Work Text:
Seokjin has visited and taken many souls since he became one of the higher ranking demons. He keeps his favorite ones on him everywhere he goes; for company he tells himself. No matter how much his “friends” disagree and tell him that he just favors them to much to have them suffer alone. He doesn’t, he’s a demon why would he. He just gets lonely here and there and keeps them for entertainment purposes. Although at this moment he’s almost 100% sure that it would’ve been best to just leave them in hell or at least one of them.
“Wow would you look at the ASS on that one” the red orb tied to his waist whistled.
“Jungkook shut up, you're not helping me blend in when i have to argue with you every five minutes.” Seokjin hissed, before lifting his head and smiled sweetly at the passing girl. Her face of judgement soon turned flustered at being caught staring and scampered away.
“Come on Jin, let's be honest, with your face you're never going to fit in.” Jungkook laughed from his little ball of smoke
“You know there are times when I wonder how you got your ass on god’s no no list and got your ass sent to hell, but then you open your mouth and I remember why..”
“Awe, you think I’m an angel~.” He sang, the ball moving around to form a miniature version of the young adult before cackling in amusement.
“You shouldn’t be laughing, considering you called me an angel when we had first met.” Jin laughed, earning him a few confused glances, “What was it you said, ‘Oh I must’ve done one thing right to have an hot ass angel take me to heaven’” He mocked, mimicking Jungkook’s voice.
“W-Whatever, I was tricked, bamboozled.” He mumbled, his little face turning red, before disappearing back into the red smoke he came from.
“Probably doesn’t even know how to spell bamboozle, stupid kid.” Seokjin smirked, sitting up haughtily. He glanced around a bit before catching sight of his current prey.
Prey was one way to put it, most of the other demons called the humans that. He wasn’t too fond of the term but he knew it wasn’t necessarily the wrong term. Seokjin had been in hell for awhile, well more like a few centuries ago. He’d been shoveling the same pile of dirt and burning in the same boiling river of blood, occasionally escaping and catching up on the human world every few years. He wouldn’t say he didn’t deserve suffering in hell, he knew he did, but once an opportunity arose to move up in ranks, he jumped at it. He had to deal with every circle of hell to kill others to get the job, and if he was honest he’d do it again if he knew he could stay on earth forever. He was appointed as one of the many demons in charge of bringing souls to hell and placing them in their respective circles. He was given a list every week and he’d go to the human world and take their soul after they had died, he was to have little no involvement in their death, just to watch over them until they did and make sure no rogue demons got a hold of them. In retrospect, it should’ve been a reaper's job, but it seems all reapers do is determine whether they die or live and then leave the soul there for collection. It’s up to the two contrasting sides to take the soul and do what they will with it. So when he caught the name Min Yoongi age 23 on his list he didn’t think much of it. It was suppose to be just another job.
“What are you doing here demon.” Min Yoongi, age 23. A human said, glaring at him.
Well it was suppose to be just another job
“Come to this cafe later tonight, I’m sure you’re familiar with it. Since you’ve stalked me there more than once.” He glared before turning around and walking away, back to his usual class.
Needless to say, Seokjin probably shouldn’t have listened to Jungkook and Taehyung about starting his list earlier than was needed.
----
“So, since this is our first date. I assume I shouldn’t expect to get laid.” Seokjin smiled, trying to muffle the snickering coming from his belt. He wasn’t sure if this ‘human’ could hear them as well, and he didn’t need to explain to himself to another person for why he carried souls around with him.
“Shut up, demon.” The pink haired male in front of him sneered, his arms crossing.He sat back and stared at Seokjin, like if he could see right through them.
“I have a name” Seokjin sneered crossing his arms and mimicking the position Yoongi was in.
“Why are you following me.” He demanded, ignoring the huff coming from the horned man.
“Well why do you assume I’m a demon, kid.” Seokjin growled out annoyedly.
“Easy question, you have real horns. Now answer my question.”
Seokjin’s eyes widened widely, his hands coming to hold his small black horns peeking out from his blonde hair. He smiled at the passing waitress, calling her attention.
“Ma’am, can you please let me know if there's anything on the top of my head, I think my friend over there is playing a trick on me.” Seokjin said, trying to keep himself calm.
“No, there's nothing there, besides blonde soft hair that falls on your handsome face.” She winked before walking away.
“That was a good one.” Seokjin and Jungkook whistled out at the same time.Seokjin’s eyes following her as she walked into the kitchen.
“Enough, Why are you following me.” Yoongi growled out, his fist clenching in anger. He wasn’t here to play games.
“Ah right, Well to collect your soul of course.” Seokjin smiled, turning his attention back to Yoongi.
-----
“That could’ve gone better.” Seokjin hummed in contemplation.
“You think? I was asleep for majority of it, but I got the jist of your stupidity.”
“You know Tae, I’m sure that if you were awake that could've gone a lot better.” Seokjin said, picking up the purple ball off of his waist, and up to his face.
“Yeah, I could’ve let you know he practiced witchcraft and came from a family of seers”
“Yeah, but I thought seers were suppose to see the future, not demons?” Seokjin said frustrated
“It varies for every family, but it could've been heightened by involvement in witchcraft.” Taehyung said, sitting down in his little orb and smiling fondly at Seokjin’s devastated face.
“That would explain the binding spell he left on my seat, if I didn’t spill my drink and mess up the circle, who knows how long I would've been there.”
“You’re just lucky he didn’t make a spell to bind you to him. How much time does he have left anyways?” Taehyung asked, laying down in his little ball.
“Two days 2 hours 10 minutes and 5 seconds.” Seokjin said, looking at his watch.
“I’m sure you’ll survive that time.” Taehyung smiled, before disappearing into purple smoke.
“I hope so.” Seokjin said, walking towards the dingy motel he was currently staying at.
----
“That Jimin kid is pretty cute.”
“Stay away from my friends.” Yoongi warned, glaring at the textbook he was suppose to be reading.
“Oh touchy, well I’m sure you’ll see each other soon.” Seokjin snickered, the joke tasted bad on his mouth, but the thing about being a demon was that you become a bit worse than you were as a human, and he was no saint then either.
Yoongi glared up at him and sneered, “Was that suppose to be funny? Do you know something i don't?”
Seokjin cringed internally from Yoongi’s eyes. He had never felt so openly exposed before especially to a human. He knew it must be due to the fact that he was a seer, but it didn’t help the sinking feeling in his stomach. Taehyung had guessed what he was within the first day of meeting him, but he had guessed it. Yoongi knew it.
“You humans are so emotional. Don’t worry I would never do anything to harm your cute friend.” Seokjin smiled.
Yoongi slammed his book shut and looked at Seokjin’s flashing red eyes. “Outside now.” He demanded, ignoring the looks from the other students.
“What the fuck do you want from me? Did I summon you? Did my family? Just fucking tell me, before I make you.” He said, stepping forward towards the demon.
“I already told you. I’m here to collect your soul. I just came a little early than usual.” Seokjin said, raising his hands in innocence
“So I’m going to die.” Yoongi said, his voice eerily calm and collected. “And I’m stuck with you until then.”
“Yep~” Seokjin smiled, ignoring the voice at the back of his head that repeatedly told him that this was not part of the plan. That he’s not suppose to talk to the people he collects, that he should’ve never come early, that this was all a bad idea.
“And those orbs? What are they? Am I going to have to go in one of those?” He asked, his hand reaching for the red smoke.
Seokjin jumped back in fear immediately, startling both Yoongi and said orbs. “Don’t touch them.” He gasped out, his calm and collected face breaking in a second. His eyes dilated and bright red, and his fangs out in warning. Yoongi looked at him in shock, before settling his expression between guilt and understanding; it was only for a second before his passive appearance came back and he shook his head gently, putting his hand back down to his side.
“Fine, just don’t get in my way these last days I have.” He mumbled, before turning around and entering the library again.
Seokjin tried to calm his false beating heart. He knew he didn’t have one and it was like an invisible limb, but he could still feel it thumping quickly. As quickly as it was before he died.
----
Seokjin wasn’t always a bad guy. He was no saint, of course. He was a thief, truest to his heart. He was the robin hood of his time, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. At least that's how he started out, but one mistake can take someone's whole life.
He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, but no matter how much he tells himself that, he knows that wasn’t it. He got too greedy too fast. Petty at the aristocrats coming from another country and stepping all over the people he had come to love. They would call them savages, for being less well off. They took his brother and then tried to take him. He ran, leaving his brother behind. He thinks that’s where everything went downhill. He was soon stealing to cover up his own guilt, killing anyone who tried to get in his way. He joined an underground society who called themselves Bangtan. They welcomed him with open arms and hidden agendas. One mission too much and he found himself in front of a dead woman, with a child sleeping soundly next door. Wrong place, wrong time. The woman should’ve been gone by now, the house should have been empty. They were suppose to be at a play. The child should not be waking up and staring at her dead mother, the child should not be screaming at the top of her lungs screeching. Wrong place, wrong time.
He doesn’t fight back when they arrest him, nor does he fight back when they beat him in his cell. He stays silent, even during the questioning of Bangtan. They offer to let him go if he gives in the rest of the teens.
He opens his mouth only once. “How long do you think the kid will last in a world that shields the rich and burns the poor.” And as they tied the noose tightly around his neck and as he felt the floor beneath his feet disappear, he couldn’t say that he regretted it one bit. Even when he saw the people who had dragged him into the whole mess standing in the front row with impassive eyes.
Even when he saw the small man, with triangular eyes and small pink lips mouth words to him.The only regret was that Seokjin would never have the chance to hear his gruff voice again.
----
“Seokjin?”
“What?” Seokjin said, dazed as he rolled the two empty orbs around on the table in front of him.
“Stop rolling those things and look at us.” Jungkook demands, snapping his hands in front of his face.
“You know, you two are a lot cuter when you're in the orbs.” Seokjin pouts, looking at the two young adults next to him.
“You mean our hamster balls?” Jungkook grumbles, as Taehyung's head eagerly agrees, but more out of excitement rather than like Jungkook’s disdain.
“Listen kid, hamster ball or not, both of you are weak and can’t blend in with the humans, and you’re both too young and too dangerous to roam around up here. It’s the only rules I have to follow to keep you with me. I’m not breaking them.” Seokjin said, furrowing his brows.
Both demons glanced at each other with unspoken words passing between them before somberly nodding their heads in agreement. Seokjin hated that, when they would share words Seokjin would never know.
“Come on, let’s go check on Yoongi, before some other demon tries to take him from my list.”
----
“You’re the cutest human I’ve ever met.” Seokjin said, leaning against his hand at the college student in front of him.
“Huh??” The boy said in front of him, his face turning red at the compliment.
“Your name’s Jimin, right? Yoongi’s friend.” Seokjin asked, throwing an apple up in the air and catching it in his hands. “You, Hoseok, and Namjoon are his only friends, correct?”
“Yeah?” Jimin said, looking warily at Seokjin. “Look if you have any problems with him, take it up with Namjoon, I’m sure he’d gladly point you in the correct direction.” He said, his shy tone turning threatening.
“I have no qualms with him.” Seokjin smiled, “I was just looking for a conversation starter with such a handsome boy such as yourself.”
“He’s not going to fall for that, Jin.” Taehyung's voice scoffed from his hip.
“Go bug some other cute guy. I don’t mess with players.” Jimin hummed, moving his hands to Seokjin’s face and slightly caressing it. “I play people, I don’t get played. It’s not my thing. So why don’t you and your handsome face go and disturb some other damsel in distress.”
“Watch yourself, kid. A demon like yourself might end up right where you belong.” Seokjin purred, leaning into the hand caressing his face. A large hand grabbed onto his sweater and dragged him off of the table, leaving an amused Jimin to sit by himself.
He let himself get yanked until they found themselves outside. He started to pull away but before he could they had turned a corner and he got himself thrown against a wall.
“What are you doing?” Yoongi’s annoyed face glared at him, his lips turned down into a distasteful frown.
“Yoongi, pal, buddy. Can’t I talk to your friends?” He asked innocently. “I just want to get a feel for how you ended up gaining a one way ticket to ‘H- E- double hockey sticks’.” He mocked.
“He doesn’t know anything, none of them do. They’re all innocent of anything I’ve ever done.” Yoongi said determinedly. “So leave them out of your demon paws.”
“Paws? Really?” Seokjin laughed, “That's the best you can come up with?” Seokjin scoffed. “Well anyways, they're not the saints you think they are.” Seokjin mumbled to himself.
Yoongi turned to look at him with his lip curled up. “If your going to be a smartass, then fucking speak up.”
“I would never be a smartass to you, Min Yoongi” Seokjin smirked at him.
“Shut up.” He mumbled, before turning away, “And if you’re suppose to be my demon, then leave Jimin alone.”
Seokjin stared at his back, and felt a small tug in his stomach. This wasn’t part of the plan.
----
“You’re getting too close to him..” Taehyung whispered, even though he knew Seokjin could hear him loud and clear.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Seokjin mumbled, covering his eyes.
“Seokjin, you can’t save him. He has to die.” Taehyung spoke, glancing over at the unusual quiet Jungkook.
“I know..in less than 24 hours, he’s dead.” Seokjin said, his voice faltering at the end.
“He can’t be another Jungkookie. You don’t have enough orbs to keep him.” Taehyung said, still staring at the youngest.
“Jungkook was different. It was good that he passed; his life was bad, but this guy.” Seokjin looked down at his hands, wondering why they were trembling. “He has almost everything, and I can’t figure out why he’d die. I mean he’s prickly but that’s not something that would send him to hell.” Seokjin looked up at the two young demons in front of him.
“Seokjin, don’t dwell on it. Do your job so we can go.” Jungkook spoke. A poof of smoke appeared in his place and then he was in his ball.
“He’s right.” Taehyung mumbled, following Jungkook’s lead and going back into his own orb.
----
Yoongi was smiling at him, his gummy smile bright and overwhelming. They had gotten close enough over the two days to where they could hold conversations.
“So you’re telling me that some parts of hell are actually freezing cold?” Yoongi asked, sipping his coke.
“Yeah, I mean it’s different depending on every sin.” Seokjin smiled, ignoring the heating from each orb at his hip. “You’d probably go to limbo, unless you don’t believe I’m god, then you’d probably go to the heresy circle.”
Yoongi’s eyes and smile fell. He fell silent, and closed off.
“You alright there Yoongi?” Seokjin asked.
“I’m fine.” Yoongi whispered. He shook himself out of whatever he was in. “So tell me how did a demon as clumsy as you become a soul bringer?” He smiled.
Seokjin felt the same feeling he had when he had first died. This was all wrong.
----
wrong place, wrong time
Seokjin stared at Yoongi from afar, and the reaper that was following him. It was time. The sun had set not that long ago and his watch was counting down from 3 minutes. He usually stayed away until the reaper had done his deed, not a big fan of the messes. But this time he had followed, much to Taehyung’s and Jungkook’s dismay. They were currently all on a bridge looking over a black sea, with large rocks covering the body. Seokjin was trying to stay away, but he couldn’t hold himself back, he was curious as to why Yoongi had brought himself here. Yoongi grabbed a hold of the ledge and took a deep breath, before he set his leg over the ledge and began to pull himself over.
“So this is how you’re going to go out?” Seokjin said, keeping a smile on his face despite how fast his false heart was beating and how the bottom of his stomach kept twisting.
Yoongi barely glanced back, scoffing at the scenario. His whole presence seemed at ease, even as he stared at the larger waves, “Hah, a demon trying to talk me down from a ledge. This is one of the best jokes I’ve ever heard.”
“I just assumed you’d go out with a bang, not quietly where no one would even know.” He mumbled.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but you don’t know me, Seokjin.” Yoongi said, looking at the crashing waves. He took a shuddered breath, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. “No one does.”
“You have a good life, why would you personally end it.”
Yoongi let out a broken-filled laugh, “I have parents who would only love me if I kept grades high in a college I never wanted to go to, social anxiety, and yeah I have friends, but all I do is get them in trouble. I can’t do anything that I want to do. I feel trapped-” Yoongi looked back at him, his eyes glistening with tears, “I don’t even know why I’m telling you all of this. You’re a demon.” Yoongi stated, looking as broken as Seokjin currently felt. Seokjin knew he couldn’t save him, and that he’d be risking his job even if he did, so he nodded.
“I’ll come looking for you Yoongi, don’t think you’ve escaped my jokes.” Seokjin smiles at him, trying to only look at Yoongi and not at the edge that he perches from.
“Yeah, I guess I’ll see you next fall.” Yoongi jokes before collapsing into a fit of giggles. “That was so bad, and poorly executed, sorry.”
“Yeah, but don’t worry I’ll train you.” Seokjin laughed, his face turning red.
“Yeah, I sure hope you will. Thanks Seokjinnie.” Yoongi whispers, looking at Seokjin, painting and repainting the demons appearance into the back of his mind. This demon had almost made him forget his troubles for a bit, and if could do it all again, he would. He was happy that he saw Seokjin’s horns poking from his pink hair. He was happy watching him bicker to his two little orbs. He was happy with Seokjin. He closed his eyes and took a breath, his last one.
----
Seokjin was never one to boast over his victories but as he glanced at his 3 orbs, he couldn’t help but admire his work. The sun was shining, down on his face as he sat outside the same library he had visited with Yoongi. The day would almost be perfect, if it wasn’t for the loud cackling and shouting coming from his hip.
“Look, I know Yoongi is all cool and all but if Jimin was here, that would be a fun time.” Taehyung whistled, “Boy was that man fine.”
“Alright, I’m glad you said this, because if Jimin had joined us, we could be a power team.” Jungkook said, standing in his ball excitedly and slamming his face into the orb to look at Taehyung more closely.
“A triple threat.” They both said together, their eyes gleaming in mischief.
“If you both don’t shut the fuck up, I’m going to end both of you.” A disgruntled voice mumbled from the mint colored orb on the other side of Jungkook. “You guys have the same conversation every day for the past year.”
“Actually, Yoongi. We’ve had several different variations of this conversation. Not the same one.” Taehyung says smiling.
“Oh really? And here I thought I’ve been wanting to slam my head into this humiliating ball for the same reason this whole time.” Yoongi replied, his tone sarcastic and higher pitched in fake innocence.
“You know, if Seokjin let us out of these hamster balls, I would totally kick your ass.” Jungkook growled, slamming his body into his side of the ball, causing it to turn and hit Yoongi’s.
“Kids calm down. If I didn’t know any better I’d make Taehyung be your babysitter just so I could get a break.” Seokjin sighed in defeat, shaking his head and looking around for something.
“I mean, it’s not a bad idea.” Taehyung smiled, looking up at Seokjin with wide eyes and an even wider smile.
“Not even in your dreams, Tae.” Seokjin smiled back, his eyes daring Taehyung to push the subject further than it needed to go. He broke the eye contact with the smaller demon and looked over to see a pink-haired, small man walking out of the library with guarded eyes and plump smiling lips. “Anyways, we have work to do.” He got up and slowly followed after Yoongi’s old friend. But was led a different path than usual. The man stopped and turned to face Seokjin, a gun posed perfectly right in his hands.
“Where’s Yoongi?” He demanded, the usual sweetness in his tone gone with no hint of coming back
“Wow Jiminie, no hi?” Seokjin asked, his head tilting in confusion while his hands were up in surrender. “Not even a long time no see?” When he saw that Jimin had no joking bone in his body and wasn’t going to put the gun down anytime soon he decided to take a different route. “Well I’m a demon and I’m here to collect your soul, Yoongi is in this ball, but you can’t see or hear him. At least not while he’s in his ball.” Seokjin explained, ignoring the complaints coming from all three orbs. Jimin stared at him in utter shock before falling on his back and passing out, with only one thought in his head wrong place, wrong time.