Numbers [2/2]
Title: Numbers
Author: FloweryMisha
Pairing: KrisHo
Warning: BoyxBoy love. Enough said.
Summary: It started with greed, but it ended with pride.
[1]
“Hello?”
“Baby...?”
“Hey. Are you on your way home?”
“Yes...”
“That’s good. Be careful, okay?”
“Yifan...?”
“Yes, Junmyeon?”
“Can you...can you please stay awake until I get home? I know it’s selfish, but...”
“Sure. I’ll wait until you arrive.”
“You’d do that for me? Really?”
“Of course, babe. Just be careful on your way home.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Yeah. See you soon.”
“Yifan?”
“Yes?”
“...it’s-it’s nothing. See you soon...”
***
Yifan did stay awake until Junmyeon got home.
The blond-haired male quickly figured out there was something wrong with his boyfriend, but he didn’t ask. He helped Junmyeon change before lying down beside him on the bed. Yifan kissed him goodnight and fell into deep slumber not long after, but Junmyeon couldn’t sleep. Junmyeon held on dearly to his boyfriend even until morning, until Yifan had left and the other side of the bed had gone cold.
Junmyeon felt like skipping work tonight, but then he thought about Sehun, and how the younger of the two would have to work all by himself. But his feelings were a huge mess right now...
The male spent the rest of his morning in bed. He finally got out of the bed and took a shower near lunchtime. Junmyeon felt a bit refreshed after the cold shower, and he was set on not going to work tonight. Just as Junmyeon took his phone to call his boyfriend to tell him of his decision, his eyes caught a few envelopes on the dining table.
Bills.
Junmyeon took the envelopes into his hands, his lips pressing into a thin line. Skipping work for a day also meant reducing his paycheck...and he didn’t want Yifan to carry the financial burden all by himself. They had only been living together for a month and a week now. And although Yifan had never agreed, Junmyeon had insisted on sharing the bills. Last month, Yifan was so angry when they split the bills, but he couldn’t do anything because Junmyeon threatened to move out if the former declined.
So Junmyeon gathered his courage to go to work.
Sehun looked a bit surprised when Junmyeon showed up. The younger of the two curved his lips into a small smile and Junmyeon genuinely smiled back. “Hey, hyung. I thought you’d never come here again, to be honest.”
Junmyeon softly chuckled, but it was slightly laced with bitterness. “I wish I could...but if I don’t go to work, I won’t be able to make money.”
“Life’s tough...” Sehun commented casually as he wiped the table with a clean rag. “Ours, too.”
Junmyeon focused his eyes on Sehun’s movements, observing everything the latter did. When Sehun was done wiping the tables and he walked back to the bar, Junmyeon carefully asked, “What exactly...do you do?”
Sehun pondered a bit for an answer. “The best way to put it is that Chanyeol-hyung and I are hunters.”
Junmyeon deadpanned. “Hunters.”
“Yup.”
“So you guys...hunt things.”
“Exactly.”
“Demons?”
Sehun smiled with amusement. “What did Chanyeol-hyung tell you last night?”
“Something about the apocalypse, and then I freaked out,” Junmyeon replied sheepishly.
“Huh? He only told me that he thinks you’re beautiful.” Sehun laughed when Junmyeon’s cheeks turned crimson. “I’m kidding! Well, not really. He really did think you’re beautiful, but more interestingly, he said that you’re different. For someone who had been attacked by a demon, that is. Most people would be scared.”
“I am scared,” Junmyeon said defensively. “I just don’t show it very well.”
Sehun smiled. “No, you’re not scared at all. Maybe slightly, but not really.”
Junmyeon stared at Sehun disbelievingly before shaking his head. He really was scared, that was the truth. Sehun continued to wipe the counter while Junmyeon was wiping the cocktail glasses. The older of the two made sure that no one else was around them and Junmyeon cleared his throat. Sehun paused to look at him.
“Tell me more about the...apocalypse.”
Sehun’s face turned serious.
Junmyeon cleared his throat one more time and kept his voice quiet. “Chanyeol said something about seven...sins. I-I didn’t tell him about
this, but...I saw a number. When the body was burning.”
“Was it three?”
Junmyeon blinked. “Y-yes. It was three...”
“Greed was number three.”
Junmyeon helplessly leaned his hips against the counter. “I think I deserve more explanation than that, please...”
Sehun put the rag down and leaned next to Junmyeon. He pursed his lips in a serious manner. “Are you sure about this?”
“Are you kidding me? I almost got killed. I’m in too deep already,” Junmyeon muttered. “Might as well just know everything I can...”
Sehun gazed at the older male’s face searchingly. When he saw that there was really no sign of Junmyeon changing his mind, he nodded. “Very well.” Sehun hummed. “Where to start...? We’ve killed number six and number five before I decided to apply for a job here.”
Junmyeon lifted up his face. Three. Six. Five.
“Six was Gluttony. Five was Wrath. And as you saw, three was Greed.”
At the mention of ‘wrath’, Junmyeon instantly remembered when he felt extremely angry for no reason several days ago. Did it mean that he was affected...?
“For some reasons, they seem really attracted to this place. Both Chanyeol-hyung and I can’t figure out why...”
Junmyeon swallowed. We like your smell.
“...but it definitely has something to do about finding number one.”
Sehun paused to glance sideways at him and Junmyeon held his breath, suddenly feeling unsure if he wanted to know anymore.
“Pride.”
“...Pride...?”
Sehun nodded firmly.
“Pride is number one...?”
“Yes. They find Pride, and everything is over.”
“But...why Pride?”
Sehun took a deep breath and shifted his weight to the other foot. “You see, each sin is associated with a demon. Belphegor for Sloth, Beelzebub for Gluttony, Satan for Wrath, Leviathan for Envy, Mammon for Greed, Asmodeus for Lust, and Lucifer for Pride.”
Junmyeon gasped mutely. “Lucifer...”
“That’s right. Lucifer. Now you see how dangerous it is if he rises.”
“But...if what you’re saying is true, then...how come they themselves cannot find their own...kind?”
“Beats me. I don’t live in demon’s world, so I can’t tell for sure,” Sehun said jokingly. Junmyeon’s expression dimmed. Sehun noticed this, and he patted Junmyeon’s shoulder lightly with a soothing smile. “But there are like, 666 demon seals all over the world. They’re gonna have to break all of them first, then find Lucifer so he can have his full power...wow, now that I say that, it sounds so scary. I mean, Lucifer is definitely strong...he’s already strong without breaking the seals, and if all of them are broken...”
Then the apocalypse will happen.
“Y-yeah, it really is scary...” Junmyeon trailed off. Too scary, in fact.
Maybe we should stop and talk about something else.
Sehun played with the end of his apron, dusting the fabric even though it was clean.
Junmyeon forced himself to smile and softly nudged Sehun’s arm with his shoulder. “Are you studying at a university?”
“Nope. Too busy hunting things down to save the world. I’d probably graduate with cum laude if there is a demon hunting major though.”
There was a note of sarcasm in Sehun’s tone and Junmyeon wondered if he had hurt the younger male by asking the question. He tried to change the topic. “Is Chanyeol your brother?”
“Nope. He saved me once when I was attacked by a werewolf. We’ve been traveling together ever since. After all we’ve been through, he’s like a brother, though, so I guess you could say that.”
Junmyeon didn’t know how to comment properly on that. Sehun grimaced darkly, so Junmyeon did nothing but wrap an arm around Sehun’s shoulder. The younger of the two slowly leaned into the touch, pressing their heads together.
“I’d love to have you as my brother,” Sehun uttered childishly. “It’s always been just the two of us. I’d be very happy if you come with us, Hyung. After all of this is over, of course. I mean, I know we just met, but...”
Junmyeon’s heart dropped at Sehun’s words. Sehun wasn’t staring at him, but he could sense that the former’s intention was sincere. How long has it been since you lived like a normal teenager...? “Well...I’m pretty sure I can’t hunt,” he retorted dryly and Sehun chuckled. “And...I have a boyfriend...”
“Oh.”
The conversation was left hanging, neither of them wanting to continue the topic. They stayed like that for a while until the sound of Yoona’s high heels came echoing into the room.
“Junmyeon, you’re here! Are you okay now?” Yoona asked worriedly. “I felt a bit panicked when Sehun said you weren’t feeling well, but fortunately Yixing was willing to help. Poor boy, he only came back to grab the rest of his things in his locker last night...”
“I’m okay now, sorry for making you worried,” Junmyeon smiled apologetically and Yoona nodded.
“Take care of your health, okay? Things haven’t been great lately....”
With that, Yoona turned around to walk away, approaching the other employees who were at the other side of the room.
Junmyeon put on his apron and smiled at Sehun. “Come on, let’s get back to work, Sehun-ah.”
***
The thought of knowing that the demons were trying to start the apocalypse scared Junmyeon, but fortunately, everything seemed to be calm for the next few days.
Now that he thought about it, Junmyeon didn’t really understand how he was affected by Wrath. Unlike Greed who obviously had touched him, Wrath hadn’t. He wanted to ask Sehun about it, but in the end, he decided not to. It was better to forget what had happened...
Junmyeon never told Sehun about what the demon had told him-something about liking the way he smelled. He thought for several possibilities about altering the way he smelled. Junmyeon started using Yifan’s cologne instead and changed the brand of his soap and shampoo. He even stopped going to the dry cleaners he frequented and tried the other dry cleaners on the other block.
Being partners at work, Junmyeon’s relationship with Sehun had grown closer, but he knew that Sehun only thought of him as a brother. The way Sehun cling to him was childish-and sometimes possessive-but it also felt very natural. They were starting to walk home together. Even though their homes weren’t in the same direction, at least now Junmyeon had someone to accompany him until the intersection.
But wherever there was Sehun, there was also Chanyeol.
Chanyeol was a lot quieter than Sehun, but that might have been just because the male was older. Most of the time, he waited until both Sehun and Junmyeon were done with their shifts, and then the three of them would walk together-though it was more like Junmyeon and Sehun walked first with Chanyeol following quietly from behind.
It was somewhat nice to have new friends, but Junmyeon didn’t miss the way Chanyeol stared at him. He tried to ignore it, but sometimes it was just hard to do so. The way Chanyeol looked at him was similar to the way Yifan did, and it made Junmyeon a bit uncomfortable.
One night, Junmyeon had just finished making a phone call to Yifan when his previously fond smile vanished as he turned around and realized Chanyeol had been staring. The taller male must have been there for a few minutes already-was he listening...? Junmyeon tucked his phone inside his pocket and decided to act casual. He sent Chanyeol a small smile as they waited for Sehun by the backdoor.
“Your boyfriend?”
Junmyeon was startled. So Chanyeol did listen. “Y-yeah.”
“I see. Did you tell him about us? Me and Sehun, of course.”
“...no,” Junmyeon honestly replied. “I didn’t.”
“Why?”
Junmyeon gave Chanyeol a bemused stare. “Are you seriously asking me this? Do you think it would be easy to just casually say to your boyfriend, ‘Hey baby, I encountered a demon last night and I almost got killed.’ I don’t want him to freak out, Chanyeol. For you hunters, it may be easy, but for us normal people, it’s not.”
“...I’m sorry.”
Junmyeon immediately regretted everything he said and he held up a hand. “No...no, it should be me who feel sorry. I-I’m really sorry, Chanyeol-ah... I didn’t mean to snap...”
Silence descended thickly upon the two of them and now, it was really awkward. Junmyeon kept on staring at the backdoor, hoping Sehun would just get out already. He avoided looking at Chanyeol and threw his gaze on the ground. Junmyeon absently thought about how he needed to save some money to buy a new pair of shoes when all of a sudden, a pair of high heels appeared before him.
Junmyeon lifted up his head, only to have his neck grabbed viciously by a hand. He choked as he tried to gasp for air. He was having a difficult time breathing because the hand on his neck was burning and it hurt like hell. Junmyeon opened his eyes with great effort and saw a woman with yellow eyes glaring at him-just like Greed.
“Junmyeon!!!”
Chanyeol’s voice roared from somewhere behind her and the woman hastily pulled away from Junmyeon. Junmyeon didn’t really know what was going on as he collapsed into a series of coughing fits, trying to vomit from the unbearable burning sensation that was stuck on his throat. He heard another voice butt in-must be Sehun. Junmyeon wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and lifted up his face to see what happened, and that moment, the woman stared right into his eyes.
“You are the obstacle to our plan!!!”
Chanyeol stabbed his knife through her chest from behind, and just like the other time, she started burning. Junmyeon coughed lightly as he saw a number glowing brightly on her right collarbone. He breathlessly tried to pull himself together, but failed. Junmyeon weakly dropped to his knees, his hands curling into fists on his thighs.
Two.
Lust.
The demon turned into ashes and what was left of her disappeared into thin air.
“Hyung, are you all right?” Sehun’s voice jolted Junmyeon out of his daze. “Hyung?”
“I-I think so,” Junmyeon stammered, his whole body was trembling. “Y-yeah, I’m all right...”
“Thank goodness. Chanyeol-hyung? Are you all right?”
“Yeah...”
“Did she just come out of nowhere?” Sehun offered a hand to Junmyeon which the latter gladly accepted. “Why did she attack Junmyeon-hyung? And...why did she say Junmyeon-hyung is the obstacle...?”
“I didn’t get the chance to ask,” Chanyeol retorted almost sarcastically. “She just attacked Junmyeon and then...”
“Well, I’m glad no one is hurt,” Sehun sighed in relief. “But it’s just-hyung?”
No one expected Chanyeol to walk straight to Junmyeon and crash their lips together. It was so sudden that Junmyeon didn’t even have the chance to stop him. The male immediately pushed Chanyeol away with a painful cry, his eyes glinting with fear.
“Chanyeol! Don’t!”
Chanyeol stumbled backward, hissing as he covered his own lips.
“Hyung! What the hell are you doing? Oh no, did she touch you?” Sehun snapped to Chanyeol. “Hyung, did she touch you?”
Chanyeol wordlessly stared down to his arm, and both Sehun and Junmyeon’s expressions turned to horror. Chanyeol’s arm was bleeding underneath the cuff of his sleeve. The demon must have cut him.
“Shit, he’s affected,” Sehun cursed. “Junmyeon-hyung, did you see the number? What number was she?”
“T-two.”
Sehun dragged a hand down his face. “Dammit. Chanyeol-hyung, don’t give in. Please, don’t give in. I’m gonna grab the holy water-”
“I-I need to go,” Junmyeon whispered and he started walking away without waiting for any reply. His head and his arm were throbbing painfully and it almost felt like the insides of his body were burning. All he could think about at the moment was his boyfriend.
Yifan.
He needed to see his boyfriend.
“Junmyeon-hyung-“
“I’m sorry, Sehun-ah, I need to go home.”
“Junmyeon-hyung, wait!!!”
Junmyeon ignored Sehun’s shouting and ran away.
***
Junmyeon stepped into their apartment as quietly as he could.
His throat was still burning, and each part of his body was hurt, like they were going to explode any minute. Junmyeon dragged his feet to the kitchen to get a glass of water. The cool liquid calmed him as it went down, but only momentarily. The male then tried to wipe the taste of Chanyeol’s lips away by biting his lower lip hard, but it didn’t go away.
The taste was still there, and Junmyeon loathed it.
He then carefully made his way to the bedroom. The door was ajar. It had been a habit for Yifan to leave the door opened at night, so that when Junmyeon got home, he wouldn’t wake up by the sound of the creaking door. It wasn’t really effective, however, since Junmyeon always kissed Yifan whenever he reached home, and Yifan always woke up by the simplest gesture.
When Junmyeon saw Yifan curling on the bed, his chest was filled with a longing feeling. It was like the act of simply seeing the sleeping male told him that this was the right person. The right one. His soulmate. When Chanyeol kissed him, his body was burning with desire, but it rejected Chanyeol immediately. Junmyeon stifled a sob into his hand. Sehun said Chanyeol was affected, because he was touched by the demon. The demon touched him, too. Did that mean that...
...he was affected, too?
Junmyeon slowly climbed onto the bed. Yifan stirred slightly-his boyfriend had always been a light sleeper-the moment the bed gained another weight and he cracked his eyes open.
“Hey,” Yifan murmured softly.
“Hey,” Junmyeon leaned down to peck Yifan’s cheek.
“Hm,” Yifan hummed sleepily, but then he pulled Junmyeon in for a kiss.
Junmyeon sighed as Yifan deepened the kiss without hesitation. Junmyeon had always loved the tender way Yifan kissed him. It made his chest ache for no specific reason. The mild kisses turned into more passionate ones, and Junmyeon found himself taking Yifan’s hand to touch him. Yifan seemed a bit surprised by the bold request, but he didn’t back away.
“Yifan,” Junmyeon whispered hoarsely. “Don’t go to work.”
“Hm...?”
“Please, make love to me until morning...”
Junmyeon let out a needy moan when Yifan managed to unzip his pants and his fingers casually crawled into his underwear. Yifan flipped their positions without difficulty so that he was hovering over Junmyeon. The Chinese male patiently took his time to strip the beautiful male out of his clothes, and when the latter was completely bare, Yifan took a moment to gaze at him longingly.
“Why do you always like to stare...?” Junmyeon asked shyly. “You know I’m yours...”
Yifan only smiled in return before leaning down to kiss Junmyeon again. “I like to stare at what’s mine...”
Suddenly, Chanyeol came into Junmyeon’s mind.
Junmyeon didn’t know why he had a vision of the other male and he gasped in horror, breaking away the kiss with a cry. Yifan frowned in confusion, trying to ask for an explanation, but Junmyeon breathlessly covered his face with his hands. Yifan firmly peeled them off of Junmyeon’s face, trapping those tiny wrists in his hands and examined his boyfriend’s face closely.
“Did someone kiss you?”
Junmyeon turned pale at the (right) accusation and Yifan gritted his teeth in anger. Even though Junmyeon didn’t answer, his expression was enough for Yifan to find out. The taller of the two let go of Junmyeon’s wrists and abruptly spread the latter’s legs open. Slicking up two fingers with lotion, Yifan stared intensely into his boyfriend’s black orbs before inserting his lubed fingers into Junmyeon’s entrance.
Junmyeon threw his head back with a loud gasp, and Yifan took the opportunity to claim his lips. Each sound he tried to make was muffled against Yifan’s lips. Junmyeon cried when Yifan’s fingers hit the spot inside him, and his hand immediately flew to the latter’s nape. It was a signal for Yifan to go further, so Yifan gladly replaced his fingers with himself.
The way Yifan rocked into him that night was different. Junmyeon could sense the hint of jealousy when Yifan touched all of his sensitive spots, as if silently marking him, telling him that he was the only one who had the privilege to do so. There was also a huge sign of possessiveness when Yifan took Junmyeon onto his lap, so that their lips could meet countless times, making Junmyeon swaying his hips endlessly against Yifan. Junmyeon was hit with a wave of emotions because Yifan’s hands on his waist were firm, as if to tell him that he was there to hold him, and make sure he didn’t fall.
Junmyeon was the first one to come. He felt as if he was exploding with rainbows and chocolate sprinkles because the feeling was unbearably sweet. Junmyeon felt content and loved as he collapsed into Yifan’s chest, his shoulders still shaking with release, and a moment after, he felt Yifan filling him up inside. He breathlessly stared at Yifan, both had not really recovered from their orgasms, and Junmyeon bloomed into a beautiful smile.
Yifan gently detached himself off Junmyeon and kissed the latter’s left arm. Just as he did so, Junmyeon felt it throb once, but he ignored it. He searched for Yifan’s fingers, linking them together and snuggled closer to his boyfriend.
For a moment, Junmyeon didn’t care about those demons and their plan to start the apocalypse.
Being with Yifan was all that mattered to him.
***
Junmyeon woke up feeling terribly sore.
He groaned in pain, but then he grabbed Yifan’s pillow and inhaled its scent like it was some kind of medicine. Junmyeon had always loved the way Yifan smelled. At the thought of his boyfriend, Junmyeon blinked his eyes open, wondering if his Yifan had gone to work.
However, the sound of footsteps in the kitchen indicated that he hadn’t, and it brought a smile to Junmyeon’s face.
Yifan walked into the room not long after. The taller male was only clad in a shirt and a pair of boxers. His shirt was unbuttoned, revealing Yifan’s perfect collarbones. Junmyeon, still hugging his boyfriend’s pillow, streched an arm childishly and Yifan stared at the proffered hand in amusement before giving in to the request. Yifan took his hand and sat by the bed.
Junmyeon thought he was going to say something romantic like ‘I love you’, but he was wrong.
“You’re quitting your job,” Yifan said sternly. “And this is final. You cannot argue with me.”
Junmyeon’s jaw dropped. For a second, he wondered why, but then he remembered Yifan’s ability to guess what was on his mind. Dammit, why did he have to remember Chanyeol last night? “B-but Yifan...he’s not someone at work. I mean...”
Yifan’s expression hardened. “Even worse. Was it a customer that couldn’t get his hands off of you?”
“N-no...”
“You’re quitting, and that’s final,” Yifan stated as he squeezed Junmyeon’s fingers. “I tried not to complain about your job, but I think it’s time for me to make things right. I just-the thought of you going home alone every morning kills me.”
“But-but I want to help you pay the bills,” Junmyeon protested weakly.
“Then you will find another job,” Yifan’s eyes softened and he caressed Junmyeon’s cheek with a thumb, their hands still laced together. “Or I won’t let you split the bills at all.”
Junmyeon’s throat went dry. He opened his mouth to argue, but he was silenced by Yifan’s glare on him and Junmyeon swallowed everything he was about to say.
***
It had been more than a week since Junmyeon (deliberately) quit his job.
He didn’t even go to the club to say a proper goodbye to Sehun and Chanyeol. Junmyeon only made a phone call to Yoona, apologizing for his sudden decision. The pretty woman seemed to be very disappointed, but then she sighed deeply and thanked him for all of his work.
Junmyeon took the chance to rest all week. He enjoyed waking up in the morning and got up to the kitchen to make breakfast. Junmyeon was finally able to serve Yifan his cup of coffee, and the look of his boyfriend’s face was priceless. They took a shower together the next morning, exchanging sweet kisses. Junmyeon giggled when Yifan placed a hand on his bare stomach, which he flicked away as Junmyeon scolded that the latter was going to be late for work.
Junmyeon decided to go to the coffeeshop the following week.
Kyungsoo’s expression brightened the moment he walked into the place, and the first thing he asked Junmyeon was, “So did your boyfriend say yes?”
Junmyeon only smiled in response, much to the happiness of Kyungsoo.
Random people came and went every day at the coffeeshop, but they were different compared to the ones in the club. All of them were dressed in decent clothes, and they ordered coffee or hot chocolate instead of a dry martini or pina colada.
Junmyeon felt a bit strange due to all of the bright lighting at his new workplace because he was used to the darkness in the club, but he quickly adapted. His co-worker, Minseok, was kind-hearted and he patiently taught Junmyeon how to brew coffee. Minseok had morning shift while the other barista, Zitao, had night shift for the week. Kyungsoo assigned Junmyeon to train with Minseok, and Junmyeon was grateful for that because Zitao seemed unsociable and terribly quiet.
Another bonus was-unlike the night club-there was hardly any trouble in the coffeeshop.
Jongin-Kyungsoo’s boyfriend-came by every day to check if everything was working all right. He was also there to accompany Kyungsoo when it was closing time, finishing what needed to be done before the couple went home together.
Junmyeon’s heart ached at the sight. It was something that he longed to do with Yifan since they started dating. Yifan picking him up after work-his wish was always just that simple.
The schedules were reversed the next week but Kyungsoo still assigned Junmyeon with Minseok on the night shift. One night, Minseok had just done washing all of the mugs while Junmyeon had finished mopping the floor. The male hang his apron by the locker, laughing softly when Minseok told him something about a cute guy he saw on the new clothing store a few blocks from there.
“Are you guys waiting for someone?”
Kyungsoo’s voice jerked the two of them out of their chitchat and both Minseok and Junmyeon shook their heads immediately.
“Really? There’s someone waiting outside...tall, blond hair?”
Junmyeon’s heart skipped a beat at the description. He immediately walked out of the kitchen, and his heart stuttered at the sight of Yifan
standing in front of the coffeeshop. Junmyeon had never felt pleasantly surprised before. It was just a simple matter, but it meant a lot to him. Junmyeon dashed outside and reached for his boyfriend without thinking.
“Yifan?”
“Whoa,” Yifan blinked his eyes in confusion when he saw Junmyeon’s eyes tearing up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Junmyeon choked as he stifled a sob. “Why-why are you here?”
Yifan broke into a gentle smile and patted the shorter male’s head. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m picking you up. Are you done?”
“Um, yeah. Actually, just a bit more and then I’m good to go...”
“Okay, take your time. I’ll be here waiting for you.”
“Mm. Be patient, okay? I won’t take long...”
Kyungsoo and Minseok didn’t even need to hear Junmyeon’s excuse to go home as soon as possible. The doe-eyed male waved a hand dismissively and Minseok commented on how good they looked together, and Junmyeon’s smile widened.
Junmyeon was so happy that he couldn’t stop smiling all the way home. Going home together-it was like a dream came true. Junmyeon rested his head on Yifan’s arm, and Yifan squeezed his fingers in return.
Maybe his decision to quit the club was right.
No, Junmyeon absently thought as he glanced at his boyfriend.
It was definitely right.
***
Junmyeon had forgotten all about the things that happened in the club. His life had been peaceful and he was happier nowadays.
Until one day, his left arm started throbbing again.
This time, the pain was different. It had only throbbed once or twice before, but now it was unpredictable and lasting too long. Junmyeon tried to ignore it, because it usually went away even without him doing anything about it, but not this time. His mind quickly wandered to Sehun and Chanyeol, because the last time his left arm throbbed like this was after the demon was defeated.
He wondered if the hunters had killed another demon.
Junmyeon tried to hide it from Yifan, but day by day, the pain was becoming unbearable. There were times when Junmyeon felt like his whole left arm was burning, and he almost dropped everything he was holding. He managed to act nonchalant about it, but for how much longer would he be able to hold on?
Yifan was taking a shower in the bathroom that morning when Junmyeon felt the striking pain again. He hastily clutched his left arm. Usually by doing so the pain would diminish even just a little, but it hurt too much this time. Junmyeon almost bit the pillow to hide his whimpering, hoping it would go away soon. It must’ve been quite a while because Junmyeon felt a pair of cold hands grabbing his arms, and the next thing he knew, Yifan was staring at him worriedly.
“What’s wrong?”
Junmyeon held the urge to cry, but his eyes betrayed his pain. It was useless to lie. “M-my arm hurts...”
“Your arm?” Yifan’s frown deepened. He carefully placed a hand on the arm Junmyeon was clutching, which happened to be his left. “This?”
“It-it doesn’t hurt anymore,” Junmyeon softly replied. “But yes, this one...”
Yifan pursed his lips. “Do you want to go to the doctor?”
“N-no!” Junmyeon hastily retorted. “I mean, it’s...only this morning.”
“You mean this is the first time it hurt?”
Junmyeon dropped his gaze, half scared Yifan would find out if he was lying. “Maybe my cholesterol is high...”
Yifan didn’t seem amused at his boyfriend’s attempted joke, but Junmyeon kept his mouth shut after that. After a while, Yifan finally sighed and grabbed Junmyeon’s arm, pressing his lips on it.
“I don’t want you to feel hurt,” Yifan murmured softly. “Please, be all right.”
It was probably just his imagination, but Junmyeon felt ten times better already and he tiredly leaned his head against Yifan’s chest. His boyfriend was so kind and understanding to him. If it wasn’t because of Yifan, what would have his life been like...?
Junmyeon probably would be nothing.
“I’m going to be all right,” Junmyeon whispered quietly and Yifan gently patted his head.
As long as there is you.
***
The pain in his arm was getting so much worse, but Junmyeon kept it to himself.
It was starting to make him feverish. Junmyeon was starting to sleep less at night, and in order to hide it, he turned away from Yifan in his sleep. Usually, Junmyeon would face Yifan and cuddle, but lately, pretending to be asleep while his back was facing the latter seemed to be the most effective way to hide his pain.
But no matter how hard he tried, there would always be a time when he lost it. It must’ve been his bad luck when Yifan woke up that night and forced Junmyeon to face him.
“You’re hot,” Yifan said as he pressed a hand on Junmyeon’s neck.
Junmyeon forced himself to smile. “Thank you...?”
“Baby, this is not a joke,” Yifan growled. “How long has this been going on?”
“Yifan, I’m okay-“
“Junmyeon, stop. Don’t you trust me?”
Junmyeon’s heart sank at Yifan’s pained expression. “It-it’s been a while...”
“A while?? Dammit, Junmyeon. I’m taking you to a doctor tomorrow. I’m supposed to go on a trip tomorrow with a colleague, but I’ll cancel it-“
“Wait, Yifan, you can’t!” Junmyeon cried in horror. “Please, I don’t want you to skip work because of me... I’ll-I’ll go to the doctor by myself...”
Yifan narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t seem convinced. “Promise me?”
Junmyeon meekly nodded. “I promise...”
Yifan then pulled Junmyeon into a hug, letting the latter rested his head on his chest. It had been a while since they had slept facing each other, but strangely Junmyeon felt better already. Maybe he didn’t need to go to the doctor, Junmyeon sleepily thought as he started to lose consciousness.
As long as there was Yifan.
***
“This is Yifan. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back.”
“Baby...? Why is your phone turned off...? Are you busy...? I’ll just call you later then...”
“This is Yifan. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back.”
“Hey babe. I hope everything is okay over there... Listen, I... I promised you that I would go to the doctor, but...I don’t want to go alone. I’ll just wait until you get home, is that all right...? Please call me back soon. Love you.”
“This is Yifan. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back.”
“Yifan, my arm hurts...it hurts badly...please, come home soon...”
***
Junmyeon was officially sick.
He couldn’t even get up from the bed to grab a glass of water for himself. His entire body was aching, and his skin was scorching hot. Junmyeon felt like someone was burning him with fire, because his eyes and throat were stinging badly.
The sun gave way to the moon, and Yifan still hadn’t returned.
Junmyeon curled on the bed, breathlessly clutching Yifan’s pillow. For a split second, he wondered if he was going to die...what if he couldn’t stand the pain...?
The male thought he must be hallucinating when he saw numbers in his vision. They were glowing brightly in his eyes, just like the way they burned when Chanyeol’s knife stabbed through their chests. He saw the numbers, and then he saw the people-demons?-who carried those numbers. Junmyeon saw Greed. Then he saw Lust. And then he saw a demon he had never seen, but strangely, Junmyeon had a strong feeling it was Envy.
It’s a dream, Junmyeon thought to himself. It was definitely a dream-a strange one, perhaps, because Junmyeon felt like he knew all the demons.
And then there was Sehun.
Sehun was lying with his eyes closed. He looked sound asleep, but Junmyeon could see the way his ribs sticking out of his chest. The younger male was bleeding badly and Junmyeon tried to scream for help, but no voice came out. He extended his arms, trying to reach for Sehun, but it was useless, the latter was too far away.
And then there was Chanyeol.
The image of Chanyeol was even worse. Unlike Sehun, his eyes were bulging like they were about to pop out of his sockets, but it was his neck that was the true horror. The taller male’s neck was twisted to the other way, and there was no way Chanyeol would have survived.
Junmyeon screamed.
“Yifan!!!!!”
Junmyeon woke up in sweat and tears, and he automatically cried his boyfriend’s name. Within seconds, he felt someone grabbing his wrists, and Junmyeon was unable to express his feelings when he realized it was Yifan. Junmyeon broke into a sob the minute Yifan pulled him closer.
“I-I had a nightmare-“
Yifan shushed him with calming noises as he rubbed small circles on Junmyeon’s back. “It’s okay, baby...it’s just a nightmare... No one’s
gonna harm you...”
Junmyeon continued sobbing in his boyfriend’s arms. Slowly, but surely, he was starting to feel calm. He had always felt helpless and weak in Yifan’s arms, but lately it had been getting worse. Like he couldn’t do anything if Yifan wasn’t around. Sometimes, Junmyeon even felt like his life depended on Yifan. After a few moments, Junmyeon’s tears subsided and he let out a long sigh.
Yifan’s hand moved from Junmyeon’s back to Junmyeon’s hair, and the latter felt incredibly secure.
They stayed like that for a bit longer, neither of them wanting to let go. Junmyeon searched for Yifan’s hand to intertwine their fingers together as he closed his eyes.
Calm down, Yifan is here... Besides, it was just a nightmare... Chanyeol and Sehun are safe, somewhere...
Yifan then spoke up like he knew what Junmyeon was thinking.
“It wasn’t a nightmare.”
Junmyeon only hummed quietly in response. “Hm...?”
“They really are dead.”
Junmyeon stiffened. Huh...?
“I was planning to let them go.”
Junmyeon frowned slightly to himself. “What...?”
“If only he didn’t touch you.”
“Yifan, what are you talking about?”
“He liked you, didn’t he?”
Junmyeon slowly pulled away from Yifan, confusion chiseled all over his face. “He...who?”
“The hunter.”
Junmyeon’s eyes widened. “T-the hunter?” He was sure he had never mentioned Chanyeol or Sehun related to Yifan. How did Yifan find out...? “What...hunter?”
Yifan shook his head almost exasperatedly. “Don’t play dumb with me, Junmyeon. Why didn’t you tell me anything about it...? I’ve heard rumors about hunters killing demons around your club, but I’ve never thought you actually interacted with them. What did they tell you? Did they tell you that those demons are looking for Lucifer? Was that it?”
Junmyeon’s left arm throbbed and he visibly winced. He was so shocked at the fact that Yifan knew about Lucifer that the pain on his arm was the last thing on his mind. Junmyeon’s words were stuck in his throat, and Yifan took to the opportunity to continue.
“Starting the apocalypse-please. Those hunters were dumb enough to kill those demons in the first place-not that I minded, they did quite a good job, actually. Some of those they killed were really a pain in the ass. But really, why would they think I would start the apocalypse?”
I.
Yifan looked down to his left arm as it started to glow. Junmyeon found himself staring in horror and instinctively tried to pull away, but his boyfriend didn’t let him. Junmyeon dropped his gaze to his own arm and he gasped when Yifan shook his wrist.
I’m-I’m scared...
“Are you scared of me?” Yifan asked sharply, like he knew what Junmyeon was thinking. On second thought, his boyfriend really could guess what he was thinking.
No-yes.
Junmyeon attempted to stutter an answer, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Yifan noticed that Junmyeon’s lips were trembling and he sighed.
“Don’t be,” Yifan said softly as he pulled Junmyeon closer. His tone was calm, but his gaze on Junmyeon remained stern and his grip on the latter’s wrist tightened. “I’m different than my brothers, Junmyeon-ah.”
“B-brothers...?”
“Yes, my brothers. Those idiots, thinking that I would give you up for the apocalypse. I’m not going to trade you for some pointless destruction. You’re the most important thing in my life...”
You’re the obstacle to our plan.
Junmyeon’s eyes widened as he recalled the words that the demon had said to him. He was very close to panicking and having a complete meltdown. Junmyeon’s feelings were swirling right now, and he was lost. There were still a lot of questions he wanted to ask, but suddenly his left arm throbbed like it was about to explode. Junmyeon screamed. This time, it was really painful. “Y-Yifan, it hurts!!!”
“I know, but it’s only for a while, and then the pain will be gone, I swear...”
“What-what are you doing to me?”
“I’m not doing anything. It’s just that...if my brothers are dead, their powers are somehow transferred to me and I’m getting stronger,” Yifan said and his expression darkened. “I honestly don’t understand how it affects you...I assume it had something to do with the other night, when you were embraced by Lust... A part of me must’ve affected you when we made love...”
Junmyeon feebly glanced down at his arm, and it was then that he realized it was glowing brightly with a number. It was also then that he realized the spot where his arm had been throbbing was on the exact same spot as where Yifan’s scorpion tattoo was.
One was the number on his skin.
Pride.
“Yi-Yifan,” Junmyeon’s heart almost stopped beating at the carved number and tears were threatening to fall from the rims of his eyes. “You’re-“
“That’s right,” Yifan said. “I am Pride.”
Junmyeon turned pale.
“I am the demon they’ve been looking for.”
End.
“And this number is the proof that you’re completely mine, Junmyeon..."
Author: FloweryMisha
Pairing: KrisHo
Warning: BoyxBoy love. Enough said.
Summary: It started with greed, but it ended with pride.
[1]
“Hello?”
“Baby...?”
“Hey. Are you on your way home?”
“Yes...”
“That’s good. Be careful, okay?”
“Yifan...?”
“Yes, Junmyeon?”
“Can you...can you please stay awake until I get home? I know it’s selfish, but...”
“Sure. I’ll wait until you arrive.”
“You’d do that for me? Really?”
“Of course, babe. Just be careful on your way home.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Yeah. See you soon.”
“Yifan?”
“Yes?”
“...it’s-it’s nothing. See you soon...”
***
Yifan did stay awake until Junmyeon got home.
The blond-haired male quickly figured out there was something wrong with his boyfriend, but he didn’t ask. He helped Junmyeon change before lying down beside him on the bed. Yifan kissed him goodnight and fell into deep slumber not long after, but Junmyeon couldn’t sleep. Junmyeon held on dearly to his boyfriend even until morning, until Yifan had left and the other side of the bed had gone cold.
Junmyeon felt like skipping work tonight, but then he thought about Sehun, and how the younger of the two would have to work all by himself. But his feelings were a huge mess right now...
The male spent the rest of his morning in bed. He finally got out of the bed and took a shower near lunchtime. Junmyeon felt a bit refreshed after the cold shower, and he was set on not going to work tonight. Just as Junmyeon took his phone to call his boyfriend to tell him of his decision, his eyes caught a few envelopes on the dining table.
Bills.
Junmyeon took the envelopes into his hands, his lips pressing into a thin line. Skipping work for a day also meant reducing his paycheck...and he didn’t want Yifan to carry the financial burden all by himself. They had only been living together for a month and a week now. And although Yifan had never agreed, Junmyeon had insisted on sharing the bills. Last month, Yifan was so angry when they split the bills, but he couldn’t do anything because Junmyeon threatened to move out if the former declined.
So Junmyeon gathered his courage to go to work.
Sehun looked a bit surprised when Junmyeon showed up. The younger of the two curved his lips into a small smile and Junmyeon genuinely smiled back. “Hey, hyung. I thought you’d never come here again, to be honest.”
Junmyeon softly chuckled, but it was slightly laced with bitterness. “I wish I could...but if I don’t go to work, I won’t be able to make money.”
“Life’s tough...” Sehun commented casually as he wiped the table with a clean rag. “Ours, too.”
Junmyeon focused his eyes on Sehun’s movements, observing everything the latter did. When Sehun was done wiping the tables and he walked back to the bar, Junmyeon carefully asked, “What exactly...do you do?”
Sehun pondered a bit for an answer. “The best way to put it is that Chanyeol-hyung and I are hunters.”
Junmyeon deadpanned. “Hunters.”
“Yup.”
“So you guys...hunt things.”
“Exactly.”
“Demons?”
Sehun smiled with amusement. “What did Chanyeol-hyung tell you last night?”
“Something about the apocalypse, and then I freaked out,” Junmyeon replied sheepishly.
“Huh? He only told me that he thinks you’re beautiful.” Sehun laughed when Junmyeon’s cheeks turned crimson. “I’m kidding! Well, not really. He really did think you’re beautiful, but more interestingly, he said that you’re different. For someone who had been attacked by a demon, that is. Most people would be scared.”
“I am scared,” Junmyeon said defensively. “I just don’t show it very well.”
Sehun smiled. “No, you’re not scared at all. Maybe slightly, but not really.”
Junmyeon stared at Sehun disbelievingly before shaking his head. He really was scared, that was the truth. Sehun continued to wipe the counter while Junmyeon was wiping the cocktail glasses. The older of the two made sure that no one else was around them and Junmyeon cleared his throat. Sehun paused to look at him.
“Tell me more about the...apocalypse.”
Sehun’s face turned serious.
Junmyeon cleared his throat one more time and kept his voice quiet. “Chanyeol said something about seven...sins. I-I didn’t tell him about
this, but...I saw a number. When the body was burning.”
“Was it three?”
Junmyeon blinked. “Y-yes. It was three...”
“Greed was number three.”
Junmyeon helplessly leaned his hips against the counter. “I think I deserve more explanation than that, please...”
Sehun put the rag down and leaned next to Junmyeon. He pursed his lips in a serious manner. “Are you sure about this?”
“Are you kidding me? I almost got killed. I’m in too deep already,” Junmyeon muttered. “Might as well just know everything I can...”
Sehun gazed at the older male’s face searchingly. When he saw that there was really no sign of Junmyeon changing his mind, he nodded. “Very well.” Sehun hummed. “Where to start...? We’ve killed number six and number five before I decided to apply for a job here.”
Junmyeon lifted up his face. Three. Six. Five.
“Six was Gluttony. Five was Wrath. And as you saw, three was Greed.”
At the mention of ‘wrath’, Junmyeon instantly remembered when he felt extremely angry for no reason several days ago. Did it mean that he was affected...?
“For some reasons, they seem really attracted to this place. Both Chanyeol-hyung and I can’t figure out why...”
Junmyeon swallowed. We like your smell.
“...but it definitely has something to do about finding number one.”
Sehun paused to glance sideways at him and Junmyeon held his breath, suddenly feeling unsure if he wanted to know anymore.
“Pride.”
“...Pride...?”
Sehun nodded firmly.
“Pride is number one...?”
“Yes. They find Pride, and everything is over.”
“But...why Pride?”
Sehun took a deep breath and shifted his weight to the other foot. “You see, each sin is associated with a demon. Belphegor for Sloth, Beelzebub for Gluttony, Satan for Wrath, Leviathan for Envy, Mammon for Greed, Asmodeus for Lust, and Lucifer for Pride.”
Junmyeon gasped mutely. “Lucifer...”
“That’s right. Lucifer. Now you see how dangerous it is if he rises.”
“But...if what you’re saying is true, then...how come they themselves cannot find their own...kind?”
“Beats me. I don’t live in demon’s world, so I can’t tell for sure,” Sehun said jokingly. Junmyeon’s expression dimmed. Sehun noticed this, and he patted Junmyeon’s shoulder lightly with a soothing smile. “But there are like, 666 demon seals all over the world. They’re gonna have to break all of them first, then find Lucifer so he can have his full power...wow, now that I say that, it sounds so scary. I mean, Lucifer is definitely strong...he’s already strong without breaking the seals, and if all of them are broken...”
Then the apocalypse will happen.
“Y-yeah, it really is scary...” Junmyeon trailed off. Too scary, in fact.
Maybe we should stop and talk about something else.
Sehun played with the end of his apron, dusting the fabric even though it was clean.
Junmyeon forced himself to smile and softly nudged Sehun’s arm with his shoulder. “Are you studying at a university?”
“Nope. Too busy hunting things down to save the world. I’d probably graduate with cum laude if there is a demon hunting major though.”
There was a note of sarcasm in Sehun’s tone and Junmyeon wondered if he had hurt the younger male by asking the question. He tried to change the topic. “Is Chanyeol your brother?”
“Nope. He saved me once when I was attacked by a werewolf. We’ve been traveling together ever since. After all we’ve been through, he’s like a brother, though, so I guess you could say that.”
Junmyeon didn’t know how to comment properly on that. Sehun grimaced darkly, so Junmyeon did nothing but wrap an arm around Sehun’s shoulder. The younger of the two slowly leaned into the touch, pressing their heads together.
“I’d love to have you as my brother,” Sehun uttered childishly. “It’s always been just the two of us. I’d be very happy if you come with us, Hyung. After all of this is over, of course. I mean, I know we just met, but...”
Junmyeon’s heart dropped at Sehun’s words. Sehun wasn’t staring at him, but he could sense that the former’s intention was sincere. How long has it been since you lived like a normal teenager...? “Well...I’m pretty sure I can’t hunt,” he retorted dryly and Sehun chuckled. “And...I have a boyfriend...”
“Oh.”
The conversation was left hanging, neither of them wanting to continue the topic. They stayed like that for a while until the sound of Yoona’s high heels came echoing into the room.
“Junmyeon, you’re here! Are you okay now?” Yoona asked worriedly. “I felt a bit panicked when Sehun said you weren’t feeling well, but fortunately Yixing was willing to help. Poor boy, he only came back to grab the rest of his things in his locker last night...”
“I’m okay now, sorry for making you worried,” Junmyeon smiled apologetically and Yoona nodded.
“Take care of your health, okay? Things haven’t been great lately....”
With that, Yoona turned around to walk away, approaching the other employees who were at the other side of the room.
Junmyeon put on his apron and smiled at Sehun. “Come on, let’s get back to work, Sehun-ah.”
***
The thought of knowing that the demons were trying to start the apocalypse scared Junmyeon, but fortunately, everything seemed to be calm for the next few days.
Now that he thought about it, Junmyeon didn’t really understand how he was affected by Wrath. Unlike Greed who obviously had touched him, Wrath hadn’t. He wanted to ask Sehun about it, but in the end, he decided not to. It was better to forget what had happened...
Junmyeon never told Sehun about what the demon had told him-something about liking the way he smelled. He thought for several possibilities about altering the way he smelled. Junmyeon started using Yifan’s cologne instead and changed the brand of his soap and shampoo. He even stopped going to the dry cleaners he frequented and tried the other dry cleaners on the other block.
Being partners at work, Junmyeon’s relationship with Sehun had grown closer, but he knew that Sehun only thought of him as a brother. The way Sehun cling to him was childish-and sometimes possessive-but it also felt very natural. They were starting to walk home together. Even though their homes weren’t in the same direction, at least now Junmyeon had someone to accompany him until the intersection.
But wherever there was Sehun, there was also Chanyeol.
Chanyeol was a lot quieter than Sehun, but that might have been just because the male was older. Most of the time, he waited until both Sehun and Junmyeon were done with their shifts, and then the three of them would walk together-though it was more like Junmyeon and Sehun walked first with Chanyeol following quietly from behind.
It was somewhat nice to have new friends, but Junmyeon didn’t miss the way Chanyeol stared at him. He tried to ignore it, but sometimes it was just hard to do so. The way Chanyeol looked at him was similar to the way Yifan did, and it made Junmyeon a bit uncomfortable.
One night, Junmyeon had just finished making a phone call to Yifan when his previously fond smile vanished as he turned around and realized Chanyeol had been staring. The taller male must have been there for a few minutes already-was he listening...? Junmyeon tucked his phone inside his pocket and decided to act casual. He sent Chanyeol a small smile as they waited for Sehun by the backdoor.
“Your boyfriend?”
Junmyeon was startled. So Chanyeol did listen. “Y-yeah.”
“I see. Did you tell him about us? Me and Sehun, of course.”
“...no,” Junmyeon honestly replied. “I didn’t.”
“Why?”
Junmyeon gave Chanyeol a bemused stare. “Are you seriously asking me this? Do you think it would be easy to just casually say to your boyfriend, ‘Hey baby, I encountered a demon last night and I almost got killed.’ I don’t want him to freak out, Chanyeol. For you hunters, it may be easy, but for us normal people, it’s not.”
“...I’m sorry.”
Junmyeon immediately regretted everything he said and he held up a hand. “No...no, it should be me who feel sorry. I-I’m really sorry, Chanyeol-ah... I didn’t mean to snap...”
Silence descended thickly upon the two of them and now, it was really awkward. Junmyeon kept on staring at the backdoor, hoping Sehun would just get out already. He avoided looking at Chanyeol and threw his gaze on the ground. Junmyeon absently thought about how he needed to save some money to buy a new pair of shoes when all of a sudden, a pair of high heels appeared before him.
Junmyeon lifted up his head, only to have his neck grabbed viciously by a hand. He choked as he tried to gasp for air. He was having a difficult time breathing because the hand on his neck was burning and it hurt like hell. Junmyeon opened his eyes with great effort and saw a woman with yellow eyes glaring at him-just like Greed.
“Junmyeon!!!”
Chanyeol’s voice roared from somewhere behind her and the woman hastily pulled away from Junmyeon. Junmyeon didn’t really know what was going on as he collapsed into a series of coughing fits, trying to vomit from the unbearable burning sensation that was stuck on his throat. He heard another voice butt in-must be Sehun. Junmyeon wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and lifted up his face to see what happened, and that moment, the woman stared right into his eyes.
“You are the obstacle to our plan!!!”
Chanyeol stabbed his knife through her chest from behind, and just like the other time, she started burning. Junmyeon coughed lightly as he saw a number glowing brightly on her right collarbone. He breathlessly tried to pull himself together, but failed. Junmyeon weakly dropped to his knees, his hands curling into fists on his thighs.
Two.
Lust.
The demon turned into ashes and what was left of her disappeared into thin air.
“Hyung, are you all right?” Sehun’s voice jolted Junmyeon out of his daze. “Hyung?”
“I-I think so,” Junmyeon stammered, his whole body was trembling. “Y-yeah, I’m all right...”
“Thank goodness. Chanyeol-hyung? Are you all right?”
“Yeah...”
“Did she just come out of nowhere?” Sehun offered a hand to Junmyeon which the latter gladly accepted. “Why did she attack Junmyeon-hyung? And...why did she say Junmyeon-hyung is the obstacle...?”
“I didn’t get the chance to ask,” Chanyeol retorted almost sarcastically. “She just attacked Junmyeon and then...”
“Well, I’m glad no one is hurt,” Sehun sighed in relief. “But it’s just-hyung?”
No one expected Chanyeol to walk straight to Junmyeon and crash their lips together. It was so sudden that Junmyeon didn’t even have the chance to stop him. The male immediately pushed Chanyeol away with a painful cry, his eyes glinting with fear.
“Chanyeol! Don’t!”
Chanyeol stumbled backward, hissing as he covered his own lips.
“Hyung! What the hell are you doing? Oh no, did she touch you?” Sehun snapped to Chanyeol. “Hyung, did she touch you?”
Chanyeol wordlessly stared down to his arm, and both Sehun and Junmyeon’s expressions turned to horror. Chanyeol’s arm was bleeding underneath the cuff of his sleeve. The demon must have cut him.
“Shit, he’s affected,” Sehun cursed. “Junmyeon-hyung, did you see the number? What number was she?”
“T-two.”
Sehun dragged a hand down his face. “Dammit. Chanyeol-hyung, don’t give in. Please, don’t give in. I’m gonna grab the holy water-”
“I-I need to go,” Junmyeon whispered and he started walking away without waiting for any reply. His head and his arm were throbbing painfully and it almost felt like the insides of his body were burning. All he could think about at the moment was his boyfriend.
Yifan.
He needed to see his boyfriend.
“Junmyeon-hyung-“
“I’m sorry, Sehun-ah, I need to go home.”
“Junmyeon-hyung, wait!!!”
Junmyeon ignored Sehun’s shouting and ran away.
***
Junmyeon stepped into their apartment as quietly as he could.
His throat was still burning, and each part of his body was hurt, like they were going to explode any minute. Junmyeon dragged his feet to the kitchen to get a glass of water. The cool liquid calmed him as it went down, but only momentarily. The male then tried to wipe the taste of Chanyeol’s lips away by biting his lower lip hard, but it didn’t go away.
The taste was still there, and Junmyeon loathed it.
He then carefully made his way to the bedroom. The door was ajar. It had been a habit for Yifan to leave the door opened at night, so that when Junmyeon got home, he wouldn’t wake up by the sound of the creaking door. It wasn’t really effective, however, since Junmyeon always kissed Yifan whenever he reached home, and Yifan always woke up by the simplest gesture.
When Junmyeon saw Yifan curling on the bed, his chest was filled with a longing feeling. It was like the act of simply seeing the sleeping male told him that this was the right person. The right one. His soulmate. When Chanyeol kissed him, his body was burning with desire, but it rejected Chanyeol immediately. Junmyeon stifled a sob into his hand. Sehun said Chanyeol was affected, because he was touched by the demon. The demon touched him, too. Did that mean that...
...he was affected, too?
Junmyeon slowly climbed onto the bed. Yifan stirred slightly-his boyfriend had always been a light sleeper-the moment the bed gained another weight and he cracked his eyes open.
“Hey,” Yifan murmured softly.
“Hey,” Junmyeon leaned down to peck Yifan’s cheek.
“Hm,” Yifan hummed sleepily, but then he pulled Junmyeon in for a kiss.
Junmyeon sighed as Yifan deepened the kiss without hesitation. Junmyeon had always loved the tender way Yifan kissed him. It made his chest ache for no specific reason. The mild kisses turned into more passionate ones, and Junmyeon found himself taking Yifan’s hand to touch him. Yifan seemed a bit surprised by the bold request, but he didn’t back away.
“Yifan,” Junmyeon whispered hoarsely. “Don’t go to work.”
“Hm...?”
“Please, make love to me until morning...”
Junmyeon let out a needy moan when Yifan managed to unzip his pants and his fingers casually crawled into his underwear. Yifan flipped their positions without difficulty so that he was hovering over Junmyeon. The Chinese male patiently took his time to strip the beautiful male out of his clothes, and when the latter was completely bare, Yifan took a moment to gaze at him longingly.
“Why do you always like to stare...?” Junmyeon asked shyly. “You know I’m yours...”
Yifan only smiled in return before leaning down to kiss Junmyeon again. “I like to stare at what’s mine...”
Suddenly, Chanyeol came into Junmyeon’s mind.
Junmyeon didn’t know why he had a vision of the other male and he gasped in horror, breaking away the kiss with a cry. Yifan frowned in confusion, trying to ask for an explanation, but Junmyeon breathlessly covered his face with his hands. Yifan firmly peeled them off of Junmyeon’s face, trapping those tiny wrists in his hands and examined his boyfriend’s face closely.
“Did someone kiss you?”
Junmyeon turned pale at the (right) accusation and Yifan gritted his teeth in anger. Even though Junmyeon didn’t answer, his expression was enough for Yifan to find out. The taller of the two let go of Junmyeon’s wrists and abruptly spread the latter’s legs open. Slicking up two fingers with lotion, Yifan stared intensely into his boyfriend’s black orbs before inserting his lubed fingers into Junmyeon’s entrance.
Junmyeon threw his head back with a loud gasp, and Yifan took the opportunity to claim his lips. Each sound he tried to make was muffled against Yifan’s lips. Junmyeon cried when Yifan’s fingers hit the spot inside him, and his hand immediately flew to the latter’s nape. It was a signal for Yifan to go further, so Yifan gladly replaced his fingers with himself.
The way Yifan rocked into him that night was different. Junmyeon could sense the hint of jealousy when Yifan touched all of his sensitive spots, as if silently marking him, telling him that he was the only one who had the privilege to do so. There was also a huge sign of possessiveness when Yifan took Junmyeon onto his lap, so that their lips could meet countless times, making Junmyeon swaying his hips endlessly against Yifan. Junmyeon was hit with a wave of emotions because Yifan’s hands on his waist were firm, as if to tell him that he was there to hold him, and make sure he didn’t fall.
Junmyeon was the first one to come. He felt as if he was exploding with rainbows and chocolate sprinkles because the feeling was unbearably sweet. Junmyeon felt content and loved as he collapsed into Yifan’s chest, his shoulders still shaking with release, and a moment after, he felt Yifan filling him up inside. He breathlessly stared at Yifan, both had not really recovered from their orgasms, and Junmyeon bloomed into a beautiful smile.
Yifan gently detached himself off Junmyeon and kissed the latter’s left arm. Just as he did so, Junmyeon felt it throb once, but he ignored it. He searched for Yifan’s fingers, linking them together and snuggled closer to his boyfriend.
For a moment, Junmyeon didn’t care about those demons and their plan to start the apocalypse.
Being with Yifan was all that mattered to him.
***
Junmyeon woke up feeling terribly sore.
He groaned in pain, but then he grabbed Yifan’s pillow and inhaled its scent like it was some kind of medicine. Junmyeon had always loved the way Yifan smelled. At the thought of his boyfriend, Junmyeon blinked his eyes open, wondering if his Yifan had gone to work.
However, the sound of footsteps in the kitchen indicated that he hadn’t, and it brought a smile to Junmyeon’s face.
Yifan walked into the room not long after. The taller male was only clad in a shirt and a pair of boxers. His shirt was unbuttoned, revealing Yifan’s perfect collarbones. Junmyeon, still hugging his boyfriend’s pillow, streched an arm childishly and Yifan stared at the proffered hand in amusement before giving in to the request. Yifan took his hand and sat by the bed.
Junmyeon thought he was going to say something romantic like ‘I love you’, but he was wrong.
“You’re quitting your job,” Yifan said sternly. “And this is final. You cannot argue with me.”
Junmyeon’s jaw dropped. For a second, he wondered why, but then he remembered Yifan’s ability to guess what was on his mind. Dammit, why did he have to remember Chanyeol last night? “B-but Yifan...he’s not someone at work. I mean...”
Yifan’s expression hardened. “Even worse. Was it a customer that couldn’t get his hands off of you?”
“N-no...”
“You’re quitting, and that’s final,” Yifan stated as he squeezed Junmyeon’s fingers. “I tried not to complain about your job, but I think it’s time for me to make things right. I just-the thought of you going home alone every morning kills me.”
“But-but I want to help you pay the bills,” Junmyeon protested weakly.
“Then you will find another job,” Yifan’s eyes softened and he caressed Junmyeon’s cheek with a thumb, their hands still laced together. “Or I won’t let you split the bills at all.”
Junmyeon’s throat went dry. He opened his mouth to argue, but he was silenced by Yifan’s glare on him and Junmyeon swallowed everything he was about to say.
***
It had been more than a week since Junmyeon (deliberately) quit his job.
He didn’t even go to the club to say a proper goodbye to Sehun and Chanyeol. Junmyeon only made a phone call to Yoona, apologizing for his sudden decision. The pretty woman seemed to be very disappointed, but then she sighed deeply and thanked him for all of his work.
Junmyeon took the chance to rest all week. He enjoyed waking up in the morning and got up to the kitchen to make breakfast. Junmyeon was finally able to serve Yifan his cup of coffee, and the look of his boyfriend’s face was priceless. They took a shower together the next morning, exchanging sweet kisses. Junmyeon giggled when Yifan placed a hand on his bare stomach, which he flicked away as Junmyeon scolded that the latter was going to be late for work.
Junmyeon decided to go to the coffeeshop the following week.
Kyungsoo’s expression brightened the moment he walked into the place, and the first thing he asked Junmyeon was, “So did your boyfriend say yes?”
Junmyeon only smiled in response, much to the happiness of Kyungsoo.
Random people came and went every day at the coffeeshop, but they were different compared to the ones in the club. All of them were dressed in decent clothes, and they ordered coffee or hot chocolate instead of a dry martini or pina colada.
Junmyeon felt a bit strange due to all of the bright lighting at his new workplace because he was used to the darkness in the club, but he quickly adapted. His co-worker, Minseok, was kind-hearted and he patiently taught Junmyeon how to brew coffee. Minseok had morning shift while the other barista, Zitao, had night shift for the week. Kyungsoo assigned Junmyeon to train with Minseok, and Junmyeon was grateful for that because Zitao seemed unsociable and terribly quiet.
Another bonus was-unlike the night club-there was hardly any trouble in the coffeeshop.
Jongin-Kyungsoo’s boyfriend-came by every day to check if everything was working all right. He was also there to accompany Kyungsoo when it was closing time, finishing what needed to be done before the couple went home together.
Junmyeon’s heart ached at the sight. It was something that he longed to do with Yifan since they started dating. Yifan picking him up after work-his wish was always just that simple.
The schedules were reversed the next week but Kyungsoo still assigned Junmyeon with Minseok on the night shift. One night, Minseok had just done washing all of the mugs while Junmyeon had finished mopping the floor. The male hang his apron by the locker, laughing softly when Minseok told him something about a cute guy he saw on the new clothing store a few blocks from there.
“Are you guys waiting for someone?”
Kyungsoo’s voice jerked the two of them out of their chitchat and both Minseok and Junmyeon shook their heads immediately.
“Really? There’s someone waiting outside...tall, blond hair?”
Junmyeon’s heart skipped a beat at the description. He immediately walked out of the kitchen, and his heart stuttered at the sight of Yifan
standing in front of the coffeeshop. Junmyeon had never felt pleasantly surprised before. It was just a simple matter, but it meant a lot to him. Junmyeon dashed outside and reached for his boyfriend without thinking.
“Yifan?”
“Whoa,” Yifan blinked his eyes in confusion when he saw Junmyeon’s eyes tearing up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Junmyeon choked as he stifled a sob. “Why-why are you here?”
Yifan broke into a gentle smile and patted the shorter male’s head. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m picking you up. Are you done?”
“Um, yeah. Actually, just a bit more and then I’m good to go...”
“Okay, take your time. I’ll be here waiting for you.”
“Mm. Be patient, okay? I won’t take long...”
Kyungsoo and Minseok didn’t even need to hear Junmyeon’s excuse to go home as soon as possible. The doe-eyed male waved a hand dismissively and Minseok commented on how good they looked together, and Junmyeon’s smile widened.
Junmyeon was so happy that he couldn’t stop smiling all the way home. Going home together-it was like a dream came true. Junmyeon rested his head on Yifan’s arm, and Yifan squeezed his fingers in return.
Maybe his decision to quit the club was right.
No, Junmyeon absently thought as he glanced at his boyfriend.
It was definitely right.
***
Junmyeon had forgotten all about the things that happened in the club. His life had been peaceful and he was happier nowadays.
Until one day, his left arm started throbbing again.
This time, the pain was different. It had only throbbed once or twice before, but now it was unpredictable and lasting too long. Junmyeon tried to ignore it, because it usually went away even without him doing anything about it, but not this time. His mind quickly wandered to Sehun and Chanyeol, because the last time his left arm throbbed like this was after the demon was defeated.
He wondered if the hunters had killed another demon.
Junmyeon tried to hide it from Yifan, but day by day, the pain was becoming unbearable. There were times when Junmyeon felt like his whole left arm was burning, and he almost dropped everything he was holding. He managed to act nonchalant about it, but for how much longer would he be able to hold on?
Yifan was taking a shower in the bathroom that morning when Junmyeon felt the striking pain again. He hastily clutched his left arm. Usually by doing so the pain would diminish even just a little, but it hurt too much this time. Junmyeon almost bit the pillow to hide his whimpering, hoping it would go away soon. It must’ve been quite a while because Junmyeon felt a pair of cold hands grabbing his arms, and the next thing he knew, Yifan was staring at him worriedly.
“What’s wrong?”
Junmyeon held the urge to cry, but his eyes betrayed his pain. It was useless to lie. “M-my arm hurts...”
“Your arm?” Yifan’s frown deepened. He carefully placed a hand on the arm Junmyeon was clutching, which happened to be his left. “This?”
“It-it doesn’t hurt anymore,” Junmyeon softly replied. “But yes, this one...”
Yifan pursed his lips. “Do you want to go to the doctor?”
“N-no!” Junmyeon hastily retorted. “I mean, it’s...only this morning.”
“You mean this is the first time it hurt?”
Junmyeon dropped his gaze, half scared Yifan would find out if he was lying. “Maybe my cholesterol is high...”
Yifan didn’t seem amused at his boyfriend’s attempted joke, but Junmyeon kept his mouth shut after that. After a while, Yifan finally sighed and grabbed Junmyeon’s arm, pressing his lips on it.
“I don’t want you to feel hurt,” Yifan murmured softly. “Please, be all right.”
It was probably just his imagination, but Junmyeon felt ten times better already and he tiredly leaned his head against Yifan’s chest. His boyfriend was so kind and understanding to him. If it wasn’t because of Yifan, what would have his life been like...?
Junmyeon probably would be nothing.
“I’m going to be all right,” Junmyeon whispered quietly and Yifan gently patted his head.
As long as there is you.
***
The pain in his arm was getting so much worse, but Junmyeon kept it to himself.
It was starting to make him feverish. Junmyeon was starting to sleep less at night, and in order to hide it, he turned away from Yifan in his sleep. Usually, Junmyeon would face Yifan and cuddle, but lately, pretending to be asleep while his back was facing the latter seemed to be the most effective way to hide his pain.
But no matter how hard he tried, there would always be a time when he lost it. It must’ve been his bad luck when Yifan woke up that night and forced Junmyeon to face him.
“You’re hot,” Yifan said as he pressed a hand on Junmyeon’s neck.
Junmyeon forced himself to smile. “Thank you...?”
“Baby, this is not a joke,” Yifan growled. “How long has this been going on?”
“Yifan, I’m okay-“
“Junmyeon, stop. Don’t you trust me?”
Junmyeon’s heart sank at Yifan’s pained expression. “It-it’s been a while...”
“A while?? Dammit, Junmyeon. I’m taking you to a doctor tomorrow. I’m supposed to go on a trip tomorrow with a colleague, but I’ll cancel it-“
“Wait, Yifan, you can’t!” Junmyeon cried in horror. “Please, I don’t want you to skip work because of me... I’ll-I’ll go to the doctor by myself...”
Yifan narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t seem convinced. “Promise me?”
Junmyeon meekly nodded. “I promise...”
Yifan then pulled Junmyeon into a hug, letting the latter rested his head on his chest. It had been a while since they had slept facing each other, but strangely Junmyeon felt better already. Maybe he didn’t need to go to the doctor, Junmyeon sleepily thought as he started to lose consciousness.
As long as there was Yifan.
***
“This is Yifan. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back.”
“Baby...? Why is your phone turned off...? Are you busy...? I’ll just call you later then...”
“This is Yifan. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back.”
“Hey babe. I hope everything is okay over there... Listen, I... I promised you that I would go to the doctor, but...I don’t want to go alone. I’ll just wait until you get home, is that all right...? Please call me back soon. Love you.”
“This is Yifan. Please leave a message and I’ll call you back.”
“Yifan, my arm hurts...it hurts badly...please, come home soon...”
***
Junmyeon was officially sick.
He couldn’t even get up from the bed to grab a glass of water for himself. His entire body was aching, and his skin was scorching hot. Junmyeon felt like someone was burning him with fire, because his eyes and throat were stinging badly.
The sun gave way to the moon, and Yifan still hadn’t returned.
Junmyeon curled on the bed, breathlessly clutching Yifan’s pillow. For a split second, he wondered if he was going to die...what if he couldn’t stand the pain...?
The male thought he must be hallucinating when he saw numbers in his vision. They were glowing brightly in his eyes, just like the way they burned when Chanyeol’s knife stabbed through their chests. He saw the numbers, and then he saw the people-demons?-who carried those numbers. Junmyeon saw Greed. Then he saw Lust. And then he saw a demon he had never seen, but strangely, Junmyeon had a strong feeling it was Envy.
It’s a dream, Junmyeon thought to himself. It was definitely a dream-a strange one, perhaps, because Junmyeon felt like he knew all the demons.
And then there was Sehun.
Sehun was lying with his eyes closed. He looked sound asleep, but Junmyeon could see the way his ribs sticking out of his chest. The younger male was bleeding badly and Junmyeon tried to scream for help, but no voice came out. He extended his arms, trying to reach for Sehun, but it was useless, the latter was too far away.
And then there was Chanyeol.
The image of Chanyeol was even worse. Unlike Sehun, his eyes were bulging like they were about to pop out of his sockets, but it was his neck that was the true horror. The taller male’s neck was twisted to the other way, and there was no way Chanyeol would have survived.
Junmyeon screamed.
“Yifan!!!!!”
Junmyeon woke up in sweat and tears, and he automatically cried his boyfriend’s name. Within seconds, he felt someone grabbing his wrists, and Junmyeon was unable to express his feelings when he realized it was Yifan. Junmyeon broke into a sob the minute Yifan pulled him closer.
“I-I had a nightmare-“
Yifan shushed him with calming noises as he rubbed small circles on Junmyeon’s back. “It’s okay, baby...it’s just a nightmare... No one’s
gonna harm you...”
Junmyeon continued sobbing in his boyfriend’s arms. Slowly, but surely, he was starting to feel calm. He had always felt helpless and weak in Yifan’s arms, but lately it had been getting worse. Like he couldn’t do anything if Yifan wasn’t around. Sometimes, Junmyeon even felt like his life depended on Yifan. After a few moments, Junmyeon’s tears subsided and he let out a long sigh.
Yifan’s hand moved from Junmyeon’s back to Junmyeon’s hair, and the latter felt incredibly secure.
They stayed like that for a bit longer, neither of them wanting to let go. Junmyeon searched for Yifan’s hand to intertwine their fingers together as he closed his eyes.
Calm down, Yifan is here... Besides, it was just a nightmare... Chanyeol and Sehun are safe, somewhere...
Yifan then spoke up like he knew what Junmyeon was thinking.
“It wasn’t a nightmare.”
Junmyeon only hummed quietly in response. “Hm...?”
“They really are dead.”
Junmyeon stiffened. Huh...?
“I was planning to let them go.”
Junmyeon frowned slightly to himself. “What...?”
“If only he didn’t touch you.”
“Yifan, what are you talking about?”
“He liked you, didn’t he?”
Junmyeon slowly pulled away from Yifan, confusion chiseled all over his face. “He...who?”
“The hunter.”
Junmyeon’s eyes widened. “T-the hunter?” He was sure he had never mentioned Chanyeol or Sehun related to Yifan. How did Yifan find out...? “What...hunter?”
Yifan shook his head almost exasperatedly. “Don’t play dumb with me, Junmyeon. Why didn’t you tell me anything about it...? I’ve heard rumors about hunters killing demons around your club, but I’ve never thought you actually interacted with them. What did they tell you? Did they tell you that those demons are looking for Lucifer? Was that it?”
Junmyeon’s left arm throbbed and he visibly winced. He was so shocked at the fact that Yifan knew about Lucifer that the pain on his arm was the last thing on his mind. Junmyeon’s words were stuck in his throat, and Yifan took to the opportunity to continue.
“Starting the apocalypse-please. Those hunters were dumb enough to kill those demons in the first place-not that I minded, they did quite a good job, actually. Some of those they killed were really a pain in the ass. But really, why would they think I would start the apocalypse?”
I.
Yifan looked down to his left arm as it started to glow. Junmyeon found himself staring in horror and instinctively tried to pull away, but his boyfriend didn’t let him. Junmyeon dropped his gaze to his own arm and he gasped when Yifan shook his wrist.
I’m-I’m scared...
“Are you scared of me?” Yifan asked sharply, like he knew what Junmyeon was thinking. On second thought, his boyfriend really could guess what he was thinking.
No-yes.
Junmyeon attempted to stutter an answer, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Yifan noticed that Junmyeon’s lips were trembling and he sighed.
“Don’t be,” Yifan said softly as he pulled Junmyeon closer. His tone was calm, but his gaze on Junmyeon remained stern and his grip on the latter’s wrist tightened. “I’m different than my brothers, Junmyeon-ah.”
“B-brothers...?”
“Yes, my brothers. Those idiots, thinking that I would give you up for the apocalypse. I’m not going to trade you for some pointless destruction. You’re the most important thing in my life...”
You’re the obstacle to our plan.
Junmyeon’s eyes widened as he recalled the words that the demon had said to him. He was very close to panicking and having a complete meltdown. Junmyeon’s feelings were swirling right now, and he was lost. There were still a lot of questions he wanted to ask, but suddenly his left arm throbbed like it was about to explode. Junmyeon screamed. This time, it was really painful. “Y-Yifan, it hurts!!!”
“I know, but it’s only for a while, and then the pain will be gone, I swear...”
“What-what are you doing to me?”
“I’m not doing anything. It’s just that...if my brothers are dead, their powers are somehow transferred to me and I’m getting stronger,” Yifan said and his expression darkened. “I honestly don’t understand how it affects you...I assume it had something to do with the other night, when you were embraced by Lust... A part of me must’ve affected you when we made love...”
Junmyeon feebly glanced down at his arm, and it was then that he realized it was glowing brightly with a number. It was also then that he realized the spot where his arm had been throbbing was on the exact same spot as where Yifan’s scorpion tattoo was.
One was the number on his skin.
Pride.
“Yi-Yifan,” Junmyeon’s heart almost stopped beating at the carved number and tears were threatening to fall from the rims of his eyes. “You’re-“
“That’s right,” Yifan said. “I am Pride.”
Junmyeon turned pale.
“I am the demon they’ve been looking for.”
End.
“And this number is the proof that you’re completely mine, Junmyeon..."