Seonghwa had bottomed out in one go, moaning at the tight feeling. He cursed under his breath, hands gripping on Hongjoong's marked thighs and pushing them against his chest even harder, practically folding him in a half. He kept still for a few seconds, waiting for the younger's reaction. Hongjoong tried steadying his breath as much as he could, whining softly at the sudden stretch despite no movement being done.

Hongjoong finally rolled his hips, signaling the officer to proceed. With the first drag out and harsh thrust back in, Hongjoong gasped as he felt the air being knocked out of his lungs and Seonghwa groaned at how hard was Hongjoong clenching around him. He wasn't even sure he would be able to resist for long, the pleasure being too strong to handle.

After both were able to calm down a bit, he began thrusting at a steady rythm, watching how the criminal under him was reduced to a whining mess, small hands tugging continually at the handcuffs.

Seonghwa fastened the pace, beginning with a ruthless thrusting. His grip tightened around his thighs, his fucking becoming less gentle and more brutal each passing second. The bed shook along with the movement, dragging Hongjoong just a bit upwards with each forward thrust. Moans spilled freely out of Hongjoong's mouth as Seonghwa rubbed his prostate over and over again without care, fastly climbing his high once again. He turned his head from side to side, eyes tightly closed as he felt them water and unable to bear the amount of pleasure as he felt himself clinging at the top of his high.

"W-want to c-come..." Hongjoong whined, and Seonghwa couldn't help but kiss him once again. Sloppy, open-mouthed and messy, moans escaping from time to time in between the tongues intertwining. Seonghwa reached down to hold Hongjoong's cock, hand beginning to stroke it immediately. Hongjoong arched his neck, breaking the kiss as he gasped and moaned out Seonghwa's name, cumming over his own stomach.

It actually surprised Seonghwa when he heard him moan out his name, but it also was what made him go over the edge. He moaned with a few last thrusts, spilling his cum inside him.

They both stayed there for a few minutes, trying to catch their breaths. Seonghwa laid his head over the other's chest, listening to the fast heartbeat slowly calm down.

Hongjoong jingled the handcuffs after a while, eyes opening once again. Seonghwa looked up, understanding the message and took the key from one of his pockets, freeing him.

"...Finally..." Hongjoong said, checking the slight red marks on his wrists from tugging. "I see you're a bit kinky..."

Seonghwa let out a chuckle, holding his wrists softly before kissing both of them. The gangster felt heat creeping over his face again and pulled away his hands, choosing to stare at the ceiling to avoid looking into the officer's gaze.

"...I need to go." Hongjoong murmured, eyes still fixated on the ceiling before closing.

"Don't wanna rest for a while?" Seonghwa asked him, staring back at Hongjoong. He immediately regretted asking that, as if fucking him hadn't been dumb enough. He didn't think too much of it as he became lost in admiring Hongjoong's feautures. Long lashes brushing his cheeks, soft blush, sharp nose and uptilted lips. He wanted to kiss him again but considering Hongjoong pulled his hands away, he wasn't sure he'd let him. After a few seconds, Hongjoong shook his head.

"Rest here with you?" He sighed, opening his eyes. He rolled over to be on top, sealing his lips at the movement inside of him. He felt Seonghwa twitch inside of him too, and he sat upright. "I'm not sleeping here with you. I'm either fucking or leaving, so take your pick."

Seonghwa parked around the same alley he had seen Hongjoong last night. He had low hopes of finding the orange haired boy again, but chances weren't nule. He wasn't supposed to either, but he still wished to see him again.

At the end, after two or three rounds, Hongjoong did leave with a slight limp. Seonghwa offered to leave so he could stay and rest, but Hongjoong insisted that his location was known by him and he wouldn't be able to sleep. And Seonghwa couldn't obviously ask him to take him wherever he needed, Hongjoong was paranoid enough about it. Seonghwa did stay in the hotel two or three hours more after he left, processing everything which had happened. He found out he didn't hate Hongjoong as much as he thought. The intriguing criminal did catch his attention since the first time, but obviously; who's attention couldn't he not attract? Hongjoong was intelligent, sarcastic, liked playing around with the authority for fun and overall, he was just so pretty.

Maybe that's why he found himself wanting to see him once again, he was strangely comfortable and amused by him. So now he was slowly pacing around the area, eyes traveling from one building to another. It didn't take too long to find him.

He suddenly felt a gun pointing against his nape, and he froze, lifting his hands in the air.

"How did you know I was here?" He heard the same voice which had moaned for him the previous night right behind him. He turned around slowly, and he couldn't help but smile when he in fact saw Hongjoong aiming his gun at him.

"I didn't know... I just supposed, but I wasn't sure. I don't wanna arrest you, I swear." Seonghwa tried explaining at him, but Hongjoong only raised an eyebrow.

"The police... doesn't wanna arrest me? Well that's new." He chuckled, tilting his head. "I don't trust you a single bit."

"You trusted me yesterday when I handcuffed you to a hotel bed." Seonghwa smiled before yelping when the muzzle hit his head. "Hongjoong-"

"Don't say my name, and stop bothering me!" Hongjoong whined, pushing the muzzle against the older's forehead and forcing him back to his car. "You're just some stupid officer I managed to fuck, and just cause I was nice or pliant for once doesn't mean I'm going to fucking befriend you." Hongjoong spat out just as Seonghwa's back hit his car's door. "You said it, back to enemies today. Now get your ass back into your car and-"

Hongjoong was interrupted when Seonghwa pushed the gun out of his way and pulled him into a kiss, plump lips pressing against his own. It was just yesterday that they had kissed but Hongjoong felt he was feeling them for the first time again, heavenly taste and addicting tongue. He hesitatingly wrapped his arms around the other's neck, one hand still holding his gun. He didn't notice when they shifted positions, now him being the one against the car's door. When Seonghwa pulled away, a string of saliva still connected their tongues.

"...get in the car..." Seonghwa mumbled before kissing his check, hands rubbing at Hongjoong's waist over his shirt. Hongjoong didn't comply, eyes still closed and breathing panting slightly, and that's when he noticed he'd have to explain himself better. "Let's go to a hotel, yeah...?"

And Hongjoong finally nodded, unable to resist the tempting idea of having the beautiful man over him once again. "...but phone... gun... radio", Hongjoong opened his eyes, licking the remaining of Seonghwa's chapstick off his own lips. "Give them to me."

Masterlist

Late Night Devil [Part 2]

Police Officer! Seonghwa x Gangster!Hongjoong

Chapter Summary: "F-fuck..." Hongjoong muttered under his breath when the muzzle was finally completely inside of him, precum oozing from the tip of his cock at the stomach twisting realization of a weapon inside him. He wondered if the clinking copper he heard before was Seonghwa taking out the bullets, hoping the gun was empty. He wouldn't admit it; it felt terrifying to have a gun up to the hilt inside his ass, but it felt terrifyingly good.

Word count: 2919

Chapter Warnings: NSFW/Minors DNI, drug mentions (as a business), guns, mentions of murder, gunplay, semi-public sex?, rough sex, anal fingering, anal play, anal fucking, cockwarming, overstimulation if you squint, idk if I'm forgetting smth, ok bye.

1. TAKE YOUR STUFF @hiimnicki05 x2

2. It's still Hwa's bday in my side of the world, the happiness extends itself. :D

Weeks had passed since their first encounter, and trust grew between them. Hongjoong knew Seonghwa wouldn't arrest him and Seonghwa knew Hongjoong wouldn't kill him, and that eventually made Hongjoong stop asking for Seonghwa's stuff like radio or weapon whenever they met. What they did know what was that they had become addicted to each other, and with that little silent deal going on between them, they didn't question anything when they found themselves fucking again. Then again, then again. Seonghwa had night shifts, which made it even easier to meet. His partner drove another patrol car around his own part of the city and mostly communicated through the radio. Hongjoong didn't even have to escape from his gang, a simple order and they wouldn't follow him.

"Hands behind your head." Seonghwa whispered in the younger's ear, arms wrapping around his waist and pushing him slowly until his back hit the cold brick wall belonging to the alley. Hongjoong smiled and gladly complied, eyes glued to the other's lips. He couldn't help but press a quick peck, catching Seonghwa by surprised who chuckled slightly. "Now turn around, facing the wall." Hongjoong did as told, excitement boiling in his stomach.

Hotels were now an option only if it was late enough. If not, alleys were a good second option (idea given by Hongjoong). And that's how they ended in their current position, Seonghwa unbuckling Hongjoong's belt from behind. Hongjoong stared at the alley's entrance for fifth time, making sure not a single soul was around. He felt Seonghwa's hand run down his thigh and bump with his holster. He didn't flinch nor stopped him this time, despite the older's hesitation to remove the gun. After a few seconds of no reaction, Seonghwa understood the message of being able to touch the weapon and removed the gun hanging from Hongjoong's thigh belt, unbuckling the leather straps to be able to pull down his pants. Before dropping the gun, he came up with an idea, staring at the cold, black metal.

"Pull down your pants." Seonghwa ordered, now focused on removing the bullets from the weapon and saving them in his pocket in the meanwhile.

"What are you doing?" Hongjoong muttered, blush spreading around his cheeks. He was close to turning around due to the familiar noise of clinking copper coming from the bullets. It wasn't that he didn't trust him to this point, but the sound obviously alerted him.

"Don't move, just pull your pants down." He ordered once again and Hongjoong couldn't help but roll his eyes and smile at the insistence, shoving away any tense feeling. He pulled down at his pants and underwear at once, leaving them stuffed just above his knees.

"You sure are bossy." Hongjoong said. He rested his forearms on the wall, opened his legs slightly and pushed his ass out just enough to tease the older one, ignoring the cold night breeze hitting against his skin, goosebumps appearing. He gasped when he felt the stretch of two saliva coated fingers trespassing his rim, his hands fisting against the wall. Seonghwa kept on pushing his fingers in until they were knuckle deep, leaving them there for a moment before slowly moving them in a thrusting motion. Hongjoong moaned at the feeling, his half hard cock becoming even harder by the minute. He whined at the stretch when he felt the fingers scissoring him, pressing his forehead against the cold brick wall, and chocked on a moan when he felt his prostate being pressed after the fingers curled inside him. His hips moved against Seonghwa's hand, back arching in the process, moans spilling from his mouth one after another while Seonghwa kept rubbing that sensitive part.

Seonghwa pressed harder against his prostate, fingers rubbing slightly faster than before. It just took a few seconds more for Hongjoong's moans to grow in pitch, the feeling of release increasing.

"Hwa~! S-Seonghwa... Fuck me, I'm ready" Hongjoong managed to say in between pants, some words coming out as moans. Seonghwa kissed his nape, pulling his fingers out instantly.

"But I don't have plans to fuck you tonight..." He answered, pressing the gun's muzzle against the younger's gaping rim. Hongjoong got startled when he felt the cold metal pushing against his hole. He moaned brokenly and closed his eyes shut, the trace of saliva Seonghwa's fingers left helping the weapon slide a bit but not making it easier.

"F-fuck..." Hongjoong muttered under his breath when the muzzle was finally completely inside of him, precum oozing from the tip of his cock at the stomach twisting realization of a weapon inside him. He wondered if the clinking copper he heard before was Seonghwa taking out the bullets, hoping the gun was empty. He wouldn't admit it; it felt terrifying to have a gun up to the hilt inside his ass, but it felt terrifyingly good.

Seonghwa twisted the weapon slowly, testing out the other's reaction. He smiled to himself when Hongjoong let out a whimper, arching his back even further in a perfect bow to give the older one better access to move the gun.

"Needy... Aren't you...?" Seonghwa said and began thrusting the gun, pulling the muzzle almost all the way out before thrusting it back in, pressing it in different angles and hearing Hongjoong moaned louder each time until he nearly screamed. After finding once again the sensitive spot, he made sure to keep the angle and to press the muzzle against that area, gliding over it with force with each thrust as his hand moved faster. Hongjoong trembled and whined, hips moving to meet the gun's thrust midway in an attempt to reach his release. His hand went to hold his own cock, beginning to jerk off to finish faster but failing when he heard Seonghwa's shaky voice.

"...You're twisted enough to enjoy being fucked by a gun... Then cum without touching yourself." He said, almost whispered, increasing the speed of the thrusts. Hongjoong let go of himself, whining even louder, the constant rubbing against his prostate becoming overwhelming and the words lingering in his mind, affecting him more than they should. His hand went back to hold himself against the wall despite his constant tremors.

With one last, harsh thrust, Hongjoong came, keeping his mouth open in a silent scream, eyes rolling to the back of his head as ropes of cum spurted over the wall and himself. He felt wet ropes over his back and ass, and that's when he noticed the older one had been jerking off to the sight. His legs nearly gave out, Seonghwa kept on thrusting the muzzle to help him ride down his high, panting behind him.

"...t-too much..." Hongjoong whimpered when his high was over and overstimulation took over his body. Seonghwa pulled the gun out, arms wrapping beneath his knees and arms to lift him up right after to avoid him falling down on his knees. He carried him over to the police car, just a few feet away from them with its sirens and engine off, but with its pilot door open.

Once inside, he closed the door and cuddled the younger boy in his chest, dropping the gun on the copilot's seat. It surely wasn't as comfortable as going to a hotel, but it would be just for a few minutes. In fact, Seonghwa would drop Hongjoong at a hotel if he needed it, like now. The first times, he didn't feel comfortable leaving Hongjoong alone after having sex, but Hongjoong would obviously prefer his own job and the police department not being suspicious on one of their officers than some aftercare.

"...Was it armed...?" Hongjoong finally murmured after a while, eyes closed.

"No" Seonghwa answered and combed back some orange strands of hair sticking to his forehead.

"...It better not have been mine." His eyes fluttered open, eye lids heavy, looking at him through long eyelashes. Seonghwa smiled at the sleepy boy in his arms and couldn't help but press a soft kiss against his forehead.

"Oops." He answered, and Hongjoong groaned annoyed, eyes closing again.

"I need you to answer the radio each time I call! What's wrong...? You always answer." Yunho asked Seonghwa once the older one left the boss's office.

"I'm sorry, I sometimes get carried away whenever I see a gang member. I get out of the car." Seonghwa tried thinking fast, not looking at his partner directly at the eyes.

"It's wireless, hyung. You don't need to stay in the car to hear me, we carry them everywhere! The only way of not listening is-" he gasped, and Seonghwa finally looked at him confused.

"Do you turn the volume down?!"

The truth is, Seonghwa found himself too busy whenever he was with Hongjoong. He didn't turn the radio off nor did he turn the volume down completely, just enough to not bother. If Yunho ever needed him urgently, there was a code for that, and that's what he would react at.

"No, no, if course I don't. I'm sorry, I'll try to answer from now on to everything." Seonghwa answered.

"It's not 'try to', we were trained for that." Yunho sighed.

"Officer Jeong." They heard their chief's voice from his office. Seonghwa gave a pleading stare at the other to not compromise him, Yunho shaking his head before leaving to the office. Of course, he would protect his friend and partner, but things had gotten out of hand.

"Close the door and take a seat, please." The chief told Yunho right after he came inside. Yunho did as told, sitting down in front of the desk. "About officer Park... Another officer has told me that he is completing his patrols abnormally. Which means he is not where he needs to be at the time given. Now, this could be a mistake or an error. So, I would like to request you something." The chief leaned forward. "But before, do you know something we might not know?"

Yunho shook his head vigorously. "Seonghwa is one of the best officers in here, and I don't say it just because he's my friend and partner. I suppose he is just planning his next capture, just as he did with the previous two criminals." Yunho answered, hoping he sounded convincing. The chief nodded, so apparently, it did.

"Please, I need you to report me within a week if officer Park is patrolling his zone correctly." He asked.

"...Do I follow him?" Yunho asked.

"No, just check in where he should be. If he isn't, right it down to report. If by the end of the week we discover he is evading his patrols, I will ask you to follow him to know what is he doing."

"I think you should begin bringing lube with you..." Seonghwa said when Hongjoong shifted over him, wincing at the stretch of the elder’s cock inside of him for the past two or three hours. Cockwarming after fucking isn't something they usually did considering how fast did they both leave after sex, but today was one of those late 2am meetings where Seonghwa's shift was nearly over and Hongjoong left everything controlled back with his gang. So, they decided to stay in a hotel room that night, both knowing they had to leave early tomorrow.

"Why don't you bring it?" Hongjoong asked slightly annoyed at the insistence, finally becoming comfortable again and pressing his cheek against the elder’s chest while hugging him.

"You know why I can't, Joongie..." Seonghwa pouted. The police vehicles were inspected once a day, along with the officers whenever they reported themselves. Hongjoong couldn't help but let out a cackle at the thought of Seonghwa trying to explain to his superiors why did he have a bottle of lube with him. It would be worse, considering that the chief already considered Seonghwa a yellow flag, and Hongjoong knew it.

Seonghwa smiled when the younger laughed. Was it too bad to like certain aspects from a criminal...? A few months ago, it was only about sex. Now they talked before or after, laugh together and cuddle overnight if they can. Each time the sun sets, Seonghwa relished to have the orange haired boy in his arms once again. It was his bratty but cute attitude, how he nuzzled against him whenever he drifted to sleep after sex, how he stared through those long, thick lashes and big eyes at Seonghwa whenever he would ramble about work or something else, patiently listening to everything. His adorable smile, his contagious laugh, his small hands and colorful nails, his boldness but submission; everything. He was scared to admit it to himself even if it was a matter of fact. He was trapped inside a blissful dream he couldn't wake up from.

"What's so funny...?" He finally asked in a soft voice after staring at the younger for a while, who still smiled with eyes closed.

"I'd like to see you answer back at your chief about carrying lube with you." Hongjoong answered before shifting his head to look at him. "If I really cared, I'd bring lube." Hongjoong said, slowly sitting again. Seonghwa bit his lower lip at the movement around his cock and his hands flew to hold onto the other's hip. "But I've already told you how I like it... So, if it doesn't bother you either, I want you to fuck me raw each and every time. Make me feel it the next couple of days." He teased, blush slowly creeping back onto his face, hands roaming around the elder’s toned torso.

"You can't get any more perfect, my pretty boy..." Seonghwa murmured, staring back at the boy sitting on top of him who was smiling coyly, blush growing darker at what probably was his favorite nickname.

"You haven't left yet?" Seonghwa questioned, startled when he went out of the bathroom after showering and finding Hongjoong dressed up and sitting on the edge of the bed. Hongjoong stared at him for a while, the white robe making him look even more prince-like with his long, curly, wet hair untied from its usual ponytail. Hongjoong got up and tilted his head, hands slipping into his black jacket's pockets.

"Remember when you asked me to trust you?" Hongjoong asked him, referring to that first night which he remembered panicking when he was handcuffed by Seonghwa at the bedframe. It made him want to laugh at his past him, having already been handcuffed many other times, pushed against a wall and even having a gun up his ass by the officer in front of him, dressed only in a bathroom robe.

Seonghwa furrowed his eyebrows, clearly not understanding where did all this come from.

"I've already added my number to your phone." Hongjoong proceeded. "I haven't written my name on it, so don't worry too much about it. I'm not dumb. I recall you told me your boss had questioned you the other day, so I don't think it's too safe to keep on meeting in places you're supposed to patrol." Hongjoong looked away for a moment, rethinking what he was about to say. "...I'll send you a location. It is not our center but it's one of our warehouses. You cannot give this location to anyone. You'll delete it as soon as you're close to arriving. Do not arrive too early, arrive from the time I give you on forward."

Seonghwa stood there in shock. Three months ago, he would've been delighted to have this information; the gang leader and one of his warehouses. It would've been a huge catch. But instead of delight, he was now nervous and surprised. Nervous because... If he knew this place but didn't say anything, would that make him an accomplice? Was he already an accomplice to Hongjoong? Surprised because he didn't expect Hongjoong to trust him that much as to give him a warehouse address.

Hongjoong shifted his position, going back to look at him.

"For real though, don't do anything stupid or I'll kill you." He said calmly. Deep down, he knew he wasn't able to pull the trigger at the boy standing in front of him, but he couldn't let that show. He noticed Seonghwa's stiffness at his words even though he nodded, heading to the bed while untying his robe to change back into his clothes. Hongjoong looked away once again when he did so, thinking in something to say to lighten up the tense room while buckling his thigh belt and tucking in his gun. When he looked back at Seonghwa, he was already buttoning his shirt.

"...Hwa?" Hongjoong called him, making the older halt his actions and look at him. He walked over to him and held his cheeks, kissing him immediately after. His combat boots provided extra height to not pull him down and level their heights, easing the kiss. Seonghwa slipped a hand through the younger boy's orange hair, his other arm wrapping around his waist to pull him closer, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Both of them new better than to not add too much tongue into the kiss to avoid a make out session when they both had to leave, limiting it to soft nibbles and licks.

Hongjoong was the one who parted the kiss, panting slightly. He gave a last peck on Seonghwa's swollen lips before letting go of him, walking towards the door.

"I trust you." He said while unlocking the door, stepping out right after.

Masterlist

Late Night Devil [Part 3]

Police Officer! Seonghwa x Gangster!Hongjoong (Part 1) (Part 2)

Chapter Summary: Hongjoong's eyes traveled to Seonghwa lips, a perfect soft peach color inviting him to kiss. For some reason, he lately wanted to cling to him despite hating skin ship, kiss him without it being for sex. He knew he could and the older would let him, but he was aware he was beginning to develop feelings and that would worsen everything. Still, he couldn't get himself to ask him to stop meeting. He would miss his touch, his voice, his presence, his kisses, him.

Word count: 3.4k?

Chapter Warnings: NSFW/Minors DNI, drug mentions (as a business), guns, mentions of murder, anal fucking, idk if I’m forgetting smth, ok bye.

1. TAKE YOUR STUFF @hiimnicki05 x3 AND FINALLY

2. I know I disappeared for a whole effin month. ._. 3. I was unable to write the smut scene because I was so so dry. :,D

Seonghwa deleted the location in his phone sent by Hongjoong right after arriving at the warehouse. It was big and the entrance was already open, so he parked inside. He had arrived just on time, turning off the car. As he stepped out, he looked around. The place was full of boxes, but it still had some light coming in through the huge windows.

How many pounds of drugs do they have in each box...?

He stared in awe, curiosity telling him to check one out but preferring to not touch anything despite his gloved hands. He was so enraptured at the moment that he didn't notice the red laser pointing right at the back of his head.

"Got you..." Yeosang whispered, pulling the trigger.

"No!" Hongjoong's shout was covered by the sound of the bullet hitting a box, just as he managed to push to sniper away from its target. That obviously caught Seonghwa's attention, who pulled his gun out and looked at the platforms around the edge, close to the ceiling, which functioned as a second floor. "Damnit, Yeosang, that's exactly who I told you to not shoot!" Hongjoong told his marksman who now lowered his weapon.

"You omitted the part where he would arrive in a police car. Armed. And about him being a police officer." Yeosang said in disbelief.

"I didn't want you all to freak out. Now leave." He told him, ready to head towards the stairs.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay alone with a-"

"I said leave," Hongjoong repeated, looking back at him with a cold stare. Yeosang sighed before walking right behind him as they both went down the stairs, Yeosang heading straight out and Hongjoong towards Seonghwa. Seonghwa saved his gun after everything had calmed down.

"...you forgot to say some important details, apparently," Seonghwa murmured, having overheard their small conversation.

"He's just doing his job," Hongjoong answered, leaning against the car's front hood. Seonghwa joins him, choosing to sit over it instead.

"Where do you get all this?" He asked, looking around.

"Primary sector. Cheap and abundant." He answered proudly, nodding.

"How much is it?" Seonghwa looked at him.

"Enough to overdose half the city." He joked.

"Do you consume it?"

"Hell no, haven't you seen Tony Montana?" He looked back at Seonghwa with disgust, who chuckled at his words.

"How did you get involved in all this...?" He asked. Hongjoong was silent for an instant, and that made Seonghwa think that he should just evade the theme.

"Family business." Hongjoong finally answered.

"Family...? I don't recall any relative of yours with an arrest warrant."

"They managed things differently. I was the first to step out." Hongjoong said.

They stayed silent for a while after that, both stuck in their own thoughts. After all, Hongjoong wasn't one to talk that much, and Seonghwa didn't have anything else to say more than questions.

Hongjoong then climbed on top of the car's hood, sitting down beside the older boy. He stared at him while the other kept looking around, taking in the beautiful features. His eyes looked lost, and that's when he noticed just how much was Seonghwa risking in doing this. He was compromising his job and his freedom, because they would surely arrest him for not arresting the criminal earlier. Hongjoong didn't want to ask why exactly was he doing it, afraid of an answer he didn't want to hear. Eventually, their meetings would come to an end and Seonghwa would go back to his job as well as Hongjoong back to his own.

His eyes traveled to his lips, a perfect soft peach color inviting him to kiss. For some reason, he lately wanted to cling to him despite hating skin ship, kiss him without it being for sex. He knew he could and the older would let him, but he was aware he was beginning to develop feelings and that would worsen everything. Still, he couldn't get himself to ask him to stop meeting. He would miss his touch, his voice, his presence, his kisses, him.

It was useless to go back now, he just had to wait for their meetings to come to an end and he wasn't going to be the one to end them even though his subconscious told him Seonghwa wouldn't end them either.

"What are you thinking of?" Seonghwa interrupted his thoughts when he noticed his lost stare at him. Hongjoong shook his head slightly, erasing the remaining ideas in his head before smiling at him.

"Nothing... are we gonna fuck or not?" He asked, tilting his head to a side. Seonghwa let out a small laugh before getting up, positioning himself in between the youngers' legs. He held his cheeks and pulled him into the kiss they were both desiring.

Yunho never broke his stare from his chief as he sat down on the chair in front of his desk, hoping his nervousness wasn't noticeable to the older man.

He had discovered that in fact, Seonghwa was missing some shifts. It was unbelievable at first, Seonghwa was organized, impeccable, and an example to others. But during the whole week, Yunho would go take the stops Seonghwa was supposed to take, he would just not be there, especially around the end of the afternoon or late at night. However, even if it was his job, he didn't want to uncover his best friend and partner to their boss. So, he would just say he needed more time and that way, he could talk with Seonghwa and make everything go to normal before their boss kept suspecting.

"So?" The chief asked, breaking the silence and watching the blonde's leg jump erratically every millisecond. A clear sign of tension he probably had ignored. "What did you find out about Officer Park?" He asked, eyes boring back into the boy's brown eyes.

"I... I need some more time. Just two or three days." Yunho answered, hoping he could get through this one.

"Mmm..." The chief nodded, looking down at the papers on his desk. He sighed, shaking his head. "You are one of my best officers, officer Jeong. But you're way too close to officer Park, so I couldn't help but send someone else along with you to investigate without you knowing about it. I decided to let you into my office first in hopes of you speaking the truth. Will you talk or should I hear what the other officer has to say?"

Yunho gulped. If the other officer had seen the same stuff as him, Yunho could be arrested for conspiracy for not speaking before him.

"...He is missing... I just wanted to make sure, that's why I asked for more time." Yunho blurted, guilt arising in his chest for exposing his friend.

"A single day is enough to miss your shift. A whole week is insane." The chief answered. "Very well. I'm having the other officer come in. Looks like he has some other type of information. Stay right here." Yunho nodded before his head turned around, facing the door and expecting the next officer to come in after his chief gave the hand motion to his assistant to open the door. "Officer Choi." The chief greeted him with a smile.

Yunho visibly tensed when Jongho entered the office. It was not because of the younger's presence, but because of the folder he was carrying. That obviously had evidence against Seonghwa, and there was no way of warning him after that folder was in hands of his boss. Jongho bowed his head at both before sitting beside Yunho, giving the folder to their chief.

"Now let's see what this bastard has been doing." Their chief said before opening the folder. The smug smile he had been wearing disappeared as he saw the first photos. "That's..."

"Kim Hongjoong, yes." Jongho replied, and Yunho sighed before pinching the bridge of his nose.

How the hell did Seonghwa manage to get so close to a criminal of that extent?

Hongjoong gasped when Seonghwa bottomed out in a single, harsh thrust while cursing in his ear. The stretch was burning him, yet he still rolled his hips to make the older one move. His fingers tangled with Seonghwa's long, black hair, tugging strongly with the first snap of Seonghwa's hips. He hadn't tied his hair in a ponytail this time, making it easier to pull at the strands. Seonghwa groaned at this action.

His pace began slow and steady, increasing every few seconds. Hongjoong sealed his lips, whimpering slightly to avoid his voice echoing through the whole place.

And then, Seonghwa could hear the faint sound of his radio inside the car under their elaborate breaths. He felt too high right now, but not high enough to risk it all by not answering his calls. Yunho had already called him out for it. His hips slowly came to a halt to Hongjoong's dismay, who whimpered.

"N-no..." Hongjoong whined when Seonghwa pulled out.

"I'm sorry..." Seonghwa mumbled, kissing his temple before rushing to the driver's seat and taking the radio in his hands. "5S12, 10-9."

"10-19, over and out."

Seonghwa stared at his radio confused at the sudden order. He had to go back to the station, but officers were rarely called back to the station during the daytime.

"What is it?" Hongjoong asked annoyed, looking back at him.

"...I'm sorry, I gotta return to the station," Seonghwa said while fixing his clothes. Hongjoong groaned, laying down on the car's hood.

"Are you kidding me? Can't you be 5 minutes late?" Hongjoong asked and Seonghwa chuckled, nodding his head while fixing his weapon and radio back in his belts.

"No... but I'll make it up to you once I'm back, ok?" He walked to the side of the hood and bent over him, joining their lips one last time.

Seonghwa parked outside of the police station, now aware of why was he called to report himself so abruptly. He called Yunho while driving down the highway, scared that something about his escapes was known. What Yunho told him through the phone calmed him down; they had asked all officers to report themselves as the commissioner had arrived to check on the station.

A lie, he figured out when, once he stepped foot inside the station, three officers aimed their guns at him. He lifted his hands, knowing better than to fight against them.

"Park Seonghwa, you're under arrest for conspiracy, aiding and abetting a crime." A fourth officer said behind him while pulling his hands behind his back to handcuff him.

"But I didn't aid-" Seonghwa groaned as he began reciting the Miranda rights, cutting him.

"Bring him to my office first, I'd like to talk with him." The chief said. Another officer took the gun away from his holster before they guided him to the office. He walked past Yunho, who mouthed 'cooperate'. Seonghwa stared at him a bit longer than intended before entering the office. He didn't blame him. They were trained for that after all.

"Well, I really didn't expect this." His chief spat at him once they were alone, turning around the folder for him to see the pictures. It was the night before he went to the warehouse, back at the hotel. Hongjoong was clearly beside him. His arrest didn't really worry him, but had they followed him to the warehouse? After staring at the pictures, Seonghwa lifted his gaze at the chief, showing no expression.

"We both don't want your arrest, so I have an offer." He then said, sitting down on his chair. Seonghwa raised an eyebrow, knowing he wouldn't like the deal at all. "The officer I sent couldn't follow you next morning, nor before that. And I know you set a next appointment with that criminal. So you're guiding us to him, you'll be our bait." No, Seonghwa didn't like the deal at all.

"And if I don't?" Seonghwa asked.

"You're charged for aiding and abetting a crime, you know that I can easily escalate that to second-degree murder. That means the death penalty for you. You don't want that, do you?" The chief smiled at him.

"You-"

"You're in no position to swear at me." He interrupted him.

Seonghwa felt trapped in a cage with no way out. He wished he could run away, go back to Hongjoong. He wished he never came back and obeyed his instinct instead of calling Yunho.

A few minutes had passed when Seonghwa decided to speak again, the chief patiently waiting.

"I don't care what charges will be pressed against me nor if I can't get my status back or not. Once you arrest Kim Hongjoong, you're evading the death penalty." He firmly spoke.

"Evade his death penalty? It's easier to resurrect people from the dead." The chief snorted.

"If you can press murder charges against me, you can remove his," Seonghwa said, maintaining his posture.

"And what should I do with the people dead in his hands?"

"They're a gang. Choose a member you dislike who's not him, and press those charges against that person." Seonghwa scoffed. "I'll help you if that's the deal."

Hongjoong was leaning against the stairs' handrail when he saw Seonghwa's familiar police patrol park inside the warehouse. He smiled, and as Seonghwa opened the door, Hongjoong got close to the car.

He looked stunning like always, hair pulled up in his familiar ponytail and impeccably dressed in his black uniform. In fact, he didn't take off his radio this time when he went out of the car. Instead, he left his weapon inside. Still, he sensed something weird. He looked... Tense.

"Hey." Seonghwa greeted him with a smile and closed the car's door.

"Hi. Is everything alright? What happened yesterday after the radio call?" Hongjoong asked.

"Yeah... It was just the commissioner arriving at the police station. That's very important, so." Seonghwa replied, and Hongjoong hummed.

Seonghwa approached him slowly before placing his hands on his hips, an action that seemed natural to Hongjoong so he surrounded his neck with his arms.

Hongjoong didn't hesitate when Seonghwa slowly pushed him to the closest wall without kissing him. He didn't doubt when Seonghwa lifted his hands above his own head and handcuffed him. He closed his eyes when Seonghwa began unfastening the harness holding his gun from his leg.

Right now, Seonghwa wished Hongjoong wouldn't trust him. He wished he would hesitate and fight back and leave at the moment he was trying to handcuff him. But ever since the first night, Hongjoong trusted him blindly, just like Seonghwa trusted Hongjoong. It hurt him, and it scared him too. It scared him about what would happen with Hongjoong once he was arrested, scared of losing his trust. Scared of having to face his cold, icy, and empty semblance if he did what he was about to do.

With a trembling hand, Seonghwa removed Hongjoong's gun from its holster, lifting it to Hongjoong's head just as multiple car doors banged close. Hongjoong opened his eyes when he heard the noise, feeling the cold iron muzzle digging into his temple and pressing against his orange bangs right after. His wrists were held by Seonghwa's hand against the wall, and his body was pinned by his. No matter how intelligent or skilled was he, Seonghwa's strength overpowered his. He struggled in vain to release himself when he saw the red and blue lights outside the warehouse, both police and drug enforcement coming inside.

"You'll be alright..." Seonghwa whispered in his ear, knowing those would be one of the last few things he would be able to tell Hongjoong. Hongjoong looked back at him with that piercing glare, warm smile faded, and cold gaze.

The expression he had only seen in pictures, just a cold-blooded criminal. The only difference would be the glistening in his eyes, tempting to cry but not daring to.

"Kill him, we can't risk letting him go a single second, or else he could escape." Hongjoong and Seonghwa both whipped their heads towards the commissioner. Seonghwa looked at his chief, expecting him to speak back from their deal. He just smirked.

"What are you waiting for, officer?" The chief asked. Seonghwa alternated his view between his chief and the commissioner.

"Officer Park, pull the trigger or I'll order it." The commissioner threatened. Seonghwa looked around. They were surrounded by loaded guns and rifles, all pointing at Hongjoong. It looked like there wasn't any way out.

Seonghwa finally looked back at Hongjoong, who looked back at him too. He shook his head to try to bring back the Seonghwa he felt safe with, the boy who whispered sweet nothings to him every night and cuddled him to sleep. It was useless when Seonghwa didn't react. A criminal didn't go over the commissioner's orders toward an officer. And it was stupid to trust him, stupid to trust a police officer. He should've killed him when he still had the chance back at the hotel months ago.

Hongjoong tensed when he felt the grip around the trigger tighten, not quite pulling yet. He was trembling, and a single tear rolled down his cheek when he squeezed his eyes shut. He probably didn't notice it in his fear, but Seonghwa did, and it hurt him.

He had fallen madly in love with the trembling boy in front of him, fearless to all but vulnerable only to him.

Seonghwa knew they wouldn't shoot unless they had the commissioner's order, no matter what. There was only left to pray for Hongjoong's snipers to be around when Seonghwa let go of the orange hair boy's fisted hands, removing the muzzle away from his temple. In a second, he pointed the end to the commissioner and pulled the trigger, the gunshot being much louder than it should be as well as the thud of his body against the stone floor. Seconds later, bullets flew above their heads, Hongjoong's snipers in fact being around.

Seonghwa was clearly obsessed, and deeply in love. Just a marionette to follow Hongjoong's orders, his lover's orders. Because Hongjoong was above everybody else. Nobody could hurt him, not even him.

Hongjoong will always be first.

(Part 1) (Part 2)

Masterlist

WOW! This was so good and that ending? Flabbergasted.

Light

angel!mafia seonghwa x chemist!mafia reader

evil man possessed by an angel who falls in love with the evil chemist who is basically a devil au LOL

genres and warnings: angst, suggestive, mafia au, obsession, morally black ppl again, mentions of drugs, human experiments (a few details), violence, blood, themes of corruption and forbidden love, lmk if i missed anything, dni if uncomfortable ^

word count: 32k (oops i did it again)

synopsis: when you summon an angel to enhance the town's drugs, the angel ends up being stuck in seonghwa's body- the mafia boss who supplies the drugs itself. the line between good and evil start to blur, complicated by your feelings for each other which lead you to make some difficult choices.

manager-nim: @eightmakesonebraincell (she insisted hwa pure evil i said your wish is my command)

Good and evil must coexist in order to survive.

Without evil, there cannot be any good in this world. Evilness creates the need for good. And if there’s only good in the world, there would be no reason or purpose anymore. There must be evil for there to be a desire for goodness. 

Good and evil are the two elements that weigh down the pans of a weighing scale. They hover in the air, tipping up and down endlessly, never balancing because there is always too much evil or too much good at each fraction of time in the world. Perhaps, it is meant to be that way- perhaps, that is the balance this world needs.

Similarly, there is also good and evil coexisting in an individual. Sometimes, there is more good than evil, while other times evil outweighs the good . People can argue if humans are inherently good or evil but it has never mattered- if you live in society, you will learn what is considered good and what is considered evil.

However… sometimes when you look at Park Seonghwa, you wonder if all the foolish rambling about evil being an inherent trait might be true after all. You’ve known him almost all your life and you are convinced that the man does not possess a single good bone in his body.

Again, it was arguable. What is the criteria of being good or what ultimately labels you evil? Perhaps, he is good in an unconventional way- though there’s hardly been evidence of that when all his good intentions have an evil motive. Maybe that was his purpose on earth- to make sure the scale does not tip too much towards good.

A tiny part of you thought that maybe he was the only person holding the burden of that responsibility- but then you would look in the mirror and realise you were no better. You would scoff at the audacity to judge the poor man when you yourself were his equal in every way. Perhaps, you possessed a few morals, but you had always been reprimanded on that. 

You could not be a good human in your field. Not when you were making sure that the society was entangled in the web of your deception- attracted like flies to the things that glittered like gold but were dark at their very core.  Not when you fed the people with the lies of pleasure and they willingly took bait, losing the conscious part of themselves that would ever warn them that maybe this was not a good idea.

Not when you were the devil who was ruling both the underworld and the world from the shadows. 

You did not need to be a good human when you were manufacturing and producing drugs. You just needed to possess a brain that functioned better than the average human, possess a heart that did not function as good as the average human, and finally, stay away from whatever you created. 

Bonus points if you had a little streak of-

“This is insanity, sweetheart.”

That. Insanity. The key ingredient.

“But insanity has always made sense. Especially when it comes from me,” you pointed out and Seonghwa couldn’t help but agree, uncomfortably crossing his legs while sitting on his office chair and contemplating deeply.

“Theoretically, it can work-”

“Theoretically,” Seonghwa reminded you with a pointed glare that was a warning to not get too ahead of yourself. He never failed to assert that he was ultimately the one in control. “Theoretically, anything is possible. But if you really believe that angels exist-”

“I don’t have to believe that they do,” you insisted. “But I have to try.”

You were unsure about this, that was true. Summoning demons for ritual was something common in the underworld, though you had never witnessed it yourself, having heard that it was better to avoid that. You had suppliers, though, claiming that they had stored the ‘essence’ of the demons that they summoned. The essence was a powerful thing and had to be mixed in miniscule quantities in large amounts of the base product for it to work- you learned that the hard way too. It took you years and an uncountable amount of dead test subjects to learn that the human body could not tolerate the essence of a demon unless it was barely there. 

Did you believe that demons exist after all these experimentations? It was still arguable, but the vials of the essence stored safely in your lab was proof that the world was not only home to humans and animals, but other creatures too. You recalled observing exorcisms when you first started studying dark arts, hoping to expand your knowledge and mix the scientific and the supernatural. You once convinced the mafia lord to join you.

That sure did end well. Here you were, seated right in front of that mafia lord, trying to convince him that if humans could successfully extract demonic essence to create the ultimate drugs, they could extract the essence of an angel to create something new too.

It could change the course of this world, if you were right. You had no idea if the essence would work like the demonic one. Maybe it worked similarly, but at least you would have the satisfaction of having tried. There was a chance though that the angelic essence could open new opportunities for your business. And if it had medicinal properties, you could control the capitalistic net too. You could rule the world. 

“Come on,” you insisted, getting up and walking around the table to lean against the surface, bending down just a fraction to meet his eyes. “This could be our salvation, Seonghwa.”

“Or doom,” he challenged, leaning forward while still seated, his fingers going to play with the lapel of your coat. “This could go very, very wrong. I can’t lose my mad scientist now, can I?”

You smirked. “Is that all I mean to you? Mad scientist?”

“You know what they say,” Seonghwa shrugged. “Behind every drug lord is a mad scientist.”

“They don’t say that, but sure,” you scoffed. “Come on. We’ve been partners for years now. Give me some credit, and let me try this. I’ll only try it once, I promise. If it doesn’t work, we let it go.”

Seonghwa considered your proposal- he always let you try stupidly dangerous things at least once, no matter the fear in his heart that he would end up endangering your life. He told himself he did not care for you, but that you were simply someone essential to him and his business. He convinced himself that he had no attachment towards you as someone who grew up with you and survived with you in the darkest period of his life.

And you believed him. That he really did not have any personal attachment towards you. You were just someone useful to him. You always said that you returned the sentiment, but you were more human than him in some ways, and being human meant that you inevitably caught feelings for him. 

Not that you would ever admit that to a soul. They could pin you on the very stretcher you tied your test subjects to, cut you open or drug you but nothing could be capable of extracting that confession out of your mouth.

It didn’t help that the person in question was the Park Seonghwa. He could look like an angel and a demon at the same time, and that was perhaps the worst combination you could have encountered. It was his ability to transform his face into the epitome of innocence that was his weapon. He had bewitched every person that possessed any semblance of power, took advantage of any individual that could be of use to him, whether alive or dead, and climbed his way to the top.

And you had been by his side all along. Partner in every sense, sharing brains and planning schemes in the dead of the night, alone in the woods huddled against each other because you had a single blanket that you managed to grab when you both ran away from the orphanage. He was too busy leading the path to worry about grabbing anything useful, he told you. 

You had been by his side all the years that you spent after, being protected by him when he teamed up with the street gangs and earned for both of you. You helped wherever you could, his little mad scientist from the beginning, experimenting with drugs and burying your nose in books, observing the doctors and surgeons who were expert on cutting up people to extract organs, learning every practical skill you needed to stand on your feet and make Seonghwa proud.

And you did. You made him proud and you made him strong. You cut ties- in the most literal way- with your previous gang and emerged as a strong duo, Seonghwa operating in the light while you worked in the shadows. He kept you close, within an arm’s length. He made sure you had everything you needed- a roof over your head, food in your stomach, a lab for your experiments, and him. 

You were too afraid to ask him if he would treat you the same had you not excelled in this knowledge. You already knew the answer to that. That man possessed no human heart, and the moment you would be useless, he would stab you not in the back but in the front, locking eyes with you and proving that ultimately, it was him in charge. It was why you never risked saying or doing something stupid, because you were content this way.

You were content with the way his fingers travelled up the lapel of your black coat, finding the skin on your chest just below your neck where the shirt stopped him. You were content with the way he traced patterns there as he weighed the pros and cons of trying this damned ritual. Him locking his eyes with you and holding no hint of remorse that was otherwise a permanent expression in his eyes was enough. The squeeze of his fingers around your neck was enough.

And whatever his decision was… it would be enough too.

“Alright. Just once. It should not go wrong, you understand?” 

You failed to stifle your smile, soon grinning and Seonghwa chuckled at the way your eyes so dangerously twinkled. 

“A devil about to summon an angel. Who would’ve thought?”

“Two devils,” you corrected. “You’re coming with me.”

“Oh, no, no,” Seonghwa shook his head adamantly. “I trust you. I’ll send men-”

“No, you need to witness this moment, Seonghwa,” you insisted in all seriousness, your eyes widening just a fraction. “If it’s a success, we will change the world. You need to be there. For me.”

Seonghwa thought he heard just a bit of an underlying threat in there but he chose to ignore it, like he always did. Only you could talk to him in this tone, demand anything- even his life from him. He had already given you all his life, like you had given him all yours. 

He could give you this, too. It made sense- and he really needed to witness this one himself, otherwise if it worked, he was positive he would never believe that they weren’t manipulating facts.

“For you,” Seonghwa nodded. “Make sure it’s safe, and have some human offerings ready in case we need that.”

“I don’t think an angel would be interested, but sure,” you gently pushed his hand that was playing with your hair away. “I’ll have everything ready- we’re doing it exactly a week from now. May the Lord be with us.”

Seonghwa’s cackle roared in the room as you exited. You felt like you were floating in the clouds, now that you had his approval.

You would prove that angels exist, hence proving there was good in this world.

And then you would wonder where the good in your old friend’s heart went.

“More candles?” One of the men helping you with the summoning ritual asked.

You looked around the room before turning your attention back to the book you had borrowed from one of your crew members in charge of collecting demonic essence. He was under the impression that you were trying a different demon summoning ritual, and you intended to keep it that way- not everyone needed to know that it was an angel you would be summoning.

“It’s not a fucking birthday party, those are enough candles,” you said and when Seonghwa snickered under his breath, the man skittered away.

“Someone’s on edge,” Seonghwa elbowed you lightly and you looked at him helplessly.

“I’m just trying to make sure this won’t be unsafe even if it goes wrong. The candles are just for aesthetics.”

“Ah, is that so?” Seonghwa looked around. “And the circle they’re sketching? Will that serve as a cage?”

“The spell and the items I’ll place around the room will serve as the cage, the circle is just a location pointer, you could say,” you explained, shutting the book and taking a deep breath. “I’m going to make a final check. Can you ask everyone to get out of this room and wait?”

“Will you really be here when they summon the angel?” He asked and you nodded. “Do you have to be?”

“Yes, I have to be,” you told him for the umpteenth time, beckoning him to go away. “I’ll be safe, don’t worry. And if anything bad happens… it’s not like you care anyway.”

Seonghwa narrowed his eyes at you and you grinned- you had a habit of making these jabs and he was quite used to that now.

“I’ll keep your word for it,” he promised. “If anything bad happens, don’t expect me to come barging in to save you.”

“Got it,” you sighed, putting on a show of offence. “If I die tonight, it was me who stole your precious diamond ring.”

“I know,” Seonghwa smirked and you stared at him, slack-jawed. He only shook his head and turned away, clapping to get everyone’s attention and asking anyone who wasn’t conducting the ritual to leave the room. 

The room fell silent once again, the hushed voices of the people present inside echoing off the walls. You weren’t sure if the chilly feel to the room was because it was in the basement of an abandoned building in a very remote area, or because of the deed that was about to take place.

You waited until everyone had left before taking your position at the far end of the room. Your partner’s crew members naturally knew what to do as if they had trained for this their whole lives. They set the holy items at the four corners, and then some unholy ones at the other four corners, creating an eight-pointed star. Once you were satisfied, you went to pick a holy sword- the sword you had earned after your contribution to the dark arts, the very sword that had given you the idea of summoning an angel.

You dipped it into the tub near you, collecting wine on its blade, its translucent drops marking the earth with evidence of the forthcoming act. You turned your neck to look at the window, finding Seonghwa and the others- human sacrifices- waiting. Seonghwa shared a nod and you fished out his lighter from the pocket.

Once the sword caught fire, you walked with heavy steps to your final position in the front so the angel would meet your eyes. You put on your shades for caution like the rest of them did, and then you signalled the summoner to begin.

The sound of his spell filled the room- it sounded foreign even to him, considering the way he stumbled upon the words- the words for this spell were different from a demonic spell. The summoner sliced his palm and let his blood taint the etchings on the floor, continuing muttering the spell.

For a moment, you wondered if it was all a waste as seconds ticked by without a movement but a collective gasp sounded across the room when the flames of the candles blazed angrily. You gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, keeping it raised in the air. You tried not to let the fear gripping your heart get to you as the temperature in the room dropped significantly.

When the summoner said the final words of the spell, the final call to have any angel in the vicinity answer him, a strong breeze circulated around the room, blowing out every candle and almost extinguishing the fire on the sword. You gulped to swallow the scream forming in your throat, the sword in your hand the only source of light now. You thought you heard someone knocking at the window but the little glimmer of light in the centre of the circle had caught your attention.

Slowly, the glimmer turned into a blob, which then turned into a shapeless source of light- blinding golden light so bright that it appeared white, harsh enough to make your eyes water even through the shades. You narrowed your eyes to focus but there was too much going on-

Especially the warning song echoing inside you- you knew that it wasn’t coming from you. It was coming from that being and everyone else in the room could hear it too, considering how they started backing away.

“Stand your ground,” you ordered, and the men stilled. Your word was as important as their boss Seonghwa’s, perhaps even more important than their own life. “Make sure the barricade remains intact.”

It was only then you spared yourself a moment to meet Seonghwa’s eyes through the window, who looked astonished, his eyes wide as he tried to comprehend the glorious sight in front of him.

The glorious sight that was now taking the shape of a person, the edges sharpening enough to make out its silhouette yet remaining blurry. It seemed to be a crouched figure, taller than anyone you had ever seen, a cascade of hair covering the entirety of its upper body and anything that was not covered by its folded wings. There was no need for a halo when the being glowed from within, though even if there was one, it was too blindingly bright to make out.

“Which little bird summoned this weary angel? Pray tell, pray tell...”

Oh, you were doomed. 

“Was it the man that connected us with blood? Was it the man that offered me good, or was it the one that chained me with the bad? Pray tell, pray tell…”

The said men were now leaning against the walls, praying to whatever god that had sent his angel here to save them. Save them from what? It was too late-

“Or is it the little bird that holds the key to my freedom?”

Key to freedom? You looked down at the lit sword. You recalled reading something about how such a holy relic could also be used to undo spells and though you had thought the information was insignificant, you were wondering if you needed to undo the spell right now-

“What purpose must I serve to earn my freedom?”

The tone of the angel turned soft, almost beckoning you forward. You weren’t sure if the angel was speaking out loud or if the voice was still inside your head. You dared to take one step closer before you felt a crushing sense of weight on your shoulders.

“It is I who called you,” you managed to say. “I have questions to ask.”

“You called me to satisfy your humane curiosity?”

There was a warning in his soft voice now. A warning that one wrong move would ensure your end. You looked helplessly at Seonghwa who was no longer present at the window and you wondered where he was. You thought you heard the creak of a door open but he wouldn’t be stupid enough to come inside, right?

You contemplated making a deal with the angel, but your tongue fell limp. With demons, you had heard that it was pretty easy when it wasn’t one of the stronger demons. A little deal, some nasty business, ensuring their essence would do damage that they would like, or in rare cases, a price to be paid usually got the work done.

What could you offer the servant of God? What could an angel need?

“Do I really hold the key to your freedom?” You asked, a strange tugging in your mind. The angel lifted its face just a fraction- you still couldn’t make out its features but you could tell that it was staring at you.

“I have a feeling that you do.”

And you had a feeling that this wasn’t about the freedom from this spell anymore. Entranced, you took another step forward, and another, unable to deny the pull. The being was ethereal and you had no chance against it. You had no chance, and you had no choice but to step inside the circle with this sword, damned be the consequences, damned be the very familiar voice shouting at you to stop-

It all happened too quickly to process- you were suddenly and forcefully being pulled away and the angel latched out, the sword falling on the ground with a dreadful clatter that echoed in the air, intermingled with the shrieks of the people present in the room. Your eyes widened when you noticed the tip of the sword within the circle.

This was the end. 

“Get out of here, now!” Seonghwa ordered through gritted teeth in your ear, pulling you away with him and you went along this time, trying to tell him that it was too late, that he shouldn’t have come inside.

He would later wonder why he went inside. Perhaps, the angel himself had called him. Perhaps, he had been attracted to the angel’s pure energy when he was the embodiment of darkness himself. 

And if that was the case, why did the angel choose him as his medium of freedom?

The last thing you saw from the corner of your eye before you lost consciousness, amidst the chaos of the summoning ritual gone wrong, was the angel’s hand latching onto Seonghwa’s back and Seonghwa’s eyes rolling back in his head before he fell, dragging you down with him.

All these years of your life had been dedicated to the mafia boss Seonghwa- your friend, your family, and your everything. Even your worst nightmare.

He was the reason you were alive and not sold off as nothing more than a repository of useful organs. If you ever think back to what your life had been like when you were just a child, barely 10, it was rough. It was dark, and Seonghwa was the only light in your life. No matter how dim that might be. 

Seonghwa always shined. And you were just a moth attracted to his light.

However, you did not expect the man to physically shine. There was a sheen of actual golden light across his skin as his body burned with a fever meant for no human. You had bitten through the majority of your thumb nail while you wracked your brains for a solution- but did you really want one?

All these years, you had put Seonghwa’s ambitions and goals first. He wanted to escape the abusive orphanage and he wanted you to come along- you couldn’t be more grateful. He wanted to mix with the street gangs and provide for you so you could make a breakthrough in science (specifically, drugs) one day- sure, who were you to deny that blessing? He wanted to become the most notorious mafia boss, earn a social repute and keep you by his side, wanting you to help him become a true drug lord- to be the owner of the most unique and sought after drug. That aligned with your personal ambitions, so who were you to say no?

But your actual goal- if you ever had a moment of clarity without Seonghwa clouding your thoughts, it was to make a breakthrough in science- not just drugs. And Seonghwa knew your heart’s deepest desire, which was why he always prevented you from doing so, warning that you couldn’t be in the public eye. If you wanted to make breakthroughs, you could do so in the field of drugs, and limit yourself to the underworld. 

Well, this was what he wanted. Here he was, burning with an inhumane fever, golden ichor dripping from the corner of his eyes that you were sure to collect, already a few vials full. You wondered if this was the essence. And you wondered if the angel really was inside Seonghwa’s body now.

The two of you had lost consciousness when the angel attacked you- thankfully, his loyal servants were quick to take you both back to your hide-out where your lab was located. When you opened your eyes, you found yourself and Seonghwa lying flat on the stretchers. For a moment, fear gripped the entirety of your being before you realised you were just laying down and not tied like one of your test subjects. A sigh of relief later, you turned to find Seonghwa tied, and for all the right reasons. 

Thankfully, your subordinate was someone who could be trusted. He made sure to keep the rest of your staff outside and waited for you to wake up. Now the two of you were almost huddled against each other, fidgeting with your clothes and biting your nails- anything to cope, at this point.

“Do you think he will ever wake up?” Dr. Choi asked, his sharp features softening into worry. “Or will he… burn to death from within?”

“I hope he doesn’t,” you nodded slowly. “If he wakes up and remains alright… he will be my greatest product.”

Dr. Choi San chuckled darkly at that comment. “It will only be your greatest product if you let the world see it.”

“That’s the thing,” you looked at your thumb, finding it smeared with your trademark cherry red lipstick. “I would want to keep him all to myself.”

“What a dilemma, huh?” He shook his head. “Well, I for one don’t want to be present when the demon lord wakes up. I’ll be outside if you need me.”

“What if the angel inside him kills me?”

“Well…” Dr. Choi shrugged. “I guess I’ll proceed to take over this institution like you have willed-”

“Not helping,” you glared at him but you both knew that this was a situation you couldn’t do anything about. You were helpless, and your only choice was to wait and hope that Seonghwa would be okay and the angel wouldn’t want to kill you at the first sight.

Another hour must have passed with you waiting endlessly, wiping the sweat off his skin and collecting the tears before he finally opened his eyes, groaning inhumanely and beginning to shiver slightly. You rushed to his side, startled at the sudden shift and poked his side.

“Seonghwa? Is that you?”

“What’s happening to me?” His voice came out strained and before he could ask something else or get your response, his eyes rolled back and he shut them tight, finally settling down and laying limp. Your heart sank and you checked if he was breathing, feeling relieved upon finding that he was. You contemplated untying his wrists and legs but you had to play it safe-

Though you were pretty sure the angel would be able to break free anyway.

When Seonghwa opened his eyes the second time, there was a slight glaze to it as if he was wondering where he was or recalling the events of the previous night. He tried raising his arms but gave up instantly, not even bothering to check why he was unable to do so. You frowned at his unusual behaviour and cautiously called his name again.

“Where am I?”

“My lab? You passed out, remember?” You gently told him. 

“No, where am I?” He looked at you, his eyes scanning your face as if this was the first time he was seeing you. “And who are you?”

You felt your knees go weak and you clutched at his stretcher. “Seonghwa? It’s me, y/n. Don’t you remember?”

Seonghwa tried to raise his arms again but he shut his eyes as he groaned. “Untie me. Now.”

You couldn’t say no to that. You unclasped the belts and he sat up, swaying a bit. You passed him a glass of water and he made a face, setting it aside.

“Why did you call me?”

“I was trying to wake you up-”

“No, why did you call me?” 

This time, his voice sounded inside you and you took a step back, your lower lip trembling at the shift in his demeanour.

“It’s- it’s not you, is it? You’re not Seonghwa?”

“I’m not your rotten excuse of a human, correct.” 

It was the angel inside him speaking. He raised his hands, examining them carefully, finding them rough and calloused. He looked sideways, finding a blurry reflection of himself and shook his head in disappointment.

“Who are you?” You dared to ask.

“You called me,” he said calmly, a dangerous undertone in his voice. “You know exactly who I am. You know my name- do not dare to call me by my name with your filthy human tongue.”

You blinked, narrowing your eyes. “Is an angel allowed to talk like that?”

“Well, I’m human now, aren’t I?” The angel shrugged carelessly, wiping the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. “Thanks to you.”

“I’m not the one who asked you to possess him. That wasn’t my idea,” you tried to explain, sweat oozing out of your pores the more his glare turned darker.

“Well, what was your idea, then?” He got up, a bit shaky on his feet as if walking after a long time. That didn’t stop him from invading your personal space and standing right in front of you until you could feel the warmth radiate from his body. His brows furrowed and you thought he looked incredibly sad at that moment. 

“What were you thinking, little bird? Trapping an angel?”

“I-” you clutched at the table behind you, swallowing the lump in your throat. “I only wanted to ask if an angel’s essence could be obtained.”

“For what?”

“Medicinal purposes,” you smoothly lied.

“Well, you have your answer,” the angel looked towards the vials as if having sensed them. “Though I’m sure it will not work. And you won’t be getting any more of my tears. I shall leave this body soon- if only this cursed human would let me-”

“What do you mean?” Your voice came out small, and you hated the effect he had on you. You weren’t sure if it was the angel, or if it was Seonghwa that made you still cower under him.

“I shouldn’t have been able to possess such an evil human,” the angel tilted his head threateningly as he leaned towards you, scanning your face. “You were who I intended to possess. Maybe he had a change of heart and allowed me to take him?”

“He wouldn’t do that,” you muttered. The Park Seonghwa you knew would never risk his life for you. 

Okay, he might, a little. To the point of getting hurt, but not to the point of… this.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m stuck, and I’m unable to get out.”

“Do we need to do another… ritual?”

“Humans,” he spat with such bitterness that you almost wondered if this was Seonghwa himself, testing you. “You should have learned about this properly before you summoned me.”

“Do you know why you’re unable to get out of this body?” You asked. 

The room fell silent, and when a subtle shake of his head told you that he indeed was as clueless as you, you finally relaxed and let a smirk grace your lips.

“Well… it looks like you and I are going to have some fun then… angel.”

~

It didn’t take long for you to convince the angel that you needed to run some tests in order to see if Seonghwa was okay- but you used this excuse to extract some blood, run every test possible, take every scan and monitor his vitals. Hours later, you were still stuck in the lab with him, the smell of food and antiseptics filling the room.

“You have to eat,” you said for perhaps the tenth time. “You’re in a human body, and you will have to live like a human while you’re stuck.”

“I could choose not to eat and let this body die. Maybe that is how I can get out,” the angel considered. You shot him a glare- while the angel wasn’t the considerate creature you thought he would be, his tone was a lot softer than Seonghwa’s ever was. 

“Or maybe that’s how you end up perishing,” you placed a piece of meat on top of his rice bowl. “Food for thought.”

The angel glared at you for a moment and fumbled with the chopsticks until you showed him how to use them. He caught up pretty quickly and picked the piece of meat, sniffing it and frowning. You watched him curiously as he stuck out his tongue to take an experimental lick, and after deciding the taste of the meat wasn’t so bad after all, he finally put it in his mouth and chewed slowly.

“I can’t remember the last time I ate,” he confessed and you urged him to try everything on the table. 

“As an angel… you do not eat, right?”

“We don’t need to eat to live,” he confirmed and you nodded. “Sometimes, we are sent as a human to guide another. At the rare times that we have to play along, we get to experience some humane things- like eating.”

“So… you’re telling me that angels walk among us as humans?” You asked cautiously.

“So do demons, and other creatures that your mind can never comprehend,” he said, taking another bite of the food- at least he seemed to be enjoying this human experience. “Humans think they own this world. They are no more than specks in this infinite cosmos.”

You nodded slowly- you were not going to argue with that. You had felt less than a speck when you saw the angel back in the basement.

“Was that your true form, earlier?” You asked.

“If you ever saw my true form, your eyes and your limbs would burn,” he said casually and you made a mental note of that. “We are not the angels that you read about in your books. Even demons- you have seen them. That is not their true form- we take the shape of what the human eyes and mind can try to comprehend.”

“How do you know that I’ve seen them?”

The angel tapped the side of his- Seonghwa’s head. “I know everything about this human now that I’m in this body.”

“Is he really alive in there?”

“He is. I can’t say for how long,” he finished eating. “He is fighting for dominance. Perhaps, he might be able to take over after some struggle, but I will remain inside until we find a way to let me out.”

“You should know if there’s a prayer or ritual for that, right?” You asked.

“Hmm… let’s see. Would you like for your human to die? For you and your entire group to perish from the face of the Earth?”

“Of course not,” you narrowed your eyes. Was the angel trying to intimidate you, or was he serious?

“Then I suggest we do not tell the world that this poor angel is stuck in a human. May the Lord help us.”

“Your Lord must know, though. Will he help us?” You asked and the angel chuckled darkly.

“We’re just two pieces in his game of chess now.”

A shiver ran down your spine and you got up to clear the table. “Well, it’s late now. I suggest we pause the game and get some sleep then?”

“Sleep is for the humans-”

“And you are a human now,” you let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t care if you sleep or not- just come with me.”

You instructed the angel to keep his mouth shut and let you do the talking. You told Dr. Choi to take care of the scans and with that, you both left for the Park Residence, a mansion in the most elite area of the town. You watched the angel look out of the window with curiosity and a hint of amazement- you couldn’t blame him. The mansion was truly something ethereal, especially from the outside with its white corinthian columns and stained glass windows.

“Someone like this human should have been living in the dungeons,” the angel whispered and you put a finger to your lips, unable to stifle a grin. “He does not deserve this beautiful palace.”

“He earned it through his blood, sweat and my tears. Give him some credit.”

“Who are you to this human?” He asked as you got out of the car. The secretaries welcomed the two of you and you dismissed them for the night.

“Can’t you tell?” You asked, tapping the side of your head like he had earlier.

“I can only see the memories. I cannot comprehend his emotions or feelings.”

“Do you not feel?” You asked, entering the mansion and being welcomed with the subtle warm lighting of the chandelier- dimmed for the nighttime- that reflected on the polished white marble. The subtle veins of gold running through the floor reminded you of the angel’s tears. You glanced at him and he hummed.

“This is a nice house.”

“See? You felt that it’s a nice house,” you pointed out.

“No, I can tell that it is a nice house because I can appreciate its craft,” he walked towards the staircase, fingers softly caressing the golden railing and its sleek curves. 

“So you cannot feel human emotions? Sadness, happiness… love, hatred, anger?”

“And who said those are human emotions?” He asked, leaving you speechless. You followed him upstairs, letting him navigate through the empty corridor- if he had Seonghwa’s memories, he probably knew where to go. 

“Humans possess the same attributes as angels and demons,” the angel explained. “Inherently, these attributes are innocent in nature but as a human lives and learns, they take a shape and become uniquely human. No human is angelic enough, nor demonic enough- though… this one might take the crown for being the most demonic.”

“There are worse humans, trust me. At least this one possesses some morals,” you muttered. 

“And how do you weigh your morals? What is your scale to weigh them, human?” He asked and you shrugged- he was right. You couldn’t be the judge of that when your own morals were skewed.

“Well, you did see some good in me, didn’t you? When you were about to possess me?”

“You were the only good option, do not think of yourself too highly,” he almost reprimanded and your shoulders sagged in disappointment. He looked at you for confirmation before reaching the last room at the left section of the upper floor and you nodded. Once he entered the room, he looked around carefully.

The room was… lifeless, to put it simply. For starters, Seonghwa was meticulously neat and far too organised. There wasn’t a single thing in his room that was out of place, and the housekeepers made sure to maintain that as well. The pillows on his king-sized bed were neatly stacked. The monochrome aesthetic of his room with a hint of gold surprisingly both fit the aesthetic of the house and felt a bit odd. There was only an abstract monochrome painting with a splash of colours on one wall, and that was it. 

“Well, this is where you will sleep- or try to,” you said, taking a seat on the grey couch that was far too comfortable and often somewhere you lounged when you invaded Seonghwa’s personal space. “And this is where I will watch you sleep.”

The angel regarded you with suspicion. “You will kill me in my sleep.”

“You’re far too valuable for me to kill, don’t worry,” you assured him and the angel felt an odd sense of comfort, though he questioned the reasons behind that. “I’m a doctor, so you can rest assured that I won’t let anything happen.”

“Are you not a shame to the medical community?” The angel candidly wondered out loud and you felt a pang of hurt.

“I won’t be when I’m done making use of your essence,” you promised bitterly. “Besides, I’m not your conventional doctor. I’m better than that.”

“You cut up humans to learn medicine. You are the worst kind.”

“And what is your scale to measure my morals?” You questioned, just a tiny bit of the pent up rage leaking in your voice. “Are you sure your scale is the right one, angel?”

The angel smirked- smirked at that, looking too much like the mafia lord in that instance. You released a short breath and got comfortable on the couch, unlocking your phone to check the updates. You paid no mind to the angel looking around and messing the room up until he got exhausted and lied down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

“I wish to return to the realms of the angels,” he whispered softly as sleep overpowered his consciousness. You looked up and watched his eyes flutter close, his breathing steady.

The angel was asleep. All you had to do was wait for the morning now.

“Fucking… bastard, thinks he is something to take control of me!”

The sound of two books colliding against each other with a thump, and the pent up sigh of frustration.

“Someone is going to die by my hands, and this fucking angel will be responsible for it-”

A smash- or perhaps, it felt like a smash because of the pounding in your head. You yawned unceremoniously, wiping your mouth and rubbing your eyes as you looked around-

You were in Seonghwa’s room- Seonghwa, who was now shirtless and sweating with anger, his upper body almost heaving with breathlessness. The muscles on his body seemed more pronounced and his veins were popping out. You considered pretending to go right back to sleep- maybe you could disappear into the couch if you stayed here long enough-

“You.”

“Hold up-” you raised your hand but when he started taking big steps towards you, you swallowed the scream that built in your throat and got up. Unfortunately, there was no way to get out of here and if you dared jump on Seonghwa’s freshly made bed (man was organising the mess the angel had made out of his room in his absence), the chances of him letting you live would lower exponentially. However, desperate times call for desperate measures and you slid under his arm to jump over his bed, making him curse some more under his breath.

He was quick, though. In a matter of seconds, he had you pinned against the wall, his arm splayed across your neck to hold you in place and you grimaced.

“What have you done, y/n?” He asked through gritted teeth. 

“You’re back, though, right?” You asked. “This is a good sign-”

“The angel is still inside- I can feel him here,” Seonghwa dug his finger into his temple. You couldn’t meet his eyes, so you let them lower until they fixated on the big tattoo on his neck. MATZ, a reminder of what he had lost.

“Alright, let me go,” you demanded gently. “And we can talk like two civilised beings.”

“What will you do about this, huh?” Seonghwa asked, no longer simmering with rage but unmoving with his position. 

“Why did you come inside the room during the ritual?” You questioned, awfully curious of the reason. “You heard the angel, right? The angel didn’t mean to possess you- I was his target. Why did you interfere, Seonghwa?”

Seonghwa glared at you for a good few moments as if the answer to your question could be found in your eyes. However, there was no answer, and he let go of you. You took a deep breath, rubbing the soreness out of your collarbones.

“How are you feeling?” You asked. “Notice anything different?”

“Just a bit feverish, that’s all,” he admitted and you made note of that. “Find a way to undo this as soon as possible.”

“Already on it, don’t worry. I don’t like these turns of events. But… I’m also going to check the properties of the essence I managed to retrieve, and if I’m in need of more…”

“Get the angel out of my body,” he ordered, pronouncing every word threateningly.

“Got it,” you said in dismissal. If the angel’s essence was something of value… you would wring the angel dry before you would ever let him go. However, Seonghwa did not need to know that. You meekly smiled before walking towards his bed and smoothening the sheets. “What are you going to do?”

“Work,” he responded, “I’ve got a few meetings to attend and a few politicians to bribe.”

“How wonderful,” you commented. “Want me to come along?”

“I can handle it-”

“What if the angel… comes back?” You asked and Seonghwa paused in the middle of buttoning his black shirt. “Are you sure you can handle the consequences?”

For once, Seonghwa was silent and you sat on the edge of his bed, smirking. “I think I should stick with you until we’re sure the angel won’t take over randomly, at least. In case I see the angel is back, I can do most of the talking and make the angel shut up.”

“Why are you so sure that the angel won’t jeopardise my reputation?”

“Because, Seonghwa dear,” you got up and walked to him, buttoning the rest of his shirt and patting his chest. “I can end up killing him, and you in the process. The angel knows I’m capable of that.” 

“I know you’re capable of that too,” Seonghwa said in a low voice, peering down at you. “Question is… will you?”

“Stay curious about that,” you told him with a smile, pressing on his chin affectionately like you always did. Seonghwa scoffed though he couldn’t help but break into a smile as well. You told him you would join him downstairs for breakfast and went to get ready.

Once in the privacy of your room, you took a deep breath, thinking and planning for what was next. There was absolutely no way you were going to leave Seonghwa alone. He was stuck with you and would have to remain under your supervision until this matter was sorted. It wouldn’t be unusual to tag along to his meetings and visits- you were his partner, and you were often present alongside him, but you were also a very busy person who was more occupied with lab work. 

The lab wasn’t far from here, and while you trusted Dr. Choi, you never trusted anyone enough. You were going to monitor his progress and work with him too. You needed to see the composition of the angel’s tears and experiment with it- but when? 

You looked in the mirror, the bags under your eyes more prominent and your cheeks looking sunken. You sighed deeply- it looked like you would be sacrificing your sleep quite a lot now.

And if sacrificing your sleep meant you would be basking in Seonghwa’s presence? So be it. That’s all you ever wanted anyways.

While Seonghwa was the same old person that he had always been, albeit more distant than ever thanks to the being inside his head that ‘wouldn’t stop whispering to him’, as he claimed. You could not blame the mafia boss for being on edge- apart from the fact that he was running a constant low fever, his senses seemed to be heightened as well. The lights felt too bright to him, the noise was too loud, and you-

You gulped as he flicked the dagger between his fingers effortlessly, contemplating if he wanted to slice you open or slice his own head open to extract the source of the constant whisperings.

“Look, it’s only been a few days, it will get better-”

Yet another dagger thrown at the board behind you, narrowly avoiding your cheekbone but definitely trimming the strands of your hair that were sticking out. You didn’t even flinch this time, but you were losing your patience too.

“Park Seonghwa,” you warned. “If you want me to leave you alone, I will. I won’t be responsible for what happens next. You have a meeting with Assemblyman Hwang later. He’s willing to buy drugs from you, and I know you want that meeting to go smoothly.”

Seonghwa slumped back in his office chair and folded his arms as if feeling cold. “I never said that I want you to leave me alone. But the sight of you… how do I put it…”

“Yeah, I know you hate me for obvious reasons, but technically-”

“Don’t say another word.”

You lowered your finger and zipped your lips. Technically, it was his fault and he knew that, which was the reason why he was so agitated. 

Seonghwa and the angel inside him were in a constant battle for dominance of their body. For Seonghwa, there was a motive- it was his body, and the angel was a foreigner. A parasite, almost. You still did not know why the angel wanted to be dominant in this body and take control so badly when all he did once he managed to take over was crouch in a corner, away from the rest of the world. He would barely answer any of your questions and you half-wondered if he wanted to kill himself.

There wasn’t a specific trigger either. Seonghwa would be functioning as normally as a feverish human could- a bit sluggish in his movements but alert nonetheless- and a loud groan of pain later, the angel would take over, finish doing whatever Seonghwa had been doing and go to sulk. You were pretty sure Seonghwa did not need to tell the angel to act like a human- the angel himself did not want to be seen.

Perhaps, that was why he chose the darkest of the corners to hide, away from the light of this world. 

The angel must miss the light of his world.

“The meeting is in a few hours,” Seonghwa reminded himself. “And I would like the angel to not take over-”

In some sort of a twisted notion of revenge, or karma, or whatever word you could use to explain the unfortunate luck of the mafia boss, he let out a foreboding painful groan and clutched at his chest, his eyes rolling back before he shut them. You watched with mild interest, shaking your head.

The angel was back.

“Hello, angel baby,” you called, beckoning him to open his eyes. His brown pupils glowed momentarily before he regained focus.

“Do not call me such terms,” the angel commanded and you huffed, rolling your eyes.

“I cannot call you by your name with my ‘filthy human tongue’,” you reminded him and he frowned. “I cannot call you angel, or angel baby- which is my favourite term, by the way. I like the look you have on your face when I call you that-”

The angel was beginning to look weary already and you smiled guiltily.

“What do I call you?”

“I… do not know,” he looked down at his hands, the dagger falling to the table with a clatter when he noticed that it was in his hand. “Did I say that you have a filthy human tongue?”

“Yes? Back when I summoned you in the basement?”

“I must have been very angry. I apologise. You do not have a filthy human tongue.”

You let out a short laugh. “I wasn’t affected by it, don’t worry. You don’t need to apologise, you’re literally an angel.”

“Has your heart been hardened so much that these terms no longer affect you?” The angel asked softly and you licked your lips in thought. 

“I don’t know,” you shrugged. “I guess I’m used to hearing things like these.”

“This man cares for you yet hardened your heart to this point,” the angel commented, clasping his hands and watching you with curiosity. “It is interesting what humans say out loud as opposed to the words they choose not to say.”

You narrowed your eyes. “You’re quite talkative today, angel.”

“I suppose I got tired of the solitude- it gave me no answers. You might, though.”

You raised your shoulders to tell him that you were right here and as oblivious to the situation as he himself was. 

“Since you’re in a good mood,” you began. “We must talk about some important things. It might help speed up your, uh, departure process.”

“Let’s hear what you have to say,” the angel said, tucking his hair away from his eyes and looking to his left at his reflection, wincing at the sight of Seonghwa’s half-tied hair and glamorous suit. 

“Why do you take over this body at random times? I mean, is there a trigger, or do you just say fuck it we ball?”

“What does that mean?” The angel frowned.

“Just… tell me why you took over Seonghwa now, of all the times,” you sighed.

“Because he has an important meeting, and he thinks that he can keep me at bay,” the angel responded, straightening. “I am here to prove that he, in fact, cannot keep me at bay. It is I who chooses to be dominant, whenever I prefer.”

“Well,” you drawled. This was news to you. “If you want to coexist in this body without any drastic consequences, I suggest you not try to mess with Seonghwa, especially when he has something important coming. It’s for the sake of both of you, because I know that he will try something stupid to get you to cooperate, and I would rather make an agreement with you and solve this predicament like civilised people.”

“I will take over whenever I like,” the angel insisted.

“Please?” You pouted and he stared at your doe-eyes with an intensity that made you want to take back your words.

“Fine. I can leave him alone when he has something important, but I do not have to answer why I take over any time else.”

Just like that? You frowned momentarily.

“While we’re at it…” you asked experimentally. “Can you be a sweetheart and come with me to the lab? There’s just a few things I have to check- vitals, bloodwork and such. I won’t ask you to cry and give me your essence, don’t worry.”

“What if I do not want to?” He cocked his head and asked. 

“Do you want me to beg again?” You laughed. “Please, come with me. It’s for your sake.”

The angel tightened his lips in thought and nodded just a few seconds later. “Fine.”

“You’re not hard to convince,” you commented as he got up. 

“I have no choice but to cooperate.”

“Are you sure that’s the only reason?” You teased, going towards the hatstand and grabbing Seonghwa’s coat, sliding in front of the angel and offering to help him wear it. He gave you a sceptic look before slipping the coat on, a hint of a smile on his lips that you decided not to comment on. 

“Angels do not lie,” he said, taking the lead and pretending to be Seonghwa- of which he was an expert now, as if Seonghwa himself was instructing him what to do. You went to the parking lot and asked the driver to take you both to the lab. 

“We don’t have much time, so I’ll make this quick,” you whispered once inside the car. The angel nodded and you spent the duration of the trip in silence, the angel watching the world from the tinted window of the car. You almost felt sorry for him in that instance.

Once inside the lab, you greeted Dr. Choi who was writing some formulas on the board. 

“I’ve managed to break down the chemical composition of the essence. I’m surprised to see it’s very similar to the demonic essence we managed to acquire two years ago,” he said, watching Seonghwa with caution. “Is that the angel in front of me?”

“Yes,” you put on your reading glasses to skim through his notes. “That was one of the greater demons, right?”

“That’s what they claimed,” Dr. Choi muttered, motioning the angel to sit on one of the chairs. “What’s different is that the angel’s essence is more stable and safer to work with-”

“You will never be able to use an angel’s essence for medicine,” the angel declared casually and you both looked at him. “The existence of angels is supposed to be a mystery. There has never been an instance of an angel leaving a trace in the human world- by trace, I mean physical evidence. With demons, it is different- they have their own realms and rules.”

“We could change that,” you suggested. “This could be the first instance of it in history.”

“As soon as you spread it, and as soon as news of it reaches the realms of the angels, there will be a ‘natural catastrophe’ that will wipe off your existence and mine from the face of this earth.”

You cursed, looking at Dr. Choi who seemed more scared than annoyed, unlike you. You turned to the angel. “How will the angel realm ever know that we are using angelic essence in, say, drugs or medicines?”

“Demons track the consumers of their essence. When you and your evil boss sell demonic drugs, you put a red target on its consumers for the demons to prey on- and they feast on it,” the angel practically spat. “They make sure the consumers- the humans- do their bidding in return. So when you replace that with angelic essence, you will only be making it easier for the angels to find the humans they need to eradicate from this world.”

“Well, isn’t that lovely to hear,” you muttered. “What about experimentation here?”

“Your test subjects are bound to die. Any one of them that makes it out alive would not live long enough- and I told you that you cannot let the angel realm know that I am stuck inside this human. Does your life mean nothing to you?”

You looked at Dr. Choi who got the signal and left the room, saying he had to get dinner anyway. Then you turned towards the angel and walked closer, seating yourself in front of him.

“This is what my life means to me,” your tone was no longer soft. “I’ve worked hard all my life for this moment-”

“But some things are not meant to be,” the angel looked almost sad to inform you of that. “And that is okay.”

You gritted your teeth as you stared at him- how dare he look at you with pity? The rational part of your mind knew that he was absolutely right and that this was a shot in the dark anyway- you could still study the angel’s essence and at least learn something from it. But the emotional part inside you was currently fighting for dominance and for a moment, you felt sorry for Seonghwa- this battle inside him must be what he was going through at every moment.

It was your fault.

“I’ll check your vitals and take your blood,” you muttered, getting up and grabbing a kit. You wore medical gloves, checked his temperature and blood pressure, extracted some blood and ran some quick scans. Everything seemed normal and at least that was a relief.

When you finished and took off your gloves, you said that you were going to check his pulse and moved to grab his wrist. At the slightest touch, the angel pulled his wrist away as if your touch had burned him. You frowned and tried again, wondering if that was just a reflex, but he deliberately moved out of your range and you gaped at him.

“What is wrong with you?” You asked, rendered speechless by the cautious look in his eyes. “Why won’t you let me check your pulse?”

The angel’s tense body never relaxed but he allowed himself to return to his original sitting position, eyes still a little wide from the previous interaction. 

“Do you think my filthy touch will taint your body?” You asked, wariness dripping from your voice. You almost expected him to look at you with disdain.

“That is not why, no,” he sounded upset instead, moving to grab your wrist instead, flinching slightly again at the touch but relaxing soon after, curling your fingers with his. “I am sorry.”

You kept staring at him in confusion, watching him fidget a bit until he finally gave in.

“It has been a while since I remembered what human touch feels like.”

Oh.

All those times, deliberately moving out of your way and avoiding touching any humans, and now… caressing your hand and holding it with both hands, tracing the curves of your knuckles and marvelling at the sensation that he felt, cautiously meeting your eyes as if there was an implied sin somewhere that he was scared of committing-

All because he was touch-starved?

You shifted your fingers to rest your thumb on his pulse, locking eyes with him and silently counting while you found yourself relaxing, almost entranced by the way he looked at you. So shy, yet determined.

This was not Seonghwa. This was not the man you had spent all your life with. He had never looked at anyone this way.

“Hwa…” you whispered and the angel frowned in confusion. You squeezed his hand.

“I’ll call you Hwa.”

The fire behind those eyes, the flame in those pupils and the warmth of his touch. Seonghwa’s anger. ‘Hwa’. He held your hand between both of his as if it was a holy relic and planted a soft kiss on your knuckles, shutting his eyes and relishing the feel of his lips against your skin. The lips as soft as the petals of a flower. Hwa- that’s what the name meant.

“Thank you for giving me a name.”

You did not need to check your own pulse to realise that your heart was racing as much as his heart- perhaps, in a twisted synchrony.

The meeting with Assemblyman Hwang had gone smoothly without any disruptions with Seonghwa signing a deal that would expand his drug business while giving him protection from the law. However, your interaction with the angel at the lab had left a bitter aftertaste on Seonghwa’s tongue. While he never talked about that interaction or mentioned your new name for the angel, you could tell that he was conflicted about your behaviour with his ‘alter ego’, as you had termed it. 

And how could he not be confused? ‘Hwa’ was a foreigner in his body, doing whatever he pleased. The angel was opening up to human experiences more with each passing day and trying different things that Seonghwa himself would never do. The angel seemed to have a fondness for water bodies and mostly, when he took over, he would find the pool and either sit with his legs submerged or just float in the water while staring at the ceiling, as if he could see the stars or heavens, or whatever the angel saw in the sky in his realm.

Seonghwa would be lying if he said that having an angel inside him wasn’t… enlightening, to say the least. While he could not look into the angel’s memories like the angel could, he was intrigued by everything the angel had to share. It made him question his beliefs, but it also strengthened his ambitions. 

As for you… it had only been a few days yet the little things were starting to get to Seonghwa. You spoke to the angel so gently and carelessly. You indulged in whatever the angel had to say or did. You entertained him and satiated his curiosity. You let him look at you or touch you however he wanted.

Were you doing it because you wanted something out of the angel? Did you think you could win his heart or convince him to create the medicinal drug for you? Or were you doing this out of fear? Fear for your life, for Seonghwa’s life? Or… was the sadistic side of you enjoying Seonghwa’s misery?

He would not be getting answers to that any time soon, and he would not dare ask you for a multitude of reasons- the first and foremost being that he did not want to sound like he cared. Whatever you did with the angel should not be affecting him as long as you remained within your limits and didn’t cross some invisible boundaries, he told himself and hoped you were aware of that too.

He was not going to lie and say it didn’t sting a little that you barely looked at him anymore when he was Seonghwa. He had to do stupid things to get your attention now, such as-

“If you poke me one more time, god help me Seonghwa, I will break your fingers.”

There you were. 

You did have phases like these, where Seonghwa would wonder if you were growing distant from him or had found something- or someone- better than him. Seonghwa was a manipulative bastard and he always made sure that you were within his sight. He never allowed you to look too far, and whoever looked your way? Well… they would be subject to an unfortunate fate soon after. 

You were his. His little doctor, his only friend, his family if he ever had one, his everything, yet… nothing. Perhaps, the last part was a lie, the angel had suggested in one of his whispers. Perhaps, the angel was right. But admitting it would mean that he had a weakness, and Park Seonghwa did not have any weaknesses. He had made that mistake once and lost a dear brother, the reminder of which was inked on his neck so he would never forget. 

So why did this little phase feel different, almost threatening to him?

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” You asked, but when he raised a brow in amusement, you shut up.

You had brought this upon yourself, bounding him with yourself to keep him ‘under surveillance’. He definitely did not have anything better to do at home in the late hours of night. He had wrapped up his work in the evening and accompanied you to the lab for the daily check-ups and for the past few hours, he had been rolling around on his bed. There was nothing to plan, nothing to scheme for once. He just watched you study and make notes on your devices and before you knew it, he had joined you on the couch, poking at your sides once in a while, making you swat at him in dismissal as if he were a mere fly.

Perhaps, all his talk about being ‘the boss’ had not worked very well, after all. He should have never let you get so close- or gotten so close- because you sure had a way of acting like the one in charge sometimes. The small, almost non-existent emotional part in his brain told him that you certainly helped with his loneliness and he had to agree. You were a crutch now. 

“You know I can’t sleep well with all this incessant sound of your typing- why do you type so loudly on a screen?”

“The sounds help me focus,” you told him. “Let Hwa take over. He’ll sleep for the both of you.”

Seonghwa narrowed his eyes. “You want me gone that bad?”

“Aw, is the mafia boss hurt?” You mocked, going back to highlighting an important line in the research paper- perhaps, the tenth paper of the night. You were scrounging through them for any information on working with a chemical bond as unique and complex as the angel’s essence. 

When Seonghwa didn’t answer or threaten to kill you, which was the likelier response, you looked at him to find him with a sombre expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he shook his head.

“Something is,” you shifted your attention to him. “Feeling alright?”

“Yeah, I’m just… confused,” he admitted. “Having someone live inside you does that to you, I suppose.”

You shrugged, watching him carefully. “If you have a problem, you can ask me. You know that, right? Forget about the ranks for once, Seonghwa. You know you can trust me.”

“I know,” he nodded assuringly. “I just don’t like this. That’s all there is to it.”

You pouted. Nothing you could do about that. 

Seonghwa had a multitude of questions to ask you about the angel but he decided to hold them for now. Instead, he locked your devices and took your hands, steering you to the bed. You laughed- your old Seonghwa was back. He tucked you in the sheets, just like he had done a thousand times now when you were little and would fall asleep in the middle of studying. Dimming the lights until there was only one lamp at the front of the room, its white light creating a soft halo effect in the room, he got on the other side and silence took over. The sounds of your unsynchronised breaths started to fill the room. 

You turned your neck to find him wide awake, staring at the ceiling. You felt a pang of longing inside you- you wished you could hold him and tell him that it would soon be over, that you were sorry, that you wished you could make it better and you did not like seeing him acting so unlike himself-

“Shut up, you’re too loud,” he said and you snickered. You shifted until you were facing him though he didn’t move.

“What did you hear?”

“You’re sorry. You don’t like when I act strange, though you do enjoy it,” he spared you a glance and you grinned.

“That’s only half of it, though.”

“Would I want to hear the other half?” He asked.

“Well… some things are better left unsaid for a reason, eh?”

Seonghwa shifted to mirror your position, now facing each other. It was a good thing that there was still a respectable distance between you two. Sleeping like this had never been a problem- you didn’t have the luxury of sleeping in separate spaces for most part of your childhood, and once you did have the luxury, you would find each other anyway.

“Something tells me I should hear it anyway.”

“Ah, it’s the sentimental Seonghwa tonight, I see,” you retorted and when he shot you a glare, you gave in. “I wish I could make this situation better for you.”

“Hmm… you’re doing your best, though. Try harder from tomorrow,” he ordered and you muttered a ‘yes sir’. “What’s the last bit?”

You bit your lips- would you dare tell him now? If he pushed you away, you would have to live with that. 

But then… he pushed you away all the time anyway, and there was Hwa. He made up for it.

“I just…” you started, finding his hand under the sheets and brushing your fingers against his. He remained still. “I just want you to hold on if things get hard.”

“Things will get better,” Seonghwa said, the words sounding like a lie even to himself. “I know I could die, we both could if the angels or anyone finds out about this, but… it will be okay. We will survive this, y/n. We always do.”

“I don’t want to live through that pain again,” you whispered. 

“Tsk. You’re strong. You’re a warrior, and you will survive,” he assured you. “I will make sure you do.”

While he did not hold your hand, he let your fingers remain where they were, caressing his and you moved just a bit so you could lightly link them. A shaky breath left your lips as you allowed yourself to relax, welcoming sleep and leaving Seonghwa to wonder if he could say the same about himself- would he survive this ordeal?

He would wonder about that later. 

~

When you opened your eyes the next morning, you were greeted by the sight of Seonghwa who was already awake and watching you. You frowned, rubbing your eyes and moving to check the time before slumping right back- you could still get a few minutes of sleep.

You shut your eyes and curled your body, fisting the sheets, your head spinning with drowsiness. About a minute passed when you realised that the person watching you sleep wasn’t Seonghwa-

It was the angel. 

You opened one eye to find him watching you with the softest gaze, lips parted. Your heart would have swooped if you weren’t half asleep.

“Never watched a human sleep, eh?” You asked, voice raspy.

“Not like this- not so closely,” he admitted.

And perhaps, the drowsiness was getting to your head. You moved closer, tucking your head under his chin. The angel’s body tensed and you grinned to yourself- your bodies were still maintaining a distance but at least he wouldn’t be able to see your sleepy face. 

“There we go. You can take an even closer look now,” you said, preparing to go back to sleep.

“I cannot see you anymore,” the angel complained.

“Perhaps, that is the whole point,” you told him.

“I suppose I can try something else then.”

Before you could ask what was going on in his head, he was tucking you closer, wrapping his arm around your waist. For a few moments, drowsiness left and clarity overcame your senses- Seonghwa had never cuddled like this with you. This- one arm draped over your waist, keeping you close, his other hand caressing your hair in an attempt to lull you back to sleep, your breaths synchronising with the rise and fall of his chest…

Heavens above.

“Do I scare you?” The angel asked cautiously and you made the mistake of looking up, finding his eyes filled with worry.

“No,” you admitted, watching his expressions morph into what had to be happiness. 

“Then relax, and get your fill of sleep.”

Easier said than done. The fact that it was ultimately Seonghwa’s body and his voice made this entire situation more difficult to comprehend. However, there was no other choice but to relax in the angel’s touch and perhaps, that’s what you were meant to do for now. You relaxed a bit and fisted his shirt- Seonghwa’s shirt- instead of the sheets. 

And when you woke up later, the angel was asleep, looking content. You knew it was the angel because Seonghwa looked like he was fighting demons even in his sleep. You smiled at the sight, daring to caress the angel- Seonghwa’s- face, feeling something sad building inside you. You tucked his hair away, the strands as soft as you remembered from years ago. You ran your fingers through his hair-

Wincing when you felt a sharp burn against your finger. You drew away your hand, finding a small part of your index finger singed- was there something in his hair? You cautiously ran your hand through his hair again-

A little yelp escaped your mouth as you felt a sharper burn this time and you clutched at your hand, a small red welt near your thumb now-

“Oh, dear,” the angel was awake and inspecting your hand worriedly. You looked at him in confusion and surprise as he shut his eyes to say a prayer, holding your hand to his forehead and then bringing it to his lips, planting soft kisses on the burns that seemed to be patching up as if there was never a wound in the first place.

You gasped in disbelief, inspecting your hand. “How did you do that?”

“I am sorry,” the angel’s brows were furrowed in pain as if he himself had received those burns. “I did not mean to- it is probably my halo. I did not know it would burn even as a human.”

“It’s okay,” you assured, examining your hand. “I’m all patched up now, aren’t I?”

“I hurt you-”

“It’s okay,” you broke into a smile. “It didn’t hurt too much- I was more surprised.”

“I burned you-”

“Hwa,” you cupped his face, making him look at you, his eyes glazed. “I’m a strong girl. These little burns don’t make me feel much. I receive burns all the time, see?” You showed him your hands and arms, littered with faded scars of burns. “In my field, you get used to it.”

“Your skin is not meant to be marred like this.”

“But humans carry the marks of their life all the time,” you told him. “Don’t you carry something like that too? If not on your body… in your heart?”

Hwa looked at you with thoughtful eyes, moving to sit cross-legged on the bed, never letting go of your hands as you moved to sit in front of him. He sighed deeply, unable to meet your eyes. 

“Do you want me to heal them?” He asked cautiously. You shook your head no.

“Each mark on my body tells a story. I’d like to keep them,” you explained.

“Can I… kiss your hands anyway?”

Oh. He was going to be the death of you.

“Do you have a thing for my hands, sir?” You joked. “These aren’t the prettiest hands ever, I can find you a better pair-”

The angel ignored your rambling, planting soft kisses on the back of both your hands before he looked up. “To me, they are beautiful, because they tell your story.”

“Hwa- you can’t just kiss my hands and act all normal afterwards. This is not normal.”

“I am an angel,” he told you, kissing each of your knuckles, looking almost drunk with his flushed cheeks and glazed eyes. “Normal cannot define or bound me.”

Your eyes twitched in half anger and half… submission. 

“What are you trying to do, Hwa? What are you trying to pull?”

“Do you think I have some hidden intentions?” He asked almost dangerously, and you thought that he looked obsessive for a second. “I- I only wanted to experience this feeling, and if you want to push me away, I will go back to hide in the corners-”

“What feeling do you want to experience so badly?”

“Being human,” he said, almost spat as if the idea appalled him too. “I cannot tell if it is the human in me making me feel so strange, but I want to touch and be touched. I want to live- I want to eat like humans do and savour the flavours on my tongue. I want to bask in the sun until it starts to burn me and float in the pool until I feel one with the water. I want to hold another human, feel their heartbeat against mine, do something about the yearning in my heart- I’ve never felt like this.”

For once, you had nothing to say. You simply watched the angel curl in on himself, looking like a broken piece.

“And I’m scared,” said the wounded soul. “I’m scared that I will never be able to go back to my realm. I’m scared of being okay with that. I’m scared of enjoying these human experiences. What if I do not hate the idea of being human and they find me? I do not want to die a human, yet…”

“I’m sorry for misunderstanding you,” you did not hesitate to pull the angel in your arms. If this was what he needed, you could give him that. The angel sucked in a breath but quickly melted in your arms, clutching at you almost childishly.

“I think I understand you,” you caressed his head, not caring how it burned your skin. “You’re a human, for now, whether you like it or not. This is your chance to experience what it is like to be a human without any boundaries. No one is stopping you, and I… I will protect you… until you are ready to go back. I hope you will be welcomed with open arms when you go back. You must miss your home so much, Hwa. I’m sorry I didn’t realise that- you do not have to be human to miss your home.”

Hwa buried his face in the crook of your neck, taking deep breaths. You winced at your damaged hands, resorting to hold him still instead. 

“Have you always been this mellow, oh angel?” You asked. 

“This is who I am,” the angel admitted, drawing away. “But you have seen how angry I can get.”

“Yeah, angry is an ugly look even on angels,” you agreed, shivering at the memory when you felt like he would have obliterated your existence with a mere swipe of his finger. You showed him your hands and he winced, looking apologetic but you smiled, making pride swell in his heart. With a prayer, he kissed every burn mark until your hands were back to normal.

“I will try to refrain from caressing your head from now on,” you stretched your fingers. “My hands are precious to me, thank you very much.”

The angel laughed, a small part of him knowing you wouldn’t be able to do that. You shared a laugh, smacking his back and asking him to get up and join you for breakfast.

Once again, in the privacy of your room, you crumbled to the floor. 

What were you doing? Letting the angel touch and hold you like that- he was supposed to be the touch-starved being, but you were no better. How could you do this to yourself- to Seonghwa?

Just what were you getting yourself into?

And why did the consequences of your actions not scare you?

Everything seemed to be in order in your life and Seonghwa’s, yet it had never been like this before.

Seonghwa never talked about your intimate interaction with the angel- you knew that he was able to see fragments of what was happening through the shared subconsciousness, and if he tried, he could even share consciousness now given that the angel would not resist. 

Either Seonghwa did not mind, which was unlikely, or for once, he had nothing to say, which was odd. He always had something to say about every situation, and his silence was louder than ever.

However, his behaviour was the same- in fact, he had grown more understanding in the past few days. Understanding of his situation, of the lack of control he had over his own body. Understanding that you were still trying to find ways to get the angel out of his body, contacting every demon summoner and going to dangerous places with him to learn more about the dark arts. You would never tell a soul that you were doing this for an angel. 

You had also started to look into the history of angels, and while the angel himself didn’t share much about his realm- sworn to secrecy, perhaps- he guided you anyway. He was able to confirm or deny whatever you read about angels. 

You came across his real name in one of the books and learned that he was an angel of fire- while he was not an archangel, he was considered to be one of the angels with their own conscience, which meant that he was capable of sin. You were confused about that topic so the angel silently turned the pages of your book until you were at the section of ‘Fallen Angels’.

That day, the angel wished to go out and fly, so you took him to the mountains instead where you sat on the edge of a rock and watched the world below. That’s when you asked him if there really was good and evil in every human.

“Humans are not inherently good, but humans lack the desire to sin when they are younger. As they grow older in their intellect, the desire to sin becomes something appealing to them. The more a person sins, the more evil they become until the goodness in their heart is nowhere to be found.”

“Do you think there’s any good in Seonghwa’s heart?” You asked and the angel looked at you. Dressed like Seonghwa in a fur coat with his hair twisted back and tied, you almost thought it was Seonghwa himself sitting beside you. 

“Do you believe there is good in this human’s heart?” The angel questioned.

“Maybe,” you pouted. 

“Does it matter to you if there is?”

“If it mattered, I would have left long ago,” you admitted and the angel nodded. 

“I cannot say if there is good in this heart, but there was something that pulled me to him instead of you, when I was going to possess you. Maybe the evil inside me resonated with his nature.”

“But you’re an angel,” you looked at him. “You’re not evil.”

“There is the desire in me to sin, therefore I am capable of being evil,” the angel responded. “I feel as if I am sinning even now. Sitting with a human, stuck inside one, unable to perform my duties…”

“Do you hate being evil so much? If this is what evil is to you?”

The angel did not answer your question. And it got you thinking that maybe, there was a goodness inside Seonghwa that created the space for the angel. If that was the case, there was evil inside the angel too. Maybe, this was the true meaning of balance- a human too evil, and an angel too good, yet both containing a little kernel of pureness and darkness in their hearts- both coexisting inside one body.

But if being human was what encompassed the idea of being evil for an angel, this angel sure was enjoying the most mundane experiences. He was no longer opposed to trying out new things- a smoke, which had him coughing his lungs out later, cotton candy from the stall because it looked like clouds (Seonghwa was not pleased about that, claiming it left an aftertaste in his mouth), and food. Food of all kinds because apparently, the human had not been enjoying eating lately.

The angel’s curiosity wasn’t satiated with just that. You almost felt as if you were teenagers again and going on dates. From picking flowers in gardens to learning how to ride a bike. You made sure all your outings were away from the eyes of the staff or anyone who could recognise you, because you were sure no one would like the most notorious mafia leader in the town wiping dust off the petals of flowers or screaming like a banshee before falling down from the bicycle unceremoniously. 

The angel- Hwa- was laughing like a human and it warmed your heart because Seonghwa had never been able to laugh like that. His laugh was pure and unrestrained, something humans usually wished for. His eyes sparkled as he observed the human world, watching and learning the concept of a family, of friends, of lovers. You could only wish Seonghwa was learning something along with the angel too.

While the angel started growing closer to you, the human started growing distant. Whenever Seonghwa took control of his body, he would busy himself with work and not correspond with you much- on anything. It would be up to you to update him of the recent developments, or learnings, or whatever you wished to tell him- he seemed the most uninterested. He didn’t care anymore if you wanted to talk, keep him under your surveillance or leave him alone. It was almost as if he had sworn himself to the silent treatment. 

This wasn’t the first time he behaved that way, but it was different this time. Whenever you did something wrong or made any sort of mistake, it was a given that Seonghwa was going to give you the cold shoulder for at least a couple of weeks. You could try to make him give in- bribe him with something that he could not resist (the latest Lego usually did the trick- he may be the mafia boss but he loved his legos) or treat him to something nice. That usually solved the matter, but each time you were not allowed to defend yourself. Sure, he would hear you out occasionally, but he would rarely ever be convinced.

This time was different. While he did not consciously push you away, his behaviour was doing nothing to help you. It was getting harder for you to not look forward to Hwa taking over- at least he didn’t look at you with contempt. Something was off about Seonghwa, and you were trying to ask him what was bothering him so much- he refused to meet eyes with you or converse with you properly and you knew no bribery could resolve this.

“Have we dispatched the first batch of drugs to Assemblyman Hwang?”

“We have, it’s written there,” you pointed at his tab and he hummed, dodging your question once again. You decided to change the topic.

“Do you think we should try something like exorcism? An angelic version of it? The theory doesn’t sound bad, does it?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “Whatever you feel like.”

You stared at him- he was trying so hard to act normal. This wasn’t going to work.

“Are there any more documents to sign? My fingers are starting to hurt- you know how I was in the lab all day working with specimens-”

“So?” Seonghwa dropped the pen and finally looked at you, eyes cold enough to send a shiver along your spine. “Do you want the angel to take over and worship your hands again?”

You scoffed in disbelief, wondering if that was a joke. When he went back to marking notes, you tapped on the table to get his attention.

“Say that again,” you challenged.

“We all know how much you crave affection,” Seonghwa muttered. “Good thing the angel is willing to show you some, at least.”

Unbelievable. This was what was bothering him?

“I asked you time and time again to tell me if something was bothering you- why did you keep your feelings bottled up only to stab me with your words now?” You asked. “You think I enjoy the fact that you’re sharing your body with an angel? Forget about what the angel does, you think I really want you to disappear?”

“It sure feels like that sometimes. You’re doing well without me, aren’t you?” Seonghwa scoffed.

You felt blood rush to your head, making your vision go red for a moment. Rage. 

“I’m cooperating with the angel, Seonghwa. I’m playing along with anything the angel wants so you don’t have to suffer, you miserable, miserable bastard. I’m doing all of this so that the angel shares consciousness with you and does not mess up your business- or would you rather have the angel taking over and actively fighting back? Fuck you,” you spat, throwing your own pen across the table which he barely caught. 

Not a hint of remorse in those eyes, though his little smirk had disappeared.

“You’ve always sheltered me all your life,” you got up, lowering your voice and this time, guilt did flash in his eyes for a mere second. “You’ve made sure I had no one except you, and you made sure my eyes only found you- that I only looked at you. So forgive me, Seonghwa, if you finally look back for once and I still find my defences crumbling when it isn’t even you.”

With that, you turned to pick up your belongings and leave-

And when you heard the familiar sigh that marked the angel taking over, you froze.

Had Hwa perhaps heard that? All of that?

You cautiously looked at him, finding his eyes filled with hurt. He almost looked grieved.

“Hwa-”

“Stop,” the angel raised his hand in the air, his voice dripping with sadness. “Not another word-”

“No, listen-”

“I know what I mean to you now,” Hwa said with a restrained voice as if still struggling to accept what he had heard. “There is nothing more that you can offer me.”

“I only said all of that because of Seonghwa,” you explained gently. “I did not mean that-”

“Yeah, Seonghwa heard that,” the angel said, shutting his eyes. “The damage has been done, human. To both of us.”

“Hwa, angel,” you dropped your stuff and took a few steps towards him but he left the room, leaving you regretting every word that you had said. Your eyes welled with tears and you took a few deep breaths, the tight feeling in your throat growing with each passing second.

You needed to find him- Hwa.

You looked in Seonghwa’s room first, but he wasn’t there. You wondered if he went to the pool and on your way there, you searched the rooms, asking the few staff members who were present if they had seen their boss around. None of them had. 

And when you found the pool empty, you sank to the ground and buried your face between your knees, letting out choked sobs- it had been years since you had cried. You were not sure if you were crying because of Seonghwa, or Hwa, or just everything- 

But it looked like you would be filling the pool with your tears tonight.

You cried until there were no more tears left, until your clothes were soaked. You sobbed until your throat felt raw, your nails leaving dents in your skin where you dug them in your palm. You silently cried until you heard the familiar footsteps, and it was almost surprising how that triggered a fresh stream of tears.

Was that Seonghwa? Or was that the wretched angel who had taken over your mind and soul? It didn’t matter anymore-

“Why do you cry, my dear?”

The damned angel. You brought your knees closer in an attempt to hide your face, but it looked like the angel was not going to give up. He sat in front of you, taking your hands in his and making you flinch visibly. Hurt, he let go of them.

“What is the reason for your tears?” He asked gently. You took a deep breath, sneaking a peek and finding his eyes puffy as well.

“Don’t tell me that you cried and wasted your essence,” you muttered, making the angel shake his head in disbelief. 

“I told you that the essence is of no use to you. I wiped every trace of it, don’t worry.”

You sighed, burying your head back between your knees. This time, when the angel hesitantly brushed his fingers against yours, you didn’t flinch away. However, he made no attempt to hold your hands either, only tracing the outlines of your fingers.

“I am sorry for my behaviour,” the angel said and you looked up at him. “I should have given you a chance to speak. I know humans say things they do not mean all the time- and if it is of any relief to you, your human Seonghwa did not mean to hurt you like that either.”

“It doesn’t matter,” you told him. “The damage has been done.”

The angel gave you a look. “You have a habit of throwing my words back at me.”

“It’s the truth, though,” you said, getting up and the angel followed. You wiped your face, tired. “I meant what I said. Every word of it. Yet…”

You looked sideways, biting your lips to keep more words from spilling. The angel looked at you expectantly.

“Seonghwa is not able to hear or see anything right now- I’ve pushed him back. So you can say what you want to me.”

You took a deep breath. “I’m not spending time with you because I’m scared of you, or scared of what you will do to Seonghwa. Yes, initially I was- of course I would be. I’m only a human and you’re a divine being. However… I don’t know, Hwa. I’ve always wanted Seonghwa to really look at me, to acknowledge me. And when you look at me, when you are with me… strangely, I find myself forgetting all about Seonghwa.”

“Is that the truth?” He asked cautiously and you nodded. You weren’t going to lie now. 

“I’m exhausted. I don’t know what I want or what I’m doing, but I just want you to know that I like you. I’m not simply cooperating with you, I like spending time with you- just you, the angel who’s beginning to live like a human. I know I’m supposed to get you out of this body even if it means that you get hurt in the process, and frankly, I’m still searching for a way to get you out, but…”

“But?” The angel asked and you mustered the last bits of courage in you, for the final declaration- the one you were too afraid to admit and even more scared to say out loud.

“Tell me,” the angel beckoned, taking a step towards you. You let your eyes scan him- the body of Seonghwa, clad in a black shirt and slacks, yet not his demeanour. Seonghwa’s face, yet unlike any expressions he had worn. His messy curls falling on his face only made him look more human, and it hurt.

“I don’t want you to leave, angel,” you confessed with a short laugh, letting the angel wonder what that meant. You turned to leave- at least you could put distance between the two of you-

“Then stay. Make me stay,” the angel’s voice was firm, almost as commanding as Seonghwa’s, but authoritative in an entirely different manner. A request, a favour. A plea.

“You’re an angel,” you reminded him, your voice wavering. “You are supposed to be performing your duties, you are supposed to be righteous and not give in to sin.”

“Yet here I am,” he shrugged, smiling in defeat. “Falling from grace and finding pleasure in sin- if this is what sin is.”

“Can I really ask you to stay?” You held your breath.

“You could ask me to fall from the heavens, and I would. I think I have already fallen. And I’m afraid of what I will let myself do for you, so stay, please.”

This was an angel, ready to sink to his knees for you. Your breath quickened as you turned, your heart ready to burst from the sheer amount of emotions.

“Where’s Seonghwa?”

“Not anywhere near,” the angel confirmed, the two of you moving towards each other, the magnetic pull stronger than ever. Your arms wrapped around each other in a tight embrace, laughter bubbling out from the angel’s body and you soon joined- smiling in relief. 

This was where you were meant to be. In his arms, feeling safe. Feeling loved. 

You broke apart, his hands resting on the dip of your waist. You brought your hands to wipe the remnants of his tears from his eyelids, shaking your head and he smiled guiltily. Your gaze stuck on his parted, plump lips and before the angel could express any doubts, you secured your confession by capturing his lips in a soft kiss, making the angel freeze.

You drew back and looked at him in confusion, anxiety starting to bubble in your throat once again- had you made a wrong move? However, the angel seemed as if he was in a daze, his eyes travelling all over your face. 

“What do you think you are doing, love?” He asked, cupping your face and tucking your hair back, not giving you a second to respond as he kissed your forehead sweetly, moving to pepper kisses all over your face, sometimes letting his lips linger as if he was relishing the feel of his lips against your skin. You fisted his shirt and raised your face right when he leaned down, your lips colliding in a passionate, slow kiss that soon started feeling heated as you moved your mouths in tandem with each other, pulling each other impossibly closer. 

You broke apart for breath but it looked like the angel was not planning to let you go. He sucked at your lower lip and you welcomed him with an open mouthed kiss, making the angel lose his footing and take a few steps back, your laughter and breaths mingling. You grinned, leaping in his arms and making him back away another few steps as he struggled to maintain balance while kissing you at the same time-

And due to his own fault, forgetting there was a pool full of water behind, he let the force of your kiss physically push him back until there was no ground under his feet and he clutched at you, both of you yelping as you fell in the cool water. 

You almost swallowed some but managed to find your way up, laughing helplessly at the state of you two- absolutely drenched. The angel swiped his hair back and you let your eyes roam all over his upper body, the fabric of his shirt clinging to the muscles that Seonghwa had worked hard to build. For a moment, a tiny moment, you remembered Seonghwa but any thoughts of him went out of your head when you spotted Hwa scan your body with a searing gaze that stuck on the way your clothes clung to you. 

“Like what you see?” You teased. The angel licked his lips in response, swimming closer and wrapping his arms around your waist, bringing your bodies flush against each other. You breathed heavily, letting his shoulders act as a brace as you lifted your body and captured his lips in a wet kiss, tasting water and kissing him as if he was meant to quench your thirst. You made out for what seemed like hours, his hands travelling all over your body, alternating from kissing your lips to feasting on your neck, his groans and moans fuelling you, your hands and arms singed in various spots, even nicked at places.

“Oh, angel,” you whispered against his ears, sucking at his earlobe. “They might clip your wings for this.”

“I do not need to fly if I am with you,” he declared, cupping your face and making you lock eyes with him. “How did you entrap me with that demonic heart of yours, human?”

All you could do was smile devilishly in response. “Maybe you have craved darkness all your life.”

“Perhaps,” he kissed your lips sweetly. “If this is what darkness is… I wish I will never see the light again.”

“Shut up,” you laughed, hugging him tightly. 

Angel. Your angel. The light in your dark life.

He kissed the cuts and burns on your arms, preparing you to get hurt for him again. A pain that you were starting to get addicted to.

Seonghwa had never had to apologise for a thing in his life.

Every decision he made came with consequences and he might harbour regrets but he would never bow down in front of someone and apologise. The other parties involved would just have to make peace with that. 

He did not believe in the idea of apologising, even when time and time again he caused you hurt or discomfort and you demanded that he show some remorse to make things better. He preferred to let the tension die down instead and let your defences lower until you would forget that he wronged you in the first place. You only had him, so where would you go if you broke things off with him?

However, as Seonghwa got a look at himself through the reflection of the mirror-engraved wall of Assemblyman Hwang’s office, he shut his eyes for a moment and saw red. He willed himself to maintain his composure and smiled at the Assemblyman.

No wonder the man wasn’t taking him seriously.

“- rest assured, we’ll do our best to keep this inside the underworld channels and not let any scandals surface, so you can keep on providing us with the goods, okay?” the man said, pouring red wine for the both of them while Seonghwa clenched and unclenched his fists. “I mean, I know we almost messed up but we were quick to clean it up-”

“If another mess-up happens,” Seonghwa started in a low voice, making the middle-aged man frown, “Not only will I retract and clean up your mess, but I will make sure to wipe all evidence. And that, of course, includes all consumers. You understand that, right?”

Seonghwa took a sip of the red wine, watching the politician fidget with his clothes, a nervous laugh escaping his mouth. “Of course!”

Seonghwa set the glass on the table. “It’s a dark world we live in. Gotta make sure it doesn’t get any darker, yeah?” 

The politician, who always rambled about eradicating darkness from the world in his campaigns, grimaced at the mockery of his slogan. Seonghwa got up and left the room, hiding his face with his fur coat as much as he could.

Once inside the privacy of his car, he glared at the driver who squirmed but got the message. Seonghwa slumped back and wiped at his left cheek where the very vivid and recognisable red kiss mark was printed.

He was going to kill you for making a fool of him.

It was his fault- the driver had tried to warn him with a ‘Um, sir… you might want to freshen up before the meeting’. Thinking that the driver was just suggesting that because he was meant to meet a politician, Seonghwa told him that there was no need. He did not need to look anything else than the crazy man that he was. His appearance was crucial in making first impressions, and with this rough look, he wanted to show the politician just who he was dealing with. He had some points to get across. 

However, the kiss mark on his cheek watered down that roughness wantonly. No wonder the politician had been smirking for the entire duration of the meeting.

Seonghwa sighed deeply. Again, it was his fault, ultimately. He never apologised for the argument you both had, and after regaining consciousness and finding himself under covers with you, snuggled way too close for his liking, he waited until you got up. He did not like the way your expressions darkened when you realised it was not the angel anymore.

You simply informed him that the angel and you had a talk, and he had decided to block Seonghwa from watching his consciousness. Seonghwa and you got into an argument again where he wondered if you were trying to do something behind his back- an assumption he immediately regretted making- and you told him that the only time Hwa would be blocking Seonghwa would be when you and Hwa had something ‘personal’ going on; nothing regarding Seonghwa and his state- or his business, even. Seonghwa tried to probe in hopes of getting an answer as to what ‘personal’ entailed but you didn’t give in.

And it seemed like he got his answer anyway. While the angel was consciously trying to block him at times, he saw the way you looked at Hwa very well. You used to look at him like this before, eyes wide and expectant, something like affection dripping from them. And now you had found someone else-

Except this was also Seonghwa, technically. One body, one mind, but two different souls. 

He just needed to find out if you were serious about this- the angel inside his body was going to leave one day. If you were doing this just to piss Seonghwa off… it was working, but you did not need to go to such extents. 

He did not want you to go to such an extent. He did not want to carry your kiss marks just anywhere- those things were meant to stay in the privacy of his house, right? He did not want to wake up with you in his arms anymore, without any memories of how you got there in the first place. He was supposed to be the one who tucked you in bed- only him. He did not want to hear the echoes of your laughter in his subconsciousness- he did not want you to laugh like that in front of just anyone. He did not want his lips to hold the whisper of your name or the taste of your skin- no one could touch you like that.

He was going to kill you. For sure. But first, he was going to block the angel out of his mind. 

Seonghwa wasn’t sure how that would work, but he tried his best to focus on what was here and what was real instead of the being inside his head. Once he arrived at your lab where he was supposed to pick you up and take you home, he asked the driver to stay, opting to find you himself. The lab was a nice place to get rid of you- he wouldn’t need to clean the mess. Your own people would clean that up for you, just like they had always wiped the evidence of your sins.

At the sight of your tired figure making a chart on the wall with the progress of your ‘angelic expulsion’ discoveries, all his resolve crumbled. 

You had a habit of making charts and calculating probabilities to visualise your learnings- whether it be about your scientific data, theoretical data or mundane things- would Seonghwa be able to kill the rival gang’s leader? Probability– 89 percent. Factors– temper, first and foremost, which affects his strategy and attack. Accounts for 11 percent though the figure may vary on how his day went. Factors– me. Am I in danger? If I am, the probability of winning increases exponentially because he won’t let a fly hurt me. If I am not… does it decrease his willpower? Check-

Seonghwa found himself smiling at the memory- you were making this effort- for him, right? Despite everything, you were trying to get the angel out of his body so he could leave you both alone, right?

You caught Seonghwa staring at you from the window and beckoned him to come inside. He entered with a huff and you frowned at his cold stance.

“What? Did the meeting not end well?” You asked.

“It went well, but it could have gone better were it not for-” Seonghwa pointed at his cheek and it took a moment to click.

“Oh,” you grinned. “Did I forget to wipe that? My bad-”

Seonghwa walked in front of you but you did not move. He peered down at you, watching you with a threatening gaze. It would have worked on others, but it didn’t work on you- not anymore.

“Have you made it your life’s mission to get back at me? This is playing dirty, Doctor.”

“Oh, so I’m ‘Doctor’ now, eh? Keeping it professional this time?” You narrowed your eyes. “Honestly, I forgot to wipe that-”

“You can’t tell me that wasn’t deliberately placed there,” Seonghwa countered.

“It was deliberately placed. Just not for you,” you patted his chest before turning away, wanting to get away from him but he grabbed your wrist and brought you right back where you were- even closer this time.

“This is not the first time, though,” Seonghwa smiled dangerously, fixing your glasses for you and tucking your hair back. “It’s a repeated offence, darling.”

It was. You were purposely trying to mess with Seonghwa, that was partly true. From making the angel try Seonghwa’s least favourite drink just before he was about to switch so there would be an aftertaste in Seonghwa’s mouth, to messing up with his appearance or clothes. Seonghwa’s patience was running out for all the right reasons. 

“Hmm, well,” you tried not to squirm under his gaze. “I’m guilty.”

“I came here planning to kill you for once and all,” Seonghwa admitted, cocking his head and watching his finger trail down the curves of your face. This wasn’t the first time you had heard this phrase, but something told you that he might actually have been considering it. “But it looks like you are making some effort. Progress, even?”

“Ah, this?” You gulped, looking at the board. “Yeah, I think I’m onto something- but there’s a catch, and… I’ll have to talk with Hwa to make sure this doesn’t end bad for any of you-”

“For any of us?” Seonghwa frowned. “You’re only supposed to care about how it ends for me. That being is an angel, he’ll make it-”

“But I want him to make it out safely,” you interrupted, trying to get a point across but Seonghwa seemed too frustrated to process it. “It would be in our best interests if the angel leaves safely-”

“Your best interest,” Seonghwa pointed his finger at you, giving in and huffing. “Not mine. It was never about me, was it?”

“You’re right, not everything is about you. Just listen to me for once, you fool,” you scolded, making him sit on a stool so you could meet his eyes properly and hopefully assert some authority. “Suppose the angel somehow gets hurt or dies. That’s going to be the end of your empire- a horrible, miserable end. We’re lucky this angel got stuck inside you and all his rage dissipated because you’re too stubborn to let the angel take control. You understand?”

“I understand everything,” Seonghwa said calmly. “I just don’t understand why you care about the angel- what is he to you, y/n?”

What was Hwa to you?

The angel who looked past the sins that covered the entirety of your heart, scratched through the darkness to find a home in your heart. The angel that burned you and hurt you with his love, shed tears for you and healed you only to put you through the pain of loving him again. The angel that wanted you to release him from the clutches of the demon that Seonghwa was, yet wished to stay and give up who he was so he could be with you.

If someone would hear that out loud, they would laugh in disbelief, but you had never craved something good and pure all your life until you met Hwa. You were content in the darkness next to Seonghwa, were you not?

“Cat got your tongue?” Seonghwa asked and you shook your head, but there was nothing else left to say. He asked you to join him in the car and you followed after a few moments with your belongings, the ride home awfully silent. 

That night, you did not join him in his room. You stayed in yours, darkness swallowing your room and you. Perhaps, if you stared long enough into the distance, you would become one with the dark. 

However, a few hours and a soft knock later, you were joined by your doom and your salvation- only you did not know which one it was thanks to the lack of light in the room. The figure plopped down next to you on the floor with a heavy sigh, his shoulders brushing with yours and you both sat in utter silence.

When his fingers brushed with yours, you almost thought it was Hwa- he must have heard your conversation, must want answers. But when he wrapped your hand in his and squeezed it with a promise, you knew it wasn’t the angel.

It was the demon- and you were no longer sure if he was your doom or your salvation. 

“This isn’t a sorry attempt at an apology, is it, Seonghwa?” You asked and you could almost hear him smile.

“I’ll be dead before you hear those words out of my mouth. You know that,” he said and you squeezed his hand back. 

A few moments of silence passed, thick with confusion and tension. You caved in and asked, “What’s going on in your head?”

“I don’t know, but the angel is asleep for once,” Seonghwa told you. “It almost feels like I’m back to who I was, except… even when the angel is asleep, I’m carrying remnants of him.”

“What does that mean?”

Seonghwa squeezed your hand in answer- this. This was unusual- sure, there was a certain extent of physical ‘affection’ between you two, if it could even be called affection. It was reserved for teasing, and in rare cases, support. 

“I don’t know why I’m here, but I am, and I don’t want to leave.”

“You love me,” you teased and he laughed a bit, but when he did not deny that, your smile fell- and for once, you were glad it was so dark. 

“You’re incapable of love, Seonghwa. I think something in you broke when you loved your other half only to let him go so soon.”

His brother- not in the biological sense, but a family nonetheless. While you and Seonghwa were reflections of each other, Hongjoong and Seonghwa had been as similar as they were different. Hongjoong was the light, pulling Seonghwa out of his darkness while Seonghwa pulled him back in. And what a pair they made, balancing each other out in every sense yet never clashing, each rotten in their own twisted ways. It had been Hongjoong’s idea to leave the orphanage and mingle with the gangs- he did not leave with you two but found you just a week later, covered in soot and blood but smiling like a free spirit.

He had freed all the kids from the orphanage that destroyed you all- the people who clipped your wings when you hadn’t even learned to walk. He freed the kids, burned the building and all the guilty parties involved- at the mercy of luck. He got the kids to another orphanage through his connections-

And when Seonghwa asked him if you could use those kids to test your drugs on, Hongjoong had shaken his head in amusement but allowed it. It was ultimately bad luck that took his life only a few years later, right before Seonghwa’s career peaked.

He had not been the same since- and you understood. Hongjoong was your friend too- you grieved with him but he never moved on. He got their nickname tattooed on his neck so he was reminded every moment of what he lost.

“I think I’ve always been like this,” Seonghwa countered. “You just need an excuse to justify my behaviour towards you.”

Well. That was also partially true.

“But you’ve always accepted me as I am,” Seonghwa continued. “Some might think you actually love me, y/n.”

“But I do,” you admitted with a whisper. “I thought you knew that by now.”

“You love the whisper of good that you think I possess, dear,” Seonghwa corrected gently. “And once I got possessed by the angel, you found an excuse to love me without harbouring any guilt in that twisted heart of yours.”

If words could tear your heart apart- this was why the truth was so harsh. You took a shuddery breath and Seonghwa caressed your hand.

“You weren’t meant to live in the dark, y/n. I pulled you in and clung to you because you were the only one who saw me for who I am. Perhaps, even a better version of who I was, though I didn’t need that.”

“That’s arguable,” you laughed a bit. “I’ve got more blood on my hands than I can ever atone for. All for what? For science? For you?”

“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing,” he teased. You both chuckled at that, knowing very well how bad it was. You let a few moments pass, clutching on to his hand and he sensed the question before you said it out loud.

“Why did you come inside the room that day, Seonghwa? Why did you try to shield me from the angel?”

Silence. Only the sound of your breaths in the room.

“To protect you, of course,” Seonghwa answered. “Because you are my weapon, and I am your shield.”

Oh, him and his words.

“Isn’t it the other way round?” You pondered out loud. “You act like my weapon sometimes too-”

“Because,” he said, almost sounding as soft as the angel. “Because I saw the angel look at you the way only I am supposed to look at you. Did he take a look into your heart? Did he find it captivating- is that why he decided to possess you? I could not let the angel taint my warrior any further, so I shielded you.” 

“Except the angel liked that,” you sighed in realisation. “The angel found your courage more attractive and got pulled towards you. 

“Yet the angel continues to taint your body,” Seonghwa clasped your hand in his. “I don’t like that. I don’t like it at all.”

Silence. The sound of your heart beats.

“There is a pureness in your heart, Seonghwa,” you concluded.  “And… there is a darkness in the angel’s heart- I’ve seen it. You balance each other just right. That is why the angel is stuck inside you, and I’m beginning to wonder if you two are beyond help now.”

Deafening silence this time.

“You will try, at least once. For me,” Seonghwa declared.

“I will try more than once for you, if it means it will work and you two will be separate entities, and-” you faltered, the whisper of the promise you made with Hwa ghosting on your lips. 

If there was a guarantee that the angel would be able to stay in the human realm after leaving this body, you would perform whatever ritual, whatever sacrifice was required. But if there was none… you would not let him leave this body.

And now with Seonghwa right next to you, you wondered if the promise you made came from your heart. Hwa made you promise that and put the words between your lips, but did you mean it? Were you really going to keep that promise? Would you risk Seonghwa’s well-being for the angel?

Or were you just caught between two utterly selfish beings, holding the key to freedom for one or the other, or none?

When you got a call from Dr. Choi in the middle of the night, asking you to check the files he had sent you and come to the lab if possible, you were glad that Hwa had not taken over tonight and you were in your own room, which meant that you could sneak out without the angel’s knowledge.

And in the middle of tiptoeing through the hall did you realise- 

Why were you wary of the angel now?

Sure, the angel had told you time and time again that you could not possibly make use of his essence- you could learn from its chemical composition if that pleased you, but he was adamant about you not experimenting with it. You understood why- working with demonic essence had been risky business and this time, there was the threat of the angel realm finding out about your work too.

However, one thing you had realised in the past few days was that the angel was a soldier at his very core. A soldier of god, bound to duty and true to his morals despite being in a human body and trying to live like one. There were still some boundaries the angel was unwilling to cross, and you were beginning to think if his righteousness was what was hindering you from making some groundbreaking discovery about the essence or if you were simply too trusting of him. 

And then there was the fact that the angel wanted you- wanted to be with you. He spent all his conscious hours by your side, looking past your sins and loving you for the person that you were at the very core. He claimed that that person was beautiful and everything he could ever have desired for. He held you as if you were fragile, kissed you as if that was the last time he would get to do so, and loved you like no human ever could. He bowed in front of you and thanked you for seeing him as something other than the being that he was. His love was burning but it was pure. 

His love was pure, but it was starting to cloud your judgement and you needed to recalibrate yourself every time you were alone.

So good timing from Dr. Choi too. You drove to the lab yourself and found him wide awake, which was odd because he liked his night sleep very much. You entered the office and asked, “I couldn’t read the notes because I decided to just come and visit. Brief me.”

“You asked me to extract and replicate any components of the angelic essence that is similar to the demonic essence, right?” Dr. Choi pulled a stool for you so you could examine the sample under the microscope. “Take a look at this.”

You gave him a sceptic look before examining the two samples in front of you. For a moment, you were confused before it clicked-

“These samples- they are existing independently, without being linked in any way to the essence as a whole, right?” 

“Bingo,” Dr. Choi smiled proudly. “Almost killed myself during the extraction process but I’ve managed to get the non-volatile compounds out of this. Similar to the demonic essence, but still different enough in its properties that experimentation seems like worth giving a shot to.”

“Even if this does not have medicinal properties,” you started to read the notes, “It can still become a different type of drug.”

“A new line of drugs- that’s the least that can come out of this. As for the medical side, we can always keep researching, right?” 

“Seonghwa’s gonna be so pleased to hear this news-”

But Hwa. 

“The angel won’t be,” Dr. Choi said out loud for you and you pursed your lips. While the doctor was not aware of the shift in your relationship with the angel, he knew very well how adamant the angel had been in not letting you conduct experimentation with his essence. “Does the angel need to know about this?”

“I mean… we could conduct our experimentation in secret. According to him, we might be under threat if we let the essence be consumed as a drug of any sort. Something about how it becomes a marker for the angels. But if we’re just experimenting and erasing any evidence of human consumption simultaneously… that shouldn't be a problem, right?”

“And technically, even if we are found by the angels or whatever, we just… die. Poof. We’re used to living under those conditions anyway- do or die.”

You shared a grin with the doctor, but could you really give him and yourself a go-ahead for human experimentation with angelic essence? 

The answer was simple- you could, and you can. This was your decision, and if it were not for the angel interfering with your work, you wouldn’t even be so cautious about making your decisions. This was not you. Were you scared of the angel’s wrath? Sure. You were scared of Seonghwa’s wrath too, it wouldn’t be any different. 

But this- this was your realm, and you set the rules here. No one- not Seonghwa, and certainly not Hwa could interfere. 

“Contact the orphanage and the prison. We’re getting busy in the coming days.”

~

People argued about what was something that made them feel alive. What sort of human experience was exciting enough to make them feel charged, have electricity buzzing through their veins and heighten their senses? 

Some called it ‘the thrill’. They searched for it in the dark pits of this world, succumbing to their desires and inevitably losing themselves, becoming as hollow as shells. While searching for a way to feel alive, they would end up losing all purpose. 

Others searched for it in human experiences- love, happiness and other emotions and feelings. They would go out seeking ‘adventure’, connecting with nature and finding meaning in the simplest things- in the creation, in everything around them, in life itself. 

You, however, might be the odd one out. You stood at the threshold, tipping between ‘the thrill’ and ‘human experiences’ constantly and finding home at that tipping point. Some might argue that you were delusional and your means of feeling alive was something that deserved a special kind of judgement to have you sent into the deepest, darkest pits of hell. Was hell not simply a concept that humans created to delude themselves? Some found ‘the thrill’ in the hell they created for themselves, while the others used hell as an excuse to shape themselves into what they imagined a human should be. 

Your means of feeling alive- you felt the most alive when you were working in your element, in your field. When you were playing with chemicals and experimenting on live subjects - or inspecting the dead. When you were performing practically, creating products and testing them, unhindered by any ethical or legal boundaries. In this lab, you were the creator, the judge and the creation. You were the action and the consequence. Here, you found both the thrill and the human experience. Here, you were truly alive. 

“Another one passes,” you watched the vitals of one of your test subjects drop significantly- nothing that could be done about it. You had fed the young adult the angelic essence and though the timespan of the reaction towards it had lengthened a bit, he went into shock soon after. You tried saving the young adult but to no avail. “Another one bites the dust.”

“The things you say sometimes,” Dr. Choi shook his head in amusement, passing you a scalpel and you carefully made a vertical incision along the subject’s upper body, grimacing at the sight of the discoloured blood. “Shit, that’s just like what happened with the demonic essence.”

“Except we’re using the same quantity- that means the angelic essence might be stronger than the demonic one. We need to dilute it further,” you decided and he agreed, continuing with the inspection of the internal organs which appeared almost burnt. 

You had been spending more time in the lab in the past few days especially at night to start testing how practical an angelic drug would be. Seonghwa was aware of your recent occupation and was also a little proud of how driven you were this time. He made sure the angel would not look into his memory too much and you both decided to keep the conversation about this topic to a minimum. Seonghwa was also taking over at night time more so he could get proper sleep, he claimed, although you wondered if it was so you could have more time working in the lab.

While the angel wondered if it was because Seonghwa wanted him to stay away from you.

Hwa had no idea of the recent developments in the lab and was only aware that you had contacted the summoner from the ritual that chained him to Seonghwa and were preparing to try another ritual, currently researching if it would be safe for the both of them. He thought that was what you were busy with during the day and was wondering if that was what occupied your thoughts when you were with him.

And if the angel was a little honest with himself… he was a little scared of what you felt for Seonghwa. 

He understood that Seonghwa was the only person in your life from the beginning, and your bond with him was something irreplaceable. He also tried to be understanding when Seonghwa started blocking his memories and consciousness actively- if the angel could do that to him, so could he. The angel had no right to complain anymore. However… what did the two of you do when the angel was out of the picture? 

Nothing, was the answer. You would work in your respective spaces, sometimes chat about something or anything. On rare occasions when one of you was feeling sentimental, you would find the other and share comfortable silence or tease each other. That was it.

However, the angel may be oblivious to some things but he was no fool, nor was he blind. Seonghwa did feel something for you that went beyond what the word ‘love’ encompassed, and if the angel was really honest with himself, that was what he was scared of. 

So at the first opportunity when Seonghwa’s defences lowered just as he was about to fall asleep, the angel violated their recent agreement and took over forcefully. 

Hwa looked around, expecting to find you in the room- weren’t you supposed to keep watch on both of them? Or had you gone to your room to rest?

The angel found himself shrugging on a robe over the black tank top that he was wearing before exiting Seonghwa’s room and going towards yours. He knocked softly and opened the door, worried about waking you up if you were asleep, but he found the room empty and your usual belongings gone. So you were not home.

And that meant you had to be at the lab. There was no place else you could be- even your car was not in the garage.

So the angel found himself outside the lab, sensing something off about the air even before he entered. He found the lab room where you usually worked with Dr. Choi empty, your belongings dispersed around the room. So where were you? 

A warning song- similar to the one he used to sing to the humans who needed a little reminder of how small and insignificant they really were in this world- started sounding in his head. The angel wasn’t sure if he was singing it or if it was being sung for him. 

He got his answer when he found you in the dark basement, the stench of blood and something rotten filling his nostrils. He froze at the sight of you- you were beautiful, lit by the dim white overhead light, but so, so tainted with blood and sin. The dead bodies all around you… the humans that were alive but silently begging to be killed. Your eyes, sparkling as you looked around, blood splattered across your scrubs. The angel looked around and his heart sank as realisation hit him-

You were experimenting with the angelic essence.

The angel saw red before his eyes before he knocked on the door. You looked up and waved at the man, your smile falling when you realised it was the angel in front of you. 

“Uh… I’ll be back,” you told Dr. Choi who told you to take your time. You were nearly done anyway and you could go home soon. 

You opened the door for the angel, his gaze unforgiving and suddenly, you were gripped with the same fear that you had felt when you first saw him.

“I forbade you to not experiment with the essence, but here you are.”

“Why are you here?” You asked and the angel raised a brow.

“Funny that this is the first thing you ask,” he commented, glancing inside the room through the slightly ajar door. “Y/n… I trusted you to keep your word.”

“Look,” you sighed, taking off your mask and cap. “I’m not doing this for the medicinal drug- you told me that it would be no use and I took your word for it.”

“Then what is this for?”

“For…” you contemplated making an excuse or lying but it was too late.  “For the drugs, Hwa. I’m just trying to see if a compound extracted from the essence can be consumed like the ones from the demonic essence are-”

“I told you not to experiment!” The angel raised his voice and you shut your eyes, exhaling. “Why do you need to make a drug out of angelic essence? Do you have any idea of the consequences if this gets out-”

“I do,” you started moving towards another room and once in some privacy, you glared at him, his features seeming sharper with the faint lights casting shadows on his angry face. 

“It’s not like I’m manufacturing the drug, Hwa. We’re far from it- I’m only studying.”

“That is how you study?” The angel pointed towards the direction of the room and scoffed. “Killing humans as if their lives mean nothing?”

You narrowed your eyes at him, folding your arms. “You know who I am. I have blood on my hands- more blood than even Seonghwa has on his. You call him a rotten excuse of a human for who he is, right? Then I’m worse. I’m a demon, and you knew it, yet you chose to love me and hold my hands as if they were a holy relic.”

The angel’s eyes flashed with hurt- of course he knew. 

“You are heartless,” he breathed out as if saying those words was hurting him. “I knew that. You are right, I knew who you were. I just thought…”

“That I would change?” You shook your head. “You thought that I would become a better person? Well, this is who I am, angel. This is what my life is. You asked me not to experiment with the essence, but you know that my heart’s deepest desire is to create more advanced drugs. You can’t stop me from doing anything to get there.”

“That is what my word means to you,” his expressions shifted from hurt to anger. “That is what my love means to you. You heartless devil. You and Seonghwa really were made for each other.”

“I may be heartless but you’re naive, and don’t think for a moment that you have any control over me, angel,” you spat the words, taking a few steps towards him for emphasis. “And you- you’re a liar. You told me that we could not get anywhere with the essence. You said you could not lie.”

The angel’s eyes almost glowed with the whirlwind of emotions that he was feeling, and your pointed finger in his face wasn’t making things better. He curled your finger back into your fist and held it in his hand, his touch physically burning you and you snatched your hand away with a yelp.

“Angels cannot lie, but they can hide the truth.”

A wave of anger washed over you and you looked at him in disbelief. “What other truths are you hiding from me? You know how to get out of this body, don’t you? Are you staying back on purpose? Are you not letting go of this body on purpose, Hwa?”

“You asked me to stay,” he smiled and you thought there was something sinister about his smile, especially as he started tucking your hair back and lightly caressing your face. “You think I am a liar, my love?” 

You shook your head, nothing making sense anymore. “Just tell me if you know how to get out of this body without hurting Seonghwa.”

“I am neither lying nor hiding the truth about this. I do not know how to get out of this body.”

“Is that the complete truth?” You dared to ask and the angel didn’t answer, holding your hurt hand and saying his prayers before starting to kiss it wherever it was burned. Tears of frustration started stinging your eyes and you looked away from his burning gaze. 

“Do you hate me?” The angel asked with a cautious voice and you did not respond. 

It shifted something in the angel, perhaps indefinitely. 

“Do not ever look away when I look at you,” he commanded, his voice settling in your bones and you felt as if you were almost compelled to meet his eyes. His face was void of expressions, gaze dark and he cupped your face, making you shut your eyes in pain when his touch started singing your skin but the angel did not care- he was far too gone in that moment. He moved closer, your bodies flush against each other and he trailed his lips along your forehead, peppering kisses along the way and then he kissed your wet lids, drawing back.

“Look at me,” he commanded again and you opened your eyes. You were frozen in place- not because you were scared, but because you simply could not believe that the angel was hurting you like this, his hands moving to your neck, wrists and any bare skin he could find, imprinting his touch in the form of light burns. He moved to kiss your cheek, licking the tears away and your breath quickened-

His love was pure, but this? This wasn’t who the angel was. 

Or were you just now getting to see the true face of the angel?

As he continued to kiss your neck and leave more singes on your skin, your body responded almost automatically and you curled into his figure, shuddering. You recalled reading something about angels and fallen angels in a book– it said something about how the angels were just god’s warriors, hollow at their core, one of their wings marred with blood for eternity. You asked Hwa what really was the difference between an angel and a fallen angel at their very core, and he did not have an answer-

Was it because he was also someone like you, struggling to stand on the threshold between being an angel or becoming a fallen angel?

What sort of an angel would hurt their human like this? 

And how did this angel go from crying because his touch burned you to purposely burning you? Maybe this was your fault too- you let his love burn and consume you. You were no better.

“I am violating the core of who I am in loving you,” the angel whispered in your ear, his hair tickling your cheekbone. “Do not take advantage of that… little bird.”

“Let me go,” you cupped his face, looking straight into his eyes, the name he called you finally giving you some clarity. “Let Seonghwa take over- please.”

“No,” he shook his head. “You can’t ask me to go now-”

“You’re hurting me,” you said and it was as if he could finally see the redness all over your skin. “Go, angel. Give me Seonghwa back.”

The angel’s eyes flickered with hurt, his eyes travelling all over the places that he burned you and it was as if he finally broke from his trance- he muttered a prayer and started peppering light kisses all over your face wherever his touch had burned you, his heart aching as he saw the fresh stream of tears roll down your face. Before he could do something about your neck or your hands, you drew away.

“Please, that’s enough for now,” you hardened your gaze. “We will talk later, when you are in your right mind. Let Seonghwa take over.”

“Oh, heavens above,” he sighed, ashamed of his actions and silently cursing himself. “I hurt you too much-”

“It’s-” you paused before you could finish saying the sentence.

It was not okay. You wouldn’t be telling him that it was okay to hurt you ever again.

Before you could say anything else, the angel groaned uncharacteristically and you watched as the shift happened, visible in the demeanour change, except-

Seonghwa took one look at you and almost lost his footing, struggling to stand as he clutched at the table. You reacted immediately, making him sit on a stool and asking him if he was alright, but he only held your hands with his own shaky ones and hid his face between them.

“Seonghwa?” Your voice came out in a small whisper- you had never seen him so weak. He wasn’t crying but he very well might have been with the way his body was trembling and he was breathing unsteadily.

“Talk to me, Seonghwa,” you urged, “What’s wrong?”

“I…” he sighed heavily, looking up at you with tired eyes, the rage obvious behind them. “I fought for consciousness the moment I heard you cry. Who hurt you?”

You.

“It’s the angel, isn’t it?” He examined your hands, trembling with the intensity of emotions that he was feeling- perhaps, a leftover product from the angel too. “He hurt you.”

“Seonghwa,” you sat down in front of him, on your knees. “I’m okay. It’s going to be okay-”

“It’s not,” he shook his head adamantly. “You have no idea how much I’m struggling to not let the angel swallow me whole- I’m scared to think of what would have happened if the angel lost all control just now.”

You silently shook at the thought and he caressed your hands before continuing.

“Sometimes, it feels like if he takes over my consciousness, I will get lost in the dark pits of my own subconscious forever. But now… I realise why  I’m sometimes hesitant to regain consciousness too. Because-”

He looked at your marred hands, caressing the burn marks on them lightly. “Do you know what I’m afraid of, y/n?”

You shook your head. “You’re afraid of nothing, as far as I know.”

Seonghwa smiled tiredly. “You’re right. I am afraid of nothing- I was afraid of nothing. But now… I’m afraid of seeing these burn marks on your skin whenever I wake up. How could you let him hurt you like this? You were supposed to be my warrior.”

“And you were supposed to be my shield,” you smiled sadly. “When you’re not there… I get burned.”

Seonghwa looked down, unable to meet your eyes. “This is what I’m afraid of. Hurting you and watching you love the very thing that hurts you. I’ve never been afraid of anything in my life but now… I’m afraid of losing you like this, y/n.”

Seonghwa. The most notorious mafia lord with no such thing as a ‘heart’ was afraid of losing you. Afraid of hurting you and seeing you hurt. Was this not what pure love was supposed to be, as opposed to your angel Hwa’s, who had better things to worry about?

You once asked the angel what he was scared of- other than the obvious. He talked about punishment. He was afraid of doing the very deeds that he would be sent to give punishment for. He was afraid of divine intervention- it was something that was scary to witness even as the audience. He was afraid of the future, of this world and its corrupt nature. 

And the angel was afraid of loving you only to lose you.

Was Seonghwa’s love for you not purer than the angel’s love, then? Seonghwa would go to hell and back for you. Seonghwa bowed down only in front of you- you, who were a part of him, a part of his soul, he would sometimes call you. 

The angel would only bow in front of god.

“You won’t lose me,” you promised though the words were of no comfort to both of you. Overcome by his emotions and some hard truths about what his future looked like, he brought your hands closer with his own shaky ones and pressed a promising kiss on both your hands. When you shifted to hold his hands instead and tried to make him look at you, he shut his eyes.

He could not look at you. Not now.

“Seonghwa,” you called, lifting yourself up a little so you could be at eye level. “Won’t you look at me?”

He only lowered his head further and you embraced him, sighing in relief when he shifted so he could hug you back properly. You let him come to terms with whatever he was feeling- he wasn’t going to talk about it but at least you could help him through it. You caressed his head without a fear of getting hurt for once, and he mustered up the courage to kiss you on the cheek.

You froze momentarily- Seonghwa rarely ever kissed you anywhere except the top of your head (that was his form of silently apologising). He nudged your cheek with the tip of his nose, his warm breath caressing your skin and you moved back slightly, making the mistake of looking him in the eyes-

You had asked for it, though. And now that he was looking at you, so close, you forgot how to breathe.

His hand went around the back of your neck, craning it so that he could make space for himself. He joined your foreheads, taking a deep breath.

“I won’t let the angel ever hurt you again. That’s a promise, okay?” He whispered and you nodded, your noses brushing against each other. He shut his eyes, brows furrowed in concentration as he deliberately nudged the tip of his nose with yours, your lips almost brushing in the process but the ghost of his lips remained on yours.

You whispered his name- a call, a plea, and he almost gave in, reminded of the memories of kissing you that he had seen flashes of from the angel’s memory- oh, how he wanted to kiss those lips himself. He felt a sharp pain in the head slice at him, a reprimand from the angel, a warning. Seonghwa brushed his lips against yours once again just to piss the angel off before drawing back with immense effort, kissing your forehead instead. 

Your figure sagged in disappointment, tired from the yearning. You rested your head in his lap and gave yourself a few moments to recollect your thoughts. 

You would not question Seonghwa and his actions anymore. You knew exactly what was happening. You knew what you had to do now.

There is always a moment in your life when it feels like you’ve had an awakening- as if all this time, you had been wearing the wrong pair of prescription glasses, or not wearing anything to help your blurred vision. So when you finally fix the problem, or realise what the root of all your troubles is, you start to see the world with a sudden clarity. Everything seems sharper, you can see the fine lines that you would otherwise have missed, and it’s like you have a new perspective to the world, even.

At least, that’s how you feel as you perch your reading glasses up your nose bridge, craning your neck to the right and flipping through the pages of a dark arts history book, recalling that you had read something in it which seemed to be connected to the current theory you were working on-

The theory being that angels were, in fact, worse liars than demons. Demons had a habit of being overtly honest- the only problem was that they were tricksters and spun their words such that it would be hard to unravel the truth from. Angels, however, were outright liars in the sense that they would conceal the truth and mislead you by not telling you the complete truth.

At least, that’s who Hwa was. 

You spent the first couple of days trying not to have a mental breakdown and asking both Hwa and Seonghwa to leave you alone while you figured out your feelings for them but more importantly- just how much the angel had misled you? Was there anything he said about the angelic essence and its experimentation that was the complete truth? So far, there had been no warning siren ringing to inform you of some divine punishment. The heavens had not fallen over your head. You were just fine, and you were pretty sure that your experimenting was enough of a marker for the other angels. Why was no divine being interfering then?

And just what was the truth about the angel not knowing how to leave this body? Was he not leaving on purpose, a selfish angel who simply wanted to experience what it was like to not be a warrior of god? Was he staying because of you? Did he really love you or was that just an excuse to stay back in this world and delay going back to his own?

Because he did love you- oh, how he loved you. His love threatened to consume you whole with the way he held you like you were fragile and would break under his touch, contrasting with the way his touch would sometimes burn you when he was overwhelmed. His kisses were overflowing with emotions, a pure exhibit of his desire while holding a dark, almost sinister undertone to them when he would grip you tightly as if forgetting you were human. His whispers contained promises in a foreign language that you did not need to interpret- his vows were clear in his eyes and his possessive hold. 

His love also threatened to break you in the way that a trapped bird was scared of stepping outside its cage for the first time. It was Hwa who made you experience what being normal would have felt like, were you not bound to Seonghwa and his drug business. You experienced so many of your firsts with Hwa and it was him who showed you what a normal life could have been like- you did so much with him that you could have never done with Seonghwa. Seonghwa had only given you limited freedom and while you did not hate that, you always wished to spread your wings and fly.

Maybe you flew too close to the sun. Perhaps, that’s why you were burning both from outside and from within. Maybe you were meant to love the moon but the moon liked to hide behind the clouds so you chose the next best thing. You had to fill the void in your heart somehow, and who better to fill it than a literal divine being that wore the skin of the man you had loved your whole life?

You were the only selfish one here, but selfishness had always been your greatest weapon and you would be sure to make use of it when the time would come. For now, you were coming to terms with how Hwa and Seonghwa were also selfish for their own reasons- Hwa, because he did not want to face the consequences of his actions and Seonghwa because he simply wanted to be free and whole again. He would probably kill you once he was- it didn’t feel like a bluff anymore. 

However, there was also another hard truth about all of this, and that was that Hwa would give you up in a second for ‘the greater good’ or whatever moral code he needed to satisfy in order to please God and his fellow angels and get back to his realm if caught. You wanted to tell him that as an angel, perhaps he had sinned too much and if he ever went back, they would probably clip his wings and turn him into a fallen angel. You wanted to claw at him and make him stay with you forever simply because you could. 

And the only reason you weren’t making him stay was because Seonghwa was the one who would burn down all of this world- the heavens above and hell below- for you. It might be out of love or out of a desire to prove that you were ultimately his, a dangerous obsession, but you were his priority. And you couldn’t help but wonder what things would have been like if he had kissed you that night in the lab and finally faced his feelings for you- though a part of you wondered if his feelings for you were partly because of the angel rubbing off on him.

So it was no wonder that you were losing your mind trying to put the feelings aside and work on finding a solution to this cursed turn of events. Now that you had an objective perspective (still arguable), you were realising that the divine punishment the angel was so afraid of might only be reserved for the angel himself. Perhaps, the human would be spared from it until it was their time to die and face judgement by their creator. It made sense because there were absolutely no instances of an angel summoning ever recorded.

Demons liked to be summoned, which was why there were countless records of it. Angels were summoned by force, though. You surely were not the first person in this world who had summoned an angel but you might make a difference if you recorded this summoning. That made you wonder- was it the recording part that was the problem or were the humans involved really wiped out if they interacted with angels?

If the latter was the case, you would have faced judgement a while ago- when you summoned the angel. Surely, other angels must have heard the call too. They would have intervened when their comrade got stuck inside a human or fell in love with one. Maybe the angels only interfered to make sure no traces were left of an angel summoning- that way, Hwa’s admission of the angelic essence leaving a trace and serving as a marker would be verified. 

Whatever it was, the matter was in your hands now. So far, you had a few ideas- that you could use the angelic essence to lure the angels and face judgement- whatever it was, however it would be delivered. Chances were that only Hwa would have to face the consequences and while it broke your heart, you were sure the angels would at least wipe your memories to ensure another incident like this does not happen again. If your memories were wiped, you would not remember Hwa. That was probably the most risky route you could pick considering the angels could just kill you and Seonghwa and move on. You did not want to die just yet- at least not for Hwa. 

Another idea was to try and attempt a reverse summoning ritual, which was a very theoretical concept with no specific details and no attempts recorded. For that, you needed an anchor in the realm that the being concerned was from, and you had no such anchor. Again, you could not risk involving another angel. 

If you were the only one who could put an end to this, your resources were very limited. All you had was your drugs and your lab and-

Your train of thoughts was interrupted by a soft knock on the door and the door opened to reveal Seonghwa- as soon as you met the man’s curious eyes, you knew it was Hwa instead. 

“You’ve been holed up in here for hours now,” his concerned voice said. “Come on, let’s get some fresh air.”

“Ahh, but I think I was almost there,” you straightened your back and stretched your arms, producing cracks. “Or not. Nothing makes sense.”

“That’s okay,” Hwa smiled. “Maybe some fresh air and a meal will help. When you get too focused on something, it’s good to reel back and change your environment.”

“You’re right, actually,” you got up, shutting your devices but letting the books and notes stay as they were. “I’ll join you after I freshen up.”

“Great- wear a coat. We’ll go eat something outside.”

“Someone is in a good mood today,” you eyed the angel with suspicion but he only raised his hands in the air, pressing his lips in a tight line.

“You know I’m still making it up to you. After what I did- I still feel ashamed.”

You frowned at that- you knew the angel was making an effort to be better. He had apologised until you got sick of it and warned him not to. He resorted to giving you space when you wanted but also trying to make you feel better- asking you before he touched you in any way, making sure you ate your meals and weren’t pushing yourself too hard. He could finally understand why you wanted him and Seonghwa to be two separate entities and for once, he was cooperating.

Another change you had noticed was that Hwa was starting to sound a lot like Seonghwa- in his speech, and often in his mannerism. It was unnerving but you were holding yourself back from complaining, focusing all your energy on finding the answer to this.

But for now, you supposed you could take a breather. You slipped on a black overcoat over your sweats and joined Hwa in the garage, deciding to get some ramen from the convenience store. You fell in step with him, walking down the dark streets of your posh society, lit by the full moon and the streetlights, and talking about what you had learned so far- specifically about demons. He was always willing to verify your facts on that subject.

On the way back, when he offered you his hand, you smiled and took it and he proceeded to tuck your hands in his pocket, making you shake your head. 

“Have you been watching dramas, Hwa?”

“I was bored,” he went as far as to pout. “Those dramas are interesting. I’m learning a lot.”

“No wonder. You’ve been speaking casually,” you pointed out and he frowned.

“Have I?”

“Yeah, you sound like Seonghwa when he’s in a good mood,” you joked and he scoffed.

“I shall go back to the formal tone then. Perhaps you like that more?” 

“I don’t mind either way,” you grinned. “Your formal tone makes you sound a little pompous, if I’m honest.”

“Noted,” he nodded in all seriousness and you squeezed his hand as you chuckled. He glanced at you with curiosity to voice a question that had been on the tip of his tongue all along, “Did you find something worthwhile today?”

You glanced back at him, gauging his expressions. “Not really. It’s too risky if we get a third party involved, whether it's another angel or humans.”

You didn’t miss how his shoulders slightly relaxed as if he had been tense all this time. He looked up at the sky, taking a deep breath. “If you want me to help, all you have to do is ask.”

“I know,” you swallowed the bitterness his words left in your mouth and covered it with a grateful smile- the trust he had broken in admitting that he had, in fact, lied to you had still not mended. You weren’t going to show a hint of doubt because you were scared of what Hwa would do once he learned that you were willing to let him go- even if that meant letting him go forever.

So for good measure, you stood on your tiptoes to peck his cheek, trying not to break into a grin when he let out a flustered sound. He quickly recovered from it and took it as his cue to wrap his arms around your waist and bring you in for a kiss, sweet and sure. 

That was the easiest way to assure the angel that you weren’t planning something devious. There was an itch in your brain and you wanted to talk to Seonghwa before you would ever dare to attempt it. However, before that, you had to make sure the angel felt loved and safe with you- only then would he allow you to have some privacy with Seonghwa.

So you were glad the angel was still holding some guilt in his heart that was preventing him from having a heated session with you. You would rub it in his face by appearing scared or hesitant, sometimes succumbing to your own desires but keeping it restrained nonetheless- just like tonight. You had observed how the angel was especially demanding whenever you were researching on how to get Seonghwa back to normal. 

Even now, as soon as you were back in your room, he was bringing your body flush to his to kiss you deeply. You had to admit that Hwa still made your knees weak and made you give in instantly, especially the way he was taking special care to not let you burn anymore. It still happened sometimes, but not like that night in the lab when he had lost control.

And it was ironically the angel’s glowing eyes that led you to your answer, a wave of understanding washing over you as the dots started to connect in your head. You zoned out as the angel finished healing your burns, his eyes going back to normal as he caught your gaze and raised his brow in question to your surprised expressions.

“Everything good?” He asked, caressing your cheek.

“Perfect,” you smiled, hoping it didn’t look like a smirk. “Everything is perfect.”

The angel patted your cheek, checking the time. “I should let Seonghwa take over soon. If you need me, I’ll be here, okay?”

“Of course,” you assured him. “I’m just gonna wrap this up and get some sleep. I think the lack of sleep is not helping me find answers.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying all along,” Hwa laughed and you played along until he left the room. Finally realising what Archimedes must have felt when he had his own eureka moment, you rushed towards your notes- not the research material, not the history and dark arts books but your notes from the lab placed safely in a locker. 

It could work. Dr. Choi had already unintentionally worked out the logistics of it and was writing a paper on it while he worked to make his research stronger. He was thinking of possible titles and had been rambling about how he wanted to include the phrase ‘angels vs demons’ in it. You were surprised it didn’t click earlier.

You needed to tell Seonghwa- if he was willing to try it, you would reach out to Dr. Choi and work with him. 

You collected yourself and went to Seonghwa’s room, standing outside with your heart pounding uncharacteristically, about to knock when he opened the door, sucking in a breath when he found you right in front of him. 

“I was going to come to your room,” he scanned your face, frowning at the sombreness in your eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s you, right? Seonghwa?” You asked cautiously and Seonghwa nodded thrice- a code to let you know that the angel was nowhere near. He let you inside and you shut the door, facing him.

“I think I’ve found the answer,” you told him in a whisper. “But it’s risky, and I’m scared to try it.”

Seonghwa rubbed his face, tiredness evident in the way his shoulders seemed to be slouching. His hand settled on his neck over the tattoo that was visible from the black pyjamas. “Every method is risky. What do you feel about this?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted. “It could work. It’s scientific this time, I’ll tell you,” you shared a cryptic look and he understood. “No third party involved.”

“Has the time finally come?” Seonghwa joked with a faint smile on his lips. “You always said you would love to make me a lab rat one day.”

Your lips quirked in amusement and you looked sideways. “Didn’t imagine it would be this serious. I imagined it to be a prank or something. Old me would be ecstatic to learn that I get to tie you to my stretcher.”

“How kinky,” he scoffed and you shot him a glare- this was serious for you and you knew he was trying to keep the mood light for you. 

A moment of silence later, he asked, “What do I need to do?”

You leaned against the door, your hands tucked between your back and the door. Oh, how you wished you could hold him and tell him exactly what he needed to do. How you wished you could turn back time so you were back at the office insisting Seonghwa let you try angel summoning, only this time he tells you off. It was funny how meeting Hwa, the angel, was both something you never wanted to forget and something you wished you had never experienced.

It made your yearning for Seonghwa so much stronger. Perhaps, Seonghwa could feel it in the air- the words you refused to say, the actions you refused to make.  

“Say something, y/n,” he furrowed his brows much like the angel yet so different, demanding. True to Seonghwa’s nature. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Does it bother you when I look at you like that?” You asked. 

There was a feeling in your gut, strange but so very familiar. Impending doom. A sign that you might never get a moment like this again. You always trust your gut, but actually listening to it was a different subject. No wonder you were here right now.

“Don’t avoid my question,” Seonghwa folded his arms but you shook your head, waiting for an answer anyway. Seonghwa took a deep breath, the small distance between your figures not helping with the lack of clarity in his head. 

“Answer my question and I’ll answer yours,” you repeated a phrase you had often used on him, shooting a teasing smile in his direction before letting your eyes wander around the room- anywhere away from his eyes.

“Does it bother me when you look at me like that?” Seonghwa repeated your question, grabbing your attention. “Of course it does. You look at the angel like that-”

“I’ve only ever looked at you like that, Seonghwa,” you sighed heavily. “You were just too blind to notice until you watched me from someone else’s eyes.”

Seonghwa’s heart did break at your admission. 

Having to cohabitate with another being- an angel, specifically, had made him realise quite a few things. In the beginning, it was along the lines of how he never wanted to be a ‘good’ person if the angel was the example of that. The angel was dark at its core, though it wasn’t the type of dark people used to describe humans. It was different- otherworldly and all-consuming. The angel was fighting his own demons, and Seonghwa was fine embracing his demons instead.

However, as time passed, his heart softened despite himself. It would be an excuse to say that the angel had rubbed off on him- his perspective had simply shifted because he saw you and the world from an almost omniscient point of view. While his values had not changed, he had learned the value of the people who cared for him- especially you, who always stuck with him even when he did his worst. He didn’t care if it was simply an obsession anymore- he had seen what obsession looked like through Hwa’s eyes.

Your feelings for him, and his for yours… it was something the angel could never have and Seonghwa was fucking glad about it. He may have let the angel stop him from confessing his love multiple times but if this was the last time he was going to hold you close… he would risk angering the angel. 

“Answer my question,” Seonghwa asked, his voice uncharacteristically wavering. You smiled sadly.

“All you need to do, Seonghwa, is promise that you will try to fight and that you will win. That you will stay- for yourself, for the empire you have built… for the sacrifices you made and the people you lost on the way,” you paused, your gaze falling on his tattoo. “And for me. Because I’m your weapon and you are my shield, and I cannot navigate this world without your protection.”

“I thought you hated how protective I was,” Seonghwa’s lips started curling into a smile, his eyes twinkling with energy as he stepped closer. “I made you a warrior, y/n. If anything happens to me, I trust you to continue my legacy-”

“You made me a warrior, Seonghwa, but I’m tired of this battle,” you declared, an angry streak in your voice. “Nothing will happen to you. I- I will make sure of that. You just have to stay strong and fight.”

“Even if I’m afraid of the unknown?” Seonghwa inquired, placing his hands on your shoulders and caressing the bare skin of your neck.

“The Seonghwa I love isn’t afraid of the unknown,” you reminded him and he locked eyes with you. “He’s afraid of… what was it? Hurting me? Watching me love what hurts me-”

“Sweetheart,” Seonghwa warned, shaking his head but you laughed out loud, curling your hands around his wrists and holding his hands like he had held yours at the lab.

“Seeing burn marks on my hands?” You teased. “How sweet. Afraid of losing me- how romantic, Park Seonghwa.”

Seonghwa glared at you, clenching and unclenching his jaw. “Kind of regret saying that. If I had known you would hold that over me-”

“I’m holding that over you,” you gently interjected, “so you know that you won’t have to be afraid of anything when you come back.”

Seonghwa looked down at your linked hands, taking a few deep breaths and nodding slowly not only because you were right but also because he had learnt another lesson- that it was okay to love someone. Loving someone didn’t always result in losing them. After his friend Hongjoong’s death, he had grown so cold towards you, pushing you and his feelings for you away, tucking them in the deepest corner of his heart. He was lucky you never gave up on him and made him realise that loving someone wasn’t a weakness but a strength.

A reason for him to fight back against the angel. A real reason, not the materialistic ones- he could build an empire again if he had to, but he could not risk losing you. 

“You’re the worst thing that has ever happened to me,” Seonghwa looked at you, watching your lips curl into a smirk. “You devil.”

“Yeah, well,” you took one step closer, looking up at him, daring him to say more. “You’re still here, so.”

Seonghwa stared at you challengingly, a smirk growing on his own lips as he crowded your personal space until your back was against the door. You didn’t shy away, the tension in the air so thick you could feel it caressing your skin along with Seonghwa’s fingers that danced against your collarbone, travelling up the slope of your neck to swipe at your parted lips, his gaze stuck right there. 

“Don’t you ever get enough?” He finally asked what had been bothering him the most. How could you use him to satisfy yourself? Sure, maybe you liked the angel, but he would bet his life that it wasn’t the only reason. 

“It isn’t you,” you simply answered. “It’s so different. I thought it’d be the same, but by then, it was too late, and now-”

Seonghwa put a finger on your lips to shush you- even though the angel was still dormant, he already knew what you were going to say.

And when you puckered your lips against his finger to kiss it, he wished the angel would die and never come back. He leaned in hurriedly, stopping right as your noses brushed, eliciting a gasp from your mouth. 

“When are you doing it?” He asked, referring to your plan.

“Tonight,” you whispered in response, joining your foreheads and nudging his nose affectionately. “I can’t risk him finding out. Keep him at bay tonight, please.”

“If I don’t lose my mind,” Seonghwa whispered, brushing his lips against yours and tightening his grip around your waist. Craning your neck, he brought you in for the long overdue kiss, soft but strong, making your legs go weak and your arms go around his shoulders for support. He drew back to drink your expressions before diving right back in, this time unhurried but demanding, groaning with pleasure in between. When his tongue swiped your lips, you gladly opened your mouth for him, losing yourself in the overwhelming feelings of the love of your life finally caving in to you.

Not once did the angel cross your mind- not when Seonghwa kissed you softly, not when he held you like you would break, and certainly not when he let his desire fuel him as things heated up. You were soon shifted to the bed, Seonghwa promising you that he would make the most of tonight, apologising (for once) for not doing this earlier, holding on to your word when you assured him that you would somehow make this work and set him free. 

You let his touch burn you in a way the angel’s had never- searing passion as opposed to a warning. You let your hands run through his hair without a worry, and let his hair tickle your bare skin as he shed the clothes off you. You let him obsess over you and lose control without the fear of getting hurt- yes, Seonghwa could hurt you in ways no one could but he would never hurt you like the angel had. Seonghwa let his desperation and emotions get the better of him tonight, feeling a sense of relief when he was finally one with you.

And only when you spotted the rays of the sun peak through the curtains, having spent all night in his arms, did you move away from his half asleep body to grab something. He peeked up and you smiled, snuggling into his body once again and sharing one last kiss, whispering confessions to each other. You hugged him after, letting your breathing synchronise with his and memorising the feeling.

And then you injected the tranquilliser into his neck, whispering sweet nothings and peppering kisses on his skin until he lost consciousness.

You had been with Seonghwa in the restricted section in the basement of your lab a few times. 

Most of the time, he turned up there because he could not reach you- you had a habit of forgetting that time was an actual flowing thing and it did not stop still when you were in a certain headspace- which was experimenting with live subjects. He would watch you from the window, shaking his head at the monster he had created while his heart would simultaneously swell with pride. He would wait until you took a breather and knock on the window to get your attention.

A few times, you brought him to that section yourself, updating him on your progress. One thing you liked about Seonghwa was that he may not be the brains behind your drug production but he was fully involved in it, making note of whatever you needed and making sure you were safe here. He liked to be aware of whatever was going on as well.

However, never did you imagine that he would be your next test subject, tied to the stretcher and looking paler in the harsh white lights that lit up the room. He lay unconscious while you monitored his vitals and made sure the demonic essence being administered to him was not overpowering or harmful in any way other than expelling the angel. 

You had a theory that the demonic essence could cancel every ‘impurity’ in the body to dominate as the only ‘impure’ or foreign object in the host. While working on this theory with Dr. Choi a few months ago, before you had ever summoned the angel, you had conducted an autopsy on your test subjects who had died because of the demonic drug. You noted that some of them who had underlying conditions and defects prior to overdose no longer had any defects in their body after death. It was as if the demonic drug had ‘healed’ them first before taking the spot for the sole cause of their death. A true parasitic drug, fighting for dominance to take over its host.

And if it were a demon against an angel… who would win? 

You were hoping that the angel would be expelled from Seonghwa’s body, which would be the best outcome. You would quickly have to inject the angelic essence in Seonghwa’s body at that point to cancel the demonic essence- Dr. Choi and you had worked on it when you put Seonghwa in a comatose state, testing what amount of angelic essence was required to cancel out the demonic one.

In the worst case scenario though, one of them- or both- would die. According to Seonghwa, the angel was already eating away at his soul and it was a struggle for him to continue cohabitating in one body. The angel was powerful and stubborn. It wouldn’t give up so easily, so you would just have to pray that your plan would work and end well for all of you. This was your last and only resort. 

Seonghwa’s body had started shaking a while ago, presumably when the battle between the angel and the demon began. You were constantly wiping sweat from his body and adjusting the drip, sometimes giving in and squeezing his hand as if to assure both Seonghwa and Hwa that you were here and that you were sorry for doing this to them. As more time passed, his body started to tremble fiercely and you tightened the clasps on his wrists and arms, not sure if they would be able to withhold. 

With the damned book that brought the angel to your world resting against Seonghwa’s chest and the holy sword in one hand- tip soaked in wine but not ablaze- you started reading the section of the scripture that contained the angel’s name, Seonghwa’s eyes fluttering open when you repeated it for the third time.

“Hwa?” You asked cautiously, glancing at Dr. Choi who stood near you with the angelic essence vial in one hand and a lighter in the other. You squeezed his limp hand, making him look at you.

“Why did you call me?” He asked, tone as sombre as the first day he saw you. “What are you doing- what is happening?”

“You have to leave this body, angel,” you wiped the tear that rolled down his face. “Go back to your realm for now- just leave-”

You paused when he squeezed his eyes shut, your words eliciting a deep, pained groan out of his mouth. Dr. Choi recognised your signal and set the tip of the sword on fire and the two of you held its hilt, hoping the angel would not possess one of you if it exited the body. You checked the monitor- Seonghwa’s vitals were starting to drop which meant the demonic essence must be working with full force on his body now.

You took the angelic essence vial from the doctor and clutched it in your fist, moving to whisper in Seonghwa’s ear, calling Seonghwa’s name and reminding him of his promise- you have to come back. You have to fight back- you are my shield and I am your weapon, and I am fighting for you. I cannot navigate this world without your protection.

You did not know if it was Seonghwa or Hwa who turned his face so his lips met your cheeks, a confession and a promise tumbling from his mouth. You looked up to meet his eyes but he shut them and fell still. 

Muttering a prayer to any deity who was listening, you poured the contents of the vial in Seonghwa’s mouth, Dr. Choi’s hand on your shoulder squeezing it reassuringly. The sound of your sniffles and the crackling of fire was the only sound in the room for a few minutes before Seonghwa sucked in a sharp breath and his eyes opened- unglowing. 

“Seonghwa,” you breathed, holding your breath as you handed the sword to Dr. Choi and moved to cup his face, checking the vitals on the monitor before turning your full attention to him. He was already looking at you with a dazed look and you locked eyes with him, waiting for his touch to burn you as you caressed his hair, but nothing happened.

You were okay.

“Seonghwa?” You asked cautiously again. “It’s you, right? Tell me it’s you, please.”

Seonghwa gulped, his mouth awfully dry but he managed to move his head in a nod and the wave of exhaustion finally caught up to you, making your legs go weak as you slumped against his body, resting your head on his chest to catch your breath. Dr. Choi moved around and did the work, untying Seonghwa’s limbs and making sure he was responsive, taking some bloodwork and checking to see if there was anything amiss.

“There are still remainders of both the demonic essence and angelic essence in his body,” he said as he observed the blood. “But I think we’ve done what we could have. It will take a while for him to recover so we can continue to monitor him-”

“I’m fine,” Seonghwa insisted and you stifled a grin, looking up at him. “I’m done being the lab rat.”

Dr. Choi smiled. “Welcome back, Sir.”

Seonghwa shot a glare in his direction as he shifted into a sitting position, ignoring his chuckles and looking at you.

“What did you do?”

“Tried to expel the angel out of your body,” you linked your hands and he squeezed them. “It’s… happened, right? Can you feel him anywhere?”

“Not really,” he scratched the back of his neck, thinking. “This could have gone wrong.”

“Obviously. It could have gone very wrong,” you shuddered at the thought. “But I had to take a chance. Hwa was taking over your consciousness with each passing day, and as much as I loved the angel, I couldn’t let him do that to you.”

Seonghwa regarded your expressions, nodding. “And what if the angel ended up taking over?”

You pursed your lips and shrugged. “I think he would have probably killed me for hiding everything from him. I was prepared for that too-” you looked at your side where the sword now stood in the bucket, the fire doused. 

“Anyways, the important thing is that you’re back, Seonghwa,” you smiled wholeheartedly. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Seonghwa smiled back though it didn’t quite meet his eyes. He kissed the back of your hand before letting you go, watching your body move with a newfound energy as you wrapped up everything in the lab, asking Dr. Choi to get some rest as well. 

Once back at home, having washed up and eaten a hearty meal, you took Seonghwa to his room and held his hands, locking eyes with him. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” You asked, scanning his face.

“Just tired, and you know how there’s still the after effects,” Seonghwa muttered, sighing. “I’ll be fine.”

“If you’re angry at me, now is the time to take it out,” you teased. “Though you knew very well what you were getting into.”

“I’m not,” he scoffed, amused. “Well, I am but not because of this,” he corrected. “But I think I’ve learned to let the anger go now. There’s a reason for everything that happens, and for the decisions we make.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Looks like Hwa’s still inside you.”

“What?”

“There’s no way you said that,” you teased, “You don’t compromise to understand other people- you do what you want.”

“Yeah, well,” Seonghwa shrugged. “The angel must have rubbed off on me.”

You smiled and Seonghwa noted the weariness in your eyes. “Will you… miss the angel?”

“I will… of course I will,” you admitted, looking sideways. “I just hope he’s okay. Can you tell what happened to him? Did he get out or… did he get hurt?”

“He got hurt,” Seonghwa confirmed and you pressed your lips, taking a deep breath to keep the tears at bay. “I don’t think he made it, y/n. I can’t tell for sure right now, but it’s not looking good.”

You nodded, squeezing his hands and he moved to embrace you. There were no tears left to cry. You simply clutched onto him and let him calm you down. He let go with a kiss to your forehead.

“Everything will be okay,” he promised and you nodded.

Everything was going to be okay.

“Love, can you hand me the cinnamon powder?” Seonghwa asked, far too focused on the plating of his latest creation even though you were going to devour it in seconds. You told him exactly that as he sprinkled some on the pancakes, making sure the strawberries were set before drizzling chocolate over them. 

“Perfect,” his eyes twinkled with the sort of gleam you used to see only when he was about to take someone’s life.

How the tables had turned.

“It’s just breakfast, Seonghwa, it doesn’t have to be that serious-”

“Shh,” he waved a hand in dismissal. “We need a good meal to be in good spirits. And then we can go and shed some blood- Assemblyman Hwang should not have used street gangs to try to expose our network.”

You shook your head, agreeing, but still amused as you watched him pour the freshly blended fruit juice into your glasses.

“Now eat,” he ordered and you bowed mockingly with a ‘yessir’ before you dived in.

The angel had definitely rubbed off on Seonghwa, because there was no other explanation to this. Soon after Seonghwa recovered, he was back to business, making new deals and expanding his network further as if he had some newfound energy- or perhaps, he was making up for the lost time. Whatever it was, you wouldn’t be complaining- you were simply glad that he was back. 

Though he was a bit different. Gentler, yet still very Seonghwa with his demanding personality. He also picked up cooking, reminding you of your teenage days when he used to make whatever he could with whatever you had at disposal. He was always creative with his meals, but now, his creative freedom was almost surprising. 

Park Seonghwa was back, but a changed man. Still insanely evil at the very core, still driven by his blood thirst and hunger for power. Maybe he had changed only where it concerned you- more welcoming towards you, more understanding of your actions, and so, so loving. His love was as gentle as the angel at times, and as fierce as Seonghwa’s devotion. Sometimes, you were reminded of Hwa- it was a given when they had worn the same skin. 

But your Seonghwa was still very human. And that was all that mattered. His love did not burn you and he did not fear anyone. 

You finished your meals and went to get ready to go out with him- he was letting you accompany him to his ‘little outings’ more and though he wasn’t getting his hands dirty most of the time, the lackeys doing that for him, he still liked going out in the field himself every once in a while. Today was one of those days and you went to your own room to arm yourself.

Seonghwa got ready first, waiting for you in the lobby, staring at the holy sword that was now a showpiece, perched on one of the walls. He felt almost compelled to trace the hilt of the sword, daring to touch the blade that was capable of harming angels, and with a little shriek he drew his hand back, the tips of his fingers an angry red, burned by the sword.

Seonghwa cursed under his breath, moving to the kitchen for some privacy before muttering the prayer he had said for aeons now, allowing his fingertips to heal. He caught his reflection on the glossy material of the fridge, his pupils glowing and he shut them, taking a few deep breaths to get his powers under control.

He heard the faint thumps of your footsteps as you came downstairs and he fixed his posture and his expressions to mimic Seonghwa before he stepped out of the kitchen, nodding in approval when you showed him your weapons before following you outside. 

He let you call you by the name of the human that he was not, and he willingly played along, letting you think that your beloved human had defeated the angel when that was not the case at all. Your beloved human was gone.

Good and evil must coexist in order to survive. But sometimes, the good becomes the evil and the evil becomes the good- they were never meant to balance each other. 

It was only a matter of which one would weigh more and tip the scale in its favour.

what started as a one shot inspired by san and woo in the van has festered into an entire plot in my head and i'm so thankful that people liked the part because i NEED to write this story. thank you so much for the love you gave the first part and i hope that you enjoy the rest <3

DJANGO masterlist

' my chess game at the end of this century will be trouble ' - DJANGO, ATEEZ

Chapter One : DJANGO

San and Wooyoung focus

Chapter Two : DUNE

Yeosang and Seonghwa focus

Chapter Three : WAKE UP

Yunho and Jongho focus

Chapter Four : OUTLAW

Hongjoong and Mingi focus

Chapter Five : BOUNCY

ot8

Epilogue : THE WORLD

Shells mini masterlist

i made the mermaid joong art plz don't steal it 😭

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Otona Blue mini masterlist

Otona Blue

Petals

Melody

Yandere Outlaw Mingi TEASER

a/n: WROOF WROOF WROOF okay bye lmmmaaoooo

(>ᴗ•) ♡´･ᴗ･`♡ (ಡ‸ಡ)genre: smut w plot, YANDERE, angst

ಠ_ಠwarning/content(for teaser only): yandere themes, near death, violence, shmurder she wrote, not proof read

MATURE UNDER CUT MDNI

"Please, why are you doing this?!" Your voice shook with pure horror, tugging at the ropes that were wrapped around your entire body and tied to the tracks by the bandit who once was on your side. He crouched down at your feet and smirked, his simple answer making you cry all the harder.

"Why not?"

All of your pleas and prayers fall to deaf ears as the man turns away and to his cart, rummaging in his chest. The tracks begins to shake and you begin to except your fate. You turn your head to the side and watch the pebbles rumble, your sobs visible in puffs of air as you exhale into the harsh winter air.

A loud thud and a groan makes you look back, and you see a tall figure on a familiar white horse.

"Mingi!" He drops the crowbar he used to whack the man as he rode past.

He looks back at you briefly- his face hidden by his droopy hat. But you can tell he's pissed. His jaw clenched and shoulders tense before a gunshot rings out and he ducks and rolls off of Mare, slapping her to make her run away as he draws his own gun.

Between the dull rattling of the tracks and the thrumming of your heart, you can barely force yourself to watch as he approaches the man bravely, your eyes flicking from them to the horizon repeatedly. A sob of his name makes him pause for a split second before he comes back to his body.

"Too close," Mingi scowls at the man, using his gun to smack his hand and make him drop his, kicking it away as he scrambles for it.

"Aye, man, I did what yo-"

"Too close."

"Just give me my mon-"

His gun smokes by his side in the next second as the man drops to the desert floor dead. He takes a moment to bask in the way the blood pools around his head before the steam whistle catches his attention.

"Mingi, please!" He drops everything and runs to the tracks, crawling over your body and looking at your binds frantically. "Mingi, oh my God, please- I'm so sorry! Please untie me, hurry," you babble on in a panic as the train appears just over the horizon, sobs wracking you body under his as he tugs at the ropes.

Your horror breaks his heart, but he knows it's necessary. He knows he has a knife strapped to his back, but he plays the panic card and 'forgets' as he forces a false worry onto his face. He won't let anything happen to his Doll, but you're too caught up in your fight or flight to remember that.

"I got you, I got you," he murmurs as he pulls the ropes on one of your sides undone, taking his sweet time with the other as he watches the train grow ever closer- the conductor blaring the horn.

Your free hand grasps at him, clawing at his leather jacket, eyes wide and soaked with tears as you stare down your death as it barrels towards you. Just a few feet away.

Mingi yanks you up and falls to the ground besides the tracks with you on top of him, hands roughly holding you to his chest as his hat blows away with the wind that the train creates. You willingly slump into him, sobbing into his warm chest as the tracks rattle loudly besides you, drowning out your cries.

He relishes in the way you cling to him well after the train passes, not daring move away from your savior as you cry your heart out and ramble on to him about how you're so sorry and how you never would have really turned him in and on and on until he silences you with a tender hug.

He knows all of this. His Doll would never betray him. But it's best that he get a subconscious message through your thick, naive, skull early on.

The message being: every attempt to leave him has failed miserably. Why even try to leave when he's so clearly your fate?

-

The Garden

Chapter One

❥Prince!Park Seonghwa x fem reader

☆ feat. ateez, tomorrow x together, and others

➯a/n: i've had this idea in the drafts for a very long time and it's gone through a million iterations of characters and love interests and something about hwa in the skirt and sword clicked in my brain. i'm still recovering but this idea hit me hard and fast so i decided i'd put something out. i promise i'll stop starting new stories 😭 (shoutout to my gf again for helping this come to life)

✃"I will give you the happy ending you've always wanted."

✫彡wordcount: 2.7k

(✯◡✯)genre: historical fantasy au, drama

ಠ_ಠwarning/content: mentions of violence, anxiety, and loved ones passing, briefly proof read

⁂taglist: @stvrfir3 @tunaasan

MATURE UNDER CUT MDNI

𖢌

I hope this letter has found you well.

   The wheels crunch the gravel road. Horses hooves clap against the ground loudly. The waves crash just feet way. The sounds echo through the carriage.

I know it's short notice.

    The sun is casting down from a clear sky. The grass is healthy, green and lush. The ocean is vast and blue, foam from the waves clings to the pure white sand.

Taedemere is in jeopardy. We are at war. Lord Hwang declared it silently.

  It was a bumpy ride. A long one. But you don't seem to mind. You keep your sisters entertained and keep your brothers minds off of the impending war. Doing so, you can almost manage to distract yourself from your own future.

He's already posted spies. Spies in the castle. Gods knows how long they've been here.

  "The dragon fell from the tower. It's shrieks echoed through the kingdom!" You read with enthusiasm, looking at the twins who look back with wide eyes.

It's not safe for them here. We had to sneak them away through the tunnels.

  "Did the prince kill it?!" Seunghee asks, holding tight to your skirt. "He must have," Soojun is entranced by the story, "right?"

There was an attempt on my life. An attempt on the girls in the garden. Another on Kai and (Y/n). They are everywhere.

  You launch forward and scream, spooking the girls back into Kais leg. He's holding back a laugh as he pats their heads. "The dragon soars up from the fog, the princes sword still lodged into its scaly side!"

They are threatening us with no words at all. Lord Hwang is coming for the Taedemere crown.

   "Must you scare them with such stories?" Yeonjun sighs as he tugs the young girls back up to the seat, sandwiching himself between them and his brother.

You must forgive our absence. I have to keep the crown secure until we have a more solidified plan.

   You simply ignore him, "the creature perches itself on the ledge, it's jaws reach for the prince. He backs into the wall and draws his dagger. 'Foul demon! I send you back to hell!' he yells as he dives at it. They tumb-"

It's time.

  The carriage halts. You snap the book shut and lean back to get a look out of the foggy window. Yeonjun slides into the seat next to you and does the same. Kai strains his neck to look out of the window behind him.

Take care of our children. Our future.

  The gates are iron, shining like they were scrubbed everyday. The castle beyond them seems to be endless.

-King Choi Seungcheol

  As the gates open, you can feel your heart beat in your ears. Seunghee climbs on your lap and peeks out of the window, her eyes widen with every second she inspects the castle.

   Yeonjun seems to notice your dismay as the carriage grows ever closer.

He can feel it to. The feeling that your future is being written in stone with every inch you grow closer.

"When I last saw him," he hesitates as he gets your attention. "Prince Seonghwa seemed to be the same. He hasn't changed, he's still your old friend."

  You manage a nod with a small smile, and although he can tell it's forced; it helps comfort him. It doesn't comfort Kai, however. He never liked the idea of you marrying someone so far away. He still doesn't. You're attached at the hip.

   Everyone knows Choi (Y/n) doesn't want to marry for security or position. You made it very clear. It's a miracle that you've been able to avoid it this long. You figured if you put up enough of a fuss, your oldest brother would simply give up. But you are equally stubborn. And now he's King.

  A loud horn startles you, and you instinctively pull Seunghee closer. Your breathing hitches until you realize it's just the castle welcoming your entourage.

   As you come to a complete stop, all of your demeanors change. Yeonjun wipes his caring expression away and straightens his back. Kai lets go of Soojuns hand and fixes his blouse. The twins try their best to hide their awe at the beautiful and vast architecture.

And all you can do is hide your growing anxieties with a polite smile.

  The door squeaks as it opens. Yeonjun is the first one to exit. Soojun eagerly follows, and Seunghee is right behind her. The remaining siblings can hear the fuss from the bystanders outside.

   The middle siblings sit silence for a moment before he speaks up. "You don't have to be afraid."

You look up and let the faux smile fade the second you see his sincerity.

  "Don't I?"

  "No."He shakes his head. He's sure. His sister has nothing to be afraid of. Because- "if that Prince hurts you; I'll be the one to personally whip some senses into him."

You can't help the small chuckle that leaves your lips, and motion for him to leave the carriage first. He does, leaving you alone for a single moment before someone peeks in.

  "Your highness?" You smile at the man in uniform, standing slowly.

  "So impatient," you roll your eyes playfully and take his hand as he helps you step down. "Thank you, Yeosang."

  He bows slightly before leading you to your place in between your brothers and sisters. Your eyes are still adjusting to the bright light, but you can see the large doors open in front of you.

Yeonjun kneels, Kai follows his lead, you follow his, Seunghee following you; and Soojun stands upright just staring at the royal family until you notice and pull her down by the back of her neck without even lifting you head. You can all hear a small snort of laughter, and Yeonjun worries your family managed to already offend them until the King speaks.

"Please, rise."

The Choi family does so and Yeosang, the knight, steps forward. He bows deeply before turning to the siblings. "The Prince Choi Yeonjun. The Princess Choi (Y/n). The Princess Choi Seunghee. The Princess Choi Soojun. Huening Kai."

A man steps up from behind the other family, introducing them like Yeosang had just done for your family. "His Royal Majesty Park Kyujun. The Prince Park Seonghwa. The Princess Park Bongcha. The Princess Hayoon."

Your family bows, greeting him in unison, "Your Majesty." Yeonjun continues. "Thank you for your hospitality, sire. We are forever grateful."

Your eyes are fully adjusted when you rise from your bow. The king is older than you remember, but it has been a long time. Princess Bongcha has grown so much that you briefly wonder if you've found yourself time-traveled. There's an unfamiliar little girl beside her. The prince, your fiancé, has changed just as much as you have. You contemplate if he even remembers you. But those wonders are cleared when he addresses you directly.

"Princess (Y/n)," he has a bright smile and dark hair, that much has stayed the same. "Your highness," you smile back and lower your head.

  Whispers echo through the crowd that's held back by the guards: and it's becoming hard for you ignore them. You wrap your arm around Soojun when she cowers closer.

   "Please, come," King Kyujun motions for you all to follow him, and you gladly do.

    It's been a long journey, but it's only just begun.

𖢌

  King Kyujun leads the Choi family down the great hall and they can't help but marvel in its greatness. To the twins, it's a new world to be explored, coming up with their own stories that go along with the stain glass windows. To the older siblings, it brings back memories of childhood, a time when they didn't have such worries that plague their minds these days.

  Yeonjun can remember his first kiss behind a delicately painted pillar during the dead of night. Kai can remember learning a dance with his mother in this hall, the feeling of belonging. (Y/n) can remember running away from the tutor with Seonghwa beside her.

  As you look over to him, you notice it. "You still have that goofy smile," you've dropped the titles and politics. You're just a girl reunited with her child hood friend and fiancé. "I though you may have outgrown it."

  "I'm starting to think I may not," he laughs a bit.

   "I'd hope not. It's one of your few redeeming qualities," you joke, hiding your smirk as you look up at the new chandelier you pass under.

   He feigns a gasp, a hand on his chest. "I'll have you know that I have many good qualities."

  You hum, turning to him, "such as? Sparring with a squirrel?" He slaps a hand over his mouth to swallow his laughter. Your laughter rings free in the empty hall.

   "That squirrel was a menace! It startled me!" He argues in a low voice. "It had no right jumping next to me like that," he says with an exaggerated frown.

   "Unnie!" Soojun hollers, catching your attention quickly as you see that your little sisters have fallen behind. You make your way to them quickly, scolding them that they shouldn't yell in the presence of the King. "Look, Unnie," she points as she ignores your scolding.

  Your heart speeds before it stops abruptly, face to face with the intricate stained glass window. The sun shines through it, casting colorful lights on you all. It's a beautiful collage of colors. Every tiny piece is fit together perfectly to tell a story.

   You flinch when a hand is placed on your shoulder. The King apologizes, retracting his hand. "You probably don't remember this..." You shake your head and look back to the art. "I remember, sire."

He sighs deeply, and you can feel his energy apologizing even if he says nothing.

    "Come on, there's food waiting." The twins cheer quietly, following the King to the room where everyone else has vanished to.

    Seonghwa joins your side and looks at the window, basking in the colored light as he looks over the picture for what must be the millionth time. In his lifetime, he hasn't been able to find a single flaw.

  He looks down at you. Your skin is painted in a range of blue and yellow, pinks and greens. There's a patchy scratch on the majority of your cheek that's slipped his notice until now. Your eyebrows have screwed themselves up and your lip quivers.

   "Don't cry," he was essentially begging, "please, don't cry, (Y/n)."

You sniff in response, rubbing a stray tear away from your cheek. It's silent between you as you have a staring contest with the glass. "Fuck," you mumble as tears start to fall more often. "Ah, (Y/n)," he coos, moving to block your view of the heartbreaking image.

"I... It's just, I haven't seen them since they passed, Cheol put away their portrait... It breaks his heart to see them, but it breaks mine not to. I almost forgot what they looked like."

He doesn't say anything, simply opening his arms and letting you fill them. After so long, it feels the same. You're still shorter, but you've both grown. He's still strong, but now you caught up. You still turn your head to the left and place it on his chest. He still wraps one arm around your back and places the other on your shoulders. After all these years, you remember how secure he feels when your arms link around his waist. Even with the time that's passed, he can recall the fact you love when he rubs his thumb over your shoulder.

So much has happened to each of you and yet you both still have memorized each other's hugs. You used to be each others safe place. And though you're older and have met again in such pressing circumstances, it remains the same.

"Your highness," the familiar voice is just loud enough to startle you. "Yes, Yeosang?" You questions calmly, and it's a stark contrast to Seonghwas glare at the man. "Your brother asks for you, ma'am." You nod to dismiss him, and turn back to Seonghwa when he's gone.

"How do I look?"

"Look like you've been crying."

You tut your tongue and gently slap his shoulder with the back of your hand. He smiles as you do. "It'll be okay," he assures you as he fixes a stray from your neat hair, "it's dark in the dining hall."

He takes your hand and pulls you away from the image of your passed parents lazing in the garden.

𖢌

His footsteps are heavy. He's forcing his breathing to be slow. His heartbeat is going wild as he gets closer to the Kings quarters.

He steps in front of the guards and they knock on the double doors. "Prince Yeonjun, your majesty!" The Kings response is muffled by the walls, but clear enough for the guards to be confident in opening the doors.

Yeonjun steps in and looks over his shoulder as the doors close behind him, anything to keep his eyes away from King Kyujun. The doors slam shut and he finds a tapestry to inspect.

"Please, sit." He follows his voice and finds himself sitting across from the King on the large balcony, a round table littered in papers separates them.

"Thank you, your Majesty," he eagerly takes the wine he offers, hoping it would soothe his dry throat. He can't remember being so thirsty before the King called for him.

"How do you find your quarters?"

Yeonjuns lips are still occupied with the glass when the man speaks up, and he takes his time before speaking shortly. "Very nice, sire. Thank you."

"And your siblings?"

"I'm sure they're adjusting well, sire. We thank you, again, for your hospitality while we discuss our plans."

When he finally has the courage to look at the man, it calms his nerves. His crown is gone. His blouse is astray. His nose and cheeks carry a rosy hue from the frigid weather. He looks much more human.

"This is, of course, why I've asked you here."

"Of course."

Kyujun leans back into the wooden chair and lets out a sigh. "Once (Y/n) and Seonghwa are married, we will put our combined efforts against Lord Hwang. He's a vicious man," he tuts his tongue, annoyed at the mere mention of the Lord of Kherhai. "I've heard of the attacks on your family. I'm sorry for you loss and... rest assured, we will not let anything happen to you at this court."

    "Thank you, sire."

   "Your sister," he hesitates just a bit, "I've looked into quite a few people to help her plan the wedding. They'll meet with her tomorrow. I know she doesn't agree with the circumstances, but that doesn't mean it must be unpleasant."

   "I'm sure she will appreciate it, sire. She's been hesitant to do any planning on her own."

   Kyujun nods in response. He already knows this. He's kept close tabs on his only sons fiancée.

   "Sire, may I ask when the wedding is supposed to be taking place?"

"This week, if all goes well. Lord Hwang is no doubt sending men this way as we speak to get rid of the rest of the Choi family lineage." Kyujun doesn't seem to notice Yeonjuns pained expression, and if he does: he doesn't say anything about it.

   He, instead, hands the young man a map of Kherhai: diving head first into strategy.

𖢌

Moll

❥ Choi San x fem reader

SPOOKTOBER SPECIAL

➯a/n: i've been watching waaaaay too much 1920s drama sooooooo (i went way overboard, i feel liek i wrote a movie)

✃ moll; a mobsters girl, circa 1920s

✫彡wordcount: 6.2k

(✯◡✯)(>ᴗ•)genre: 1920s mafia au, plot heavy smut

ಠ_ಠwarning/content: mentions of drugs, violence, threatening with a gun(safety was on lol), kidnapping, forced marriage, forced affection, stockholm syndrome, pregnancy, murder(not descriptive at all), NSFW; virginity loss, unprotected (NO DO THAT🫵🏻), possessiveness to the max, breeding kink

not proof read

✩ index: dope; drugs, specifically cocaine or heroin. bent; drunk. bump you off; murder. bearcat; a feisty woman. vamp; an aggressive flirt. flat-tire; a bore. punch the bag; talk. dame, doll, bunny, water-proof; a (attractive) woman. holding a torch; having a crush. get in a lather/ get lathered up; get worked up or angry. skin; condom. get a wiggle on; leave quickly.

⁂taglist: @stvrfir3 @tunaasan @marievllr-abg

MATURE UNDER CUT MDNI

"Where's the money?"

    "That's all of it! Please, Mister-"

  The echoing slap across the room makes you cringe from your hiding place in the pantry. It's nothing new. Your family had been mixed up in all kinds of shenanigans and you had witnessed a great deal of them. But it always hurts when they come back to haunt you.

      You cup your hand over your mouth to muffle your scared breath, trying desperately put your mind in a better place. Anywhere but here.

   "I gave you more than enough time. Don't you think?"

   "Nobodies buying, please Mr. Choi! You have to understand, I tried. I went from corner to corner to corner," your older brother pleads.

    He isn't lying either. The drugs that the mafia had provided him to sell- well, they weren't selling. No body had the money. If they did, they only bought the smallest amount and resold it at a higher price.

    It wasn't his fault the country was in a depression.

     "It- I still have the dope stored away! Just in the back shed, you can have it back! May-maybe someone up North can have better lu-ah!"

     A dull thud.

     And another.

    And another.

     A crash. Your brothers body hitting the floor no doubt.

     "You gon' tell me how to peddle my own product now? I don't think so! Are you bent? Huh?" His voice gets louder with each insult hurled at your brother. "You skim a little of the top, is that it? I oughta bump you off!"

     You can't help the small gasp that exits your shaking lips, and you immediately recognize your mistake as it goes silent in the home. Only your brothers ragged breathing and the thrumming of your anxious heart reaching your ears.

    "Mr. Ch-"

   "Shut your kisser! Who's here with us?"

   "N-Nobody! No! No, no, wait-"

    Light floods the small room you've sought safety in, and that false sense of security shatters the second you see the man attached to the threatening voice.

      He's a cop.

    He's got a badge and a gun and authority. He's supposed to be someone safe. Instead, he's got knuckles blooded with your kin and a smirk on his stubbled face.

     His wide shoulders block the light, casting his silhouette over you like a storm cloud.

     You've cowered into the corner, skirt pulled over your trembling knees as you scoot further away. Wide eyes looking up at him, silently pleading.

     "Why you hidin', vamp?"

      "Please, Mr.Choi, she don't know from nothing!"

     You glance past the man -Mr.Choi- 's neat slacks, and see your brothers face messed with blood, dripping onto the floor from his nose. He's pulling himself up slowly, kneeling on the hardwood.

    "Get up," Mr.Choi nods his head at you, and you immediately follow his order, afraid to test his nerves further. "Help this goof up." You lower your head, slowly approaching the man who stays in the doorway. "Now, we ain't got all day!"

    You rush past him and kneel, wrapping your arms under his and pulling him up with a grimace, "c'mon, Bub, get up."

     The man watches you heave him up, leaning against the wall with his hand on his hip holster in case you decide to get brave. "Bub's done got you mixed up in something real risky, girl. What do you know?"

    "Don't know nothin', Mister. Mind my own." You feign some semblance of calm. You lower your brother onto a chair, and he nearly falls onto the dinner table before you catch his head. "You had to knock him on the head?"

     He chuckles, slowly stalking around the room, "don't get mouthy, Bearcat." He takes a seat at the head of the table, pointing to the chair opposite of him. "Sit."

     You lower his dizzy head to rest on the table before taking the seat he pointed to, folding your hands in your lap and lowering your head. "I never touched your dope, I don't mess with that."

    He slowly places his gun on the table, fingers lingering over it. He studies you- eyes never leaving. "How much of the beans has he spilled to you?"

     "I don't know what you mean-"

     "Oh, sure."

    You look up, and you regret floods your veins. He's sizing you up. Face completely void of emotion. Shoulders slack and relaxed like he isn't ready to shoot you at a moments notice. "Punch the bag, now. Before I shoot off your Bubs knee cap." He cocks his gun.

     "Okay! Okay, listen-" you gulp, looking back down, "all he's ever told me is that he gets some products and sells them, gives you the money and you give him a cut. That's it! That's all I know, really. Don't know where you get it or nothin'. I can keep my trap shut."

     "You don't go to the corners with him?"

      "Nev-"

     "If I show your face at the station, nobody gonna recognize you?"

    "No," you look up again, "everyone knows I'm a good girl, Officer."

     He lets out an amused chuckle, rubbing his brow. "You tugging my leg?"

     "No. I'm not a drug peddler. I'm a secretary. I volunteer at the soup kitchen. I babysit-"

     Your anxious babbling to get yourself out of your brothers trouble is interrupted when Mr.Choi, suddenly behind you, grips the back of your neck and pushes your head to the table. Your eyes meet your brothers drowsy ones, tears quickly filling up in both. "Please, she's tellin' the truth! I ain't even tell her I was selling till you called last minute! She's innocent!"

      "I don't like liars!" He shouts, making you jump under his harsh grip, "I asked you if we were alone the moment I walked in this dump! You're a little sneak, aye? How do I know you didn't hide her to gather intel on me? Get me fired and kicked out? Get yourself a little raise? How do I know she's even your sister? She could be a snake! Tell me the truth, now!"

     The cool metal of his gun touches your temple, and the sobs you've been holding back fall out of your lips loudly. "Bub, tell him!"

     "Tell me, Bub!" He mocks you, pressing the barrel deeper into the back of your head.

     "That's the truth! I sell your dope by myself and she doesn't know nothing about it! Please, she's all I have!" He's growing more and more frantic, head heavy as he lifts it to look Mr.Choi in the eyes, "I'll find a way! I'll go up North myself, I-I'll take a dimebox to Iafeild o-or," he himself is crying now, watching helplessly as he tugs you out of your chair. "Please, she's all I have!"

      He pushes you to the floor and watches you scramble, kicking your knees out from under you, albeit gently, it makes you fall face first. He lowers himself in a squat, watching you with a certain amusement you curl up on yourself. "Well why didn't you just say so!" He clips his gun back on his hip and smirks as you both let out a sigh of relief.

Mr.Choi doesn't leave just yet, however.

He straddles your back and flips you over, gripping your chin as it trembles. Pulls your face close to his and inspects you. Your tears wet his fingers. "Hmm, can't blame me for being suspicious. She's water-proof and you," he looks over at the table and chuckles, "well you're just a dog."

He stands and extends his hand for you, rolling his eyes as you ignore it. "Get up, Doll." He groans, pulling you to your feet, "go pack a bag."

"W-"

"She's not goin' with you," your brothers brief bravery is shut down the second the copper reaches for his gun again, "I- I mean why?"

"You," Mr.Choi points to him, "are gonna go to Iafeild and sell all of the shit I gave you like you should have done two months ago. And she," he wraps his arm around your shoulders with a cocky grin, "is gonna be your encouragement to get me my money. If you aren't back with all of it in... three weeks, say? Little sis' here is gonna take the big sleep." He ignores you as you cry harder, simply glaring at your brother. "Capiche?"

He nods frantically, looking away as you look to him with pleading eyes. There's nothing he can do. This is bigger than him. He's got messed up with the wrong crowds and now you have to pay the price as well.

     "Put a pep in your step, clock starts tonight."

❦

He opens the car door, watching silently as you peek your head out before your body follows.

You clutch your bag close to your chest, still sniffling and sobbing quietly. Your kitten heels click on the cement, messed curls blowing with the October winds.

"Follow me," he guides you by the small of your back, shockingly gentle with your shaking form. "Don't pull any tricks, Doll." He leads you up the stairs of the secluded farm house, opening up the screen door and ushering you in.

      "San, Finally!" A voice booms from inside the home, making you squeak. When you turn to go back out the door, you collide with Mr.Choi, who you gather must be San, 's chest. "Was starting to think- oh! Who's the dame?"

    "This," he turns you by your shoulders and tilts your head up to face the man who's descending the stairs, "is Mr. (L/n)'s sister. She's staying for a bit while her brother sorts out some business upstate." You can almost feel his smirk in the way he speaks.

      The other man, who's finally come face to face with you, seems a great deal less threatening than San.

"Tsk," he rolls his eyes at San, "sure thing, fella. You just went and found yourself a Moll."

"A Moll? Sure, she's cute but she seems a bit flat-tire, no? Not exactly the type of woman I go for."

"She's exactly the type you go for, you're trying to get her in the bag! Lost bunny is your type."

"Oh, take a hike, Hwa!"

You go back and forth looking at them in confusion as they bicker, hugging your bag to your chest tightly. You don't know what a 'Moll' is but you do know you don't want to be Mr. Chois. You simply tune them out and stare at the floor blanky, tears still flowing.

        "If you're not holding a torch, why didn't you kill him like we planned?"

    "Well-" His words die on his tongue as he looks over at you. You do look like a lost bunny. Making yourself small between them and letting your tears flow as a defense mechanism. He won't admit it, especially aloud. But you are exactly the woman he's been looking for. "Oh, hell," he pulls a blue handkerchief from his pocket and shoves it into your hand, "stop crying so much. Not gonna hurt you."

      Very hard to believe after his threats, but you try your hardest to stop the onslaught of warm tears. You wipe your face with the fabric and sniffle quietly, coming back to your own body as Seonghwa extends his hand slowly.

      "I'm Seonghwa, 'can call me Hwa if you like. I'll be lookin' after you when San here is busy. Let's get along well."

     You shake his hand gently and croak out a simple, "(Y/n)."

❦

The rest of the day passed quickly, locked up in a bedroom while San and Hwa could still be heard downstairs, which only served to add to your anxieties. It felt as if at any second they would change their mind and come up to bump you off.

You busied yourself doing what San told you to before he locked the door behind him. 'Unpack and get cozy.' Though that latter wasn't as easy as hanging your few dresses in the oak closet and putting your hairbrush in the nightstand, awkwardly placing your products in the corner of the attached bathroom. Especially after you pieced things together.

There was an array of suits and slacks hanging in the closet. Shiny loafers on the floor. A clip of bullets in the nightstand. A roll of condoms. A stash of cash in a duffle bag on the hook behind the door. A pack of cigarettes and matches on the window sill. A bottle of cologne that smelled suspiciously like Mr. Chois car.

This was Sans room they had locked you in.

You had long took a seat on the windowsill and dangled your legs out of it, debating how badly it would hurt if you decided to fall and try to make a run for it. You came to the conclusion that it was useless. It took fourty minutes to get here from the city. The last home you passed being 20 of those away.

The lock on the door clinked loudly, and it opened slowly. You turned and looked over your shoulder, and it wasn't a surprise that San was the one you faced.

"Hungry, Doll?" He shuts the door with his foot as he carefully enters with a plate in hand. He doesn't seem alarmed by your hazardous seating choice, probably because he doesn't take you for a fool that will break their ankles trying to jump from the third story.

"No," you mutter, turning back around and facing the setting sun without another word or pleasantry his way.

"Don't let it get cold, I reheated it just for you."

"Too bad. Not hungry."

He comes behind you and rests his palms on either side of your hips, chest pressing to your back as he looks out at natures expanse. "Pretty, ain't it?"

When he doesn't get anything resembling a response, he tries again. "It's my own property. Worked in that barn everyday until I became a cop."

He's met with silence. "Plan to share it with my wife one day."

Nothing. "I know you think I'm a monster but I am just a man."

"A man who had a gun to my head..."

"A man who's just trying to survive a war and a pandemic. You'll get that one day. I don't mean no harm until harm comes for me."

A silence washes over you both for a moment.

"Will you shoot me if my brother doesn't sell all your dope?"

"No."

And again. His soft breath, your anxious ones.

"Then why am I here?"

It's his turn to be silent. He backs away from you and sits on the bed, watching you as you sit still like a statue. You watch the sun disappear like a motion picture of art. A certain peace overcoming you for the briefest moment.

"Because you will be that wife that I share with."

And peace shattered by Choi San once again.

You head snaps in his direction, falling back into the house from the windowsill with a thud. You both stare at one another. San stares with an unreadable expression. Yours of pure horror and confusion. "What?!"

"I'll drop business with your brother for good. Clear all his debt with the boys. Give him all of the cash he gets from this last... adventure. He'll be well off and so will you. I'll make a good, honest woman of you."

"Y-" Yours brain is officially thrown into a panic, an overdrive of emotions, and it all tumbles out before you can stop it. "You have to be off your rocker! You're insane! I already am a good, honest woman! Go chase yourself, I'm not marrying you- you- what? No! No!"

"You 'aven't got much choice in the matter, Doll. Don't get yourself in a lather."

"Don't get- oh, I am lathered up, Mr.Choi! I oughta smack some sense into you, demanding a girls hand in marriage like it's still 1890! It's nineteen-twen-"

He smacks the sense into you before you can to him.

"Oh God," you sob, holding your stinging cheek as tears build up in your waterline. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," you lower your head. Thinking, surely, you just dug your own grave. "Please-"

"This is exactly why I chose you," he crouches in-front of your crumpled form and tilts your head up, "a dame who appears like a lost bunny but has the soul of a beast."

You simply stare up at him, deathly afraid to move or speak in fear of letting your anger and sadness slip again.

"Got somethin' to say?"

You gulp before nodding your head in his hold.

"Go on."

"I don't w-want to marry a mobster... I don't want to be involved with dirty money! A corrupt copper..."

He chuckles softly, rubbing his thumb over your untainted cheek. "You should be thanking me, Doll... That dirty money? Been putting a roof over your head for three years. Corrupt copper? Well, he even had the decency to have the safety on his gun while pointing it at your pretty head. Mobster? Willing to put a ring on your finger and give you a nice home."

The tears start free falling as your situation fully sinks in. There really is no way out. You'll end up in the ground if you don't let him put a ring on it.

"So, I'll say it again," he grips the back of your neck, squeezing ever so slightly, "you should be thankin' me."

"T-thank you."

"Attagirl," he lets go of you completely, letting you fall back to the floor, "now eat."

❦

He let you be that night, and you didn't see him the next morning either. It was Seonghwa who came to the door, and you didn't know if you should feel relieved or not.

"Hey, Miss," He spoke softly, staying just outside of the doorway. "I heard what happened... I'm sorry."

He seemed genuine enough. You sat down your hairbrush and turned on the small stool. Your eyes puffy and red from the lifetimes worth of crying you did last night.

"Uhm, so San wants us to go to town and pick out some fabrics for your weddin' gown. If you aren't up for it, I can pick them out myself."

"Will he be going with us?"

"No, just you and I."

You were sick and tired of smelling San every time you tried to take a deep breath, and that's how you ended up here.

It's less overwhelming than being in that farmhouse that seems to be your prison for now and for forever to come. But overwhelming nonetheless.

Hwa is talkative. But you don't mind. He treats you well. Like an equal. He doesn't talk down to you like many men do. And that, you very much appreciate.

He tells you of how he feels it's unfair you have no saying in your future, his heart is heavy with sadness that he cannot help you. And he tells that to your face. He will not help you. He is loyal to San. But that doesn't mean you can't be friends.

You seem to share life stories with one another the entire car ride there. And then he already feels like an old friend as he holds up fabrics to your skin to see which compliments you best. You, admittedly, aren't as into it as he is. As much as a bride should be. But then, how could you when you were picking things out for the day that would solidify your future with a mobster?

You both settle on one that, you will admit, made your heart flutter when you imagined yourself in. And then you're on your way, but Seonghwa stops the vehicle halfway through town.

"What are we doing?" You look out of the window and your heart stops in your chest as you see that he's parked infront of the police station. "No, Hwa! You promised I wouldn't have to see him."

"I'm sorry, Miss (Y/n)... he said he wanted to see what you picked afterwards. It will be quick."

You take a few deep breaths without San's cologne smothering you, then you swing the door open and follow after Hwa.

Sans broad shoulders aren't hard to pinpoint in the semi-packed station. "Ah, my beautiful fiancée!" He perks up immediately as he spots you and his friend.

What he does next absolutely floors you.

He cups both of your cheeks, and kisses you deeply. Right out in the open. Hot lips on yours.

You grip his wrists, face flushed with heat as he pulls away, bending down slightly to rest his forehead on yours. "Did you pick a pretty fabric for our special day?"

The look in his eyes seems almost innocent from far away. He's already got everyone in the room convinced that you're a willing participant of this relationship. But you, up close and personal, can see the glint of silent threats in his eyes- telling you to keep up the act or face the consequences.

"Uhm, uh-huh," you move slight to the side and look to Hwa, who's head is down slightly for a spilt second before he smiles at you and San and holds out the roll of fabric.

"Oh, Doll, what a good choice! No doubt you will look jaw-dropping," he runs his fingers over the fabric, imaging the pure beauty that you will be. "You'll make it extra good, right, Hwa? Only the best for my girl."

" 'Course, San. We're gonna work on some sketches when we get home." His smile is genuine, like he looks forward to it.

"Officer Choi! Hate to interrupt but we got a hold-em-up at the bank," another officer passes in a hurry, stopping briefly to congratulate you both.

"Ah," he clicks his tongue, rubbing his hands on your side gently, "wish me luck?"

"Good luck..." He looks like he's waiting for more. You gulp and force a smile, almost gagging on the words you conjure up, "good luck, Baby."

❦

    The days after that first one passed almost like groundhog day. You awoke with San nearly laid ontop of you. Bathed and made breakfast. Worked with Hwa on your gown until it was completed. Walked around the farm and conversed with the farm-hand. Cooked and had a semi-awkward dinner with the three of them. Talked and became closer with San, slowly becoming happier with your situation.

   And then all too suddenly...

It's two days short of three weeks since you've been 'brought home', as San likes to say. Which means one very big thing.

      You are to be married. 

   It's a small affair, but beautiful nonetheless.

    You can quickly tell that only one side of San's life is invited. There is not a badge to be seen as you peer out of the window, only gangster after gangster taking their seat.

    Hwa finishes buttoning up your gown and steps back, smiling at you like a proud family member. "Ready, Miss?"

     "Ready as I'll ever be."

      Hwa walks you down the aisle.

     And then it's a blur.

    How did your get back in your bedroom? Was the ceremony already over?

It seems to have happened in a flash.

You stand infront of the window again. All of the guests have either left or have taken up in one of the many guest rooms in the home. San no doubt offered them up so that he could have witness to what was about to happen.

Your wedding night. Oh, how special and magical a day.

San slides his hands up your back, landing on your tall collar and skillfully unbuttoning it. Slowly, almost teasingly. His words send a shiver down your spine, they set your hairs on edge: "you are so beautiful, my Dear... it took everything in me not to take you right there in the aisle. I've never wanted anyone, or anything, as badly as I want you."

     Your breath hitches in your throat as his soft lips come in contact with your now exposed neck. It not the first time he's left adoring kisses on your body. But somehow it feels different as husband and wife. "San..."

    "Yes, Doll?"

    "I... I'm a virgin."

   "I know, Doll. Tell me to stop and I shall, but... I want to make you feel good like only a husband can. I want to show you my love in physical form." His hands slide into the now open back of your dress, around to your breasts. "Only I can touch you. Only you can touch me. Do you understand that?"

    A breathless 'yes' trembles out of your lips as he cups your bosom. The little moan that follows has his hard member throbbing, so ready to finally claim you. He presses it to the round of your ass, and you have to hold back a gasp, simply letting your mouth gape as you look out at the dark night sky. But when his calloused finger tips roll over your hardened nipples, you can't bite back the curse of pleasure that bubbles in your throat.

"Oh, you poor bunny," he whispers in your ear, "you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into." The warmth of him slowly dissipates, and the tell-tale sound of the stool in the room dragging on the floor makes you turn around. "Drop your gown, let me see my wife in her full glory."

Heat burns on your cheeks, of embarrassment or arousal you can't quite tell at the moment. He's shed his fanciest uniform jacket and is now working on his button up, his cock straining against his slacks.

"You ever seen a man's prick?" He smirks as he catches you staring. Your eyes don't leave his lap as you take off your white kitten heels. That is, until he calls you out.

"No," your eyes drop to the ground as you neatly arrange your shoes, "never..."

"Mine will be the first? Mm, first and only," he half hazardly tosses his shirt, leaving his chest bare. Scars and toned muscle on full display for you. "Catch up, Dollface."

You step out of your gown carefully, holding it to your chest to hide yourself. "What if I'm not... pretty enough?"

"Oh, my wife can't possibly disappoint. I've seen that silhouette while you shower." He tilts his head and smiles, a soft smile. "You'll be my first as well."

     You swear your eyes have bugged out of your head the way he chuckles at your expression. "Really?"

     He stands, gently unraveling your fingers tight grip on the white fabrics. "Really, and I don't want to wait any longer. I want it to be with you. It will be with you." You let him take the fabric, and he drapes it on the stool carefully without ever taking his eyes off of you.

    "W-what about the skins in our drawer?"

   "So I don't make a mess while I fuck myself thinking about all of the dirty things I want to do with my wife."

    "Oh-" You swear you're running a fever. You've never felt this way before- but then, you imagine you'll be feeling many firsts tonight.

     "Would you like to hear about them?" He grins, his signature shit-eating-grin, as he guides your hands to his belt. You fiddle with it with a small nod, slowly pulling it off of him as he speaks. "I've got you laid down on our bed, legs spread..." You unbutton his slacks. "Touching, exploring what's mine." His zipper is undone next. "I take my time, make you nice and wet." His bottoms are gone. "I hold your hands." His boxers go after them. "And then I fuck you on my cock." 

    And he did exactly that. That's how you got here.

     Hours of teasing later, his member is finally buried inside of you, stretching you like your fingers never could. He interlocks his fingers with yours as his hips withdrawn. Squeezes your hands tightly as he slowly sinks back in.

      "Oh God," you whisper, heels digging into the mattress as you arch beneath his built frame, "ah, Sannie."

    His hips stutter, mind overheating as the nickname reaches him. You feel... oh, you feel amazing. Like heaven on Earth. Your gummy, warm walls suck him in, so wet and inviting. He wants to bury himself in your cunt and never leave. "Fuck, Bunny, you feel fucking godly."

      Only a moan is his response, your head tossed to the side in embarrassment. "D-don't stop," you pant, squeezing his hands tighter as you gather the courage to- "please go faster." Oh, nevermind. Your mind has left and only your pussy's logic remains. And it's logic is- "Sannie, faster!"

   His thick, veiny shaft feels otherworldly as it drags against you. You need more. And he is happy to oblige. He quickens his pace, keeping his strokes languid and tender so as not to hurt you. But by God, he goes faster.

     "Ah! Ah, my God!" You cry into the night, uncaring as your pleasure echoes in the houses thin walls.

     Your noises, your facial expressions, your divine warmth around him. San feels that familiar coil tighten quickly, winding up. "Fuck, (Y/n), I'm gonna bust," he bites his lip, a loud moan vibrating his chest.

"C-close, I'm close, Sannie," you squeeze his fingers in yours, looking up beggingly, "please don't stop, ah- ah! Just like that! Nngh!" Your eyes roll back into your head, cunt clenching down on him like a vice, a gush of heat tells him you've just came around him, so he no longer holds back.

He hooks one of his legs around yours and pushes himself deeper than before, making you yell out in overstimulated ecstasy. And that primal yelp as he buries himself as deep as possible sends him over the edge, coil in his gut not only snapping- but burning to ash as he fills your womb with his release. "Fuck, fuck," he whines, rutting into you unable to move as your core clenches more than ever, refusing to let him go. "Mine," he growls out, leaning down and colliding his lips with yours passionately.

     Your body goes limp beneath him, your soft breaths fanning against his sweaty face as he pulls away from the kiss. He wraps his arms around your waist tightly and your jelly like arms wrap around his broad shoulders. "Mine, all fuckin' mine," he lowers his weight onto you slowly, and it makes his hard cock feel heavier than before. He ignores your whiny moans, resting his head on your chest. "My wife, filled with my seed. Mine, mine, mine," with each of his possessive proclamations comes a thrust of his hips. "Say it, say you're mine."

      "I'm yours," you whimper under his weight, blissed out beyond belief and in shock that -despite having filled you less than five minutes ago- he is already rock hard again and thrusting into you, slowly building his speed back up.

     "Louder," he demands, head pressed firmly to your chest and listening intently to your drumming heart beat.

    "I'm yours," you speak more confidently.

    "Louder," his pace has passed where you reached before, he's nearly drilling you with his cock.

    "Ah! Fuck!" You screech, nails digging into his skin, legs wrapping around his wildly thrusting hips instinctively.

    "Say it," his voice rumbles on your chest, sending vibrations through you as his thrust shake the bed, "fucking say it, tell everyone who you belong to."

     "I'm yours, San! Oh! San! Sannie! Baby!" Your brain has shut down, you're putty in his arms, babbling loudly. "Cumming!" You can't help but announce it to the farm, your pleasure has set you ablaze and everything is pointless besides San.

    He follows shortly after, his second release flooding your stretched walls and pushing his first out, making a mess of your sheets and pelvises.

     When he doesn't show any sign of slowing, you slap his shoulders repeatedly and let out a loud whine. He stills deep inside of you and pants into your chest, cock still throbbing inside of you.

    He's become insatiable.

     "Break, please," you slur, hands finding purchase in his disheveled hair. He melts into the drunken affection, eyes peering up at you with love and adoration... obsession in the comfort of your own home.

     He slowly pulls out of you, watching in awe as the pearly white of his love seeps out of you. He rubs your thighs in a soothing manner, taking a moment to catch his own breath.

     "D...do you feel good?" He looks up, almost like a lost puppy. You've never seen him so vulnerable.

      "God, yes," you smile at him dopily, propping yourself up on your elbows with a groan. He sits back, immediately locking his arms around you and pulling you into his lap. His scent blankets you, and you welcome it. Taking a deep breath.

     His member is messy with a mix of your juices, resting against your lower belly like it knows that's where it belongs. Showing you both how deep he reaches.

     The sight alone lights the fire in you again, now just as insatiable as he is.

     "I love you." The words that slip past your swollen lips shock the both of you, eyes meeting in an instant.

     The crickets outside chirp their song, stars and moon casting light through the window. A shooting star flies by.

    "I love you."

❦

    There's a knock at the door. Strange. Anyone who needs in can get in. You trot down the stairs and stop halfway as your eyes meet your brothers through the screen door. "Bub?" You nearly trip over your feet as you jump down the rest of the steps, slinging the door open and wrapping your arms around him tightly. It been long past those three weeks San have him. Almost a year past.

     "Bub! Bubby!" He spins you around in his arms, nearly falling off of the porch.

     "Oh, thank God! You're alive!" Both of you have wide smiles, blissfully unaware as San turns the corner in his farming overalls. "Let's get a wiggle on, before Mr.Choi knows I'm here." San stops in his tracks, eyes trained on you.

     "Oh... Bub."

    "Let's get, c'mon." He goes to drag you by your arm to the awaiting car.

    "Stop! I'm not going with you."

    A smirk grows on Sans as a frown grows on your brothers. "N-not going? Don't be silly!"

    "Let go of me," you slap his hand away and when your hand falls back to your side, that's when he sees it.

    Your belly. Swollen with child.

     "(Y/n)..."

      You wrap your hands around your stomach protectively as his concerned look turns to a glare. "D-did he rape you? Dear Lord," his hand flies to his mouth in shock.

      "What!? No, no, nothing of the sort. San and-"

     "Hurry, before he gets back."

      "Before who gets back?" San grins wide as he joins your side, wrapping his arm around you and purposefully showing off the ring on his finger. "Long time, no see... Bub."

      His face so that of a ghost, backing away until he hits Hwa, who forces him to kneel.

      "You really left your poor helpless sister for dead?" The words that San speaks knocks the reality back into you. He did leave you. You'd been so happy with your new life that you'd forgotten entirely about what lead up to it. "I doubt you've even got my cash, huh?"

     "Mister, please! Surely you've forgiven me?"

    "I don't hold grudges... my wife is a different story, however." He turns to you with an innocent smile. "Honey?"

"Sissy... Tell me you didn't."

"I did." You dead pan. "You left me!" You land a slap harshly across his cheek. "Bastard!"

"Alright, Miss, don't put too much stress on the baby-" Hwa tries to calm you, but you've already gone off the deep end after being reminded of your life before San.

"I hate you!! You left me all alone! You threw me to the wolves! Where were you?!"

"Sis, just- just come home, you aren't thinking straight."

The cicada chirp loudly, nearly drowning out your next words.

"This is home. This is all I have. This is all I want."

"Sis, what has he-" Tears are welling up in your brothers eyes. And it pisses you off.

"I hate you! I never want to see you again, I hate your coward guts!"

San squeezes your shoulder gently and it brings you back to reality. Your brother is shaking as all of the realizations come crashing down on him. Hwa knows what's about to happen, he and San have talked about it a million times. He takes the gun from his belt and hands it over.

"My Moll has spoken."

Bang.

❦

Allure Teaser Trailer

Part One:Sunshine release date: Monday, April 1st

Part Two:Knuckle Velvet release date: Wednesday, April 3rd

Part Three:Smoke release date: Saturday, April 6th

❥MATZ x fem reader

➯a/n: THIS WILL BE A DARK FIC. THE DOVE ISNT JUST DEAD, I THREW IT OUT THE WINDOW. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT. i won't include all of the warnings for the full story in this teaser, because it is long and detailed, just know it is a DARK romance. if you choose to read it when it comes out, the warnings will be listed there. i'm very proud of this work and can't wait to share 💕

(>ᴗ•)♡´･ᴗ･`♡genre: yandere, smut, a/b/o au

ಠ_ಠwarning/content: SO MUCH LIKE WOW . for trailer specifically: murder

..........

The beta in the large room ignores Hongjoong as he continuously asks after 'the pretty omega'.

     He just sweeps and sweeps, finally understanding why you hate coming up here. He has his back turned to the cage, and consequently, to the windows.

     High on the tall walls, the narrow glass is opened from the outside. Seonghwa smirks, and gestures his head to it. Hongjoongs gaze follows, and he has to slap a hand over his mouth so he doesn't laugh.

      A skinny figure is sliding its way in through the window sideways.

     He drops to the floor as silent as a mouse, landing on his knees and grinning wildly up at his alphas.

     Hongjoong throws his head back in preemptive relief, while Seonghwa is watching with a similarly wide smile as the man walks straight through the blood ash, breaking the circle with the tip of his shoe.

      The worker still has his back turned as the lock on Seonghwas cage is picked with a long claw. He doesn't even know what's happening as the next thing he knows, he's thrown across the floor.

Blood ash knocks up around him, coughs wracking his body as he looks up to his assailant.

Park Seonghwa, newly freed from his cage, looks down at the worker with his eyes glowing red.

"Now usually..." He begins, crouching to be face to face with him, "I'd go through this whole place just for the fuck of it and cause some beautiful chaos. But I'm looking for someone."

"(Y/n)?" He stutters out, backing away only to knock into Hongjoongs legs. Stuck between the two nefarious criminals, he chooses his own head over yours. "The second floor! Sh-she's on the second floor!"

"Let's go get our omega, Joong."

Nonchalantly, Hongjoong draws his claws and slices the neck of the worker. He hops over the gurgling body and follows his mate with an ecstatic giggle.

........

Allure

Part Two:Knuckle Velvet

❥MATZ x fem reader

Part One(Sunshine)

Part Three(Smoke)

➯a/n: i'm so glad people like this story, i've spent so much time on it and it's a labor of love, enjoy part two <33 if you're new here, part one is very much needed to understand what's going on and please read the warnings and take care of yourself ! if you didn't see my update, i lost the final draft of part three and now only have a paper draft so apologies that it will take a little bit to be uploaded ❤️‍🩹

✃ "Mind, body, soul, and wolf."

♫"Nothing hurts like the way you do; like the way you say "I love you." " -Knuckle Velvet, Ethel Cain♫Allure Soundtrack

✫彡wordcount: 6.9k

(>ᴗ•)♡´･ᴗ･`♡genre: smut, YANDERE, a/b/o au

ಠ_ಠwarning/content: DEAD DOVE I MURDERED THAT BEOTCH chapter specific: not beta read(ironically), criminal MATZ, alpha MATZ/omega reader, forced soul bonding, forced marking, nobody is mentally well, yandere and possessive behavior, talk of murder, talk of drugs, bits of humor because i was going insane, smoking 🍃, sh in the form of putting joints out on skin(NOT READER, NOT DESCRIPTIVE), reckless driving(is that a warning?), reader needs a hug like honestly-

cunnilingus, nudity, heat cycle, outdoor, fingering, THIS IS NOT A NON CON FIC, ALL SMUT IS CONSENSUAL.

⁂perm taglist: @stvrfir3 @tunaasan @marievllr-abg

⁂fic taglist: @potatomountain @spooo00oky @choichaeyiul @cheynalexilaiho @haven-cove @hwasbabygirl @gong-fourz @chaotic-floral @hyukssunflower @unlikelysublimekryptonite @tinybada @sunnyhokyu @calisnewworld @elysiangroundsforall

MATURE UNDER CUT MDNI

˚➶ ｡˚ PART TWO ˚➶ ｡˚

Something is wrong.

The warmth of your bed calls you back to sleep as you stir.

Something is wrong.

The smell of cooking pancakes wafts through the air, your stomach churns in interest.

Something is wrong.

The hand on your side is so soft it's almost fleeting.

Something is wrong.

Your eyes snap open, blurry vision landing on an unfortunately familiar set of features. Long brown hair, full lips in a seemingly perpetual line, thick letters on his neck.

You let out a scream as your body catches up with your mind, kicking Seonghwas arm and crawling back into the corner of your bed. "Sleep well? I sure hope so, Hongjoong nearly cried because you didn't get to mark him back before you passed out." His calm demeanor is the very antithesis of your state; frazzled and heart beating wildly in your ears. "I'm not too pleased with waiting either."

You go to pull the blanket over yourself again when he rips it off the bed completely. "G-go away, or else..." Your weak attempt at a threat makes the criminal grin, and he stands from his squatting position, looming over your cowering form.

"Oh you don't know how deep in you are, do you?" He purrs, crawling onto the mattress. It creaks pitifully under his weight as he moves ever closer.

He stops just short of being right in your face. "We own you. And when you stop this little tantrum, mark us back... you own us. A little thing like you, been on that blocker for God knows how long, you won't last but a few more hours until you're running to us with your tail between your legs. Hormones flooding your system, begging for your alphas...Begging for your mates." His eyes flick to your bruised shoulders, their marks peeking out of your scrubs. "Don't make us wait too long now, omega. We aren't patient men."

"Hwa!"

He leans away from you, yelling back to the voice, "what?!" His booming voice makes you jump, and take a deathly tight grip your pillow.

"Food!"

He looks back to you, and it's as if you can tell what he's thinking. You shake your head, slapping his hand away when he goes to grab your wrist. "C'mon now, you won't want an empty stomach when we mate-" He's cut off when a pillow hits his head, leaving him to let out an exasperated sigh.

Hongjoong turns around just as Seonghwa rounds the corner with your fidgeting form over his shoulder. "Hey, Dolly!" He greets casually, like this is an everyday occurrence, as he sets down the plate he's holding next to the other two on your little round table.

"Help! Help me!" You scream, gasping as you're quite literally thrown in a chair.

"No use in that," Hongjoong begins as he sits opposite of you, "no one will hear you. We cleared this place out. If they aren't dead, they're in the prison with our pack."

       Your eyes well with tears. You don't doubt his words for a second. Massacring and holding a town hostage wouldn't even be on the top three of their crimes.

      You take a shaking breath and gather yourself, glaring at the blonde silently. "Oh are you mad?" He asks teasingly. "We made ourselves comfy, hope you don't mind! Lovely little place you've got here."

You choose to stay silent, not trusting your own voice as it wavers even in your head.

"Eat up," Seonghwa pushes one of the plates to you, but Hongjoong snatches it back, eyeing you as you eye it.

It's been a full day since you've eaten, judging by the rising sun in the window. And you silently curse yourself for skipping lunch.

"Something you need to do first, Dolly." He taps his neck, a small grin playing at his lips as he notices your eyebrows push together. He wishes he could crawl into your head and see all of those thoughts that are undoubtedly suffocating you.

And they are. Your lungs feel heavy as you weigh every option against one another. You could run- but you've never outran an alpha, let alone two. You could hide- but that didn't work too well in the prison. You could simply refuse to return the bite- but the last wolf who did that was turned inside out, literally. You could simply cry and hope for their mercy- but you knew it would never come.

Your chair scratches the hardwood under it as you slowly push yourself away from the table. You notice you're missing your shoes as you trudge the few feet that feel like miles.

Hongjoongs head is eagerly turned to the untainted side, Seonghwa's mark mirrored to where you must leave yours.

You attempt to tune out the joyous howling of your wolf, tell her this is not a good thing. But she doesn't care. All she says is-

Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate.

You wince as your canines push through your gums unannounced, lip snarling upward to give them room.

Seonghwa watches with a sadistic glint in his eye as you bend forward, tears building up in your own.

You hate to admit that Hongjoong, both of them really, smell wonderful. But your wolf sure doesn't, she only chants louder.

Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate.

Your anxious breathes fan against his neck, goosebumps arising in response and anticipation.

His heart is skipping beats. You're so close that you can hear it.

Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. Mate.

With a quick movement, your teeth are sunk into his flesh, forever bonding you.

˚➶ ｡˚

    The searing water pelts your back. Steam swirls in the air. Your cries and sniffles echo on the linoleum tile.

     After marking both alphas you didn't have much appetite but, after helping you rinse your mouth, Hongjoong had made you eat everything on your plate before he let you run to the bathroom and lock yourself in.

     Despite the pull in his gut, the urge to break down the door and comfort you, Hongjoong had forced himself to leave. He couldn't listen to your cries, even if he was the cause of them.

      That left the older alpha alone in your humble living room. He tuned his ears to focus on the rainfall, the rolling thunder, the periodic knocking of your air conditioning, anything but the sound of your sorrow.

    You don't quite find it in yourself to care who is or isn't in your home, you find yourself with a much more immediate problem.

     Seonghwa was right.

   You feel heat bubbling to life in your lower stomach, slowly consuming the ball of anxiety that resides there. Your wolf is loud. She won't shut up. Mate this, mate that, knot this, and knot that. You wish with every ounce of your being that she wouldn't be such a primal animal, but that's much like expecting a wild animal to be house trained.

     You find your tears slowly drying, washed away from your cheeks by the ever falling water.

     You hadn't had a heat in a good long while. And now you were mated to two alphas? Seonghwa was right, and you are beyond fucked. You'd never even had a partner during a heat.

     A whimper trembles past your lips without your consent, small and pathetic much like how you feel.

You go to grip the knobs, gasping as you see your claws. They look thicker than before, darker as well. You bring them to your face, turning your hand over and inspecting them. "What..."

A knock at the door startles you enough to grab the tub, new and improved nails leaving indents on the acrylic fiberglass. "(Y/n)? Don't get too hot, the steam is coming out into the hall."

"Go away!" You squeeze your eyes shut, praying Seonghwa didn't hear the sorry crack in your voice.

Your prayers, much like yesterday, go unanswered, unheard. "Are you okay in there? I know... I know the situation isn't ideal-"

"Shut up!" You growl, hand immediately slapped to your mouth in shock of your own outburst. The quiet is eating you alive, making you wish the raining water above you would somehow drown you.

"I'm coming in."

"No! Just fucking leave me alone." Your eyes are wide at the sound of your own voice once again. You, your body is curled into the corner of the tub wanting to disappear and become one with the tiles below you. You, your mouth is loud and proud with your anger.

He opens the lock with his claw, breaking your deceptive sense of privacy. The stream rises into the hall in a thick fog, obscuring his vision. He tries to look for your outline behind the shower curtain but he finds nothing. When a small sniff sounds, his eyes flick to the source. The shadow of a curled up body.

When he grab the curtain, your voice comes out quietly. "Please don't touch me."

"I won't." He speaks shortly, opening the fabric just enough to turn off the water. Immediately, with no sound to drown it out, he hears your irregular heartbeat. "I won't," he says with a voice soft with promise.

The silence drapes you both, listening closely to one another for any sign of movement or speech.

Your ears are perked up, eyes wide and wild as you watch his silhouette take a seat on the closed toilet. He seems to be watching you as well.

"You're in heat." He breaks the hush with a punch. It's not a question, more so it's an observation from his sharp senses.

"Yes." You whisper back.

"How long since you had your last one? That blocker was in there deep." His voice holds something like quiet empathy, which makes your wolf want to crawl to him even more. You try to calculate the years to give him a good estimate of how bad this will get, but your brain feels too hot in your head.

"Long," is all you can muster up.

The quiet blankets you again, the only sound the raging storm outside. A clap of thunder makes you jerk, wrapping your clawed hands around yourself for a sense of comfort.

His hand comes through the gap in the curtain, holding your large fluffy towel. You take it with an almost silent thank you, wrapping it around your shoulders as you stay seated.

He watches the steam dissipate, surveying your small bathroom. The tub and shower which currently holds you takes up the short wall. The toilet he sits on has a soft fabric covering on the lid, the short blue yarn matches the color of the walls and the striped curtain. Your medicine cabinet has small little flowers painted on it with an obviously careful hand. Your products on the counter are organized in re-used plastic containers. Your clothes are set on the edge and awaiting you.

He wonders what you'll do to their home when it becomes yours as well.

When you shuffle, he looks back to your distorted form. Slowly standing, you clear your throat. "Can you, uhm..."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," he mutters as he stands, closing the door behind him.

Taking a peek around the drape, you make sure he's really gone before you step out and quickly dry yourself off, blinking away the tears that start to build again.

     With a fresh outfit on and having scrubbed off as much of them as you could, you step out of the bathroom for the first time in hours. Hongjoongs scent is weak, making you briefly wonder where he went as you tip toe around your own home.

     The door to your room is still ajar, but a glimpse inside shows no sign of the alpha who's smell is still strong. The sound of the TV draws you out to the compact living room. There, you can see the back of his head as he faces the box television, watching a rerun of Starsky and Hutchy.

     He says nothing as you sit down, and you say nothing back. He's not paying attention, and neither are you. But neither of you dare speak first.

˚➶ ｡˚

How you fell asleep, you have no idea. But the slam of the front door makes you jump awake, grabbing the nearest object which happens to be Seonghwas forearm.

He places his hand on yours wordlessly and turns to see whoever has the nerve to wake you. "Mingi?" He groans after a moment of reflection.

The strange man in your home, Mingi, is tall, taller than Seonghwa- and it makes you cower into the alpha subconsciously. He shakes the rain water out of his short pink hair in a way akin to a dog after a bath, unbothered by the glare and the wide eyes on him. "Hey!"

"What are you-"

"Joong sent me," he lifts up a duffel bag with a grin, kicking his shoes off as to not drag mud into your home and piss off his alphas mate. "Hi," he smiles more politely towards you as he slowly approaches, noticing your arms tremor.

"You forget how to knock?" Seonghwa grumbles as he stands, hand hesitantly leaving your own as he walks behind the couch to join the man.

"Well I didn't hear anything, I figured you were sleeping or something." He shrugs simply as he sits the bag on the sewing machine you use as a desk.

"We were, asshat." The brotherly bickering of the pack mates makes you smile, and you hide your lips in the cushion as you watch them carefully from you backwards seating on the couch.

     The pink haired man's attention lands on you as Seonghwa looks through the clothes in the bag. "Hi, 'm Mingi," he smiles kindly, holding his hand out to you only for it to be smacked down quickly by Seonghwa with a glare. "Uhm, rude," he rolls his eyes with a clear playfulness.

     "No touching," he huffs shortly, eyes flicking back to you. "He touches you, I cut off his fingers. I'm going to shower." He leans over the back off the couch and lifts your face out of the fabric gently, taking your lips in his possessively, leaving you flabbergasted as he leaves as quick as he came.

     Mingi whistles lowly as the bathroom door closes, chuckling at your starstruck expression. "This fuckin' guy, am I right?" He jokes, smiling awkwardly as he shifts his weight from foot to foot. "I'm an omega too, don't worry. I know it's scary coming across new wolves when you're like us, not knowing..."

      You nod silently, eyeing him up for any sign of danger. But you only find him shivering. "You want a towel or something...?"

    "Oh, if it's not any trouble," he smiles again, the gummy nature of it reminds you of Jihyun, and you find a lot of your nerves draining away. He's an omega like you, so you have a fair chance against him. And despite everything, you doubt Seonghwa would let anyone hurt you, let alone someone from his own pack.

    You sneak by him quickly and into the closet in the hall next to the bathroom, where you can hear the water running.

     "Here you go," you hand it over before taking a seat again, turning backwards on the couch to keep an eye on him as he towels off his hair.

    Starsky and Hutch keeps the silence from being too stiff, but it's clear Mingi has a lot of words on his tongue fighting to come out as he dries his arms.

    "Do-"

    "Is-"

    "Sorry," you both mumbles as you speak over each other. You motion to the seat next to you and he takes it with a quick, "thanks."

    "So," you begin, tucking your knees under your chin, "he's your alpha?"

    "Both of them, they lead together." He nods as he speaks, looking around your home.

    "That's weird," you mumble to yourself, picking at the string on your sock, "how does that work?"

     "Well... I mean they just kind of lead us all together. Make decisions together, it's not a dictatorship actually- they let us vote on stuff sometimes, it's nice. I'm sure you'll come to understand our pack, we're just a bit... different."

    "How did, uh, I mean I've heard some stuff, I dunno-"

    "You can ask me. I know those two probably weren't very talkative."

   "Yeah," you chuckle quietly, taking a peek at him, "they made their own pack, right? How did you end up here?"

    He looks back at you and slowly relaxes in his seat, both of you growing more comfortable as your wolves sniff one another out. "Yeah, that's right. They didn't roll up on a village like this and say, 'who's the strongest, let's fight', like most alphas come to be. They found each of us and asked us to join, didn't just demand it. I was one of the first, actually. They found me stealing some food in Minnesota, told me pledge my loyalty and I'll never be cold or hungry again."

   "And?"

  "Hm?"

   "Have you been?"

    "Never," he shakes his head, "they're good alphas. Maybe not the best people, but good alphas. I'm sorry you had to join us this way... they can be a bit impulsive, impatient." His eyes are low and voice even lower, like he's trying to hide his words from the man who's most definitely listening in. "They aren't monsters, at least not the kind the news makes them out to be. They're the monsters the world shaped them into."

     You feel his wolf calling out to yours, albeit weakly. You've never felt it before. Is it because you're finally apart of a real pack? Because you're his alphas mate? Your eyes flick to your wolves and his follow suit, a pink color that matches his hair.

"Mingi." His voice breaks your small staring competition, both of you looking to him. He looks a lot different on his own clothes, and it makes your annoyingly loud wolf even louder. His forearm sleeve and neck tattoo is on show in his dark grey wifebeater, finally freed from the long sleeve orange top. The marks on his shoulders are out and proud as well. His bell bottom jeans make his long legs look even longer, like he's more than half leg. His inked up fingers work nimbly to buckle his belt. That's when you finally look away, sinful thoughts flooding your head thanks to your building heat.

"Has Hongjoong come up with a plan with the rest of you?"

     You don't register that he's come up to the couch until he's picking you up. You grab onto his shoulders and bite your lip as you yelp.

     "He says we should just sneak attack their camp, Jongho's been able to sus out their location with his-" Mingi clears his throat to stop himself as Seonghwa sends him a glare while he sits, settling you in his lap. "With some intel... says they only have two scouts at a time."

You curl up on yourself, breathing deeply- which turns out to be a grave mistake. Seonghwas sandalwood scent floods you all at once, the musky smell of the prison washed away. A wave of arousal hits you like the one in the shower, and he squeezes you closer to his chest.

"He'll tell me about it later, go on and go back to the prison and tell him come back."

"Wha-"

"Go now."

"Yup, yeah, I'm gone." Mingi jumps up, leaving the towel on the couch as he dashes to the door, disappearing with a quick, "later!"

You try to scramble away the second the door shuts, but the alpha grabs your ankle and pins you to the couch. "Please, please!" You shake your head while sniveling, quieted when he cups the back of your neck softly.

"Calm down, omega," he whispers, keeping his weight off of you, "you need us to get rid of that heat, you know that don't you?"

You nod dreadfully, burying your face in the cushion. "I don't want-"

"Tell me what you want, and that's what I will do. Nothing more. I won't force you to do anything but I won't let you suffer in your heat, do you understand?"

"Yes..."

"Do you want me to let you go?"

Despite yourself, you whisper, "no..."

"Tell me how to help you. Tell me what you want. Tell me what you want, omega, and I will give it to you."

˚➶ ｡˚

By the time Hongjoong crashes through the front door clumsily, both of you are gone from the couch. A trail of torn clothes and the call of soft moans lead him to your bedroom, the door open wide to provide him a beautiful view.

You, in your bra and nearly nothing else. Legs spread around Seonghwas shoulders and socked toes curling into the bed. Your sharp teeth out and peeking through your lips as they part with a moan.

Seonghwa, kneeling and back arched as he anchors himself between your legs, forearms wrapped around your thighs. His tank top rising up to expose the ink on his lower back. Low, muffled moans rumble in his throat.

      "Started without me?" He asks smugly after he catches his breath from the overwhelming scene.

     Seonghwas head snaps back at the intruder, eyes red and jaw slick- but he goes right back to his meal, making you yip in surprise. Your eyes stay locked on his, lit aglow just like the alphas between your legs. Your chest rises and falls with bated breathes.

"Hongj-ah!" You grip the straps of Seonghwas top, eyes squeezing shut as you whine.

     Your logic and reasoning went out the window the second Seonghwas eyes turned red with lust. Now, you let your wolf get what she wants for the time being. You forgot how badly heats burn.

     Your bed dips and creaks with the additional weight as the younger alpha joins you. You feel his breath over the healing mark he left, followed by a lick which makes you gasp.

     Every touch both extinguishes the burn and makes it hotter.

    "You smell so good," Hongjoong coos into your neck, hands slowly wrapping around your waist, "will you let me have a taste too?"

      "Y-yes!" You nod eagerly, fidgeting under his light touches until a slender hand presses down on your stomach to keep you in place, followed by a growl.

     "I'm not done, am I, omega? I thought you wanted to cum on my tongue? That's what you asked for, after all," Seonghwa teases as he pulls back, free hand playing with the slick between your thighs. He watches with a smirk as you nod, over and over. "Yeah?"

    "Yeah! Please, Seonghwa!" You feel a pinch in your gut as you beg for the criminal, but it's washed away with another surge of pleasure. A soft hand on your cheek makes you push your eyes open, coming face to face with Hongjoong.

     "Poor omega," he pouts as he traces your jaw, "those blockers are good for nothing, only cause problems. We'll take good care of you, don't worry. Anything you want, Doll. Anything at all."

     Your request is wordless. A pull at his belt loop with your clawed finger.

˚➶ ｡˚

You're fast asleep with your heat satisfied for the time being, sandwiched between the two alphas in your small bed. They keep quiet, enjoying the moment. They know that when you awake without your heat blurring your mind, you'll be distant again.

And they don't blame you.

Mingi was right, they're impulsive. They wanted you and they got you the second they could. They'll do whatever they can to make you realize you're meant to be their omega, their mate. They'll build the trust one step at a time, they just had to make sure you wouldn't slip away in the meantime.

Your breathes are slow and steady, deep in the hands of exhaustion. One of your legs is hooked across Hongjoongs hips, the other tangled in Seonghwas bell bottoms. Your arms are wrapped around the blondes neck, head buried in his shoulder.

Seonghwa has one arm tucked under both of your heads, fingers twirling Hongjoongs hair mindlessly as he holds a joint between his lips, inhaling deeply and letting the smoke out slowly. His pants are undone and underwear clumsily pulled back up.

      Hongjoong has his eyes closed peacefully, though he's not sleeping. He's listening intently to your heart beats, enjoying the familiar smell of his alphas smoking and the feeling of your naked body clinging to his.

       "Leave tomorrow?" Seonghwa whispers hushedly, letting the smoke in his lungs out in a puff.

     "The quicker we get home the better. We need to start making a real plan for that fuck face Greene." He snarls silently, pressing his nose into your hair in an attempt to calm himself.   

     "And make sure no one messed up while we were caged."

     "They told me Yunhos been taking care of the traffic flow, we should be good on that part. I just want to get my claws bloody."

    Seonghwa chuckles, rubbing his temple, "you know what's fucked? If that coward didn't rat us out, we wouldn't've found our mate."

      Hongjoong cracks a small smile, cradling your unconscious body close to his chest as Seonghwa stands. "Maybe I'll go easy on him then." He smirks, watching his shoulders bounce with silent laughter as he leaves the room, a trail of smoke following him.

     Seonghwa closes the bathroom door behind him, staring at his reflection. He takes the joint between his index and middle finger, leaning toward the glass.

     Hongjoong was made for this world, for his world. But were you? Had they just doomed you to a pitiful existence? Did he even care if they did?

     Peddling drugs and getting your claws bloody. He couldn't imagine you doing it. But he couldn't imagine letting you go.

     He pulls his jeans down and his boxers leg up, snuffing out the joint on his thigh.

˚➶ ｡˚

   "It ain't a crime to be good to yourself! Lick it up! Lick it up! Woooo!"

      Your body is slung to the door of the van as Hongjoong drifts around the corner, the loud rock music only rivaled by his singing of it. You grab onto the passenger seat infront of you to hold yourself steady. "Does he have to be the one to drive?" You yell to Seognhwa who's in the row of seats behind you, laid across them with a grin.

     "He likes to pretend he's driving The A Team van!" 

        The van skids to a stop infront of the prison, and you have to force yourself to look away least you think about the people who are still being held hostage inside. "C'mon up here, Doll," Hongjoong holds his hand out to you in offering, and you take it. You crawl over the cup holder in the middle and land in the passenger seat, grabbing the bag they had let you pack before dragging you away from your home.

     "Where are we going?" You ask quietly, thankful that Hongjoong had the ears to be able to hear you over his cassette.

      "Back to our stomping grounds," he hums as he hits the button to unlock the doors, letting in the approaching group of people. "Los Aranza, it's in sou-"

     "What's up fuckers?" A young man shouts over the music as he hops into the middle row, making you jump as you look back. He smiles your way kindly, uttering a softer, "hey." 

    Mingi, who throws you a small smile, is climbing in next with a buffer man who immediately gives you the chills and a woman who looks like a sore thumb in the group. 

     Mingi gets in the back with Seonghwa and the woman ends up in the middle seat between the two other men despite her complaints.

"(Y/n), this is Wooyoung," Hongjoong introduces you to the first man, who waves your way. "Lia," the woman returns your awkward smile of a greeting. "And San," who, you don't expect to, leans over the center console and takes you in a sideways hug.

"No touching!" A grumble comes from the back, making San chuckle as he leans back into his seat.

"Nice to meet you," he grins brightly, promptly buckling his seatbelt when he hears Hongjoong start the vehicle back up.

Everyone else quickly copies his actions, and you get the memo the moment before the van lurches to life quickly.

The first few minutes are awkward silence save for the music, which Lia thankfully made the driver turn down.

"So, (Y/n)," Wooyoung starts up, "I don't want you to worry so..." You look back over your shoulder, taking a note of the small freckle under his eye as you search his features. "I just wanted to let you know that we called the state police before we left, it'll take a few hours but the rest of your village won't be stuck in there for too long."

The sentiment gives you the smallest hint of relief, knowing that they won't just be left there to wither until someone would notice that the whole town disappeared off the face of the planet. "Thanks..." You nod shortly, taking the time turned around to inspect the other new faces as well.

Lia has a seemingly familiar set of round and soft features, but you can't quite place it. Nor can you place her ranking in the group. She doesn't smell like a wolf, but you don't want to pry.

San, however, has the clear ego of a beta; chest puffed out and radiating confidence, but not power. He's got a smile that doesn't match any of that though, and that along with his friendly actions make you think he's not as scary as he presents.

You turn back around and face the road, watching the sign for your town wiz past.

"How far to Los A..."

"Aranza! Maybe like... 26 hours?" Lia's words make you look to Hongjoong, who's tapping away at the wheel as he speeds.

"Seonghwa," you call out.

"Hm?"

"Can someone else drive?"

˚➶ ｡˚

Your request was denied, obviously, and everyone had to hang on every time Hongjoong made a turn or hit a bump. Admittedly, it was fun to watch him let loose and sing his heart out while the wind knocked his hair around. That, paired with the surprisingly kind conversation that the pack members made with you made for a good first three hours.

After that, Wooyoung got grumpy. "I'm hungry!"

Then, Mingi chimed in, "I have to use the bathroom!"

Then, San, "My legs asleep! Ow, really Lia?"

When you gave Hongjoong a begging glance, that's when he finally started looking for an exit on the highway.

The mom and pop restaurant was run down and quiet, but you were thankful that that meant less people to see the rag tag team of criminals you were with and potentially cause problems. The van was parked half hazardously in the back by the restrooms, and Mingi was the first out from the back doors, practically dashing into the men's room.

You grab the handle to the passenger side door only to be grabbed on the opposite wrist. You look to the assailant and see Hongjoong with a questioning gaze. "What? I have to...go," you shrug his hand away, opening your door and hopping down before he can stop you again.

You hear some soft foot steps enter the bathroom as you hover, but they don't enter a stall. "Did they send you to babysit me," you groan, nearly slapping yourself as you speak before thinking again.

"Yeah, sorry..." Lia's voice is apologetic, and when you finally exit: her face is as well. "They can be a bit...uhm."

"Paranoid? Overbearing?"

"Yeah," she nods softly, using the mirror she stands infront of to look at you as you wash your hands. The way your shoulders slump and your head hangs low makes her heart ache for you. "I hope we can be friends. You're going to need some in this side of the world."

You look in the mirror in front of yourself, matching her stance as you watch one another through the glasses. "I hope so, too."

     When you join the men back outside, they're all sitting on the curb with plastic bags infront of them. Lia sits in the space between Mingi and San, immediately grappling at the bag the ladder holds out to her. Seonghwa hands you one as well, nodding for you to take it, "yours."

    Inside is two large styrofoam boxes of delicious smelling food, and you look up with your brows pressed together. "This is a lot of food, Seonghwa, I'm not going to eat all of this." You set down one as you open up the other and sit on the warm concrete between the two alphas.

     "You need it, you're still in heat." He hums plainly, dropping a french fry into his mouth as San spits one out from his.

     "Hey!" You yell, feeling the heat of embarrassment rising up your neck.

      "What? It's true." He looks around to his pack members, seeing the three lower men looking away from you while Lia simply shakes her head at him, and Hongjoong nods.

     "He's right, we didn't even fuck- ow!" He glares at Mingi as he slaps him upside the head, "we didn't! We only y'know... messed around."

     "Bro, shut up!" Mingi sends you a quick compassionate glance before turning his face to his food. "You guys have zero tact."

     "Tact? What the hells that?" Hongjoong mumbles from around his burger, "you made that up."

  In defiance of your anger at him, his antics make you smile as you take a bite of food.

˚➶ ｡˚

The next stop the vehicle makes is in the dead of night, the spring moon full and bright.

It was only you and Hongjoong awake when you asked if their promise from earlier still stood: whatever you need and nothing more.

He was quick to peel off the road and park the sleeping group before leading you into the woods to satisfy your once again noisy wolf.

You hate that you nearly start howling aloud when he pushes your back onto a tree, hand behind your head to protect it from the bark, and begins kissing you like he did in your bed.

He takes it a step further, slipping his hand down now that Seonghwa isn't there. His lips meld into yours as he slips his hand under the elastic waistband of your shorts. They travel lower as his fingers do the same, feeling the warmth of your heat which makes him groan into your neck.

When he feels your hands on his shoulders, he closes his eyes and cherishes your touch, letting his wolf drive him forward and press his body to yours in an act of affection which makes you dizzy.

His fingers find their way inside of you, making you gasp toward the stars. His knuckles feel like balls of velvet in your overly sensitive body, driving you nearer and nearer to the cliff of pleasure your wolf desperately needs to dive off of.

        Omega heats are pathetic, you think to yourself as your knees buckle: only being held up by Hongjoongs weight pressing you into the tree as he gives you satisfaction you're incapable of giving yourself.

Thankfully, all too soon, your pleasure reaches its peak and you tumble over it, gushing on his fingers and clinging to him as he kisses the healing mark his teeth left. He wraps his free arm around your back, holding your waist tightly as you tremble. "That's it, Doll..." His voice raises bumps on the flesh of your shoulder, his heavy breaths fanning them.

You can feel his length hard against you, but you're too afraid and too ashamed to acknowledge it and he knows it. But he's content with whatever you give to him in the moment, he doesn't care about his own pleasure as long as his mate is taken care of. He presses his nose into your scent and breathes deeply, letting out a growl as he feels your core clenching.

You feel a sense of dread as you come back to your head fully, watching with wide eyes as he takes his fingers from your shorts and into his mouth. You quickly look away, and hear him chuckling.

"It's okay to want us, Pretty. We're your mates. We want you just as bad."

You share a moment of sincere eye contact before your tears blur his image. "I'm afraid." You confess in a short huff, breathing in the soft wind that surrounds you.

   "Of what? We'll never let anything hurt you." His voice holds a simple directness, he means every word he says and he doesn't see the need to be poetic with it. He just wants to convey the truth to you. "Anyone looks at you the wrong way and I'll gut them. I'll put their head on a pike to show everyone else not to fuck with you."

      With his body once again pressing into you, albeit with a softness that wasn't found in your last heated moment, you find yourself looking down to avoid his wild eyes. He can smell a bittersweet spike of fear in your scent, and his brows furrow together.

     "I'm afraid of you... and of Seonghwa. You frighten me. You don't-" You bite your tongue before you let your emotions speak for you. After a moment, you break your silence, "you don't even know me... and it scares me what you're willing to do. You're criminals. And if... if you don't find me a suitable mate that I'll be next on your list of victims. I didn't ask for this, Hongjoong... I didn't want this."

      His face is stoic for a spell, but his lips slowly curve upward into a bestial grin: followed by the giggles that had haunted your dreams after the first time you heard them. "Oh, (Y/n)," he snickers, eyes closing with the force of his laughter. It rings out in the silent night and mocks you. What could he possibly be finding so funny about your legitimate fears?

     His body collapses into you as he laughs manically, making you freeze with a cry- your body trying to make itself small. You close your eyes, taking sniveling breaths as you will yourself to block out the deranged laughter. "Oh, you're just so adorable!"

    "S-stop laughing at me," you whine, attempting to push his weight off of you as the bark begins digging into your back. He doesn't look it, but he's heavy as all get out as he slumps into you.

     He grips your wrists as you push at his chest and pins them into the tree with his claws caging them in, all laughter gone in a spilt second as he glares down at you. "Now you listen, Doll," he growls between his teeth, making you cry sharper and clench your eyes tighter. He doesn't like that one bit. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, omega!"

You sheepishly open your eyes, too afraid to disobey him even though he's scaring the living daylights out of you with his mood swings. His eyes slowly return to normal, black fading into nothingness at the sight of your fearful eyes.

"Now you listen close, yeah?" He speaks softer than before, kicking your feet apart to stand between them and get closer to you. "You don't quite understand, I think... We could fucking smell you the second we rolled into that place. Now, Seonghwa thought it was a trick- a stupid ploy to get us to be tame. But when you walked into the room, oh we knew it was real! Just one wiff of your fresh scent and my wolf was clawing to get out. Even with that stupid blocker in your neck, we could smell you and that's how we knew. Other alphas won't even understand so it's okay that you don't. But, Doll, you were made for us, and we were made for you. The moon cut us from the same cloth, three pieces from the same puzzle. You were ours the second you were born, and we were yours. We are each others. We are each other. Mind, body, soul, and wolf, we belong to one another. So don't think for a second that we don't know you, okay? We are you. We'll chase you to the ends of the goddamn Earth if we have to. So don't ever fucking say some shit like that again, got it?! I would break open my chest and shove you inside if that's what it took to keep you safe. I'd walk on my hands and knees for eternity if that's what it takes to make you happy! So don't say some shit like that again, am I understood? You are our mate and we will treat you as such, nothing less than a Goddess among wolves and we the Gods that rule beside you. Do you understand?"

You're too busy sobbing, your small sniffles having grown into full blown fat tears and cries during his monologue, to answer him. He withdraws his claws and your arms fall limp to your side. His palms are warm and comforting on your cheeks even as he says firmly, "nod if you understand."

And all you can do is nod pathetically.

˚➶ ｡˚ PART TWO END ˚➶ ｡˚