What's in a Name [One-shot] ~Part Two
Title: What's in a Name
Author: .flavored
Rating: PG
Genre: Humor/Tragedy
Pairings: Jungshin/Minhyuk, Yonghwa/Jonghyun, Minhyuk + Yonghwa [C.N Blue]
Summary: In a world different from our own, where demons roam freely on the Earth, humans have learnt to survive, taking up the skills of exorcism to protect themselves and their loved ones. Over the years, the numbers of exorcists dwindled to an elite few of power and these few have become so powerful, their skills so refined that they can even bend demons to their will.
Not all demons are willing though, as one relationship between a certain young exorcist and his familiar will show…
Part 1|Part 2| Epilogue
“1st rank Exorcists Jung Yonghwa and Kang Minhyuk, please step forward to receive your mission.”
Two exorcists, stoic and serious stepped forward to take their scroll from the Supreme Exorcist. No longer were they the two joking Hyung and Dongsaeng - they were serious when it came to their job.
“You may read your mission and take a minute to decide whether to wish to except it or not. Please bear in mind that although the requirements of this particular job is high, you two are the top two graduates of your cohort and that you’ll be going together.”
They both nodded as they unrolled the scroll, brown and black eyes glancing over the words, taking in the job description.
‘Take down the Hyakki Youkai residing in the Blue Mountains to the South…’
Yonghwa’s eyes darkened at that. He looked up at Minhyuk, ready to urge the other to refuse, but the other wasn’t looking at him.
Instead, he was looking a tall Inugami, holding a blue-tinted blade held in a black lacquered sheath, standing at the back and trying not to look utterly bored.
Yonghwa frowned when he saw Minhyuk’s eyes soften, before they turned around, determined, staring imploringly at him. “We’ll take the job. Right, Yonghwa-hyung?”
He didn’t have the heart to refuse.
“Yes… we’ll take the job.”
If he had known what would happen … he would never have had agreed to take it up.
~*~
Most demons on their own would be easy to take, with except of those select few at the top of the pecking order. However, as the old story went - a single chopstick may have been broken easily, but ten together would prove to hold against applied strength.
Let alone a hundred…
“Minhyuk!” Yonghwa yelled as he ran towards the frail looking exorcist, red aura blazing around his Ofuda, releasing a sealing spell around the multitudes of youkai that were advancing on his friend, pinning them to the ground.
He finally reached the other panting. “Hey, you ok- hey!”
“I already told you that you didn’t need to worry about me…” Minhyuk shook his head wryly as he pushed Yonghwa out of the way before a rather nasty looking pair of sai could impale Yonghwa. “Although, Jungshin… you aren’t doing your usual job.”
A sword flew out from the shadows, killing the Kappa who was wielding the sai, and the Inugami followed soon after, pulling his sword out, cutting down the rest of the demons around them with ease. “Mmm… I was preoccupied… Shorty - your Bakeneko is having some problems back there.”
Yonghwa gave the both of them an evil glare as he rushed off in the direction that Jungshin had pointed to. “Jonghyun!”
Minhyuk shook his head at his familiar. “You shouldn’t tease him so. Jonghyun is doing perfectly fine, isn’t he?”
Jungshin shrugged, swinging his sword, the black liquid blood flicking off like night rain. “Yeah… but I wanted to have the prize bounty all to myself…”
“… Insolent little child.” Minhyuk was startled to hear another voice, and he turned to see a shriveled old man with a mischievous glint in his eye. He wasn’t fooled by the innocuous appearance and he took a wary step back. “Nuraihyon.”
Nuraihyon - a prankster. A strange youkai who made a habit of sneaking into people’s homes and eating their food.
Also known as the leader of the youkai.
“Oh… so you know me.” Nuraihyon cast an amused glance at Minhyuk before his gaze turned mocking at Jungshin. “So… little Inugami, do you think you have what it takes to take me down?”
Jungshin didn’t even glance at Minhyuk as he moved into stance, a haughty look on his face. “Any day.”
Nuraihyon noted this difference - this difference in the relationship between this exorcist and familiar. And he cast a curious glance at Minhyuk, who just stared back, mentally preparing himself for the fight of his life.
“So… I see.” An amused grin alighted upon that cracked pair of lips. “So, I see…”
“Come.”
~*~
“RRAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRGHH!”
There was a thunderous crash as a tree crashed to the ground having had it’s trunk neatly sliced as Jungshin furiously swung his sword towards the youkai who was slowly becoming the bane of his existence.
Nuraihyon smirked, sitting smugly on the stump of the tree that Jungshin had just cut down. “Foolish little Inugami, do you still persist despite your failures? …Eh?”
An Ofuda landed where Nuraihyon sat but a second ago, sparking blue electricity as it landed usually on wood and a panting Minhyuk came running from out of the cover of the trees. “Damn it. So close.”
Jungshin glared at Minhyuk as he drew close, “Why did you do that! I was so close to getting him.”
“No you weren’t. Stop slashing around wildly.” Minhyuk frowned as he looked around warily for the prankster youkai. “We need to do this more stealthily if we want to beat him.”
“Your Master is right.” Nuraihyon appeared behind them, before dodging a swift Ofuda thrown as testament of Minhyuk quick reflexes. “Woah. Nice one boy, I’ve never had so much respect for a human before.”
“Come here and face me, Nuraihyon!” Jungshin roared, slashing wildly downwards again. Nuraihyon didn’t even blink as the sword flew right past him, embedding itself deeply into the trunk of a tree.
“And you… little Inugami are a disgrace to us youkai.” Nuraihyo tutted, grabbing Jungshin’s robes and staring him down with a cold eye. “You can even compare to a human right now, you know that? Idiotic little brat.”
Jungshin’s blood boiled at that statement - irritated as he was, he didn’t reserve any strength as he drew from the bond he had with Minhyuk - drawing on the exorcist’s spiritual reserves to feed into himself, making him stronger than he already was.
He pulled out his sword with the tree easily, as one would pluck a petal from a flower, and drawing from Minhyuk’s strength yet more, he raised his sword, blue lightning crackling intensely, flickering across it’s metal length.
Minhyuk gasped when he suddenly felt his energy leave him - drawn out by his familiar. And he fell to his knees, suddenly feeling weak. “Jungshin… no…”
The other didn’t hear, concentrated on the frail old man looking contemptuously at him. He raised the sword high, a smirk on his face.
“Die, old man.”
And the sword swung down in the manner of the axe of an executioner.
~*~
“Damn it, this is never ending.” Yonghwa cursed as he slapped down an Ofuda onto the ground, sealing every youkai within a fifteen meter radius. “Jonghyun are you okay?”
The said Bakeneko finished off on his side, his arms having transformed into deadly sickles, dripping black with youkai blood. “Yeah. I don’t get why Jungshin told you that I was having trouble.”
“Eh?” Yonghwa blinked, “What?”
Jonghyun didn’t have time to answer, for at that moment, a huge explosion sounded, and the both turned to see a path of furious lightning decimating a huge chunk of the woods.
“What in the name of Kami?!” Yonghwa exclaimed, both equal parts awe and fear struck. Jonghyun however, had a more serious consideration.
He’d seen that attack before - knew only one person who could do it. He’d faced it several times when he’d fought against Jungshin after all.
And he knew that there was no way that Minhyuk’s spiritual energy could support that kind of power.
“Yonghwa!” Jonghyun broke into a run towards the source of the lightning, his urgency urging his Master to follow him.
He could only hope that they weren’t too late.
~*~
Power. So much power. It filled him, making his fingers tingle with it, electricity coursing through his veins.
He laughed as he pressed the sword downwards, forcing the old man backwards as Nuraihyon painfully held the sword back with his bare hands. “What do you say now, old man? Still not impressed?!”
“Tsk, you stupid, rash little Inugami.” Nuraihyon growled. “Even I know that this power isn’t yours to use!”
“Shut up and die already!” Jungshin yelled, blood-lust apparent in his eyes, increasing the pressure of his stroke, bearing down harder on the old man. Causing the prankster youkai to buckled, electricity flashing everywhere.
“Die!”
~*~
He felt cold, his consciousness drifting as he lay helpless on the ground.
His eyes were glazed as he stared at the scene before him, blurred vision showing him nothing but two figures and painful flashes of blue. He gasped when the flow of energy didn’t stop even as he felt that he had no more to spare.
“Minhyuk!” He heard someone call his name, and his body being picked up, blurred brown eyes staring in panic at him. “Oh, shit... Jonghyun! Stop Jungshin!”
“I’m trying!” Jonghyun growled, trying to find a way through the fury of lightning without killing himself. “Damnit! Jungshin! Stop! You’re killing Minhyuk!”
Yes… killing him… His spiritual energy wasn’t nearly enough to support this kind of power. And when Jungshin finished drawing from that, he began to unknowingly tap into Minhyuk’s life force itself.
And it was that cold feeling in his stomach, the numbing cold that overcame his limbs - that Minhyuk knew that he was going to die.
He half smiled. So this was how it was like to die… He didn’t half mind - the bright light was welcoming and warm with the promise of peace.
But… he did have something to do before he could let the white light claim him.
“Tokunotakai Shin…” he whispered, staring at the figure - that beautiful figure, wrapped up in hypnotic, crackling blue light. “I release you from your bond…”
~*~
He heard that name. Amidst his blood-lust, amidst the deafening crack of lightning as it struck out at the things around him, amidst his own lust for power - he heard.
And suddenly, he felt lost - his anchor to this world gone. And his eyes widening, he broke off from Nuraihyon in shock, sword clattering to the scorched ground.
He had been released of his bond.
He was free.
But why did he feel so lonely?
“Tokunotakai Shin… huh…” Jungshin looked up as Nuraihyon said the name - his name. His true name. The one he had given to Minhyuk and forgotten when the contract had been made. “And the name he gave you was what again? Jungshin? Tch… figures…”
Jungshin watched as Nuraihyon picked up the sword from the ground, swinging it easily despite his lack of height. “What do you mean?”
“Names are important things to us youkai. It holds the source of our character and power.” Nuraihyon snorted, shaking his head at this Inugami’s ignorance. “The exorcists figured that out years ago, which was why they could enslave so many of our kind. By replacing a youkai’s name, humans can essentially change our character. Which is why most of the names given to familiars are names that imply gentleness, loyalty and virtues.”
“But that kid…” Nuraihyon sighed, referring to Minhyuk. “That kid gave you a name that had the exact meaning of your true name. That meant that he had little control over you… and that… you would have control over him as well.”
Each thing that Nuraihyon said to Junghsin was new to him. How had he not known this? Why was he so ignorant of these things?
“But it seems that it has proved detrimental for that boy…”
“What?” Jungshin’s eyebrow furrowed in incomprehension. “What do you me- WHAT THE HELL?!”
He grabbed his face where he had been punched, staring up in shock at Jonghyun, who was glaring at him, hands shaking in anger. “What do you mean ‘what the hell’? I should be the one asking you that! You stupid idiot!”
Jungshin stared, perplexed at the Bakeneko. “What? What’s wrong, Jonghyun?”
“What’s wrong?! You bloody idiot!” Jonghyun screamed at the other. “You used up all of Minhyuk’s spiritual energy, that’s what’s wrong! He’s dying now, Jungshin! DYING!”
The revelation hit Jungshin like a 100 pound rock into his stomach. His eyes widened as he stared at Jonghyun in disbelief. And before the other could say anything else, he jumped up began to run.
Jonghyun stood watching, a pained look in his eyes as he watched the Inugami run towards Minhyuk. Run towards his Master.
Except… Minhyuk wasn’t his Master any longer.
Unable to stand it any longer, Jonghyun broke down and wept. He was oblivious to the presence of the youkai leader.
“…Hmm…”
There was a sparkle in Nuraihyon’s eye.
He had a plan.
~*~
“YOU BASTARD!”
Jungshin could have dodged Yonghwa’s attack, but he didn’t. He face snapped backwards at the force of the raw energy hurled at him, and he stumbled backwards, holding his jaw where the blow had hit.
It hurt.
But he deserved it.
“Damn you…” Yonghwa glared at Jungshin, his arms cradling an unconscious Minhyuk - the sight piercing daggers into Jungshin conscience and heart.
“What the hell did Minhyuk see in you?!” He yelled as angry tears escaped his eyes.
Bam.
“I don’t get it. All he knew of you before he met you was your true name!”
Bam.
“After that, the only youkai he wanted as his familiar was you!”
Bam.
“He met so many youkai before you - all of them willing to be his familiar! Yuki Onna offered to be his familiar!”
Bam.
“But he only wanted you. He searched, traveling everywhere, just looking for you!”
Bam.
“He was in the library every night, reading from dawn to dust just looking for clues to find you!”
Bam.
“And whenever he got a clue, he’d go into the most dangerous areas…”
Bam.
“You don’t know how happy he was when he finally found you!” Bam. “I’d never seen him so happy…” Bam. “He treated you so well, gave you so much leeway…” Bam. And this is how you repay him?!” Bam.
Jungshin stared at Yonghwa, ignoring the pain as the blows rained down on him - why hadn’t he known this either? And his mind went back to those many years ago, to the day.
The day that he had first saw those sparkling black eyes. The day in which that cheeky young boy had forced himself into his life. The day when Jungshin had been lured by the food that Minhyuk offered him, into the contract which would be both the bane and joy of is new existence.
“I finally found you!” Minhyuk had said to Jungshin when he had literally stumbled upon the other when Jungshin had been lazing in the sun. Now Jungshin knew the implications of what that meant.
He knew that every punch was too little a punishment for him. He deserved to be eradicated from this earth, to be thrown into the depths of the lowest hell.
“Yonghwa… stop abusing my familiar…”
The two paused, eyes widening at the familiar line, reminiscence of a similar situation so many years back. Of the first time Jungshin had disobeyed Minhyuk’s orders. Of that first and only other time Yonghwa had ever lashed out at Jungshin the way he had just done.
“Minhyuk…” Yonghwa stared down at his friend, staring at the clear plea in the others eyes and sighed. How could one say no to those eyes? “…Alright…”
“…Jungshin?” Minhyuk called out softly, forcing his eyes open. “Jungshin… come here.”
There was no more bond between - no obligation for the other to obey Minhyuk’s commands anymore. But the other went forward anyway, pulled by something stronger and deeper than just a contract.
“I’m here.” Jungshin whispered as he knelt down before the other, reaching out gingerly as he stared at the other’s weak form.
“Hold me.” Minhyuk requested - no, ordered. Jungshin half chuckled, wondering how the exorcist could still manage to be so despite being at death’s door. He hesitated a moment…
“Here.” Jungshin nearly lost his grip on Minhyuk when Yonghwa dumped him onto Jungshin. He looked up into Yonghwa’s grumpy expression with surprise. “If you manage to make him sad within the next few minutes, I will seriously kill you.”
“Yonghwa!” Minhyuk chided, before he winced taking in a sharp breath. Jungshin curled his warm hands around the exorcist’s body in an instinctive action, looking down. By the time he looked up, Yonghwa was gone.
“Mmm…” Minhyuk muttered weakly, catching Jungshin’s attention again. The exorcist’s hand lifted up shakily, brushing against Jungshin’s jaw.
He caught it holding it there with a pained expression. It was cold - cold and weak. And he could feel Minhyuk’s life force leaking from it still… This was all his fault.
Minhyuk lips twitched, guessing his familiar’s - no. No longer his familiar… but… “Tch… you overdid it again…”
Jungshin’s tears began to flow as he stared at the wry smile that came with that statement. He saw the tiredness now pronounced in those eyes behind the deceptive sparkle; the exhaustion from having given too much of himself to Jungshin.
And with a shock, Jungshin realized that it had always been there - every time he had overdone it with the attacks, with the flamboyant magic.
Jungshin felt so stupid.
“I… I’m so sorry.” He choked, grabbing onto Minhyuk’s hand and holding it tight. “I’m so, so sorry.”
The exorcist stared at Jungshin in surprise. “Well… that’s never happened before.” He chuckled, the sound harsh and pained. “Wow… the great Jungshin apologizing. Does this mean he’ll also take a bath without any complaints?”
Jungshin didn’t say anything, just nodded, causing the exorcist to break into a delighted smile; and his eyes slowly began to close as he felt the last of his energy leave him.
“Good boy… now… I’m just going to take a quick nap. I’ll be back soon, okay?”
“No… no...” Jungshin wept, holding Minhyuk’s hand to his heart. “Please… Master. Don’t go.”
Minhyuk eyes sharpened for a moment, and his tone sharpened. “What did I say about that, Jungshin?”
A pained smile cross the other’s lips, “I’m sorry… Minhyuk.”
“Mmm… good boy.” Minhyuk whispered, the numbness slowly creeping towards his heart.
“No… no…” Jungshin pleaded, rocking Minhyuk’s body, clinging to his spent form, holding his hand tight - anything to keep Minhyuk with him. And in desperation he blurted out. “Please… I… I don’t hate you.”
“Oh?” Minhyuk’s voice was beginning to drift off. “I know…”
“No… please…” Jungshin swallowed thickly, realizing that his next few words were surprisingly true. “I love you.”
It was sad that this was the way Jungshin had finally realized the truth.
“You’re just saying that.” Minhyuk shook his head with a tired grin. “Let me sleep already.”
“No, no. I love you.” Jungshin sobbed, leaning down to press his lips against Minhyuk’s own cold ones, hoping to transfer his warmth into the other.
The exorcist’s eyes flew open in surprise, staring at Jungshin in wonder, and his lips twitched as they broke into a smile against Jungshin’s kiss with energy that he should not have been able to have.
He kissed back.
It was all the answer Jungshin needed.
And so they stayed that way even after Minhyuk’s breath faded away. Even after the exorcist’s body went limp, unresponsive as Jungshin pressed desperate kisses onto his face, trying to kiss death away. Even after Minhyuk’s lips no longer responded, falling still with a final whisper of his love that had finally been reprociated.
“I love you too…”
~*~