#yotv

[todd-queen]

feeding the Floyd Lawton lovers (myself very much included)

[thelargefrye]

BECAUSE I'M HIM ... mature one - shot (21+) | PART I

pairing : supe!ateez x supe!villain!f!reader ( ft. supe!villain!sanhwa x supe!villain!f!reader )

genre : dark, mature, heroes and villains, demon slayer x mha inspired, angst

word count : 24k

warnings : language, a lot... a LOT of fight scenes 😮‍💨, death / murder, blood / body gore, suicide, choking, attempted murder, the government wouldn't do that to you - oh yes they would, mass killing (a whole island gets wiped out – not in detail and only mentioned), MAJOR character deaths, cannibalism (kind of), mention human sacrifice, any korean that appears might be inaccurate

smut warnings : unprotected sex, pain kink, wound... fingering (I CAN EXPLAIN), handjob

listen to the official soundtrack here

note : for topaz's @sanjoongie YOTV collab – had so much fun planning this and writing it, thank you for allowing me to be apart of this collab and i hope you enjoy it! please make sure to check out the other fics for this collab with the masterlist!

also thank you to @anyamaris for letting me word vomit this to you!

with the hero association struggling to take down the villain alliance, they and the government force death row villains to team up with some of the world's greatest heroes in order to hunt down and defeat them. you are one of those villains.

ACT I: THE FINAL SELECTION

maximum security prison – interrogation room – day

the briefing room was sterile and cold. not only that but filled with tension that it could be easily cut with a knife. the seven heroes in the room along with the two hero association agents stood in a line, waiting. their hero uniforms were sharp and pristine – like they had never experienced being in a fight before. some of them exchanged wary glances, waiting for their captain to speak up. 

some of the wary glances focus on said captain, hongjoong, as he lets out an annoyed sigh, arms crossed and a scowl on his face, “i still think this is a mistake. we don’t need some damn villains on our team.” 

“maybe we should hear the reasoning first,” jongho says calmly as he leans against the wall and gestures to the two agents who are whispering amongst themselves, “they must have a plan after all.” 

wooyoung let out an annoyed tsk at the youngest member’s words, “seriously? whose bright idea was it to bring in villains? we’re supposed to be heroes, not babysitters.” 

“or they’re just desperate,” yeosang sounds a little skeptical before he’s glancing at yunho, “yunho, you… you knew y/n, didn’t you? before you became a hero?” 

“yeah. we… we grew up together. went to school together too,” he answers, his body stiffening slightly at the mention of you and your… past together. 

“and you’re only bringing that up now? feels like a pretty important detail,” wooyoung says, looking at yunho was a raised eyebrow. he was suspicious of why yunho would exclude ever telling the team this information. 

the top hero looks at wooyoung, “it’s not relevant. that was years ago,” he says, defensively, but why? was he trying to defend himself or you? 

“not relevant?” hongjoong speaks up this time, “you sure about that? she turned into a villain, killed a bunch of people at vanguard, yunho. makes me wonder if you missed the warning signs back then.” 

yunho clenches his fist, eyes shooting a glare at his captain, but mingi steps in, “alright, that’s enough. no reason to randomly start pointing fingers.” 

wooyoung turns his head, “still doesn’t mean this is right. we shouldn’t be working with people who are on fucking death row of all things,” he says under his breath. 

“we don’t have to like it, but you know the villain alliance is escalating. if bringing in these three gives us an edge, we can’t afford to turn it down.” 

“of course you would be on the side of bringing the villains in, yeosang,” wooyoung says, eyes glaring at his friend, teammate, “just because they have dark powers like yours doesn’t mean they are like you.” yeosang’s ears burn a bright red as his eyes look down to the floor, avoiding the others uneasy glances.

the tension in the room hangs heavy, with yunho shifting uncomfortably as the others cast sidelong glances at him. the door opens, breaking the moment and yunho internally sighs in relief, as the three villains – seonghwa, san, and you – are escorted inside by armed guards. your gray prison uniforms are a stark contrast to the heroes’ pristine, clean ones. yunho’s eyes focus in on the thick collars around your necks, a dim, red light pulsing faintly – prisoner control devices. you are further restrained with a sleek, heavy, metal helmet that entirely covers your head and face. yunho is sure that you can’t see out of it at all. 

“this is ridiculous. putting them on our team?” hongjoong says once more, scowl growing even deeper. 

“by order of the hero association, you’re to work together,” one of the agents said, fixing their glasses, “the villain alliance is escalating – demon appearances are increasing, dangerously, you’ll need their help. villains are better suited to take down other villains afterall.” 

your head tilts slightly, sensing the hostility in the room despite being unable to see it. seonghwa and san exchange quick glances, their body language guarded. 

“this is a bad idea. they’re basically just as dangerous as the demons,” jongho whispers quietly from the other side of yunho. 

“we don’t have a choice,” yunho says back, trying his best to sound neutral; however, he can’t tear his eyes away from you. all he can do is picture you from six years ago, before the hero association and public claimed you to be one of the worst villains alive. 

the other agent steps forward, their presence commanding attention as they begin to speak, “we’ve gathered intel that the villain alliance has been growing exponentially with more and more demons popping up. they are also reported to have a ranking system with the top demons known as the twelve moons. these twelve demons are the alliance’s most strongest aside from their leader – nicha yontararak, is powerful. we don’t know the exact extent of her powers yet. which is why these three,” they say pointing to you and the other two villains, “are some of our strongest villains we have on death row. they’ve… agreed to cooperate.” 

wooyoung can’t help but let out a snicker at the agent’s words, “‘agreed’? pretty sure those collars say otherwise.” 

“as if we want to help you all. i would rather happily stay in my cell and watch you all fail miserably,” san snaps back sharply. 

wooyoung steps forward, jaw clenched, “big words for someone in cuffs.” 

“careful, hero. the collars don’t stop us from speaking,” seonghwa says, his voice the complete opposite of san’s. like fire and ice. 

you remain silent, your head shifting slightly as if trying your best to track the conversation. the helmet not only robs you of your sight, but also most of your hearing. your restrained demeanor makes you an enigmatic presence amongst the three villains. 

“enough. we’re all here for the same reason,” yeosang says calmly, trying to de-escalate the situation before it grew even more hostile. was that even possible? he surely didn’t want to find out. 

“speak for yourself,” hongjoong scoffs.

the first agent speaks up again, “this isn’t up for debate. the decision is final. get them integrated into the team.” the guards step back but remain close, their hands on their weapons as if waiting for either villains or heroes to make the wrong move. the two agents turn to leave but the second one pauses at the door. 

“one last thing. these collars can and will neutralize them if they step out of line. you have our full authorization to engage them if necessary, captain hongjoong.” the agents exits the room, leaving a thick silence behind. the room feels suffocating with unspoken tension. 

“so, will you actually be able to help us? or is this just an eventual setup?” jongho asks, looking towards the villains. 

“we were in prison, not their meetings,” seonghwa deadpans at the youngest hero, “do we look like demons to you?” 

yunho finds himself stepping closer to you, “y/n? how… how have you been?” his voice is quiet and he cringes at how he sounds. why the hell would he ask you that? of course you haven’t been good, you’ve been in prison. 

you don’t answer him; however, choosing to remain silent which causes hongjoong to let out a laugh as if to ridicule yunho. yunho casts a quick glance at you. his jaw tightens, an unfamiliar guilt gnawing at him. he shifts uncomfortably, wondering if things could’ve been different – if he had done more, maybe tried harder to help you all those years ago. his fingers curl into fists before he looks away, swallowing his thoughts. 

“don’t waste your breath, yunho. she doesn’t care about any of this,” hongjoong says. 

san steps forward, tension rolling off his form, “watch your mouth,” he threatens with a clenched jaw. 

“or what?” hongjoong asks with a cold smile, “you can’t do anything without your leash.” 

before things could escalate further, mingi steps between them, raising his hands in a calming gesture. “we’re supposed to be working together. let’s not start killing each other before the real fight.” 

seonghwa places a hand on san’s shoulder, guiding him back a step. you tilt your head slightly, as if observing the dynamics despite your blindness. 

“this is going well,” yeosang says softly, the tension clearly making him on edge. 

“it’s gonna get worse,” wooyoung mutters. 

“then we’d better figure it out fast. the villain alliance isn’t going to wait for us to get along,” jongho says seriously as he looks around. 

ateez compound – common room – evening

the ateez compound is probably the nicest facility you’ve ever seen. its sleek in design and filled with every necessity a hero team might need and more: training rooms, living quarters, a common area with large couches, a television that actually worked, and a kitchen off to the side. the atmosphere, however, is anything but welcoming, you conclude. 

you sit in the corner of the common room, back against the wall, and your head finally free of that damn helmet that you had been forced to wear for six years in prison. seonghwa leans on the arm of one of the long couches, observing the room with an icy, detached look. san, sits cross-legged on the floor, tossing a small ball against the wall and catching it repeatedly. the three of you remain isolated, a rather stark contrast to the other heroes clustered together on the other side of the room. 

the air on the other side of the common area is heavy with an uneasy mix of silence and tension. hongjoong stands by the large window that overlooks the surrounding outside area of the compound, arms crossed, his sharp gaze darting towards the three villains every few seconds. his eyes stay on you a little longer, taking in your calm yet unreadable face. wooyoung leans against the wall near him, arms folded tightly, while yeosang and mingi quietly watch from the kitchen. 

jongho watches everyone from his spot on the other couch that isn’t occupied by seonghwa. yunho, perched on the edge of a chair, keeps glancing at you but says nothing. 

“i still can’t believe we have to live with them. it’s like inviting a time bomb into your house,” hongjoong grimaces. 

“more like three. pretty sure those collars won’t stop them if they decide to go rogue,” wooyoung snickers from beside him. 

“you don’t know that. maybe this could work if we actually tried,” mingi said, a little louder than he intended. hongjoong shifts his gaze to mingi, eyebrows raised. 

“tried? they’re not here to make friends, mingi. they’re here because the association thinks villains killing villains is easier than us doing it.” 

“it doesn’t mean they can’t be allies. everyone starts somewhere,” yeosang says calmly. 

wooyoung rolls his eyes at the red-haired hero’s words, “dark powers stick together, huh?” yeosang doesn’t respond to the obvious bait, but his jaw tightens. meanwhile, you tilt your head slightly, almost like you were listening. 

san catches his ball with an annoyed sigh, “we can hear you, you know.” he says flatly. 

“good,” wooyoung responds mockingly, “saves me the trouble of repeating myself.” 

“you’re very brave when you’re surrounded by your friends,” you suddenly speak up, breaking your silence. the room goes quiet at your words. this is the first time any of them have heard you speak and it sends an uneasy shiver down the heroes’ spines as you narrow your eyes over at wooyoung. an unexplainable energy feels like his chest when you make eye contact, and he opens his mouth to respond, but hongjoong puts a hand on his arm, shaking his head. the tension is palpable. 

the setting sun is the only thing warming the otherwise cold room, painting the usually white walls with an orange glow to it. 

ateez compound – rooftop – later that night

the rooftop of the compound offers a great view of the surrounding forest. you can see the city in the distance, the skyline blinking and it reminds you of the stars that are in the sky. yeosang stands at the edge, leaning on the railing looking out at said skyline. you join him, your movements quiet. 

“couldn’t sleep?” you ask, opting to not look at yeosang, but you could tell he was distracted. 

“no.” 

“figured,” you said, smirking lightly, “i guess the compound’s not as relaxing as it usually is, huh?”

yeosang doesn’t respond immediately. you shift a little, looking from him to the city where his eyes are. 

“do they… hate you too?” you asked quietly, as if you were worried that someone unwanted would overhear you. 

“what?” yeosang finally looks at you, a look of surprise on his face. 

“the others. your powers are different. they must notice.”

yeosang lets out an awkward cough as he considers your words for a moment, then shrugs. “i’ve gotten used to it. people are scared of what they don’t understand. it’s easier to focus on appearances instead.” 

“the public loves appearances more than powers,” you said absentmindedly and yeosang can’t help but agree. you hear him take a breath, like he was going to say something, but changes his mind. “what? just ask what you want.” 

“the helmet.”

“what about it?”

“why were you wearing it?”

“it was a security measure. the association learned that it was harder for me to use my powers if i couldn’t see, so… bye-bye sight,” you explain to him and yeosang frowns at your words. 

“the… hero association isn’t bad are they?” he asks and you remain quiet for a few moments before letting out a sigh. 

“not to you maybe, but i am what they label as a villain,” you say with a dry laugh. “so… yeah.” 

“right,” he says with a nod before he’s watching you step away from the edge and back towards the door. 

“make sure you get some sleep, yeosang, good night,” you say, leaving yeosang alone once again. 

“good night, y/n.”

ateez compound – training room – morning

the training room is dimly lit, walls lined with weapons and dummies. seonghwa is sitting on the floor, stretching, while yeosang practices his summoning abilities nearby. dark shadows twist and coil around him, taking the form of skeletal figures. you lean against the wall, watching yeosang’s power with mild interest. 

“so they kept you in solitary confinement?” yeosang asks, looking over to where you are leaning against the wall. 

“they didn’t trust me to not use my powers on the other prisoners,” you say rather flatly. 

“must have been… isolating,” he says with a small nod. 

your expression flickers for a moment before you shrug, “isolations not so bad when the company’s worse.”

seonghwa snorts softly, but there’s tension in his posture. jongho enters the room, his presence grounding. he surveys the scene before turning his attention to you. 

“they’re not wrong to be cautious. you’re powerful,” he says. 

“careful, jongho. almost sounds like a compliment,” you say with a smirk. 

“just an observation, but power doesn’t mean anything without control.”

seonghwa’s eyes flicker to you, a shadow of concern in his expression. before anyone can respond, yeosang’s shadowy figure lunges towards a dummy, striking it with force. the sound echoes, breaking the tension.

“you ever think about what you’d be doing if you weren’t here? if things were different?” yeosang asks rather casually that it almost makes you laugh at how easy-going and innocent his demeanor is. 

you hesitate, your gaze turning hazing and distant for a moment, “sometimes. doesn’t change anything, though.” 

seonghwa exchanges a glance with jongho, unspoken thoughts hanging heavy in the air. 

ateez compound – outdoor training grounds – day

the outdoor training grounds are sprawling, surrounded by high fences in order to protect the compound from any unwanted visitors and allow its residents to easily overlook the gray sky. you and yunho are standing opposite each other on the sparring mat, the rest of the team watching from the sidelines. hongjoong has said that him and the others should get a feel of what they are working with when it comes to you, seonghwa, and san. of course, you know he thinks he’s just wasting his time. if wooyoung not voicing the fact loudly didn’t tell you anything. 

“you ready?” yunho asks awkwardly, but when is he not awkward with you? 

“always,” you reply flatly. 

the two of you begin sparring, your movements sharp and calculated. yunho hesitates, his strikes lacking conviction and passion. you take advantage of this, knocking him off balance. 

“what’s wrong, number one hero? afraid to hit me?” you taunt him. 

yunho regains his footing, his jaw tightening, “of course not,” he says defensively. he lungs forward, but you counter effortlessly, your power flickering subtly around you – small bouts of red lightning appearing. yunho falters, his mind clouded with static. flashes of a memory – unclear and fragmented – flicker in his mind. he stumbles, clutching his head. 

you pause, brows furrowing, “yunho?” 

before you can approach, mingi’s voice cuts through the haze. “yunho! you okay?” yunho straightens, shaking off the disorientation.

“i’m fine,” he says, brushing it off like nothing happened. 

you step back, your expression guarded. the sparring session resumes, but the tension is heavier now. yunho is more aggressive in his movements, as if trying to prove something, but your skills thankfully keep you ahead. 

“enough! this isn’t a fight to the death,” hongjoong says from the sidelines.

yunho steps back, breathing heavily. you lower your guard, gaze lingering on him. “you’re holding back,” you say quietly. 

yunho doesn’t respond, turning away. the team disperses, the unresolved tension hanging over them like a storm cloud. 

ateez compound – common room – evening

mingi and yeosang are playing a game of cards at the table while seonghwa reads a book on the couch nearby. san lounges not too far from him, watching the game with mild interest. you sit in the corner by the window, eyes glued to the nature surrounding the compound. a flock of crows fly by and they have you entranced for a moment. 

“you’re terrible at this,” mingi says to yeosang with a large grin on his face. 

“i’m letting you win,” yeosang deadpans back at the light-user. 

you glance away from the window, your gaze flickering between them and their cards. 

“he cheats, you know,” you say, directing your words to yeosang. the handsome hero looks towards his teammate with wide, shocked eyes which makes mingi gasps, feigning offense. 

“i do not!” he shrieks out, this causes san to chuckle from his seat as seonghwa looks up from his book, a faint smirk on his face. you know moments of peace like this are brief, but you can’t help but feel this is a small step towards a hopeful unity. 

if only the others were like mingi and yeosang…  

ateez compound – training room – night

you’ve grown use to hearing the hum of the machinery in the training room over the short amount of time you’ve been here. it echoing and bouncing off the walls and sparring mats. you stood near the edge of the large sparring mat, back against the wall with seonghwa next to you. his arms crossed and his shoulder brushing against yours as he whispers quiet words into your ear. the quiet promises of something later making you let out a small smile. 

san sits across from you all on the floor, stretching, his broad shoulders even more prominent in the black tank top he’s wearing. he can’t help the soft grin that graces his lips as he watches you and seonghwa. “that definitely looks like training.”  

you turn to look at the blood user, grinning softly, “i think we’ve had enough training for one day.”

seonghwa hums in agreement, tilting his head towards you slightly, “i agree. i’d rather just be here.” 

san lets out a chuckle, rising to his feet and stepping closer to the two of you. he stops just next to you, his hands brushing lightly over your arms and it sends a chill down your spine. 

“i think you look better when you’re not fighting,” san teases, making you laugh. 

“i don’t fight all the time,” you say, rolling your eyes a little bit at his words, “you were always the one starting fights in prison. i was too busy being held in solitary confinement.”

“and you only came out when they threw san in,” seonghwa says, making san send a glare over the other male. 

you notice seonghwa watches you and san with a calm expression, eyes soften as you can’t help but rest your forehead gently against san’s. you feel the shapeshifter’s finger tracing up your back, neck – over the damn death collar, and under your chin before he’s turning your face to look at him. 

“hwa…” you call out his name softly and it feels unreal almost. like the three of you weren’t villains, but just… normal people. “i don’t know what i’d do without you both,” you add quietly as you feel seonghwa’s arms slip around your waist. seonghwa’s grip is both grounding and gentle as he pulls you towards him. you feel san pressing a light kiss to your hair and you feel your heart speed up from how close to the males are. 

you haven’t been this close to them in a while and it felt nice. 

seonghwa draws your attention back to him as his hand comes to brush along your cheek, lifting your chin slightly as his lips connect with yours. san hovers behind you, sandwiching you between the two, his hands resting lighting on your hips and slipping underneath your shirt, and tracing small circles into your skin. 

the moment stretches, tender and unguarded, and for now you forget about the hero association, the villain alliance, hongjoong’s aggressive attitude, and even yunho’s avoid eyes. you felt normal. your fingers curl gently into seonghwa’s shirt to pull him closer to you – if that was even possible. san presses his forehead against your shoulder and you feel his lips press into your skin. 

from the shadows of the door, yunho stands frozen in place. his eyes watching the intimacy between you three and he can’t help the twist in his gut at the sight. his fists clench, unclench, clench again at his sides as an unfamiliar mix of emotions flickering through him.

the room blurs slightly, but yunho can’t find it in him to look away. like he refuses to look away. heart pounding in his ears when seonghwa presses his lips to yours once more, san’s thumb grazing over your bandaged, healing skin with a sort of tenderness yunho didn’t even realize the blood user even had. 

a faint static hum fills yunho’s mind. his vision distorts – flashes of static along with something distant and obscured flicker across his thoughts. he grips the doorway, feeling his breath hitch as sweat builds along his hairline. a vague image – your face, slightly younger and laughing, suddenly blurs into focus for a split second, only to fade back into the static. 

his breath shudders as the static fragments slip away, leaving a dull ache in its wake. yunho’s knuckles whiten against the frame as his mind reels in so many directions.

“y…ho? yun…? yunho? you good?” mingi’s sudden voice snaps yunho out of his daze and grounds him. 

the top hero stiffens a little, blinking as he turns to see his friend approaching him. yunho clears his throat and steps away from the doorway, not wanting mingi to find out he was spying on you three. 

shaking the lingering ache from his mind, “yeah, i’m fine.” a fake smile appears on his face, and he hopes that mingi buys it. 

“you sure?” he asks, eyes studying him and a frown faintly appearing, “you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

yunho forces a laugh, his smile still not reaching his eyes as he nods, “just tired.” his gaze shifts back towards the training room, thoughts lingering on the villains one last time. the warmth you all seem to share feels distant, like something yunho can’t reach. 

as yunho walks past mingi and down the hall, his expression hardens, but the flicker of the static memory lingers. haunting and incomplete. his fingers brush briefly over his temple, the ache refusing to fade. 

outskirts of seoul – itaewon district – night 

the nine of you stand together at the edge of the seemingly desolate district. the supposedly once lively streets are eerily silent. when briefed about the mission originally, you were expecting to see at least some people hiding in their homes, away from the villain that is terrorizing the district. however, this place was completely deserted: broken windows, overturned cars, and abandoned belongings create an unsettling atmosphere that sends an unwanted chill down your spine. a flickering streetlight buzzes faintly in the distance and you think it only adds to unsettling tension. 

hongjoong stands at the front of the group, his eyes scanning the area, “stay sharp. something’s not right here,” he says and you all nod. despite how much you don’t like hongjoong for how hostile he’s been, you have to hand it to him that he takes his captain role seriously in cases like this. 

“it’s too quiet. no birds, no wind… nothing,” yeosang says, frown evident on his face as he also looks around. 

you all continue to walk cautiously down the street. mingi kneels down next to an abandoned bicycle, the handlebars bent and smeared with blood. “whatever happened here wasn’t long ago,” he says, looking from the bicycle to you and the others. 

suddenly, a low clicking noise echoes through the streets. everyone freezes.

“what the hell was that?” yunho asks, tensing as he clenches his fists. you look around nervously, your breath visible in the cold air. when did it suddenly get so cold?

“probably a rat,” wooyoung snickers, but you can tell he’s trying to hide his nerves, “or maybe y/n’s shadow creeping around.” you shoot him a sharp glare, but choose to say nothing. you refuse to waste your breath on him and his snide remarks. 

“that’s no rat,” seonghwa whispers, eyes narrowing. 

the clicking grows louder, accompanied by the sound of something wet and slithering. the sounds fill your senses as you and the team move cautiously toward the sound, weapons ready. as you turn a corner, that’s when you come across the horrific thing – a man (or what looked like a man) crouched over a pile of corpses, tearing into the flesh of his victims as blood pools around him at his feet. 

you couldn’t help but let out a gasp when the man’s head suddenly snapped towards your group. no… it wasn’t man, at least not anymore, you concluded. his face had been morphed into something similar to a spider. several beady eyes and fangs protruding from his mouth, his limbs were also similar to that of a spider – long and spindly limbs which you figure made it easier for the creature to tear into flesh. 

“what the fuck?” jongho grimaced, gripping his fist as the spider monster stood to his full height and let out a hiss.  

“it’s a demon! be careful!” you shouted right as the demon lunged for mingi who used his light powers in defense. the demon stopped in his tracks, shielding his eyes, he let out another shrieking hiss before he’s jumping back and away into the shadows. 

“why the hell is there a demon here?” jongho asks, eyes wide in surprise which matches the rest of your faces. 

“i don’t know, but i have a feeling he’s not the only one here,” hongjoong says, eyes locking onto the pile of corpses the demon was just eating from. “let’s split up, this is no longer just a regular investigation mission.” 

outside itaewon district – forest – night

you and wooyoung run through the dark forest, the sound of your footsteps are muffled by the damp earth beneath you. the trees are dense, casting long, twisted shadows in the dim moonlight. 

“we should’ve stayed with the others. i don’t trust you watching my back,” wooyoung snarls out from slightly ahead of you. 

“don’t worry, wooyoung. i wouldn’t trust me either,” you say, rolling your eyes.

wooyoung opens his mouth to retort but stops short of his remark when you both stumble into a clearing. a woman wearing a white kimono stands in the center, strands of silk coming out of her fingers and you notice she’s manipulating them. this must be the demon controlling the other spider demons. her eyes are closed, so it's hard to tell if she’s noticed you and wooyoung yet. 

“this must be the main demon,” you whisper to wooyoung who nods in agreement. “we kill her and the others should die as well.” 

an eerily smile then stretches onto the woman’s face, eyes snapping open and you notice that instead of regular pupils she instead has 하위다섯 – lower five – written on her eyes. “ah~ fresh prey. how delightful~ you both will be perfect additions to my family,” she says, words dripping from her mouth. 

wooyoung lets out a tsk, “let’s see how delightful you find this,” he says, raising both hands and allowing both of them to easily be engulfed in ice and flames. 

“she’s with the villain alliance, be careful!” you say, but wooyoung seems to ignore your warning as he unleashes streams of fire and ice, weaving them together to attack the woman. the villain lungs for wooyoung, spider limbs ripping from her back and you watch as she easily dodges all of wooyoung’s attacks. her inhuman agility easily gives the hero a run for his money. 

that’s when you notice her fingers, moving and invisible silk strings glimmering slightly in the moonlight. you suck in a breath when you realize that you and wooyoung have walked right into her web. you summon a sword with your powers, shimmering red as you grip it tightly in your hold, charging at the spider villain. 

you manage to cut down one of her spider limbs, black blood spraying the area around while some of it lands on your arm. you let out a hiss as the blood starts to burn. acid. her blood was acidic thanks to her powers. she lets out another hiss before directing her attention towards you now. your blade gleaming in the moonlight. the two of you clash violently, the sound of steel meeting hardened exoskeleton rings through the forest air. the woman retaliates, one of her bladed limbs slicing across your arm, drawing blood. 

wooyoung suddenly appears from your peripheral, left fist covered in ice as he manages to strike her, freezing the part that wooyoung made contact with. you use wooyoung as a distraction, slashing through the silk strands before countering a powerful swing from one of her spider limbs. 

“you’re not walking away from this,” wooyoung hisses out before attacking her again with his ice powers. the villain grits her teeth, silk strands whip out, wrapping around your arm and yanking you forward. 

“you’re wasting your potential with these weaklings,” she says, gripping your face tightly as another strand of silk catches your other arm. you feel the strands digging into your skin and slowly dripping down your arms. “join my family.”

“not… a chance,” you hissed out before managing to headbut the villain and knocking her away. wooyoung burns the strands that held you, and you turn to give him a nod before you snap your attention back to the villain.  

she lets out a high-pitched scream that shakes the trees around the clearing. her eyes begin to transform into a darker red color, teeth sharpening as the strands attached to her fingers turn a blood red. 

“i am sakura, lower rank five of the twelve moons. servant to lady nicha, creator of the demons and leader of the villain alliance, and i will make sure to kill you all and bring your heads back to her on a plate!” sakura hisses out as her remaining spider limbs hoist her up above you and wooyoung. 

you brace your sword while wooyoung stands next to you, both fire and ice at the ready. “like to see you try, spider-bitch.” 

outside itaewon district – deeper in the forest – night

yunho and san run through the forest, breathing uneven from both villain and hero as they rush into the clearing. they manage to arrive just as you and wooyoung struggle to subdue sakura. the villain’s grotesque, spider-like form creating dangerous shadow-like figures under the moonlight, her bladed limbs slicing through the air with deadly precision. 

“we’re here!” yunho shouts as him and san rush forward, “hold her off!” 

“about time! she’s a damn nightmare!” wooyoung says through gritted teeth as he dodges one of sakura’s limbs. 

sakura lets out an inhuman screech, her silk strands snapping like whips towards the group. you counter, slashing the threads mid-air with your glowing sword, but more strands follow, faster and more aggressive than the previous ones. 

“she’s not slowing down!” you shout, dodging and slashing at several strands. so many are coming at once that you don’t even notice more of them coming from behind; however, san does. he plants his feet firmly, his blood tendrils lashing out like crimson blades, slicing through the silk strands. he extends a sharp tendril forward, wrapping it around one of sakura’s legs, and yanks her off balance. 

“i’ve got her! go!” san shouts and you nod rushing towards the villain, blade raised high in the air, but sakura twists unnaturally, snapping san’s blood tendrils with her powerful limbs. she leaps into the air, flipping away from the males and lands directly in front of you. sakura thrusts one of her bladed limbs towards your chest. you dodge, but not fast enough – sakura’s limb slices across your upper arm, drawing blood. 

you let out a hiss as you roll away from her, “fucking hell,” you mutter, glaring at the spider villain who has a malicious smile stretching across her face. 

you easily shrug off the pain, swinging your sword with calculated fury, sparks flying as the blade clashes against sakura’s hardened limbs. each strike grows more vicious, the forest ground beneath you splattered with dirt, blood, and silk. 

yunho then comes rushing in, “stay back, y/n!” he barrels into sakura with his shoulder, sending her sprawling to the ground. he stands in front of you, his fists flowing faintly with energy. 

“a hero protecting a villain? how sweet. too bad i’ll have to kill you both!” sakura snarls out tauntingly. she then lunges, her blades arms spinning in a flurry of strikes. yunho ducks and counters, landing a glowing punch that sends her reeling. 

“now!” yunho shouts to san who nods. 

san forms a massive spear from both his own blood and what’s already been spilled and hurls it with deadly precision. it impales sakura’s shoulder, pinning her to a tree. he then hurls several smaller ones into her body to keep her from trying to get free. 

“do it now! take her down before she gets free!” san shouts urgently to you. you sprint forward, sword glowing brighter as your power surges. but sakura, even pinned, refuses to go down easily it seems. she lets out a screech and pulls herself free, shattering the tree behind her and even leaving several large holes in her body. 

“you’ll have to try harder than that!” sakura snarls with a laugh. 

“how the fuck is she still alive?!” wooyoung shouts, annoyed. 

“you have to aim for the neck when it comes to demons,” yunho tells him. 

suddenly, sakura summons more spider demons, their grotesque forms crawling from the shadows of the forest. all bearing a striking resemblance to sakura herself. wooyoung steps up, unleashing a fiery explosion that engulfs several of them.

“i’ve got the small ones. you three handle her!” he shouts before having two more spider demons engulfed in flames with loud screeches. 

san and yunho close in on sakura, attacking in unison. san uses his blood tendrils to ensnare her limbs, while yunho lands precise strikes on her half regenerated torso, forcing her back. 

sakura leaps into the trees, her movements becoming even more fast and erratic. you follow her, launching herself into the air with a burst of power. 

“you’re not getting away!” you shout, swinging your sword mid-air, narrowly missing sakura as the villain flips backward. they land in a small clearing, separated from the others. 

sakura smirks, her bladed limbs ready for another attack, “you’re persistent, but you’re just a pawn, same as me.” 

“we are nothing alike,” you say, gritting your teeth and charging again, sword blazing. you land a powerful slash across sakura’s abdomen, black blood spilling onto the ground and just barely missing you. sakura screams in rage and pain, movements becoming more erratic and less precise. 

yunho and san catch up, cornering sakura from opposite sides. san skewers one of her limbs with his blood tendrils, holding her in place, while yunho delivers a devastating punch to her mid section, you even hear her exoskeleton cracking. 

“we need to immobilize her! take her into custody for the hero association!” yunho shouts to you. you approach sakura, sword trembling in your hands from the amount of energy this fight has taken. that’s when your eyes meet sakura’s. 

you see a wave of panic flood her eyes as she begins struggling to free herself. “kill me! you have to kill me!” her voice desperate and pleading. it catches the three of you off guard at her sudden tone change. 

“what?” you say, sword gripped tightly in your hand. 

“she’ll find me! lady nicha will do worse than death! please, just kill me!” her words screaming and bouncing off the trees surrounding the clearing. 

you hesitate, sword hovering at sakura’s neck. the conflict in your eyes is clear as sakura’s pleas echo in your ears. her pleas sounding hauntingly familiar to those you have heard before. 

yunho notices the hesitation in your stance, “y/n, don’t hesitate– 

before anyone can act, sakura seizes your sword with her remaining limb and makes a clean swipe at her neck. the blade cuts through her neck, head being severed from her body as they both collapse, lifeless. blood sprays across your body, her blood staining your face and hands. 

you stand frozen, staring at sakura’s body. “she… she killed herself,” you whisper, shaken at the sight. 

san steps forward in an attempt to comfort you, his expression softening. “y/n, it's not your fault– 

you flinch and push him away, stumbling back. you turn to face both san and yunho with wide and shaken eyes. yunho stares at your bloodied face, “y/n–

suddenly, yunho grabs his head, a sharp pain overtaking him as his vision fills with static, distorted images flashing before his eyes. he sees fragments of you, blood across your face, but instead of fear you look almost… emotionless. dead. 

“no…” he groans, clutching his head in pain, “not again.” he collapses to his knees right as wooyoung joins the three in the clearing. he rushes up to yunho, panic on his face as he shakes his shoulder. 

“yunho! what’s happening?” the elemental hero asks, voice also full of panic. 

yunho doesn’t respond, his mind consumed by the visions. meanwhile, you still remain frozen, staring at your blood-covered hands. the clearing is silent except for the rustling of the wind and the faint distant calls of the others calling for their four teammates and the cawing of a single crow.

infinity castle – ██████

the infinity castle groaned with restless energy, its every moving labyrinth walls shifting in different patterns under the glow of several thousand orange lanterns. at the heart of it all, lady nicha stood on a platform, exuding a dominance that was godlike. 

karina, seated beside her with her bipa resting gracefully in her lap, plucked a melancholic melody from its strings. the mournful tune filled the endless castle dimension, heavy and foreboding, stirring unease in the very air. 

“karina. call them.”

without a word, karina’s fingers plucked a singular cord. several hanok doors appeared, sliding open and summoning the lower rank moons. one-by-one they stood on the platform above nicha, her cold gaze watching them intently. they all knelt down, heads bowed low, trembling beneath the weight of nicha’s presence and stare. 

the woman surveyed them with disdain, her eyes narrowing as she looked over them. her voice, calm but laced with venom, shattered the silence. “sakura was killed. why is it that you demons in the lower ranks are so utterly weak? the upper ranks of the twelve moons have remained unchanged. how many times have you been replaced?”

that’s easy for you to say, but we… one of the lower moons thought. 

“that’s easy for you to say, but we…” nicha says, repeating the demon’s thoughts. “what? go ahead and say it.” her eyes piercing down at the lower moon with her red eyes. 

i’m screwed! they thought, body trembling.  

“screwed how?” 

the air grew impossibly cold, the shadows on the walls twisting with sudden ferocity. her expression darkened, her crimson eyes gleaming with a silent fury. suddenly, a grotesque tendril appeared and attacked the lower moon, raising him upside down in the air. his eyes wide in fear, but had no opportunity to scream as the tendril shredded through him. blood pooling down blew and covering both the platform and remaining lower moons. 

nicha then turns her attention to one of the other lower moons, “every time you cross paths with a hero you run. the only thing on your mind is to escape it's an embarrassment to the villain alliance.”

the demon immediately began trying to explain herself, saying how she repeatedly puts her life on the line for lady nicha and her cause. 

“are you… calling me a liar?” nicha’s voice reverberates through the chamber, each syllable a knife carving into the demon’s hysteric composure. the music from karina’s bipa continued to play with a sharper edge. the grotesque tendril immediately crushed the lower moon with its weight. her blood spraying the remaining three lower moons with blood. 

before nicha could continue her slaughter on the lower moons, the lower third suddenly dashes away. his demon speed taking him away from the platform he was originally summoned on and further into the infinity castle. 

the only option is to run! he thought as he jumped from one sideways roof to another. 

a sudden slash was heard before the lower moon’s head was clutched in nicha’s head, dripping blood as his dead eyes stared at the remaining too. 

“i believe the twelve moons are better off consisting of just the upper ranks. i am now dismantling the lower ranks.”

nicha then effortlessly tosses the severed head down onto the other platform. the head hitting the wooden ground with a thump! and rolling slightly before coming to a sudden stop. 

“do you have any last words?”

“i can still be of use to you, lady nicha! if you were to just give me more of your blood then–

“what makes you think you can order me to give you my blood?”

“you misunderstand! you misunderstand!”

“shut up. i misunderstand nothing. i’m never mistaken about anything. my word is absolute,” nicha’s eyes began to glow as she continued to look at the lower moon, “you tried to tell me what to do, yet you are the worthless one. you deserve to die.” 

lower moon one, yena, is suddenly the only one left, her face covered in the blood of her previous fellow lower moons. yet, she continues to look up at lady nicha with more adoration than fear. eyes glazed over. 

“do you have any last words?” nicha asks, looking at the demon. 

“if i am to die by your hand, my lady, then i am honored~ you have given me everything. my strength, my purpose… my life. if i am unworthy, than i would rather die by your hand than live in disgrace~” 

nicha paused, her fury momentarily eclipsed by curiosity. her crimson eyes narrowed as she regarded the unshaken demon. 

“honored, are you?” the dimension fell silent. but the silence didn’t last long when a fleshy, grotesque tendril came down from above and stabbed yena in the neck. injecting the lower moon with some of nicha’s blood. yena suddenly fell to the floor and began to thrash and convulse, letting out a guttural cry. 

“that’s what i like to hear~” nicha said, a faint cold smile twitching upon her lips for a split second. she seemed to gain some sick satisfaction at watching yena convulse on the ground beneath her. “i’ll give you an ample share of my blood. make yourself useful to me, then. if you kill the female villain who works with the heroes then i will give you even more of my blood. failure is not an option.” 

yena could only let out a gurgled noise in response. karina plucked several notes on her bipa. with each note a hanok door appeared and shut, separating nicha from yena who struggled on the ground. one final note plucked and a door appeared underneath yena, opening and whisking her away and back to wherever she was prior.

ACT II: MUHAN TRAIN

busan district – train station – night

the moon hangs low in the night sky, its pale light illuminating the quiet train station. mingi walks over to the entrance, his boots crunching the gravel underneath. he adjusts his gloves and scans the area. the train station is quiet, almost abandoned of human life as he steps inside to look around. there’s a single light glowing warmly in the place. there’s no one at the counter, too dangerous to be out at night anymore. 

he remembers hongjoong briefing him on the mission: investigate the train that had twenty passengers suddenly vanish without a trace. the association think its the work of a high-level villain. mingi though? he’s not entirely sure anymore, especially after dealing with sakura back in the itaewon district. 

“this place gives me the creeps,” he mutters under his breath. the faint sound of a train whistle echoes through the distance. mingi frowns as he feels a chill run directly down his spine. he looks around cautiously, his heightened senses on alert.

mingi comes to the conclusion that this sleepy town looks like it forgot the concept of daylight. the streets are dimly lit, and most of the windows are closed, not a single outside soul able to see what goes on inside. he stops in front of a rundown looking diner and enters to see a few locals gathered about the place. the bell above the door jingles half-heartedly at his arrival. 

the smell of stale coffee and grease fills and lingers in the air. mingi approaches the counter where an elderly waitress, face lined with years of worry, greets him. 

“you’re not from around here, are you?” her voice is hushed as she looks over mingi’s appearance, his natural stark white hair making him easily stand out amongst the locals. 

mingi shakes his head, “i’m here about the train. heard anything strange?” his words catch the gazes of the other patrons who look nervous.

the waitress hesitates before leaning closer, her voice low and trembling, “it’s not just the train. there’s someone… something. we call him ‘the slasher.’”

mingi straightens, brows furrowing, “the slasher?” he repeats. 

“attacks people at night. leaves them… torn apart. no one’s seen his face. some think he’s a legend at this point.” 

“and you’re sure it’s not connected to the train?” mingi asks, hands tightening into fists. the waitress shakes her head, glancing towards the door nervously. 

“no, but he’s just as dangerous.”

suddenly, a loud crash comes from outside. mingi bolts to the door, throwing it open to see a figure standing under a flickering streetlight. 

mingi assumes this is the slasher the waitress told him about. the figure stands tall, shrouded in darkness. his mask is stitched together with mismatched pieces of leath, and his hands are tipped with sharp, metallic claws. mingi thinks he just walked straight out of a horror film. a terrified civilian is pinned against the wall beside him, struggling to break free. 

“leave, hero, or they bleed,” the slasher hissed out, beady eyes staring straight at mingi. 

mingi steps forward, unshaken by the threat, “let them go. now!” 

the slasher tilts his head, amused. he tosses the civilian back, who lets out a cry, before lunging towards mingi with surprising speed. the villain swipes his claws in a flurry, each strike aiming for mingi’s vital points. mingi is able to duck and dodge with precision, his combat skills sharp and deliberate like any high-class hero. 

“is that all you’ve got?” mingi asks grinning. 

mingi retaliates, delivering a powerful kick that sends the slasher flying into a pile of crates. the villain recovers quickly, leaping into the air and slashing downward. mingi rolls out of the way, his fist glowing faintly with his light energy. the alley becomes a quick battlefield, the slasher’s claws leave deep gouges in the brick walls. meanwhile, mingi counters with precise strikes that force the villain to become defensive. 

“you’re faster than the others, but you won’t leave here alive,” the villain taunts, a maniacal laugh leaving his lips. 

“we’ll see about that,” mingi says. the hero charges, his energy-infused punch connecting with the slasher’s chest. the impact sends a shockwave through the alley, shattering nearby windows. the slasher stumbles, his claws sending sparks flying as they scrape the ground. 

realizing he’s outmatched, the slasher attempts to flee. mingi chases him through the streets, their movements a blur of speed and violence. 

the fight ends at the edge of town, where mingi finally subdues the slashes. with a final punch, he knocks the villain unconscious, leaving him crumpled on the ground. the first rays of sunlight peak over the horizon, bathing the scene in a faint golden glow. mingi wipes sweat from his brow, breathing heavily. 

“one down. now for the train,” he says to himself as he goes to connect the hero association so they can deal with the villain that lays on the ground.  

busan district – train station – sunrise

mingi approaches the train station once again. this time instead of being abandoned, he notices a person at the ticket booth. he walks up to the older woman who simply smiles at him. 

“the muhan train… is it running?” he asks.

“oh, yes! they sent her back from the train yard last night,” she explains and mingi is surprised by the news, but if this means he can figure out the mystery surrounding it then…

“three tickets, please,” mingi says, holding up three fingers. the older woman lets out a chuckle as she gets the three tickets ready. mingi pays the woman before thanking her. 

he pockets the tickets and turns, spotting a familiar figure waiting for him near the platform – yunho, with you standing a few feet behind, your expression unreadable. mingi is honestly surprised that hongjoong sent the two of you on this mission with him considering the results of the last mission. 

“took you long enough,” yunho says, nodding towards his friend. 

“ran into some… distractions,” mingi said with a smile. you glance towards him, your eyes briefly flickering down to the faint scratches on his arm. 

“looks like you’ve been busy,” you say, crossing your arms. mingi chuckles, brushing your comment off as approaches you. 

“don’t worry about it. let’s go. we’ve got a train to catch,” he says, handing you and yunho your tickets. the train whistle suddenly blows and the three of you board before it begins to move, carrying you all to your next destination. 

muhan train – passenger car – night

the train hums steadily as you, mingi, and yunho sit in a modest, warmly lit passenger car. one of the overhead lights flicker softly, making your eye twitch every time it does. a few other passengers sit scattered throughout the car, their light chatter fills the air peacefully. 

“the hero association thinks it’s a demon,” yunho’s voice is low as he leans forward, “it’s the only explanation for twenty people vanishing without a trace.”

“a demon on a train? sounds like something out of a horror movie,” mingi says with a frown, his eyes darting from yunho to you to see your reaction. 

“except this one’s real,” you said seriously, expression void of any possible emotion. 

the three of you glance around the car. the other passengers seem oblivious, but there’s an undeniable tension in the air that you’re positive these civilians are ignoring. ignorance is bliss afterall, you think. a conductor enters, punching tickets as he moves down the aisle. his movements are stiff, mechanical, and his face gaunt, with dark circles under his eyes. like he hasn’t slept in days, weeks. 

the conductor then approaches your row. 

“tickets, please,” he says monotonously. yunho hands over your tickets and the tired man punches them with robotic precision, his hands trembling slightly. 

“you look exhausted,” you say, observing the conductor quietly. the man hesitates but doesn’t respond. he finishes punching the tickets and moves on, his shoulders sagging under an invisible weight. you watch him leave, a small frown tugging your lips.

“you ever feel like we’re the ones who need a break?” mingi asks, stretching and letting out a yawn a little too loudly. 

“maybe after we survive this,” you say, smiling faintly. 

mingi chuckles, leaning back in his seat. the train’s gentle rocking starts to lull you three into a drowsy state. 

“wake me if the demon shows up,” mingi says, stifling another yawn. you can’t help but also let out a small yawn, eyes feeling heavy and tired as you tilt your head back against the seat. eyes closing. 

muhan train – abandon passenger car – night

the conductor steps into a dim, smoke-filled room. a large mirror reflects distorted shapes of the cabin you and the others are in. yena stands before the mirror, draped in a dark, flowing outfit with theatrical accents of feathers and embroidered stars. her piercing, icy blue eyes gleam the words 아래하나 – lower one – read where her pupils should be, and her smile is predatory, exuding both elegance and malice. she’s clearly not human, not anymore at least.

“welcome back, my loyal friend~” she speaks softly, with a mock bow towards the conductor. 

“i did what you asked. can i… can i rest now? can i be with my family now?” he asks pleadingly. 

yena tilts her head, “of course. i always reward devotion,” she steps closer, placing her gloved hand over his chest. a strange light emanates from her hand as the conductor's body stiffens. his head tilts back, and his eyes close. 

“dream deeply,” she whispers. his body collapses like a marionette with its strings cut. 

yena turns to the mirror, which now shows glowing tendrils snaking into the train’s walls. she lets out a deep laugh, “let’s see what their hearts desire most!” she says to herself, throwing her hands in the air in a large theatrical movement. 

████ – beach – sunset

you let out a gasp, eyes snapping open and you find yourself standing on a beach. it’s peaceful and you can see the waves glittering under the warm sunset. san and seonghwa are beside you, both dressed casually and laughing. san reaches over, brushing sand off her arm with a grin. 

“you’re terrible at building sandcastles,” he says with a smirk. 

seonghwa lets out a chuckle, “more like demolishing them,” he says teasingly. 

you let out a laugh, your voice feeling light and free like you’ve been this way your entire life. the three of you sit together, looking out at the horizon. san wraps an arm around your shoulder, while seonghwa offers you a soda. 

“i’m glad we decided to take this vacation, get away from the city,” seonghwa says softly. 

san nods, “just us.” 

you feel your smile falter for a moment, a faint sense of wrongness creeps in. you look down at your hands, which are clean and unscarred – too perfect. 

“this… isn’t right.”

daegu district – the song residence – day 

mingi stands outside a small house, holding a certificate in one hand and dressed in his pristine hero uniform. when he walks inside he sees his parents sitting inside the cozy living room, their figures illuminated by warm light. 

“mom, dad, i did it! i’m a hero now!” he says to them excitedly before talking about everything he has done in order to be recognized by the hero association. they both glance up, faces unreadable. his mother gives him a small, distracted smile before returning to her knitting. 

“that’s nice, honey,” she says, voice flat and with no emotion. 

his father barely looks up from his newspaper, “don’t forget to take out the trash.” 

mingi’s expression falters, his face full of confusion and hurt which flickers in his eyes. 

seoul district – cherry blossom tree park – day

the seoul district was bustling with life, students, faculty, and regular civilians alike enjoying the warm spring breeze that carried the faint scent of flowers. but what captured everyone’s attention the most were the cherry blossom trees scattered across the park’s main road. their petals glowing faintly under the soft sunlight. 

it was the height of cherry blossom season – or so it appeared. 

yunho smiled as he glanced at you walking beside him, your gaze fixed on the pink and white blossoms overhead. you had always had a particular fondness for things like this, where the world seemed to pause just enough to let beauty shine through. 

“i told you this would be worth it,” yunho said, his voice tinged with pride. “i knew you’d like it.” 

you slowed your steps, eyes narrowing slightly as you studied the trees more closely. your lips quirked into a small, curious frown. “they’re… not real.” 

yunho looked at you with wide eyes, heart sinking at your words, “what?”

you gestured toward one of the branches, where the faint flicker of light betrayed its holographic nature. “they’re projections. pretty sure, but not real cherry blossoms.” 

yunho let out a soft groan, running a hand through his hair. “i’m sorry, y/n. i thought… i didn’t realize. i just wanted to—

“yunho, stop,” you say, turning to him and cutting him off with a gentle smile. “it’s okay. you went out of your way to do something sweet for me, and that means more than whether the blossoms are real or not.” 

your words lifted a weight off of yunho’s shoulders and warmed his heart and body like how you usually manage to do to him. yunho rubbed the back of his neck, ears turning bright red as he struggled to find the words to respond with. “i… i just thought you’d like it,” he mumbles, avoiding your gaze. 

“and i do,” you replied, “especially since i’m here with you,” your tone as sincere as the sparkle in your eyes. 

the two of you began walking along the path that curved beneath the cherry blossoms, their petals shimmering softly in the breeze. yunho couldn’t help but keep sneaking glances at you, his heart beating a little faster every time she laughed or pointed out something that caught her interest. 

as they passed a family sitting on a nearby bench, your attention was drawn to a child tugging at their parent’s sleeve. “i wish they were real,” the child said wistfully, staring up at the holographic blossoms. 

you slowed your pace, expression unreadable. yunho noticed but said nothing, assuming your silence was related to quiet disappointment. 

“ready to go?” he asked once you reached the far end of the path. 

“yeah, but i need to use the bathroom first,” you said quickly, darting off before he could respond. 

yunho chuckled, shaking his head as he made his way to a nearby bench beneath one of the holographic trees. 

but then the ground began to rumble. 

yunho immediately shot to his feet, instincts kicking in as he scanned the area for danger. the tremors grew stronger, causing people to cry out and scramble for safety. students began to murmur about a potential villain attack, and yunho was already calculating how to evacuate everyone if needed. 

but before panic could fully set in, something else happened. 

the holographic trees flickered out of existence, their light dimming until they vanished completely. in their place, real cherry blossom trees burst from the ground, their roots spreading as their branches stretched towards the sky. petals began to cascade like rain, painting the park in shades of pink and white. 

yunho was speechless, his breath catching as he took in the sight. the blossoms swayed gently in the breeze, their delicate scent filling the air. it was more beautiful than what he could have ever imagined, almost otherworldly in its perfection. 

“wow!” your voice broke through his trance, and he turned to see you approaching with a wide smile. “look at them!” you stopped beside him, your gaze fixated on the blossoms above. “beautiful, aren’t they, yunho?”

there was something in your tone, a quiet pride that made him look at you instead of the trees. your eyes sparkled with mischief, and he felt a pang of realization hit him. 

“you…” he started, voice trailing off. 

“hmm? what are you saying?” you asked innocently, tilting your head as if you hadn’t just performed a miracle. 

yunho opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. instead, he shook his head with a soft laugh. “nothing. forget it.”

you grinned, clearly amused. “oh! before we leave, we should get ––––– a keychain. he’ll never let me hear the end of it if we don’t bring him something.” 

yunho looked at you with confusion written over his face as your voice began to become static. especially when you spoke of someone else’s name. 

“who?” he asked and you looked at him with equal confusion. 

“––––––”

yunho suddenly felt a pain rush through his head, he heard you let out a soft gasp as you touched his arm. his vision being overcomed with static as he saw flashes of different images. 

“yunho? are you okay?” your voice panicked as the pain slowly began to subside from his head.

he shook his head as he straightened up, “yeah, sure,” he replied with a tight lipped smile. you looked at him with wide, innocent eyes before nodding at him. you grabbed his arm in order to pull him towards the park gift shop. 

as you both walked through the park, now alive with real cherry blossoms, yunho couldn’t help but steal one last glance at you. you were radiant, laughter ringing out like music, and for a brief moment, he forgot about everything else. 

all he could think about was how much he wanted this moment to last forever.  

████ – beach – sunset

you feel a sense of unease grow as you stand up. you take a step away from san and seonghwa, your gaze sharpening. 

“this isn’t real.”

san grabs your arm, his grip firm. your eyes look from his hand to his eyes. “stay, please,” he says.

“don’t you want to stay here? with us?” seonghwa asks firmly. 

you hesitate for a moment, pain flickering across your face, but you push san away as you take off running down the beach. you need to wake up, who knew what the demon will do if you don’t do it soon. 

there has to be an end to this place, you conclude as you summon your sword. the red metal glittering in the setting sun as you run along the sand. you figure if you run in a straight line then you should hit the end eventually. right?

“y/n!” you freeze in your tracks at the sudden voice. you feel a chill run down your spine at the familiar voice. what? you feel your breath getting heavy as you hear the person’s footsteps coming closer to you. 

“where are you going? don’t you want to stay here? with me?” 

you hesitate for a moment before turning to see him standing not too far from you. you feel tears begin to well up in your eyes at the sight of him. you feel a part of you pulling towards him, to stay like he wants. like what you want.  

you shake your head, “i’m sorry. there’s people i have to protect.” 

he lets out a laugh as he tilts his head, “i’ll see you later then.” 

you nod your head, looking down at your sword before getting an idea. raising your sword, you plunge it into your chest. the dream shattering like glass.

muhan train – passenger car – night

you wake with a gasp, face pale and sweat-drenched. around you, the passengers are asleep, faces twisted in an unnatural serenity. you shake yunho and mingi in an attempt to wake them, but they remain unresponsive. 

“damnit! you bastards, wake up!” you hiss before summoning your sword and searching for the demon that was responsible for this. 

muhan train – train roof – night

you climb onto the roof, the cold wind biting at your skin. yena stands there, her dark cloak billowing out dramatically. she looks at you with surprise before it transforms into a menacing grin. 

“awake already? how rude of you to leave the dream i tailored so carefully.”

“let’s skip the theatrics,” you say, gripping your sword tightly. 

“oh, darling, i am the theatrics,” she says with a chuckle. yena strikes first, her movement fluid and almost dance-like. you block her attacks with your sword, red sparks flying with every clash. yena’s attacks are graceful but deadly, her nails cutting into your arm. 

“i could give you everything. no more blood, no more pain. just… bliss,” she tells you, tone playful. 

you grit your teeth, “i’ll take reality over your lies.” the fight grows more brutal, with blood spraying as yena’s claws grazes your cheek. you retaliate with a slash across yena’s torso, the villain staggering briefly before smiling. 

the battle intensifies, you pushing through your injuries. finally, you land your sword where her neck lies and sever her head. yena’s head rolls along the roof of the train, body falling to her knees. but yena smirks

“you think this ends here?” yena asks, smiling as blood pours everywhere. 

the train begins to twist and transform, metal screeching as it takes on a grotesque, almost living form. yena’s head attached itself to a flesh tendril as she laughs down at you. her body clapping at the scene before it. 

“what the hell?”

muhan train – train roof – night

the cold wind howls, whipping through your hair as you stand on the roof of the speeding train. you grip your sword tightly, blood dripping from a shallow cut on her arm. the moonlight casts an eerie glow on yena, whose cloak billows unnaturally, as if alive. her sharp features are accentuated by the shadows, and her sly smile reveals teeth too sharp to be human. 

“look at you. so determined. so angry. it’s almost… endearing,” yena speaks, mockingly towards you. you narrow your eyes, sword steady in your hands.

“you’re done terrorizing these people.”

“oh, darling, i’ve only just begun~” she replies with a smirk. 

yena lunges with inhuman speed, her hands slicing through the air like claws. you dodge, barely missing the lethal swipe, and retaliate with a quick slash of your sword. sparks fly as the blade connects with yena’s clock, but the fabric seems to absorb the impact, leaving her unharmed. 

you let out a quick cuss as yena spins, her movements fluid and unnervingly elegant, landing a kick to your side. you stumble but quickly regain your footing, slashing upward. this time, the blade grazes yena’s arm, drawing dark, ink-colored blood. 

“how rude,” yena hisses out, she attacks back. her claws slashing across your shoulder. blood sprays onto the roof, and you grit your teeth, refusing to show weakness. 

muhan train – passenger car – night

inside, yunho jerks awake, his vision blurry and disoriented. around him, the other passengers remain unconscious, their faces peaceful yet unsettling. he notices the grotesque, flesh-like tendrils snaking along the walls and ceiling – pulsing veins of flesh and metal intertwining. 

“what the hell…” he says to himself. a sudden groan shakes the train as the walls ripple, the train itself coming alive in the moment. yunho stumbles toward the back, his instincts and years of training kicking in. 

muhan train – train roof – night

the fight between you and yena escalates. the demon’s movements grow more erratic, her strikes faster and more lethal. you counter with calculated blocks, your sword glowing faintly as you channel your powers into it. you manage to land a deep slash across yena’s chest, causing the villain to stagger. 

but yena only laughs, her voice echoing unnaturally, “you’re strong~ i’ll give you that. but you’re still so… mortal.” 

she raises her arms, the train beneath you begins to twist and convulse. you stumble as the roof warps under your feet. yena’s body shifts, her legs melting into the train. 

“you’re on my turf now, nameless.” 

the train screeches as more of the flesh and metal tendrils burst from the sides, snaking towards you. you slash at them, severing a few, but more only take their place. 

“yunho! mingi! protect the passengers!” you shout, hoping that at one if not both of them are awake by now. hopefully, they found a way to wake up. 

you see movement behind you, and turn to see yunho now on the roof. “we’re not leaving you!” he shouts. 

“just do it!” 

yunho hesitates, but a sharp tendril lashes towards him. he ducks and retreats, heading inside to protect the passengers. 

muhan train – living nightmare train car – night

the interior of the train shifts and slowly becomes unrecognizable. walls pulsate with fleshy growths, and even grotesque eyes and mouths form sporadically, watching and whispering. mingi wakes up to this sudden nightmare, body stiff from the unnatural slumber. he shakes his head as he grabs a nearby pole for support to stand up. 

“what the hell is going on?” he asks, looking around completely horrified. “this really is a horror movie!”

yunho runs towards him, slamming a tendril aside with his fist. “mingi, help me! we need to protect the passengers!” 

mingi nods, steeling himself, and the two begin tearing tendrils away from the unconscious passengers. managing to destroy and burn away the grotesque flesh that covered the car walls. 

muhan train – train roof – night

you fight with everything you have. slashing through webs of tendrils, your body bleeding from multiple cuts. the train’s transformation has made the fight infinitely harder – yena is everywhere. 

“you can’t kill what’s become eternal, little villain,” yena sneers. 

you grit your teeth, sword glowing bright as you channel more energy into it. “watch me.” you then drive your blade into the train roof, sending a shockwave through the mutated structure. yena screams, momentarily destabilized, as parts of the train begin to reverie to normal.

muhan train – living nightmare train car – night

yunho and mingi manage to protect the last of the passengers, securing each of the passenger cars. 

yunho looked up, “do you think y/n is doing okay?” 

mingi looks up as well, “she’s stronger than all of us put together, yunho. she’s got this.” 

yunho licks his lips at mingi’s words, “i hope so, for her sake especially.”

muhan train – train roof – night

you continue to fight, your injuries mounting. yena, now more monstrous than human, laughs as her tendrils lash out. you dodge, though one catches your side, slamming you into the roof. you let out a couch, blood splattering onto the metal. 

yena leans closer to you, “you’re resilient, i’ll give you that. but you’re only delaying the inevitable.”

you grip your sword tightly, glaring at the demon, “inevitable? maybe, but i’ll still win.” 

with a roar, you lunge forward, slashing wildly. the blade glows brighter with each strike, curing through yena’s defenses. finally, you spot yena’s neck – embedded deep within the train’s core. you leap into the air, bringing your sword down in one final, desperate strike. 

“die already!” you scream out. the blade servers yena’s neck, and the demon lets out a bloodcurdling scream as her body begins to disintegrate. the train convulse violently, throwing you to side. 

the power behind your attack has the training derailing, lying on its side in a broken heap. passengers awaken slowly, groggy but alive. yunho helps some of them out while mingi finds you thrown on the other side of the tracks, bleeding heavily. 

derailment site – night

the area is silent except for the crackling of smoldering wreckage from the now derailed train. mingi crouches beside you, helping you sit up after having been thrown off the train, your blood-soaked clothes sticking to her skin. you wince as he carefully presses a piece of torn fabric against her side to staunch the bleeding. 

“stay still, y/n. you’ve lost too much blood already.” 

you grimace, “you’re one to talk… you’re just as banged up.”

“you’re way worse off. besides, someone’s gotta keep you alive.” 

the moment of tense peace between you both is shattered by the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps crunching on gravel. a figure emerges from the shadows – a man with a sharp, predatory grin and glowing crimson eyes that read 상위삼 – upper three. the demon from the villain alliance, you conclude, strolls forward. his movements are unnervingly casual, his aura radiating just as menacingly. 

“well, well. looks like i just missed the show, huh?”

mingi quickly stands, stepping protectively in front of you, “who are you?”

the demon lets out a mocking laugh, “aw, you don’t recognize me? i’m hurt. yeonjun, upper rank three of the villain alliance. and you… you’re mingi, right? the loud and flashy one.”

“if you’re looking for a fight, you’re got one.”

you struggle to push yourself up, your hand gripping your sword tightly. “mingi, don’t—

mingi turns to you, “stay down, y/n. you’re in no shape to fight.”

“you can’t take him on alone! don’t be stupid!”

“don’t worry. i’ve got this. after this, we’ll go get something good to eat, okay?” he says, smiling reassuringly to you. you hesitate, jaw tightening, but you finally nod, clutching your wound as you watch mingi step forward. 

“oh, this is gonna be fun,” yeonjun says with a grin. 

mingi charges first, throwing a heavy punch aimed at yeonjun’s face. the demon dodged effortlessly, countering with a kick to mingi’s stomach that sends him skidding back. 

“is that all you’ve got?” he laugh, “come on hero, show me some real power!”

mingi doesn’t respond, rushing back in with a flurry of punches and kicks. his fists land solid blows on yeonjun’s chest, but the demon barely flinches, his wounds healing almost instantly. 

“you’re strong, i’ll give you that. but you’re holding back. still clinging to your humanity.” yeonjun strikes back, his claws raking across mingi’s arm, leaving deep gashes. blood splatters onto the ground, but mingi doesn’t falter. he lands a powerful uppercut that sends yeonjun staggering. 

“humanity’s what makes me stronger than you,” mingi says proudly. 

“oh, please! don’t give me that righteous crap. you’d be unstoppable as a demon. think about it – we could fight like this forever! no limits, no consequences. just endless battles!” 

“not interested.”

the fight intensifies, with mingi and yeonjun exchanging brutal blows. mingi’s knuckles are raw and bleeding, and his breathing grows labored. yeonjun, meanwhile, remains eerily unscathed, his wounds closing as quickly as they open. you watch from the sidelines, clutching your side. your eyes dart between the two fighters, your frustration building as you realize mingi is starting to falter. 

“mingi, stop! you’re gonna get yourself killed!” you shout, panic running through your body and tone. yeonjun smirks, his claws glowing faintly with a dark energy. 

“she’s right, you know. you can’t win this.” the demon lunges, his claws piercing through mingi’s chest. blood pours from the wound as mingi gasps, his body jerking in shock. 

“no!” you scream, terror running through your body. you reach forward, wound shooting a sharp pain through your being and you fall forward. 

despite the mortal injury, mingi musters the last of his strength, his fist glows with energy. he slams it into yeonjun’s face, sending the demon flying backwards. the villain lands with a grunt, momentarily stunned, but his body begins to regenerate almost instantly. 

“you really are stubborn. i’ll give you that, but this? this is just sad,” he says disappointedly. 

mingi collapses to his knees, blood dripping from his lips as his strength finally gives out. you manage to stumble to your feet, sword in hand, vision swimming from blood loss. 

yeonjun notices the faint glow of the horizon as the sun begins to rise. his expression shifts from amusement to alarm. he then starts running back into the dense forest, you wobbling after him shouting. 

“you… you bastard! you coward! come back and finish this!” you say staggering forward and making it to the forest line. 

“you think i’m running from you? that’s cute,” he laughs as he gets further and further away. 

you, in a desperate move, throw your sword. the blade slices through the air and impales yeonjun’s chest. the demon falters, yanking the sword out with a grimace before fully disappearing into the shadows. 

“you coward!” you scream with as much strength as you could muster. 

derailment site – sunrise

you stumble back towards mingi, falling to your knees in front of him. his breathing is shallow, his face pale. you press your hands against his chest, trying to stop the bleeding. 

“st-stay with me, mingi. come on, you promised me food, remember? you can’t back out now,” you tell him panicking. 

mingi smiles faintly, his voice barely a whisper, “are… are the passengers safe?”

you feel tears begin to build up in your eyes, “yeah. they’re safe. you did it.”

yunho arrives, climbing over the other side of the tracks after having helped the passengers and contacted the association. what was a look of relief turns into sheer horror as he sees mingi’s condition. 

“mingi! no, no, no!” he drops to his knees in front of his friend and beside you, trying desperately to heal him, but it’s too late. 

“take care of her. and… don’t let each other skip any meals.” with one final breath, mingi goes still. 

yunho lets out a loud sob, screaming into the sky as he calls out to mingi, his best friend. “mingi! no! please!” 

you sit silently in front of mingi, tears streaming down your face as you stare at your blood-covered hands. you look up to see a lone crow circling above them, its caw echoing in the still morning air.

ACT III: WINTER IS COMING

daegu district – funeral hall - day

the room is quiet, filled with somber faces and the scent of white lilies. a framed photo of mingi rests at the front, surrounded by wreaths from both family, friends, the hero association, and mingi’s fans. yunho and hongjoong stand near the back, dressed in black suits, their expressions tense and heavy. 

yunho’s jaw is tight as he glances towards mingi’s parents at the front of the hall. his mother dabs a handkerchief at her eyes, while his father gaze stays locked on the floor, one hand around his wife’s shoulder and the other clenched into a fist at his side. 

“have you talked to them yet?” yunho asks, whispering to hongjoong.

“no,” hongjoong says flatly. yunho frowns but doesn’t press further.

daegu district – outside funeral hall – after the service

the crowd slowly began to thin, eventually leaving only yunho, hongjoong, and mingi’s parents. the four stand in the funeral home’s quiet garden. tension hangs thick in the air as mingi’s father finally speaks.

“you have some nerve showing your faces here,” mr. song spits out angrily at the two heroes. 

yunho steps forward, his voice steady but strained. “we’re here to pay our respects.” 

“respects?” mrs. song’s voice trembles with bitterness as she talks, “is that what you call this? he’s dead because of you.”

yunho flinches, but hongjoong doesn’t react, his expression unreadable. 

mr. song points an accusing finger towards yunho, “you dragged him into this – into being a hero. if it weren’t for you, he’d still be alive.” 

yunho’s hands ball into fists, but he keeps his tone measured. “mingi chose to become a hero because he wanted to make a difference. he believed in what we were doing.” 

“and look where it got him! he should have stayed here, with us, where he was safe. but no, he had to go off chasing some foolish dream and get himself killed!” his mother snarled. the words cut deep, but yunho refused to back down. 

“he wasn’t chasing a foolish dream. he was trying to protect people – people like you.”

mr. song steps forward, his face contorted with more rage than grief, “don’t you dare try to justify this to us. you think we care about your excuses? our son is gone, and it’s your fault!”

before yunho can respond, hongjoong bows deeply, his head low. “you’re right. this is our fault. we failed him, and for that, we’re sorry.”

the gesture catches everyone off guard, including yunho. 

mingi’s mother scoffs, her voice cold as she sneers at hongjoong and his action, “sorry? what good is sorry? it won’t bring him back. just leave. both of you.”

hongjoong straightens, his face blank, and nods. without another word, he turns and begins 

daegu district – outside funeral hall – late afternoon

the two walk in silence, the weight of the encounter pressing down on them. finally, yunho breaks the silence. 

“why did you do that?” he asks his captain angrily. 

hongjoong doesn’t look at him, his voice quiet but firm. “because it’s what they needed to hear.” 

“they needed to hear the truth! that mingi was a hero, that he died protecting people! not some empty apology that makes it sound like we didn’t care!” yunho says, feeling all his emotions about to explode out of him. 

hongjoong stops abruptly, turning to face yunho. “you think i don’t care?” he says, voice rising, “you think this doesn’t tear me apart, too?”

yunho glares at him, emotions continuing to boil over. “then why do you always act like nothing touches you? like you don’t feel anything?” 

“because someone has to keep it together. someone has to be the one to face people like them and take the blame if it means they get even a shred of peace.”

yunho’s anger falters, replaced by a flicker of understanding. “you don’t have to carry it all on your own, you know,” yunho says quietly. 

hongjoong exhales deeply, running a hand through his hair. “i know, but it’s easier this way.” they stand in silence for a moment, the tension easing slightly. 

“mingi wouldn’t want us to be like this. he’d want us to look out for each other,” yunho says softly. 

hongjoong nods, gaze distant, “you’re right.”

the two continue walking as the sun begins to set. side by side, the tension between them slowly fading along with an unspoken promise of healing lingering between them.

seoul district – living room – night 

a group of older adults sit around a fireplace, glasses of wine in hand. laughter fills the room as they exchange words and stories. one of them, a well-dressed man in 50s, leans back in his chair and takes a sip of his drink. 

“you know, our little girl’s been reading college-level texts since she was eight. smart as a whip, that one!” he says and his wife next to him smiles. 

“she’s going to take the hero association to new heights, i’m sure of it. honestly, we couldn’t be prouder – even if she isn’t… well, you know.”

“adopted or not, she’s clearly got your drive,” the other woman says. 

“yes, it's a shame that she suffers from a strange condition, not being able to go outside during the day though hasn’t killed her drive though,” the first man said. the group laughs and continues their chatter, their voices a warm hum against the crackling fire. 

seoul district – home library – night

upstairs, a young girl, no older than thirteen, stands in a room with the walls lined with towering bookshelves. the room is softly lit, casting shadows across the spines of ancient tomes and leather-bound books. the girl’s small hands flip through a dense book written in an unfamiliar language. 

her attention sharpens as she scans the pages, her lips forming silent words, able to follow along easily with the unfamiliar script. a faint breeze causes the sheer curtains on the balcony doors to sway, though the night outside is still. 

the balcony doors creak open, a tall figure steps inside, his movements measured and deliberate. yeonjun enters, bowing low as the curtains blow around him. 

“lady nicha,” yeonjun’s voice is low and respectful. the complete opposite of what it was during his fight with mingi. 

the girl turns slowly, her youthful face serene, yet unnervingly cold. her dark eyes flash a vivid, burning red, illuminating her face for an instant before fading back to normal. she tilts her head, studying him like he was a mere insect to her.

“you’re late,” her voice, mature and calm, is the complete opposite of her youthful and innocent appearance. 

“i came as quickly as i could,” he keeps his head low as he speaks. eyes staying towards the floor and not daring to look at the girl in front of him. 

nicha closes the book with soft thud, even so a ripple of air rushes through the room due to her single action. though her stature is small, the air around her is suffocating, charged with unlimited power. 

“report.”

yeonjun straightens but keeps his gaze averted, respectfully. “the train mission was… partially successful. the hero mingi is dead.”

nicha’s expression remains unchanged, her eyes unblinking as she continues to stare at yeonjun. waiting for him to continue with his report. 

he hesitates for a moment before continuing, “but the other hero and the female villain survived.” the room grows deathly silent at his words. 

“didn’t i tell you to kill all of them?” nicha’s voice is soft, yet menacing. the air ripples with an unseen force. the books on the shelves around them tremble. 

“the sun was rising soon. i couldn’t stay much longer. if i had—

a sudden deafening crack interrupts him as the windows behind him shatter. shards of glass explode and fly inward. yeonjun doesn’t flinch, though his shoulders tense. the glass hovers mid-air for a split second before raining down on the floor. 

the room itself seems to quake, the walls vibrating faintly under nicha’s silent fury. she steps towards yeonjun, her bare feet crunching softly against the scattered glass. she doesn’t flinch as the glass shards pierce her feet. 

“excuses,” she spits, voice low and full of venom. yeonjun swallows hard but remains rooted in place, his eyes fixed on the ground. unmoving. 

nicha then tilts her head, like a curious child, “do you think i care about the sun? or your limits?” her voice echoes unnaturally through the room. reverberating as if spoken by many voices at once. 

yeonjun struggles to maintain his composure, “it won’t happen again. i’ll finish the job.” nicha’s lips curve into a faint smile, though her eyes and the smile itself remains devoid of warmth. 

“no, it won’t.” the tension in the air snaps as quickly as it rose. nicha turns away from yeonjun, dismissing him with a flick of her hand. “leave.”

yeonjun hesitates for a fraction of a second before bowing deeply and retreating. he steps carefully through the broken glass, his movements eerily silent. the balcony doors close behind him, and nicha turns back to her book. she resumes where she left off, her expression as calm as if nothing had happened. 

ateez compound – common room – night

the compound is unusually quiet. the common room feels colder than usual, the air heavy with grief. jongho, wooyoung, and yeosang sit together on the couch. none of them speak for a while, each lost in their thoughts. 

“it doesn’t feel real,” wooyoung says softly, finally breaking the silence. 

jongho, sitting with his elbows on his knees, nods but doesn’t lift his head. “i keep thinking he’s going to walk through the door. make some dumb joke about how we’re all too serious,” he says quietly. 

yeosang leans back, staring at the ceiling, voice distant and solemn, “he always made it look so easy. like no matter how bad things got, he’d figure it out.” 

wooyoung lets out a shaky laugh, but it’s devoid of humor, “that’s because he was stubborn as hell. he hated giving up on anything.” 

there’s a brief silence as the three exchange a look. despite their different temperaments, the loss of mingi has brought them closer in their unfortunate shared grief. 

“we should’ve been there,” jongho says, voice full of regret. 

yeosang shakes his head at the youngest’s words, “we can’t think like that. it’s not what he’d want,” yeosang’s voice is soft but firm. 

wooyoung’s eyes glisten, but he blinks them away, refusing to let the tears fall. “he was family. all of us… we’re family, right?” he asks, staring at his hands. 

jongho and yeosang both nod, their faces set with quiet determination. yeosang looks at the both of them, “and family sticks together. no matter what.”

ateez compound – infirmary – night

the sterile, white walls of the infirmary feel suffocating. you sit on the edge of the bed, side bandaged, but face still pale from the results of the last mission. the faint sound of the compound’s hum buzzes in the background and slowly in your mind. you stare out the window, moonlight illuminating your face. 

your eyes are hollow, expression distant. one hand absentmindedly touches the bandages on your abdomen. “i should’ve done more,” you whisper to yourself. 

a single tear escapes, sliding down your cheek. suddenly, your nose begins to bleed. you wipe it quickly with the back of your hand, frowning. your eyes immediately snap to the infirmary door, watching as san steps into the room, carrying a small tray with supplies. 

“i figured you’d still be awake,” he says, sitting down beside her. 

“i can’t sleep,” you say in reply, softly. san places the tray on the side table, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. 

“no one blames you, y/n,” he says quietly.

your jaw tightens, and you look away, voice trembling, “that’s a lie. either way… i blame me.” 

san reaches out, hand hovering near yours before pulling back. “you fought harder than anyone else could’ve in your condition.” 

“it wasn’t enough! mingi’s gone because i wasn’t strong enough to stop that bastard!” your voice cracks, and a faint glow of your powers flickers around your fingers. the air in the room becomes momentarily heavy. san tenses but stays calm. 

“y/n,” he calls out to her, soft but firm. the sound of his voice pulls you back, and the glow dissipates. you exhale shakily, guilt washing over you.

“i’m sorry,” you say quietly. 

“you don’t have to apologize.” there’s a long silence before san gestures to the bandages on her abdomen. “let me change those for you.” 

you hesitate but eventually nod, lifting the hem of your shirt to reveal the bloodstained bandages underneath. san’s fingers brush against your skin as he helps you take your shirt off before he carefully unwraps the bandages, his touch gentle but precise. the intimacy isn’t lost for either of you. you watch him closely, the room growing quieter as the tension between you builds. 

“does it hurt?” he asks, glancing up at you. 

“not as much as it did before,” you tell him softly. 

san chuckles faintly, his voice low, “you’re tougher than you give yourself credit for.”

his fingers linger for a moment over your wound, his finger edging around the stitches some agent from the association had done when they arrived at the derailment site. you feel your breath caught in your chest when you feel him push down on the stitches. like he was testing the durability of your stitches. you feel your heart begin to pound in your chest the more he presses down. 

“san…” you manage out, his eyes flicker up to meet your own. 

“does that hurt?” he asks, eyes never yours, fingers pressing down into your wound. 

“a little…” you trail off, feeling the sting begin to build up. as the pain from his touch begins to spread, you feel a certain heat also begin to spread over you. the pain and heat mixing in your body making your heart jump in your chest, breath hitching. 

your hand comes up to grab a fistful of san’s shirt when you feel your stitches finally giving out. a gasp leaves your lips, but san muffles any remaining sounds that want to escape. his lips pressing to yours in an open mouth, tongue abusing yours as two of his fingers jab into your wound – into you. 

san’s mouth trails from your mouth and down your jaw, tongue leaving a wet trail over your skin. he trails his tongue over your jaw and down your throat where he meets your death collar. you hear grumbled over the collar before skipping over and continuing down. he meets your lips again when you pull him back up to kiss you, his fingers teasingly moving in and out of your wound. 

the pain making your moan and clench your eyes shut, jaw clenched, san is panting heavily in your ear like a dog in heat at the feeling of your insides. 

“f-fuck,” he pants out, you cringe at the lewd, wet sounds your wound and his fingers are making together. you feel a little embarrassed about it, but the way he reacts makes the heat from your core reappear – as if it even disappeared. you’re just as sick as he is, you think to yourself. your hand comes down to his crotch, palming the noticeable tent in his pants. san lets out a moan, lips crushing yours when your hands travels inside his pants and grabs his cock. 

your tongues do a wild dance, spit running down your chins as his free hand grips your hair and keeps your head in place. the sting from his grip mixed with penetration of your wound sends a pleasurable wave over your body. your hand gives san’s tip a squeeze making him thrust up into your hand. 

“fuckfuckfuck,” san pants out, as you feel him curl his fingers, “feels so good,” he adds, eyes glazed over with a look of lust. 

“s-san,” you moan out as you suddenly both his hands are moving, his left fingers covered in blood that he spreads over the expanse of your body as he moves you to lay down. you let go of his cock, eyes watching as it stands red and angry at being let go. precum beads at the top of his tip trailing down the length of it and the sight makes you even more hornier than you were. 

blood begins to run out of your newly open wound, but san effortlessly uses his powers to stop it. how convenient. you let out a small wince when he bends you in half, yanking your pants and underwear to your knees. “sorry– can’t wait,” he rushes out as you feel his tip rub between your folds that were already slick and easily helping him slip inside of you.  

the two of you let out a string of moans as san enters you, his cock stretching you out and there’s a slight sting to his stretch. only thanks to not having him inside you for the past several months. you honestly were starting to forget how good it felt to have him inside you. san immediately begins to thrusts inside of you, holding onto your legs as leverage. 

“fuck– i forgot how good this pussy is,” he hisses out as his cock hits your g-spot, over and over again. you feel your eyes roll into the back of your head at the feeling, mouth hanging open and moans spilling into the air. the lewd wet sounds from just moments ago, return as san continues to fuck your pussy. your wetness smearing up your thighs and over your ass as his pace doesn’t stop once he finally found a good pace. 

“damn infirmary beds… too fuckin’ small,” he spits out as one of his legs almost fall off the side from how he tries to spread you out more. you feel the head of his cock hitting your sweet spot, head thrown back you feel your climax continue to build up. 

“s-s-san-nie! i’m close!” you tell him, you feel his fingers digging into the backs of thighs as he begins to drill into you with his cock. if you weren’t getting your insides rearranged then you would have been worried about the infirmary bed. thankfully, san’s powers have to do with blood and not strength. 

however, his natural strength was nothing to laugh about. 

you let out a choked sob as you feel yourself coming. san sheathes himself deep inside of you as he also comes. his thick cum painting your walls and even dripping out as san tries to fuck it back into you. he pulls out, running the head and base of his cock between your creamy folds, watching with a daze expression. 

you let a hiss of pain out when your orgasm subsides and the pain from your open wound begins to overtake you. 

san seems to snap out of it as he’s quickly fixing himself and you. he looks at your wound, gently touching it, his fingers still coated in your now dried blood. 

“let me fix you up,” he says, grabbing what he needs and begins to patch up your wound. “there,” he says softly once your wound is closed once more. 

“san…” you say quietly as you sit up. his eyes meet yours, expression unreadable now, but filled with something. 

“does it still hurt?” he asks softly, reaching over to grab new bandages and you shake your head. “good,” he adds, wrapping the new bandages around your abdomen. 

“thanks,” you tell him when he’s done and finally help you put your shirt back on. the earlier mood seemingly settling back between the two of you. mind racing as you think back to how if you had been stronger than you won’t have suffered the wounds you did. you could’ve helped mingi and maybe he would still be here.

“you don’t have to carry this alone,” he tells you softly, snapping you out of your thoughts. you blink, tears welling up again. 

“i… i don’t know how to move forward,” you confess. san places a hand on your shoulder, his thumb brushing lightly against your collarbone. 

“one step at a time. me and seonghwa… we’ll be there with you. for you,” he says, your faces inches apart. the tension between you both is almost visible. neither of you move, the moment hanging in the air before you look away, breaking the spell. 

“thank you.”

san doesn’t respond, but his hand lingers on your shoulder for a moment longer before he pulls away. the two of you sit in silence, the weight of your grief and unspoken emotions filling the room.

ateez compound – common room – day

the compound has become quieter the last few days, somber stillness that reflected the weight of mingi’s death. you sat alone at the kitchen table, which was connected into the common room, staring at the half-empty cup of tea in front of you. the guilt you had been feeling was unbearable. a constant ache in your chest that refused to fade. you replayed the moment over and over again, mind torturing you with the what-ifs. 

wooyoung leaned against the wall nearby, his arms crossed as he stared out the window. every so often his sharp gaze would flicker over to you, who remained unmoving. the tension between them and the rest of the team had been simmering for days, about ready to boil over at any second. 

“you’re really just sitting there?” he finally asked, voice low but cutting. you chose not to respond to him. fingers tightening around the mug instead. “answer me!” wooyoung snapped, stepping closer. now in the kitchen area. “do you feel anything? mingi is dead! and you’re sitting here like it’s just another day!”

you flinched slightly at his words, guilt twisting even tighter, but before you could muster a reply, san stood abruptly from his spot by the other large window in the common room. “that’s enough, wooyoung,” he says, his voice full of warning and danger, not to mention laced with a certain coldness. 

“enough? are you kidding me?” wooyoung sounds offended by san’s words, his eyes blazing as he directs his attention to san. “mingi died because of her! if she hadn't been so–

“don’t you dare fucking finish that sentence,” san cuts him off, stepping close until they were just nearly nose-to-nose with each other. his fists clenched at his sides, just barely able to restrain himself from punching the hero. “you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“i know exactly what i’m talking about,” wooyoung shot back. “she’s clearly a liability. always has been since day one, and now mingi’s gone because of it. i’m surprised yunho isn’t dead too because of her.”

“wooyoung, stop!” yeosang tries to step in, but he was immediately drowned out by the argument. 

san’s jaw tightened, “mingi’s death isn’t her fault. she risked her life to save those passengers and was injured because of that demon. how was she supposed to know an even stronger one was going to show up right after? huh? tell me that.”

wooyoung let out a bitter laugh, one full of anger and disbelief. “you always defend her, don’t you? no matter what she does, you’re always there to protect her. i thought she was one the world’s worst villains, can she not protect herself?”

“and you’re always looking for someone to blame,” san retorts, “mingi wouldn’t want this – wouldn’t want you tearing the team apart because you can’t deal with your grief and personal issues! you’ve been hostile since day one, wooyoung, don’t you have anything else better to do than be this petty?”

wooyoung’s hands balled into fists, elements of fire and ice sparking off both hands, “don’t you dare talk to me about grief! at least i actually cared about mingi. at least i–

“enough!” jongho’s voice echoes through the room as he steps between them, shoving them apart with a firm grip on each of their shoulders. “both of you stop this right now. fighting each other won’t bring him back.” 

san shrugs jongho’s hand off with a huff as he reluctantly steps back. wooyoung scowled but didn’t push further; however, the anger in his eyes didn’t fade. from across the room, seonghwa, who had been silent observing, finally spoke. 

“this isn’t helping anyone. least of all mingi.” 

wooyoung muttered something under his breath that no one caught before storming out of the common room. his footsteps echoing through the hallway. 

yeosang, who had also been watching quietly, approached you. he placed a gentle hand on your shoulder, his expression soft as you look up at him with tired eyes. “come on. let’s get out of here for a bit,” he says quietly. you hesitate for a moment before nodding, face pale and drawn from watching san and wooyoung as you let yeosang guide you out of the room. you both walked in silence down the corridor, tension still heavy in the air for everyone. 

“don’t let him get to you,” yeosang says eventually, his voice calm but firm. he does his best in trying to assure you. 

you stopped walking and leaned against the wall, hands trembling. “he’s right, though,” you whispered. “i failed. i couldn’t save mingi.” 

yeosang shook his head, his hands gently coming to support yours, “you did what you could. none of this is your fault, and if it wasn’t for you there would have been a lot more casualties. you did a good thing.” 

tears began to well up in your eyes as you listened to speak, despite trying to blink them away. “it feels like my fault. every time i close my eyes, i see him. he fought so hard, we were supposed to get something to eat after the mission. he promised.” 

yeosang leaned against the wall beside you, his presence steady and grounding. “we’ve all lost people, y/n. but you don’t have to carry this by yourself. you’ve got us to help you through this. we are all figuring this out, together.” 

you looked up at him, vision blurry with tears, yet you still managed a small, grateful smile, “thank you, yeosang.” 

before he could respond, jongho comes rushing down the corridor, expression tense. you don’t think you’ve seen jongho look like this, not since when you first met him a few months ago. “someone’s approaching the compound,” he says breathlessly. 

you and yeosang exchanged a look before you are following after jongho to the main entrance. wooyoung is already there, fists clenched and fire and ice seeping off his fingers. he’s ready just in case. 

then you see them. a long figure staggered closer, silhouette weak and unsteady. it was a young woman. as she came closer, you could tell the three heroes immediately recognized her. she had to be a fellow hero. 

“it’s winter,” yeosang says, eyes flickering over to meet yours. like he was filling you in on who this was. winter? you think you’ve heard that name being tossed around before when you were still in prison. some of the male villains idolizing her, having crushes on her despite her being a hero and them villains.

winter’s uniform was torn and soaked with blood, her face pale and bruised as she nearly collapsed at the entrance. you can’t help but notice how despite her torn uniform and injuries, the light pink shawl with stars on it remained… almost untouched as it draped around her arms. jongho and yeosang rushed over to support her, each of them taking an arm to help steady her as they carefully helped her inside. 

“my team…” winter began to say, her voice weak and trembling as she let out a small gasp, “we were attacked. a-a villain– demon, i don’t know what it was. they’re all dead! i’m– i’m the only one who made it out,” she tells you all, tears beginning to build up in her eyes. 

wooyoung frowned at the news, “you can stay here until hongjoong and yunho get back. they’ll know what to do.” 

you watch as winter’s gaze swept the room before she immediately caught her breath, eyes narrowing when they landed on you, san, and seonghwa. “i didn’t think the rumors were true. that the hero association made you work with villains,” she said, her tone in clear disdain at you and your two lovers. 

you looked away, eyes moving over your team. yeosang looked slightly surprised by her words while jongho, seonghwa, and wooyoung – surprisingly – remained neutral. san; however, looked at winter with a match of disdain, his eyes narrowing on her. like he was trying to figure her out. 

“especially her,” you heard winter say, you snapped your attention back to her, her eyes boring right into you, “everyone knows how dangerous she is.” 

“watch your fucking mouth,” san snapped, his voice sharp and glare icy as he stepped forward. 

“san,” wooyoung’s tone is one of warning, “don’t start.” 

“i’m not starting anything,” he shot back, “but i’m not going to stand here and listen to some crap nonsense.” 

“nonsense?” winter scoffed, “she’s a clear liability. i’m surprised the association even let her out.”

“enough!” san’s voice booms through the room, silencing winter who stares at the villain in shock, “you don’t know anything about her.” he hisses, pointing a finger at her in warning. 

but then wooyoung steps up, “and you don’t know what to back off,” he counters, stepping closer to san. “you’re so blinded by your feelings for her that you can’t see the truth. is her pussy really that good?”

before anyone could react, san punches wooyoung which in turn sends the hero stumbling back and falling to the ground. blood drips from wooyoung’s nose, jaw clenched as he turns to look back at san. 

“say that again, wooyoung. i fucking dare you,” san’s fist are still clenched, waiting for wooyoung to once again run his mouth. 

wooyoung stands up, blood smearing across his face as he attempts to wipe it away, but before he could do anything further with san, yeosang steps between them. “guys, stop!” his voice is sharper and more commanding than you have ever heard from the usually soft-spoken hero. “we have more important things to deal with right now, and none of them involve fighting each other.” 

seonghwa comes and places a calming hand on san’s shoulder, his voice low, “let’s go.” 

san hesitates, his gaze landing on wooyoung before turning and lingering on winter for a moment before turning away. “this isn’t over,” he mutters, allowing seonghwa to guide him and you out of the room. 

as you walked away, you notice san glancing over his shoulder, eyes narrowing once more. you know he was suspicious about winter, something clearly not sitting right with him about her. but he didn’t say anything to either you or seonghwa. keeping his thoughts to himself, you couldn’t deny the sense of unease settled around you three. 

ateez compound – common room – few days later

the atmosphere in the compound had grown overwhelmingly thick with tension over the past several days. winter, oblivious to the tension she was causing, settled into a room and easily integrated herself into the team’s space. her injuries healed surprisingly fast, and she often roamed the halls, stopping sometimes to exchange casual remarks with her fellow heroes. 

wooyoung, for one, didn’t seem to mind her presence. spending more time with her than anyone else has, sharing meals or discussing tactics. he calms he just wants her to feel welcomed, but yeosang tells you he thinks otherwise. winter’s willingness to integrate herself so quickly, barely mourning the grief of her teammates, made san’s suspicions grow with each passing day.

“she’s not who she says she is,” san muttered under his breath during a meeting in the common area. you had chosen to stay in your room, shutting yourself away from everyone. the absence of mingi and the growing tension making you unable to tolerate being in the same room as the others. wooyoung especially. 

wooyoung let out a dramatic sigh, slamming his cup down on the table. “for the last time, san, she’s a hero! she’s on our side!” 

“and you’re so sure of that?” san shoots back, voice low but clearly full of distrust. “she just shows up, conveniently alive after her entire team is killed, and we’re supposed to believe she’s fine?” 

“what’s your problem, huh?” wooyoung counters, standing up from his chair. “are you mad because someone else is able to see how much of a liability you two and y/n are? that you should’ve stayed in prison to rot?”

san’s eyes darkened, his collar digging into his skin, and his fists clenched at his sides, “don’t you dare bring seonghwa and y/n into this.” 

“oh, i’ll bring them into this,” wooyoung says, stepping closer and voice rising. “you’re so suspicious of winter, yet ever since the three of you joined, the number of demon attacks have also increased! and how convenient that when y/n is sent on a mission there’s not one, but two demons from the twelve moons that show up! how is that not suspicious!”

seonghwa, who had been silently observing from the corner, finally speaks up, “both of you, enough. arguing isn’t going to help anything, especially when we need to be a team more than ever.”

“she’s dangerous,” san says through gritted teeth, pointing towards the hallway where winter had disappeared moments ago. 

“and you’re paranoid,” wooyoung snaps back, brushing past san as he leaves the room. 

san exhaled sharply, jaw tight as he sat back down, his mind racing with uneasy thoughts. jongho who had stood at the front of the room let out an annoyed sigh, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“great meeting everybody, glad we got things accomplished,” he says sarcastically.

ateez compound – y/n’s room – ████

your room was shrouded in a heavy stillness, the air thick with the weight of your grief. the blinds were tightly shut, casting the space in darkness. you lay curled up in your bed, knees drawn to your chest, staring at the blank wall. your heart ached with the guilt that continuously gnawed at you, an endless replay of mingi’s final moments in your mind. it was fucking awful. 

a soft knock broke through the silence, but you didn’t respond. had you even heard the knock in the first place?

the door creaked open, and seonghwa stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. his footsteps are quiet as he nears you, as if he understood the weight of the room and how it demanded silence. 

“y/n,” seonghwa’s voice is soft, laced with concern, “you need to eat.”

“i’m not hungry,” you reply, voice hoarse and barely audible. 

seonghwa sighed, setting the tray down on the bedside table before making his way over to the blinds and turning them just a hair to where light was shining in. the room now shrouded in a form of twilight. seonghwa lowers himself onto the edge of your bed. his gaze gentle but insistent, even if you can’t see him. your back facing him, you remain unmoving. 

“you’ve been in here for days. yeosang is worried. we all are,” he tells you, but you know that’s not the case. wooyoung surely isn’t and jongho just chooses to remain… neutral. you know hongjoong would have already killed you if he was here. it felt like a countdown just waiting for him and yunho to return. 

you chose not to respond, gaze fixed on the same spot on the wall. the silence stretched between the two of you, heavy and unyielding. 

without a word, seonghwa shifted closer. he reached out, his hand tentative and slow as he carefully reached up to brush some hair away from your face. his touch was warm, grounding. you didn’t deserve it. “y/n,” he murmured, voice breaking slightly. “please, don’t shut me out,” you feel your heart clenched. 

you eventually turned your head to look at him, eyes glassy with unshed tears. “i failed him,” you whispered, voice trembling. “if i hadn’t been injured in that fight with yena then i could’ve saved him.” 

seonghwa’s heart twists at hearing the anguish in your voice. he lays down beside you, pulling you into his arms. you tried to resist for a moment before giving up, collapsing against him, burying your face in his chest. 

“you didn’t fail him,” he said softly, voice steady despite the emotions threatening to spill over. “you did everything you could.” 

“i could’ve stopped that bastard, seonghwa. i could’ve– 

you cut your own self off as the tears you had been holding back finally broke free. body shaking as the tears began to soak through seonghwa’s shirt. 

“no,” he says, tone firm but gentle. he titled your chin up, forcing you to look at him. “you couldn’t have known. you couldn’t have done anything differently. don’t let this guilt consume you, y/n. you saved all those people on that train from that demon. you did something.” 

you stared at him, tears spilling over as your lips quivered. “i feel like i’m drowning,” you confessed, voice barely a whisper. “i can’t breathe. i can’t… i can’t do this.”

seonghwa’s arms tighten around you, his forehead knocking gently against yours. “you’re not alone,” he said, voice shaking slightly. “you hear me? you’re not alone in this. i’m here, san’s here, yeosang even. and i’ll always be here.” 

your sobs grew louder, emotions spiralling out of control. the room around you both began to shift. the walls ripped like waves, furniture flickered in and out of existence, and the air seemed to hum with an unnatural energy. 

seonghwa noticed but didn’t falter. he held you tighter, attempting to ground you with his presence. “breathe with me,” he whispers, voice soothing. “in and out. just focus on me.” 

you clung to seonghwa as if he were your lifeline, your ragged breaths slowly matching his steady rhythm. gradually, the room settled. the walls returned to their solid state, the flickering ceased, and the unnatural energy faded away. 

you pulled away slightly, face streaked with tears. “i’m scared,” you confessed, voice unstable as you continued. “i’m scared of losing control and hurting people i care about.”

seonghwa cups your face with his hands, thumb gently wiping the tears away. “you’re stronger than you think,” he tells you, voice filled with a quiet sureness. “you’ve been through so much and you’re still here. still fighting. that’s what matters most.” 

you feel your lower lip tremble as you search his eyes, finding only unwavering support and affection. unwavering love. “i don’t know if i can continue doing this alone,” you admitted softly. 

“and you won’t,” he tells you, “you have us. you have me.” 

for the first time in days, you feel a flicker of something other than guilt and grief. hope, perhaps? you let out a shaky breath and rest your forehead against his once again. “thank you,” you whisper, voice full of raw emotions and eyes looking at him with sincerity. 

seonghwa smiles soft, his arms still wrapped around you, “always,” he tells you, leaning over to pressing a soft kiss to your lips. 

you felt your breathing steady and tears finally stop, you allowed yourself to lean into him, feeling the weight of your grief just ever so slightly begin to lift. it was good to be reminded that seonghwa was here – san too – and that you weren’t alone. 

ateez compound – winter’s room – night

winter walks down the quiet corridor, her footsteps light and measured as the compound has settled into its usual nightly rhythm. her expression remains neutral, composed – a perfect mask of calm that easily hid the storm beneath. each step brought her closer to her room, where she knew she could let her guard down for a moment. 

she pushed the door open with a soft creaked sound. her hand instinctively reaches for the light switch, but she immediately freezes. 

someone was sitting on her bed. 

the faint light from the hallway cast a silhouette that is both commanding and terrifying. lady nicha.

the door closes behind winter as she immediately drops to both knees, bowing deeply, her head pressed against the cold floor. her voice was steady as she spoke, “lady nicha, i wasn’t expecting you.”

the air in the room felt heavy, suffocating, as if the walls themselves bowed to nicha’s presence. she sat clearly relaxed on the edge of the bed, her posture deceptively casual, but her eyes shined with a predatory sharpness. she tapped her painted, burgundy fingers against her knee. each movement deliberate, echoing in the tense silence. 

“rise,” she then commands, voice smooth yet still laced with authority that left no room for discussion. 

winter raised her body off the ground, still kneeling with her head slightly bowed. her star-patterned shawl shimmering in the moonlight that peeked into the room. “such a disguise you have,” nicha says, voice tilted with fake amusement.

nicha’s lips curved into a slow, wicked smile. “you’ve done well, wonyoung,” she purred, her voice a mix of praise and menace. “to think, they’ve welcomed you so easily and trusted you. allowed you to even sow discord among them, but, ah, i guess that part wasn’t so hard considering their distrust among each other.”

wonyoung tilted her head, her expression one of pride, “it’s as you planned, my lady. the seeds of doubt and tension are starting to blossom. they’re starting to fray at the edges.” 

nicha stood, the air around her growing heavier still. she approached wonyoung, her presence overwhelming. each step she took seemed to dim the light in the room, shadows pooling at her feet and seemed to have a mind of their own. “good,” she said, voice low and deliberate, “but your work is far from over.” 

wonyoung met her gaze for a moment, unwavering despite the oppressive and powerful aura that surrounded nicha. “what would you have me do, my lady?”

“take them out,” she says, tone sharp as a blade. “one by one, if you must. but the female villain, y/n…” she pauses, her eyes narrowing, a cruel smile playing on her lips. “she must suffer. break her and her power will surely destroy the rest.” 

wonyoung nodded, her expression determined, “i won’t fail you.” 

nicha’s smile widened, though it held no warmth. she raised a hand, her fingers brushing wonyoung’s cheek in a mockery of affection. the action, nonetheless, still sent a chill down wonyoung’s spine. “see that you don’t. i have no use for failures.”

the room seemed to pulse with nicha’s presence, the walls vibrating faintly as if the very fabric of reality bent to her will. “remember, child,” she continued, her voice a whisper that felt like a scream to wonyoung. “my power is what allowed you to stand here. do not make me regret granting it to you.” 

wonyoung bowed her head again, voice firm, “i will not disappoint you, lady nicha.”

nicha laughed softly, a sound that sent more shivers down wonyoung’s spine. “good,” she said, her form beginning to dissolve into the shadows that slowly gathered around her. “then go, prove yourself worthy of the power i’ve bestowed upon you.”

with her final words echoing inside the room, nicha’s presence dissolved, leaving the room eerily still. the oppressive weight lifted, but her dominance remained a lingering sense. like a phantom hand clutched wonyoung’s throat, reminding her to not fail. 

then, as the last traces of  nicha’s aura faded, wonyoung straightened up, standing up from the ground as her face hardened. “y/n,” she mumbled, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her features. “let’s see if you’re as strong as they say you are.” 

with a resolute breath, she turned in order to begin preparing for the next phase of her plan. nicha’s commands echoing in her mind, a constant reminder for the price of failure. failure that wasn’t an option for her.

ateez compound – common room – the next afternoon 

the morning light streamed from the compound’s windows and into the common room where jongho and yeosang were. a faint buzz from jongho’s phone interrupted their conversation, which leads him to glancing at the device before quickled opening the message. 

“what is it?” yeosang asks, noticing the subtle tension in jongho’s shoulders. 

“it’s from hongjoong,” jongho replied, voice low. “i told him and yunho about winter being here and what she said happened to her team.”

yeosang frowns, “do you think it's about that?”

jongho didn’t respond immediately, his eyes fully focused on the message as he read it. yeosang notes his face slowly drain of color, hand tightening around the phone. yeosang is afraid the younger hero is going to crush the device if he doesn’t let up. 

“jongho?” yeosang says, his concern growing. “what does it say?”

jongho hesitates, swallowing the lump that forms in his throat, voice with an unusual tremble as he replies, “they found her team… what was left of the bodies were recovered.”

yeosang’s brows furrowed at the news, “that’s awful, but why do you–

“winter’s body was found with them,” jongho cuts him off, voice shaking. 

a chilling silence falls between them, the weight of jongho’s words sinking in. yeosang’s eyes widened in disbelief, “what?”

jongho hands him the phone, letting him read the message himself, “hongjoong says we need to be careful. whoever’s here with us isn’t winter.”

“we need to tell the others now,” yeosang says, despite his mind racing at the sudden thought of potential danger within their own compound. 

jongho nodded, his expression grim as they split up. 

ateez compound – outside training grounds – afternoon 

you sat outside of the compound, enjoying the quietness of nature, but still trying to process everything that has happened over the past few days. your eyes flickered up towards the sky where you saw several crows flying around in a circle. five crows to be exact. their cawing sends a chill down your spine for reasons you can’t quite explain.

odd, you think to yourself. the last time you saw a crow was right after mingi–

the door behind your flies open and you turn to see yeosang running outside towards you. his urgency cutting through the peaceful air. “y/n, we have a problem.”

you meet yeosang halfway, placing a hand on his shoulder, “what’s wrong?”

“winter isn’t who she says she is. her body was found with her team,” he says, not wasting any time

your eyes widened as you process his words, “you’re saying… she’s an imposter?” san was right then, his suspicions that something wasn’t right with winter were true. 

yeosang nods his head, “yes. hongjoong just sent the intel. whoever’s been with us all this time isn’t winter. we need to act now.”

you looked at yeosang, voice calm but urgent as you spoke, “then let’s move. we can’t let her make the first move. where are the others?”

ateez compound – training room – afternoon

in the training area, seonghwa stood next to winter on the sidelines as he watched san and wooyoung spar. jongho enters the room, heart pounding as he approaches wooyoung. 

“wooyoung,” jongho calls out, trying to keep his voice steady as he gives a cautious look to winter. “i need to talk to you. it’s important.”

wooyoung raised an eyebrow, pausing his sparring. after years of working with jongho, he realized that something was wrong with the youngest. he was nervous despite being able to mask it well for the others in the room. “what’s up?”

“let’s talk somewhere else,” jongho says, glancing at winter out of the corner of his eye. 

winter tilted her head, faint smile playing on her lips, “why can’t you say it here?”

jongho hesitated, but before he could answer, san stepped forward, having also picked up on the shift of jongho’s eyes. san’s own eyes narrowing that the female hero, “maybe he doesn’t want you to hear it.”

winter’s smile faltered, her expression sharpening, “i don’t see why that would be a problem? unless, of course, you’re trying to hide something.” 

san let out a dry laugh, the tension almost touchable at this point, “funny, i was about to say the same thing to you.”

wooyoung stepped between them, his own frustration boiling over, “can you stop? this isn’t the time–

“actually,” jongho interrupts him, voice slightly louder now, “this is the time.” he adds as he takes a deep breath, his eyes locked on his teammate. “winter’s team was found, and so was she. dead.” 

the room fell deathly silent. 

then the sound of an unsettling laughter broke it.

the longer the laugh went, the louder and unsettling it became. all eyes turned to winter, who straightened her entire demeanor. she no longer looked like the hero, but instead her platinum blonde hair turning a pitch black. eyes becoming sharper, more dangerous. what were once brown shifted into an unnatural green, her pupils also shifting to where 상위육 could be clearly read. her once delicate features twisted into a cruel smirk as she looked at the group. 

“well,” she says, her voice dripping with mockery and fake disappointment, “it seems the charade is up.”  

san stepped forward, fists clenched, while wooyoung could only stare in shock and betrayal. jongho then spoke up, voice steady and firm, “get ready! this isn’t over!”

wonyoung’s smirk widened, her confidence unshaken, “oh, i’m counting on it.”

wonyoung’s shawl, now wrapped around her waist appears with a snake-patterned, shoot out from her arms, snapping toward san. the sudden attack forces san to leap back, just narrowly avoiding being impaled. wooyoung stumbles back in shock as the ribbons carve into the wall, leaving deep gashes. 

“she’s a demon!” seonghwa says right as the room erupts into chaos with the ribbons coiling and striking with lethal precision. wonyoung whirls, her snake-like ribbons extending and retracting at her will, smashing training dummies and throwing debris into the air. san ducks under one ribbon and slashes another with his hardened blood. the severed ribbon falling lifelessly to the ground. 

seonghwa turns to both wooyoung and jongho, “go, we’ll handle her!” jongho nods his head, turning towards wooyoung who is clearly hesitating for a moment. jongho grabs the older by the arm pulling him out of the training room. 

“come on, wooyoung, we need to send a message to the association!” wooyoung snaps out of his daze and nods, the two males rushing out and leaving the two villains to take care of the demon. 

“not just any type of demon, too, but a part of the twelve moons,” san says with gritted teeth. “but her upper six status means she should just be child’s play.”

seonghwa moves in from the side, his strikes calculated, but wonyoung twirls gracefully, her ribbons creating a barrier that easily deflects his attacks. she laughs, her voice echoing eerily throughout the room. 

“you think you can defeat me? how adorable.”

one ribbon wraps around san’s arm, lifting him off the ground and slamming him into a wall. he lets out a groan but manages to twist free and lands on his feet just as seonghwa launches a flurry of attacks. his sheer strength blowing through several of wonyoung’s ribbons. the demon’s movements are fluid, almost dance-like, as she dodges and counters. 

“she’s toying with us,” seonghwa says to san. 

“not for long,” he replies before charging forward, his blood shaped into hardened weapons. he slices through one of the ribbons, which recoils with a hiss, but two more easily snap towards him. seonghwa intercepts, his fist catching the ribbon mid-strike and easily ripping it apart. 

“impressive, but let’s see how long you last,” wonyoung purrs. she then slams her hand into the ground, ribbons erupt in every direction, tearing through the floor. san and seonghwa are forced to separate, dodging the onslaught. san sprints along the edge of the room, dodge debris, while seonghwa rushes head on, leaping into the air for higher ground. 

“seonghwa, now!”

seonghwa drives his clawed fist downward towards wonyoung. she blocks with her ribbons, but san takes the opportunity to strike from the side, slicing through another ribbon and grazing her arm. wonyoung hisses in pain, her composure faltering for the first time. 

“you’ll pay for that!” she snaps, her ribbons lash out wildly, one catching seonghwa in the side and throwing him across the room. he crashes into a pile of rubble, groaning in pain. san dodges and weaves, landing another strike on wonyoung, but she quickly retaliates by wrapping a ribbon around his ankle and yanking him off his feet. 

“let… go, damnit!” san swipes his blood through the ribbon, slicing it and rolling to his feet. he and seonghwa regroup, their breathing heavy. “been awhile since we’ve been this out of breath together, huh?” san comments with a smirk making seonghwa roll his eyes. 

wonyoung glares at them, blood trickling from a wound on her forehead, “enough of this!” she extends her arms, ribbons converge into a massive, writing mass above her head. with a deafening crack, she sends it crashing down towards the two villains. they dive in opposite directions, the impact leaving a large crater in the floor. 

“we need to end this now,” seonghwa says, a frown drawn across his face. san nods, his expression grim. they continue to launch several attacks, san striking high while seonghwa goes low. wonyoung struggles to keep up, her movements becoming more erratic as the two villains close in. finally, san manages to land a deathly blow, his blood blade slicing through her neck in one clean cut. 

wonyoung’s head falls from her body and to the floor, her body slumping to the floor on her knees. seonghwa and san are left panting, their bodies fighting to keep up with the fight they just went through. they both look down at the demon’s body, and that’s when they notice that wonyoung’s head and body isn’t disintegrating. 

instead, wonyoung’s head rolls around, body jerking to life as she begins to wail like a child, her voice piercing and unsettling. the sight of her still being alive sends a chill down both villains’ spines. 

“what the–

“this isn’t fair! this isn’t fair!” she wails out, fisting slamming against the ground as fat crocodile tears run down her face. “i was supposed to kill you all! devour you all! oppa, help me! oppa!” 

seonghwa and san freeze, expressions a mix of confusion and horror as they watch wonyoung’s body begin to convulse. her body jerks forward as the sound of flesh tearing fills the air as wonyoung’s back splits open. san is quick to realize another figure was crawling out of her body and jumps straight into action. 

his blade striking down, dusting covers the room as wonyoung’s cries fall silent for a moment. and for a split second san and seonghwa both think he’s managed to kill the new demon. 

“shh, i’m here,” a voice speaks behind both of them. both seonghwa and san whirl around to see the new demon crouched in front of a still sobbing wonyoung. reattaching her head to her body like it was nothing. 

“sunghoon-oppa, it's not fair!” wonyoung cries out as the male demon gives his sister a crooked smile. 

“it’s okay now,” he says, patting her head before standing. his eyes matching wonyoung’s reading 상위육 – upper six – and his expression is hardened. “i’ll take care of them. go handle the others,” he says, addressing wonyoung. wonyoung nods, her ribbons snapping menacingly as she quickly teleports away. 

before either villain can react, sunghoon teleports behind them, his movements too fast to track. “shall we begin?”

san lets out a huff as he grabs seonghwa and rushes out of the training room and into the courtyard of the compound. sunghoon easily follows after them, his body emanating dark, almost snake-like energy. instead of ribbons like wonyoung, sunghoon has dangerous, fang-shaped blades coming out of his forearms.

“you gave up your humanity, was it worth it? becoming a puppet for the villains just to survive?” san asks, eyes narrowing as looks at sunghoon. 

“i didn’t do this for survival,” he replies back coldly, but there’s a faint undertone of pain almost, “i did it to protect my sister. everything i’ve done – every choice i’ve made was to keep her safe.” 

seonghwa steps forward, voice sharp, “and now you’re dragging her into the abyss with you.” 

sunghoon’s smirk falters at seonghwa’s words, “the abyss is kinder than the world that the hero’s call justice. the heroes and their association… they don’t protect anyone. you should know that better than anyone here.”

without warning, sunghoon attacks with his blades clashing against san’s blood. san manages to roll away, sending blood spikes towards the demon who easily dodges them. 

“you talk big, but i don’t see much strength,” san says. 

sunghoon chuckles at san, “you haven’t seen anything yet.” 

sunghoon continues to launch himself at the two villains, his blades clashing and creating sparks as seonghwa and san either parry his attack or dodge them. one of sunghoon’s blades manage to cut against seonghwa’s arm, the male hissing as he looks down at it. 

“his blades are poisonous,” seonghwa hisses out. 

“then we’ll need to hurry up and kill him before the poison kills us,” san says, jaw clenched as he used his blood to create two swords, tossing one to seonghwa who easily catches it with his uninjured arm. the fight only begins to escalate as sunghoon launches a flurry of attacks, twirling in the dance with his blades, glistening with venom, attempting to slice and cut at both san and seonghwa. 

seonghwa trembles, feeling the weight of his injury and battle getting to him. he knew he could never fully control himself when he transform, but seonghwa knew that his monstrous strength would help push them to win against this fight. 

the air around them began to grow colder with a creeping chill that seeped into the bones of both san and sunghoon. san attempted to reach out to seonghwa, but with one shove it sent san flying back and tumbling to the ground. 

“fuck,” he mumbles as he watches seonghwa. his body contorting with an unsettling and sickening sound of sounds cracking as his frame elongated. joints bending in grotesque and inhuman angles. his skin took on a deathly pale, almost translucent hue – it was the complete opposite of his usual sun-kissed skin – veins began to pulse dark and prominent beneath the surface. 

his once calm and calculating expression now twisted into something monstrous, a predator. his teeth sharpened, canines elongating like his body did into jagged points where the sole purpose was to tear at flesh. san felt his heart sink as he continued to watch as seonghwa’s eyes even turned into black voids that looked at every and anything with an unnatural and sick hunger. his fingers stretched, nails hardening into proper, monstrous claws that were just waiting to tear into its next target. 

sunghoon looked at seonghwa’s monstrous form, completely caught off guard and his usual strong facade faded for a moment. “what are you?” he hisses out, “what kind of demon are you?” 

seonghwa responded with a loud roar that sent shockwaves across the area and he lunged at the demon with his large, grotesque form. seonghwa was able to attack sunghoon with his bone-like antlers, slashing into the demon and sending him flying backwards and leaving a deep.

san is able to adjust quickly, using seonghwa’s sudden transformation and attacks as distractions to land more precise strikes.

ateez compound – control room – night 

yeosang lets out a shaky breath as he reached the control room. running over, he begins to type frantically on the condole, sweating beading down his forehead as he attempted to contact both hongjoong and yunho, but also the hero association. suddenly, the glow of the monitor flickers as a shadow looms behind him. he feels his ear twitch as the sound of a faint hiss, wonyoung’s ribbon snakes dart forward like some fanged vipers. 

you burst in, sword slashing through the first set of ribbons before wonyoung can even register that you are in the room. the severed ends writhe on the floor before quickly retracting. the ends you cut off, fell to the floor seemingly turning back into pieces of fabric. 

“go! send the message, yeosang!” you shout to him as you stand between him and wonyoung. hesitates for a moment, looking between you and wonyoung. “now, yeosang!” you shout louder. yeosang nods before quickly sending the message. 

you can hear his ragged breathing, clearly surprised and a little terrified by the demon in front of you both. you turn to look at him for a moment before gesturing towards the door. “be careful,” he whispers before making a bolt for the door. wonyoung’s head tilts as she watches him flee. 

“heroes are so predictable, always running,” she taunts with a hiss. 

you roll your shoulders, sword gripped tightly between your hands, “looks like it's just you and me.”

wonyoung lets out a tsk sound before lunging at you, her ribbons weaving in intricate patterns, each one snapping towards you like a striking snake. you manage to parry most of them with your sword, slicing through some as sparks fly with metal meeting energy. 

“you can’t keep this up forever,” wonyoung says with a smirk. 

“good thing i don’t need forever,” you told her, breathless and through gritted teeth. you roll to the side as a ribbon smashes into the console behind you, shattering the screen. you charge forward, slicing through multiple ribbons, but one catches your ankle, yanking you off balance. 

you land hard, coughing as the wind is knocked out of you. before you can recover, a ribbon snakes around your wrist, picks you up and slams you into the wall. blood trickles from your forehead, some of it running into your eye, but you quickly wipe it away. 

“what’s the matter? too weak to save yourself?” wonyoung asks mockingly, her ribboned snakes almost floating around her like extra arms. you grit your teeth, eyes glowing faintly as you feel your power begin to flare. you channel your energy into your sword, severing the ribbon holding your wrist. 

“you talk too much,” you say fiercely. you lunge again, blade igniting with light. wonyoung retreats, her ribbons forming a barrier around her. you leap, slashing downward with all your strength. the barrier shatters into pieces of limp fabric, and wonyoung stumbles back, clutching a deep wound across her shoulder. 

wonyoung scowls, her ribbons writhing wildly around her, “you’ll regret that!” 

wonyoung summons more ribbons, these even more thick and serpent-like that before, ones with glowing eyes and fangs. they hiss and dart towards you, and you just barely manage to dodge them. one snake grazes your side, tearing through your uniform and leaving a deep, bleeding gash. 

you press your hand against the wound, feeling that the snake had torn through the stitches of your wound and made it even deeper. blood pooling out and staining your clothes a deep burgundy. you let out a small hiss in pain, managing to steady yourself as you look towards wonyoung with narrowed eyes, “i’ve faced worse than you.”

“i can guarantee you’ve never faced someone like me.” 

the fight continues to become more intense, the control room becoming a battlefield of destroyed debris and shredded fabric everywhere. your sword blazes as you cut through the ribboned snakes, but wonyoung is relentless as her snakes continue to regenerate faster than you can destroy them 

jongho and wooyoung rush into the control room, when they arrive they find the place basically destroyed and you on one knee, blade digging into the ground for support. 

wooyoung immediately feels his rage build up, turning to wonyoung who looks at the three with a mocking smile, blood dripping from her wound you had given her earlier. “you lied to us! tricked us!” he says furiously, his fist catching on fire. 

“and you fell for it so easily. how pathetic,” she says, clearly amused by wooyoung’s anger. 

wooyoung begins to charge, but you reach out to grab his arm, stopping him. “don’t let her get in your head. it’s what she wants,” you say weakly. 

wooyoung simply glares at you, ripping his arm out of your grasp like you’re the one with fire powers, “she doesn’t deserve mercy!”

“wooyoung, focus! don’t let your anger get you killed,” jongho snaps.

“oh, how sweet,” wonyoung says with a laugh, “the little team trying so hard to hold it together.” 

you give both wooyoung and jongho a look as you steady yourself, sweat dripping from your forehead and mixing with blood. you can slowly start to feel the blood loss beginning to affect you, but you push forward and ignore it. the three of you quickly begin to attack in unison, combining abilities in order to overwhelm wonyoung. jongho slams his fists into the ground, sending shockwaves that manage to throw the demon off balance. wooyoung sends several fire and ice blasts towards her ribbons, even sending ice shards that pin them to the walls. 

you take advantage of the opening, rushing forward and delivering a deep slash across wonyoung’s abdomen. 

wonyoung lets out a snarl, “you think you’ve won?” her ribbons explode outward, throwing the three of you back. jongho grunts as he takes the brunt of the impact, shielding you and wooyoung. 

“thanks,” you say breathless to jongho.

“don’t thank me yet,” he says. 

wonyoung begins to unravel, her ribbons coming together to form a massive snake that towers over you guys. she sends the snake striking downward, its mouth opening up and ready to swallow you whole. wooyoung; however, leaps at the massive snake head, fist ablaze as he strikes it and easily catches it on fire. it screeches as it burns and dissolves, but another snake wraps around him and constricts him. 

“wooyoung!” you yell as jongho rushes up and grabs the snake, able to pry it off of wooyoung. his raw strength easily overpowering it. the three of you regroup, panting and bloodied. 

“keep your head in the fight. we need to end this,” you say, pointedly towards wooyoung who refuses to meet your eyes in the moment. 

jongho nods, “together.” 

you guys decide to combine your power, jongho creating another shockwave to destabilize the demon, wooyoung’s ice shards pinning her in place, and you channeling your remaining energy into your blade. 

“it’s over,” you say, leaping forward and delivering the killing blow, severing wonyoung’s head. she lets out a loud cry as her head goes flying, your powers being able to create a large crater in the wall that connects you all to the courtyard where you can see san and seonghwa’s monstrous form fighting sunghoon. 

in the courtyard, sunghoon falters for a second as wonyoung’s cry echoes through the compound. his distraction allows seonghwa to attack with feral blows. while san lands a devastating blow, driving his blade across sunghoon’s neck and sends his head flying. 

sunghoong’s head lands towards where wonyoung’s head had landed. wonyoung crying out for sunghoon, tears streaming down her face. 

“oppa… i’m scared,” she says weakly, the tears continuing to fall. 

“it’s okay, little one, i’m here,” sunghoon says back, voice breaking as he begins to watch as wonyoung’s body and head dissolve. seemingly not caring that his own is doing the same thing. finally, their bodies and head turn to ash, the wind blowing them away. 

seonghwa falls to his knees, having transformed back into his human self. you limp towards san and seonghwa, collapsing next to seonghwa, arms wrapping around him as the tension in the air remains heavy. 

“it’s okay,” you say quietly as you hold seonghwa in your arms, just like how he has done for you. 

ateez compound – courtyard – dawn

the team gathers, battered and bloodied, in the courtyard. the compound was completely destroyed by the two demons. hongjoong and yunho rush in, their expressions dark and grieve-stricken as they take in the scene before.

“what happened?” hongjoong asks, voice low and slightly commanding. 

“we stopped them,” jongho answered, exhaustion heavy in his voice as he leaned against a piece of debris. 

you lean against a wall, glancing down at your hands, yeosang doing his best to patch your wound up. san sitting next to seonghwa, still comforting the villain, calming hand running down his back. wooyoung stares blankly, fists clenched.

“i trusted her…” he says quietly.

“she fooled all of us. don’t put that on yourself,” jongho says firmly. he turns to hongjoong and yunho before quietly filling them in on everything that happened. otherwise, you and the rest of the team sit in silence, the weight of the destroyed compound heavy in the air.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART II

[potatomountain]

The Other Zone

🌀Pairing: Yunho x fem!reader (feat. other idols) 🌀WC: 13,431 🌀AU: multiverse, ?? to lovers, with some OZ, stranger things, and beauty and the beast dynamics 🌀Genre: phycological thriller, dark romance 🌀Summary: With barely an identity, and a lot of missing time, you signed your life away for answers. Just to untangle a web of mystery between this world, and another, second guessing who is the villain, and who is the hero, wondering if you could possibly make it right somehow. 🌀Warnings: cnc/dubcon, graphic depictions of mutilation and murder, implications of experiments, drugs, one stab, bloody scenes. Smut warnings: huge cock Yunho, mxm and mentions of poly, mutual masturabation. Fingering, choking, slight clit slapping, dacryphilia, slight blood play, squirting, creampie, stomach bulge, strength play, angryish sex 🌀AN: for the YOTV: Year of the Snake collab hosted by @sanjoongie. ngl not as dark as i wanted but my favorite horror genre is the one where its just one big puzzle to figure out filled with all sorts of twists and turns. It's a genre I want to be good in, thus why I wanted to go this route. 🌀Big thanks to Sangjoongie for inviting me to this collab and betaing for half of it. And a big thanks to @bunnliix for beta! honorary tags of @adelusionforyourthoughts and @yourfatherlucifer and for the other amazing writers in the YOTV collab. You've all been a big help with this <3 Please read at your own risk. Minors/ageless blogs will be immediately blocked if you interact!

Signing away your life was perhaps the easiest decision you had ever made. No matter how many times you looked over the contract, it was pretty cut and dry and simple. An experimental test that had the potential to fix your biggest problems yet: Poverty, and the unexplained missing time in your memory.

For as long as you could remember, you had been alone. No family to support you, found alone in the slums and then put into foster care. There would be hours, days, sometimes weeks of missing time from your memory, which of course caused problems with the system as it made it hard to place you in a home.

Jobs were just as bad. You couldn’t exactly keep one if you weren’t conscious long enough to actually do it. How you managed here, in this pure white and far too bright laboratory, was beyond you, but you were being fed and had a bed to sleep on so you didn’t complain too much.

Like every other time you expected them to kick you out or look at you like you were some monster, but instead they handed you this massive contract and let you read it over.

In exchange for more money than you thought you could ever spend, you signed away your rights and bodily anatomy to the lab so that they could potentially find out the explanation for your missing time. What really sold you, is when you were told that you weren’t the first one they had in custody with an eerily similar condition.

Escorted back to the padded room, you briefly wondered what was going to happen next. They didn’t say what the experimentation was outside of drugs and tests to see how they affect you, so the worst was probably side effects? Whatever it was, you thought it would be better than living on the streets, doing regrettable things just to get by.

Here you at least had three meals a day, a bed, showers, and clean clothes. They cut your hair pretty short, but you didn’t mind, it was starting to get matted anyways. Your hands and feet felt so soft. It felt nice, and you never thought you would get to such a point in your life.

You often wondered why even try after all, but there was something nagging in your brain that you had to survive; that you had to live. It was the only reason you never thought of taking your own life.

Was this why? Did some part of you just know things would turn around?

Later you were moved to a lower level of the lab, behind more security to a whole wing with slightly bigger bedrooms, still white and padded, but you weren’t alone in the wing either. There was staff, and then patients.

People like you.

Every single other patient was a male, something like recognition flashing in their eyes as you passed. Some bowed their heads, others smiled, and you mirrored their greetings as if it was the most natural thing to do. Not that you knew why, confusion settling on their features, and yours, after the act. It only lasted a moment, awe dashing away the thoughts as you were brought to a decent rec room with board games and other activities in the room. There was a TV and games but they seemed to be offline.

Right away, one of the conditions was being secluded from the outside world as a way to ensure nothing leaked out before its time. It was an experiment, so that was understandable. Even without wifi or cable, the selection of recreational games and hobbies that were nicely spaced apart had you giddy.

“Make yourself comfortable and introduce yourself to a few others. There are about a dozen others, the only rule is no talk of your personal outside life. Like past family, or relationships, no names given. Understood?” The doctor - at least you think he was a doctor, maybe an orderly - told you. 

“Yes, sir.” You nodded once more, turning back to the remaining others in the room. You had passed about four or five, and there were just as many here in the room now, some you had passed joining you. They all had their things that they gravitated to, but you didn’t move at first.

It wasn’t until the sound of a piano and low humming grabbed your attention that you stepped further into the room. Whatever tune the person played, it was familiar, and it drew you over like a moth to the burning flame.

He stopped playing when you got close enough, for a moment frozen before he suddenly leaned back far enough he was looking up at you upside down, brown tufts of unkempt hair hanging down to expose his face. Wild, almost insane eyes stared up at you, matched with an unhinged grin with perfect teeth.

“Did you like that?” He asked in a singsong voice, fingers still paused on the keyboard.

If you had sense, you would realize the man was insane. He had cloth wrapped around his wrists, dried blood on them and broken painted nails that also had dried blood under them. His neck had a similar white cloth, tied in a big bow that somehow made him look boyish.

Boyish and mad, but not an ounce of a threat.

“I did. What’s the song?” You hummed out, for the life of you unable to name it.

He shrugged casually, sitting up and rolling his dainty shoulders back, making them seem wider than they were a moment ago. “Can’t remember. Only the tune.” He started playing it again, singing it a bit louder in a beautiful voice that just drew you in.

You stepped closer, just to have someone else suddenly grab your wrist and yank you away. Turning with a gasp, you stared up at another patient, black hair past his sharp jaw, fierce eyes staring you down a curved nose that was oddly beautiful. “Don’t get too close to Hongjoong, He’s as mad as they come.”

“As if you’re any better, Wooyoung.” The man on the piano, Hongjoong, sang back followed by a laugh that could only be described as joyful insanity. “No sanity for me, no love for you~~” His fingers danced against the plastic keys of the keyboard, playing a different tune with a heavier build and faster tempo. “All who come must leave something behind.”

Wooyoung scoffed, dropping your hand with a sneer. “Just don’t encourage him. He’s fucking annoying.” He grumbled out, flipping off the man on the piano and then sauntering elsewhere to leave you be.

They were both odd, but your whole life had been odd so it didn’t necessarily bother you.

In fact, each of the other patients you met had something odd about them. One had a strong fear of water to the point he was sedated regularly to be bathed and cared for. Another was apparently so afraid of everything that he never left his room. There was a man who didn’t talk, and another who was convinced he was a cat, but otherwise not a single one seemed dangerous, all opening up to you easily in the days that passed.

You were beginning to worry about the experiment after the first week, only taking the medicine they asked for just before bed, and then having to tell an orderly the date the next day. So far, you had no missing time, nor any weird side effects.

Not until the second week.

It was just a dream, at least you told yourself. You were staring up at an oddly colored sky that was a swirl of colors, but when you sat up from the hard ground beneath you, your surroundings seemed desolate. Destroyed buildings that looked like they were an array of colors and materials before, now just piles of rubble. A red brick road barely visible under the rubble a few feet from you, and the thick forest around you seemed devoid of life, or leaves.

It was a colorful land turned wasteland, and for some reason, your chest was tight at the sight.

Slowly you pushed yourself up from the dirt, stepping onto the uneven road and turning your head to look down both paths in a debate of which way to take. You could barely make out a city in the distance to your right, so that’s where you would go. Maybe there was life there? Answers to why this place was so debauched?

Maybe it could answer why you needed answers to begin with, heading down the road with careful steps. It felt like hours walking, the landscape devoid of sound as it was of life, only the rubble and dried twigs snapping under your bare feet could be heard. On occasion you stepped just wrong on something that had you wincing in pain, and by the time the forest became less dense and more buildings were inside, the soles of your feet felt scrapped up and were throbbing.

Odd to feel pain from a dream, you mused, but perhaps more odd that you didn’t question it much.

Even once in the center of the torn town, there was still no life. No hum of electricity or fires, no light other than the seeming forever setting sun in the distance. Nothing.

With a sigh you sat down on the edge of a water fountain with no water, running your hands over the worn stone and marveling at the feeling on your fingertips. It truly felt real. But that just made it even more disturbing. If such a desolate place was real, then the horrors that made it so were as well.

You thought about finding a bed to lay down in, since despite the long trek you didn’t feel hunger but you felt exhaustion. There was also an overwhelming loneliness that sat in your chest, which made you want to leave this place sooner as if it was the cause of it.

Until you heard movement.

Sitting up straight you looked around, scanning for where the noise came from. Your eyes widened when they landed on another figure. A familiar figure.

Hongjoong grinned as he saw you, giggling in that familiar way you knew but there was something different about him: almost sane.

“You’re here? Oh you are here!” Laughing louder he rushed over to you, still grinning wide. “Hm, I wonder what’s different about you. Here we have what we lost, you know.”

“Well if you have your sanity, it doesn’t seem like it.” You let out a scoff, but overall were glad to see him. “Are you going to talk in riddles again or can you explain to me where I am? Is it a dream? It doesn’t feel like a dream."

He sat down next to you, quiet as he looked around at what once had been a beautiful town no doubt. “I don’t know where here is, but I know it’s not the lab. It’s not that world. I can’t remember the name, just a feeling it was home at some point. I’ve met Wooyoung here before, but he was different. He doesn’t remember when he wakes. Neither do the others. It’s just missing time.”

With a frown, you digested his words. It sounded insane, and the man was insane, so why should you believe him? Yet you did. You believed him completely. “So, the missing time in my memory, was it because I was mentally here?”

“Bingo!” He beamed over at you. “If you pay attention to the white coats, you’ll hear them talk about dream walking. That’s what they call this, what we do.”

Dream walking? That didn’t explain what this place was, or why you seemed tied to it, but you didn’t think Hongjoong would have the answer. “What if I forget this when I wake up?” “Good question. Do you want to wake up now?”

You still felt inexplicably sleepy, and despite accepting the information he had given, it still felt like so much. So much emotion and knowledge you weren’t sure how to process it. Not to mention the need to confirm it. “Yes, I want to wake up.”

“Then… Do you trust me?”

Did you? That was another good question. You never trusted anyone in your life, and he was an unpredictable man in the real world, which seemed to transfer to this realm as well. And yet, you found yourself nodding. “I think so?”

He reached out, taking your hand in his and running his thumb over the center of your palm. “I apologize for this then.”

Before you could question, you were screaming out in pain, glancing down at the piece of glass now embedded in your palm. Blood gushed out, head spinning as you took note that his hand was bleeding as well from the grip he had on the other edge, blood trickling down until-

You sat up screaming and holding your hand to your chest, tears running freely as panic spiked through you. Pain radiated up your arm to your chest, and in your panicked state you noticed blood. Blood oozed from the piece of dirty glass in your hand, dripping onto the white gown you wore, and the bed beneath that looked as if it had been tossed through the dirt.

The door to the room burst open at your cries, two orderlies and a nurse rushing to your side. Through your tears you recognized Jongin at the door, one of the doctors that checked in on you.

Whether it was because of the adrenaline coursing through your veins as the nurse and orderlies held you down, or Hongjoong’s actions in the dream making  you more alert, you heard Jongin even through the chaos as he spoke into a small device.

“It happened, patient seventeen experienced it. And they brought back an object.”

Sobbing out, you turned your attention to the glass the nurse was examining, knowing just what he meant. You brought an object from a dream back with you. How was that even possible?

Things were vastly different after that. You saw the scientists and doctors more than you saw the others like you. Their reactions were a mixture of excitement and curiosity, but some seemed quite apprehensive of you, reluctant to even touch you.

Sitting on the new bed you were brought to, Doctor Junmyeon sat in the seat across from you, taking notes on a notepad as they tried not to let electronics in this room. You were curious about what happened to Hongjoong, because while you hadn’t told them it was him that had stabbed you with the glass, you were worried his hand had been injured just like yours and they knew anyway.

If they did, would they isolate him like they did you? Even if he had stabbed you, you didn’t want that. He was the first real connection you had to the other plane.

“Alright Seventeen, we’re going to try to induce you into that state tonight, is that alright?”

While you swore you had returned to the other plane since you were moved here, unlike the time Hongjoong stabbed you, you couldn’t remember it. So you had no idea if you met any of the others there or so forth. “If I do… what if I don’t remember?” You asked hesitantly, playing with the worn out bandage around your hand. After two weeks it was mostly healed, but there were fresh scraps on the bottoms of your feet every few days. That was how you assumed you were over there.

The man smiled, playing up the charm to ease your nerves as he leaned over and gently placed a hand over yours to stop you from agitating the wound. “That’s alright. This is just a test to see if you can be sent over with the drugs we give you. Is that alright?”

Blushing at the small contact and staring at his thumb brushing over your knuckles, you nodded. “Yes, sir.” Doctor Kim Junmyeon was the head Doctor here at the facility and since your incident, he had been personally coming to see you and explain the tests they were doing. The medication they often gave you knocked you out, but there had been times it was at the cost of your stomach contents first. Doctor Jongin usually assisted him, and then the orderly Kim Minseok helped you with your meds. They seemed nicer than the Doctor Minho that had been in charge of you before, dismissing all of your questions with a sneer. 

So you trusted them as you were laid down moments later, the heat turned up in the room to make up for the lack of blanket and mimic the humid atmosphere you had told them you remembered before. Doctor Junmyeon was the one to personally inject the blue medicine into your arm, a new one, before brushing your hair out of your face.

“I know you won’t let me down-” You were already falling asleep, but you swore he said your actual name.

You knew this time was going to be different since you did find yourself conscious in the other zone. Before, things went black and the next thing you remembered was waking up. You double, then triple check that you were indeed fully awake and aware, taking a few slaps to the face just to be sure.

Vividly, you remembered the fountain where Hongjoong had stabbed you, but this time it was nowhere in sight. You weren’t outside either though, instead staring at the highest ceiling you thought possible, the top so far up, it was dark, but you knew it was pointed, considering the angled ceiling you could see. Was it just that dark?

It was also intact, unlike all of the buildings you had seen before. Vaguely, you remembered a destroyed city past the forest, but there had been a tower or two that was still standing tall. Were you there now? Did you make it to the city in the time you could not recall.

Slowly you sat up, palm against the blankets that were beneath you: dusty but they were blankets.

Had you made a bed the last time? Was that how you left, laying down and sleeping? By why here, in this tower? 

One glance around was enough of an answer, this place was tidy and intact, only a pile or two of ruin but there were actual lights on the walls and less debris dust than even that small town. And… running water.

Your eyes fixated on the faucet pouring water into what looked like a roman bath, steam bellowing from the hot water but it didn’t hide the figure there. Well, plural figures.

They were across from each other, one sitting on the edge, their back facing you but you could see their legs spread and a hand between them. The soft sounds coming from them gave you a good idea of just what they were doing, heat rushing up your neck. You couldn’t make out the expression of the man sitting in the water, leaning against the other edge, but he was clearly watching the show.

Why it was happening yards from your sleeping form was lost to you, unless you hadn’t physically been there a moment ago. Still, you couldn’t tear your eyes away, ignoring the foggy figure you couldn’t make out and instead the back of the tall man that was clearly playing with himself in a sexual manner.

“Can I come? Please?” The deep voice panted out and you had to stop yourself from responding: he wasn’t talking to you after all. 

A low chuckle responded instead, bringing your attention right over to the other man. He moved through the water, stepping up so it was waist high instead, the fog clearing enough you could make out his features more as he approached the one stroking himself. “Of course you can, Princess, I could never deny you when you listen so well.” He placed his hands on either side of the man, similar in stature but radiating energy that made him seem bigger- more dominant. “I would taste you if I could, would you like that?”

“P-Please.” More breathless moans followed, getting higher in pitch as well as clear wet sounds of him stroking his cock faster. His head fell back, dark hair sticking to his forehead, eyes shut, but you could make out such plush lips and sharp cheekbones. You were captivated, lips parted just as his were, but he was the one who let out a silent cry, body tensing with his climax.

Pressing your thighs together, you tried to feel shame for seeing such an intimate thing. One you didn’t expect to see but still, the show wasn’t for you.

Mind reeling, you found yourself sitting up straighter when the larger man met your gaze, lips twisting up into a sly smirk. “So the little dove awakens? Apologies you couldn’t see the full show in all its glory.” He moved to the side of the other, pulling himself out of the water with ease, splashing a good deal of it onto the marble floor.

You quickly looked away so as not to see his lower half, covering your eyes as your mouth ran dry. Each of his steps closer rang in your ears, resulting in you shrinking into yourself even more. “I didn’t mean to watch-”

“It’s alright.” He cut you off, voice much closer now. “Open your eyes, I’m covered. I want to give you a better welcome.”

“Welcome?” Slowly you peeked through your fingers, breath hitching at just how close he was. Dark hair with blue tones, eyes that shone like sapphires, and soft features that had a warm charm to them; all of his features were accentuated by the water droplets running over golden skin and clinging to the soft strands. You didn’t dare to look lower.

“Mhmm. A welcome. Stand up, we can leave the room and give Mingi a moment to wash up and dress. Unless you are having trouble walking?”

At his words, your head swiveled to stare at the other man, watching as he slipped into the water and dipped down until his chin was level with it. He smiled over at you a bit sheepishly, but he didn’t look familiar. Just his name. Some of the other patients had mentioned that the one who kept himself in his room out of fear had been named Mingi.

Was this the same man?

“No, I can walk just fine. But um, where to?” There were several doorways but you couldn’t make out what was beyond them.

“How about that one over there?” He pointed to an arch just behind what looked to be a throne, then stood up and gave you space. 

With a nod you climbed to your feet, feeling a bit wobbly as you did, but headed through the archway. The room you stepped into was blank, some odd looking rubble the only objects, leaving you a bit confused. You turned to look up at the man, just to gasp at how much he did tower over you.

“Keep walking.”

“But there isn’t anything here.” You protested, taking note he stopped a foot from you.

“Check again.” He laughed under his breath, a spark in his eyes as you momentarily pouted, ready to argue.

Any protest did die in your throat when you turned back and saw the rubble was replaced with plush sofas and decor, much like an inviting waiting room or a sitting area. Your mouth hung open, momentarily gaping like a fish before turning back to him to see him laughing behind his hand. “How did-”

“I can explain if you’ll take a seat.” His laughter nearly doubled as you rushed to the nearest sofa and plopped down, eyeing him intently. “That eager?”

With a nod, you didn’t dare tear your gaze from him. “I want answers.”

“I can give them to you. In time.” He stepped in front of you, the fluffy white robe shifting into a velvet blue suit with a fluff on the outer jacket that mirrored a flower. A white button up was under the blue vest, and the sparkling red shoes he wore were a bold and clashing statement. They held your attention the most, an odd familiarity to them. “You really don’t remember the last time you were awake here, little dove?”

The change in his tone had your gaze snapping back to his face, taken back by the sorrow you saw there. “Ah, no, I don’t. There was only one time I remember being here, though I assume I’ve been here a lot?”

He nodded, taking a seat across from you and crossing his leg while resting his hands on the arm rest, exuding power although he watched you with an immense fondness. It was almost alarming the way he looked at you as if you were some long lost friend he had missed. “I believe you have, though the first time I had seen you, in a long time, was the last time you were here. A shame, you grew up so much and yet I can’t hug you or show my joy that you are here. A bigger shame you don’t remember me at all.”

There was a tightness in your chest that agreed with him, but it still left so many questions. “What’s your name? So I can try and remember it next time?”

“Yunho."

“And what is this place, Yunho?”

“I have long forgotten the name of it. It’s like it lost its name when it started decaying.” He sighed, tearing your gaze away and with a wave of his hand, like a mirage, images appeared all around you, just floating in the air like bubbles. “This is what it once was, I remember that much.” The sights of bustling towns and vibrant structures and lands had emotion welling up in your throat. It was extremely familiar, like a place you had seen in your dreams so long ago. “And now it’s…” “Yes, now it’s an empty wasteland.” The images shifted to burnt forests and black wastelands with destroyed buildings. It looked like life was literally sucked out of the land. “The people all disappeared, for I remained. Some return, like you or Mingi in the other room, but rarely remember your times here."

“Does Mingi remember?”

“He does. He remembers me, but he says he has no memory of where he is outside of this place. Do you?” He waved the images away and turned to you, leaning forward on his elbows. “Do you know where you are when you sleep? Do you know where you go?”

Automatically your mouth opened to answer, but instead you frowned. “I… I do. But I don’t know if I should tell you.”

“Why not? Do you not trust me?”

“Quite frankly, I don’t know. I feel like I can, but I also feel like I can’t. You can wave your hand and make things, and the fact that I can be in two places, two worlds, is also terrifying.” You sank into the plush fabric beneath you, frowning at the hospital gown. “Could you… are you able to change what I’m wearing?”

“What an odd thing to ask.” He mused, but went quiet, cupping his chin in thought. “I can't, but I can create something for you to change into if you would like?”

You nodded without hesitation, standing up to do that just to get flustered at his soft laugh. “What? You offered.”

“I did, but do you want to change in front of me?”

“I-” something about the way he had said it made you think about what you witnessed in the bath, the show Mingi had put on for him. Those thoughts moved to you doing the same, which had your thighs pressing together. “Where can I change?”

He stood up once more, a snap of his fingers and a box with a pretty bow appeared on the table before you. “In here. I’ll go get Mingi.” He was walking out of the room with such long strides that he was out of sight before you could reply.

So you turned your attention to the box, undoing the silk bow and opening it up to find a neatly folded blue dress that matched the suit he wore. Elbow length flowy sleeves and a knee length skirt that once on fit your form almost perfectly. Snug but comfortable, and it made you feel prettier than the gown did.

You were sitting back down when they came back, Mingi also dressed in a blue velvet suit; you wondered if that was a personal preference for Yunho.

“Ah, it suits you.” Yunho commented as he took the same seat as before, Mingi sitting on the sofa to his right. Just like before, they didn’t touch, bringing up his earlier words.

“So you can’t touch us? Is that why he was- um-”

“Masturbating for him?” Mingi added on, smiling a bit bashfully but he met your gaze. “If Yunho touches me, I go away. Don’t know where-”

“But you do, right little Dove? Is Mingi in the other place as well?” Yunho added on when Mingi trailed off.

Slowly you nodded your head. “I believe so. I’ve heard his name, but I never saw him in person.”

“Then how do you know it’s me?” Mingi relaxed in the seat, completely at ease with the questioning. Considering the Mingi you knew of kept himself locked away out of fear, and that this one seemed the opposite of fearful, you couldn’t say it was the same man.

Still, you shrugged and pushed on. “There are… others there, that are like me, I'm told. The Mingi there is one of them. One of the others, I met there, and met here, so I’m just making an assumption.”

“Makes sense, all those I’ve met disappear when I touch them. Maybe because I am here, but they aren’t?” Yunho hums out, leaning back in his chair. “There is one I’ve met that seems to remember, if only a little, but he prefers wandering the lands. Maybe you met him? Hongjoong?”

Out of reflex, you rubbed at the bandage around your hand, Yunho’s eyes following. “Ah, you had that last time, but couldn’t remember how you got it. Do you remember now?”

“Yes. Hongjoong stabbed me with glass the last time I remember being here. It woke me up, but the glass…” Did you tell him it had gone with you?

By the look in his eye, you didn’t have too. “I see. Would you like me to scold him next time I see him?”

“No, it’s alright. Will you answer more of my questions instead?”

Yunho tilted his head in question, watching you carefully for a moment before he settled on what to say. “In time. I want to make sure you remember what I tell you. Why don’t you tell me about your trip where Hongjoong stabbed you instead. And I will tell you a story as well.” 

Agreeing, you recanted step by step your journey the last time you could remember, leaving out the mention of white coats and just that Hongjoong called this dream walking. It still sounded insane to you, especially as it was becoming obvious this wasn’t a dream. You were, for whatever reason, awaking in a new world or dimension when you slept. Two halves of a whole. 

The story that Yunho told you was of a young girl, beloved by those that lived in this castle. He told you that she had many friends, from a scarecrow to a lion, and they all adored her. But none as much as her closest friend, her confidant, a beast tied to the very dungeons of this castle.

When asked why it was relevant, he had quite a forlorn and sad expression as he fiddled with the velvet flower. “Because that’s where the story starts, with them.” Then he had changed the subject, saying it was about time the both of you went back and he would prepare a room.

Once left with Mingi, you had a question for him alone. “Why… why were you doing that with Yunho in the bath? Are you two lovers?”

He smiled wryly as he stood up. “Yes and no. This place can be quite lonely, so it gives him pleasure. He’s never touched or kissed me, only said the things he would like to do, and sometimes told me what to do myself. You’ll get there eventually with him, most of us do.”

It didn’t answer your question completely, but you didn’t press. You couldn’t imagine being the only one here, unable to touch anyone for years, not without them going poof the second there was a touch.

Yunho returned after that, leading you both to a large bedroom that did look lived in, with hues of blues and silvers and yellows that suited Yunho, but also felt familiar. Climbing onto the bed opposite Mingi, you watched the taller man lay down and fall asleep in seconds. But not you, you weren’t ready to go.

“Yunho?”

“Yes?”

Turning to him, you beckoned him closer. “I have a secret to tell you, lend me your ear?”

Hesitantly, he eyed you for a moment before leaning in and turning his head to listen even though you both knew there was no one around to hear anyways. 

With your heart racing, you gripped the bed covers, making up your mind before acting. “Thank you, I look forward to the next time.” And quickly you pressed a kiss to his cheek. The soft touch of his flesh for only a second before he, and the room were gone.

You found yourself sitting up in the bed back at the lab, blinking away the sleep to find Doctor Junmyeon just inches from your face, a hand on his cheek. He looked more bewildered than you felt, the dip of his gaze drawing your own.

This time you brought back the velvet dress.

Of course the doctors were elated, turning a lot of their attention onto you. Twice a week they would induce the dream, and every time you woke up in the palace with Yunho.

While the doctors gave you tasks, you played the story game with Yunho each time, learning much about your dreaming abilities and the world Yunho was in.

For example, if you willingly slept in Yunho’s world, you didn’t remember the dream when you woke. So, you had gotten into the habit of touching Yunho to send yourself back. Afraid to tell the Doctor’s about Yunho just yet, you theorized with the man himself, deducing it took a shock to jolt you awake for the memory to stick, otherwise your brain forgets from the time you sleep to when you wake up. So a forceful awakening was needed.

Another thing you learned is that you couldn’t bring everything over, but it did go both ways. Food you couldn’t, but permanent objects like the glass or clothes you could, just no electronics.

From listening to Doctor Junmyeon and the others, you were the only one who could bring physical things too and from. And, while you didn’t divulge everything, you did say you remembered bits and pieces.

They let you interact with the others once more, though Hongjoong never brought it up in the lab, he did apologize profusely the next time you saw him at the castle. Finally you saw what he meant before, with Wooyoung being the biggest tell. Heartless he seemed in the lab, devoid of life with no emotion on his features, but in the castle? He had quickly become clingy and needy, his laughter ringing through the marble halls and professing his love for any who would hear it.

There were others, the contrast night and day, and you started leaving a journal in the dream world of the differences and your own notes.

This went on for weeks, from playing games with Yunho and finding out about the dream world, to doing your best for Doctor Junmyeon to earn praise and support without ever telling him about Yunho. You told him you met the others, earning even more time with them and joint experiments which just resulted in you spending time with them and Yunho.

The more you got to know the mystery man in dreamland, and the progress you made with the doctors, you were aware there was something dark behind the scenes.

Yunho told you stories of a girl, or sometimes stories about the others, and often you thought he was talking about them and yourself from a time before. Before the world became a wasteland. When you finally asked him how it became so, he would push it off, saying you didn’t need to know.

As for Doctor Junmyeon, you were sure he caught onto the existence of Yunho. He often asked if there was anyone else there, that wasn’t here. Or any animals. You should have known something was amiss when he tested to see if you could bring over a bird.

The fact it was a dove scared you. It scared you more to see Yunho’s reaction.

He stared at it as if he wanted to break it’s neck, an aura radiating from him that seemed to darken as the dove tried to flee from your hands. Thankfully Wooyoung had been there, convincing him that he didn’t need to harm it, so instead he created a cage and put it there.

“I need this alive for the next time.” You told him, attempting to placate Yunho yourself.

He snarled, collapsing onto the sofa in the little waiting room and stared you down with dark hooded eyes. “Convince me. There are doves here. Why did it have to be a dove?” Biting your lip, you glanced over at Wooyoung who was doting on the bird through the cage, all smiles. This version of him had grown on you, and perhaps how bold he was as well, considering what you did offer.

Wooyoung’s head turned so fast he might have given himself whiplash, eyes bulging out of his head at your suggestion. It did the trick though, Yunho was now leaning forward, elbows to knees and hands clasped before him, grinning with a look of lust you had seen on his features more than once when talking to you. It wasn’t as if you hadn’t flirted, he had made it clear he found you attractive, admitting on more than one occasion he wished he could touch you, more than any of the others.

Perhaps you returned the sentiment, considering you just offered to touch yourself on his command if the bird was indeed there when you returned.

Wooyoung spent most of the time you were there teasing you for it, telling you that there was no going back now. You didn’t want to go back.

You knew you could fuck any of the other patients in the lab, you had seen them do it. Wooyoung himself would go to other rooms, and he would tell you it was in an attempt to feel something, while Hongjoong just enjoyed it. You could have either of them if you really wanted, and part of you did, but not as bad as you wanted Yunho.

The man you couldn’t touch.

The tension between you both was heavy for that visit and he made a show of sitting closer to you than he normally would. Inches from you rather than feet, distracting you from whatever Wooyoung was babbling on about now. At least until Wooyoung got quiet. You looked up to see he was gone, indicating he woke up.

Another thing you had noticed. When you slept here, your body disappeared. Mingi’s, Wooyoung’s, Hongjoong’s- everyone’s. Yours though, sometimes it stayed, appearing more like an apparition than a body according to Yunho.

Another way you were different.

“I’ll tell you something crucial this time, little dove.” Yunho drew your attention back to him, leaning against the back of the sofa with his shoulder. “I don’t have all of my memories, just the before, and after. Before with the girl and her friends, and an after with a wasteland I am alone in. It wasn’t always a wasteland, first the people were just… gone. But over the years I saw it, everything collapsing. The furthest lands, slowly aching this way. This tower, I can’t leave, I’ve tried. But it also remains mostly intact. I can shape it to my will, but not outside. You all say your versions over there have lost something, well it feels as if I have lost something too.”

Your heart hurt for him, unable to imagine the life he had here in this world. “Do you know where they went? The people?”

He shook his head, glancing over your head out one of the stained glass windows. “No. I only know that without them, this world isn’t complete, and neither am I.”

You sat in silence for some time after that, mulling his words over carefully. Without really saying goodbye you leaned back against the sofa on your side, mirroring his form and smiling up at him as you reached out. His own smiling visage disappeared from your sight as you had touched his hand, now looking over at Doctor Junmyeon and holding his hand.

The experiment was a success, the bird wasn’t with you, and when you returned, the dove was still alive.

As promised you gave Yunho an evening where you sprawled on the bed naked, touching yourself every which way he wanted you to. He made you whine and beg to come over and over, until you were so exhausted you had to beg to stop before you passed out.

To your surprise, he climbed into the bath with you, sitting across, and giving you an equally tantalizing sight. He stroked himself off, much like Mingi had done for him that first time you remembered him, but you remember thinking it might be a good thing he couldn’t actually fuck you. You had no idea how you would be able to take his massive size otherwise.

It was a shame you couldn’t curl up next time him afterwards though, stepping out of the water feeling touch starved despite his gaze eating you up for what had felt like hours. Perhaps you could curl up with Hongjoong once you returned? Just to feel that physical intimacy you so desperately needed now.

It had you in a rush to get back, changed into a new outfit you pulled the dove out of the cage and sat down in the same spot you had awoken. Yunho sat down across from you once more, watching you with such warmth you also didn’t want to leave. Wordlessly, you did, waking up with the dove alive in your arms.

Not that Junmyeon cared. He and the others seemed a bit more flustered over your damp hair, and the soaked bed from when you had supposedly cum over and over, soaking it, making sounds they all heard. As well as who they had been for.

“Who is Yunho?”

Reluctantly, you told Junmyeon everything. He seemed shocked at first, but then understanding as he held your hand and nodded along. But by the end of your tale, he looked concerned.

“Are you sure he hasn’t bewitched you somehow? He can manipulate the space in that tower, how sure are you that he can't manipulate you?”

The simple question filled you with doubt. There had been times you felt as if you couldn’t trust him, some instinct that said it was a bad idea. Was this why? 

Junmyeon moved onto the bed next to you, now a clean one, and rested his hand on your knee as he muttered your name. “I think it’s time to tell you the truth about what we do here.”

You were silent for a moment before looking up at him. “You already know why we all have the missing time. You already know about the other side… don’t you?” You had figured it out a bit ago, Junmyeon didn’t seem shocked about your descriptions of the other place or that you saw the others there. In fact, he seemed elated you remembered it and could transfer items to and from. “You want to get to the other place… don’t you?”

With his nod, your heart sank. The whole reason you never asked was you wanted to be in denial; wanted the concern Junmyeon showed you to be because you were someone he really wanted to help. But you were a tool to him, to get to the other side.

All of you were.

“Yes but… I would like to tell you why. Will you listen?” He grabbed both of your hands but you pulled them away and stood up, unable to look at him.

“It’s a wasteland over there! Why would you want to go there? What does it have that-” You answered your own question, staring up at him with abject horror.

Yunho.

They wanted Yunho. 

Junmyeon began to panic, standing up and shaking his head. “We do but not for the reasons you think! Listen, he isn’t an ally to you, he’s deceiving you.” As you shook your head vehemently, Junmyeon grabbed your biceps. “Think about it, you’re a smart girl. He can manifest physical things and change that tower to his will. Do you really think he can’t change the land? Or make you see things that aren’t true?”

“But he wouldn’t-”

“Let me prove it to you. Please.” There was a desperation to his tone now that had you wincing, tears brimming in your eyes. You didn’t think he was lying to you, it often felt like Yunho wasn’t telling you something.

“I… okay.”

He sighed with visible relief. “Thank you.” He cupped the back of your head, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. You wanted to enjoy the simple touch, wanted to rely on this man who you thought genuinely cared to make you better.

But now you didn’t trust him. They wanted Yunho, and maybe they were right that Yunho was lying to you. What was the reason though? You wanted to know.

You wanted answers. That’s why you agreed.

Staying in your room until the next experiment, you couldn’t look at the others. They didn’t know about Yunho and the other zone, even Hongjoong never mentioned him over here. It was just you. You are lost in thought, weighing your options, trying to find some missing puzzle piece the entire time you were in solitude.

Then it was time.

Junmyeon explained that Yunho would show his true colors to outsiders, and that’s why you had a guard sitting next to you, holding your hand and getting tied together. Either he would physically or mentally cross over with you, that was the hope, but you felt uneasy.

This just felt like Junmyeon trying to see if you could bring others over, not a test against Yunho. It felt like a trap but you had to go through with it. You needed the answers, so you had to.

“You’ll see, Seventeen, you’ll see.” Junmyeon muttered under his breath as he injected you with the serum to put you under. Disappointment filled your heart as he was back to calling you by your subject number, but you tried not to let it show.

Instead you focused on bringing the guard with you, one you had never seen before.

Beginning to recognize the feeling in your mind that gave away you weren’t on earth anymore, you knew you were on the sofa even before you opened your eyes.

The man was still tied to you, blinking sleep from his eyes as you both stared at each other. There was no time to be elated though, a pained beastly scream was heard throughout the space, even shaking the very seat you were on. The man jumped into action, quickly undoing the ties as the rumbles got closer.

Fear struck your heart when you heard it, your name, twisted like a venomous bite on a beast’s tongue. Eyes on the door, tears burned them as Yunho strode in, a black mass behind him that roared with unmatched rage.

“Why is there someone else with you?!” He spoke through clenched teeth, veins throbbing on his neck so prominent you could even make out the pulse. The shadow behind him spoke the same words, shaking the ceiling.

“Fuck-” If you were afraid, this guard was petrified, holding up a gun you hadn’t seen on his body before hand. “This was suicide-”

“Damn right it was.” Yunho reached out, the next second the man before him, Yunho’s claw wrapped around his throat. The gun had dropped to the floor, the guard now clawing at the blue velvet around Yunho’s forearm. “Answer me little dove, are you betraying me?! Are you bringing the enemy here?!”

Finding your voice finally you stood. “They’re helping me! Don’t hurt him Yunho!” You stepped closer, noticing the furniture decaying rather quickly as the tower was still shaking. “Yunho please!”

He laughed, such a dark and twisted sound it stilled you down to your breath. He looked at you like a beast, lips pulled back in a snarl and a glare so fierce you fell back.

“You fell for it again, little dove. So naive.”

You could only watch in horror as Yunho grabbed the man’s thigh and then ripped it off. Blood splattered in an arch around the room, hitting your gown and arm you held tightly to your chest. Even through the onslaught of tears you could see in detail each limb get ripped off, the man screaming from his life until he was dead. Even then Yunho still ripped him apart, the shadow attached to him like he was a part of it, roaring with laughter.

Blood was soaking your dress by now, the same blue velvet one he had given you. You wore it every time for these experiments, just so he wouldn’t give you more. But now the thick fabric was dark and wet with blood. It was on your arms, your face, kneeling in a pool of it as he dropped the dozens of pieces of the man before you and began to stomp it into a pulp.

He looked like a demon, a beast, reaping enjoyment from turning a grown man into a pile of blood and mush.

The feeling of being soaked in blood, watching bodies get torn apart, was so familiar it unlocked something in you.

Weren’t you found in a blue dress like this? Covered in blood but not an ounce was yours? Bloody footprints behind you, torn up feet, running and running and you had no idea from what.

It had been from him. From this… beast that was licking the blood off his lips and staring down at the remains of the man with an elated and wicked grin. But it was the electric blue eyes of the shadow that fully solidified the memory.

This was why you hadn’t trusted him. You ran from him before, scared he would rip you apart too, just like that. You willed yourself to wake up, to stand and run, to do something, but all you did was sit there shaking and sobbing, struggling to breath.

When he finally seemed to notice you, your breath halted completely, locking eyes with him and unable to look away.

His smile faltered, stepping through the remains with a squelch under his red shoes before he knelt down before you. “Don’t look at me like that, you brought him here. Don’t you know this is our home? All those fucking intruders do is steal and take. They took you from me. They took you all from me.”

“I-I thought-”

“Thought I didn’t remember? I lied.” He didn’t touch you, but both he and that shadow dwarfed you with ease. “I lied because you hated me for hurting them last time and ran. I didn’t want you to run again, little dove. It’s been so lonely without you.”

Gasping out, your breathing picked up, tears falling faster. “I just want answers, Yunho. Just want to know who to trust. You’re scary like this. I don’t like you for being cruel. Why did you have to be cruel?” You sobbed out, ignoring the blood as you buried your face in your hands.

The tower wasn’t shaking anymore and it didn’t feel as dark as it had a second ago but you didn’t look up. You sobbed, wanting to wake up and forget this. You wanted the Yunho from last time back. Not this Yunho.

“I’m sorry little dove, just don’t leave me for good.” His voice had returned to normal, choking on emotion as he reached out, pressing his hand to the top of your head.

You woke screaming, swatting away his hand that wasn’t there anymore as you scrambled off the ground. You were dripping in blood and guts, taking in the sight of the room to find that the bed and furniture were all pushed to the walls, all painted with blood. Your eyes fell to the spot next to you, letting out another scream to find that you had brought it back.

The pile of guts, bone, and blood that was the guard.

Whether it was to be nice to you, or because they knew you were in no state of mind to continue, you were left to your own devices for weeks after that incident. The guards avoided you, and the other patients seemed concerned for you, especially Hongjoong.

You sat with him by the piano, watching him play that same tune he always did. Resting your head on his shoulder, you sighed, knowing you were being watched. “Hongjoong, what do I do?”

“Why are you asking me? No sanity remember.” He teased, leaning his head against yours. “Unless you’re looking for a crazy answer?”

“Maybe.”

“Logically I should ask what it is you are talking about. I really have no clue. But I think you already have the answer, you just don’t wanna believe it.” He stopped playing, instead moving to put you on his lap and your hands on the piano. “Play with me, little dove.”

Before you could question him, he was moving your hands over the keyboard, playing the tune he was just a moment ago. It felt physically familiar, Hongjoong humming the tune in your ear. You let your eyes flutter shut, let him take the lead, and just relax.

It was easy to picture a scenario where you sat on someone’s lap, their large hands over your smaller ones, teaching you this tune on piano. You could hear kids running around, a soft breeze and feel sun rays on your skin.

Someone said your name fondly, laughing as the song came to an end and a little boy with blue black hair ran up to you, holding out a flower. A happy boy with a familiar smile.

You snapped out of the memory, looking up at Hongjoong yet again. “All who come must leave something behind. Do you know what you left behind, little dove?”

“Why are you calling me that?”

He shrugged, wrapping his arms around your waist. “I don’t know, I think I remember someone else calling you that. In a dream.”

How much did he remember as just a dream? “Do you think I left him behind Hongjoong?” Was Yunho what you left behind?

“Maybe? Or he left that behind.” He spoke it with such a conviction you believed it to be true.

Yunho had said he wasn’t over here, and it made sense, but why would Hongjoong say that if he didn’t believe it? And the man had lied to you before. Doctor Junmyeon too, you realized, had also lied to you.

You needed to talk to Yunho, and without the doctors knowing. “Thanks Hongjoong, just one more question.” You climbed off his lap and he turned to look at you with such a serene and happy expression it puzzled you.“I hope I can give you the answer you want.”

“I think you are the only one who could answer it. Do you think we can go back? Permanently?”

He thought it over, rubbing his chin as if deep in thought before grinning. “If you will it, then yes.”

His response answered a lot for you, so many things are beginning to piece together. You just needed confirmation.

Later, when you were sure the guards weren’t looking, you slipped into another patient’s room, spotting him already sleeping. Thanks to Junmyeon you knew if you touched someone who was already there, it did the trick for you. It was a good thing you remembered that Mingi was always there.

He really did look the same, your first time seeing him in this realm and just as gorgeous. Taking a deep breath you climbed into bed with him, laying on your back before you took his hand in yours and shut your eyes.

You were out like a light, finding yourself on the bed from before. Mingi wasn’t beside you, but he was in the room, staring out a broken window.

Broken?

You sat up quickly, starting around the room to find that the bed was the only thing intact, and even then the blankets and canopy was shred to bits. Swallowing hard, you called out to him, shocked to find him crying. “Mingi?”

“He’s hurt.”

Panic swelled in your chest as you got off the bed and rushed out of the room. There were holes in the ceiling, cracks in the wall, and rubble everywhere. But in that main room, the bath gone from existence, Yunho was there.

He seemed to be asleep on the throne, the blue of his suit dirty but there was no more blood on him. Something about him seemed less, as if he was being drained of life like this realm.

Cautiously you approached, stopping just before him and resisting the urge to reach out. “Yunho?” 

No answer.

“Um… Yuyu?”

You could see his eyelids flicker.

“Yuyu, wake up please. It’s your little dove.” Swallowing the panic you tried to keep your voice steady. He had never been asleep before. “Please wake up. Please. I came back, didn't I?”

Still nothing.

Sighing, you sat down on the ground and watched him, calling out to him occasionally. “You said this was our home Yuyu, I was born here wasn’t I?” You rambled, needing to get this off your chest anyways. “But… but something happened. You scared me didn’t you and I ran? Ran over there. But I don’t get it. What happened, Yuyu? Why did we all leave? Did the intruders take us all away? Are they hurting this land? Are they hurting you?”

Nothing still, and you couldn’t help the tears that welled up. “I just want to make sense of it. I want to know what happened. I want to undo it and come back. Please, I want to come back. Want us all to be whole again.”

A hand on your shoulder made you jump, looking up to see Mingi watching you with confusion and calling your name.

The next second you were climbing into his lap and holding onto him, sobbing into his shoulder as he held you. Something was very wrong, you could feel it, but without those last pieces of the puzzle you couldn’t do anything.

Mingi held you until you both fell asleep, Yunho not once waking up despite your cries.

What was stranger was the fact Mingi didn’t completely freak out when you both woke up, but that might have to do with the fact you weren’t in bed when he did as you woke up just a bit before him. He had scrambled back to the wall and was staring at you with trembling eyes, but he didn’t scream or yell or cry. He just watched you with obvious fear until you left.

None of the orderlies had been around and you made it back to your room safely. There you just contemplated what to do. If you couldn’t get answers from Yunho, then you had to get them elsewhere.

There was only one other person who could indulge in that, even if he didn’t have all the answers. 

Doctor Kim Junmyeon.

They started these experiments not to fix the patients but to do what you have been doing: They wanted to get to that realm, and to Yunho.  Why didn’t matter, not entirely, but if they thought they could get there that means they had an idea.

You sought him out the first chance you could get, demanding to any of the guards or orderlies to see him, and he was stepping into your room that evening.

“You wanted to see me, Seventeen?” Doctor Junmyeon had even avoided you since then, though you didn’t know why. Shouldn’t he have been happy he was right about Yunho showing his true colors.

That he was a beast to be feared?

Not that you feared him, not until you knew for certain what was going on.

“You said you wanted to get to Yunho. I want to help.”

His face lit up, smiling as he quickly closed the distance and was back to calling you by your name. You didn’t like it though, the sudden change, it made you wary. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, though I’m not sure how I can help. You know how though, right?” Gently you grabbed his hands, feigning admiration as you stared up at him. You once admired him, perhaps you still did, but all you knew was that they wanted Yunho and you didn’t want them to have him.

“Yes yes, we have a way.”

“What is it?” You stepped closer, placing a hand on his chest. “What do I have to do?” He hesitated then, his larger hand now over yours as he took a deep breath. “I need to talk to my superiors but we suspect you have the ability to open the door again. When it’s open, we should be able to go in and travel completely.” “What if he hurts you? Like he did-” You swallowed, stepping away suddenly with a dramatic act of hesitation. It wasn’t them you were worried about, but Yunho. The other man had a gun, if a hoard of men went in with weapons they could kill him. 

“It’ll be alright, we have a plan though we hope to have him alive. Give me the night to talk it over?” Junmyeon patted your head softly, then let it slide down to cup your cheek and lift your head.

You blushed at his actions, only because you thought of Yunho touching you like this. Maybe it would all work out? Maybe this would all work out and no one would get hurt. Maybe doing what they said was really the right thing to do.

You had a night to figure it out.

Unfortunately you didn’t dream of Yunho and the other realm, instead it felt like you were floating in a dark space for hours on end, the only sound was a child crying.

It left you uneasy for the day, impatiently waiting for Junmyeon to fetch you for the evening. When he did, you found all other patients were in their rooms, an orderly standing in front of each door with two guards at both ends of the hall. Not once had you seen that before and it had you worried even more. 

Intuition told you something big was going to happen and it might not end well. It felt wrong, your stomach twisting with nerves as you were lead to a door that patients could never pass but the staff did.

Then you went down.

Only a floor or two from the elevator, Junmyeon using his ID card to pass through more security doors with grates on them- on both sides.

Down the hall, the silence and presence of more guards unnerving you even more. THis was bad, you had no doubt in your mind.

He led you to another pair of grated doors, the room inside start white aside from a giant rock in the center- no, not rock, part of a building. It was surrounded by machines that held it still, a brick wall and the ground around it, but the most significant part was not the wall.

There was a hand jutting through what appeared like a crack that gleamed a steel blue, the faintest of lights illuminating every crack that stemmed from it. The hand however-

You did not need to ask Junmyeon to tell you whose hand it was, the velvet blue suit you saw peeking around the wrist was enough.

Stumbling back you pressed a hand over your mouth, eyes wide as the realization shook you to your core.

These were the answers you wanted. This was the puzzle piece, solidifying your suspicions already.

You were from there, and Yunho had gone after you. After all of you.

“Do you think you can open it?” Junmyeon said next to you, placing a hand on the small of your back.

Could you?

You would try. 

As an answer you moved around the railing and down the metal steps, swallowing harshly to try and wet your throat, the amount of guards in the room even more unnerving.

They knew what Yunho was capable of. They knew he was a threat and as soon as you opened that door, they knew he would be angry.

You approached the wall, realizing it was larger than it looked from the door. Wires were connected to it, dangling off to machines that showed data you couldn’t decipher. None of it mattered, not when you had to tilt your head back to look up at Yunho’s hand, outreached as if to try and grab something. You had a feeling it had been you.

“Okay, I can do this. Just open the door.” Mumbling to yourself you focused more on the blue cracks that seemed to pulse. They pulsed faster when you ran a finger over the stone, and you could feel that same pulsing in your chest.

Home was just through these cracks.

Following your instincts, and pure desire to do so, you reached up, needing to stand on your toes to reach him. Fingers grazing his, the stone reverberated with the touch. It was when you jumped and grabbed his hand fully there was an explosion of power.

What was happening to your surroundings was the least of your concerns, the pulses of powers rushing out like shockwaves as the stone began to creak and crumble, opening up. There were shouts and screams, someone calling out your name, but it was all background noise.

Memories flooded your head. Who you were, the life you had on the other side with many of the people that were here. But mostly Yunho.

You were just kids when you both got your abilities, both responsible for the state of the realm. Both tied to it.

But only you could leave.

Memories of dreams in this world, meeting a man who took interest in the fact you could simply disappear. As a child you trusted him, telling him the truth.

And he took advantage of that. Lured you to open up a gate for him. But you couldn’t do that without Yunho.

The bloodshed happened in waves as men much like the ones around you swarmed into your home. They grabbed the other kids, ones you recognize, and many many others. The adults that fought got killed. Your parents got killed.

All because of you.

Yunho had only defended, the beast of his tearing apart the men even as you were yanked from him. You hadn’t protested then, not as a child, letting the intruders take you from him. The anguish of his screams as he killed and maimed trying to get to you rang so clearly in your head now.

They twisted to the screams of others, bringing you to your senses as you found yourself on the ground underneath Yunho, cradling your head with one hand while the other held him above you. There was blood on his cheek, eyes practically glowing with the lust and anger in them.

“Yuyu-”

“I’m here, my dove.”

Gingerly you reached up to wipe the blood off his cheek, frowning with concern. “Are you hurt?” “Not my blood.” He nudged his chin to the side to avert your attention. “Theirs.”

The guards were dead, ripped to pieces like the man you brought over, but not everyone was dead.

An alarm was ringing, someone calling out to you. Ah, Junmyeon, he’s still alive. You heard the door latch and lock, growing concerned for you both now.

“Yuyu, the others- Mingi and-”

“I know. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.” He was off you in seconds, bursting through the doors and down the hall after the doctor you almost trusted. 

The pools of blood and mutilated bodies meant nothing to you as you surged to your feet as well, concerned only for Yunho. Gunfire was heard and you caught up in time to see the slaughter.

With his bare hands - no claws - Yunho ripped a man’s arm off and threw it at Junmyeon, knocking him down before he got to the second set of doors. You took note of other doctors scrambling over him, but Yunho charged forward with a beastly roar. 

The bullets were flung away by the shadow being around him, little tendrils stopping them and deflecting them right back to the guards that shot them. Yunho took care of the other staff himself. 

Despite still having the features of a human, his hands had massive claws and there was a ferocity to his movements and expressions that was inhuman. Blood covered the white walls, screams and the sounds of flesh tearing and bones being crushed echoed in your eardrums.

And yet you found the sight of Yunho so utterly beautiful in carnage that you had to snap yourself out of it.

Not a single man made it to the elevator, their dying breaths long spent and only Yunho’s heavy pants and the blood dripping from his claws filled the space. Well, paired with your own racing heartbeat and shallow breathing.

Fear did not hit you until he turned to you, a wild look in his eyes. “Now You.” He growled out, taking a step in your direction while wiping blood from the side of his mouth with the bloody sleeve.

You ran back down the hall without a thought, the guilt hitting you once more and fully expecting Yunho to seek his revenge on you. You destroyed your home after all, and left him abandoned there. All alone.

As if you could outrun him though, tripping over your own feet and slipping in the blood that was everywhere now. The wind was knocked out of you as you hit the ground, white gown soaking up more of the blood beneath you as you tried to scramble back to your feet.

Where would you even go though?

The floor beneath you shook as he pounced on top of you, hands on either side cracking the floor. He snarled just behind your ear, the sound stilling your every movement and halting your breath in your throat.

Would he kill you now?

“Yuyu?”

“Finally…” He pressed his nose to your shoulder, slowly running it down your back, breath hot against your skin. “Finally I can touch you.”

With a cry you felt pain running up your spine, though nowhere near as much as you were expecting. The gown was torn and you had claw marks on your skin from how he had ripped it off. You turned your cheek to try and steal a glance, just to see him being far more gentle with pulling his pants down.

“Yu-”

“Sh, don’t resist, little dove. Otherwise this is going to hurt much more than it will.” 

You saw it then, his cock springing free and hitting your ass. It was heavy, curved, and huge. Bigger in person. 

He wasn’t going to kill you he-

Two of his fingers pushed into you with ease, his other hand holding your hands above your head. “Hold them there. Good.” Now three fingers, pumping into you at a painful pace, the harsh stretching bringing tears to your eyes. You pleaded for him, full on sobbing when he pushed a fourth in. “I know I know. But you smell too fucking good. Like them though. Need to get rid of that.”

Hiccuping as you were full on sobbing, you only pleaded his name, but not once did you say no.

Not even as his fingers were pulled out and he thrust himself inside. You howled, squirming and trying to get away now at the pain. “Too much- too much Yuyu can’t take it!”

“Yes you can. You’re going to fucking take it. As punishment.” Inch by inch one hand on your hip and pulling you back onto his cock more and more.

“But-”

“You left me there!” He cut you off, thrusting his full length that bulged out your stomach. “And then dared to taunt me with your presence? When I couldn’t touch you? I couldn’t kiss you, fuck you, love you.” He growled out, both hands now gripping the marble enough it turned to rubble beneath his hands.

“I know. I know I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Yuyu.” You sobbed out, trembling beneath him as your cunt tried to get accustomed to his size. “I was lost without you, and I just wanted to go home.”

He pressed his forehead to the back of your head, panting heavily. You could tell he was trying to hold back, knowing this would be much worse. “Promise you won’t ever leave my side again?”

“Promise.” No hesitation. You reached for his hand, wrapping your fingers around just one of his and was meant with a warning growl, but he didn’t stop you. Twisting yourself a bit, you brought his hand to your throat, holding it there as you looked back at him. “You’re my home, and I won’t ever doubt that again. I accept my punishment, and then I want to take back our city, with everyone.” Tears had streaked through the blood splatters on your cheeks, bottom lip quivering from the pain as it felt like his cock was literally rearranging your insides, but your gaze was unwavering and full of promise.

He gripped your throat tighter and pulled you back, twisting you a bit more to crash his bloody lips to yours. He swallowed up your pained cry as he tested his hips out, his control slipping with every stroke of your lips until you were sobbing from his harsh thrusts.

Staring down at you with a dark eyes that didn’t waver once with each thrust, you forced yourself to do the same. Even as tears ran down your cheeks again, he licked them up, muttering to you that it would be okay, that you were taking it so well.

Before you knew it, it felt good. Too good. Your blubbering sounds of weak protests turned to pleas for more.

When you first creamed on his cock he was pressing your face into the marble and hunching over you, his other hand on your hip and holding it still as he somehow went harder.

You could see through the tears and blood that he was wearing those red shoes, the gems wet with blood that dampened his blue pants as well. It was only a brief thought, immediately shoved out as he slammed his hips down, the bulge so obvious from this angle.

He was probably half in your womb at this point, your tongue lulled out and drool adding to the many liquids beneath you. It was an effort to breathe between the desperate high pitched cries. The pressure on your skull moved to the back of your neck as his hips kept up their brutal pace, balls slapping against your clit again and again until you were coming again on his cock. “Fuck- can’t last when you’re that tight. Years of pent up tension and you’re milking it out of me like it’s nothing.” You could tell he was close by his raspy tone, deep and guttural.

So you begged for it. “Please come. F-Fill me up Yuyu. M-make sure I can never leave you.” Though it was an effort to get the words out between moans as your brain was fucked into mush, the pleasure and slaps to your clit becoming too much once more.

Thankfully that was all it took, a deep cry ripping through his chest and rumbling in his throat as he buried himself deep and really did unload in you. Enough the sizeable bulge seemed to grow, even with the feeling of his cum oozing out around his cock. You could see a few drops fall to the ground between you, despite your own vision black on the edges.

It was enough to have you cumming once more, even harder, with enough juice it pushed him out some and dribbled to the floor to add to the mess there.

He pulled out a moment later and your muscles went limp, body falling on your side as you tried to fight for any sense what-so-ever. He laughed lowly, leaning over to press a surprisingly soft kiss to your temple. “Fucked dumb so easily. So cute of you, my Dove.”

“Wow you really did some damage.” A voice called out but in your current state you had a hard time to place it or even look in the proper direction.

“Glad to see you made it down here Mingi.” Ah right, the others, how could you forget?

Some shuffling and splashes of feet moving through the blood. “Is she going to be alright?”

“It’ll take more than this to end her, she’ll be fine. She’ll get more punishment back home.” A hand patting your ass which you vaguely deduced was Yunho’s. “Are there more of you?”

“Just a small number of us here.” A new voice, ah Hongjoong. “Though we knew right where the gate was when we got our memories, so if there are any others, they’ll come to us. We might want to make sure the gate is safe for them to come to.”

Someone knelt down before you and poked your forehead, drawing your attention. You looked up at a familiar smile. “Though with the gate open, we have our abilities again. Shouldn’t be hard to defend it. And our sweet Princess should be able to locate the others. What do you say? Ready to clean up your mess?”

You were picked up in the next second, cradled in large arms. The bloody velvet suit was easily distinguishable. “Yuyu?”

“I don’t want to risk the gate falling in the wrong hands. Let’s head back and rebuild. Shouldn’t be hard to open another gate once we’re back to full power.” Yunho was already carrying you back to the portal and the idea of going home filled your weary bones with warmth.

“I have to say though- I don’t want to just return and forget about this world.” Hongjoong added, glancing around at the carnage. “I’ve seen a lot of fucked up shit here, plenty of people treating me, treating us, like scum.” There were a few that called out their agreement.

It reminded you of your own struggles growing up in this world, of not one but two betrayals, and it had you stopping Yunho. “I agree with Hongjoong. I know I was the one who brought them there, but they took everything from us. And only continued to do so over here. This is not enough.” You gestured to the bodies. You stared up at Yunho, the man you desired more than anything else. Slowly his lips twisted into a dark grin that was reflected in his eyes. “I see, then when we return for our brethren, let us show them horrors are always waiting on the other side.”

These humans destroyed not only their world, but their innocence, and it was something they would pay gravely for.

That was a promise.

For other works: Masterlist

[flurrys-creativity]

Imponderable

Imponderable (n.) - something that is impossible to judge or calculate exactly

Pairing: Sohn Eric (The Boyz) x GN!Reader (with a surname); Genre: angst, fantasy, crime, implied smut, hybrid au, detective au, villain au, strangers to lovers; Rating: NSFW, 21+, MDNI; Warnings: oh boi, where do I begin... abductions, crime fighting, mentions of neglect, malnourishment, bruises, wounds, blood, death, graphic descriptions of torture, humiliation, smuggling, auctioning hybrids, more graphic descriptions of torture, nudity, more death, kissing, making out, hinting towards riding... and hopefully that's it.. if I missed smth please let me know; Wordcount: 13.718

Summary: In the case of increasing hybrid abductions your unit was stuck until you received a distressed call by another hybrid. At that moment everything spiraled out of your control and nothing seemed to be what it was.

Collab: YOTV: Year of The Snake by @sanjoongie

A/N: I know this is quite the long fic... and I honestly struggled a lot writing it, only being able to make significant progress the past few days... so I truly hope to get some feedback on this.

“There’s been an increase of hybrid abduction in the past few weeks”, the leading commander of the task unit announced loudly, his voice carrying the heaviness of the situation.

Everyone inside the room stared with serious expressions at the presentation, the graphic showing the spike of abductions.

“There have been leads those are connected to a large hybrid smuggling ring. While we stopped a few transports, we still need to find the head of the organisation. So take all the leads we have and find that godforsaken bastard. That’s all for today! Dismissed!” The commander waved with his hand, watching how his subordinates left the room.

You stared at the pictures in your open folder with a crease between your brows. The unit had known about the abductions and the smuggling ring for a while now but nothing seemed to work. Every lead you received was too late. Every time you arrived at the scene only remnants of the ring were left. Scattered clothes, dead and heavily malnourished hybrids that didn’t make it. 

A shiver ran down your spine. You knew too well what they had gone through. Sometimes you considered the found bodies to be the lucky ones. Their suffering and fear had finally ended, while the remaining ones still had to deal with torture and more unfathomable things and survivors were plagued with trauma, nightmares and anxiety.

“Detective Lin.”

You looked up, snapping out of your thoughts when you heard the voice of your superior. “I’m sorry, sir.”

He sighed deeply and rubbed over his tired looking face. Over the few years you had worked under this unit, he had aged immensely. His once dark brown hair had now streaks of grey in them, his sun kissed face had deep lines all over it and his eyes - once full of life - seemed to dread every second of his existence. “Are you alright?”

You blinked a few times before a soft smile appeared on your lips. “Still the dad of the unit”, you snickered and shook your head playfully. “I’m alright, sir. You should take more care about yourself, if I may say so.”

The commander laughed dryly, knowing full well you were right. “Not until I know everyone in this community is where they belong.”

Now you were the one to sigh. “This unit needs you. Don’t overwork yourself.”

“I could tell you to do the same.” The commander tilted his head as he stared at you with a playful twinkle in his eyes. “I know this case is getting to you on a personal level. If I could I would remove you from this case but we need your senses to have at least a small break-through.”

You grabbed the pages and neatly stacked them inside the folder again before you stood up, your expression tense from anger. “I would ignore your command and work on it either way. I don’t need your permission to help my kind.”

He stood up as well and rounded the corner of the table, joining your side as you two made your way to leave the meeting room. “I know, I know. That’s the only reason you’re still on it. You’d go rogue otherwise and put yourself and probably others in danger.”

You relaxed again, turning your head with a bright grin. “You know me too well.”

He laughed in amused defeat and patted your shoulder, as if he was telling you to stay in line and not do something reckless. With that he left for his work space and you followed his back with your eyes until he was out of your sight.

You made your way to your own desk, nodding at your colleagues who you passed. Technically this was the last meeting for today and you were free to leave. Yet you, and most other colleagues too, decided to stay after hours working on the case. Once you reached your desk, you placed the folder on the surface and sat down on your spinning chair. 

“Time to find a new lead.” You sighed deeply and started the computer, quickly typing away on your keyboard. Your eyes flitted across the screen, the pictures and headlines of articles reflecting in your eyes.

At one point your thoughts drifted away from the case and got mixed with your own memories:

You shivered from the cold, having sat down in the farthest corner of the cage. You had wrapped your arms around your legs, which were pulled against your chest, trying to preserve any warmth left. The thin clothes on your body hung loose and were mostly torn to shreds as well.

Your skin was covered in bruises and scars, some better healed than others. You received at least half of them during the rough transport. They had picked you up and thrown you into a transporter with no isolation nor security. After they reached their destination, they dragged you out and threw you in this cage in the basement. 

While you stayed there one man came down every morning and threw some moldy bread and stale water in a bottle towards you. When he wanted to get the empty bottle back, he used an electric stick to keep you in one corner of the cage while coming inside.

Sometimes that man enjoyed your yelps of pain when he electrocuted you just for his own enjoyment. 

You were nothing but a child back then. You barely understood what happened around you or why they even kept you in a cage. 

You snapped out of your thoughts again, staring at your screen with distant eyes for a moment longer. Even though years had passed since that incident, the memories felt like it only happened a few days ago. You rubbed over your arm, the phantom pain of your bruises haunting your body. 

It had been a miracle back then that you were found by authorities before anything worse could have happened to you. Even now you struggled to believe there was a fate worse than what you had experienced. 

Only the pictures in your folder told you differently.  

With one last glance at the pictures on your computer screen you decided to leave it for the day. You closed all the files and turned the pc off, cleaning your desk afterwards. 

Right as you were about to turn off the little lamp on your desk, the red light of your telephone started blinking. 

Your hand halted mid air as you stared at the light of the phone station. You had the sound turned off since the ringing hurt your sensitive ears. Instead the light would blink whenever you got a call. Which rarely happened. And never after working hours.

“Detective Lin?” You said questioningly into the receiver after picking up the phone. 

“Thank goodness, you’re still there”, someone on the other side of the line breathed in relief. “Can you come to the emergency call centre on the first floor? We got a situation that could use your help.”

You didn’t ask what situation it could have been. The second you heard they wanted you at the emergency call centre, you already had grabbed all your belongings. “I’ll be there in three.” 

With that you slammed the phone back on its station and rushed away from your workplace. Instead of using the elevator from the fourth floor, you pushed through the doors of the staircase. 

Your steps steadily echoed through the air with every step you took. It was rare for your colleagues to ask for your help. While all of you were equals and worked for the same cause, they kept their distance from you. Simply because you were a hybrid and your hardened scales that covered parts of your skin seemed to freak a lot of people out. 

Or they thought of you as something dangerous. It was well known that hybrids tended to be stronger than humans - even if they were the weakest kind of hybrid like a hamster or a mouse. You yourself weren’t considered a dangerous species as well. Just a very desired one on the black market, same as your animal counterpart. 

The pangolin was probably the most traded animal on the black market. Their scales of hardened keratin were supposed to have some special healing abilities in several ancient medicinal practices. Some rich assholes even liked to have them as pets since they looked rather adorable despite their large claws.

The biggest difference to your animal counterpart was the fact you as a hybrid were able to regrow lost scales like normal strands of hairs. A fact that made you as a hybrid way more valuable than the animal itself.

You skipped the last step and jumped to the ground, running to the door towards the first floor. You rushed along the hallway and pushed through the last door without knocking, finally reaching the emergency call centre.

“Over here”, someone called out.

You quickly followed their voice and hurried over to them, only stopping right behind their chair. With a short glance at the screen, you saw they had an ongoing call. You furrowed your brows, wondering why you were called now.

“I don’t have much. He seemed frightened and confused but he confirmed being a hybrid. I thought maybe you could get through to him.” The operator explained to you shortly, getting up and offering you their chair.

You nodded hesitantly and sat down, grabbing the headset and putting it on. “Hello?” You heard rapid breathing but nothing else. “If you’re not able to speak right now, please tap the phone twice.” You waited for any sound but except for the rapid breathing there was nothing else. 

“My name is detective Lin and I’m here to help you, okay? I heard from my colleague that you’re a hybrid? I’m one myself, can you tell me what kind of hybrid you are?” You tried to sound as reassuring and kind as possible, wishing to calm the hybrid as much as possible so they would answer you.

“Eric.” His voice sounded hoarse as if he hadn't had something to drink for a while now.

“Eric? That’s your name? Okay Eric, can you tell me where you are?” You pressed gently, needing the information so you could actually help him.

“At a gas station. I don’t know where exactly. I’m hiding in the forest nearby.” His breathing had slowed down considerably, though he still only spoke in a whisper.

You turned to your colleague and mouthed to them that they should track the phone call, hoping to get the exact location that way.

“Alright, can you tell me what happened? Why are you hiding?”

His breathing hitched momentarily and if you hadn’t your sensitive hybrid hearing you probably would have missed it. “They kidnapped a hybrid. They grabbed them inside the toilet rooms of the gas station and dragged them away to a transporter. I’m hiding so they won’t get me too.”

“Are they still there?”

“I don’t know, maybe.” He whimpered softly, making your heart ache.

You knew what kind of terror he must be experiencing right now. At that moment your colleague placed a sticky note with the address in front of you, silently telling you they had sent a police car to check the situation.

“Hey, there are some colleagues on their way to your location. Do you think you can hold on until then?”

“Are they hybrids too?”

You sighed softly and shook your head: “No, probably not. Most hybrids aren’t in the active field, so I’m afraid the two will be humans.”

“Can’t you come?”

“Me?” 

Your eyes widened in surprise at the request. For a moment you were too stunned to speak and simply turned to the operator with a questioning look in your gaze. 

They nodded and waved one of the technicians over to you. With a few adjustments on your phone, which they had asked for quietly, they transferred the emergency call to your mobile phone. That way you were able to keep in contact with Eric while you made your way to the location.

“Alright, I’m on my way.” You replaced the headset with your phone, relieved you heard his breathing and whimpers. With a short gesture of your hand you bid your goodbye and left for your car. On your way down to the garage you also texted your commander, informing him of the situation.

During the ride to the gas station you kept Eric talking, needing the reassurance he was still with you. For some reason you feared the smugglers were still around and would get him before you could reach him.

Though when you reached the remote gas station you only saw the car of your colleagues parked to the side. You parked beside them and got out of the car, looking around with narrowed eyes. 

You colleagues just exited the gas station, heading towards the toilets at the back. You hurried towards them, joining them with a short nod. 

Technically you were there to get Eric and make sure he was alright, but you remembered what he told you about another hybrid being kidnapped on the toilets. You had to see the crime scene, you needed to make your own picture of it, hoping to see a clue or connection to the other cases.

“Hey Eric? I’m here now. I’ll just check the toilets before I’m going to look for you, yeah? My colleagues are with me in case something happens. But don’t you worry, okay?”

He didn’t answer you this time. You only heard some rustling and the sound of his breathing. Therefore you focused on your surroundings for a moment.

As your colleagues opened the doors, you immediately wrinkled your nose in disgust. The smell of urine and other unspeakable liquids invaded your nostrils against your will. You quickly raised your hand and pressed the sleeve of your jacket against your mouth and nose. Even though every fibre of your body was against it, you stepped inside the toilets and looked around. Trash and used paper towels littered the ground, the walls and doors to the toilets were covered in stickers and tags. 

You made a face, knowing there was no way of finding any kind of useful forensic evidence. There was simply too much of everything around. “Guess that won’t do”, you sighed as you turned around your own axis. 

You came to a halt when you noticed someone standing in the entrance. At the same time the connection of the phone call ended with a click. Confused, you turned to look at your phone in your hand and then back up at the person. 

The colleagues, who had checked the stalls just now, came back out and were about to shoo him away, when you stopped them with one word. 

The person had stepped back, as if he was afraid of your colleagues. He held a phone in his hand and his eyes flitted back to your form.

You tilted your head and dropped your hand as you took one step closer towards him. “Eric?” Even though his sweet honey scent barely managed to overpower the gross smell surrounding you, you picked up the hybrid in the air.

He nodded slowly, staring at you with his mouth slightly agape. Eric moved further into the room, rounding you slowly. 

Your colleagues told you they’d leave again since there was no sign of a crime. You nodded, barely paying them any attention anymore. Something about Eric pulled you in and you couldn’t avoid your eyes for even a moment. 

“Detective Lin”, he breathed out, his eyes roaming over your form. He reached the mirror and leaned against the wall, tilting his head in wonder. 

You nearly missed how he wiped something away from the mirror and froze the second you realised what he did. “Wait!” You leaped forward and pushed him aside, staring at the remnants of some letters. “What was that?” You turned your head to look at him, demanding an answer.

“What was what?” 

“Don’t play around! You just wiped over this message! What was written on the mirror?” You hit the sink with your hands and turned around fully, glaring at the other hybrid with annoyance.

His eyes widened in surprise. “I did? Shoot, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to wipe something away. Do you think that’s from the smugglers?”

You crossed your arms over your chest. Something about him rang your alarm bells inside your head, yet you couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was. Still, you decided to keep your guard up. You sighed deeply, reminding yourself of the disgusting smell surrounding you. “Let us go outside, please.”

Eric nodded and stepped outside, holding the door open for you. 

“How come you don’t seem as scared as you sounded on the phone?”

He stopped at the edge of the parking lot, contemplating your question for a moment. After a while he shrugged with his shoulders, slowly turning towards you. His eyes implored yours when he said: “I guess, I just feel safe with another hybrid around. Especially a hybrid detective.”

You snorted and shook your head, avoiding looking him in the eyes. You felt the heat creep up your neck and onto your cheeks. Before he could notice something, you turned around and brushed your hair out of your face, keeping your hand on the top of your head. “Alright, let us go somewhere to eat something and then you can tell me what you saw.” You motioned for Eric to get inside of your car and shortly followed after him.

The ride itself almost felt stuffed, despite the air conditioner running on full power. Neither of you said anything, and while you tried focusing on the road you couldn't ignore his presence at all. 

Your instincts told you something wasn't adding up but you had absolutely no evidence to know what it was exactly. Additionally your head refused to even consider another hybrid being the reason for all the recent abductions of hybrids.

Though your instincts rarely betrayed you.

The interrogation with Eric over some dull fast food brought no new leads. You had noted down every minuscule detail but when you compared them to the information you already got, nothing added up.

You sat at your desk again and stared at the open files thrown over the surface. The desperation to find something gnawed at your insides and slowly suffocated you. 

Before you could despair completely, the leading commander called for an emergency meeting. Within seconds everyone jumped up and rushed to the meeting room, eager to know what the commander had to say.

“We got a new lead”, he announced as he walked into the room. The few conversations immediately died down. “Someone noticed a suspicious looking truck standing in the parking lot of a school.”

“How is it connected to the abductions”, you asked with a raised eyebrow. Sometimes truckers use parking lots to rest there for a while before continuing their long routes across countries and states. 

The commander nodded shortly, thankful one of his detectives questioned the intel they got. “According to the caller the truck has been standing there for several days now and he claims to have heard voices from inside.”

You nearly jumped up from your seat, ready to bolt and get to that truck in an instant. 

“I need two officers, who are willing to check out the situation. I don’t want to send a whole squad for a possible prank”, he explained with a grim expression, “still everyone, who isn't going, has to stay on standby in case it's real.”

Your arm shot into the air. “I volunteer.”

“I had hoped you'd say that”, the commander chuckled with a soft smile. “I need your keen senses to check this out.” 

When you arrived at the parking lot with one of your colleagues, you hesitated to step out of the car. Your eyes were glued towards the parked truck. You tried to mentally note down every little detail you could see before you’d use your other senses for intel.

The second you stepped out of the car and moved towards the truck, your pulse spiked. Nervousness creeped up your back and had a tight grip on your neck. It controlled your every movement.

Your colleague checked the front cabin, silently motioning to you that it was empty. He gave you a sign to walk around the truck and meet with him at the back again.

You nodded once and cautiously started walking. You moved forward while keeping somewhat close to the ground, checking underneath the truck as well. Though you didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.

At the back of the truck you stepped several feet away and raised your weapon, pointing it at the closed door. You nodded towards your colleague, who stood at the door and waited for your signal to open it.

He pulled it open with force and immediately got out of your shooting line, backing away as well and pointing his weapon at the open entrance too.

Nothing happened and both of you quickly realised the truck was actually empty. 

You secured your weapon again and walked towards the open doors. Though as soon as you reached the edge of the truck, you held your breath and hurriedly stepped back again. 

“What’s wrong?”

Your colleague looked at you with a raised eyebrow. He took over and walked to the truck, checking the empty inside. 

“It reeks of death”, you told him with your arm pressed over your nose and mouth. Ever so slowly you dared to move closer again. Your eyes wandered over the floor and walls, seeing remnants of blood.

“There are no bodies here though.” Your colleague jumped on the platform and walked into the area. Even he wrinkled his nose in disgust, but you were sure he only smelled the stench of blood and maybe a mixture of excrements in there as well. “Are you sure someone died inside of this?”

You shook your head. “I don’t think someone actually died. But those, who were trapped in here, were on the verge of death before they got out.” You hesitantly took one more whiff and stepped back again. “I smell several hybrid breeds, though the scent is faint and I can’t pinpoint what kind they were nor how many.” Your throat suddenly closed up, the urge to throw up overwhelming you. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as you fought against the tension inside of you.

Still, you had to run a few metres away from the truck so you could pull your arm away and greedily suck in fresh air through your mouth and nose. Your chest still constricted for several minutes, urging you to throw up but you pulled through.

With a large distance you walked back around the truck to the front, deciding to investigate the driver cabin. To your surprise it wasn’t locked and you easily pulled open the door. You smelled sweat, old fast food and something that made your skin crawl.

You climbed up the steps and looked over the seats, noticing a memo pad next to the driver’s seat. You leaned over, noticing his sweet honey scent even stronger now. Your thoughts raced inside your head, questioning why you smelled Eric’s scent inside this truck. Most importantly you were sure he wasn’t hurt but that would make only one other option the possible outcome - and you still didn’t want to believe he could be part of the smuggling.

You grabbed the memo pad and the pencil next to it, gently scribbling over the surface and revealing a message.

“Abandoned opera out of town, auction starts 11pm”

At the bottom of the note you even saw a date and your jaw clenched. Almost automatically you pulled out your phone and dialed the number of the commander.

You told him about the message and the bloodied back of the truck, but you kept secret about having smelled Eric. The commander promised to send an investigation team and that you should return the second they took over. In the meantime he would prepare for another emergency meeting.

You shortly updated your colleague about the situation, before you walked back to the car and sat down on the passenger seat again. You kept the door open and stared out into the distance, deep in thought.

To be honest with yourself, you liked Eric. When you spent time with him at the fast food restaurant, he definitely made an impression. He was funny, kind, a little bit silly but still incredibly charming. You would lie if you said you didn’t have fun spending time with him. You would also lie to yourself and anyone else, if you said you hadn’t thought of texting him at all since then.

Your fingertips twitched, the idea of simply messaging him now twirling around in your mind. You watched your hands move around as if they didn’t belong to your body, seeing how they turned on your phone and dialed the number you somehow had memorised already. Your thumb hovered above the call button and before you knew it, you had pressed it.

It only rang once before you heard his distant voice from the speaker. You ever so slowly raised your hand with the phone to your ear, hearing him call out again.

“Hello?”

“Eric?”

Silence. For a moment you heard nothing but his breathing and your own loud heartbeat. 

“I was wondering when you’d call me, Detective Lin.”

A small grin tugged at the corners of your lips upon hearing his cheeky statement. “So you missed being interrogated already?” Somehow flirting came naturally to you when you talked with him. You leaned against the seat and pulled your legs up to the edge of the car. “Why did you wait for my call though?”

Eric laughed and you could picture him shaking his head. “Didn’t your boss tell you I was the one calling because of the truck?”

Almost instantly you sat up straight again, barely missing bumping your head on the roof of the car. “What?”

His laugh stopped and his tone suddenly became serious. “I pass that parking lot every day on my way to work. I thought it was suspicious, that’s why I called.”

You stepped out of the car again, turning around your own axis. For some reason you felt being watched all of a sudden and you couldn’t shake that feeling off. “I haven’t said a word about the truck”, you whispered, unconsciously holding your breath right after.

“Isn’t that the reason you called?” Eric kept quiet for a few heartbeats. “That would have been the only logical connection in my book, unless-”

“Unless?” You exhaled shakily, somehow fearing what other conclusion he came up with.

“Unless you want a second date.”

You snorted in disbelief, shaking your head as you started to relax again. “That wasn’t a date back then.”

“So you’re asking me on a first date.”

“I’m not”, you laughed, hearing him snicker cheekily as well. 

“It was worth a try”, he told you after a while, almost sounding woefully. His tone quickly switched with his next question. “Anyway, why’d you call then?”

You weren’t able to dwell on the change as the investigation team arrived at the parking lot. “To be honest, you already answered the question I had. I gotta go back to work, talk to you soon.”

You cut the call and concentrated on your job again, making sure the team was aware of the things you had noticed before you and your colleague drove back to the headquarters.

The second the two of you stepped out of the elevators at headquarters you got ushered to the second emergency meeting that day.

The meeting dragged on for hours and you felt how your energy and motivation level sunk lower and lower. 

All of you knew what had to be done but for some reason some of your colleagues were opposed to the idea - including your commander. 

“Can we stop talking around the issue at hand?” You groaned and dragged one hand over your face before you straightened yourself again. “I will go undercover on the side of a hybrid and while I know it will be dangerous, I won’t be alone with some of you going undercover as buyers. And if push comes to shove, I trust you will save me.”

They shared a few glances with each other before your commander sighed in defeat. “Fine, but the second something doesn’t go according to plan you’ll get pulled out there.”

You bowed to him. “Understood.” 

He still didn’t seem convinced but instead of voicing his concerns he continued with the meeting, going over every minute detail for the new undercover mission.

A few days after the emergency meeting you walked through the town at night. The commander had pointed out an area with the highest abduction rate and you strolled around that place in hopes of getting caught.

While you had to pretend of being unaware of your surroundings, you couldn’t help but notice the eerie silence around the street. Most of the lanterns weren’t lit and the few that shared some light, casted distorted shadows along the ground and walls.

You nearly jumped when your phone suddenly rang. You looked at the caller ID, immediately recognising the number. For a moment longer you stared at your display before accepting the call and raising the phone to your ear. “Eric?”

“Get out of there! Now!”

You stopped, rooted to the ground. “What?” Your thoughts tumbled over each other and you struggled to form anything coherent. 

“I told you to get out of there immediately!”

Ever so slowly you turned around, looking behind you and to every dark corner of the street. “How do you know where I am?” A shiver ran down your spine.

“That’s beside the point! I need you to run now!” Eric frantically yelled into his phone.

His panic swept over to you and you felt your heartbeat increasing as adrenalin got pumped through your veins. Your body automatically prepared for whatever was coming, even before you knew what it was.

“Eric, I’m not leaving”, you tried your best to sound as nonchalant as possible. “I’m on a mission here.”

“For the love of everything that is dear to me”, he whispered exasperated, “this is not a joke, Detective Lin. You have to run! NOW!”

Right as his command ended, screeching tires stopped right next to you on the street. You barely managed to turn your head before you saw how the sliding door of a dark grey transporter opened and two bulky men jumped out. 

You stared at them with wide eyes, frozen to the spot. Old memories flashed before your eyes as they grabbed your upper arms. 

One of them snatched the phone out of your hand, grinning evilly as he slammed it to the ground, silencing Eric’s calls in the process, and stepping on it to destroy it completely.

They pulled you into the transporter like you were nothing but a ragdoll. You got thrown in the back, groaning from the pain and knowing your skin would bruise from that alone.

The men closed the doors behind them and told the driver to take off before they turned back to look at you.

“This looks like a feisty one”, the taller one said with the same evil grin on his lips.

“Whatever, we’re not testing”, the other cut in with a stern look in his eyes, “deal with this quickly.”

You barely even comprehend what he meant by that, before the taller one got closer and knocked you out with one punch to your jaw. 

You woke up with a splitting headache and a dull throbbing of your jaw. A quiet groan escaped your lips while your eyelids fluttered open. 

Even though there was only spare and dim lighting, you noticed the metal bars around you. Despite being awake now, you stayed in your position and assessed your surroundings.

You heard hectic bustling further down the hall, quiet sniffles, clattering teeth and shallow breaths closer to you. Ever so slowly you pushed yourself up, noticing you were barely able to sit properly in the small cage you were in. Carefully, you turned around, taking everything in, that you could make out in the dim light.

There were dozens of cages in various sizes lined up around you. Most of them were occupied with other hybrids - all of them in bad shape. The smaller ones looked severely beaten up while the bigger ones were heavily malnourished and all of them appeared to have broken spirits.

You scooted to the side of your cage, leaning against the cold metal bars. “Hey”, you whispered silently, catching the attention of a deer hybrid next to you. “Do you know where we are?”

They looked at you with utter horror, shaking their head violently and refusing to give you any sort of verbal answer.

“If I were you, kid, I wouldn’t talk so much.”

You turned and saw a feline hybrid sitting in the cage across from you. “Why?” You crawled closer to the male, curious about his intel. 

He scoffed mirthlessly before he came closer himself, emerging from the shadows and showing his scar littered body.

You gasped and stared at him with wide eyes. “Did they do this to you?”

“That’s what happens when you defy humans.” His voice was laced with regret and his dark, sad eyes finally met yours. “There’s only one last hope, most of us cling to that now.”

“The police saving you?” You asked, knowing your colleagues would be at the auction. Though you didn’t want to crush his hope, fully aware the police didn’t have enough money to bid on every hybrid and while they could raid the place, your commander decided they would only do so if the head of the organisation would show their face at the event. Even if they would raid the opera there was no guarantee they would catch everyone and free every hybrid.

The hybrid in front of you laughed dryly. “As if the police ever cared about us hybrids.” He spat on the ground, showing you clearly how much he hated them. “I’m talking about TBZ.” He leaned back again, hiding his face in the shadows once more. A soft chuckle escaped his lungs. “Though it will be quite hard for hybrids to join the auction as buyers.”

You tilted your head in confusion. “What do you mean? Who are TBZ?”

Before he could answer a loud metal clang made you jump in surprise and let all the other hybrids cower in fear. “Shut your mouth, dirty scum”, a human with an electric stick shouted, glaring at you and the tiger hybrid.

He crouched down and turned to the tiger, tapping the metal cage with the stick. “I would have thought you had learned your lesson, Mr. New. Guess, I was wrong.” He pressed the button on his electric stick, letting little white lights spark the metal of the cage and jolting the tiger hybrid.

“Stop it!” You called out, reaching your hand through the metal bars in a fruitless attempt to stop the human. “I said, STOP IT!”

This time the human looked over his shoulder, still pressing the button and electrocuting the tiger. He raised an eyebrow as his eyes wandered over your form. “Who do we have here”, he mused with a sick grin on his face, finally turning around completely and letting off of the hybrid. “Did our royalty finally decide to wake up from their deep slumber?”

You gritted your teeth but did everything to keep your face neutral and emotionless.

He laughed out loud, his eyes crazed as he waddled over to you in his crouched position. “You are a feisty one! So Tango and Whiskey were right! Oh, it will be such a joy to break you like all the others.” Without even blinking he tapped the electric stick against your cage and pressed the button.

The pain immediately surged through your body, your muscles tensing uncontrollably from it. Yet, you didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of making a sound.

When he turned off the stick, you slumped down to the ground, unable to move. “I know it’s just a short time between us two but it will mean so much more”, he giggled and turned the stick on again. He watched you flap on the ground like a fish out of water, waiting with bated breath for you to make a sound. “Oh, darling, I will make you scream sooner rather than later.”

“Delta! Stop torturing the beasts and help us prepare the fucking auction!”

The man with the codename Delta turned off the electric stick with a loud whine - as if his parents just told him to do laundry instead of playing his video game. Still, he turned to you one more time, pressing his face between two metal bars. “We’re seeing each other again in no time, darling.”

“DELTA! Don’t make me come back there!”

Delta stood up with an annoyed growl. “I’m fucking coming already, Charlie. Get off my dick, man.” With that he left and moved back to the front of the hall.

“Are you alright, kid?” The tiger hybrid whispered in the lowest voice he could muster. 

“I had worse”, you simply told him, turning your head and giving him a half assed smile. While your statement technically wasn’t a lie, this was a first and you already knew should you experience being electrocuted again you’d rather wish to die.

“That was quite brave of you, kid. And incredibly stupid.”

“Weird form of saying ‘thank you’, Mr. New.” 

“Call me Chan-hee”, he told you, hesitating momentarily, “and thank you.”

You introduced yourself as well, still lying on the ground. You used the moment of peace to mull over the intel you got from this short and painful interaction. 

Those jerks used the NATO phonetic alphabet for their code names and with Delta following the orders of a man called Charlie, you assumed each name had a specific rank to them as well. Therefore the guys kidnapping you must have been quite low in rank, while Charlie and Delta should be in the third and fourth position of the ranking. That would mean there were only three more above them in rank and the one at the top must be called Alpha.

You startled awake again from the loud sound of metal scratching over concrete. With a groan you pushed yourself up, groggily realising you must have passed out while lying on the floor.

“Wakey, wakey you bastards! It’s time to shine! The auction begins in a few hours!” Delta stopped next to your cage again. “Look, who is awake again”, he lowered his voice to speak with you, grinning like a maniac, “I’ll take especially good care of you, darling.”

You wanted to hurl right this instant but you kept your face passive and forced your body to stay neutral. Whatever that meant, you would endure it. For the sake of the mission, for the sake of the other hybrids, for the sake of your sanity.

The cages got moved to the front of the hall, people pulled the hybrids out of their confinements and dragged them away. Others returned with them, chaining them up along the walls. You noticed how they had a change of clothes and seemed to have bathed in some way.

You silently watched how dozens of hybrids were dragged away and brought back. Meanwhile you stayed in your cage until the very end. Even when the deer hybrid behind you and Chan-hee next to you got dragged away, you got left behind.

Until Delta came up to your cage again. “It’s your time to shine, darling.” He threw a collar into the cage and ordered you to put it on, tapping his electric stick against the bars when you weren’t fast enough. He then grabbed the leash that was attached to the collar, opened the cage and harshly pulled you out. 

You stumbled forward, falling on your knees and hands. The yanking on the leash tightened the collar around your throat, making it hard to breathe.

Delta laughed again. “You wanna go on all four? Like the animal you are? Sure, be my guest!” 

“Pangolins are bipedal”, you grunted and pushed yourself up on your feet. 

“And I couldn’t care less”, he told you, his face only inches from yours, before he moved back and kicked you in your stomach, making you fall to the ground again. “So now, crawl.”

You ignored the humiliation and silently followed him out of the hall. Your knees hurt from the bare concrete floor and you knew, you scraped them already.

Not soon enough you reached something that looked like the showers of a football stadium. Grimy tiles and six shower heads on each side of the room.

“Undress.”

You looked at the man, waiting for him to turn around or at least leave the room. Though the second he pulled on the leash and made you come closer to his face again, telling you the same command through gritted teeth, you knew you had to strip in front of him.

With glares that could kill, you started undressing yourself. You let your clothes drop to the ground where you stood, not even trying to cover your nakedness. You were too damn proud to give in to his humiliation tactics. 

His eyes roamed over your body, a sneer marking his face. He looked at your scale like plates covering your sides, shoulders, upper arms and hips. “You’re an abomination of nature”, he stated after a while. “Disgusting.” Delta then motioned you to go to one of the shower heads, telling you to get clean.

You froze in place, the gasp stuck in your throat when the ice cold water descended on your body. You waited a moment longer, hoping the water would turn warm against all odds. With trembling hands you started scrubbing your body.

Once you were done, you stepped away from the water and back to Delta. You tried to keep your body from shivering with the cold wetness clinging to your skin and hair, staring at the man and waiting for a command.

He threw a moldy smelling towel at you and told you to dry yourself, calling for someone with fresh clothes. Delta watched you intently as you got dressed again, grinning at the outfit he picked for you.

On one hand you were quite surprised how nice the clothes were to the touch. On the other hand you knew better looking merchandise got a higher price. Additionally his choice barely covered the intimate parts of your body, showing the hybrid traits that you owned.

You noticed everyone got clothes that highlighted their traits when Delta brought you back to the others, chaining you up at the very front of the line. “Remember to look pleasantly to the eye when on stage”, he told you with a smirk, zapping you one last time before he got called somewhere else.

Soon enough someone else unchained you again and dragged you towards a heavy curtain. He pushed you into a cage again, this one appearing to be made out of silver with an intricate design. Once the door of the cage got shut, some sort of mechanism pulled you upwards. 

You grabbed the bars to your sides, trying to stabilise yourself from the sudden swaying.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to welcome you to a night of wonders and exclusiveness.”

Your attention got pulled to the voice beyond the curtain.

“I’ll guarantee for a show that you’ll remember. The first few options for you to buy are already among us.” The voice laughed and seemingly walked around the stage. “All of our cute little waiters and waitresses can be bought tonight. You’ll recognise them from their maid outfits.”

You made a grimace from just imagining the sick and twisted mind behind that sort of display.

“Obviously that is not all! Tonight we offer you 37 hybrids, ranging from prey to predator, from common to extremely rare. While we won’t bid on this one until the very end, let me introduce you to the highlight of our night!”

With that the curtain opened and the cage moved forward into the bright light. 

You squinted your eyes, slightly turning your head to the side from the brightness alone. You heard the audience murmur and whisper, until the auctioneer told them what breed you were, additionally with your age, weight, height and other measurements. You stared at him in bewilderment, a shiver running down your back at the thought someone must have taken all these while you were unconscious.

The cage lowered slowly and the lights didn’t blind you anymore. Your eyes trailed over the audience. The bright lights on the stage compared to the dim light in the audience made it hard for you to see any details. 

Still, you were able to make out that every person wore a mask that covered at least half of their face. Women fanned themselves with feathered fans, men smoked cigars and all of them chattered joyfully like this was just another charity event.

“Now, let us begin with our first hybrid”, the auctioneer called out, waving his hand for the henchmen bringing the hybrids in.

Again the auctioneer told the audience what they saw in front of them and finished his introduction with the lowest price accepted.

Buyers rapidly raised their number cards, the price jumping higher and higher in steps of one thousand. 

“Sold to the man with the number 24!”

You saw how one of the henchmen hurried over to a man with a silver mask sitting at a table far to the left. They had a short interaction, you assumed a check got signed, before the sold hybrid got dragged towards the man.

Your attention got pulled back to the stage with the next auction. With each new hybrid the starting price got higher and higher. When it was finally Chan-hee’s turn you noticed a change in his behaviour. 

He almost appeared indifferent, confident even on stage. His eyes flitted to the number cards in the air and the corner of his mouth always twitched upwards when certain numbers were called out.

Confused, you turned your attention to the audience again. To your surprise you suddenly realised how the bought hybrids weren’t in the audience anymore, while their buyers still sat at their tables. 

The number 30 with a yellow mask had bought the scared deer hybrid, number 19 with a purple mask bought a dog hybrid, number 2 in white currently grinned mischievously as he battled for the buy with number 82 with a red mask. 

Your eyes flitted around the room. You could have facepalmed yourself upon realising all those numbers had the same kind of mask just in varying colours. You saw someone in a sky blue mask with the number 67, number 16 with a golden mask, also a black mask with the number 39, number 9 in orange and number 11 in blue.

The last one you saw was a man with a pink mask, holding the 22 as their number card. To your surprise he already stared at you, not even interested in the auction of the other hybrids. 

You tilted your head, feeling some sort of pull towards him, as if you should be knowing him.

“The tiger goes to number 82!” The auctioneer cheered, catching your attention again.

You looked at Chan-hee, who barely contained the grin on his face as he got pulled to his new owner. As the next auction began, you decided to focus on Chan-hee and the buyer instead. You narrowed your eyes, seeing how he patted Chan-hee’s shoulder almost like an older brother, hugging him shortly. You also noticed how relaxed Chan-hee appeared and it slowly dawned on you.

“TBZ”, you mumbled, eyes immediately jumping back to the man with the pink mask. Your heartbeat quickened as you realised that all hybrids had been bought by these people so far and you slowly started to wonder who they were.

“It’s finally time for the highlight of the night”, the auctioneer announced and your cage moved again towards the middle of the stage. He repeated your details once more, remembering everyone how rare and valuable you actually were.

The man with the pink mask pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning against the whole time, moving to the front. Others followed him, wanting a good look at you. 

You barely acknowledged the presence of the others, completely transfixed on him. He tapped his chin with his number card as if he was thinking about something but the simple movement let his sweet honey scent waft over to you. 

A knowing smirk pulled at the corner of his lips when your eyes widened in realisation.

Your mind reeled, questions tumbled over one another as you stared at Eric. Why was he here? Was he part of that group Chan-hee mentioned? Who were they? Were all of them hybrids? Why would they bid on other hybrids? What was their goal? Were they the reason for all the hybrid abductions or are they a whole different group to deal with? What if they were part of this smuggling ring and this whole auction was just a farce. What if this was a setup for the police?

Your attention drifted from Eric as your eyes searched the large crowd. The commander had ordered several masks and showed them to you, so you would recognise your colleagues even in the crowd.

You noticed some of them, seeing how they chatted with other buyers and barely paid you any attention. 

For a second you were relieved to see your colleagues but something didn’t sit right with you. A bad feeling gnawed at your insides, a thought you couldn’t fathom just yet emerging from the back of your mind.

“50.000!” 

Your attention got pulled back to Eric, who just yelled an incredibly large sum and raised his number card. You blinked several times, wondering for a split second if he actually got that much.

“60.000!”

You tensed, hearing the voice of Delta ring through the audience. You glanced at the auctioneer, who only raised an eyebrow questioningly but shrugged it off quickly to entertain the crowd. 

You looked at your colleagues, confused why they weren’t bidding for you. Sure, 60.000 was quite a lot but there were undercover missions that were way more expensive.

“70.000!”

Eric yelled again, his jaw tense as he glared towards Delta. 

“80.000.”

You looked at the man, seeing a lazy grin on his lips. He wasn’t concerned in the least, as if he was certain he’d win this battle.

“One million!”

Once again you checked for your colleagues and your mind raced all over again. Why wouldn’t they be bidding for you? Was there an order they followed that you hadn’t received yet? You tried to reason, mulling over every possibility there was. You glanced towards Delta. What if the commander hoped Delta would bring you to the head of this organisation?

In that case Eric would ruin the plan if he won the auction. You looked at Eric with worry in your eyes, seeing how determined he was to buy you.

“Five million”, Delta said, rolling his shoulders and twisting his neck. “I can do this the whole night, boy. Give up now before you seem too desperate.”

“Ten million.” He hissed through gritted teeth. Fear pooled in Eric’s eyes, seeing how Delta didn’t even flinch at that offer. He turned to look at you and you saw how he desperately tried to come up with something.

“I’ll be fine”, you mouthed at him, trusting the police had a superior plan in mind.

“Fifty million.” Delta waited a second before he called out again. “Wait, let me double that offer, one hundred million.” He leaned forward, silently challenging Eric to make a better offer.

Eric visibly deflated, shaking his head in defeat. 

The voice of the auctioneer rang in your ears like a gunshot, telling the crowd Delta won and bought you for one hundred million. 

You wished you could have talked to Eric for a moment but your cage got pulled behind the stage again. The curtain closed before your eyes, drowning you in darkness again. 

When they opened for a split second and light pooled over your cage, your heart jumped with hope Eric had decided to barge through. Though your hope immediately got crushed when you realised it was Delta, who walked towards you now.

He threw that same collar at you and waited for you to put it on. “Did you hope that loser in pink would buy you?” He sneered as he pulled you out of the cage. “That guy never stood a chance. I told you we would see more of each other. After all, I still have to break you, darling. And until then you’re my little play toy.”

You silently followed him for the sake of the mission, even when everything inside of you screamed at you to run away.

The second you stepped into his car everything became a blur of pain and suffering. Every waking moment you had was filled with Delta ‘playing’ with you.

His interpretation of playing was torture. Some days he chained you against a wall, others he hung you head down for hours. One time he wrapped a plastic bag over your head and gave you a tube to breathe through, before he buried you naked in his garden - cutting off the air supply whenever it pleased him.

The first few days you still had hope nestling inside of you - hope, he would lead you to alpha; hope, the commander or a group of detectives would raid this place and save you. But with each passing hour where nothing happened that hope dwindled like the flame of a candle becoming smaller and smaller as it neared its end.

Delta tried to hurt you as much as possible without killing you, wishing for you to finally scream in agony. He got increasingly frustrated with your lack of reactions, not knowing you had lived through torture once.

He scoffed and shoved your naked body away, watching you stumble backwards until you fell down. Delta stared at you silently before he stood up and flipped the cigarette he had used to burn you into the tiled room and moved to the door. “Alpha told me you were a tough one”, he told you casually, “but I already know how to break you.”

You didn’t even manage to lift your head, simply watching him with your eyes as he walked further away.

“You scream the loudest when I hurt someone else.”

Your heart dropped into your stomach and your eyes widened in panic.

“THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO SEE”, Delta cheered loudly, clapping his hands as he saw the mortified expression on your face. He grabbed his phone and called someone. “Foxtrot, bring the mouse hybrid.”

“No”, you exhaled in a weak attempt to stop him but it was too late already.

Minutes later the door opened again and a woman brought a tiny girl into the room, shoving her inside before she left again without saying a word. 

The mouse hybrid trembled like a leaf in the wind, nervously looking around until her eyes landed on Delta and your bruised form on the ground. 

In an instant Delta shot up and crossed the room with a few steps. He grabbed the mouse hybrid by the throat and lifted her into the air. “The only way you’ll survive is when that abomination over there complies.”

“Let her go”, you croaked out. You tried pushing yourself up but your arms buckled underneath your weight and you dropped back to the ground.

“What was that?” Delta mocked you, knowing full well you wouldn’t be able to speak louder than that since he barely gave you enough liquid to survive.

“Please”, you whispered, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes as you watched the mouse hybrid struggle in his hold, clawing at his grip and silently begging for air. “Please, I’ll do anything. Just let her go.”

Delta huffed in annoyance. “I already took everything you had to offer. Everything except your agonised screams. You know what I want.”

“Please beat me, please. I promise I will scream.” By now you started sobbing. You weakly pulled yourself across the tiled floor, trying to get closer to Delta. When you reached him the mouse hybrid already stopped moving in his hold. You clawed at his pants, begging him to release the girl before it was too late.

With another huff he let go and the mouse hybrid dropped to the floor. She turned to her side and started coughing violently.

Again you tried pushing yourself up, succeeding this time. You gently rubbed the back of the girl, pulling her into a reassuring embrace when she calmed down enough. You cupped her cheeks, whispering to her that you would do everything to protect her.

She smiled at you weakly, nodding and blinking away her tears while you pushed strands of her grey hair out of her face.

Suddenly Delta cupped your hands and snapped her neck. “Her death is on you.”

You saw the light die in her eyes right before she lifelessly dropped to the ground. 

You screamed. 

You cried.

You tried pulling her back into your arms with trembling fingers, screaming even more when she didn’t move or react to anything you did.

Delta just stood in front of you, his expression showing you he just experienced complete and pure bliss. 

“You monster”, you screamed at him, rocking the dead body like a mother would with her child. You sobbed as you caressed her face, silently asking her to forgive you.

You barely acknowledged Delta’s presence and became quieter and quieter. You gave him what he wanted and for nothing, you weren’t able to save that girl.

Delta stepped closer and ripped her body out of your hold, before he kicked you in the stomach - propelling you backwards until you slammed against the wall behind you. 

You couldn’t even recover from the blow. Delta immediately got to you and chained you to the wall. “Don’t even think we’re done here.” With that he stepped back and towards the corpse of the mouse hybrid.

You stared at him with horror, already shaking your head because you didn’t want to believe it. “No”, you breathed out, “you wouldn’t.” You didn’t even hear your own cries and screams as you watched him defile the corpse. You pulled at your restraints, ignoring how the shackles cut into your wrists and drew blood already. 

“You bastard! Monster! Let go of her! I will kill you!”

As your last curse escaped your lips the door got kicked in and several men in colourful masks filed into the room. 

The one with the red mask knocked out Delta and watched him drop to the ground. Another with a golden mask checked the pulse of the mouse hybrid and sadly shook his head. 

Only after the pink mask came into the room and rushed straight towards you, did you recognise it was the same group from the auction. 

Eric unchained you and immediately caught your body as you simply slumped down. “Shit”, he cursed and quickly pulled you against his chest. He grabbed his jacket and wrapped it around you. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”

You inhaled deeply, your eyes fluttering shut as his sweet honey scent engulfed you. “It wasn’t your fault”, you whispered weakly. 

“Let us get out of here.”

You nodded and got on your feet with his help, slowly walking through the room. You stopped when you reached the mouse hybrid and Delta’s unconscious body. You gently tucked on Eric’s shirt. “We need to take them with us.”

The men looked at each other, sharing a silent conversation that you didn’t understand. Only after the one with the red mask sighed and motioned for his comrades to grab these two, did they gather around them.

“Be careful with her”, you asked them before you turned your eyes to Delta. “And just make sure he survives.”

They grinned, some even snickered at your statement. 

You watched how they gently picked up the girl and carried her outside, while two of them each grabbed an arm of Delta and pulled him along, uncaring how he bumped against steps and corners.

You turned to look at Eric. The energy keeping you up slowly died down and you noticed how the edges of your vision darkened. You wanted to warn Eric but all you could manage was a softly whispered ‘sorry’ before you passed out.

When you woke up again you found yourself in a soft bed. You didn’t know how much time passed while you were unconscious but it definitely wasn’t enough since the dull throbbing of pain radiated from each corner of your body.

“You shouldn’t move too much just yet”, the voice of Eric interrupted your thoughts. He walked into the room with a small tray in one of his hands, closing the door quietly behind him. “I’m glad to see you’re awake again.”

“Are you sure? This feels like a dream, seeing you serving me.”

Eric snickered and shook his head. “Good to see nothing has changed either.”

You made a grimace at the thought of what had happened. “On the contrary. Everything has changed”, you mumbled and sat up on the bed, leaning against the headrest. “How long was I out?” You looked around, trying to find a clue of what time or date it was.

Though the room was barely decorated and definitely didn’t have a clock hanging around. Additionally with the drawn curtains you only assumed it was daytime, not knowing for certain.

“A few days”, Eric told you and sat the tray with food on your lap before he sat down on the edge of the bed. “You sustained a lot of wounds, most of them only healed superficially.”

You hummed and nodded in agreement, sensing the throbbing within your body. 

“Q said to give you a few more days and then the pain should be gone.” Eric looked at you, his eyes holding a sadness and pain you couldn’t fathom. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you.”

This time you shook your head, leaning forward despite the pain increasing, and patted his hand softly. “It wasn’t your fault. I had a mission to fulfil.”

Eric winced at your words. “No mission should require for you to live through torture”, he growled and pulled away from you, standing up and marching from one side of the room to the other and back again. “You could have died in the hand of that monster.”

You bit on your lower lip, secretly knowing he was right but you still didn’t want to admit it to yourself. You grabbed the tray and placed it next to you, slowly getting up and walking over to Eric.

He stopped his pacing, his hand shooting forward to stabilise you and hold you. His eyes roamed over your face, while a storm of emotions and questions plagued his features. “How can you be so calm about this?”

You shrugged with your shoulders. “Not my first rodeo.”

Eric closed his eyes, his face twisting in pain. He gently pulled you even closer to him, engulfing you in a tight hug. 

For a moment you didn’t know what to do, but his sweet scent wrapped around you like a warm blanket and you melted into his touch. You hugged him back, having your arms wrapped around his hips and leaning your face against his collarbone.

At that moment the door opened and you saw Chan-hee walk into the room with another guy. “Oh, did the badger finally find his honey?” He teased, snickering with Chan-hee at his joke.

“My honey?” Eric questioned with knitted eyebrows. He looked from his friends to you and back again, before the realisation dawned on him and he desperately tried to hide his blushing.

You stepped away from Eric, surprised to see Chan-hee again.

“Good to see you again, kid.”

You huffed but smiled nonetheless. “What are you even doing here?” You walked over to him and hugged him shortly, thankful he seemed alright.

“Like I told you. TBZ.”

“Technically you only said their name and nothing else”, you countered with a roll of your eyes. “So would anyone be kind enough to enlighten me? The police force has no record about a group called TBZ.”

“I’m not surprised you didn’t get the records about us, Detective Lin”, Eric half teased and half grunted. “As a hybrid you would have been a danger for their mission to eradicate us.”

You frowned at him and then looked at the other two men, hoping to receive an answer to all your questions.

Eric gently grabbed your elbow and guided you back to the bed, motioning for you to sit down and eat while they would explain all they could to you.

“TBZ is a group of hybrids, fighting for the safety of other hybrids. We started this when we noticed the officials and the police barely did anything against the discrimination we received”, Eric told you with a solemn expression.

“We try to stay under the radar of the police but they have connections everywhere”, the man, whose name you didn’t get explained.

“Even in the smuggling ring.”

You turned to Chan-hee, looking at him for a moment as if you wanted to argue with him but scenes of the auction resurfaced in your mind and you decided to keep silent for now.

“We fight to get all hybrids from the smuggling ring before they leave town and transport them to safety. There are hybrid communities all across the globe and more and more hybrids and sometimes even humans joined our cause. Still, there are too many we cannot save.”

All of you looked down at the blanket, possibly remembering the faces of all the victims you had lost.

“Right now our biggest enemy and issue are the police.”

“But why?” You frowned, shaking your head softly. “We have a special unit that’s solely tasked to track down the smuggling ring and prevent more hybrid abductions.”

“And yet there was an increase in abductions”, Eric growled, looking away from you.

“Up until Eric showed up, how successful were you with your unit?” Chan-hee asked you with a raised eyebrow. 

You blinked several times, recalling all the months you had been on that task force. Either the leads were flukes or your unit arrived too late at the scene. You grimaced at the realisation. “Not really good.”

The silence following your words was almost deafening. You knew their trust towards the police or the government couldn’t be restored like that anymore. Not until the last rotten egg was discovered and dealt with.

After you ate the food Eric had brought you, the men left the room again, telling you to rest some more.

You hadn’t even noticed how exhausted you were from this minimal interaction, though you knew most of your energy was used to heal your wounds. 

Even with your hybrid genes it took a few more days before you were able to move around without feeling any sort of pain. Once Eric gave his okay as well, not wanting to put any sort of strain on you, you were allowed to do smaller tasks around the house again.

Though you didn’t really care about the opportunity to work out again. You wanted to do something else entirely.

So when you sat down with all the men, you immediately blurted out your request: “I want to interrogate Delta.”

All of them stared at you like you grew a second head. Before you could even explain yourself they started discussing the topic with each other, saying pros and cons as if you weren’t sitting right next to them.

“Not on your own. One of us has to be with you. For safety reasons.”

You turned to look at Eric, silently asking him if he would accompany you. While you got to know all the other men, you still felt the most comfortable with him.

“I’ll bring you there tomorrow morning”, he promised, ending the discussion at that point.

Though when he accompanied you to your room, Eric was far from convinced. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked and closed the door of the room behind the both of you.

“He knows who the head of the smuggling ring is. I need to find that person.” ‘And make them pay.’ The last part you only thought, unsure whether Eric or the others condoned revenge.

“Then let me do the interrogation. You don’t need to see that scumbag ever again.” Eric walked over to you, pulling you into his embrace from behind. He leaned his chin on your shoulder, gently nosing along your neck and jawline.

You slightly turned to look at his face with straight lips. “Don’t tell me you haven’t tried before.”

Eric chuckled softly and hugged you even tighter. “Fine, we did try and he wouldn’t talk at all.”

Now you turned completely and wrapped your arms around his neck, giving him a soft peck on the cheek. “I know how to break him, please don’t worry about me.”

“You know I can’t help but worry about you, honey.” Eric gently pushed you towards the bed, grinning when both of you fell on the mattress. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

You hummed softly, stroking his hair while he laid on top of you with his head resting on your chest. “What if I have to hurt that man to get the information I want?”

Eric contemplated your question for a moment, before he shrugged with his shoulders. “He had it coming then.”

“And you won’t think differently of me? No matter what I’ll do tomorrow?”

This time Eric pushed himself up to look at you, tilting his head with a frown on his face. “While I think I know what you’re capable of, I feel like I shouldn’t ask what you’re planning to do tomorrow.”

You turned your head away, not wanting to meet his eyes. “I’m not really planning anything”, you mumbled with a small pout on your lips, “it’s just that I learned a lot of ways to extract information the hard way.”

Eric gently grabbed your chin and made you look at him again. His eyes were so soft and you could have sworn his gaze alone turned you into a puddle. “No matter what you’ll be doing tomorrow, I’ll have your back. I’ll still call you honey and still hold you in my arms at night.”

You mouthed your thanks and leaned upwards, pecking his lips before dropping back on the mattress.

“That’s all I get?” Eric asked in mock offense, falling back on top of you. He grinned brightly when you started to laugh and tried pushing him off of you. Playing along, he grabbed your side and turned both of you around, so you straddled him now. 

You raised an eyebrow teasingly, trying hard not to grin. Before you failed, you quickly leaned down and captured his lips in a kiss.

Soon enough one kiss turned into several and the kissing turned into making out. His hands roamed over your sides and yours over his chest. Both of you tucked at the clothes, pulling them off between kissing and throwing them somewhere into the room.

You spent the whole night together, connecting with one another even more intimately.

You had needed a night like that, needed Eric as your life buoy preventing you from drowning in the darkness that surely spread inside of you. 

When the next morning came, you momentarily wished to turn back the time not wanting to leave his arms just yet. Not wanting to become the monster for the sake of getting the information you needed.

Yet, you still got up and Eric silently followed you, sensing your inner turmoil but giving you the space to deal with it the way you wanted to.

He drove you to an abandoned house a few miles outside of the town. Eric guided you inside and into the basement, where Delta sat on the ground - chained to the wall he leaned against.

“What a surprise to see you, darling.”

Eric growled at him, already getting into a stance to attack him. 

You on the other hand kept your expression passive. With a simple hand gesture you calmed Eric down as well. “I need a chair and a desk”, you quietly told him, waiting for him to nod and search for the furniture.

For a few moments you had Delta for yourself, staring at him with a cold distance in your eyes. “You know there are two reasons for someone to use torture”, you told him, your voice void of any emotion, “one is to extract information and the other is simply for joy.”

“Why are you telling me this?” He spat, getting restless and tugging at the chains that held him.

“I mainly want one information from you. But believe me when I tell you I will torture you for my own twisted entertainment and nothing more.”

“You think I’d give you any information without torture?”

You didn’t answer him, hearing how Eric came back with a round wooden table and a folding chair on top of it. He placed the things in the middle of the room and looked at you expectantly.

“Could you put him on the seat while I get a few things?”

This time you didn’t even wait for Eric to answer you, walking out of the basement room and to the old kitchen. You heard how Delta fought and screamed but with his weakened state he had no chance against a hybrid - and definitely not against a honey badger hybrid. Though you paid them no mind, collecting what you deemed helpful in your cause: a few rusty knives, a lighter and matches, old cigarettes, a candle, some towels and a jug of water.

When you got back to the basement, Delta begrudgingly sat on the folding chair. His chained hands rested on the table in front of him, while another chain was wrapped around his torso, ankles and chair.

You placed the items on the surface of the desk in a calm manner, not saying a word as you did.

Eric stepped back to one wall, giving you the room you needed.

After everything was placed down, you sat on the edge of the table and grabbed one of the knives. You twirled it between your fingers a few times and then grabbed one of Delta’s hands. 

“You know, my species is hunted for their plates. Yet they are nothing more than hardened hair. Just like fingernails.” You looked up, passively staring at Delta’s confused expression. “Do you know how they extract those plates?”

When he shook his head no, you slammed the knife right underneath the fingernail of his pinky, twisting it and therefore dislocating the nail until it dropped to the ground.

Delta screamed in pain, trying to pull his hand away from you but your grip with your own claws prevented him from even moving a bit. 

You repeated the action on two more fingers, watching him writhe in pain with an almost bored expression. 

“I can’t believe it was that easy to make you scream”, you taunted him as you let go of his hand.

“I wasn’t that brutal towards you”, Delta exclaimed in anger. 

“No”, you shook your head, “you were worse.” You grabbed the lighter and the cigarettes, lighting one and pressing it down on random spots of his body - no matter whether it was covered with clothes or not. 

After the sixth mark, Delta cried out: “What do you even want to know? You haven’t even told me what information you need from me!”

You hopped onto the table and crossed one leg over the other, tilting your head as you watched the mess in front of you. You still held the cigarette between two fingers, silently contemplating to just continue and ignore his outburst. Yet, you flipped the cigarette away and placed both hands on the table, leaning back on them a little. “And I told you, I’ll only torture you for my own twisted entertainment.”

You grabbed the matches and lit one of them, staring at the dancing flame in front of you. “Did you know that burning human flesh technically smells like any other burnt flesh? The only reason humans find it repulsive is the fact they know it is human flesh.” With that you moved your hand with the burning match to the hem of his shirt.

Delta tried leaning away from you again, but it was too late and the fabric already caught on fire. 

You dropped the match to the concrete floor and calmly grabbed a towel to drench it with water, while more and more of Delta’s shirt started burning. 

He screamed in agony, pleading with you to put out the fire.

You placed the towel over the flames before they reached his shoulder, making him cry out in pain yet again from the rapid change between heat and cold. 

When he had calmed down again, you lit another match. You barely contained the wicked smile on your lips as you watched the dancing flame and the writhing body of Delta. 

This time though you didn’t set him on fire but simply lit the candle on the table. Again, you threw the match to the floor, gently pushing the candle towards Delta. 

“Tell me, who is the person behind the title Alpha.”

Delta trembled on his seat, tears streaming down his face. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him.”

You hummed, staring at the flame of the candle, seeing how more and more wax turned into liquid. “I don’t believe you.”

“NO!” Delta tried freeing himself again. “I’m telling the truth. I’ve never seen him!”

“Yet you said to me Alpha told you I was a feisty one. How can you not know someone when you spoke with them?” You jumped from the table, grabbed the candle with one hand and the hair on his neck with the other, pulling his head back so he was forced to stare at the ceiling.

“It was a phone call. All our interactions were only via phone calls!” 

You looked up at Eric, seeing his face seemingly sculpted out of stone. “Do you have his phone?” While you asked him you tilted your hand with the candle, letting the molten wax drop into Delta’s right eye. You ignored his struggling and cries of pain, waiting for Eric’s answer calmly.

Eric nodded and walked to a shelf on the other side of the room, pulling a phone from it. “We turned it off before we brought him here so we couldn’t get tracked.”

You thanked him softly and turned your attention back to Delta. “Is Alpha’s contact saved on your phone?”

“Yes, yes, yes, it is. Please, please let me go. Please show mercy.” 

You let go of Delta and placed the candle back on the table, instead you grabbed a larger knife. “No.” With that you turned around and slammed it into his throat.

Delta’s eyes widened as he made gurgling sounds and blood started pouring out of the wound and his mouth.

“He hasn’t told you who the head of the organisation is”, Eric stated, a hint of confusion in his voice. 

You looked at him, tears brimming at the corners of your eyes as your lips formed a pathetic version of a smile. “I never needed him to tell me.”

Eric immediately crossed the distance between you two and pulled you into his arms, shushing you and rubbing your back in an attempt to calm you.

You let him hold you until you heard Delta’s last heartbeat. Then you stepped away from Eric and grabbed the phone he had placed on the table. You turned it back on and unlocked it with Delta’s still warm fingerprint. Within seconds you found the contact name Alpha.

With one last shared look with Eric, you pressed the call button and put it on speaker. It rang a few times, before someone picked up.

“Yes?”

“Commander, I secured one of the men belonging to the smuggling ring.”

“Detective Lin? You made it out alive! I’m so glad! Where are you? I will come and get you.”

You motioned for Eric to write down the address, telling the location to the commander, who promised to be there as soon as possible and asked you to stay put.

When the call got cut, you dropped the phone to the ground. You looked at Eric, stepping towards him and cupping his cheek with one hand. You leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “This is going to be ugly. More than what you’ve already seen.”

He leaned his forehead against your, cupping your face with his hands. “I’ll be by your side the whole time.”

You exhaled shakily, a soft smile playing over your lips. “Let us cut off the electricity. The only source of light should be that candle.”

Eric nodded and was about to go, when he stopped and kissed you more passionately this time. “You’re saving a lot of hybrids this way.”

“I know.”

You watched him leave and retreated to a corner of the basement, hiding in the shadow. Eric would join you soon, so you could wait for the commander to arrive.

“I’m ready to become the monster”, you whispered and closed your eyes, knowing there was no going back from the path you had chosen the second you had called the Alpha.

© all rights reserved

Taglist: @xavi-in-kpopland​ 

[t4tails]

post reboot riddler is so funny tbh like he effortlessly takes over gotham at least three times and then takes over central city too for funsies and almost executes the flash. and yet they still have him be the only villain lex luthor didn't give special powers or whatever in yotv because lex apparently thinks he's an incompetent loser on the same level of d-list villainy as king tut. it's like the specter of pre reboot riddler is still there, haunting him

he can never escape his past. he'll always be the guy who was released from custody and asked to leave crime by the police commissioner because he was so lame they didnt want to prosecute him

[choisanstiddies]

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊Requests are OPEN＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾please follow the following format when requesting:

==》》an au, concept or trope

==》》a member {or two 😏}

==》》color choice {optional}

==》》one element you'd like {ex: a lily!} {optional}

✧༺♥༻∞ Working on✧༺♥༻∞

==》》 ateez ot8 supernatural au

‧̍̊˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙Just Finished‧̍̊˙˚˙ᵕ꒳ᵕ˙˚˙

==》》 Gym Trainer au ft San (ateez): Cratolagnia

╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗Moodboards╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗

┗ •◦இ•◦ ┛Park Seonghwa

Asphyxophilia

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.Kim Hongjoong

Creepish Delight

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Jeong Yunho

Mermophile

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.Kang Yeosang

Carriage Ride

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ꕥChoi San

Honeymoon Cratolagnia

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥Song Mingi

Brat summer

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾Jung Wooyoung

Camera Whore

ʕっ• ᴥ • ʔっ Choi Jongho

Pyromaniac

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ Ot8 Series

Nothing Better Than A BoyToy Creepin' in the Dark

/ᐠ - ˕ -マHwang Hyunjin - Skz

Family Jewels

｡𖦹°‧⭑.ᐟBang Chan - Skz

Family Jewels

⋆｡𖦹°‧★Choi Yeonjun - Txt

Le Petit Prince

࣪ ִֶָ☾.Park Jongseong (Jay) - Enha

Call out my name

۵♡۵ Requests

YOTV Moodboard- WooJoong CyberPunk Moodboard - Mingi Dad!Joong & Mom! Reader

[ormymarius]

yotv orm vs this orm… like that isn’t the same man sorry

maybe I’m just an orm stan but I don’t get how some people think orm’s control remained over lernaea with his “pure will” once he broke the amulet

like I just perceived it as orm breaking the amulet and freeing lernaea to make her own decisions, and her decision was to follow orm because he freed her

[tiger-in-the-flightdeck]

25 for Len <3 (Comics Len or show Len, or both!)

25- My least favourite thing Len said or did

Show Len- Can I just say 'died'? Because I was pretty displeased with that. Otherwise, I'd say shooting one of his goons in the face.

Comic Len- The entirety of his Year of the Villain storyline. I don't know what it is with event storylines and fucking up this guy's character so much. It was bad enough in Blackest Night when he feeds Owen to a zombie (That's his little boy for fuck's sake!), but in YotV, he killed Henry while he had that stupid fucking old man beard.

Oh. And now he's a cop, which I also dislike.

[cchapsticck]

WIP Wednesday Monday its my day off

Tagged by @dreamwatch Thank you!

It’s WIP Wednesday, time for a little accountability, sharing your work, and getting a kick in the pants.

Here’s how it works:

In a reblog of this post (so people can find you in the notes) or new thread (w/ rules attached) if you want to play on your own, post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to play!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event or gift fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

That’s it! You can invite others to join in, or just post.

If you’re reading this, you’re invited!

If you see someone posting a WIP Wednesday Game snippet, send them an ask! Make them write.

Filenames:

yotv [MH standalone]

the apocalypse with dick & jane [multimedia something w/ @devilyouwere]

strawman [eddie & wayne]

song about andrew [steddie hypotheticals]

song about andrew snip

Eddie’s hair is shorter, it has to have been shorter, then, he thinks. Above his shoulders. It reminds him of Nancy in a way that’s kind of alarming. He thinks maybe he’s just thinking of Nancy at parties in real life and he tries to push that out to make room for this other thing. He’ll have his feet in the pool (maybe this time nothing awful will happen in his pool, in his backyard, in his house, in his room), shoes and socks kicked off in a pile too close to the edge but his jeans aren’t rolled up so he’s just kind of wet up to his knees. That seems like something he’d do. Impulsive. He’d be smoking. Maybe it's a joint, maybe it's just a cigarette but he imagines after some uncomfortable silence, that kind of silence where you enter a room and everyone present knows it, but no one wants to say it, its antagonistic and graceful kind of all at the same time? Let you make your own entrance discreetly but also they don’t like you enough to say something out loud about your presence? That kind of thing. He feels like he knows a lot about that kind of thing. Politely ignoring things. Maybe it's a midwestern thing, he’s pretty sure everyone he knows does that. Did. Does. Before they had some serious shit to politely ignore, anyway.  Anyway.  Eddie’s smoking and he’s lit up blue from the front by the lights in the pool and it touches the edges of his hair like the moon did at the lake but he’s not seconds from a complete, total, mental breakdown this time. He imagines he’ll get close enough and Eddie will finally look at him. It's really quick, like a passing glance, and maybe he’ll do a little double take and then pretend he didn’t. Your friends don’t carry a lot of cash with them Eddie would say, and he won’t tell him that the people in the house probably aren’t really his friends, even if he thinks about it, he’ll just say something like what, they trying to write you a check? and Eddie will say something like something like that and it’ll sound that way when you can hear someone roll their eyes. 

[sedatedisdead]

Fuk!n P!SED^ cuz eye had th!s song 0n my 0ld hard dr!ve perfect 4 YOTV called VampireHotel*🧛🏻 n tha fuk!n sh!t a!nt rec0ver !t n shxts fukn g0ne-</3💔

[unhonestlymirror]

Dumbas (yotv.) - Tanbark

[thelargefrye]

BECAUSE I'M HIM ... mature one - shot (21+) | PART II

pairing : supe!ateez x supe!villain!f!reader ( ft. supe!villain!sanhwa x supe!villain!f!reader )

genre : dark, mature, heroes and villains, demon slayer x mha inspired, angst

word count : 17k

warnings : language, a lot... a LOT of fight scenes 😮‍💨, death / murder, blood / body gore, suicide, choking, attempted murder, the government wouldn't do that to you - oh yes they would, mass killing (a whole island gets wiped out – not in detail and only mentioned), MAJOR character deaths, cannibalism (kind of), mention human sacrifice, any korean that appears might be inaccurate

smut warnings : unprotected sex, threesome, mxm, noncon voyuerism, double v penetration, slight cum play

listen to the official soundtrack here

note : for topaz's @sanjoongie YOTV collab – had so much fun planning this and writing it, thank you for allowing me to be apart of this collab and i hope you enjoy it! please make sure to check out the other fics for this collab with the masterlist!

also thank you to @anyamaris for letting me word vomit this to you!

with the hero association struggling to take down the villain alliance, they and the government force death row villains to team up with some of the world's greatest heroes in order to hunt down and defeat them. you are one of those villains.

READ PART I HERE

ACT IV: THE DRAGON GOD

new ateez compound – members’ private rooms corridor – night

yunho walked through the corridors of the new compound. his footsteps soft against the polished floor. the air was heavy, thick with the tension of their recent losses and the faint, fragile peace that had come in the aftermath. if he could even call it an aftermath, everything happening all at once made yunho feel like this was just the catalyst for something bigger to come. 

this new compound gave off that same feeling, it was nearly identical to the one they’d lost, yet it felt foreign – a remainder of everything that had been torn away. from him, the team. the memories of their original compound were the only thing that kept him grounded. it was his home after all, and now… he was expected to call this new compound home. it made yunho feel uneasy. 

as he approached the row of private quarters, something stopped him in his tracks. a voice. hushed, soft, and unmistakably familiar. 

you. 

his heart stuttered in his chest as he turned towards your door, which was slightly ajar. light spilled into the hallway, warm and flickering, and yunho could just faintly hear the hum of a conversation – no, it wasn’t a conversation. your voice sounded different, breathy and tinged with something he couldn’t place at first. 

they say curiosity killed the cat, and perhaps it was that, or something deep, the pulled yunho towards your door. he should stop. whatever was happening inside your room wasn’t his business, yet his feet betrayed him. carefully, he leaned closer, peering through the crack in the door. 

the sight he saw made his breath stop and heat travel all over his body.

you bent over the edge of your bed, naked, with san on top of you. his hips creating powerful thrusts as he pounds away into your pussy. yunho can see how san’s cock easily stretches your pussy, filling you up and causing you to let out breathy wines. san’s thick hands dig into the meat of your hips, holding you up as the vigor sounds of skin meeting skin fills the room. 

yunho couldn’t tear his eyes away, from the sight of you and san. san’s balls smacking lewdly against your ass had san tossing his head back slightly, never once stopping his unrelenting pace. 

“s-sannie–” your nails claw at the messy sheets, yunho’s surprised you don’t rip them from the vice grip you have on them. you let out a ramble of words that don’t make any sense and san can only laugh at how fucked out you are. 

“she’s so fucked out, her pussy might as well be talking,” a new voice says, but yunho recognizes the deepness of it. seonghwa appears right next to san, just as naked. one of his graceful, yet lethal hands run down the expanse of san’s back. 

“s–so fuckin’ tight,” san pants out as he bends over to press his chest against back. his thick arms wrap underneath your legs and yunho can hear a wet smack! smack! smack! sound throughout the room, followed by a cry leaving your lips. 

you’re making a mess, juices drooling from your pussy, around san’s cock, and onto the bed and floor. san has completely mounted you at this point and yunho would be surprised if san didn’t break the bed from how hard he was going. one of his hands pressing your face into the mattress as san turned to look at seonghwa. his face just as fucked out as you sounded as he reaches out for the older male. 

“hy–h–hyung~” san calls out, causing seonghwa to laugh as he walks closer. stepping up on the bed, san’s eyes lit up as seonghwa’s cock was at eye-level with him. his mouth dropping open without seonghwa having to say a word. 

“you’re just as fucked out as her,” seonghwa teases, the head of his fat cock tracing the lip of san’s lips. his tongue swirled around seonghwa’s tip, eyes rolling into the back of his head as his cock was shoved into his mouth. san let out a gagged groan of some sorts as seonghwa fucked his throat. yunho was surprised that san never once stop fucking you. 

“s–so good,” seonghwa moaned out, eyes closing and eyebrows drawn together as his head tilted back. seonghwa pulled out of san’s mouth with a sick, wet pop! seonghwa fisted his cock a few times so san’s tongue was covered in his precum. “go ahead, share.” 

san tangled his fingers within your hair, dragging you up like you were nothing. yunho couldn’t see your face, nor what san was doing, but he assumed the blood user was kissing you. the image of the two of you doing a nasty french kiss while swapping spit and precum made his own dick hard. 

yunho felt a wave of heat and coldness wash over his body as his hand trailed down to where his own cock was. an obvious tent growing and he was trying to resist the urge to touch himself, here in the middle of the hallway. his eyes remained glued to how san pulled out of you and manhandled you onto further on the bed. 

seonghwa kneels on the bed as both him and yunho watch san tug you into full nelson. your body on full display, pussy leaking and creamy as san wastes no time in shoving his cock back into you. the two of you moaning and yunho swears he can see the bulge of san’s cock appear underneath your belly button. fuck, that’s hot. yunho feels his dick twitch at the sight of seonghwa running the tip of his cock along your stuffed pussy. the mixture of your and san’s sticky seed and juices easily coating his cock. 

his head teases your clit that’s red and swollen and yunho figures san smacked it earlier. you let out a cry, fat tears running down your cheeks as you try to close your legs. but san’s arms and legs keep your pried open for both his and seonghwa’s pleasure. 

“‘s too much!” you cry, but both males laugh at your words. san pulls out slightly open to immediately thrust back into you. his hold on you, keeping you place, breasts bouncing at impact. san repeats the action a few more times as seonghwa lazily nudges his cock against your clit. 

“you can take both of us, can’t you, doll?” san questions, pulling out slightly as seonghwa began to slowly enter you. 

“please–” you beg, head thrown back, panting and a layer of sweat beginning to cover you. seonghwa reaches between the two of you, the head of his cock slowly nedging itself into your dripping pussy. your glossy juices coating his fingers “p–please, too–too–” 

“if you can take san’s fat cock all at once then you can take mine with it,” seonghwa cuts you off, his hands gripping your thighs, nails digging into your thighs leaving crescent shapes in your skin as he inches his cock further inside of you. 

then, with a rough grunt, seonghwa eventually shoves himself further into you. both his and san’s cocks pressed against each other surrounded by your gummy walls that clench around the both of them. moans leaving both males as san starts thrusting up into you. his cock rubbing against seonghwa’s cock, which makes the older male groan in pleasure. 

“t–two cocks an–and you’re still this tight,” he pants out as he also starts moving his hips, him and san establishing a nice rhythm that is the opposite of when san was just inside you. 

you’re rendered to just a moan, babbling mess as your lovers continue to fuck you. your orgasm building up more and more. the head of their cocks take turns abusing your g-spot and filling you up even more with their hot precum. san’s sturdy hands come to grope your breast, squeezing them, along with pinching and pulling at your nipples causing you to let out a cry. your cry is quickly swallowed by seonghwa’s tongue shoving itself into your mouth. 

“fuck– fuckfuckfuck ‘s good,” san moans as he watches you and seonghwa. his thrusts causing his balls to smack against seonghwa’s as he feels himself grow closer to his own orgasm the more you clench around him as he continues to ram into your melty insides. he can’t deny how good seonghwa’s cock feels up against his, he loves when seonghwa or himself force their cock inside of you while the other one is already taking up so much space. 

stuffing you even more than what you claim to take makes him just want to never stop fucking you. and the thought alone is what makes him finally cum. he lets out a string of cussing as his cock paints your insides white. his seed immediately starts dripping out of you and onto the sheets below you all. san pulls out, even more of his seed dripping out, but seonghwa wastes no time in fucking it back into you. 

san holds you in the position he’s had you in as seonghwa drills into you with the full purpose of both him and you coming next. you cry out seonghwa’s name the harder he fucks you. 

“gonna fill you u–up with s-so-so much. stuff my pretty girl with a–all the cum,” seonghwa murmurs in a fucked daze. with one finally thrust you both are coming. seonghwa stills inside of you as he also paints your insides white. 

seonghwa pulls out, eyes locked on how your pussy overflows with the mixture of his and san’s cum. you let out a whine when seonghwa runs a finger through your creamy folds just as san finally releases you from the position he had you in. you watch seonghwa bring his cum-coated fingers to his lips to lick them clean. san presses a kiss to your shoulder as he moves to sit you both up. 

yunho feels his chest tightened, eyes focused as he watches you three. he knew he should leave, he already stayed and watched more than he should have. enjoyed more than he should have. 

what kind of teammate was he to intrude on such a private moment, but damn did it not turn him on watching the three of you. yunho feels a rush of emotions – guilt and jealousy being the main two that he felt. he took one last look inside your room; you, san, and seonghwa sharing light kisses between each other, before he’s turning on his heels and walking down the corridor. 

once yunho is in the safety of his room, he closes his door and finally lets out the breath he had been holding the entire time. every time he blinks, all he can see is the image of san or seonghwa pounding into you. the noises you made echoing in his mind and his hand absentmindedly finds his crotch. he winces when he feels a wet patch on his pants. fuck. when did he come in his pants? 

he feels heat rush to his face as once again thinks about the three of you. his own cock taking no time in getting hard again. 

his ears burn as he lets out a huff, unzipping his pants and pulling his cock out. his other hand comes up to rest against his face, “you’re better than this,” he mumbles to himself. 

yet he can’t help but touch himself, coming all over his hand at the thought of san, seonghwa, and you. 

jeju island – forest path – day

jeju island was a lot denser than you expected it to be. you’ve heard about how this island usually kept to themselves, isolated themselves from the mainland. so officially, they wouldn’t make it easy to get to their village. a boat dropping the two of you off on the island made the dense and thick forest the first thing you see. the dirt path also winding as you both began walking through the forest. you could still hear the sound of distant waves crashing against the shore fills your ears and mixes with the crunching of leaves under your boots. 

hongjoong told you and wooyoung that jeju island refused to have any relations with the hero association. the only reason you both are here is because the association they sent to the island over two weeks ago has been m.i.a. 

speaking of wooyoung, you’re eyes drifted ahead of you where wooyoung is. shoulders stiff and his expression dark. the tension between the two of you is colder than the island’s breeze.

wooyoung throws a glance over his shoulder, gaze sharper than ever. you know he can’t stand you. still bitter about you, san, and seonghwa joining the team. letting himself even be tricked by wonyoung – a demon. he hated you, that much was obvious. 

you remain calm, despite his hostile gaze, hands tucked into your jacket pockets. wooyoung suddenly stops in his tracks, causing you to halt a few steps behind him. 

“i can’t do this,” he says, voice sharp, back still facing you.

“do what?”

“this!” wooyoung finally turns, gesturing between and around you both. “pretend like everything’s fine, like you’re one of us, like you belong on this team!” 

you remain silent, but your silence only fuels his frustrations. 

“i don’t get you,” he snaps, stepping closer. “you’re not suppose to be helping people – saving lives! you’ve fucking killed people, destroyed lives. and yet, here you are, playing pretend hero because the association told you too. you act like you care about the team; yeosang, mingi – grieving him even. but how do we know you mean it, that you aren’t just pretending!”

even if you won’t admit it outloud, his words cut deep. saying you don’t care about yeosang or even mingi. that your grief wasn’t real. you didn’t say anything back, once again remaining silent. showing him any emotions wouldn’t change anything at this point. 

“say something!” he yells, voice echoing throughout the empty path. “anything!” 

but you still wouldn’t say anything to him. wooyoung’s fist clenched tightly, knuckles surely turning white from the force. and before he could stop himself, he lunged at you. 

your eyes widened but you didn’t fight back as he tackled you to the ground. you hit the dirt with a grunt, wooyoung straddling you as his hands wrapped around your throat. despite the death collar, wooyoung dug his fingers into your skin. attempting to cut off your airways. 

“do you even feel anything?” he growls, grip tightening even more. you could feel both bitter heat and coldness seeping from his hands and into your skin. burning you with both fire and ice. “do you even care about anyone? about mingi? about us?”

your expression remained unchanged, eyes staring up at him with a certain emptiness. your face turning unnatural colors from the lack of oxygen. you weren’t fighting back, wasn’t struggling – you were simply… accepting it. 

the sight truly unsettled wooyoung. his breathing coming through in ragged gasps as he stared down at you. then the realization hit him. you weren’t resisting because you didn’t care. you weren’t resisting because in that moment, you truly didn’t mind if you died. 

a sharp pain suddenly shoots through wooyoung’s head, making him release your throat and clutch at his temples. the throbbing pain seared through him as his vision blurred, static buzzing in his vision and ears. wooyoung felt an overwhelming sense of unease flood through him as disjointed and static images flashed through his mind. 

the figure below him shifted in the static, face unrecognizable as he hovered above them. lips moving but no sound coming out. he stumbled off of you, falling to the ground, clutching his head as he tried to make sense of what just happened. “what the hell…” he mutters, voice barely audible.

you sat up slowly, rubbing your throat but choosing to say nothing. you watched him with an unreadable expression, your gaze calm despite the red and purple marks now blooming above your collar. 

for a long moment, neither of you spoke as wooyoung slowly felt the pain subside. the only sound was the wind rustling through the trees. finally, you stood, brushing dirt off your clothes. you took a step towards wooyoung and extended a hand. 

wooyoung’s eyes looked up to meet your calm ones before they flickered down to your outstretched hand. he hesitated, just staring at your hand. then, with a scoff, he pushed himself to his feet on his own, completely ignoring you. 

you weren’t surprised. you nodded your head before turning and continuing down the path towards the town. “let’s keep moving.”

wooyoung now followed a few steps behind, tension between you two thick and palpable. his mind racing, images he’d seen – your empty eyes – still haunting him. he glanced at your back, his frustrations mingling with a strange, yet unfamiliar feeling he couldn’t quite register.

by the time you two reached the outskirts of the town, the silence between you both was deafening. the air heavy and full of unspoken words, unresolved emotions, and something seemingly darker – a tension you couldn’t deny. 

jeju island – town – day

cobblestone streets making winding paths that led the small town as you wandered through it. the ocean breeze carrying a salty tang that mixed with the earthy scent of wet dirt. you could also smell something more… unnatural. like something had been burnt not too long ago and the scent still lingers in the air of the town. you brushed it, after taking several glances around your walk and not able to find anything to support the smell. weird. 

the townspeople were friendly enough on the surface, but you could tell that your appearance in their town made them uncomfortable. not because you were a villain, or had a blink, metal collar around your throat, but the fact that you were just… an outsider. whenever you asked them about the missing hero they were tight-lipped, saying they didn't know anything. faces turned wary, and voices hushed as they avoided your questions.

“excuse me,” you say softly, approaching an older woman, “i’m looking for information about a hero who was here recently. do you know anything?”

you notice the older woman’s face stiffens at the mention of the word ‘hero’. she shakes her head quickly, “we don’t meddle in the hero business here.”

“why not?” you couldn’t help but be curious on why they separated themselves from the rest of the country. 

the woman looked nervously towards the town’s center, you followed her eyes only to find nothing too out of the ordinary. “this is a place of peace,” she begins, speaking lowly so you could only just barely hear her, “heroes bring chaos. you should leave before the dragon god grows angry.”

the woman mutters something else under breath and inaudible to your ears, turning away and leaving before you could ask her anything else. 

“dragon god?”

after that encounter, any other encounters you would be met with cryptic talks of a “dragon god” but the locals refused to explain what, or who, this dragon god. you also heard mentions of a priestess, but again the townspeople would become tight-lipped and turn away when you try to ask them more. it was honestly starting to piss you off.

you approach a younger man, who offers more details as he gathers firewood. but his details only give you more questions than answers. 

“the dragon god protects us… or punches us when we stray.” 

“and what about the priestess?”

the young man pauses for a moment, glances around nervously before speaking in a hushed tone, “she serves the god. keeps the balance. don’t ask too many questions.” before you could press further, he then hurries off back down the path he came from. 

caw! you look over to see a crow sitting on top of a stack of firewood. tilting your head you make eye contact with the bird who seems to mimic your movements. the crow let out one more loud caw before taking off, heading towards the mountains.

“what are you doing here?” you say to yourself before turning and making your way towards the town inn.

jeju island – town inn – evening 

you’re surprised by how warm and small the inn is, with creaky wooden floors and flickering lanterns lighting the inside of the room you and wooyoung booked. you enter the room to find wooyoung sitting by the window, staring out into the night. 

“you’re late,” he says rather flatly, but you ignore his tone. 

“i was asking questions.”

he lets out something that was a mix between a huff and a laugh. “let me guess – no answers?” you don’t need to look at him to see he’s smirking at you, trying to rile you up. 

“they kept talking about a dragon god,” you tell him as you go to sit down on one of the beds in the room. your weight making the mattress slightly sink. 

wooyoung turned to look at you, eyebrow raised, “a dragon god? that’s original.”

“and a priestess, but no one would tell me more about either of them.” 

wooyoung moves from the window to lean against the wall, crossing his arms, “i found out more than you, apparently.”

it was your turn to raise an eyebrow at him, “oh? enlighten me then.”

“the town’s been dealing with a lot of weird stuff. illness spreading for no reason, crops dying out of season, farm animals losing their minds.” 

“sounds like they think their dragon god is punishing them,” you say quietly. 

“or,” wooyoung says, interrupting your thoughts, “it's a villain. or worse – a demon.” a beat of silence passes between the two of you as you exchange a look thanks to his words. seems like he was thinking the same thing you were. 

“if its a demon, the town wouldn’t even realize it. they’d just… worship it.” 

“exactly,” he agrees, “which means that if we find the villain then…” he hesitates for a moment before continuing, “then we’ll probably find our missing hero.”

“or we’ll find his body,” you finish for him. he grimaces a little before nodding. this mission just got a lot more complicated, you think to yourself.

after the discussion, you find yourself settling into a rather tense room. the tension from earlier in the day with wooyoung is still heavy and thick between you. the flickering of the lanterns is the only warmth in comfort in the otherwise cold room. you sit on the edge of the bed, fingers running along the pages of the book you had brought with you. face impassive, but your eyes clearly hold a storm within. 

wooyoung leans against the wall, arms crossed, his gaze burning into you. the silence between you both is thick, but his patience wearing thin. like he can tell that you aren’t fully invested into the book that sits in your lap. 

“does the guilt get to you at all?” wooyoung says, finally breaking the silence. you don’t bother to look up at him, continuing to – at least – attempt to read your book. “does it bother you? eat you alive?”

“i don’t have to answer you, wooyoung,” you say, turning the page of your book, “i don’t owe you anything.” your tone is calm as you speak. 

wooyoung pushes himself off the wall, voice rising slightly as he speaks, “that’s your problem. you don’t owe anyone anything, do you? not an apology, not an explanation – nothing,” with each sentence he moves closer to you. “you think you can just breeze through all this, leaving chaos in your wake.” 

you stood, dropping your book onto the bed, “and you think yelling at me is going to fix anything? you think your anger gives you some kind of moral high ground? grow up.”

wooyoung’s eyes narrowed, fist clenching at his sides, “my anger gives me more moral high ground than you! at least i haven’t killed people out of my anger! how can anyone like you feel anything? or maybe that’s the point – you don’t.”

you feel your jaw tightened, but you refuse to let his words fully penetrate you, “believe what you want. i don’t have to prove myself to you, i’ve done enough already for you and the others.”

“then why are you still here if you’ve proven yourself?” he demands, voice rising. “why don’t you just go back to prison? why pretend to give a damn about any of this?”

your eyes flash with frustration, “you’re the one who keeps pushing, wooyoung. you hate me so much, yet you’re always the first to pick a fight. what do you want from me?”

“i want you to admit it!” he yells, stepping so close that your faces were mere inches apart. “admit that you don’t care, that you’re just waiting for the moment to stab us all in the back!”

you stared at him, you chest heaving from the restrained emotions. don’t lash out, don’t lash out, don’t lash out. “if that’s what you really think,” you say quietly, quieter than what wooyoung would have expected. “then why haven’t you done something about it?”

wooyoung froze, breathing ragged. for a moment, the room was silent except for the sound of your breaths. then, as if something inside him snapped, he surged forwards, hands gripping your face as his lips crashed into yours. 

the kiss was feral, a mixture and collision of anger, tension, and even need that sent a jolt of heat through your body. your initial shock by his sudden action melted into raw desire as you kissed him back just as fiercely. your hands clutching at his shirt and pulling him closer. 

wooyoung let out a low growl from his throat, lips moving hungrily against yours. his hands sliding down to your waist and pulling you flush against him. the heat of his body seeping through the material of your shirt, warming your own body. he pushed you back until your knees hit the edge of the bed, you fell onto the mattress, dragging him down with you. 

the weight of him against you sent a shiver through your body. his heat and ice powers send waves of heat and ice through you. his lips left yours, trailing along your jaw and down your neck, his teeth grazing your skin before he sucked hard enough to leave a mark. you gasped, nails digging into his shoulders as your hips bucked up against his instinctively. 

“damn it,” he muttered against your skin, voice rough and filled with frustration. “you drive me insane.” 

“good,” you say back, voice breathless and laced with slight defiance against him. 

his hand slipped under your shirt, his fingers both lithe and calloused, veins bulging from his forearms as he brushed them against your bare skin. he traces the curve of your waist, his touch firm yet somewhat teasing as he pushes the fabric of your shirt higher. a familiar heat pools in your stomach, your body almost aching for more as he leans up to kiss you again. his tongue tangling with yours in a battle for dominance. 

your mouths moved against each other, tongues tangling and teeth grazing as you both sought to dominate the other even if for a moment. your hands slid under his shirt, nails raking down the expanse of his back. wooyoung let out a groan that your lips hungrily swallowed as his hips pressed into yours. you let out a soft moan, legs shifting to wrap around his waist, pulling him even closer than what you thought was possible. 

“y/n,” he moans out, voice filled with a mixture of desire and restraint. he pulls back slightly, lips trailing over your jaw as you both try to catch your breath for a moment. his hands lingered on your bare skin, his fingers trailing dangerously close to your bra before settling on drawing lazy circles just below.

the moment was broken by a sharp noise coming from outside. the two of you froze, breathes heavy and mingling together as you strained to listen. the muffle sound of voices and footsteps filtered in through the window. wooyoung seemed reluctant to push himself off of you, but did so chest heaving. 

“someone’s out there,” he says, voice still thick with the remnants of your heated exchange. you sat up, face feeling flushed and lips swollen. 

you shake your head in an attempt to clear it as you stand up from the bed, “we should check it out then.”

wooyoung nods, jaw tight as he watches you make your way over to the window. eyes lingering on you for a little longer than he probably should have. he snaps out of it after a moment and comes to join you over by the window. 

outside, you see a group of townspeople moving down the street, their lanterns casting an eerie glow. at the center of the group was a young woman dressed in head to toe ceremonial attire, her expression solemn. 

“that must be the priestess,” wooyoung says quietly, almost calmer than it was moments ago. you watch with narrowed eyes, mind racing in an attempt to try and piece all of this together. what in the world could they be doing this late at night with the priestess. why did they all look so solemn and… mournful even.

“this doesn’t feel right.”

“no kidding,” wooyoung says before the two of you are exchanging a glance. then without another word, you two slip out of the inn and into the shadows, following the line of townspeople.  

jeju island – mountain base – night

you managed to follow the townspeople from a distance, careful to stay hidden in the shadows. eventually, the people reached the base of the large mountain, where a cave entrance stood. the entrance was set up like some type of shrine or altar. the villagers then begin chanting, preparing the young woman for what you can only assume to be a sacrifice. 

an unease chill runs down your spine as you watch, “we have to stop this,” you hastily whisper to wooyoung, moving to try and stop them, but he stops you by grabbing your arm. 

“not yet,” he replies quietly. 

“they’re going to kill her– or– or sacrifice her, wooyoung.”

“and we don’t even know what we’re up against yet,” he says harshly. “we need to draw back and come up with a plan. haven’t you said before not to act on anger or emotions?”

you bite your lip, reluctantly going along with his words, fist clenched as the two of you made your way back to the end. once back at the inn, you find yourself sitting on the bed, book in your lap. 

“tomorrow,” you say, turning to look at wooyoung, “we’re going to kill their dragon god.”

“tomorrow.” 

jeju island – town inn – dawn

the glow of dawn seeps through the curtains, lighting up the room in warm tones. you sit on the edge of the bed, tying your boots together. your fingers move like they are on autopilot, your mind going through what feels like ten-million other things all at once. across the room, wooyoung is once again leaning against the doorframe. his gaze heavy as he watches you, clearly conflicted. 

for a long moment, the only sounds in the room are the faint rustle of fabric and the occasional creak of the floorboards as the building settles. 

“so you’re just going to pretend like nothing happened?” he asks, voice almost uncharacteristically soft. 

you freeze for a brief second, fingers halting mid-motion. you swallow hard, tongue wetting your lips before you continue as though he hadn’t said anything. 

he moves forward, voice a little louder, “y/n.”

you finish typing your boots, standing up from the bed to dust some invisible dust off, but you refuse to look at him. “we’ll talk about it later.”

wooyoung lets out a dry laugh, clearly not buying what you said, “later? and when is that? after we deal with this so-called dragon god or maybe if one of us dies then we won’t have to talk about it at all,” his tone is sharp, sharper than what he intended and he notices when you stiffen slightly. 

“we have a mission, wooyoung. personal issues afterwards,” you say still not looking at him. 

wooyoung frowns, stepping closer, “did it not mean anything?” 

you finally turn to him, your eyes meeting his, and for a moment he falters. there’s something almost raw in your gaze, like for the first time since joining the team he’s showing you a clear vulnerability. it only lasts for a split second though before you are trying to cover it. 

“it’s not that it didn’t mean anything. we can’t afford to lose focus right now. not when the townspeople here are in danger.”

“y/n…” 

you look away, jaw tightening as you feel a jumble of words caught in your throat. you feel like you have so many things you want to say to wooyoung, but you can’t find it in yourself to say them. the feeling of his body pressed against yours had lingered in your mind longer than you would have liked to admit. 

you finally let out a sigh, shaking your head as you spoke, “don’t make this harder than it already is.”

your words hang in the air for a moment, cutting through the room like a knife. wooyoung steps back slightly, hand running through his hair as he exhales deeply. before he could say anything; however, you speak up once more. 

“back on the train… mingi promised we would go eat some good food. after we kill this demon…” you pause for a second, wondering if you should continue. “let’s go get something good to eat. and then– and then we can talk like you want.”

the vulnerability in your voice catches wooyoung off guard for a moment, making him pause. his earlier frustrations slowly fade away as he looks at you. its weird, he thinks, in this moment you don’t look like the monstrous villain the hero association has made you out to be, but instead… just a young woman. 

it makes his stomach churn as this mind tells him that maybe this is just a trap, that you are so monstrous that you are faking everything. your true emotions hidden underneath a facade. 

“whatever,” he says with a huff and you turn to him with narrowed eyes, ready to say something, but he cuts you off, “i get to pick though – don’t trust you to know what good food is.” 

he makes his way back over to the door and his words catch you a little off guard. you nod your head and follow after wooyoung who waits at the door. he gets close to you, face inches away from yours. heated eyes looking into yours, “don’t think that one of us dying will stop this conversation, you hear?”

you nod your head once more, before the two of you are stepping out of the room and inn altogether. the situation of last night will remain unresolved for the moment. after all, you had a dragon god to kill.

jeju island – mountain base – morning

the path leading you to the mountain reminds you of the path you took that led you to town. dense with trees, but the air was… colder and heavy fog surrounded the area that you didn’t quite notice last night. you and wooyoung eventually stand at the base, staring at the dark opening of the cave at the base of the mountain. 

“this is definitely the kind of place you’d find something messed up in,” wooyoung mutters, referring to the shrine that stood in front of the cave’s opening. you remember seeing the priestess walking up to it last night. 

“sure is creepy,” you say, looking as an eerie chill running down your spine. 

wooyoung can’t help the smirk that paints his lips at your response. without another word, the two of you move forward, stepping into the shadowy mouth of the cave’s entrance.

the echoing of your footsteps inside the cave gave the place almost a haunting feel. wooyoung’s fire sweeps across the area, illuminating the strange markings on the stone walls – scratches and streaks blood. you both round a corner, flickers of fire catching a horrific sight – a pile of corpse, young women all torn apart and half eating, missing limbs as they drap lifelessly over the rocks. their faces frozen in terror, everything about them was unnatural. 

“oh my god,” you gasped out, stepping back. you press a hand over your mouth, eyes wide. wooyoung grabs your arm gently but firmly, pulling you away from the grotesque scene. this is what was happening to their priestesses? did the townspeople knowingly sacrifice the young women knowing their fate?

“don’t look, just keep moving,” wooyoung says, grip firm. you feel your chest rising and falling rapidly, but you nod and allow him to guide you away from the scene. you both press on deeper into the cave. the haunting chill in the air grows heavier with every step.

jeju island – cave chamber – morning

eventually, you and wooyoung enter a part of the cave that opens up into a vast, dimly lit chamber. at the center of the chamber was a woman who perched lazily atop a group of jagged rocks. from a first glance she appears just as human as you and wooyoung; however, the black smoke that coils around her from her mouth says otherwise. her aura is something that is both dangerous and alluring. 

she opens her eyes and tilts her head to lazily look over at you both who remain rooted in place at the chamber entrance. her eyes are a cloudy white color and you can just faintly read the 상위네 – upper four – in her eyes, like the words were faded and no longer held any meaning. 

she looks at the two of you with an amused face, “well~ what do we~ have here?” her words are droopy and slurred almost, dragging some of the syllables out. she blows a ring of smoke out of her mouth and you watch it change colors before turning to black.  

“she has to be it,” wooyoung says quietly to you, but you refuse to look away from the humanoid looking woman. the woman stretches gracefully like a predator sizing her prey up. 

“i wasn’t expecting guests~ especially~ not from the hero association. you’re far from home, aren’t you?” she speaks like she’s talking to two friends and not her enemy. 

“are you the one they call the dragon god?” you ask steadily, taking a step forward. 

the woman tapes a clawed finger to her chin as if thinking, “dragon god~ is that what they call me? humans are so interesting~ no, the name i was given is soojin,” she then descends from her perch with unnatural fluidity, circling closer to the two of you slowly. “i suppose i can’t blame them~ after all, i do keep them rather… entertained~ sacrifices, prayers, reverence… it’s all very flattering,” she added, voice soft yet dripping in mockery. 

“and the dead woman? was that your idea of some sick entertainment too?” wooyoung asks snapping at soojin. 

she stops, tilting her head before letting out a dry laugh, “oh them~ a necessary inconvenience, i say, power requires fuel, after all~” 

“you’re killing them to sustain yourself,” you say, voice trembling with disgust. 

“of course~” she replies back with a smirk, “isn’t that what survival is? you take, consume, and live.”

“what about the hero? the one who went missing her?” wooyoung asks, that’s right the missing hero was the whole reason you came to this damn island to begin with. 

soojin tapes her chin thoughtfully, “oh, right. him.” she grins, her sharp canine teeth glinting in the dim light. “got a little too nosy for his own good~ the townspeople didn’t like that much, so they dealt with him in their… own way. i could still smell his flesh burning whenever i close my eyes.” 

she spoke so casually it was like a slap in the face, especially to wooyoung whose fists clench at her words. his body trembling with just barely contained fury. soojin’s gaze flickers to wooyoung, smiling slyly, “you’re angry. i can feel it, go ahead, hero boy. give in to it.”

her words are like a spark, igniting his fire. with a growl, wooyoung lunges forward, his fist ablaze as he aims to strike her. 

“wooyoung, wait––

suddenly, soojin stops wooyoung’s fist as if it wasn’t on fire and in turn burning her own hand. both you and wooyoung are in shock, but don't have time to think about it as she grabs wooyoung and flings him across the room like he weighed nothing. wooyoung lands beside you, dusting himself off as he stands. 

her eyes locked onto the two of you, a sharp, predatory smile gleams with a mixture of amusement and malice. “did you think you’d come here and leave unscathed? let me show you why the villagers worship me.”

the air in the chamber thickens, charged with an almost suffocating, oppressive energy. she raises her hands, her claw-like fingers curling unnaturally. her eyes glow – the cloudy white color sends a chill down your spine as you watch the glow slowly begin to burn. black veins crawl across her skin, her body pulsating even more with power. 

the sound of cracking bones echoes through the chamber as her spine arches unnaturally, her body twisting and elongating. a sickening rip accompanies her shoulders expanding outward, massive, jagged wings covered in scales sprout from her shoulder blades. the scales are so light that they seem to absorb what little light there is in the cavern. 

she continues to transform, skin splitting open and instead of revealing flesh, reveals armored scales beneath. horns spiral from her temples, curling upward and her face takes on more dragon-like features. 

the transformation reminds you of when seonghwa turns into his wendigo-form. terrifying and something out of nightmares. 

suddenly, her neck splits with a grotesque tearing sound, forming a second head, then a third. it continued and continued until she was a massive dragon, towering over you and wooyoung with seven vicious heads snapping with power and looking down at you both. her tails lashes violently against the walls of the cavern, shattering several jagged rocks with ease. her wings unfurl and span the width of the cavern, their movements creating powerful gusts of wind.

soojin lets out a roar, her voice amplified as all seven heads speak at once, “kneel before your god!”

the two of you stand frozen for a moment, the monstrous sight before you far worse than what you originally thought. the cavern shakes once more due to her presence alone. debris crashing to the ground as her claws dig into the stone. 

“we’re so screwed,” wooyoung mutters breathlessly and under his breath. 

soojin lashes out with her multiple heads, each one targeting a different area. you and wooyoung are just barely dodging the attacks that come at you one right after the other. 

“wooyoung, we need to take out the heads one by one!” you shout, summoning your sword and easily having one manifest next to wooyoung who tears it out of the ground. 

“great idea,” he says sarcastically, and you stop the roll of your eyes, “which one first, genius?”

before you can respond, one of the heads fire a blinding beam, forcing you to cover your eyes. another head follows with a powerful gust, slamming the both of you into the cavern wall. 

you struggle to your feet, “damnit, we don’t have time for this. why did it have to be seven!? hey, follow my lead.”

you raise your hand, energy flaring as roots and vines erupt from the ground and snake around one of the heads that spits purple smoke. at the same time, wooyoung hurls a torrent of fire at the head that breathes ice, easily melting and stopping its attack. 

“wooyoung! your fire!” you shout through gritted teeth. 

wooyoung nods before channeling a massive flame and you manipulate the roots, turning them into blazing whips that lash at the poison head, severing it with a deafening roar. black blood spills onto the ground, sizzling against the stone. 

“you’ll pay for that!” soojin roars. one head surges forward, lightning and electricity sparking from its mouth which hits wooyoung square in the chest. he collapses to the ground, clutching his chest as smoke rises off his body. 

“wooyoung!” you shout, panic overtaking you and you rush over to him, deflecting another bolt with your sword. 

“i’m fine. i’m fine, just… keep going,” he says grimacing as he attempts to stand. 

another head lunges for them, but you raise your hand, bending the shadows that roll off that head to instead hold it back. 

that’s when you notice the head you severed regenerates. a new head sprouting from the stump and you watch in disbelief as it shakes around, knocking into the two on either side of the regrown head. the other two heads hiss at the newly grown one before turning their attention back to you and wooyoung. 

“are you fucking kidding me?” you pant out. 

“looks like our job just got a little harder,” wooyoung says from next to you. the two of you continue to press on, targeting the heads. wooyoung using his fire and ice powers in rapid succession while you counter and slash at the elemental attacks. 

the chamber is in complete chaos as the battle rages on. the rocky debris rains down, the air thick with smoke and the stench of sulfur that comes from soojin’s fiery breath. you and wooyoung are beginning to feel the effects of the battle weighing down on you both. your uniforms are torn and blood seeping from your wounds leaves the both of you panting and even struggling to stay on your feet.

soojin looms above you, her seven heads rearing back in unison. each head pulses with its own power. her laughter, layered and distorted, echoes through the cavern. 

“is this all the hero association has to offer? you’re weak, pitiful. just like the ones who came before you,” she mocks, voice filled with venom. you grip your sword tightly, knuckles white and your body trembles, not from fear but from exhaustion. you feel your energy pulse through you as you begin to channel what energy you have left. 

“we need to hit her together… y/n?” wooyoung begins to say weakly before glancing over to you. 

but you don’t respond, gaze locked on soojin. your eyes narrowing with unrelenting focus. the air around the cavern begins to shift, distorting like heatwaves. suddenly, the ground beneath you all cracks as a pulse of energy surges outward. your sword begins to flow, vines and roots snaking up from everywhere and even around your blade – as if coming to life. you start to feel weightless, hair lifting slightly like it was caught in an unseen breeze. your eyes glowing faintly with an otherworldly light. 

“what… is this?” soojin snarls, noticing the shift in energy. 

you lift your sword and the cavern seems to respond. jagged stones on the floor rumble, cracks spider webbing outwards. roots erupt from the ground weaving together in haunting patterns, twisting and coiling like serpents, growing rapidly and snurging towards soojin’s monstrous form. 

wooyoung can only watch you as the realization hits him slowly, “she’s… bending reality.”  

soojin’s heads lash out, each one attacking with its unique element. lightning strikes towards you, but a wall of twisting roots rises and absorbs the impact. fire rains down, but vines erupt from the ground and smother the flames. one of the heads lunges for you, only to be impaled by a massive jagged root that bursts upward like a spear. 

you take deliberate steps forward, glowing eyes fixed on soojin. the dragon thrashing against the relentless assault of roots and vines, but they continue to grow, binding her limbs and even snapping her heads back. immobilizing them and her body all together. 

“no more,” you speak, voice otherworldly and with a sudden roar, you thrust your sword into the ground. the entire cavern trembles violently as an enormous tree begins to grow. its trunk spirals upward, thick branches erupting outward and becoming one with soojin’s massive body, legs and wings included. 

the tree branches impale several of soojin’s heads, red energy surging through your body. the demon screams, her monstrous form convulsing, but the roots tighten their grip and drags her body down. 

“what are you–– no! this can’t––

with one final surge of energy, you raise your sword high before slashing downward in one fluid motion. a massive surge of energy courses through the tree and the roots, and ends with a blinding burst of light. 

when the light fades, soojin’s massive dragon form is no longer a threat. in her place is a massive wooden statue, the shape of a seven-headed dragon captured in a grotesque, writhing pose. the statute shines with an unnatural yet intricate patterns – as if the tree itself had absorbed soojin’s essence. 

you collapse to your knees, body trembling from the sheer full force use of power that you haven’t done in a while. the glow in your eyes fades, leaving you looking drained. 

as your vision begins to blur, you feel strong arms catch you before you can fully hit the ground. “y/n… hey, stay with me,” wooyoung says softly. 

you try to speak, but your body refuses to respond. all you can hear is wooyoung’s voice, filled with an uncharacteristic concern as he holds you closely. 

“you scared the hell out of me, you know that?” he whispers, voice shaking slightly. you can only manage out a faint hum as your consciousness fades, but not before you feel the faint warmth of wooyoung’s hand brushing against your face. you hear his voice before you officially pass out, “i’ve got you. good job.”

██████ – inn – morning 

the room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the morning light shining in through the curtains. you stir, body feeling heavy, every muscle aching as if you had been thrown against a wall repeatedly. which wasn’t far from the truth honestly. your eyelids fluttered open, and for a moment you wondered where you were. 

as the haze cleared, the events from the mountain and jeju island flooded back. soojin. dragon god. the battle. and wooyoung…

you attempt to sit up, a sharp pain shooting through your body – your ribs – and you let out a quiet groan. your hand brushes against the coarse sheets of the unfamiliar bed as you glance around. the room was small and sparse with a singular chair pushed against the wall and a small table covered in what looked like rather hastily gathered medical supplies. 

the door creaked open, and wooyoung stepped inside, his presence filling the room in an instant. he froze when he saw you awake, eyes widening slightly before his lips curled into a familiar smirk. 

“well, look who finally decided to stop being a lazy ass,” he says, voice light in a teasing tone. 

“you try fighting… a seven-headed dragon and see how you feel after,” you says hoarse, voice still showing your exhaustion. 

wooyoung’s smirk softened as he shut the door behind him, “fair enough. you’ve been out for three days, had me thinking your were just starting to milk it at this point.”

“yeah, because i love waking up feeling like i got hit by a truck,” you say dryly. wooyoung chuckled, stepping closer and there was something in his expression, though – something softer than usual. he set a glass of water on the table next to your bed, movements slower and more deliberate than what they usually are. 

“where are we?” 

“mainland, some small town with a port. the jeju townspeople weren’t exactly thrilled to see us coming back from the mountain.”

“why not?” you ask frowning. 

wooyoung hesitated, his jaw tightening, “your… power caused a bit of a scene. let’s just say they thought we pissed off their dragon god.”

“of course they do,” you say with a groan, rubbing your hands over your face.

wooyoung chuckled again, voice low and rough, and the sound sent a ripple of something through you. he sat down on the edge of the bed, his weight causing a dip in the mattress. his closeness made the air feel heavier. 

for a moment, neither of you spoke. wooyoung was close enough that you could see a faint bruise on his neck and dried blood on his knuckles. you swallowed hard, the memory of you both fighting together flashing through your mind. 

“can we…” he pauses, voice soft, “talk now?”

“yeah, i guess we should,” you sigh, shifting slightly to face him. 

wooyoung’s gaze dropped to his hands, his fingers fidgeting as if suddenly nervous to speak, “back at the inn… when i kissed you…” he trails off.

you raise an eyebrow at him, lips twitching into a faint smirk despite the bubbling tension that is slowly beginning to resurface. “what, you think it was a ghost or something that made you kiss me?”

wooyoung’s head shot up, startled and for a second you saw the faintest hint of vulnerability in his eyes. then, he laughed – a short breath sound as he shook his head. 

“i’m serious, y/n,” yet there’s a grin on his face. 

“so am i, people do things in the moment. maybe it wasn’t that deep.”

his brows furrowed as he looked at you, voice dropping to an almost whisper, “it felt deeper. like… like something i couldn’t control.” 

you felt your chest tightened, the weight of his words sinking in. you studied him, your teasing energy completely gone now. 

“why are you telling me this? i thought you hated me?” you ask quietly.

wooyoung’s eyes meet yours, the intensity in them making your stomach flip, “because i can’t stop thinking about it. about you, you really do drive me crazy.”

the air between you both thickened, the tension that had been building up between the two of you now fully at the surface. wooyoung leaned in slightly, his hand brushing against yours where it rested on the bed. the touch sent a jolt through you, but you didn’t pull away. 

“wooyoung…” you say breathlessly.

“tell me to stop, and i will,” he says softly, but you don’t. instead, you close the distance between the two of you, lips crashing into his in a way that stole your breath away. wooyoung responded instantly, his hands cupping the back of your head as he pulled you closer. the kiss felt intense as a series of emotions spilled out from the both of you at once. 

wooyoung’s free hand slides down to your waist, his fingers gripping you as if you would disappear at any moment. your hands fisted his shirt, pulling him closer, basically needing him closer.

when you finally broke apart, gasping for air, wooyoung rested his forehead against your. breathes mingling in the, for the first time, comfortable silence. 

“so… about that food you promised me?” you asked breathless, faint smirk painting your lips. 

wooyoung let out a soft laugh, as you separate a little bit, “later. definitely later.” 

“at least the jeju people are safe now,” you say, leaning back against the headboard, looking at wooyoung. you notice how the hero has a sudden grime look on his face. “wooyoung… what’s wrong?” 

he doesn’t say anything for a moment and it has to be the longest moment of silence as you wait for him to speak up. a hand runs through his hair as he lets out a stuttered sigh, “about that…”

“wooyoung?” 

“the hero association sent out an order two days ago,” he begins to explain, standing up from the edge of the bed. “i think… it's better for you to come see it for yourself.” he says, holding a hand out for you to take. 

you look between his hand and his eyes, which avoid yours like the plague, and back down to his hand before taking it. 

██████ – dock – morning 

“what the fuck,” you say, voice trembling as you look out at the sea before you. wooyoung stands next to you also looking straight ahead. “wh– what, what did the association do?”

in the distance where jeju island use to be instead housed a large crater in the center of the sea. jeju island was completely gone, no trace of the island left. 

“they made the order to wipe the island out,” he says grimly, “in order to… stop any of the evil from the island to escape. they said the whole island was a liability and we couldn’t take the chance.”

“and you just let them do it!” you turn, rage boiling over as you look at wooyoung with a heated glare. “we stopped the evil that was on the island! those townspeople weren’t the evil, wooyoung! that fucking demon was!” 

the ground beneath the both of you and the dock shook with your anger. the people on the dock screamed and ran for safety away from the water. wooyoung looked to see a large wall of water building up in the distance, panic set in as he looked back at you. 

“y/n! stop it, i understand you’re upset but please!” he says, grabbing your hand, eyes shaking in fear at the large wave coming towards the dock. it would surely wipe the dock – if not the town – out in one swoop. 

suddenly, a pain shoots through wooyoung’s head, “not… now,” he hisses out as his vision is clouded with static. wooyoung then falls to his knees, his nails digging into your hand as images of a faceless figure – covered in blood, stood in front of him. 

“...young! woo… wooyoung! wooyoung, hey, are you alright?” your voice breaks through the static as it begins to fade away. wooyoung lets out a sharp gasp, eyes wide as he meets your concerned ones. in a panic he looks around the two of you to see…

everything is calm around you both. no one running and screaming and no large wall of water rushing towards the docks. he must have imagined it, he thinks as he looks to meet your eyes. 

“you okay? scared me there for a second,” you say standing up, wooyoung didn’t even realize he was still clutching onto your hand as tightly as he was. 

“sorry,” he says, shaking his head. he tries to stand but notices you holding your hand out for him. wooyoung hesitates for a moment before taking it and letting you help him up. “we should head back, an agent should be meeting us here soon.” 

“okay,” you say, softly, following next to wooyoung. the hero looks behind him one last time, the large water crater being a haunting reminder of your mission together.

ACT V: SUNRISE COUNTDOWN

██████ compound – outside area – night 

the forest around you was eerily still, the crunch of boots on gravel and the occasional crackle of the a comm unit the only sounds breaking said silence. you and the other seven members of ateez had fanned out, moving carefully through the dense brush towards the perimeter of a hero compound that had become radio silent about a week or two ago. 

“i bet i can make it to the compound first,” you hear san’s voice through the comm, and you knew he had a smirk on his face. 

“in your dreams. i’m already halfway there,” wooyoung snickers. 

“focus,” jongho says, he tries but fails to hide his amusement. 

“enough,” hongjoong’s commanding tone comes through next, “we’re not here to play games. stay vigilant.” 

“relax, captain,” you say teasingly. “i’ll beat them all there and scope it out for you.” 

“y/n, don’t rush in alone—

your comm went silent as you crossed the final stretch to the compound’s perimeter. quirking an eyebrow, you stepped through the broken gate and into the seemingly abandoned facility. 

“victory is mine,” you say smugly over the comms. you hear the other’s voices crackled in protest, but then hongjoong’s voice cuts through. 

“y/n, be careful. something’s off,” he says sternly. you can’t help but roll your eyes, brushing his concerns aside. 

“relax, i’ve got this,” you say casually. you enter the compound, and can immediately feel the atmosphere shift. the air was thick, oppressive, and carried a faint metallic tang that sent a chill down your spine and churn to your stomach. you knew that smell a little too well. the hallways were bathed in a dull, pulsing red glow of the emergency lights. casting ominous shadows that moved and danced with every step you took. 

quietly, you spoke into your comms, feeling as if you weren’t alone, “something happened here.” your voice crackled through the comm, but before anyone could respond, the connection distorted and faded. 

“y/n–– what’s—- on?” san’s voice is faint, cutting in and out. 

“y/n, get — there. — for backup,” hongjoong’s voice is next, coming in just as distorted and urgent. 

their voices dissolved into static. alone in the red, dim corridors, you pressed on. the destruction became more evident with each step: walls scarred by scorch marks, debris littering the floor, and even deep gouges in the metal that you knew were the results from a violent fight. 

you’re starting to think the heroes at the compound didn’t make it out of this fight alive. 

when you finally reached the commons room, you couldn’t help but freeze, breath hitching. the sight before you was nothing short of a nightmare. 

a woman sat on the couch, her posture relaxed, a faint, chilling smile on her lips. you couldn’t deny how extremely beautiful she was. almost inhumanly so. what was around was not as beautiful though, the heroes who once inhabited the compound lay sprawled on the floor, their bodies mauled and lifeless. blood pool beneath them, limbs separated from their original bodies and scattered about. the metallic scent now suffocating at the source. 

“ah~ you must be y/n,” the woman asks smoothly. you feel your throat going dry, heart pounding in your ears. 

“who… who are you?” you asked. 

the woman rises gracefully, when she speaks, you can tell she is mocking you, “i’ve been dying to meet you. nicha yontararak. at your service.” 

that name… you feel a chill go down your spine. “you’re the leader of the villain alliance,” you say firmly, trying to mask your previous shock, “why are you here?” 

nicha stepped closer, her movements deliberate, almost predatory. “why~ to offer you a place among us, of course.”

“i thought you wanted me dead,” you say, sending a glare her way.

nicha laughed, the sound cold and detached, like she never learned how to properly laugh. “oh, i did. but then i realized… killing you would be such a waste. you’re powerful, y/n. more powerful than you even realize. more powerful than those weak heroes you have been forced to work for. let me help you unlock that potential. join me, i can turn you into a demon. imagine the strength you could wield.” 

you could only stare at her, mind racing before you decided to speak, “i’d rather die than become a demon.”

you watched the smile fade from her lips, expression hardening as she spoke. “what a shame.”

without warning, the air around them rippled with intense energy. nicha raised a hand, and a deafening explosion ripped through the compound. fire and debris consuming everything around you and for a moment it all felt like it was going in slow motion. 

until it suddenly wasn’t.

the rest of the team were closing in around the compound when the explosion shook the ground beneath them. shockwaves of energy and debris on fire flew around them, catching the trees around the compound on fire. 

“y/n!” san shouted, eyes wide as he felt his heart begin to pound in his chest. legs carrying him and the rest of the team faster towards the blown up compound. debris raining down as fire roared into the sky. 

yeosang was the first to reach the heart of the wreckage. his eyes scanning the devastation before landing on two grotesque figures amidst the rubble. 

“no…” he says horrified, “no! no! no!” he screams as he sees you lay motionless, body burned and disfigured from the explosion. yeosang felt bile build up in his throat as he slowly begins to register that you’re dead. 

beside you, nicha’s body was regenerating, the grotesque and gory process of bones reconstructing with muscle wrapping around it, and flesh and skin slowly knitting it together in an unnatural display of power. 

san appears next to yeosang, when he appeared yeosang wasn’t sure, but the hero could easily feel the rage rolling off of san in waves. 

“YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS!” he roars, charging towards nicha, blood particles wrapping around his fist, but before he could land a blow, the villain leader snapped her fingers. 

hanok doors appeared beneath their feet, the doors sliding open and engulf each of the members of team ateez into the infinity castle. 

“i’d like to see you try!” she said laughing. her laugh echoing throughout the area and even deeper into the infinity castle as it swallows the team whole and sucks them deeper and deeper into the endless dimension. 

infinity castle – all members

the team was descending through the endless void of the castle. their bodies suspended in an endless descent. around them, walls of the castle stretched and twisted, a labyrinth of shift platforms, endless staircases, and hanok doors that lead to both nowhere and anywhere at once. the air shimmers around them with an unnatural, oppressive energy that seemingly pressed against their chests and dulled their senses. 

from the holes in the walls, demons and villains alike peered out, their faces illuminated by the faint, mockingly warm glow from the castle. some of the demons had glowing eyes that followed the falling heroes and villains with predatory curiosity, while the villains whispered to one another, voices echoing eerily. 

“what is this place?” yeosang whispers to himself as he can’t even begin to take in everything around him. 

“nicha! face us!” san yells, his voice angry and bouncing off the labyrinth walls of the castle. eventually, being swallowed by the ever-shifting platforms. 

as yunho fell past a platform, his eyes meet with a familiar figure, breath suddenly caught in his throat. from one of the millions of platforms, yeonjun stood watching, his eyes burning. their gazes locked for a brief moment, enough for yeonjun’s lips to curve into a cruel smile before yunho could no longer see him. 

“yeonjun…” he whispers, remembering the name you told him and the file that the association had on yeonjun before he joined the villain alliance. before yunho could even dwell on it further, the falling abruptly ended. 

the team separated within the castle’s labyrinth as they landed on different platforms. the ground solid but unnervingly warm beneath their feet. some of the platforms floated in the air, connected by narrow bridges or staircases that seemed to shift and move on their own accord. no group could see or hear the others, the vast emptiness of the castle stretching endlessly. 

infinity castle – yeosang and jongho

the air was heavy and stagnant as yeosang and jongho stood back to back. the infinity castle’s unnatural energy sending a faint hum through the otherwise silent area. 

“what even is this place?” yeosang asks, looking around.

jongho didn’t answer immediately, his eyes scanning the area. they soon began walking cautiously across one of the only few usable bridges. yeosang pointed ahead of the two of them, jongho following the older’s finger and gaze. 

“look, a crow,” yeosang says quietly. the black crow perched on a railing ahead, beady eyes fixed on them. watching them. “how does a bird end up here?” 

“probably a spy. let’s be careful around it,” jongho says and yeosang nods, not fully able to take his eyes off the animal. 

the bird then let out a loud caw, flapping its wings before disappearing into a hole in the wall. the two of them continued forward until they reached a large platform. 

the sound of someone walking, their footsteps echoing around the area, has both heroes snapping their heads to the sound. that’s when they see a figure emerging from the shadows – a young man with silver hair and a lopsided smile. his unnatural, bright blue eyes clearly show off the fact that he is a twelve moon. his eyes reading 상위다섯 – upper five – and the fact sends a chill down both jongho and yeosang’s spines. 

the demon lets out a deep laugh, “well, well,” he says cheerfully, “look who’s wandered into my little corner! welcome to my domain!” the lighthearted tone of the silver demon caught the two of them off guard.  

“who are you?” yeosang asks, immediately on the guard. the demon was too relaxed, but then again him and jongho were technically the intruders. 

the demon lets out another laugh, running a hand through his hair to brush it out of his face, “felix, upper five, and i’ll be your entertainment for tonight.” 

infinity castle – yunho

yunho printed down a corridor, watching as it shifted and changed with every turn. the walls around him twisted and contorted with doors appearing and vanishing as he continued to run. his sword cutting through weaker demons with such ease that he didn’t even need to blink twice. yunho was so focused that he didn’t even hear the shrieks filling the air from the demons as they dissolved into nothing. the infinity castle swallowing them up.

his focus was so narrow it was a surprise that he could even still see what’s ahead of him. his fists clenching the hilt of his sword tightly. he remembers when the hero association delivered swords to everyone – at the time he didn’t think he would ever need to use it. demons weren’t something anyone saw, a myth. 

how wrong he turned out to be. 

“yeonjun…” he says quietly. the name sounds like a curse, but yunho is determined to find the demon.

as he rounded another corner, the corridor opened into a vast hall. he paused, chest heaving, knuckles white around the hilt of his sword. yunho could feel the presence of something stronger. something waiting for him deeper within the castle’s labyrinth.

infinity castle – seonghwa, san, and wooyoung

the three moved as a unit, their fighting instincts clearly taking over as they cut through and battled hordes of demons. wooyoung’s fire and ice burning through the weaker ones, while seonghwa’s brute strength and san’s precision strikes with his blood made for quick work with the rest. 

the platform they fought on was massive, platforms above platforms along with stairs and bridges stacked high above them and stretched into the void. from the shadows of one of the platforms, a figure watched them, unmoving. their multi-colored eyes watching them with almost peaked interest. 

“stronger than i expected…” they said, none of the three noticed the figure, focus locked on clearing the enemies around them.

infinity castle – hongjoong

hongjoong landed in a vast, open space, the air seemingly cracking with energy. the platform beneath him was circular… different from all the other platforms and structures he passed when he was original falling. he took cautious steps forward, his senses on high alert. 

he needed to find the others; hopefully, they were okay. at least as okay as anyone could be in the hellish place. 

a voice cut through the silence, smooth and almost familiar. 

“looking for someone?” 

hongjoong spun around, eyes narrowing as they landed on…

“no way… hyunjin? the– the hero association reported you as k.i.a almost a year ago?” hongjoong took in the sight of hyunjin before him, he was clearly no longer the high ranking hero, but instead a demon dressed in deep crimson robes. his unnatural yellow eyes burning with the words 상위하나 – upper one – sent an agonizing chill down his body, and his stomach twisted with the slow realization of what hyunjin has done. 

hyunjin smirked at hongjoong’s reaction, eyes glowing faintly as he spoke, “the hero association only makes reports for their own convenience. you out of everyone should know that.” 

the tension between the hero and former hero was thick as they sized each other up, the faint hum of the infinity castle’s energy glowing louder and louder. 

infinity castle – yeosang and jongho

the platform trembled beneath jongho and yeosang’s feet, the vast endlessness of the infinity castle stretched around them. felix stood a few feet away, his silver hair catching the faint orange glow that illuminated the castle. the demon’s demeanor was relaxed, almost amused, as he spun his blade in lazy circles.

“you two look tense. don’t worry,” he says with a sick grin, “i promise to make this fun.”

jongho steps forward, voice hard as he speaks, “we’re not here to play.”

“you’re not walking out of here, demon,” yeosang says just as firmly. 

felix chuckled, his posture unchanging, “big words for little heroes. let’s see if you can back them up.” 

without warning, felix thrust his hand forward, water surging from the ground in a massive wave, crashing towards jongho and yeosang. jongho braced himself, planting his feet as the water slammed into him. his indestructible body held firm, though the sheer force pushed him back slightly. 

“yeosang!” jongho yells through gritted teeth. 

yeosang raised his arms, eyes glowing as the ground beneath them cracked and split. skeletal soldiers clawed their way to the surface, jagged weapons gleaming against the lanterns of the castle. they surged forward, intercepting felix’s second wave of water. 

felix lets out a hearty laugh, “oh, that’s adorable. you brought friends!” felix twirled his blade, water surrounding him forming into sharp tentacles. with a flick of his wrist, the tentacles lashed out, slicing through the skeletons like paper. 

“he’s faster than i thought,” yeosang says with a frown, eyes watching the upper fifth rank demon closely. jongho charges forward, his fist glowing with raw energy as he aimed a punch at felix. the demon sidestepped effortlessly, his movements fluid as water. 

“nice try, but you’ll need more than brute strength to touch me,” he says with a grin. felix countered with a spinning kick, a blade of water slicing through the air and catching jongho across the chest. the force sent him stumbling back, blood seeping from the wound. 

“i’ve taken worse,” the younger hero says through gritted teeth. 

yeosang unleaded another wave of skeletal warriors, their bone weapons clashing with felix’s water tentacles. he darts around the chaos, focus sharp as he tries to find an opening. felix moved like a dancer, weaving through the attacks with a grace that bordered on supernatural. well… he was a demon after all. 

“is this really the best the heroes have to offer? no wonder you all are killed so easily,” felix says with a mixture of teasing and mocking tone. 

the taunt hit a nerve, making yeosang clench his fists, summon a massive skeletal knight that charged felix with a thunderous roar. felix narrows his eyes, smile fading for the first time. he spins his blade, a torrent of water swirling around him like a shield. the knight’s sword struck the barrier, shattering it but losing momentum because of the attack. felix lunged forward, driving his blade through the knight’s chest and having it crumble into ash. 

“you won’t take us down that easily!” yeosang says, voice trembling with determination as he raised his hands higher. the glow in his eyes intensifying. the ground erupted again and even more skeletal soldiers clawed their way up. they immediately charged at the demon in coordinated assaults, giving jongho the opening he needed for his own attack. 

jongho surged forward, ignoring the pain in his chest, and landed a solid punch to felix’s side. the demon’s body jerked from the impact, and he let out a grunt in surprise. 

“not bad,” he said breathlessly and with a smirk, “but not good enough.” felix retaliated with a surge of water that struck jongho square in the chest and sent him flying into one of the main moving walls. the crack of impact echoed in the empty space. 

“jongho!” yeosang called out with worry for his teammate. he then sprinted towards the younger hero, throwing up a barrier of skeletons to block felix’s next attack. he knelt beside jongho, who was bleeding heavily but still conscious.

“don’t… stop…” jongho says weakly. felix approached, his blade dripping with water. 

“how touching,” he said mockingly, “but you’re only delaying the inevitable.”

yeosang stood, his jaw clenched. “the only person delaying the inevitable is you,” he says before drawing on every ounce of power he had, his body trembling with strain. the skeletal soldiers around him grew larger, their weapons sharper. the air around them all seemed to darken as yeosang unleashed his full strength. 

jongho attempted to stand up, to help his teammate, but yeosang stopped him. “stay down. i’ll handle this.” 

he charged felix, a skeletal army following close behind. the demon’s expression shifted to one of focus as he met the attacks head-on. the platform trembled under the intensity of all the power and fighting. jongho, despite his injuries and what yeosang said, still pushed himself to his feet. 

“i’m not letting you do this alone.”

he joined the fray, fists glowing as he struck felix with everything he had. together, jongho and yeosang managed to push felix back, their combined strength surprising the demon 

“you’re persistent, you bastards… i’ll give you that.”

felix unleashed a devastating wave, catching both heroes off guard. jongho shielded yeosang, taking the brunt of the attack, the force left him barely standing. felix, seeing this, took advantage of their weakened states, driving his blade through yeosang’s side. blood sprayed the ground as yeosang let out gasp, collapsing to his knees. 

“jongho…” yeosang called out weakly. jongho let out a thunderous roar of his own, connecting his fist with felix’s jaw in a final, desperate attack. the impact cracked the demon’s neck, making felix stumble back, blood dripping from his mouth. in an effort to make sure he stayed dead, jongho took felix’s sword and made a clean cut through, serving the demon’s head from his body. 

felix’s head rolled along the ground, “not bad… heroes…” his body then dissolved into ash. 

jongho staggered over to yeosang, collapsing beside him. both of them were covered in blood, breaths shallow. 

“hyung… you did it,” jongho says softly, placing a trembling hand on yeosang’s shoulder. 

“we did it,” he replied back weakly. 

“rest now, hyung, you’ve done well,” his voice breaking in the process.

yeosang’s eyes fluttered closed, his breathing stopping. jongho let out a shuddering breath, tears running down his cheeks, his own body finally giving out as he slumped beside his teammate. the platform fell silent, the glow of the castle dimming around them. 

infinity castle – yunho

yunho moved through the ever shifting halls of the infinity castle. his boots pounded against the floor, each step echoing with determination. the castle seemed alive, walls writing and corridors twisting as if purposely trying to confuse him. weaker demons emerged from the hidden shadow filled nooks, their grotesque forms screeching and attacking him. 

they didn’t last long. 

with every swing of his sword, yunho craved through them effortlessly. his indestructible body easily ignoring their claws and teeth. blood splattered across the walls as he tore through all the creatures, his breath steady but his heart still pounding wilding in his chest.

his mind felt like a whirlwind of memories and emotions, each step driving him deeper into the castle – deeper into his own grief. 

memories of mingi – the two of them becoming heroes together and fighting together. he remembers first meeting mingi. it was back at vanguard college, right after–

right after you were arrested by the association. 

he regrets not living a better life with either mingi or you. the two of you deserved better. mingi deserved better parents that accepted his hero status and you… you deserved to have been treated better by everyone else. 

he was the top hero and yet he couldn’t protect either of you. he regrets it a lot, he felt like he hadn't even gotten over griefing mingi before you were killed by nicha. 

suddenly, yunho was ripped out of his thoughts as he stumbled into a large chamber. he took a deep breath in an attempt to steady himself, grief still clawing at his throat. not now. he barely noticed the faint sound of something – someone – landing behind him until they spoke. 

“lost in thought, golden hero?” 

yunho turned around, eyes narrowing as he faced yeonjun. the demon was lounging against a pillar, his lithe form cloaked in a faint red, dangerous glow. his smirk is sharp and predatory. 

“yeonjun,” yunho hisses his name out angrily. yeonjun pushes off the pillar, clapping his hands mockingly

“you made it further than i thought, you’re strong. i’ll give you that, but strength doesn’t bring back the dead, does it?” he says mockingly and even tops it off with a laugh. 

yunho’s fists clenched, his anger flaring around him, “you killed mingi,” he says coldly. the grip on his sword tightened the longer he looked at yeonjun. his crimson eyes that read 상위삼 seemingly mocking yunho’s very existence. 

yeonjun tilted his head, mimicking like he was in thought, “he put up a good fight – too bad he died so easily.”

that was the final straw for yunho. he charged, ground cracking beneath his feet. his blade collided with yeonjun’s outstretched arm. the impact sending a shockwave through the chamber. yeonjun grinned, his own strength pushing yunho back.

the two of them clashed, each strike reverberating through the infinity castle itself. yunho’s punches and slashes of his sword were fast and relentless, easily switching between the two attack types thanks to his high combat skills. his indestructible body also allowed him to take yeonjun’s brutal counters without faltering. 

yeonjun was like a blur as he moved, his demon-enhanced speed and skill making his a vicious opponent against yunho. the hero has honestly never gone up against someone who matched his strength. he watched at the demon dodged and weaved, landing precise hits that would have shattered bones if it was anyone else. 

“you’re good,” yeonjun teased, grin never fading, like he was enjoying the fight, “better than i expected, but you’re not unstoppable.”

yunho didn’t respond, his focus razor-sharp. he had to kill yeonjun. he had to avenge mingi. he landed a blow to yeonjun’s ribs, the crack audible. yeonjun barely even winced as he quickly countered it with a roundhouse kick, the force sending yunho skidding back a few feet. 

blood dripped from both of them as the fight dragged on, neither one refusing to give up. yeonjun smirked, bloody fangs being proudly shown off. 

“you’re burning out, aren’t you? heroes always do.”

yunho’s chest heaved, he could feel his energy flicker slightly. he gritted his teeth; however, forcing himself to stand tall. 

“you don’t get to win, not after what you’ve done,” yunho says through clenched teeth. 

yeonjun laughed, circling the hero like a predator. “and what are you going to do? die like your friend?”

the mention of mingi seemed to reignite yunho’s fury. he drove forward, his movements fueled by determination. he managed to catch yeonjun off guard, landing a devastating punch that sent the demon crashing into a wall. an outline of his body appearing in the wall, showing off the sheer strength yunho used in that punch. yeonjun pushed himself up, wiping the blood that seeped from his lips. 

“not bad,” he was still grinning, but more weakly now. 

yunho held his sword, blade shining against the lanterns of the castle. he lunged, aiming for yeonjun’s neck. the demon dodged, yunho’s blade and yeonjun’s fist clashing together. as the fight continued to rage on, yunho felt his strength slowly begin to leave him. his vision blurring a little, muscles screaming in protest. 

yeonjun clearly noticed, smirk widening, “looks like you’re out of time.” a crow’s caw echoed through the chamber, drawing yeonjun’s attention for a fraction of a second. 

it was all yunho needed. 

with a roar, he drove his sword down through yeonjun’s neck, the blade covered in blood that splattered across the floor as he severed the demon’s head from his body. 

yeonjun’s eyes widened in shock, blood running out of the corner of his lips. “impossible…” 

the demon’s body began to disintegrate, head and body fading into ash. yunho collapsed to his knees, sword clattering to the ground next to him. blood poured from his wounds, breathing shallow. he smiled faintly, vision growing dim. 

“i’ll… see you guys soon,” he says softly as he falls to the ground, eyes closing.

infinity castle – seonghwa, san, and wooyoung

the walls of the infinity castle pulsed and shifted once more, again and again, as seonghwa, san, and wooyoung pressed forward, their steps heavy with determination. san’s fists were clenched, using his blood powers to tear through any demon that got in their way. his way. 

“i’ll kill her. i’ll kill that bitch nicha for what she did,” he says through gritted teeth. 

seonghwa placed a comforting hand on san’s shoulder, his voice calm but laced with sorrow, “we’ll make her pay, but don’t let your anger consume you. y/n wouldn’t want that.”

san’s jaw tightens as he turned to seonghwa, his red-rimmed eyes filled with anguish. “i just… i can’t believe she’s gone. she was stronger than the both of us, of all of us,” he says, quietly. 

seonghwa’s expression softened as look at his lover, “she wouldn’t want us to give up,” he says softly, yet firmly at the same time. 

the three of them continued deeper into the castle until the air suddenly grew heavy, colder. a figure emerged from the shadows – a young man with surprisingly soft features and an unsettlingly carefree grin. his multi-colored eyes shined bright with 상위둘 – upper two – was written across his eyes. 

“oh,” he began to say amused, “i’ve been waiting for you three. not every day the upper ranks get so many visitors. i’m beomgyu, upper rank two~” 

san’s eyes narrowed as blood covered his fist, “get out of our way,” he spits angrily. 

the demon tilted his head, grin widening, “and miss out on the fun? not a chance.”

san didn’t wait for another word, lunging forward with a surge of crimson energy. his blood whip lashed out, aiming for the beomgyu’s throat, but he sidestepped effortlessly. 

“is that all you’ve got?” he said, laughing.

san, seonghwa, and wooyoung began to fight with coordinated attacks. san’s blood weapons slashed through the air, seonghwa shapeshifting his fist into clawed weapons and enhancing his speed and strength, while wooyoung unleashed blasts of fire and ice that alternated. 

beomgyu was a blur of motion, evading their strikes with almost playful ease. like he wasn’t taking this fight seriously at all. like the three were just entertainment for him. when wooyoung landed a fiery punch that scorched a large hole into beomgyu’s side, the demon laughed as his skin regenerated almost instantly. 

“you’ll have to try harder than that,” he teased. 

san sent a wave of blood spikes towards beomgyu. the demon’s hand transformed into a ice blade, slicing through the spikes as if they were paper. beomgyu retaliated, slashing at san’s arm with blinding speed. blood sprayed as san’s arm was severed at the elbow, coating the ground beneath him with blood. 

“san!” seonghwa yelled panicked. 

san staggered for a moment before using the blood pouring from his wound to form a massive spear. “i’m not done yet!” he hissed, fiercely. 

he then hurled the spear with all his strength, the attack forcing beomgyu to dodge. seonghwa and wooyoung seized the moment, striking at the same time in almost complete unison. seonghwa’s claws raked across beomgyu’s torso and wooyoung’s icy fist froze a portion of the demon’s chest. 

for a moment, it seemed like they had the upper hand. 

but beomgyu’s grin turned vicious as his body adapted and easily regenerated. his movements became even faster, his strikes more precise. icy tendrils erupted from his back, one of them impaling seonghwa through the shoulder. 

“damnit…” seonghwa grunted out. 

wooyoung then notice san swaying, his face pale. “san, you’re losing too much blood,” he says alarmed. 

san clenched his teeth, shaking his head, “i can’t… i can’t die here. not before nicha– 

wooyoung cuts him off, “rest. both of you.” wooyoung steps forward, his flames flaring brighter than they ever had. 

wooyoung launched himself at beomgyu, whole body ablaze as each punch a wrapped in a deadly combination of fire and ice that seemed completely impossible to achieve. beomgyu grinned, dodging and taunting him. spurring wooyoung on with each attack. 

“you’re persistent, i’ll give you that~ but you’re really starting to bore me,” he says mockingly.

with blinding speed, beomgyu slashes through wooyoung’s defenses, his icy blade carving deep, deadly wounds into the hero. 

“this was fun~ but it looks like our time is over,” he says with a bored expression as he throws his ice blade against the floor, letting it shatter into a million ice shards that go flying around the area.

he turned, leaving the three behind as his laughter echoed against the halls.

the air was thick with the stench of blood. the once vivid flames of battle that engulfed the area was now reduced to faint embers. the fire being quickly and unexpectedly put out by an icy blade. seonghwa’s trembling hand reached for san, his body dragging across the blood-slicked floor. his vision was blurry, strength fading with every breath. 

“san…” he trailed off weakly, voice cracking as he calls out to his lover. 

san stirred, his remaining arm twitching as he forced himself to look at the seonghwa. blood dripped from his mouth, his face pale and somber. tears streaked through the grime and sweat on his cheeks as he looked towards the silver-haired villain – the ends of his hair dyed with blood. 

“hwa… i couldn’t… i couldn’t protect you… or y/n…” he chokes out, voice hoarse. 

seonghwa coughed violently, crimson staining his lips as he mustered the last of his strength to reach san’s hand. he intertwined their fingers, his touch weak but grounding to the both of them. 

“you did your best… you always do,” he says softly, a faint smile painting his lips. 

san shook his head, tears continuing to fall freely. “don’t say that,” he pleads, “don’t give up! we– we can still fight. i just… fuck– i need to get up. i need to… kill nicha. we can’t let her win!”

seonghwa’s thumb brushed over san’s knuckles, a slow and deliberate motion. “sannie… it’s okay. you don’t have to fight anymore,” seonghwa says soothingly. 

san’s sobs wracked through his body as he leaned forward in order to rest his forehead against seonghwa’s. “hwa… do you think we’ll see her again? do you think… y/n will be waiting for us?”

seonghwa’s smile wavered, his voice just barely steady as he spoke softly, “i know she will. she’s probably scolding us already for taking so long.”

san let out a weak, tearful laugh that quickly changed into a choked sob. seonghwa coughed again, breaths shallow and uneven, but he still managed to lift his free hand to san’s face. caressing him softly as he wiped the tears away with his thumb, his own eyes beginning to close. 

“i’ll find you, both of you,” he whispers to san, “in the next life… we’ll be together again.”

san’s cries grew quieter as seonghwa’s hand fell limp, his head resting against san’s shoulder. 

“don’t leave me… please hwa…” he pleads with a whisper. his tears slowed as his breathing weakened. his head tilted back against the wall, eyes gazing into the shifting void of the infinity castle. 

“wait for me, hwa… y/n.. i’ll find you too,” his voice soft, yet fading. his final breath escaped in the a faint sigh, his body slumping beside seonghwa, their hands still clasped tightly together.

a short distance away, wooyoung laid sprawled on the cold, blood-covered floor. his chest rose and fell with labored breaths. blood pooling beneath him. the fiery determination that once burned in his eyes has dimmed. instead replaced by a deep, aching sorrow. 

through his hazy vision, a figure appeared above him, like an angel bath in an ethereal light. what is an angel doing in this hellscape? his heart clenched as he recognized her. 

“y/n…? is it really you?” he asks weakly, voice trembling. you smile was soft and warm, eyes filled with a kindness that felt… almost familiar and something he hasn’t seen in years. you knelt beside him, your hands gently cradling his face. 

“it’s me, woo,” you say softly. tears slid down wooyoung’s face, mixing with blood and grime. 

“i’m sorry… i couldn’t save them… couldn’t save you,” he says brokenly. 

you shake your head, thumbs brushing over his cheeks gently. wiping his tears away as you spoke, “you did everything you could. you were so brave, wooyoung. i’m so proud of you.” 

he let out a shaky breath, as static suddenly filled his vision. seeing images from a time he doesn’t remember. are these memories? no, they can’t be, yet… why do they involve him? involve you? 

unless…

“y/n…” he calls out softly, lips trembling into a faint smile as more tears run down his face. “i… i’m so sorry,” he wanted to reach up and touch you, but he knows you aren’t real. “i’ve… i’ve missed you.” 

you smiled down at him, leaning to press a featherlight kiss to his forehead, “i’ve missed you too, but it's time to rest now. you’ve done enough, woo.”

wooyoung’s tears continue to fall as he closed his eyes, your presence comforting, “i’ll see you soon,” he says before he body grew still, the tension melting away as peace finally claimed wooyoung.

the infinity castle seemed to hum with a strange, mournful silence. the three bodies lay motionless, their sacrifices imprinted onto the wood of the castle’s many, many platforms. somewhere in the ever-shifting corridors, a faint echo of laughter sounded, a grim reminder that their sacrifice and battle was just one of many that have happened. 

infinity castle – hongjoong

hongjoong’s chest heaved as he face hyunjin, the former hero cloaked in an eerie calm was the complete opposite of hongjoong. hyunjin stood a short distance away, blade gleaming even in the dim, shifting light of the infinity castle. 

“hyunjin… you were declared dead! what happened to you?” hongjoong asks, voice trembling with disbelief. 

hyung tilted his head, his face void of any emotion and his voice calm as he spoke, “i needed more. more power, more recognition. i was tired of being overshadowed by you and yunho.”

hongjoong’s brows furrow, anger bubbling under his shock. “so you threw everything away!? betrayed the association – the people who trusted you?”

hyunjin looked at hongjoong, expression remaining neutral. “the association doesn’t trust any of us. lady nicha showed me the truth, offered me power beyond anything i could achieve as a hero.”

the confession struck hongjoong like a physical blow, his heart clenching at the words. hyunjin… so easily becoming a demon, giving up his humanity… it went against everything hongjoong thought heroes stood for. only villains were able to become demons – not heroes! 

he looked at the demon with clenched fist, “you’re nothing but a coward. power without purpose is meaningless.” 

hyunjin’s grip on his sword tightened, “i think you’ll change your mind when you’re lying at my feet,” he says menacingly. 

hyunjin striked first, his blade slicing through the air with unnatural speed, propelled by gusts of razor-sharp wind. hongjoong just barely had any time to react, diving into the shadow – body disappearing in the darkness as hyunjin’s attack shattered the floor where hongjoong once stood. 

hongjoong re-emerged behind him, shadows born from the light of the castle lantern’s lashed out like whips, aiming to bind hyunjin in place. the demon however was faster, blade transforming in a scythe as he slashed through the shadows with ease. 

“so you can reshape your weapon now…” hongjoong said, voice grime. 

hyunjin smirked, twirling the scythe in a graceful turn before it retracted back into a sleek katana. “ impressive, isn’t it? becoming a demon has greatly enhanced my powers to lengths you wouldn’t believe.” 

the battle soon continued on, sound of clashing steel and shadows echoing through the castle’s endless corridors. hongjoong conjured a sword entirely forged from shadows, blade sleek and black which glinted against the orange glow of the castle. he charged, movements swift and deliberate, striking at hyunjin with calculated precision. 

hyunjin parried the strikes with ease, his blade cutting through hongjoong’s defenses like he was cutting paper. a particularly vicious slash caught hongjoong’s side, drawing blood that quickly soaked his uniform. hongjoong gritted his teeth, refusing to show weakness in front of hyunjin who seemed to thrive off of wanting to see him fall. 

the fight only grew more brutal, the hero and ex-hero exchanging blow after blow. at one point, hyunjin’s sword shifted into a massive broadsword, its force cleaving through hongjoong’s shadow blade with ease. the momentum carried through the giant sword cleaning slicing through hongjoong’s arm. 

a scream tore from hongjoong’s throat as he stumbled back, clutching the bloody stump continuing to drip with blood – where his arm had been. 

“still standing? impressive, but it’s time you stay down,” hyunjin says. the hero’s vision blurred from the pain, but he forced it away as he made himself stand upright. 

“i can’t… i won’t. i have people to protect – my team, my family,” he says through gritted teeth, “you wouldn’t understand.”

for the first time, hyunjin hesitated, a flicked of an emotion crossing his face. “family? that’s why you’re still fight?”

hongjoong nodded, breathed labored, “that’s why i’ll never stop.” 

hyunjin’s expression only hardened as he adjusted his grip on his sword, “just as i thought… so weak fighting for others. let us end this.” 

the two charged at each other, their weapons raised. shadows and wind collided in a flurry of darkness and light – a juxtaposition of good and evil competing with each other. the sheer force of their clashes sends shockwaves through the castle. 

hyunjin’s blade found its mark, piercing through hongjoong’s chest in a devastating blow. the hero’s shadow blade clattered to the ground, dissolving back in the shadows below them. hongjoong staggered, blood pouring from the fatal wound. hyunjin withdrew his blade, taking a step back. 

“it was an honor to fight you, hongjoong.” 

without another word, he disappeared into the depths of the infinity castle, his figure swallowed by the ever-shifting doors and shadows that surrounded them. 

hongjoong collapsed onto his back, weight of his injuries finally overwhelming him. he stared up at the shifting ceiling, hanok doors coming and going in ways he could comprehend in the moment. his chest rising and falling with deep, ragged breaths. 

a soft caw drew his attention. hongjoong turned his head slightly to see a crow perched beside him, its beady eyes fixed on his bloodied form. 

“so… are you my guide to the afterlife?” he asked it weakly, a faint smile painting his bloody mouth. 

the crow cawed again, tilting its head as if answering the hero. hongjoong chuckled weakly, a single tear sliding down his cheek. “i did my best… i hope the others are okay.” he says quietly to himself, as if trying to comfort him. the others are strong, they will make it out of the battles alive. he knows he can leave it in their hands. 

he turned back to the ceiling, his breathing beginning to slow. “do well… everyone.” his eyes fluttered closed, body going still, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips. the crow cawed one last time before spreading its wings and disappearing into the endless corridors of the infinity castle, leaving hongjoong to rest. 

infinity castle – the inner chamber 

the dark corridors of the infinity castle twisted endlessly as a crow flew through them, its wings cutting through the deadly silence. it passed shattered platforms, blood-soaked remnants of battles, and the unnatural shadows clinging in every corner. at last, it finally reached the most secluded part of the castle – whether on purpose or accident that remains unknown. 

lady nicha’s chamber was vast a illuminated by the same lanterns that light the rest of the dimension. in the center, nicha sits in a chair – a surprisingly simple chair considering her powerful status – her legs crossed in a relaxed pose. a low chuckle escaped her lips as she watched the final moments of hongjoong’s battle with hyunjin. 

“so~ the heroes have all fallen… how delightful. with him gone, the hero association is crumbling. soon, the world will bow before me, its last hope finally extinguished.” she glanced to her left, where karina sat on a low cushion, plucking delicate, mournful notes on his bipa. “karina, summon the remaining upper ranks. a new era is about to happen.”

karina nodded, her fingers trailing over the strings of her instruments – plucking a certain note that immediately had to two upper moons arriving: hyunjin and beomgyu. the two appeared in the chamber, expressions neutral as the awaited nicha’s orders.

nicha couldn’t help the wicked smile that graced her lips, “you’ve done well to survive this far, my moons. with the last of the great heroes gone, nothing stands in our–

her words are cut off as an unsettling silence fills the room. nicha turned to look behind her, karina sitting motionless, her bipa laying untouched in her lap. 

“karina, why have you stopped playing?” nicha asks, a frown now settling upon her lips. 

instead of saying anything, karina slowly rose, turning towards nicha to reveal that it wasn’t the female demon sitting on the cushion. the figure looked that nicha with a calm, confident expression. no, instead dressed in a flowing hanbok identical to the demon’s was you, your presence commanding and cold.

for the first time nicha was caught off guard, shocked to see you standing before her and her upper moons, “you… how are you alive!? i killed you– i saw you die!” 

you took a step forward, expression unchanging. “did you kill me? or did you just believe what i wanted you to?” you asked her quietly, voice hiding a hidden edge to it. 

nicha’s eyes widened in realization, breaking slowly becoming uneven, “you… you bent reality… our memories.” 

“smart girl,” you say cooly, “it wasn’t hard really. you wanted so badly to believe you’d won that you didn’t notice the cracks in your own memory.” 

nicha stumbled back as you drew closer to her, clutching her chest in both realization and disbelief, “this is amazing! what is the true extent of your power? not even the hero association could comprehend it! you truly are––

before she could finish, you moved with blinding speed, hand plunging into nicha’s chest. blood sprayed along your face and clothes as you ripped the demon’s heart out. your expression remains unchanged yet deadly. nicha collapses to her knees, her hands trembling as she pressed them to the gaping wound in her chest. panic begins to settle in when she notices how she’s not regenerating like she’s supposed to. 

“w–what ha–have you done t–to me?” 

you studied the still-beating heart your hand, tilting your head slightly. “oh, nothing much. just taking back the power i gave you. you didn’t think someone like you would’ve been created by the hero association and allowed to live past an hour, did you?” you say casually, bending down to look at nicha in her eyes. 

her eyes widened, face pale. “c–created by the he–hero association?” 

“did you think anyone’s powers came naturally? that your powers came naturally? the association has always created its superhumans. none of us were ever ‘born special’ like how they advertised.” nicha gasped, blood pooling beneath her. “and you? you were just my little pupper, a figurehead to distract the world. a convenient excuse for the association to let me out of prison. i had thought – well, if they can create superhumans… why can’t i, so i did. amazing isn’t it.” 

the reality of your words hit nicha like a physical blow, and with one final shuddering breath, she collapses to the floor, lifeless. you looked down at her lifeless body, expression devoid of sympathy. more of disappoint – surely as the strongest demon she would have put up more of fight. guess not. you stood up and with a flick of your wrist, tossed the demon’s heart aside, blood splattering against the chamber floor. you turned to the remaining upper moons, beomgyu and hyunjin, who remained frozen in place at your display of power and knowledge. 

as the silence stretched, they eventually dropped to one knee, bowing their heads in submission. “...master,” hyunjin says, both unsure and sure of calling someone other than nicha that title. but… weren’t you lady nicha if you had created her? 

your lips curved into a faint smile as a crow fluttered into the room, landing next to the demon’s heart. the bird picked at it a few times before flying up and landing gracefully on your shoulder. you reached up to stroke its feathers, “i guess you done well too,” you say to the small creature.

the crow cawed softly, head tilting as if acknowledging your praise. you turned to face the vast, pulsating walls of the infinity castle, smiling coldly. “the hero association needs to be destroyed and now… nothing stands in my way.” 

you couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled from your chest, laughter that echoes through the chamber. the crown spread its wings and took off, disappearing back into the endless maze. the two upper moons rose, standing at attention behind you as you began to walk towards the castle’s exit. your hanbok trailing behind you like a shadow.

END.

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Wonderwoman humbles superman and batman

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/YNrQRSb by yotv This story is less violent than my usual stuff but it is sexual so please don't read it if you are under 18 or not into femdom and very muscular women Words: 1648, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: DCU (Comics), Wonder Woman - All Media Types Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/M Characters: Batman, Wonderwoman, Superman Additional Tags: Femdom, mixedwrestling, musclewoman, Strong Female Characters, strongwoman, femalebodybuilder, Snusnu, dominantwoman, headscissor, body scissor read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/YNrQRSb

[sanjoongie]

ᏕᏇᏋᏋᏖ ᏰᏝᎧᎧᎴ

🖤2nd Submission for the YOTV: Year of the Snake collab (ML)

🖤Pairing: Vampire! Hwang Hyunjin x Human! Reader ft Vampire! Felix, Vampire Hunters! Chan, Jisung, Changbin and Minho

🖤Au: Vampire au, Vampire Hunter au, Supernatural au, elements of The Others by Anne Bishop (please check it out, you won't be disappointed)

🖤Genre: romance, smut, horror

🖤Trope: bonny/clyde

🖤Rated: 21+(very graphic, very dark), MINORS DO NOT FUCKING INTERACT

🖤Word Count: 6,540

🖤Beta: @downtoamagicalland

🖤Summary: when you would follow your vampire boyfriend to the very ends of the earth, and considering his madness you just might, there's only one man who can stop the terror that follows you two

🖤Soundtrack: Yuta's Off the Mask, Chase Atlantic's Okay, and of course Sam Tinnesz's Play with Fire

🖤Author's Note: i finished Beast! San and immediately decided I wanted something a little bit more darker, fucked up and bloody so this is the result of riding those coattails. This will not be for everyone, so please pay attention to the warnings below!!!

🖤Warnings below the cut!

🖤Warnings: vampire powers (hypnotism, speed, supernatural strength) blood, descriptions of eating organs, blood taking, madness, death, slapping, spitting, tongue piercing, descriptions of the taste of blood, betrayal, character deaths

🖤Kinks: noncon, dubcon, public sex, anal, spit as lube, clit play, dirty talk, pet names (baby, pretty, love, darling), blood play, inebriated sex, aphrodisiac, coercion through sex, voyeurism, exhibitionism, oral (f), oral with a tongue piercing, mxm (kissing), threesome, double penetration (two dicks, one puss), finger sucking, breast play

You sigh, crossing and uncrossing your legs. Everyone in the dirty, stingy bar has either flown the coop or were currently having their entrails dug out through their pelvis bone. It was supposed to be date night but Hyunjin was having all the fun.

“Babe!” You yell.

“Squish squish squish says the liver,” Hyunjin cackles.

You sigh again. All it took was some stupid human to bang into your boyfriend and it was off to the crazy races. 

Hyunjin bites into the liver he had been playing with and groans as blood runs down his face. His eyes roll into the back of his head. He is delirious with ecstasy and lunacy. 

“Hwang Hyunjin!” You bark.

“Yes, my love?” Hyunjin’s eyes swing wildly and finally land on you. He frowns like it’s odd for you to not be covered in blood. “Are you not having any fun?”

“You’ve killed everyone!” You point out dryly.

Hyunjin’s head moves back and forth as he takes in his self-wrought destruction. “I suppose I have.” He shrugs and then throws down the half eaten liver. “Shall we hit up another place then?”

You roll your eyes. “Hyunjin, they’re not going to let you in looking like that.”

“Oh.” Hyunjin raises his arms as if to get a good look that he’s covered in blood. 

“Come on, let's get out of here before the vampire hunters get any wise ideas,” You tsk, grabbing Hyunjin’s upper arm and hauling him behind you. 

Hyunjin licks his fingers like a cat cleaning their paws. “Let them come. I’ll kill them too.”

“I think you’ve had enough fun for one night, my love,” You observe.

Hyunjin stops mid-step as you climb out of the underground bar. He looks up at you, a small smile pulling at one of the corner’s of his blood-stained lips. “Have I?”

“Nope.” You continue to go up one more stair. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Oh, I’m thinking about it alright,” Hyunjin purrs before pulling you down and into his arms.

“Hyunjin.” You stare into the eyes of a madman. “You killed everyone. It’s only a matter of time before they come after us.”

“Then it should be quick, should it not?” Hyunjin dimisses your worries immediately, pressing your front to the rough poured and pocketed concrete wall. 

“I don’t want to fuck here,” You whine, your face rubbing against a poster promoting some band that started with an A. Their lead singer is staring right into your soul as Hyunjin hefts the skirt of your short dress out of the way. 

Hyunjin’s long fingers wrap around your throat and bend over your jaw upwards. “Come now, my love. I’ve had my fill of blood and now I want to have my fill of you.”

“I don’t--” You freeze as Hyunjin’s fangs click and you feel them scraping against the nape of your neck. “You said you were full!”

You feel Hyunjin’s tongue follow the seam of his mouth against your skin. “I always have room for dessert.”

You struggle in Hyunjin’s hold but he’s a vampire; he’s like velvet steel. You whimper as his teeth puncture your skin. 

The minute his mouth floods with your blood is the second his venom flies through your veins. You become compliant and wet. You mutter under your breath, a string of sentences that only Hyunjin can hear. They wouldn’t make sense to anyone but a madman. But Hyunjin’s not keen on taking note of what you say. He’s got more important things to do.

Hyunjin’s fingers skim over your hip, find your bare cunt and the pad of his finger rubs into your clit. Slow, circular motions until you begin to buck into his ministrations. “There’s a good girl. Doesn’t that feel good?”

“Feels s’good,” you begin to slur your words. 

Hyunjin’s venom is both an aphrodisiac and a depressant. You feel horny and drunk at the same time. Your ability to think narrows down to the pleasure Hyunjin is giving you with just one finger. 

The vampire at your back begins to rut up against your ass cheeks. “You make me so hard, baby,” Hyunjin coos into your ear. 

His cheek rubs against yours like a cat trying to mark its owner. If you were more sober, perhaps you’d flinch at the blood he was spreading across your face but alas, you are none of the sort. 

Your arm reaches behind you, to curl your fingers into Hyunjin’s hair. “You gonna fuck me, baby?” You wonder.

“Thinkin’ damn hard about it,” Hyunjin growls.

“Gonna fuck me in this dirty place? Gonna spread my ass cheeks and make me take you in a dirty spot? You gonna leave my pussy weeping for you?”

The vampire behind you does exactly that. He spreads your cheeks, spits onto your hole and then spears himself inside of you. You groan at the sensation, sparks of lust only creating further fires in your loins. You're loving every bloody second of this.

“You’re so good for me, pretty,” Hyunjin purrs into your ear. He takes his time fucking your ass, his finger still doing slow, circular motions along your clit. “I want you dripping and eager for me when we get home.”

You let out a whine. “Why am I being punished?”

Hyunjin chuckles darkly under his breath. “Punished? No, darling, I’m only making the evening better.”

You tip your head back to lie against Hyunjin’s shoulder as he fucks you in the dark alley. “Wanna come,” You pout.

“Sometimes I think your impatience competes with mine,” Hyunjin laughs at you. “You’re going to have to come the old-fashioned way. I don’t think I should drink from you a second time.”

Your hand smoothes over Hyunjin’s and you press his finger harder to your clit. Your hips jerk at the further friction. “Don’t be a tease, love.”

With a grunt, Hyunjin grabs your leg with his free hand and lifts it up so he can have easier access to your asshole and your clit. He begins to fuck into you a bit faster and his finger on your clit vibrates with its alacrity.

“Come for me, pretty.” You feel Hyunjin’s plush lips press against the spot before your ear in an affectionate kiss and you come.

“Fuuuuccckkkkkk,” you hiss as your orgasm rips through you. You feel as if every nerve is on fire and the cock between your ass, along with the finger on your clit, pushes you to heights only acquired with a vampire. 

“Clenching down on my dick so hard, oh god.” You feel Hyunjin’s teeth scrape against your shoulder, resisting the urge to bite you the same time he came. 

His long, drawn out groan echoes and bounces in the small stairway where Hyunjin had pushed you up against the wall. You feel him fill your ass and you groan with him. It was just like your unhinged vampire boyfriend to fuck you in the ass in public.

The high of Hyunjin’s bite is chased away by your blood pumping excitedly with your orgasm. Your brain is back and you’re not happy.

“Can we leave now?” You say haughtily. “Or do you want to go back in there and lick the floor clean?”

Hyunjin giggles and you roll your eyes. “We can go.”

“You missed them again?” Chan demands, banging a fist against the table. 

Jisung flinches at the loud noise. “Over 30 dead. No sign of Hyunjin.”

“Damn it!” Chan yells.

He picks up his chair and throws it at the wall. 

“Hey! Cool it, Hot Shot,” Minho growls, standing up from his desk, where the chair may have flown over his head. “Take a time out. Go find someone to fuck. I don’t care what you do, just stop having a fit in my office.”

“Chan.” Changbin throws his arms around his friend’s shoulders. “We’ll get them. You just have to be patient.”

“I’m tired of hearing about their kills!” Chan screws his eyes shut and tears angrily stream down his cheeks. “I’m sick and tired of it, Changbin.”

Jisung leans against the door frame of the weapons room where the two men had moved to. “I don’t get it. It’s like they’re not even real.”

“The bodies are real,” Changbin snaps. “The blood is fucking real, Jisung.”

Jisung holds up his hands. “Hey hey hey, I know. It’s just confusing that we can never catch them after the crime. No other vampires elude us so well.”

“Well, they aren’t just any vampires, are they?” Chan says through his hands that cradled his head.

In the abandoned speakeasy that was the vampire nest that you and Hyunjin lived in, you two were in an intense argument the following day after the massacre at Horizon.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Hyunjin shook his head. “Not in the slightest.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Babe. I need you by my side forever.” Hyunjin curls his hands around your face. 

“Then you make me your Renfield, Hyunjin. I don’t want to be connected to…” Your jaw tightens. “The ancient ones told you that you had to choose correctly.”

“Felix will live a lot longer than I will,” Hyunjin whispers.

“No, I refuse.” You poke a finger into Hyunjin’s bare chest. His chains and necklaces rattle as he takes a step back with the force you used. “It’s either you or no one.”

“My love. You know I’m not quite right in the head.” Hyunjin chuckles. “I won’t take you down with me if I’m not sane enough to take care of you.”

“I will have to be bonded with him!” You shout. “Do you understand that? Bonded. He will have to feed from me once a month at least to keep the bond up and to keep me immortal. They were very clear. It was like being lovers. I’ll have to--Hyunjin!”

You slap your boyfriend. The red outline of your hand is perfectly imprinted on his porcelain cheek. Your manicure had caused a scratch on the corner of his lip. His red tongue pokes at the cut and his fangs peak out as he starts to chuckle again. 

“I know.”

“You sick fuck,” You spit, quite literally, onto his cheek. 

The glob of spit runs down his red cheek. 

“I want you to do that to Felix,” Hyunjin chuckles from his gut before it becomes high pitched and chaotic.

“I’m going for a walk,” You declare, throwing your hands up. “Don’t follow me!” You screech.

You follow the back alleys that were created during the prohibition. Clubs needed a safe way to get their liquor delivered. What better than to use the old catacombs that already connected underneath the top city?

“Hey, wait up!” Felix calls after you.

But you didn’t stop. 

“You can’t go too far without at least one of us, you know that!”

“Wouldn’t think of it,” You mutter under your breath.

“You know what will happen to Hyunjin if they get you.”

That makes you stop. Felix runs into your back. “Knew that would stop you.”

“Listen, just because you’re a vampire and I’m not, doesn’t give you the right to own my body.”

Felix pushes both hands into the side pockets of his slacks. “Who said that?”

“I may be a human but I was there when they changed you. I wasn’t delirious while someone fed me blood. I committed to memory each rule they spoke when they took you two. I know better than either of you what happens if I become someone’s Renfield.”

Felix smirks, running a tongue along his fang. “I know you’re gonna do it.”

“You know fucking NOTHING, Jon Snow,” You sneer.

“No?” Felix takes a step towards you in the dimly lit underground back alleys of the clubs and bars that filled the street above. 

“You don’t think I hear you two fucking night after night?” Felix takes another step than another, looming over you. “Think I don’t hear your sweet voice telling Hyunjin ‘no’ and ‘stop’ and ‘don’t do that’ and ‘that’s dirty’? You have a noncon kink. And that’s fucking hot.”

“I’m not drinking your fucking blood, Felix. Now fuck off,” You hiss in his face. 

You duck under his arm and shoot down the alleyway. Your boots jingle merrily, as if they are happy to be going for an impromptu jog.

It’s two fucking seconds before Felix cuts you off with his speed. He’s a blur of white and then he’s leaning against the wall. “Where ya going, Renfield?”

“You cocky son of a bitch. Hyunjin!”

A black blur zips towards you and you scream in scared excitement as your boyfriend appears in front of you. “Are you okay?” He begins to spin you around and pat you down. 

Felix mouths the words “Party Pooper” behind you. You stick out your tongue. Felix does the same, flashing his tongue piercing. 

“I’m fine, Hyunjin. I want to go dancing. Can we go dancing?”

Hyunjin smiles happily. “Go dancing? So close to our last soirée?” Hyunjin’s tone gets throaty with his French. 

You nod your head once sharply. “You gorged yourself recently so surely you can go an evening without wiping out the club?” You shake a finger in front of Hyunjin’s face and he snaps at it playfully, his teeth clicking when they come in contact. 

Hyunjin pretends to think about it. “Felix is coming, right?”

“I wouldn’t miss it, even if the sun was rising,” Felix replies.

Hyunjin lets out a sharp laugh.

You look at Felix like he’s disgusting and you look up at your boyfriend. “See? Felix has a death wish just like you. Stupid to make me his Renfield.”

Hyunjin’s eyes sharpen and narrow down on you. “You keep that attitude up and I’ll make sure that when you first take blood from Felix, it’s from a cut along his thigh.”

“Hyunjin!” You whine, knowing he’s committing you to a lifetime of licking blood intimately from Felix.

“Hey hey hey!” Jisung shouts from his spot at his computer. “Chats live. Sightings of the three of them are hot. I’ve got a post saying they’re at Insomnia.”

Chan shrugs on his hostler along his shoulders. “We’re fucking getting them tonight.”

Minho and Changbin exchange a look. “Are we bringing the stakes?”

“Holy water grenades. Silver knives. Everything we have.”

Jisung pulls off his headphones. “Chan…”

“You’ve seen what they’re capable of, god damn it, don’t get weak on me now,” Chan says through gritted teeth.

“We’ll bring everything,” Minho agrees. He waves the other two towards the weapon’s room.

Chan stuffs his dual crossbows in his two shoulder holsters and then secures the wooden arrows in the quiver at his thigh holster. Minho puts a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“We can bring all the weapons you want but that’s not going to change what happened that night, Chan,” Minho says lowly.

Chan’s gloved hands creak as they form fists at his side. He keeps his head leaning down and avoids Minho’s gaze. “I’m freeing her. Even if it’s the last thing I do.”

The bathroom door to the men’s washroom in Insomnia is locked. No one’s going to come in anyway, because Hyunjin had hypnotized a bouncer to stop anyone and point at a ‘cleaning’ sign, that didn’t make sense at midnight, but no one was going through the bouncer to find the truth.

Hyunjin has you propped up on the bench of sinks, fangs deep into your thigh. You moan throatily while he drinks from you. Each pull of his swallow, each splash of your blood on his tongue, is like a lap to your clit or a pass over your g-spot. A vampire’s bite is orgasmic. Otherwise, how’d they get their prey so weak and willing?

Felix is leaning his back against the entry door, the underside of his boot pressed there, propping his leg up. His eyes drink in your half naked form. The way you moan for Hyunjin is music to his ears. 

His thirst for you has always been part carnal and part bloody. Hyunjin said your blood always tasted the sweetest. But you’d be damned if you let Felix’s fangs puncture you--the same you deny of his cock.

Blood drips to the floor and Felix licks his lips. “Hyunjin,” the younger vampire says in warning to not suck you dry.

Hyunjin leans back on the balls of his feet, licking his lips gratuitously. “Fuck, sometimes I can’t stop myself.”

Your fingers card through Hyunjin’s silky hair. “Tonight is the end of everything.”

Hyunjin backs up to where Felix is standing. “Just watch the show.”

“Tonight the sky crashes down on chicken little’s head,” You say with a giggle.

“Wait, I thought you said she spoke prophecy?” Felix frowns.

“Isn’t it glorious?” Hyunjin says reverently. 

“Tonight the lover’s fall from the tower,” You moan.

Your eyes are blown as if you’re higher than a kite but it is simply the way your body reacts when you spill your blood. Your fingers run through your blood on your thigh and before either vampire can stop you, you run your fingers through your wet pussy lips. 

“Three will become one,” You cry out and then you collapse like a ragdoll.

Hyunjin zooms and then he catches you before you can fall from the sink. “You tell such pretty stories, my love.”

Felix scratches the back of his head, moving towards where Hyunjin is holding you by the sinks. “I thought she’d …like… give us winning numbers to the lotto or the name of a dog to bet on at a race. What the hell did she say? Chicken little?”

Hyunjin smirks, hefting you in his arms, bridal style. “You didn’t follow?” 

“Hyunjin, I can never follow your own madman ravings, how the hell do you think?--” 

Felix's words are muffled as the older slants his lips against Felix’s suddenly. Hyunjin’s  tongue pushes in so that Felix can taste your blood on his tongue.

Hyunjin breaks the kiss to explain. “Tonight, we fuck her. Then you bite her. Then she becomes your Renfield. Then we are together forever, the three of us.”

You whine, pressed between both of their chests as Hyunjin kissed Felix. 

“You want it, don’t you, pretty?” Hyunjin coos at you.

Your arms wrap around his neck and you snuggle into his body. “Jinnie.”

“Show him, my love. Show Felix how wet you are, hmm?” 

Hyunjin backs up, shifting you in his arms easily with his supernatural strength. Your back is to his chest, as his hands cup underneath your thighs. Your pussy is revealed to Felix. The wetness there drips lewdly to the floor, much like how your blood still was. 

“Show her how much you adore her,” Hyunjin whispers conspiratorily to his current partner in crime.

Felix kneels down at Hyunjin’s feet, his face now level with your wet cunt. Hyunjin takes one more step, forcing Felix’s face into your pussy. Felix groans, unable to hold back and dives into your cunt. 

“No,” You shake your head. “Only Hyun--” Your back arches and you cry out as Felix sucks on your clit heavily. 

“Smother him, my love. Make him breathe only your pussy.” Hyunjin licks the shell of your ear. 

You moan loudly as Felix’s tongue starts to lap at your clit, his tongue piercing providing an alternating texture from his rough tongue. One of your hands curls into the nape of Hyunjin’s neck and the other smooths into Felix’s scalp, tugging as you buck into his tongue. 

“Do you taste her blood on her pussy lips, Lixie? Doesn’t she taste like the fountain of youth?” Hyunjin casts his head back and laughs maniacally. “Isn’t it addicting?”

Felix has lost all sense of himself. All he knows is his tongue needs to explore your cunt and he needs you to come on his face. His muffled noises of pleasure attempt to pull you from your lust-clouded mind. 

“No, no you’re using me!” You struggle in Hyunjin’s hold. “You know what my blood does to vampires!”

Hyunjin giggles, burying his face into your hair, only to inhale sharply. “He’ll fuck you like a werewolf in a rut. Gone Over Wolf, we’ll call it.”

“Fuck, Felix,” You whine, lost again to the climax curling in your lower stomach. 

Felix moans into your cunt as you tug on his hair to pull him off of you but the vibrations from the moans--not to mention the deep noise of the moans--causes you to whimper. 

“Felix and I will fuck your wet cunt together and we’ll all be joined then, won’t we, my love?” Hyunjin says in a sing-song voice. “You’ll be so dumb with pleasure.”

“Hyunjin,” You say with a raw voice and then you come, convulsing in Hyunjin’s tight hold. 

Felix lets you hump his face, spreading your wetness all over his face as you ride out your climax. Then he sits back on the floor. His palms support him flat on the tiles and his legs are spread. And there, right dead center on his pants, is a wet spot.

Hyunjin releases your leg one by one and then wraps an arm firmly around your waist to keep you upright. “Look what you did. Look at the power you have over him!” Hyunjin’s other free hand squishes your cheeks together and forces you to gaze down at Felix. “You made him come untouched, my love.”

“I…” Felix does not look like he’s ashamed of his state. “You can’t give me a taste of heaven and then close the gates on me. Please.”

This crazy merry-go-round was fucked up. Felix was addicted to you and you are addicted to Hyunjin. And Hyunjin was simply a man with a broken mind with brief moments of sanity who thought that being bonded to Felix would ensure that you wouldn’t die in his crashing plane of a life; some part of him didn’t want to take you down with him. 

Your tears well up. You loved Hyunjin. You didn’t think you could live without him. Why would he condemn you to a life without him?

Your tears splash against Hyunjun’s hands. He lets go of your cheeks and turns you around in his hold. “Tears, Idle Tears. Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn-fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.”

“Don’t you wax poetic to me, my love,” You sniffle.

“Don’t hurt, Felix,” Hyunjin counters. “He’s still hard, look.”

“Hyunjin,” you scowl.

“Let your pussy lips part for me like rose petals on a thorny stem,” Hyunjin cajoles you with his insane rhetoric. “Let his cock give you a lovely burn. Let his blood be your lifeline. Let us share you, my love.”

“Please.” Felix grabs fistfuls of your skirt, practically begging at your feet. “Please,” he repeats again, his Adam’s apple bobbing. 

“I’ve given Felix a kiss and Felix has kissed you. I think it’s time you give me a kiss, pretty,” Hyunjin attempts to win you over by overloading your senses. 

“I love you so fucking much,” You whisper as you tip your head and push up on your toes for a searing kiss. 

Hyunjin’s jaw drops so that you can plunge your tongue in his mouth. Those sensual lips of his that you have seen just last night around someone’s liver slanted across yours in a dance that you could live centuries in. 

It’s during this deep kiss that you feel the fists in your skirt release and smooth up your hips. Felix’s blunt nails dig a little into your stomach and you gasp into Hyunjin’s mouth. The elder vampire chuckles and breaks the kiss. 

“He needs you, pretty,” Hyunjin whispers against your lips.

You look down to see Felix’s mouth open and his tongue stuck out.

“Remember what I said earlier?” Hyunjin’s eyes sparkle with mischief. “Do it.”

Your heart is pitter-pattering in your chest as  you turn in Hyunjin’s hold once again to face Felix. Hyunjin peeks over your shoulder to watch the show. He knows you’ll do whatever he asks of you because you’ve always done exactly what he asks of you. He was your addiction. 

You gather spit in your mouth and let it slowly drop down in a long string. When it lands on Felix’s tongue, he groans and his eyes roll into the back of his head.

“Whatever you give to him tonight will be just like that. He’s had a taste of your blood. He will love it all. He’s a puppy, an eager one, just for you,” Hyunjin says to you. 

“I don’t want him to be mine,” You say with disdain.

“He is yours nonetheless, my love,” Hyunjin informs you. 

“I will lie down on this floor,” Felix says after swallowing your spit. “I won’t make a noise. I will cut my jugular for you to drink from. What do you want from me, my Renfield?”

Your lips tighten into a firm line. You didn’t know why it was so important to do this now but you’ll do it. 

You put a firm hand on Felix’s shoulder and push him to the ground. He watches you with big eyes. “When the two join as one, they must be joined joyously, and in agreement. To meet a height of gloriousness to bring upon the good spirits into the bond.”

Hyunjins groans from above you. “Why do you sound so hot when you tell me how to be a vampire?”

“That’s because you’re crazy, love,” You say back.

Hyunjin giggles. “Touché, my love.”

You reach for Felix’s jeans and begin to undo them. “Are you in rut, pup?” You ask as you wrap your hand around his length. 

Felix’s jaw tightens and he makes a loud noise in the back of his throat. “Fuuuuuuuuuck.”

“Do you need me?” Your grip around his length tightens at the base of his erection, causing Felix to half groan, half yell. 

“I don’t think I’ve been this hard,” Felix admits. The tendons in his neck strain as your hand stays in one spot.

You lean down, your arm trapped between both your bodies. “Tell me the truth. This is from Hyunjin’s kiss, isn’t it?”

“It has always been the three of us,” Felix avoids directly agreeing. “It should have always been the three of us.”

You roll your eyes and sit up. “Jinnie, can you be inside of me first?”

Hyunjin snorts. “Can I?”

“Felix is being… difficult.”

“Well, he wouldn’t if he knew what paradise was awaiting his dick,” Hyunjin mutters. 

Still, the brunette drops to his knees behind you. He doesn’t need the stimulation, and neither do you, but still Hyunjin’s painted-nail fingers slide over your rib cage and cup your breasts. You didn’t bother with a bra and the thin shirt over your boobs doesn’t do a good job of being a barrier between you and your boyfriend. 

“If I were you, Lixie, I’d be getting my cock deep inside of her so that I could wrap my tongue around her nipple. And if you’re a really good vampire, you could bite her from her breast. Then you can suckle from her tit like this for the rest of your unnatural lives.”

You raise an eyebrow at Felix. It was his job to admit to what you wanted to hear. 

Felix stares directly into your eyes as he says, “I want to feel my dick slide against his inside of you.”

You smile so happily that Felix’s heart skips a beat. He would gladly admit to any of his faults if that meant you would be pleased with him. He was tired of being the third wheel; he wanted to be a part of you two. 

“Come on, pretty, let’s make Lixie happy then, hmmm?” Hyunjin purrs.

You rub your lips together as you feel the head of Hyunjin’s cock rub against your folds. You lean forward slightly so that Hyunjin can slide right into you. You close your eyes as your eyebrows furrow as he fills you up. His dick wasn’t the one you were worried about, however. 

You begin to pump Felix’s cock in your hand and the vampire below you cries out. “I’m a good puppy,” Felix starts to babble. “I’m yours, I’m yours, please let me in? It fucking hurts how much I want to be inside of you, against him. I need it. I need it more than I need blood and oxygen right now. Fuck. Let me in!”

You brace yourself above Felix, spitting into your hand before bringing it back to Felix’s cock and rubbing it along his length. Then you bring his length to be just in front of Hyunjin’s and you cry out at the stretch as Felix enters you.

“Oh fuck, that’s the stuff,” Hyunjin shouts. 

He begins to rock into you, causing you and Felix to cry out in unison. Hyunjin chuckles at the results. 

“Pretty babies,” Hyunjin says reverently. “I’ll make you feel good.”

“Hyun--jin,” You pant as Felix is still making his way inside of you. “Wait--”

“There’s no stopping now,” Hyunjin grunts, continuing to fuck into you. 

“Fuck,” You moan. “Fe-felix, move! Damn you.”

Felix pushes in as Hyunjin receeds and the slide of the two of them in you is unlike anything you’ve ever felt before. The two cockheads pounding into you alternatively makes you clench down and the two men inside of you whimper. 

“Eat up my cock, my love,” Hyunjin hisses. One of his hands is on your shoulder and another on your hip. “I love when you suck me in like you never want me to ever pull out.”

“Felix, bite your finger,” Hyunjin commands out of the blue.

“Hu-huh?” Felix stutters, barely able to comprehend anything other than his cock’s pleasure right now. 

“When we come, the blood sharing has to be at the same time,” You speak for your boyfriend. “He wants you to cut your finger and stick it in my mouth. He wants you to think of me on your cock every time I feed from you.”

“O-oh.” Felix hisses as his cock slides deliciously against Hyunjin’s. “I can--oh god--do that!”

“Are you gonna let him bite your boob, babe?” Hyunjin ponders.

“Only if you let me get a matching bite tattoo of your teeth on the side of my heart,” You whine.

Hyunjin’s fingers poke at the barely-healed scars of his last bite on you. “Haven’t I left enough scars on you?”

“Never enough,” You whisper back. 

You cup Felix’s head and guide it to your breast. With each jolt, each thrust of Hyunjin and Felix, your soft breasts sway tantalizingly towards Felix and his plush mouth. 

“Hyunjin, you’re gonna have to--quickly, I think I’ll come without his bite, please!” You hurry Hyunjin.

“Oh, I’ll come when I see him biting you and you sucking on his bloody finger,” Hyunjin promises. 

You give a curt nod to Felix and he brings his finger to your mouth. His blood wets your lips and you fight the instincts to catch it on your tongue. Felix bares his teeth, his canine’s elogating, and then you feel two piercings right on the swell of your right tit. Felix shoves his finger in your mouth and you suck on it hard, letting the copper tang mingle along your taste buds. 

Everything happens at once.

You come, hard, and you go blind with a red film.

Felix comes, his noises of pleasure muffled by your breast.

Hyunjin comes so loudly, it sounds painful. 

And then you realize what the red film is: Hyunjin’s blood.

“Get the fuck off of her!” Chan shouts gutterly. 

The vampire hunter pulls back Hyunjin from behind you. Hyunjin stares up at Chan with wide eyes, a surprised smile pulling at his lips. “Long time no see!”

“You bastard!” Chan curses. 

He aims his other hand crossbow and only by the grace of Minho hitting the crossbow up and diverting the cross bow’s path higher up, does it miss Hyunjin’s heart. It joins the other arrow at his shoulder, the one Chan shot earlier in Hyunjin’s back. 

“Don’t kill him!” Minho shouts, “What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong me?” Chan frowns heavily. “Are you kidding me right now?”

“...lix?” Jisung says Felix’s name like he’s a long lost friend. 

“Jisung?” Felix blurs for a second. He goes from being prostrate on the ground to standing in front of you. “Wha-what are you doing here?”

“We’re here to stop you guys,” Changbin says gruffly. He is scratching the back of his neck. “You’re not killing anyone tonight.”

“Give her to me, Felix,” Chan commands. He puts his hand out and then makes a come-hither gesture. 

“I can’t. We’re bonded.”

“What?” Jisung shouts in confusion. “I thought--”

“You sick fuck.” Chan holsters his dual crossbows, grabs a handful of Hyunjin’s shirt and then punches the vampire. “You bonded her to Felix?!”

“Ring around the rosie, pockets full of posie. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down,” Hyunjin sings before collapsing into giggles. 

“Don’t you hurt him!” You scream.

Felix has his arms around your waist, holding you from running to Hyunjin’s side. He’s stronger than you by a long shot but that doesn’t stop you from struggling in his hold. “Let go of me Felix, right fucking now, I swear to God--”

Chan stands in front of Hyunjin, firmly blocking your view of your boyfriend. Chan smiles through his tears. “Sweetheart.”

“How dare you hurt him? Hyunjin, are you okay? Why did you let him punch you?” You ignore Chan and speak to Hyunjin instead.

Hyunjin moves his jaw, bringing his fingers to his face, gingerly touching where Chan punched him. “She’s mine, you know. She’s bonded to Felix so you didn’t accidentally kill me and kill her, but that doesn’t stop her from being completely mine.”

“You did always play dirty to get what you wanted,” Chan spat.

“It could have been us!” Hyunjin screams. “All you had to do was share, was that too much to ask?” he adds a little bit more quietly.

“She was mine first!” Chan shouts back. “Of course it was too much to ask!”

It was silent until you broke it.

“What the fuck are you two talking about?”

You’re no longer struggling in Felix’s hold. You turn in his hold. “Felix?”

“You were mine,” Chan sniffles. Tears are pouring down his cheeks. “We were all friends, once.”

Your face screws up in utter confusion. “No. I remember every single moment of that. I don’t know who you are.”

“We were all clubbing when we found a vampire's nest.” Chan’s shoulders are trembling as he sobs silently. “I turned them down when the ancient vampires pointed to me, saying I was worthy, strong enough to be a vampire. Hyunjin pushed forward to offer himself instead, dragging Felix along with him. He knew this was his chance to take you. He had always coveted you and he knew Felix wanted you too.”

Felix’s grip on you loosened in response to his clear guilt. “Chan--”

Chan sends a cutting glamce to Felix. He refused to hear an apology from the younger vampire's lips. “No, I knew all along, I knew both of you wanted her. But I never knew you’d both go to such lengths to take her from me.”

Hyunjin laughs and coughs. “If you two were meant to be, how could we take her away?”

Chan turns around to hit Hyunjin but your hands wrap around his arm, stopping him.

“No!” You cry out. 

Chan’s in clear pain, his head tilting as he gazes down at you. “It’s not real what you feel for him, Sweetheart.”

You shake your head. “Don’t call me that.”

You let go of Chan’s hand and kneel down before Hyunjin. “Tell me he’s lying.”

Hyunjin cups your head with one hand. “Of course he’s lying. You’ve always been mine, pretty.”

Minho makes a noise of disgust in the back of his throat. “Your mind broke when they turned you, Hyunjin. You weren’t strong enough. Your mind broke when you realized they refused to turn her for you. Then you hypnotized her into feeling the twisted love she has for you. Then you made her forget about Chan. About us.”

“The sweet blood must always be protected,” Jisung whispers.

“Sweet blood?” 

“When you’re cut, you see the future,” Chan supplies. His voice sounds empty and desolate. “It was my job to protect you, to make sure you never got hurt and instead…”

Changbin tries to put a hand on Chan’s shoulder but he shrugs it off. He sends a glare towards Hyunjin. “Instead I condemned you to a life of spilling your blood and shortening your life. For every time you look into the future, you lose time off your lifeline.”

“That’s why she’s bonded with Felix now!” Hyunjin shouts. “I thought of everything, you idiot! It’s perfect now!”

“Hyunjin?” Your voice sounds wobbly, unsure. 

“Love, love, love is all you need,” Hyunjin sings. 

“If I’m an idiot then why are you dead?”

Hyunjin’s body jumps as a crossbow whistles through his heart. He smiles softly to you and then his body bursts into ashes. 

“No!” You scream and throw yourself on top of the pile of ashes. “Nononononono,” You sob. “I love you, Hyunjin, I love you! Why? Why did you leave me?”

Chan puts his hand out, to stop any of the other vampire hunters from moving. “It'll take a moment. Just wait.”

With Hyunjin dead, his spell on you should have died too. 

Except you continued to cry into the ground, beating your fist on the tile. 

Felix shoots a look at Chan before he gathers you up. “I think… I think you foresaw Hyunjin’s death, pretty. I think he knew he was dying tonight. I think--”

You slap him. “Are you saying this is my fault?”

“What happened tonight is no one’s fault except for Hyunjin’s,” Minho clucks his tongue in disappointment.

“No vampire will ever bleed you ever again on my watch,” Chan vows. 

“What have you done?” You stare up at Chan as if he's burned your world down around you.

Chan can’t keep your gaze. The utter heartbreak in your eyes kills him worse than his self-torture. “I’ve saved you. I can’t do anything about how short your life is now but I plan to make up for every minute I’ve lost being with you.” he says gruffly.

“All that training, all that hunting,” Jisung whispers. “You said we were going to save them. You said we’d save them all.”

“You're kidding yourself if you thought Chan wasn't going to kill Hyunjin when we found them. The only reason Felix isn't dead is because his death would be the end of hers,” Changbin explains.

“You are more evil than Hyunjin ever was,” You sob. “At least Hyunjin loved me enough to protect me. What have you ever done?”

Chan looks absolutely dumbfounded by your statement. You…actually genuinely loved Hyunjin. Even with your memory back, the clear contempt in your eyes said that you saw him as the villain tonight.

And Chan would have to live with that title for the rest of his life.

🖤Author's Note Post Fic: i just wanted to clarify, in case anyone was confused and i was being too subtle. You (the reader) are under the impression that vampires have an orgasmic bite/venom in their fangs. you only get bitten by hyunjin so that's the pretty lie he's told you. but in fact, when you are cut, you go into an euphoric phase where you speak prophecy. when you speak it, you forget that you did it. hyunjin knows this but keeps it hidden from you because his crazy mind thinks its the bee's knees so to speak. and he doesn't want your mind trying to break out of his hypnotism, nor your mind to break once you figure out your past, what he's done etc. hyunjin likes you sane to his crazy. I hope this clarifies things 🙂

[lexluthot]

100% agree with everything you wrote

The only good thing I can say about late-80s/90s Lex is that his characterization is somewhat interesting from a historical-cultural perspective. In 1986, Reagan was president, the USSR was collapsing, and everyone in Wall Street was mainlining cocaine. "Evil corrupt businessman" was both topical and non-controversial. The Cold War and all its scientific races was over; the neoliberal era had begun.

(The Luthor-Superman narrative dynamics weren't even part of the equation. The cold war was ending, but you still couldn't be communist, and anything actually delving into Clark's opinion that didn't toe the capitalist line would be labeled as such.)

This ended up shifting probably in part because writers started getting tired of how boringly awful post-Crisis Luthor was, but I also think that the shift in cultural issues from September 11, 2001 onwards helped push things in that direction. Things were suddenly complicated in ways that certainly could be portrayed through a supervillain, but would inevitably be controversial and hard to get right.

And naturally Smallville (2001) had a major influence, I can't leave that out!

I don't know when Lex became enjoyable to read again. Well, definitely by 2019/YotV, that was pretty great, and from what I can tell the writers have been doing well with him since. But even back in 2005 in All-Stars he was at least interesting, and he had some great dynamics going on in the 2014 run, although it felt like he still hadn't entirely shaken off the post-Crisis characterization... but it's been a while 🤷‍♂️

part of the reason early post-crisis lex is so bad to me is that it took everything enjoyable out of his character.

he didn't live in smallville with clark as a kid leading to his vendetta against superman for making him bald, now he killed his parents for life insurance or whatever and just hates superman because he won't work for him and does good with his powers. not a bad idea for his origin, but it's the rest of how he's handled that's just bleak.

he used to be a genius super-scientist who made evil inventions to take down superman, but because he's a ceo now, instead of doing his villainy himself, he just gets his underlings to do it. because what's more interesting than seeing the super-villain fight the hero? seeing them tell other people to do it and sit around, i guess. and instead of doing super genius things, we get to see him be abusive and creepy to the women who work for him. how fun.

i personally think comic book super villains should be at least a little fun or enjoyable to read. like with the joker, you can use them in serious ways, but there should also be the space for more wacky stories. the version of lex byrne created didn't have any room that. it's just not as fun to make jokes about post-crisis lex being gay for superman or whatever when he's a realistic misogynistic, creepy boss who is abusive to the women who work for him.

i think nowadays there's a good balance between the two where lex can be a rich ceo and also a crazy scientist that's fun to read about, but during the 80's and 90's it wasn't great

[cchapsticck]

Last Sentence Tag Game

Thank you @dreamwatch for the nudge to look at a few of my wips I straight up have not touched in a minute.

I wrote fresh words on each one, felt like giving myself a little challenge.

rapture chaser

Steve forgets things, sometimes, these days. Short term memory is a little shot, part and parcel of what he’s dealing with inside his previously battered skull.

yotv

Reid brings him back to his place, they fight about it in the car - like oh you’re still coming down, oh your head’s still in pieces, oh Joel’s not home you’re gonna fuck yourself up again, quit being such a fucking asshole about all this, because he’s a fucking asshole all the time.

about andrew

Previously closed books open to specific pages on tables, TV channels switching back and forth when he disapproves of the programming, a brush of his intangible hand, the invisible weight of a body sinking into a chair or a bed. That living with a ghost isn’t, wouldn’t be, disruptive.  

dick & jane

And the monsters might be working for the government. Which tracks honestly, if our government dollars went to MKUltra-ing a bunch of normies sure why not keep a bunch of butthole faced monsters on the payroll.