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Chapter Text

"Oh - god - oh - god - oh - god - oh -" Jisoo chanted in rhythm with his heavy footsteps. A painful stitch pricked his side every time he tried to breathe and his lungs felt like they were going to burst anytime soon. Sweat made his black robe stick to his skin.

"A faithful servant does not use the names of his gods in vain," the head-monk chided without turning his head nor slowing down. His voice sounded relaxed, no trace of strain perceptible although he was already nearing his seventies. "And a healthy body is the vessel for a healthy soul."

Jisoo had a hard time swallowing the snarky remark that lingered on the tip of his tongue. He had learned during the first week that cussing was frowned upon in the monastery - but old habits were hard to break.

"How... much... further?" he instead managed to gasp between laboured breaths.

"Four kilometres."

"Oh god."

*

"-soo! Hong Jisoo!"

Jisoo startled awake at the harsh jab in his chest and almost toppled over. The monk in front of him did not look impressed, the stick he had used dangerously close to Jisoo's face.

"This is the third time you fell asleep during meditation! Leave if you can't get your act together!"

Jisoo hunched his shoulders in an obvious display of guilt while the other aspirants around him snickered.

*

Jisoo,

mom is doing better. The new treatment is finally showing the results we hoped for. Dad is still concerned but he's not talking to me properly so I don't know what exactly is going on. You know that he likes to burden himself to keep us happy.

Jimin is asking for you often; she's really excited about finally attending elementary school. I know you're not allowed to call but maybe you could at least sneak out a letter for her? She really wants to tell you about all the new things she has learned. Last time I called, she was talking for half an hour straight.

My situation has settled as well. I finally went to work again yesterday and the wounds are healing nicely, so no need to worry. There will be scars left but nothing I can't handle.

I hope you're doing well and I hope you're still happy with the choice you've made. Your last letter sounded a bit discouraged, especially the part about your strict schedule.

If something is wrong, please tell me. We can figure something out together. That's what family is for, right?

Stay safe and healthy.

Jihwan

*

Jisoo lay curled up on his futon, every part of his body screaming in pain. He had overdone it lately but he needed to prove that he could do it. That he was taking this whole thing seriously. He needed to prove it to the monks and to himself. If he got kicked out, he would become a burden to his family. Again.

His brother's most recent letter crinkled between his fingers, the ink already smudged in some places.

*

"Congratulations, aspirants. Throughout the past year, you have proven your determination and faith, and that you are ready to take on the responsibility of being novice monks. May the following three years guide you on your way to enlightenment. We welcome you in our ranks."

*

Jisoo,

mom's condition has worsened over the weekend and she might need to have another surgery soon. But don't worry, I've got it covered. I'm still getting benefits after my accident and I can use them to pay the medical bills.

Dad has become very reclusive. Jimin says he goes out at night and only comes home in the morning. I think he's working an additional job and it's taking its toll on his health. Jimin stays over at my place a lot so I'm considering to move back in with dad and her. It would cut costs and she wouldn't be alone at night. Recently there have been some incidents in the neighbourhood so I'd prefer to be there, just in case.

I know that you're bad at expressing your feelings but even if you don't say it, I know that you worry about us. And I'm not going to hide anything from you since you have a right to know, even though you're so far away. You applied to that monastery to be "out of the way", didn't you? I heard you when you were speaking to mom and I saw how much you were pondering your choices afterwards. I don't think that reason is a good one but I hope that by now you've learned to love what you're doing.

I'm proud that you got accepted as a novice and I hope you can keep up the good work and become a full-fledged monk one day. Jimin is bragging a lot about you at school. In her imagination you're already head-monk, leading your own temple. Also, she said she wants to do a temple stay one day, just to see you. I haven't told her yet that your monastery doesn't allow outsiders.

We miss you. Don't force yourself for our sake.

Jihwan

*

"No, no, no! You have to chant the sutra before you attack! How often do I have to tell you until you get it into your stubborn head?!"

Jisoo held his stomach, grimacing in pain. The priest in front of him looked fed up and he sincerely shared the feeling.

They had never gotten along.

Jisoo took a deep breath and tried to free himself of the resentment he felt - although the older man made it quite difficult. "Yes, teacher. I'll do better."

"I can't believe I have to spend my valuable time training someone as hopeless as you. Keep being a monk, working fields suits you more than fighting."

Jisoo clenched his teeth to stop himself from lashing out. It wasn't like he had picked that particular class out of his own free will. It was part of the curriculum and nobody knew that better than that old bastard.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. Everything was alright. He had learned to keep his temper in check. He was a better person now. And this particular priest was known for his cruel punishments.

"What are you waiting for?! Again!"

"Yes, teacher!"

*

The shrill sound of a bell ripped Jisoo out of his dreams rather abruptly. He shot upright at once, slightly dizzy at the sudden movement, and searched for his roommates as soon as his eyes had adjusted to the dim light.

Shinwon was climbing out of his futon with obvious difficulty while Rowoon was already at the door, peeking outside.

"That's the first time they're attacking at night. What's going on?" Shinwon's voice was a mere whisper.

Jisoo ignored his question but a knot of unease had formed in his stomach. The attacks were getting more and more frequent. "We gotta get to the assembly hall."

He reached for the other novice and helped him climb to his feet while Rowoon held the door open for them.

Without exchanging another word, they sprinted down the corridor, following the higher-ranked monks.

*

"I have informed the authorities of our situation several days ago but until reinforcement arrives, it is our duty to protect this holy place from further harm. We have fended them off for tonight but tomorrow we will increase the guards around the perimeters. It hurts me to say, but everyone - even aspirants and novices - will have to do their part. Together we will overcome this trial.

Now, let us pray for the souls of our departed brothers and the Beings that were slain tonight."

*

It was eerily quiet. Even the birds had stopped chirping in the forest surrounding the temple grounds.

Jisoo glanced towards the ancient oak he was guarding, a jittery feeling somewhere deep in his stomach. The tree was decorated with beads and garlands that shimmered in the golden rays of the setting sun but not even the beautiful view could soothe the tension in the air.

The monk paced up and down, back and forth; his eyes searching for anything unusual and his hands tightly wrapped around the heavy staff one of the higher-ranked monks had given him. His grey novice robe was fluttering in the warm spring breeze.

He was trying to prepare himself for what might come, going over the different fighting styles he knew, pondering what kind of attack he could use against them.

It would probably be better to lie low. He was inexperienced after all and he had never fought an actual Being before.

At the sound of voices, he turned back towards the buildings - but it was only two aspirants hurrying towards their assigned destination.

Jisoo bit his lip. Aspirants and first-year novices had the benefit of guarding the temple in pairs. He envied Rowoon and Shinwon for that privilege.

He immediately reprimanded himself for the thought. Instead, he forced himself to focus on the fact that he was already halfway through his training and that the head-monk trusted the second and third years enough to let them fulfil their guard duty alone. They were capable and strong, their faith unwavering and-

He tensed when something rustled behind him. Slowly, he turned around, his eyes fixed on the trees and bushes only a few meters away.

A low growl penetrated the air. Frozen in place, he watched as the bushes parted.

It was his first time seeing a ghoul outside of pictures and the TV, and the undead Being looked even more hideous than he had expected.

It was a grotesque caricature of a Human, with greyish skin pulled taut over its rather small skull which was adorned with a few strands of matted hair. Sunken, bloodshot eyes glowed aggressively over a mouth filled with sharp, yellowed teeth. Wiry appendages ended in jagged nails.

And it stank. Jisoo could smell its foul odour even from several meters away: a mixture of blood and something sickly sweet that he couldn't quite pinpoint. He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat.

The ghoul crept forward. It was moving on all fours, its body tense, scenting the air like a dog.

Jisoo reached for the silvery whistle around his neck - but he froze when the eyes of the Being focused on him at the movement.

An unnatural calmness filled the novice when it growled once again and three more ghouls emerged from the shadows of the forest. Adrenaline sharpened his senses, his own heavy breathing suddenly loud in the evening air.

He had to warn the other monks.

Without breaking eye contact with the first ghoul, Jisoo wrapped his fingers around the whistle and slowly lifted it to his mouth. He inhaled.

But before the cold steel could touch his lips, the shrill sound of a whistle rang to his left where the aspirants had vanished earlier - and the Being in front of him attacked.

Only Jisoo's fast reflexes saved his throat from being torn apart. Instead, the ghoul's sharp teeth bit down on the wooden staff, leaving deep imprints. The putrid smell grew stronger.

With a quiet hiss, it retreated while the other ghouls began to surround the monk, who was trying to keep them in his line of sight by taking several steps back. His back met the trunk of the holy oak. The thought that at least none of them could attack from behind calmed him a little but it couldn't fully smother the growing panic burning in his chest.

He had to stay calm. But he also needed help. Serious help. An experienced priest, preferably. Or ten.

Taking a few deep breaths, he tightened his grip on the staff and examined his opponents in search for a way out - but it quickly became obvious that the undead Beings were used to hunting as a group. They were leaving no openings.

Hungry eyes stared him down and saliva was dripping on the ground.

When the alarm began to ring in the distance, Jisoo's hope for anyone to pass by fizzled out at once. The main hall was in the opposite direction of his location and everyone was briefed to get there as fast as possible in case of an emergency.

The Beings surrounding him snarled at the piercing sound of the bell.

The panic inside him spread and not even his mantras helped to subdue it. Back pressed against the trunk of the tree, Jisoo prepared himself. He wouldn't go down without a fight. And he would fight dirty if he had to.

Goosebumps rose on his skin when a cold breeze hit him, too cold for a warm spring evening. A clap of thunder rang through the air, the sound surprisingly close.

Everything happened at once.

Two ghouls jumped forward in pretence while the third and fourth actually attacked. Jisoo managed to block them halfway and their hoarse shrieks got drowned out by a deafening crash.

Suddenly there was fire and noise all around him but he couldn't concentrate on what was happening because he was still trying to chant his sutra and two of the four ghouls were still trying to rip him apart and god damn his arm hurt and what was that searing pain in his back and why the hell was there snow falling from the sky in the middle of April and fuck, he hadn't noticed the ghoul sneaking up on him to his left and that would probably be his last-

Everything came to a halt. Silence hit him like a whip.

"Wha-?"

Jisoo stumbled backwards, away from the ragged teeth that had been close - so close - to sinking into his shoulder and tearing it apart. With his heart beating double time, he looked around, taking in his motionless surroundings.

Or, not quite motionless?

Carefully, he crept closer to the ghoul that had attempted to bite him – was attempting to bite him? Watching it for a few seconds brought to light what he had already suspected: It was still moving - albeit very, very slowly.

"What the heck?" he muttered to himself. He turned around and his heart sank at the sight of the holy tree charred and split in half. Splinters and branches were scattered on the ground, some of them engulfed in flames. One of the ghouls had apparently gotten hit by the lightning strike; its hair was on fire and its body littered with burns. Jisoo quickly turned away from the gruesome sight.

His eyes fell on the body of another ghoul that had been pierced by several long icicles.

"Oh g-." He pressed a hand against his mouth to stop himself. "What's going on?!"

The ghoul that had tried to bite him had finished its motion by now, its teeth clashing where Jisoo's shoulder had been not long before - if it hadn't been for some sort of miracle. Or whatever this was. He really didn't know.

Anyway, when would this weird slow-motion reality end?

Would it end?

Oh god.

He really didn't want to get stuck in some sort of supernatural time loop.

A lump immediately formed in his throat at the thought and Jisoo forced himself to focus on something else. The two ghouls that were still standing had moved upright and were ever so slowly turning in his direction. He should probably take them out before time returned back to normal.

If it did.

Right.

With shaking hands, he picked up the staff he had dropped in his earlier panic. They were vulnerable right now. It wouldn't be hard to knock the Beings out in this state. He could even kill them if he needed to...

...

...but somehow, that seemed a little bit unfair.

Jisoo hesitated, the staff already lifted above the head of the first ghoul.

But then again, they had used their numbers to their advantage. If it hadn't been for this strange slo-mo thing, he would be dead now.

Much less reluctant, he struck the ghoul right above its temple and waited for whatever would happen next. The ghoul's eyes widened slowly before they rolled upwards in an almost comical manner.

Jisoo felt like he was watching a cartoon. He had ample time to study its strange, humanoid face and the almost human expression of surprise on it while the Being fell to the ground. He also had time to leisurely walk over to the second ghoul which had just crouched down to attack him again.

Lifting his staff, he aimed - and then reality snapped back into place.

Glistening teeth came dangerously close to his face before the staff found it's target with a sickening crunch and the final ghoul crumbled to the floor in a heap while Jisoo scrambled backwards once again.

Everything was unbearably loud after the utter silence he had just endured. The crackling of the fire, the cry of a bird somewhere in the woods and the sharp ringing of the alarm in the distance.

Jisoo jumped and whirled around when someone behind him started clapping.

"That was interesting. Very, very interesting."

In front of the smoking remains of what was once the holy tree stood two men. The one who had spoken stepped forward, his honey-blond hair shimmering in the last rays of the evening sun. His jawline was sharp, as were his eyes.

"Sorry about the tree, sometimes I go a bit overboard." He didn't look apologetic in the slightest. "Anyway. You are human."

It wasn't a question but Jisoo nodded regardless. He was rewarded with a happy smile.

"Great. Are you one of the monks here?"

For a long moment, Jisoo examined the blond stranger and the dark-haired man who had remained in the shadow of the burnt tree. Didn't his monk robe make that question pointless? Maybe he was joking?

Despite his doubts - and out of politeness - he answered anyway. "A monk in training."

The stranger looked pleased with his words before he once again clapped his hands. "Wonderful, I love monks!" When Jisoo remained stoic, he grinned. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Chen. And this is Xiumin - don't mind him, he's always like that." Chen's Cheshire cat smile was in full force while the dark-haired male behind him remained completely expressionless, his eyes as cold as the winter wind that had accompanied their arrival.

"And what are you?" Jisoo asked - quite bluntly in his opinion - but the bright smile in front of him only widened into a grin. The sight made him oddly uncomfortable.

"That's for you to find out, little Human." Jisoo flinched when Chen reached out to pat his shoulder and something akin to satisfaction flashed over the man's face. "I have an offer for you. An irresistible one, if I may say so myself." He wiggled his brows and his dark eyes flashed an unsettling silver-grey.

Anxiety stirred in Jisoo's stomach.

Somehow, that didn't sound promising.

Category: Undead

Beings that are considered dead by Human definition but are still able to move their body.

Species: Ghoul

Ghūl; From the Arabic ghāla, which means "to seize".

Ghouls are Undead Beings which feed on decomposing flesh to gain nutrients. Unlike Vampires and Upirs, Ghouls are of low intelligence and rely mostly on instincts. They are generally feral and hunt in packs. Due to the bacteria in their mouths, the bite of a Ghoul can be deadly to Humans and weaker Beings.

Excerpt from "A Beginner's Guide to Beings", Page 23.

Chapter Text

Two weeks later. Seoul.

"This is it?" Jisoo wasn't entirely sure what he had expected but surely not a regular, boring office building. Somehow he felt a little cheated by the sight of faded concrete and steel. "The headquarters of Aegis?"

"In all its glory." Kai nodded next to him before he squeezed the monk's arm and pulled him towards the entrance. "Come on, don't be shy."

"Can you let go now?" Jisoo grumbled while he stumbled after him. Kai's surprisingly hot fingers on the bare skin of his wrist somehow made him feel... tingly. In a weird but not entirely unpleasant way.

Well, Kai was very handsome. One of the most handsome men Jisoo had seen so far if he had to be completely honest. It was hard not to be mesmerized by his smile that revealed perfectly straight pearly whites, by the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, how his hair reflected the light, his smooth, tan skin...

"You tried to run last time I let you walk by yourself. I'm not going to chase you around the city."

Jisoo got shaken out of his jumbled thoughts by Kai's reply and the smirk of the brunette male seemed to imply that he knew exactly what the monk had been thinking. Heat spread over Jisoo's face.

What had gotten into him? He couldn't care less about another man's looks.

"Yeah, well, it's not exactly normal for a stranger to burst into my room at half-past five in the morning," Jisoo huffed, all kinds of flustered, and Kai's lopsided grin widened even further while he pulled him through the double doors of the main entrance.

The hall they entered was lit by neon lamps and just as grey as the outside of the building. A few people were passing by, between them a familiar slim silhouette.

"I never said I was normal."

Jisoo's blush spread to his ears at Kai's cheeky wink. He usually wasn't as easily ruffled, but there was just something about this guy and the way he exuded charisma...

"Oh look, Chen's already waiting. Guess I can leave now," the other male stated abruptly, sounding relieved. To his surprise, Jisoo felt a small twinge of disappointment. "See you. Maybe." With one last squeeze of the monk's wrist, Kai vanished into thin air.

Dumbfounded, Jisoo stared at the empty space next to him until Chen's voice brought him back to reality.

"If it isn't the little monk. Glad you made it back to civilization." He eyed the grey novice robe Jisoo was wearing as well as the wooden prayer beads dangling from his neck. "Maybe you should change into something a little more... inconspicuous. But anyway. You gotta go see Tao first; he'll do a check-up and also tell you when your trial is and who's testing you."

"Huh? What do you mean 'trial'?!" Jisoo immediately stopped to interrogate the carefree blond Being.

"Whoops. Guess I forgot to mention that. My bad." Chen turned towards one of the many doorways and the monk hurriedly followed him. "Everyone who wants to work here has to go through it. Don't worry, it's nothing major. Just a quick little sparring match to check if you can defend yourself in an emergency."

Jisoo's stomach dropped. He sucked at hand to hand combat. Biting his lip, he squeezed out, "And if I fail?"

The Being held the door open for him and they stepped into a grey staircase. "If you're of no use, you'll get sent back."

Well, that didn't sound too bad. The monk allowed himself to relax a little.

Chen side-eyed him while they descended the stairs, a knowing smile curling the corners of his lips. "We'll notice if you try to flunk out, you know? I don't recommend that - just some friendly advice."

Jisoo glowered. "Are you threatening me again?"

"Wow. I'm not threatening you; I'm just telling you how it is." Chen jumped down the last few steps before he turned back to the monk, an overly hurt expression on his face. "And what do you mean 'again'? I only said that it would be better for your family if you joined Aegis," he finished with a cheerful grin.

Jisoo had stopped as well, several steps separating them. He couldn't believe the audacity of the Being in front of him. "How's that not a threat?!" He tried to keep his composure but anger had gnawed on his patience ever since Kai had scared him awake way too early in the morning. "Urgh, and I'd come so far already." He rubbed his temples in agitation. "Do you have any idea how hard I've had to work to get through the past two-and-a-half years?!"

Chen didn't look the least bit interested in his life story. Instead, he opened the door he had been standing in front of. "Stop sulking. If you fail the test you can just go back to being a monk, right? And if you get into Aegis, you'll earn quite a bit of money for yourself and your family. It's a win-win." He glanced over his shoulder. "Come on, Tao's lab is just down the hall."

"What's the matter with Chen?" Jisoo asked, slightly more relaxed now that he knew that Tao was human too. The black-haired male was sorting through some of his equipment, his white lab coat billowing behind him whenever he moved between his many tables. On these tables, neatly arranged, lay and stood all kinds of tools and devices, beakers, flower pots, books, notes and a lot of other stuff, Jisoo didn't know the name of. Before Tao had arrived, the monk had killed time by trying to identify the different dried herbs hanging from the ceiling. Unfortunately, his knowledge of plants was rather limited.

"Don't mind him, he's a weirdo. Even the other Beings avoid him," Tao said and picked up a stethoscope before he turned towards him. "Take off your... uh... the upper part of your robe."

Jisoo complied and began to unwrap the outer layers. "Why do they avoid him?" He winced when the cold metal came in contact with his skin.

"Oh, you know, several reasons. But mainly because he doesn't like other Beings and he's not exactly quiet about it. Take a deep breath. Yes, like that. Again. Okay." Tao wrote something on his notepad. "He likes Humans though, which is probably the main reason he scouted you."

"Is that why he keeps calling me 'little monk'?" Jisoo asked, irked by the name, and Tao grinned while he reached for a thermometer.

"I guess. I've been 'panda eyes' for the longest time but I think by now he remembers my name - since we're in the same unit and all."

"Same unit?" Jisoo's interest was immediately piqued. He only had a very vague idea about Aegis and he was eager to gather as much information as possible. Tao waved the thermometer in front of his mouth and he willingly opened it.

"Yeah, people in Aegis are divided into units - it's just a fancy name for team. Most units consist of four to ten members and every unit has one leader, usually the strongest member of the team. Some units are specialized in certain fields but most units are just a mixture of all kinds of Humans and Beings with different abilities. Then they get sent out for assignments."

Jisoo tried to ask more questions but Tao shot him a look. He waited for the thermometer to beep before he dared to talk again. "What kind of assignments?"

The male took another note before he looked up and raised a judging eyebrow at him. "Do you know what Aegis is?"

Jisoo felt his ears grow hot. "Uh... a Human Protection Organisation?" Chen had mentioned something along those lines.

"Exactly. There are quite a lot of Beings who consider Humans their prey and even the ones who don't can cause some serious trouble. We protect Humans; that's the goal." He picked up a small lamp and forced Jisoo to turn his head so he could check his ears.

"So those teams-"

"Units."

"Units, sorry. Those units fight against Beings?" Jisoo jumped when Tao's fingers ran over his throat.

"Hmm... your lymph nodes are a bit swollen. And yeah, that's pretty much how it works. Although usually, we get sent out in pairs. Say 'aah'."

Jisoo obeyed. Once Tao was busy scribbling on his notepad, he deemed it safe to ask the next question: "But how? How does that work? I almost kicked the bucket fighting against ghouls and those are not even super strong. How are two people supposed to take down powerful Beings?"

"You forget that not everyone here is human. For example, the unit you'll most likely join, Unit S, only has non-human members so far."

A spark of fear ignited in Jisoo's chest. He had interacted with Beings before, of course, they were everywhere and part of everyday life, but most of them liked to stick to their species. And the ones who didn't were usually loners – or hungry. Thinking back, he couldn't remember a single Being he had been more than acquaintances with. And now he would suddenly become part of a group consisting only of Beings?

Tao wrapped a blood pressure cuff around the monk's arm, his face tense. He hesitated for a second and searched Jisoo's eyes before he leaned back with a low sigh. "From one Human to another: Be careful. Some Beings are not exactly thrilled about working with us and not everyone is here out of their own free will. Also, some people have pretty fucked up ideas when it comes to things like hierarchy."

Great. That sounded even worse.

Silence engulfed them while the monk tried to come to terms with what might lie ahead. Finally, he broke it in an attempt to steer away from the heavy topic. "Why is it called Unit S?"

Tao's lips twitched. "The leader's name is Seungcheol." He began to unwrap the cuff.

Jisoo snorted. "You gotta be kidding me. He used his first name? Isn't that kinda narcissistic?"

The other male only shrugged. "Everyone does. It's the standard way to name a unit unless the letter is already taken. You can put your clothes back on but roll up one sleeve; I need to take a blood sample."

Jisoo slipped back into his robe but his curiosity wasn't quite sated yet. "So, Seungcheol is the strongest member of Unit S? What kind of Being is he?"

Tao didn't look up from his papers while he said, "Mhm. Probably. I think he's level five but don't quote me on that - I rarely interact with S members. And that's a pretty personal question. You should ask him yourself."

Heat spread over the monk's cheeks at the reprimand. "Sorry."

Once again they remained in silence while Tao typed something into his computer. After a few minutes, Jisoo couldn't bear it anymore. "What do you mean with 'level five'?"

It wasn't difficult to spot that Tao was slowly growing tired of the slew of questions the monk was asking. He looked up from his screen, a frown on his face, but visibly softened at the curious sparkle in Jisoo's eyes. He sighed. "That's the last thing I'm explaining. I have work to do."

The monk nodded eagerly which earned him a smile.

"Put your arm here. After the blood sample, you're done. Okay. Every member of Aegis gets assigned a level based on how they do during their trial. There are five levels in total. For Beings, a high level means that they are able to kill a large number of Humans in a short amount of time. For Humans, a high level means that they're able to subdue high-level Beings without help. A Being has to be at least level three to get accepted into Aegis but for Humans, there's no rule like that."

"I see." Jisoo grimaced and looked away when the needle penetrated his skin.

"Can't handle blood?" Tao sounded amused. "Maybe this job isn't for you."

"I just don't like needles."

"Ask another question then, if that'll distract you."

Jisoo's eyes remained firmly fixed on a microscope a few feet away. "Why is it called a 'trial'? Why not 'recruitment test' or something a bit less intimidating?"

"All done." The monk dared to glimpse at his arm and to his surprise, the small puncture wound was gone. Tao was already typing stuff in his computer again. "Well, the chance of getting injured is pretty high. I think the name fits."

Jisoo's stomach clenched at his words. Chen - that lying bastard.

The time for the trial was nearing and Jisoo felt like he was steadily walking towards his doom when he stepped closer to the door of the gym. He had prayed all the prayers he knew at least twice while waiting and had tried - and failed - to meditate to prepare himself.

He knew nothing about what was going to come. Tao had only said that Unit S hadn't decided yet who would test him before he had sent him on his way to the gym.

Shouldn't at least Chen be here since he had scouted him? Although Jisoo was angry at him, he would still prefer his presence over being alone. Or maybe Kai could show up? He didn't know anyone else in Aegis.

Jisoo's eyes fell on the clock above the gym entrance and his chest grew tight. Five minutes left.

Maybe he should leave. Nobody was here to stop him anyway. He could go back to the monastery and return to his old, regular, predictable life. He had missed several prayers already but he was sure that he would be forgiven if he apologized earnestly.

Jisoo fidgeted when the clock hand moved forward.

Jimin would be sad if he wouldn't graduate as a monk and Jihwan would be disappointed. Same with his mom and dad. He had disappointed them plenty already, he shouldn't add to it.

The clock hand moved and Jisoo's fingers tangled into the prayer beads around his neck.

Besides, he had no idea what exactly had happened when the ghoul had attacked. How could he possibly use an ability that he had no control over to fight Beings? He should finish his schooling and train to become a monk instead of wandering off his chosen path. If he still had the drive to fight then, he could always become a priest.

Jisoo stopped pacing. The clock read 11:58.

But if it was true what Chen had said, he would earn good money at Aegis. He would be able to pay for the treatment his mother needed and relieve the burden on his brother and father. The senior monks had always scolded him for keeping in touch with his family but he couldn't just throw them away - they were the sole reason he had decided to become a monk.

He had one minute left. He hesitated.

For a long moment, he stared at his hands; imagined them with bruised knuckles and covered in blood. He had made peace with his past. Prayers and meditation had helped him. He had worked so hard to get where he was now. Was he really going to leave it all behind?

A bell rang somewhere in the distance and his hand closed around the door handle.

Two men were already waiting for Jisoo in the middle of the gym.

The man on the left seemed to emit light. His loose clothes were white, as was his hair. His skin was so pale it almost looked translucent. Pink lips and dark eyes emphasized his delicate features, the only contrast in his appearance. A smile lit up his face even further at the sight of the monk.

Next to him stood his polar opposite. Dressed completely in black and his neck adorned with a gleaming chain, the man radiated danger. Maybe it was his aggressive stance or maybe the way his lips curled but Jisoo felt the overwhelming urge to turn around and flee as soon as their eyes met.

"You must be Jisoo," the man to the left said. His voice was as light as his appearance. "My name is Jeonghan and this is Hansol. We will be the examiners for today's trial."

Jisoo could feel himself grow pale. Cold sweat started to form at his hairline. "I have to fight both of you? At once?" Wasn't that unfair? Based on what Tao had said, both of them were Beings and he was only human. A Human with no clue how to use his ability.

He stood no chance.

"Oh no." Jeonghan's laughter rang like silver bells. "You misunderstood. You will be fighting against Hansol and I will be watching."

The monk took a deep breath to calm himself. One on one sounded a bit better but he still wasn't exactly confident. And Hansol didn't look like someone who would fight fair and square - he could make out that type of person from miles away.

Memories of all the times he had lost against his teacher in the monastery threatened to crawl out of his subconsciousness but he managed to push them back down. Now was not the time to be discouraged. He had made his choice when he had stepped through the door of the gym.

He eyed Hansol up and down who in return lowered his stance and bared his teeth. There was something undeniably animalistic about him. For a moment, Jisoo wondered what kind of Beings were standing in front of him but his musings got cut short by Jeonghan.

"Do you need to prepare yourself or can we start?"

Usually, his training began with several minutes of meditation and repeating his mantras, but there was absolutely no way Jisoo would do that in front of the Beings. And delaying the inevitable would only make him more nervous. "Uh, yes. One moment."

He scurried towards one of the benches near the door, all while undoing his belt with shaking fingers. Under the curious gaze of Jeonghan, he took off several layers of his robes, revealing the tank top and loose pants he was wearing underneath. Not protected from the cool air of the gym anymore, goosebumps immediately dotted his skin. But even with the two Beings watching, he took the time to fold his clothes neatly. His robe was important to him; a sign that he had gotten accepted by the monks of his monastery, and he always treated it with respect. Hesitating for a moment, he tangled his fingers into his prayer beads before he took them off as well and carefully placed them on top of his clothes.

"Done?"

The impatience in Jeonghan's voice made him flinch and he jogged back to where he had originally stood in front of them. "Yes."

During the time it had taken the monk to change, Hansol hadn't moved at all; his stare was still fixed on Jisoo in a way that was entirely unnerving.

"Alright, I guess this is it. You'll start on my signal." Jeonghan sounded excited and Jisoo quietly began to repeat his mantras - but he got distracted by the bright male in front of him.

The Being had taken a step back and only now did Jisoo notice that the chain which was wrapped around Hansol's throat ran all the way down his back to Jeonghan's hand. With a wicked smile, the white-haired male yanked at it and Hansol moved closer to him with a growl, baring his throat. It only took one quick touch from Jeonghan for the chain to disintegrate.

Jisoo took a step back when both Beings turned his way.

Jeonghan was still smiling, his eyes twinkling, while he raised his arm. "The trial of Hong Jisoo starts – now."

Hansol snarled, his teeth gleaming in the bright neon light, and cold fear ran through Jisoo at the threatening sound.

Chapter Text

"Urgh... ow." Jisoo's head was pounding. With a groan, he opened his eyes and was immediately blinded.

"Oh, you're awake. Good."

Trying to figure out where he was, the monk squinted into the neon light. Someone was leaning over him, the silhouette dark against the brightness. Jisoo recognized the lab coat.

"Tao? Wha-," his voice cracked and he had to clear his throat before he could continue, "what happened? Why am I here?"

"I guess you're doing pretty well since you can already ask questions again. Follow my finger with your eyes."

The monk did as he was told and the motion made him feel slightly nauseous. With another low groan, he closed his eyes as soon as Tao stopped. His body didn't hurt - apart from his head - but it somehow felt weirdly disconnected. Worriedly, he attempted to clench his fist - and to his relief, everything worked just fine.

"What you're feeling right now is normal; it'll fade in a few minutes. It's an after-effect of my ability. Does anything hurt?"

Jisoo peeked through his lashes and found Tao sitting at a desk, jotting down notes on his clipboard. The room they were in reminded the monk of a doctor's office: neutral colours, stainless steel and cold neon lights. Even the bed he was lying in was completely white. "My head."

"Normal." Tao's chair creaked when he swivelled around. "Your body is fine? No numbness, pain, itchiness?"

"No... are you going to tell me what happened?" The question had sounded more aggressive than Jisoo had planned but he didn't apologize. He was fed up with having to extract every little piece of information from the other Human - and his head hurt.

Tao's eyebrows furrowed at his tone before he leaned back with a deep sigh. In the harsh light, he looked tired and worn out. "Well, you survived a pretty bad blow to the head and then Hansol started chewing up your face. Fortunately, Jeonghan stopped him before- you know." A small grin tugged at his lips while the monk tried to process what he had just heard. "They're in deep shit now; Chen is furious."

"What do you mean, 'chewed up my face'? Not literally, right?" Jisoo asked, his voice trembling. The mental image alone was enough to make him gag. "He bashed my head in and you patched me up afterwards, right? Right, Tao?!"

At the sight of his horrified expression, the Human chuckled. "That was your first time meeting a werewolf during full moon, wasn't it?"

"A w-werewolf? Hansol is a werewolf?!"

"Yep and a pretty strong one to boot. Unfortunately, he's not very good at controlling himself once his instincts take over. Which is exactly why they're in trouble: Jeonghan volunteered for the trial and brought Hansol along even though he knew that he's unstable right now."

Silence filled the room.

A werewolf.

A freaking werewolf.

They had sent him, a Human, into a fight against one of the most ferocious of all beast-type Beings. Unprepared and without a weapon. He could have died. Hell, he almost had died, apparently.

The monk abruptly sat up and the world started wavering around him. After shaking his head a few times to get rid of the dizziness, he glared at Tao. "Why didn't you warn me?! That guy could've ripped my fucking head off!" he spat, his voice growing louder with every word.

The other Human still looked relaxed, despite his outburst. "I only got the info after you had already left. And trust me, it's no walk in the park for me to reverse those kind of injuries. If I could have prevented it, I would have."

The patience Tao radiated helped to at least somewhat subdue the monk's anger and after a few more heavy breaths, Jisoo forced himself to calm down. His temper wouldn't help him get out of this mess. He needed to clear his head. Out of habit, his hands searched for the familiar shapes of his prayer beads until he remembered that he had taken them off before the fight.

"Funny, I always imagined monks to be really reflected and calm. You even cursed just now."

Jisoo looked up once Tao's amused voice reached him. "I'm still in training." Hesitantly, he returned Tao's grin. "Sorry, usually I'm better at controlling myself."

"Well, I can't really blame you. The trial is supposed to be a test of skill, not an execution."

Wasn't that different from what he had said before? Jisoo raised a sceptical eyebrow at him. "It isn't? What about 'the chance of getting injured is pretty high'? Weren't those your words?"

Tao shook his head, his tone calm when he said, "Of course it's not supposed to be an execution. The whole point of a trial is to figure out the limits of the recruit. Hence the examiner is supposed to start easy and slowly work their way up to the higher-level abilities. Yes, it's almost inevitable that the participants get hurt but what Jeonghan and Hansol did was completely uncalled for." He shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if they get suspended for a while."

They probably wouldn't be happy about that. Great. He had already made enemies without even being part of the unit.

Jisoo reached up to rub his throbbing temples but froze when his fingers came in contact with hair. "Woah."

Apparently, his surprise was visible and Tao laughed at his confused expression. "Oh yeah, sorry. That's another side effect of my ability. But you can just shave it off again - although I think longer hair suits you pretty well."

"Healing causes hair growth?" the monk asked distractedly while looking around for anything with a reflective surface until Tao handed him a small hand mirror.

His hair was almost as long as it had been three years ago when he had entered the monastery. Shaving it off had been borderline painful back then. Maybe he could keep it long until he was back at the temple, just for old time's sake.

Studying his face, Jisoo noticed smudged streaks of dried blood on his skin. The chest area of his grey tank top was also stained rust-red.

"I'm not a healer - at least not officially. I use time to reverse injuries and the one on your scalp was pretty severe," Tao explained casually while thumbing through the pages on his clipboard.

Jisoo looked up from the mirror to stare at him in awe. "You use time?! Are you a mutant? I think I can control time too! I'm not 100% sure though. How does it work? Does it have limits? Can you teach me?"

With a grimace, Tao shushed him. "You're definitely good to go. And no, I'm not a mutant. I'm a shaman, so my way of controlling time is completely different from yours, sorry."

Jisoo visibly deflated at his words. "I see...," he mumbled. With a sigh, he straightened up again. "Anyway, I failed the trial, right? When will I go home?"

For a moment, Tao only stared at him, confusion written all over his face. "What are you talking about?" he finally asked. "Didn't I tell you like one hour ago that there are no regulations for Humans? You can't fail."

Jisoo looked just as confused. "But Chen said I could go back once I..." He stopped and his face darkened. "Oh."

With a shake of his head, Tao turned back towards his desk. "Jisoo, you need to learn not to take everything he says seriously. There's always a chance that he's trying to manipulate you; it's part of his nature."

The monk ran a hand through his hair, too agitated to enjoy the silky feeling between his fingers. "So everything was a lie?" he asked, his voice once again rising in volume. "I can't go home? I'm stuck? And what about the payment? Chen said I could make some serious bank here!"

Tao eyed him up and down before he grinned. "You're a really strange monk, you know. Aren't you supposed to let go of worldly things like money or something? Oh come on, don't look like that. We're not the mafia. You haven't signed a contract so you're free to go, regardless of what Chen says. And the pay is pretty good; he wasn't lying about that."

But Jisoo was done with games, he wanted facts. "How much is 'pretty good' exactly?"

His heart skipped a beat at the sum that passed Tao's lips. It was almost enough to fully pay for his mother's monthly treatment. Maybe he could stay with his brother, rent wouldn't be a problem this way.

"Also there is free housing for employees as well as bonuses for each assignment you finish."

Alright. "I'm in. Where do I sign?"

"Wow, calm down a little. You got ranked level one after your trial which is, like, the lowest of the low - and your unit is filled with Beings. I can guarantee you that they won't be happy to have you in their group. Also one of them tried to kill you a few minutes ago," Tao reasoned, a look of concern on his face. "Are you sure you want this?"

Jisoo remained quiet for a long moment.

He had thought about it before the trial already but now the prospect of having to work with Beings was even more terrifying. He was no stranger to hierarchical groups and it was already clear that he would end up at the very bottom. He was weaker than them, probably younger too. He had failed his trial - regardless of what Tao had said - and that would probably make everything even worse. If the other group members were anything like the two he had already met, he would have a hard time. A really hard one.

But his mother would get all the treatment she needed. His brother would be able to stop working odd jobs that were more dangerous than profitable and maybe he would finally be able to attend university like he had always wanted. His ten-year-old sister wouldn't have to worry about them anymore and his father wouldn't have to go out at night to earn extra money.

He would finally be useful.

Taking a deep breath, Jisoo made sure that his voice was as stable as possible. "I want to join."

Tao searched his face, before - seemingly satisfied with what he had found - he nodded and got up. "Alright. Follow me."

The woman standing in front of Jisoo was slim and a few centimetres shorter than him. Her face revealed no emotions but her almond-shaped eyes held intensity. A faded scar, that ran from her temple to her ear, was almost hidden by her black, chin-length hair.

Although Jisoo had put on his robe again, he still felt oddly exposed when she pierced him with her stare.

Kai, comfortably seated at one of the two desks in the small office, was twirling a pen between his fingers and looked completely relaxed. "Eunhee, you're scaring him. Smile, darling."

The look she shot him could have cut through steel but she seemed to relax a little once she turned back to Jisoo. "Sorry. I heard about what happened during your trial; I hope you're okay now. Chen was pretty upset."

"Why? What happened?" Kai immediately inquired and she closed her eyes in annoyance.

"Stop interrupting or leave, Kai."

"Hey, this is my office too, partner."

She seemed to come to the conclusion that it was best to simply ignore him and Jisoo had to bite back a smile at their bickering. They seemed to get along well. He wasn't quite sure why he was here, though. "So, uh, Tao said I should talk to you?"

"Right, the contract. One second." She turned towards her desk and picked up a folder. Jisoo could make out his name on the light grey cover. Going through the papers inside, she glanced up at him. "Time is a very rare ability for natural mutants."

The monk wasn't quite sure what to make of that statement so he awkwardly nodded. Kai snorted but kept quiet.

"Ah, here it is." She had pulled out several pages and handed them to him. "This contract has a clause that says that you're not allowed to share confidential information with anyone not affiliated with Aegis. It's binding and I will know if you break it."

Another cold look pierced him and he shuffled uneasily. This woman was pretty intimidating.

"You better believe her; she's a witch," Kai piped up and pointed at Eunhee, who only rolled her eyes at his words.

Jisoo laughed half-heartedly at what he assumed was a joke but the other male remained serious and he quickly looked back down to read the contract.

It sounded okay to him but he knew almost nothing about contracts - or working, to be honest. That was Jihwan's expertise. The part about Aegis notifying his kin in case of death made him feel slightly anxious though. "Do, you know, do people die often?"

Eunhee's face softened at his worried tone. "Not really, we are pretty careful when it comes to giving out assignments. But it's always a possibility and you should be aware of that. Now, if you don't have anything you want to add, please sign here."

Jisoo nodded and reached for the pen she was offering him.

"I'm going to be the best mentor you can imagine. You're the first person I brought into Aegis, you know? It's going to be awesome!" Chen gushed while Jisoo walked next to him in silence. "Too bad you're not in my unit; we could've paired up and I wouldn't have to work with Xiumin anymore." A distinct look of disgust crossed his features at the name of his partner, and for a moment, the monk wondered what was going on between those two. He decided not to pry, despite his growing curiosity. Chen probably wouldn't tell him the truth anyway. "Oh well. We don't really have a mentor system but after what happened during your trial, I think it wouldn't be too bad to keep an eye on you, right? Your new hairstyle suits you, by the way, you just need some more fashionable clothes. Maybe we can go shopping next week!"

Jisoo forced himself to smile when the Being wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He wasn't exactly thrilled to have Chen as his self-proclaimed mentor - since his past experiences with him hadn't been overly positive - but it was probably better than nothing. And, according to Eunhee, Chen had insisted on taking the trial matter into his own hands. Whatever that meant.

"Here we are!"

They had stopped in front of a door that looked exactly like all the other doors lining the hallway. A small brass plate in the middle of it read '17'.

"This is Unit S' meeting room. Mine is room 12," the Being explained before he opened the door without knocking. "Visit me sometime."

Jisoo felt the strong urge to hide when multiple pairs of eyes turned to look at them. He counted eight people seated around a heavy wooden table and not one of them looked even remotely friendly. Neither Hansol nor Jeonghan were present, but a third chair, at the head of the table, remained empty as well.

Chen squeezed his shoulders and took a step forward, pulling Jisoo along. "Well, hello there, gentlemen. You probably already know that you're getting a new addition to your unit today." The people in the room remained silent but Chen didn't seem the least bit deterred by it. "I'm sure you'll get along well." His voice had turned threatening throughout the last few words.

One of the Beings finally spoke; a petite male with black hair. His face was youthful but his eyes were as cold as his voice. "What happened to Jeonghan and Hansol?"

"Don't worry about it," Chen dismissed, which only seemed to make matters worse.

"'Don't worry about it'?! They're part of our unit; how could we not worry?!" a male with chubby cheeks and brown locks exclaimed. The man next to him, lanky and with surprisingly kind features, nodded along.

"This is a matter between me and them. The only ones who have the right to get involved are your leader and Jisoo here," Chen purred. The monk could see the annoyance in his eyes although his cat-like smile was still firmly in place.

The loaded atmosphere in the room scared Jisoo. It was as if everyone was just waiting for a reason to explode.

"Is that why Seungcheol is not here?" a tall male asked calmly, his gold-blond hair shimmering in the light. His voice was deep and soothing, his clothes dyed in shades of light beige and grey.

Chen noticeably relaxed at his question and his smile turned more genuine when he answered, "That's right, Mingyu. He's seeing them right now, together with Eunhee. I'll go back as well as soon as I'm done here."

"Why are you getting involved of all people? It's got nothing to do with you, hasn't it?" another deep voice drawled. The Being it belonged to was leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed in front of his chest, while his sharp, monolidded eyes were focused on Jisoo. A shudder crawled down the monk's spine at the intensity of the stare.

"I brought him into Aegis; I'm responsible for him."

The Being snorted and moved his piercing gaze to Chen. "Where's all that motherly instinct coming from all of a sudden?"

Chen's smile vanished at once. Electricity crackled in the air while the grip around Jisoo's shoulder turned painful. "Are you questioning me, bastard?"

"Calm down, Chen." Another blond male, seated alone at the end of the table, had turned towards the door. He was clad in white, complimenting his silver-white hair, and his light-blue eyes looked empty. They were staring into space, not focusing on anyone. "We are not here to fight."

To Jisoo's surprise, the Being next to him actually took a deep breath and the electricity in the air vanished. "Alright. Let's try this again. How about you introduce yourself to him?"

Most members of the group looked reluctant until Mingyu took the word. "My name is Mingyu. Nice to meet you." The monk nodded and attempted a smile. Mingyu had sounded completely aloof but at least he wasn't openly hostile.

The Being next to him, the man with the sharp eyes who had fought with Chen, spoke next. "Wonwoo." Jisoo waited for any sort of greeting but he waited in vain.

Alrighty then.

The next one was a dark-haired male, shorter than Wonwoo but his monolidded eyes reminded Jisoo of him nonetheless. "Hi, I'm Soonyoung." To the monk's surprise, he even sent him a small smile which Jisoo immediately returned.

Next to Soonyoung sat the man with brown locks and chubby cheeks. "I'm Seungkwan and this is Dokyeom." The kind-faced male next to him only nodded silently when the Being waved in his direction. The monk noted that he seemed quite nervous and was avoiding his gaze.

The eyes of the silver-blond Being at the end of the table were still not meeting Jisoo's when he smiled. "My name is Junhui but you may call me Jun. Usually, Jeonghan and Hansol sit next to me but it seems you're the reason they're not here today."

Angry stares pierced him and the monk quickly looked down. Jun had sounded nice enough but the last sentence had held hidden daggers. While Chen patted his shoulder, his body tense, Jisoo decided to stay away from the silver-blond man in the future.

Someone cleared their throat, forcing him to look back up. The remaining two Beings appeared to be quite young. The one who had cleared his throat was also the one who had spoken first when they had entered the room. His face remained stoic while he curtly introduced himself as Jihoon. Jisoo nodded at him but received nothing in return.

The male next to Jihoon seemed withdrawn and the monk immediately wondered what kind of Being he could possibly be. His light brown hair was hanging into his eyes, almost hiding them, while the turtleneck of his sweater was pulled up all the way to his lips. "I'm Chan," he said so softly that Jisoo had to lean forward to hear him. "Hello."

Silence filled the room after the final introduction.

All eyes were directed at him and Jisoo jumped when Chen pushed against the small of his back. "What're you waiting for? Your turn."

With flushed cheeks, the monk stepped forward and bowed. "I'm Hong Jisoo. Nice to meet you." They kept staring and he fidgeted, unsure what to say. He had always hated introductions and the uncomfortable pauses that tended to follow them. "Uhm. I'm a novice monk, two years into my training. Or at least I was before I left this morning. And apparently, I'm a mutant too. Uh. I control time. Sometimes. Haha." No reaction came and he awkwardly scratched his arm.

The one with the locks - Seungkwan, if Jisoo remembered correctly - turned back to Chen. "Why's he in our unit? It's big enough already and we really don't need him. You can have him."

Jisoo's shoulders slumped at the harsh words. Just hearing them made him want to run out of the room.

Chen shrugged, seemingly oblivious to Jisoo's pain. "He's in your unit because Seungcheol hasn't had a partner since Minsik died and it's time for him to finally move on." The already familiar Cheshire cat smile stretched his lips. "And look how adorable our little monk here is. He'll melt his cold, dead heart in no time."

Category: Beast

Beings with a non-human appearance. Beast-type Beings may either have a human form they can turn into or keep their animal-like appearance throughout their lives.

Species: Werewolf

Lycanthrope; Derived from the Greek combination of "lyk-" (from lykos, meaning "wolf") and "anthropos" (meaning "human").

Belonging to the Beast category, Werewolves are very territorial and tend to live in packs. Their abilities are heavily dependent on the lunar phases, with the full moon marking the peak of their power. The majority of Werewolves lose control of themselves in the days surrounding a full moon, however they are generally well adapted to society and have ways of hiding during this time. While in human form, Werewolves are almost indistinguishable from ordinary Humans.

Excerpt from " A Beginner's Guide to Beings ", Page 60.

Category: Shaman

Humans with a connection to nature and nature spirits. If the connection is especially strong, the Shaman is able to use certain abilities of the nature spirit they're linked with.

Category: Mutant

Exclusively Human, Mutants are separated into Natural and Artificial sub-categories. While Natural Mutants are born with their abilities, Artificial Mutants are the result of genetic engineering in an attempt to create Humans that can rival Beings in strength and endurance. The South Korean government banned the practice several years ago after a sudden influx of Mutant related crime.

Chapter Text

Jihwan,

you probably won't like it but I left the monastery to join a Human Protection Agency. I kinda got mixed up in their business and then I got scouted. I can't tell you much (my contract is pretty strict) but the pay is great and I got a flat for free!

Stop frowning.

It's not a scam, promise, and it's not shady either. I was sceptical too but I decided to take the chance so now I gotta live with it for the next three years. I'm old enough to make my own decisions even if they turn out to be bad ones. But please don't tell mum and dad about it, at least not yet. I don't want them to worry. 

Do you still have my old cellphone? I'm tired of writing letters and I don't have a landline here. Maybe we can meet up and

The unfamiliar sound of the doorbell caused Jisoo to stop writing. Looking up, he set his pen down next to the notepad he had used and stretched with a quiet groan.

He wasn't expecting anyone. It had only been a few hours since Chen had dropped him off at his new flat with the promise to pick him up the next morning. It was his very first very own flat. Before, he had lived with his parents or had crashed at his friends' places. Sometimes he had slept on the street. And then, in the monastery, he had shared a room with other novice monks.

After taking a shower and changing into a tank top Tao had lent him, Jisoo had spent most of his afternoon meditating - in a futile attempt to find at least some sort of inner peace - before he had decided to write the letter.

The legs of his chair scraped over the linoleum covered floor of the fully furnished kitchen when he got up. A small hallway connected the rooms of his new flat, the lighting in it dim since it had no windows. Jisoo walked past an empty coat rack and slowly reached for the handle of the front door. It opened with a silent creak.

The sight of the black-haired Being in front of it took him by surprise. Warily, he eyed the other male.

"Uhm..." He couldn't, for the life of him, remember the name of his groupmate. "Hello?"

"Hi there!" The Being smiled, just like he had during their first meeting. His eyes curved into crescents while he did. "I thought maybe I could show you around the area? I live here too but in building four."

A huge weight seemed to lift off the monk's shoulders at the friendly gesture and his face lit up at once. "Oh. Yes! Yes, that would be awesome!" After a moment of hesitation, he dared to ask, "Uh... what was your name again?"

His ears grew hot when the Being laughed.

Jisoo noticed quickly that Soonyoung was a very bubbly person who liked to talk and joke around. While walking around the apartment complex, the Being recommended several restaurants in the area as well as a club and two bars. They checked out the gym, the garden - which was surprisingly nice and even came with a small pond -, a pharmacy and a convenience store that was hidden on the ground floor of the neighbouring building.

On their way back, Jisoo felt slightly dizzy after the overload of information he had received that day but he couldn't help but enjoy having someone to talk to - even if it was mostly mindless chatter on Soonyoung's part.

It was already dark outside when they arrived in front of Jisoo's flat and his stomach was growling. But somehow he didn't want it to end so quickly. It was nice; feeling as if he belonged.

"Uhm," he began, rubbing his nape, "do you, you know, wanna come in? There's not much here yet but I bought some tea and snacks earlier?"

"Sure, I'd love to," Soonyoung chirped, his eyes turning into crescents once again.

Something tingled in Jisoo's chest at the sight and he hastily turned his attention towards the door.

He hadn't really given it much thought so far but all of his new coworkers were surprisingly handsome. Maybe it had something to do with them not being human.

The lock clicked and he opened the door to let his guest in. Soonyoung eyed the empty hallway with curiosity while the monk unwrapped the outer layer of his robe and carefully placed it on the coat rack.

"I thought there would be more religious stuff here," the Being finally remarked, a grin lifting his cheeks, "since you're a monk and all that jazz."

Jisoo chuckled awkwardly. "Well, yeah, my bag hasn't arrived yet but Chen said it would be delivered today." He rubbed his nape, the prayer beads around his neck tinkling quietly at the motion. "I wonder when, though. It's kinda late already," he finished, talking more to himself than to the Being, before he focused back on the male in front of him. "The kitchen is over there."

Soonyoung ignored the obvious hint and leaned against the wall. Jisoo's stomach did a weird little tumble when he noticed that the Being was looking him over. For a few heartbeats, Soonyoung's gaze lingered on the monk's bare arms and Tao's tight-fitting tank top before it flitted back to Jisoo's face. "Do you get along well with Chen? He's pretty... special."

Torn between telling the truth and staying positive, the monk shrugged. "He seems to like Humans," he said after a moment of deliberation.

"Oh, he's not the only one."

Soonyoung's smile widened and once again something stirred in Jisoo's stomach. The air in the hallway seemed to grow warmer and he felt himself flush when Soonyoung's dark eyes bored into his. He couldn't quite read the atmosphere. Was the sudden tension caused by his nervousness? Fear? Or something else entirely?

"Since you are a monk, I keep wondering," the Being purred, his voice as smooth as silk, "are you a virgin?"

"I- a what?" Jisoo stammered, trying to convince himself that his ears were playing tricks on him.

"Usually I'm able to tell but I'm not entirely sure this time. It's bothering me." Soonyoung pushed himself off the wall and strode towards Jisoo, who was frozen in place in the middle of the hallway. The blush on his face intensified the closer the Being came.

"What are you talking about?" he asked weakly but Soonyoung ignored his question and leaned in. He was close enough for Jisoo to be able to smell him; a surprisingly sweet scent with musky undertones. It made him dizzy.

"Are you the romantic type? Or do you like it rough?"

This wasn't right. They were coworkers. They were men.

"I don't-" He flinched when the Being stepped even closer. Their noses were almost touching and with a start, Jisoo realized that he was panting. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Soonyoung, wait-"

Soonyoung's lips felt soft against his, swallowing his words. The world dimmed around him while something burning hot began to simmer in his stomach. Every thought of objection immediately left him.

Warm hands brushed over his throat and Jisoo gasped when one of them gently pulled his hair while the other tightened around his chin, holding him in place. Soonyoung used his surprise to slip his tongue through his parted lips.

The heat intensified.

The monk felt as if he was melting. His body was reacting on its own, their tongues dancing around each other. Something tightened in Jisoo's stomach when Soonyoung sucked on his lower lip before he pulled back, his dark eyes smouldering.

The monk was still catching his breath when the Being leaned in once again. Hot lips wandered along his jawline towards his ear and he couldn't suppress a small sound when teeth caught his earlobe.

Desire, like he had never felt it before, surged through him, jumbling his already messy thoughts. His hands found their way around Soonyoung's body and dug into the Being's shirt at the sound of a satisfied hum. He responded with a groan when the grip on his hair tightened and Soonyoung's warm body pressed against his.

He wanted more. He needed more.

Jisoo tried to move even closer and the Being chuckled next to his ear, sending shivers down his spine. Soonyoung's lips left a burning trail along his jawline before he stopped at the monk's neck. The anticipation took Jisoo's breath away.

"Am I interrupting something?" a deep voice drawled from behind but Jisoo's muddled brain hardly registered the newcomer. The hold on his chin didn't waver and a new wave of pleasure hit him when Soonyoung's tongue ran over his skin. He bit back a moan; his thoughts an incoherent mess. Soonyoung once again hummed quietly, his fingers tugging at Jisoo's hair to get him to bare his throat even more.

Without a warning, a sturdy body moved behind the monk and pressed itself against his back, but he was unable to focus on anything but Soonyoung's lips.

"Using your group mates only causes trouble." Another hand snaked around his waist from behind and warm fingers dipped below the monk's top. He shuddered at the sensation. "He's really cute though; I also had a hard time resisting him."

Hot breath hit Jisoo's shoulder and he whined quietly when teeth began to graze over his skin.

At the newcomer's words, Soonyoung stopped sucking marks into Jisoo's neck but he didn't look up. "Get your own damn food, Kai." The monk could feel him nose along his collar bone.

"We could share?" The voice next to Jisoo's ear had grown hoarse and the monk shuddered again when the fingers on his stomach wandered upwards. He yelped when sharp teeth left a mark on his shoulder but a burning hot tongue immediately soothed the pain and turned it into excitement.

Soonyoung's grip on his hair tightened while the pulled Jisoo towards him. "No." His voice was almost a growl.

"Come on, it's gonna be fun." Kai's fingers had reached Jisoo's chest and the monk gasped audibly at the feeling.

This time, Soonyoung looked up, a deep scowl on his face, his eyes blazing. "I don't share. And if you don't have anything important to say, kindly fuck off before I make you."

The atmosphere in the hallway immediately shifted. The Human froze, stuck between two Beings who were sizing each other up over his shoulder. A sudden bout of cold fear drowned out the heat.

Kai broke the tense silence with a chuckle. "I'd love to see you try, pipsqueak. Anyway, I brought your stuff, Jisoo. See you around - maybe when the little princess here isn't attached to your neck."

He vanished and the monk stumbled a step back at the sudden space behind him. For a few long seconds, Soonyoung remained completely motionless before his fist met the wall.

"Urgh, that asshole ruined the mood. Fuck!"

Without even looking at the monk, Soonyoung stepped around him and flung open the front door. It fell shut behind him with a loud bang.

Left behind in the suddenly empty hallway, Jisoo leaned against the wall and stared at the door. Now that he was alone, he could feel his heart racing - but he wasn't sure whether it was out of fear or out of arousal. His recollection of what had just happened was somewhat hazy but it was still enough to make him flush in shame.

Stupid.

He was stupid and naive and a fool. He had been so happy about getting accepted by his group member that he had completely let his guard down.

He ruffled his hair, his teeth leaving marks in his bottom lip while his throat felt like something was stuck in it.

The one thing that stood out in his blurry memory was the word 'food'. Soonyoung had used it to refer to him.

Of course, a Being wouldn't just be friendly without any second thoughts. He had gotten his hopes up for nothing.

The monk let out a shaky laugh at the absurdity of the situation. During the past twenty-four hours, he had almost gotten killed by a werewolf and two of his coworkers had tried to eat him. And here he was, feeling betrayed by Soonyoung's friendliness. He needed to get his priorities straight.

His eyes fell on the worn duffle bag he had packed back at the monastery. It stood prominently in the doorway of the bedroom where Kai had left it behind to join Soonyoung in-

Jisoo shook his head to get rid of the thought. On unstable legs, he walked a few steps towards it and crouched down. His hands were shaking while he opened the zipper and at the sight of the familiar robes, he began to cry.

The spring wind was cold, even colder now that it was dark. Jisoo wrapped his jacket tighter around him and rubbed his hands over his arms. It would be wise to go inside before he caught a cold but the thought of how easily Kai had invaded his flat scared him.

Everything scared him right now. Past, present and future.

He had always stuck with Humans in the past - not very good ones, to be fair, at least the Humans before he had entered the monastery - and he had no idea how to react to the sudden confrontation with people so entirely different from him. Without regard for his wishes. Without regard for his life.

Once again he forced himself not to think about what had happened with Soonyoung and Kai - or how he would face them tomorrow...

The temptation to take his bag and leave was strong but he had signed a three-year contract. And Kai would surely find him if he tried to run off.

Jisoo shuddered.

Maybe he could resign somehow? He would have to read it again, carefully this time. Or maybe ask the woman who had given it to him. But she was Kai's partner after all...

He sighed and watched the lights of the buildings dance on the surface of the water. Snippets of the earlier events ran through his mind even though he tried hard to suppress them. Of lips and fingers and teeth. Of smouldering eyes.

It scared him how good it had felt. It scared him even more how he had gone along with it. How he hadn't been bothered by the fact that Kai had suddenly joined. That they were different species. That they all were men.

Gravel was crunching behind him.

He jumped, frazzled, but forced himself to keep his eyes directed at the water. At least for today, he didn't want to interact with anyone anymore.

"You're not thinking about drowning yourself in that pond, are you?" The voice was deep and unfamiliar.

Reluctantly, Jisoo turned around. He was met with the palest face he had ever seen. The circles below the man's eyes were even darker than Tao's and his black hair hid his forehead as well as most of his eyes, making his appearance even gloomier. A scarf, matching his dark blue coat, was pulled over his chin.

"No, not really." Although the thought was kind of tempting right now.

The stranger nodded. "Good. You'd upset Sunmi."

The monk only stared at him blankly.

"She's a siren and really likes this pond," the man explained, his voice still rather monotone.

Jisoo's eyebrows furrowed. Great. More Beings. Just what he needed.

Now that he thought about it, the man in front of him didn't seem entirely human either. And they were alone. Jisoo took a small step back and the stranger lifted an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, his tone noticeably colder.

Heat crept over the monk's face. "No! Sorry, it's just-, I didn't-" He trailed off, unsure what to say. Now that he thought about it, his behaviour was pretty rude.

The Being's expression hardened into something unreadable and Jisoo shuffled uneasily, the desire to run away and hide steadily growing.

"I see. You're one of those Humans."

The monk wasn't sure why those words made him feel offended but he didn't dare to reply when the Being's eyes flashed red in the light of the street lamps while he turned away from him.

"Sometimes I really wonder why I go to work every day."

With those cryptic words, the stranger left towards the apartment buildings. Jisoo watched him until he vanished into the darkness.

Chapter Text

With a low groan, Jisoo ran a hand over his tired face while trudging down the grey, almost empty corridors of Aegis on his way to finally meet his partner. He was reluctant to go, even more so after last night. Another Being he knew nothing about, another challenge: They would have to get along somehow.

The knot in his stomach, that had been growing since he had encountered the ghouls, pulsed painfully.

He would have to face greater threats than just ghouls together with his partner. They would have to rely on each other, have each other's backs. A Human and a Being. What would happen if he couldn't do it?

Jisoo felt trapped. Forced into a corner. His nerves were stretched tight like piano wires. The experience of the past evening had shaken him more than everything he had endured so far although he couldn't pinpoint why. Because he had been scared for his life? Because he still felt betrayed? Because he felt violated?

He could feel his breaking point looming close by.

But even through his mounting tension, it was hard to keep his eyes open. It had taken him ages to fall asleep. Every small sound in the unfamiliar flat had alarmed him; every shadow had looked like Kai who had returned to finish what he had started. Jisoo had waited in the dark, ready to hide or flee or fight. But nobody had come.

And as soon as he had finally managed to fall asleep, fingers had started crawling over his skin, leaving a confusing mixture of fear and arousal in their wake. Each time he had woken up with a start, his heart had been beating out of his chest and his pyjamas had been soaked with sweat.

After the fourth time, he had decided to give up and to brew a pot of strong coffee instead. In silence, he had watched the sun rise over the skyline of Seoul.

Without warning, something wrapped tightly around his neck.

The monk managed to choke out a scream and whirled around in an attempt to punch whatever had him in its grasp - but Chen easily deflected his fist.

"Rascal, you left without me," the Being scolded, his Cheshire cat grin in full force.

The arm around Jisoo's neck loosened and he gasped for air, his heart racing in his chest. Something pinched in his stomach and suddenly it was all too much.

Chen's smile dimmed when the monk's shoulders began to shake. "Uh.. are you okay?" The Being took a hasty step back at the sight of Jisoo's tears. "Woah! I just wanted to scare you a little! Come on, stop crying!"

If he hadn't been so exhausted, Jisoo would have laughed at the panicked expression on the other male's face - but in his current, frazzled state it only made him cry harder.

Everything was Chen's fault anyway. He needed to take at least some sort of responsibility.

Jisoo hiccuped when the Being yanked him into an empty office. Fruitlessly, he tried to wiggle out of the tight grip on his arm but Chen was having none of it. Instead, the honey-blond held him in place and leaned towards him which only made Jisoo struggle harder. When Chen's eyes turned silver, he tensed in fear.

"What-?"

"Calm down. It's going to be alright."

As soon as their foreheads touched, serenity washed through the monk - the same peaceful sensation that usually came with long hours of mediation. With a relieved sigh, Jisoo closed his eyes and relaxed, uncaring that he was currently pressed against a Being.

He was floating, pain and fear gone. Deep inside his core, everything was bright and silent. He had missed this. Ever since the attacks on the monastery had started, he hadn't been able to achieve the feeling of pure tranquillity.

"Ugh, that was Kai, wasn't it?"

Chen's angry voice ripped him out of his peaceful state but the calmness it had brought lingered. The monk opened his eyes only to find Chen wiping his hands as if they were tainted with dirt, a deep frown of disgust on his face.

It took a moment for the monk to collect himself before he could answer. The contrast between the real world and the place he went while he was mediating was always jarring. "He brought my stuff yesterday." For some reason, the look Chen shot him made him flush. He quickly stepped away from the Being to rub his face with his sleeves. It was embarrassing how wet his cheeks were. "How did you know?" he asked, his voice muffled by the fabric.

"Kai leaves a claim on people he feasts on," Chen explained with enough revulsion in his tone to make the monk flinch. "It's quite noticeable to my species so I got rid of it. He didn't devour you, though, otherwise you wouldn't be able to get out of bed today." That sounded more like he was talking to himself than to Jisoo. His eyes focused back on the monk after a short, thoughtful silence. "So, what stopped him?"

Jisoo avoided his gaze, the calmness that had enveloped him slowly dissipating. He wanted to talk to someone about yesterday's events, he needed to, for the sake of his sanity - but he wasn't sure whether Chen was the right person.

"Soonyoung did."

A small smile began to play on Chen's lips. "Well, well, well. Kai and Soonyoung. Quite popular, aren't you?"

Definitely not the right person. But the only person willing to listen.

Before he could stop himself, Jisoo blurted out what had been weighing him down the past 13 hours. "They did... something. I don't know what exactly but... it felt... I feel-" He searched for words to describe how embarrassed he was, how betrayed and violated and vulnerable he felt - but he couldn't find any. "I don't know what happened to me," he finished shakily, his voice almost a whisper. "It was scary." He tried to swallow the tears that threatened to overflow for the second time this morning. Shame was making it difficult to meet Chen's eyes but he forced himself to look up anyway.

The Being was examining him, his face uncharacteristically serious. It was a relief that he wasn't grinning or making jokes. The silence stretched painfully until Chen finally spoke, his voice low. "Nobody cares about you here, Jisoo."

The blunt words hurt. Somehow, hearing it spoken out loud made it worse even though he had known it all along. He was a newcomer after all. And not a popular one.

"Nobody is going to protect you - that's why it needs to be your top priority to protect yourself. Don't trust anyone; it doesn't matter how nice they seem. Deep down, we're all monsters."

The soles of his sneakers squeaked on the linoleum floor.

Jisoo felt calmer now that he had let out some of his feelings. In his opinion, he even looked somewhat decent again since he had washed his face in one of the employee bathrooms after Chen had given him another small boost with his ability - whatever it was.

The Being had already proven a few times that he enjoyed twisting the truth to his liking but Jisoo couldn't help but appreciate his guidance - a little at least. Thanks to him, he felt a lot more like his usual self again, even though the situation ahead was still nerve-wracking and Chen's warning didn't exactly help to make him feel more at ease. But he would do it somehow. He would prove the Beings (and himself) that he wasn't as useless as they thought he was. That he wasn't someone to toy with.

The prayer beads around his neck clinked when he kicked the floor with a frown. Without even giving it a thought, his fingers tangled into them, the smooth surface of the beads immediately helping him to calm down.

He would find a way to get along with his partner, with his team, and he would find a way to get a hang of his ability. One of Buddha's teachings was that a strong mind was the first step to success – and his father had always said that he was a stubborn blockhead.

The thought made him crack a smile.

Maybe it would take a while to succeed but he had three years ahead of him anyway.

With newfound determination, he stepped around the final corner.

To his surprise, someone was already sitting on one of the chairs next to the door of his partner's office. Jisoo recognized a member of his unit: the one who seemed to hide in his clothes and behind his bangs. The one with the quiet voice. Jisoo's silent prayers of not running into any more Beings on his way apparently hadn't been heard. But he would take the challenge head-on.

Mustering a smile, he cleared his throat while stepping closer. "Hi Chan," he greeted with forced enthusiasm.

Instead of an answer, he received a nod in return while the Being kept staring at the floor.

Rude.

Jisoo tried to keep up his smile even though it cost him considerable effort. "Are you waiting to go in?"

A shake of Chan's head was the only reply he got. Irritation welled up in the monk but he smothered it, deciding to let it go. With a shrug, he stepped past the Being and reached for the door to knock.

Chan's voice made him stop in his tracks. Just like the day before, it was almost too quiet to hear. "Eunhee and Lay are in there."

Jisoo pulled his hand back as if he had gotten burned by the wood. "Oh." While awkwardly scratching his nape, he tried to think of anything intelligent to say. "Uh... Who's Lay?"

Chan took a moment to answer but his voice remained quiet when he finally did. "The leader of Unit E."

That immediately piqued the monk's interest. "Unit E?" That was Chen's unit as far as he remembered. And Kai's. Jisoo's brows furrowed. Hopefully, the Being wasn't around as well. If he had to choose, he would rather face another ghoul at the moment.

When no answer came, he suppressed a sigh and looked around, but the only place to sit was right next to Chan - and he wasn't quite sure whether the Being would appreciate the physical closeness.

Probably not. And neither would he.

The monk opted for leaning against the wall to rest his tired body.

The silence stretched while Jisoo tried to think of a way to break it. Despite feeling wary, he was curious about his partner but Tao's rebuke still rang in his ears - instead he decided to focus on the strange Being in front of him. "Are you waiting for something?"

Once again, Chan only shook his head.

"Or someone?"

Another shake of the head. Frustration joined irritation.

"Why are you here then?" he asked, his tone sharper than intended.

"It's quiet." To Jisoo's surprise, Chan's voice was still calm, his gaze still directed at the floor. "Usually, at least."

Heat crept over Jisoo's cheeks. "Sorry." Great way to make a first impression. The Being probably thought he was a nuisance.

"Curiosity is a virtue," Chan only said, his tone surprisingly light and unbothered, and the monk was almost certain he could hear a smile in his voice. He examined the Being; took in what he could make out of his expressionless face, almost hidden behind long bangs and yet another turtleneck sweater. He didn't seem like a person who smiled easily.

Maybe he had been mistaken. After all, reading people had never been one of his strong points.

He kept watching the Being, somewhat intrigued. Chan looked so young. Not older than eighteen at most. Jisoo felt the question itching on the tip of his tongue but he swallowed it. He had annoyed him enough for one day. He still wondered why the Being wasn't looking up, though. Maybe he was shy? But then again, he didn't seem like a shy person, based on how stable and calm his voice had been. Another mystery.

The monk sighed inaudibly and shifted a little to take the strain off his back. Nervousness was bubbling in his stomach once again - the feeling of calmness Chen's ability had given him had already vanished. He shifted again, trying to find a more comfortable position.

The unexpected sound of Chan's voice made him jump. "Do you want to sit?"

"Uh... sure!" He immediately stopped himself. "If it's okay for you?"

Chan nodded. Forcing himself to walk slowly, Jisoo recalled Chen's words. He wouldn't let his guard down over a simple gesture like this. But he couldn't help but feel elated when he slumped onto the chair with a relieved sigh. His tired body had been killing him. "Thanks, uh..." Would calling him by his given name be too informal? He had done it earlier in greeting without thinking too much about it, but now, sitting next to the Being, it felt weirdly intimate. But they hadn't introduced themselves by their full names. "Uhm... can I call you Chan?" Jisoo felt the strong urge to kick himself when the male chuckled in response. Most Beings lived much longer than Humans; compared to them, he must seem like a toddler. Hastily, he tried to gloss over his blunder. "Or do you, uh, prefer 'hyung'?"

For the first time, Chan actually turned in his direction and peered at him through his long bangs. The Being's expression was puzzled which made him look even younger. "Why?"

Jisoo's face mirrored the confusion. Secretly he was relieved that nothing weird had happened when Chan had met his gaze. "Well, you're older than me, right?"

"I don't have an age."

"Uh... okay?"

But the Being didn't elaborate any further and silence once again descended over them. Before Jisoo could gather the courage to ask more questions, the door opened and the woman from the day before stepped through it, followed by a pale man with prominent dimples. The man was smiling, his expression kind while he talked to her in a low voice - but as soon as he looked up and met Jisoo's gaze, the monk felt a shudder run down his spine. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was about the other that scared him but, unlike the barely visible smile Eunhee had sent him, the smile of the Being held a certain amount of threat. Hastily, the monk got up and bowed. He only dared to look up when the two Unit E members had moved out of sight.

"Was that Lay?" he asked, his voice breathless.

"Yes. You should go in; Seungcheol hates waiting," Chan advised, his tone neutral once again. He hadn't moved at all during the encounter. "And don't annoy him. He's not a morning person."

Wondering if that had been a jab towards his tendency to ask too many questions, Jisoo puffed out his cheeks, but the Being's face revealed nothing and after a moment of hesitation, the monk decided to try his luck once more.

This time Chan didn't stop him and instead a rather deep voice answered his knocks.

With an anxious flutter in the pit of his stomach, Jisoo opened the door and was greeted by the sight of a deathly pale man seated behind a massive mahogany desk.

A familiar deathly pale man - although he was missing the dark blue scarf from last night.

Jisoo's stomach seemed to drop somewhere close to his knees. "Why are you here?!"

The male looked up from his papers. Today he had combed his long bangs back which allowed Jisoo a perfect view of the frown that pulled his prominent eyebrows together. "This is my office. And yours now, apparently. I can't say I'm pleased after yesterday."

The monk ignored the jab, still trying to make sense of the situation. "Were you stalking me or something?"

The frown on the man's face deepened dangerously. "No." The monk flinched at his sharp tone. He didn't say it out loud but Jisoo could almost hear the implied 'you moron'. They held eye contact for a moment and Jisoo had to suppress a shudder when something red flashed in the Being's dark brown eyes.

"Your name is Hong Jisoo?" he finally asked and the monk nodded. "I'm Choi Seungcheol and I'm the leader of Unit S. You should know that I don't like noise, especially not while I'm trying to work. Your desk is over there." He nodded towards the corner where a well used - some would call it shabby - little table was waiting for Jisoo, complete with a wonky looking folding chair and a cheap desk lamp.

The monk's gaze wandered between his 'desk' and the mahogany behemoth in front of the Being until he decided to simply accept his fate. Picking a fight with his partner - and leader - didn't seem like a good idea on his first day of work.

When Seungcheol had said that he didn't like noise, he had meant it. Every time someone walked past his door, he looked up and glared before the monk was even able to hear the footsteps. It made Jisoo wonder just how much he had heard of his chat with Chan and he cringed at the thought of having annoyed not only one but two Beings. But Seungcheol didn't mention it - maybe he had been too busy with his own conversation.

Jisoo was watching him fill out papers from the safety of his corner - since he had nothing better to do anyway - and wondered if this was how he would spend the next three years.

Glancing around, he took in the polished wooden surfaces of the office. It looked a lot fancier than the offices he had been in so far and it made him wonder if all the leaders had offices like this or if Seungcheol was somehow special. Everything was gleaming, there wasn't a single speck of dust Jisoo could make out. They either had top class cleaning personnel or Seungcheol was a perfectionist and did it himself - the thought was slightly terrifying. Especially when taking into account his own tendency to create a mess.

He eyed the man who was brooding over a whole stack of papers, an expensive fountain pen between his long fingers. The scowl he had greeted him with had never left his face. The dark circles below his eyes and his overly pale skin made him look dead tired but he was still handsome, Jisoo admitted grudgingly. Not in a conventional way - his ears were a tad too big and his eyes were an unusual shape - but he was oozing charisma even while handling paperwork. The monk was itching to ask what kind of Being he was but he knew better than to interrupt him.

Careful not to make his chair creak, he turned back to his table and began to count his prayer beads to distract himself.

Interruption came in the form of a ringing phone. They both looked up at the sound and Jisoo strained his ears to hear what was being said at the other end of the line when Seungcheol picked up. Unfortunately, he couldn't make out more than a quiet mumble and his partner's monosyllabic responses didn't help him either. After about a minute of "hm"s and "yeah"s, the Being hung up.

Silence descended over them and the monk prepared himself for another hour of boredom when Seungcheol suddenly addressed him. "Jisoo."

"Uh... yes?"

"Your ability is time manipulation?"

The monk flushed slightly at the thought of how useless his ability had been so far. Without a good grasp on it, it was as if he had no ability at all. But he didn't want his partner to know that. "Y-yeah?"

Seungcheol examined him for a moment and Jisoo fidgeted uneasily when dark eyes bored into him. Hopefully, he couldn't read minds or something.

"Jihoon, Chan, you and I have an assignment this afternoon." For the first time, Seungcheol smiled - a cold and calculated smile devoid of happiness. Jisoo felt his heart sink at the sight. "Congratulations on your first mission."

Chapter Text

"We need to split up; we can't comb the area otherwise," Jihoon mused while intently studying the map of northern Seoul he had pinned to the windowless interior of the van. "But we have our two-way radios to stay in contact. Urgh, I keep telling them to finally switch to earpieces – like every other god-damn modern company – but, of course, nobody is listening to me." The dark-haired Being sounded annoyed, his eyes squinted behind his round glasses.

Several spots were marked on the map but nobody had taken the time to explain to Jisoo what all of this was about. He only knew that something was on the loose and that it was their task to stop it – being absolutely clueless didn't help to appease the feeling of dread.

"And honestly, I have no idea how we're supposed to do this," the Being kept complaining. "Damn it, Seungcheol. You're the only one here who's useful for the assignment. Why couldn't we get one more team? Hansol would've been perfect." A rather loud bang rang through the car when Jihoon's palm met the metal frame.

At the topic, Jisoo shrunk further into his seat. He knew that, technically, it wasn't his fault - but he still felt uncomfortable whenever Jeonghan and Hansol got brought up. Fortunately, nobody was paying attention to him.

He glimpsed at Chan who was seated next to him but the Being was staring at the floor as usual. The monk wasn't all too sure whether he was listening since he hadn't uttered a word throughout the whole ride. Maybe he was mentally preparing himself. Or maybe he was tired. Jisoo certainly was. His restless night had left him quite drained and not even the prospect of his first assignment was enough to make his limbs feel less heavy even though nervousness was running through him like electricity.

"Hansol and Jeonghan are suspended until the end of the week and the others have their own assignments," Seungcheol stated matter of factly without turning around. He was seated in the front, next to their designated driver, a human employee who hadn't bothered to introduce himself.

"How the hell am I supposed to do my job when I can't use all available resources?" Ruffling his brown locks in frustration, Jihoon focused on one of the many tablets surrounding him. A scowl was darkening his youthful face. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a skinwalker who's in hiding?!"

At his words, the monk felt a shiver crawl down his spine. Skinwalker - that was a term he had only heard in the news a couple of times. And while he couldn't recall any of the reports, it didn't sound like something he'd ever want to meet in person.

"For someone in hiding, they're being awfully obvious," Chan stated quietly from beside him.

Despite his tense state, Jisoo had to suppress a grin at Jihoon's annoyed snort. He liked the reserved Being more and more - not that he would ever tell him.

Jihoon was a different matter entirely. The temper of the brunette Being had shaken the bus more than once during their 45-minute ride and Jisoo had sworn himself that he would stay as far away from him as possible. He was aware of the fact that he had a bit of a temper himself and it probably wouldn't end well for him to clash with the Being.

Also, despite his small frame, Jihoon was pretty intimidating.

Seungcheol turned around in the passenger seat and the monk immediately tried to make himself as invisible as possible. They hadn't exchanged any more words after Seungcheol had congratulated him and the rest of the day had consisted of Jisoo being bored and Jisoo following Seungcheol around like a puppy whenever the Being had left his office – to the growing frustration of both of them. It certainly wasn't an ideal situation.

"You're the expert. What do we need to know about skinwalkers?" Seungcheol's tone was calm and professional, not a trace of curiosity lacing his voice.

To the monk's surprise, Jihoon looked quite insulted. After he had sent their leader a scathing glare, he picked up another one of his tablets. "Skinwalkers take on the appearance of Humans because they're easily recognizable once they're in their natural form. Here is a picture." With a distinct lack of enthusiasm, he handed the tablet to Chan who gave it to Jisoo after a short glance.

Displayed was a Being that looked like an odd mixture between a Human and a coyote, walking on two legs. In the picture, the Being was snarling at the camera, showing off sharp canines. It reminded Jisoo of videos he had seen of werewolves during their transformation.

"They're a bit smaller than average Humans but their senses of smell and hearing are highly developed. Ears, muzzle, fur and claws are prominent features in all of them even though the colours in fur may vary and change with age. Usually, younger skinwalkers have darker fur," Jihoon recited mechanically while he leaned back in his seat.

Jisoo handed the tablet to Seungcheol, who set it down without sparing it a single look, before he asked, "Does it matter whether they're young or old?"

"Younger skinwalkers are stronger physically but older skinwalkers are even harder to detect once they take on the form of someone else." Jihoon began searching through a backpack he had pulled out from under his seat. "Based on the number of victims, we're probably dealing with either one young skinwalker or two older ones. Now we just need to locate them - which is going to be pretty damn hard." He shot Seungcheol a dirty look before he found what he had been searching for and his face lit up. "But this little device will help us."

"Uh... Are you sure it was a good idea to split up?" Jisoo questioned carefully. The thought of Chan taking on a skinwalker by himself made him unreasonably nervous. He knew that the Being was probably much stronger than he looked but he just seemed so... defenceless. He reminded the monk a little of his younger sister.

Also, he wasn't exactly thrilled about getting paired up with Jihoon.

"Obviously. We're not going to just walk into them if we stroll down the main street in a group." The Being was once again rummaging through his backpack while the monk watched him. "Seungcheol is the fastest, he can scout out quite a big area by himself, and Chan is good at not attracting attention. Which leaves us." He pulled out two tightly wrapped bundles and threw one at Jisoo. Caught off-guard, the soft fabric hit the monk in the face before it tumbled to the floor. Jihoon's face remained impassive but mirth sparkled in his eyes at Jisoo's surprised squeak. "You stand out too much in that fancy monk outfit so I brought some clothes. I'm going to change too."

Without another word, the Being got up and peered out of the van, down the empty street they had parked in. Once he deemed it safe, he slipped out of the door, leaving the monk behind.

The white T-shirt was a tad too big on Jisoo's bony frame but the jeans and the black sweater fit him surprisingly well. He took a moment to decide whether to bring his prayer beads until he ultimately decided for it. Hopefully, they would help him stay at least somewhat calm.

"Are you coming?!"

He scrambled for the door once the annoyance in Jihoon's voice had registered in his brain but froze at the sight that greeted him. The voice that had called him had definitely sounded like the Being - down to the irritated tone - but the man waiting for him in front of the van definitely wasn't his teammate. The stranger was tall, much taller than the tiny Being, foreign-looking, with short, reddish hair and blue eyes. He was wearing the same black sweater Jisoo was wearing. For a moment, the monk considered the thought that he had finally gone insane.

"Stop staring. I'm a shapeshifter."

Jisoo's mouth dropped open. "A shapeshifter? Woah!"

As far as he knew, he had never met one in person but one of his favourite bedtime stories had featured an adventurous shapeshifter searching for the perfect shape. It was as if his childhood hero had suddenly become reality. He stared at the man in awe.

The glare the stranger sent him was unmistakable. "Yeah, say it louder so the whole street hears it, dimwit."

Flushing bright red, the monk dropped his gaze. So much for childhood dreams.

He tried to turn away but it was obvious that Jihoon had seen his expression when the Being rubbed his temples with a groan. "Never mind. Sorry, okay? I'm kinda stressed because of this whole thing. Let's just get going, yes? Do you have your radio and the locator?"

"Y-yeah."

"Alright."

They walked down the street in silence until Jihoon broke it with an exasperated grunt. "You don't have to look so wary. I'm not going to rip your head off or something."

Jisoo wasn't all too sure about that from what he had seen so far but he chose to nod anyway.

"Shapeshifters are not that different from Humans, actually."

The small smile on Jihoon's face surprised Jisoo and he immediately felt his curiosity awaken. He returned the smile nervously. "Really? How so?"

"Well, we age much more slowly and we can change our body shape but that's it pretty much. Just like Humans, we need sleep, food, air and water to survive and we can get snuffed out just as easily."

Jisoo swallowed thickly at the last part. That was something he really didn't want to think about considering their current assignment. "But- but can't you, like, turn into something that's harder to kill? Another Being?"

Jihoon's high pitched laughter didn't suit the tall, muscular body it was coming from. "Ha. Would be nice if it was that easy, right? But unfortunately, turning into someone doesn't mean I can use their abilities too. Even if I look like a Werewolf, my strength is only average at best, my nose is only good enough to notice when Seungkwan is burning food and I suck at running long distances. But I can use stuff like claws and wings since they're part of the body. That's the only plus, I guess. My species relies mostly on hiding and scheming, not on fighting someone face to face."

They had crossed one of the busier roads by now but Jisoo had barely registered it, too fascinated by the explanations of his teammate. While Jihoon checked their position on his phone, the monk finally looked around. The street they were on was a regular shopping street, littered with small shops and restaurants. Everything looked normal, including the people strolling about. It seemed to be a mostly human neighbourhood since he couldn't make out many Beings. Nothing indicated that there were skinwalkers on the loose.

His stomach grumbled audibly when he eyed the street food stall a few meters away and Jihoon looked up at the sound. Even in the Being's current form, his eyes formed small crescents when he grinned.

"Hungry?"

Jisoo nibbled on his rice cakes while he followed Jihoon through some of the more secluded streets. It had grown dark while they were walking and even though they hadn't talked much during their meal, the atmosphere had begun to ease up.

The Being was grumbling to himself and fiddling with the locator he had handed each of the team members before they had set out on their hunt. The little device was supposed to beep once they came into range of a skinwalker but it had remained silent so far and, from what they had heard from the others, it had been the same for them.

"That damn thing better work. I hate wasting my time."

"You didn't test it?" Jisoo asked after swallowing his last bite.

Jihoon shook his head, the already familiar frown back on his face. "I had to tweak it because last time it located the wrong species by accident."

"Wow, you built it yourself?!"

"With Tao's help. We work together sometimes."

Jisoo once again stared at him in awe. The Being was a lot more skilled than his crude language and irritable attitude made him seem. "Does it only detect skinwalkers?"

A smile was tugging at the corners of Jihoon's mouth when he shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, now it should but it can detect almost everything that changes form. So quite a few other Transmuter- and Beast-types, too," he explained and the monk could see the proud glimmer in his eyes. Even in the taller body, it made him look oddly childlike.

Despite the light atmosphere, it took Jisoo a moment to scrape his courage together for the next question. "Sorry if that's rude to ask but I don't really get it. What's the difference between a skinwalker and a shapeshifter? Except for the looks, of course!" he hastily added when the Being pierced him with an insulted glare.

Softening slightly at his apologetic expression, Jihoon rubbed his temple before he started speaking. "To make it really simple: Skinwalkers only eat raw meat so they need to kill to survive. They also kill in order to change forms; it's like a never-ending cycle. They are fairly intelligent so they could probably get their food from other sources, as most civilized Beings do, but it would go completely against their nature." The shapeshifter remained silent for a moment while Jisoo listened with bated breath. "Anyway, I don't have those urges and calling me an expert just because I change forms too is bullshit," Jihoon finished and stomped his foot for emphasis.

Well, that explained his reaction to Seungcheol's words earlier. Jisoo forced himself not to smile. Who would have thought that the quick-tempered Being could be so cute? Or that a Being could be cute in general.

Although - Chan was cute too. Kind of. A different kind of cute.

Which immediately brought Jisoo back to his original concern. "Do you think the others will be okay? Seungcheol didn't even look at the picture earlier. What if he doesn't recognize the skinwalker?" the monk fretted until he noticed the raised eyebrows next to him.

"Of course he knows what they look like, dumbass." The insult sounded almost affectionate. "He prepared the case file and I doubt that this is his first encounter. That whole spiel I gave in the van was purely for you."

As soon as the words had reached him, the monk stopped walking. "For me? Why?" he asked, flabbergasted.

A look of impatience crossed Jihoon's face when he stopped as well. "Obviously. You're the only one who hasn't read the file."

It took Jisoo a moment to digest what he had just heard. He had literally spent several hours next to Seungcheol after the phone call and the Being had not said a single word about the assignment ahead. Or spoken to him at all.

Was he really that useless in Seungcheol's eyes? Did he not even trust him to gather some basic data?

Jisoo could feel his temper flare up and not even the tight grip around his beads could stop it. "He could've just given it to me! I was sitting in his freaking office the whole damn afternoon while he prepared it! What the heck, we could've done it together to save time!"

At his enraged tone, Jihoon's face had darkened as well. "Are you always this fucking clueless? It's your first day, you're a rookie; he wanted to spare you the gory details! He asked me to go over it together because he was looking out for you, you numbskull!" They were both breathing heavily and staring each other down by now. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be playing babysitter right now either, trust me," Jihoon spat before he turned and continued to stride down the street.

The word 'babysitter' had hit Jisoo harder than he cared to admit. It hurt that the Being thought of him that way but it also made him want to throw a massive tantrum just to see how Jihoon would react. Crossing his arms, he briefly considered returning to the van - but after a moment, his rational side won and he hurried after the Being.

"But why would he care?" he asked breathlessly once he had caught up to the tall, red-head.

It took the shapeshifter a moment to answer. When he did, his voice was surprisingly soft, all anger gone. "You know, Seungcheol is not the leader because he's the oldest or the strongest. I'm not even sure if he's the strongest, to be honest." Jihoon chuckled, a bright sound in the darkness of the night, before he continued. "I wouldn't necessarily call him kind but he's thoughtful and works hard to keep everyone as safe as possible." The Being glanced at Jisoo and something in his gaze made the monk blush. "You're part of the unit now and, more importantly, you're his partner - of course he's trying to protect you. In his own, kinda twisted way. Especially since you seem to attract trouble." Jisoo's blush intensified at Jihoon's playful grin.

That was a point of view he hadn't considered at all. In his eyes, Seungcheol had been nothing but a bully who had treated him unfairly and was too stuck up to talk to him. That he was doing it for Jisoo's sake sounded absurd at best.

He would have to talk this over with his partner and he wasn't looking forward to it.

As if on cue, the two-way radio strapped to Jihoon's backpack crackled to life. They both tensed as soon as Seungcheol's deep voice rang through the street. "I found him. Jihoon, get over here; I need you to restrain him. I'll tell Chan to pick Jisoo up."

"Alright," the Being answered curtly, no trace left of his bright grin, before he turned to the pale Human. "Stay here. If something goes wrong, give me a call, okay?"

"I- ah, yes. Be careful!" Jisoo wasn't sure whether the Being had heard the last part since, as soon as he had finished his instructions, his body had started shrinking and sprouting feathers. With a deafening screech, the eagle picked up Jihoon's backpack and flew off.

The monk stared at the pile of clothes the shapeshifter had left behind before he began to gather them with shaking fingers. He felt slightly faint and suddenly the word 'babysitter' didn't sound so bad anymore.

It scared him how fast a situation could change. It had barely been five minutes since they had started arguing and now Jihoon was gone. Gone to face a Being that could potentially kill him.

The fact that Seungcheol would be there as well did very little to soothe Jisoo's nerves. He had no clue what his partner could do and if he was strong enough to take on a skinwalker - the only reassurance he had was Jihoon's faith in their leader.

Pressing the clothes to his chest, he eyed the dimly lit street. Some people were walking around leisurely but in his close proximity, everything was silent and empty. The monk almost jumped out of his skin when his radio turned on and Chan's quiet voice asked for his current location.

When his locator beeped for the first time, Jisoo was sitting on the steps in front of a house, waiting for Chan.

Without giving the sound much thought, he dismissed it as one of the typical noises one would hear on the streets in the middle of a bustling city. Maybe a car or a cell phone.

Then it beeped again. He looked around, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

His eyes fell on the locator as soon as it beeped for the third time. A cold fist seemed to tighten around his heart.

Jihoon's clothes fell from his lap when he leapt to his feet, his hand clenched around the small device. Frantically, he examined the street but found nothing out of the ordinary. No furry ears, no muzzles. No bloodbaths and dead bodies either. The few people walking around looked completely human and unharmed.

With shaking fingers, he pulled out his radio and tried to reach Jihoon. Only static answered him. The same happened when he tried to contact Seungcheol. It took all his willpower to not throw the radio on the ground in frustration.

The beeping was getting more persistent, a sure sign that the Being was getting closer. Sweat trickled down Jisoo's nape. He almost cried in relief when Chan finally answered his call.

"Jisoo?"

"There's another skinwalker here! I can't reach the others! I don't know what to do! Should I hide? I can't engage, that thing is going to kill me!" the monk whispered frantically. He was trying to look everywhere at the same time to not leave any openings and he could feel himself growing dizzy. His heart was beating double-time.

Despite the tense situation, Chan's voice remained calm and the monk clung to that calmness as if it was a lifeline. "Take a deep breath. I need ten more minutes. Wait for me in a more crowded area. Do you know how to get to the MRT station?"

Although the locator was still beeping in short intervals, the people walking in and out of the station helped to ease Jisoo's fear. Chan was right, the skinwalker wouldn't just randomly attack someone in the middle of a crowd. The fact that he hadn't thought of it himself in his earlier panic made him feel an uncomfortable twinge of embarrassment. He consoled himself with the thought that he was still inexperienced. Maybe someday he would be able to remain as calm as Chan.

The beeping of the locator got even louder and Jisoo ducked his head when several people sent him curious glances while walking past. With a frown, he examined the small device for a way to turn it off until Chan arrived but he only found buttons to turn down the volume. The locator was now flashing orange instead, which was much more bearable than the nerve-grating beeping. He stuffed it in his pocket before he tried to get a glimpse at the station clock. Chan would be here any minute now.

With a silent groan, he stretched. His body was yearning for a break. All the walking throughout the afternoon and evening had tired him out even more and his legs needed some well-deserved rest.

Looking around, he spotted an unoccupied bench not too far from the entrance where he would have a good view of the small square in front of the station. If Chan arrived from this direction, he would notice him, and he could keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviour as well.

He had just settled down, rubbing his aching thighs, when someone addressed him from his left.

"Josh? Joshua Hong?"

The sound of the name by itself caused Jisoo to pale considerably - the familiarity of the voice only made it worse. Cold sweat started to form at his hairline and he balled his fists to hide his shaking fingers. Four pairs of feet stopped in front of him, all of them clad in heavy boots.

He knew who they were by their shoes alone. He could probably tell them apart by the sound of their footsteps.

With monumental effort, he forced his old facade back on his face before he slowly, unwillingly looked up.

The tallest Human smirked, his blond, slicked-back hair shimmering in the artificial light of the station. Just like the people surrounding him, he was dressed casually in jeans and an expensive-looking leather jacket. A tattoo peeked out from the low neckline of his black shirt and wrapped around his neck. Jisoo was one hundred percent certain that it hadn't been there the last time they had met - but three years was a long time.

"Who would've thought that you'd have the balls to stand in front of me again." His tone was mocking, taunting Jisoo to respond. "Must be fate, right, guys?"

Well, he hadn't planned to see them again. On the contrary, actually. He had prayed that he'd be able to avoid them once he was back in Seoul. And he should have been able to - Seoul was big and their territory had always been the west.

Maybe he was cursed.

Forcing himself to meet their stares, he barely suppressed a shudder at their expressions.

"Shinji hyung. Wonseok hyung. David, Minghao. Why are you here?" It surprised him how well he managed to hide the tremble in his voice. This situation wasn't any less scary than facing a Being - but it was a situation he had been in countless of times.

"We're expanding our borders a little. We missed you, you know?" Shinji's smirk turned into a sardonic grin, his cold eyes sparkling dangerously, while the others laughed. "Hey, Josh, how about you come with us for a bit so we can catch up, eh?"

Jisoo knew all too well that it was a rhetorical question but he still tried his luck. "I'm waiting for someone and I'm..." He trailed off when David began to play with a butterfly knife, eyes fixed on him. It was the same one he had used back in the days. "Yeah. Okay. Let's get going then; I have things to do."

If he couldn't stop the inevitable, he could at least get it over with quickly. There was no way he would get Chan involved in this mess.

"Glad to hear that." Wonseok's smile made Jisoo tremble inwardly. The male still looked the same as three years ago, down to the muscular build and longish hair. While Shinji had always been the more outgoing and violent of the two, Wonseok was cruel and unforgiving.

He would be lucky if they would let him go after a good beating.

Minghao was simply watching, his usual aloof expression on display, but David impatiently reached for the monk's arm to get him to follow. With a snarl, Jisoo slapped his hand away. "I can walk just fine, asshole."

Lies.

His legs almost gave out when he got up but outwardly he showed no sign of fear. It scared him how easy it was to slip back into his old self in the presence of his old friends.

He had worked so hard to leave it all behind.

With his head held high, he followed the elders, flanked by David's burly body and Minghao's lithe figure.

In his pocket, the locator kept flashing red.

Category: Transmuter

Beings in the Transmuter category are able to deform, distort, morph, deconstruct or restore their bodies.

Unlike Beings in the Specter category, Transmuters have a tangible body. While some Beings from the Beast category also fit into the Transmuter category, Transmuters don't have a beast-form.

Species: Shapeshifter

Therianthrope; From the Greek theríon (meaning "wild animal" or "beast") and anthrōpos (meaning "human"). It was several hundred years before the term was discovered by Humans to be not entirely accurate.

Shapeshifters are peaceful humanoid Beings who are part of the Transmuter category. They can shift into the form of every living being they have touched throughout their lives (this does not include Beings from the Specter and Undead categories). Shapeshifters often have above-average intelligence and special interests in certain fields. It is possible for them to mate with Humans, although the majority of Shapeshifters prefer their own kind.

Excerpt from "A Beginner's Guide to Beings", Page 80.

Species: Skinwalker

Ópsikleptis; Ancient Greek combination of "ópsi-" (from ópsis, meaning "face") and Kléptis (meaning "stealer").

Part of the Transmuter category, Skinwalkers are usually solitary creatures who rarely interact with others of their kind. To hide their true form and lure in prey, Skinwalkers use the skin of their victims to take on their appearance. Older Skinwalkers are able to extract their victims' memories during this process, which allows them to imitate their mannerisms and character traits. Skinwalkers have adapted to their unique lifestyle by developing razor-sharp claws which enable them to easily skin their prey. They often remain close to the bodies of their victims for feeding purposes.

Excerpt from " A Beginner's Guide to Beings " , Page 83.

Chapter Text

Jisoo's legs grew heavier the further they walked. Soon, the bright lights of the station and the bustling streets were only a memory in the darkness behind him.

They had reached a park. Looming trees hid the inky sky and cast shadows in the lights of a few scattered street lamps. It had been a cool evening all along but Jisoo felt goosebumps rise on his skin when a surprisingly cold breeze hit him. The foliage around them whispered in the wind. Summer still seemed far away.

Finally, Shinji and Wonseok stopped, close enough to the lights to see but far enough to not be seen by anyone strolling past.

The monk swallowed thickly in anticipation. During the walk, he had contemplated whether to fight back - but he was outnumbered and fighting back would only anger them more. He wondered what they would do to him. Back in the days, they had beaten people up who had crossed them but by now - and especially after seeing Shinji's new tattoos – chances were that they had branched out into the forbidden realm of the Korean mafia. Or maybe they were Yakuza affiliated; Shinji was Japanese after all.

As if he had heard his thoughts, the elder smirked at Jisoo in a way that promised pain. The familiar sight was enough to stir up the accumulated anger of his middle and high school years. Somehow it went against his pride to simply accept whatever they had planned for him - even if that would make it worse.

Jisoo buried his fists in his pockets and defiantly stared at Wonseok's and Shinji's faces. He could feel Minghao and David standing behind him, although neither of them were touching him.

"Did you think it was a good idea to just leave like that, without a word? You broke our hearts, seriously, Josh," Shinji purred, fake sadness dripping from every word. "It's not nice to leave your friends behind like that, you know?"

Gritting his teeth, the monk forced himself not to lash out. He knew Shinji entirely too well and he knew that the tall male was just waiting for a reason to get started.

"What did you do after you ran off, hm? Did you join one of the other groups? Or did you live a righteous life?" Fake sadness had been replaced by contempt. "Just like mommy always wanted. She must be so proud." A snort followed.

Red hot anger rushed through Jisoo and his fists tightened at the derisive tone the other had used. "Don't talk about my mother like that," he hissed. It was one thing to attack him for his bad decisions but his family was entirely off-limits.

"Or what, Josh? Hm?" the tall male mocked. When the monk remained silent, Shinji snorted again. "Pussy."

Wonseok stepped forward and Jisoo gasped in pain and surprise when a hard kick from behind made him topple to the ground. Quickly, he got up again while the elder watched him, eyes shrouded in shadows. Ignoring the throb of the forming bruise across his calves, he straightened up. He had endured much worse in the monastery - and throughout the years before that.

"I think you deserve a punishment." Wonseok's voice was calm and Jisoo felt the hairs on his arms rise. Somehow the elder's coldness was a lot more threatening than Shinji's anger. At least the Japanese male was somewhat predictable in his actions.

Nonetheless, he tried to remain as calm as possible. "Four against one? Fair as always, hyung."

A lopsided smirk stretched Wonseok's lips while Shinji took an enraged step forward at Jisoo's flippant reply. "You little-"

"David should be enough," Wonseok cut his friend off, who shot him an annoyed look but remained silent.

Another kick immediately struck the monk, leaving him no time to react. For the second time this night, Jisoo's knees met gravel and he had to bite back a curse. He turned, trying to get up, but a harsh kick in his chest forced him back down. The pain took his breath away.

David's burly, leather-clad body was looming over him, a grin on his broad face.

One hand pressed to his chest, Jisoo coughed. He had expected them to fight dirty but attacking from behind was low even by their standards. "Bastard," he managed to mutter through clenched teeth before he winced at the feeling of David's hand in his hair.

If he was unlucky, this would be the end of the fight already.

At least he hadn't backed down.

"Come on, man. Give him a chance."

It surprised Jisoo to hear Minghao's voice. The Chinese male was usually quiet around his elders, although the monk knew that he could get quite talkative when he felt comfortable enough - usually in combination with several bottles of soju.

The good old days, filled with cigarette smoke, alcohol and violence.

David grinned at Minghao's words and took a step back - not without harshly yanking on Jisoo's hair.

The monk flinched when his neck cracked. His body hurt all over already but it was nothing he couldn't bear. Climbing to his feet, Jisoo glared at his opponent. "What the hell is your problem? Can't fight me fair and square? Afraid that I'll kick your ass again?" he spat and the grin slid from David's face at once.

They all knew that the monk had beaten David before. Although Jisoo was almost a full head shorter than the brawny American, he made up for it with speed and wit. Fighting dirty was his forte – or it had been, before he had entered the monastery where fighting just for the sake of it had been very much frowned upon. He had learned patience there, techniques, a code of honour. But that wouldn't help him against an opponent who was determined to inflict as much pain as possible.

Still, he was confident that he would be able to take David on in an at least somewhat fair fight.

"Come on, be a man" he taunted, already predicting the outcome. And his predictions didn't fail him.

"Fuck you!" David roared before he charged towards Jisoo like a bull.

It wasn't hard to sidestep him in his frenzy. The monk managed to grasp his opponent's leather jacket and with a single swipe of his leg, the male landed face-first on the dirty ground.

Jisoo had to suppress a smirk. Against Beings, he was completely powerless but Humans were a different matter. It felt good to have the upper hand again. The old excitement was burning in his veins - the hunger for a fight, the promise of blood, the high after winning. He was itching to attack the fallen male, to bash his head against the concrete until blood poured out of his nose, until he regretted attacking Jisoo - but he wouldn't do it.

The monk's hand closed around the prayer beads dangling from his neck.

It had taken almost three years to leave Joshua Hong behind. He wouldn't allow him to emerge now.

Taking a step back, Jisoo watched as David slowly got up. Bloody scratches adorned his chin from where the gravel had cut it open and his face was distorted in anger. With a shout of rage, he jumped towards Jisoo but instead of dodging, the monk grabbed one of his arms, turned, and threw the much heavier man over his shoulder.

The sound of David's body hitting the ground was extremely satisfying.

Jisoo knew how it felt. He had been on the receiving end of this particular throw one too many times.

"What the fuck?!" Shinji sounded more surprised than angry.

When the monk looked up, his eyes met Minghao's. Although the younger was trying to keep his nonchalant facade in place, he couldn't quite hide the admiration in his gaze.

It had been hard to leave him behind. The most painful out of all his losses. It would be natural for Minghao to hate him since Jisoo had been too much of a wuss to say goodbye back then.

The monk stumbled when a hand wrapped around his ankle.

David used the moment of surprise to pull him down. Scrambling to get up, Jisoo pushed himself off the ground but his opponent was already behind him and the monk had barely gotten back to his feet when a vice-like grip closed around his shoulders. Jisoo suppressed a shout; it felt as if his bones were getting crushed between David's fingers.

Struggling, Jisoo managed to land a strike with his elbow and the tall male growled in pain and frustration, a noise that sounded barely human. With a yell, the monk broke free - but as soon as he tried to turn to land another hit, a vicious punch to his face had him reeling back.

Jisoo stumbled, dazed.

Despite the bout of dizziness, the monk managed to evade a second hit and David's hand only brushed his forehead. The distinctive sting of a head wound got accompanied by the ticklish feeling of blood running down his temple, following the soft shape of his cheek.

"Wha-?" Jisoo's surprised exclamation got cut off by a fist in his stomach. Staggering, the monk tried to stay upright but his legs were shaking beneath him. David's hand wrapped around his throat, the other arm pinned the monk to his opponent's sturdy body.

With all his remaining strength, Jisoo fought against the grip but he couldn't get him to move a single finger.

When had David grown so strong? Sure, he had always been burly but Jisoo had kicked his ass quite a few times before.

The lack of air made his head spin.

"Isn't that enough?" Minghao's voice had lost its usual aloof tone. "David! You're killing him!" The distress was clearly audible. "Hyung, stop him!"

"Yo, David! Enough!" Shinji drawled but the grip around Jisoo's neck only tightened. Dark spots began to cloud his vision. "Hey! I'm talking to you, asshole!"

"Wonseok hyung!"

"He deserves it." Wonseok sounded as cold as always.

Jisoo couldn't see. The voices grew more and more muffled. He had trouble telling them apart.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

He was floating now, the pain in his body slowly fading.

"Oy, Seokki, I don't really want murder on my record..."

An inhumane growl next to his ear and the sudden feeling of air flowing into his lungs startled the monk back to reality. His body hit the ground while the growling continued. With monumental effort, he opened his tired eyes - only to find Minghao above him, his face set into a hard mask of determination while he exchanged blows with David. The monk could hear Shinji shouting something to his left but he was too transfixed on the fight to care. Minghao was moving with the fluid effortlessness of a trained martial artist - it put even Jisoo's teachers at the monastery to shame.

Gone was the scared kid who had hid behind Jisoo when they had first met the elders. Gone was the angry teenager who had fought next to Jisoo with bloody knuckles and forming bruises on his face.

He winced when Minghao's fist connected with David's nose and an audible crack rang through the air. The fight came to a momentary halt, both of them retreating. Blood dripped onto the ground, almost invisible in the darkness of the night.

The monk sat up while the two men appraised each other, Minghao less than a meter in front of him. Pressing a hand to the cut on his temple, Jisoo tried to stop the blood flow. He had trouble opening his left eye due to the forming bruise on his face.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Shinji asked, still securely standing out of range, but nobody answered to his visible displeasure. Wonseok was quietly watching the fight, his expression wavering between anger and annoyance.

David took a step forward and Minghao immediately crouched down, ready to attack. Baring his teeth, the American male growled again, before his entire face seemed to ripple. And then it began to droop.

Frozen in horror, Jisoo watched as the skin slid down David's cheeks.

It peeled and ripped, and with a sickening wet sound, David's face fell to the ground. At the gruesome sight, Shinji released a blood-curdling scream.

A sudden wave of nausea hit the monk while he stared at the small pile of flesh, a bright contrast to the muted colours of the gravel. He knew exactly what he would find once he looked up. It also explained David's sudden increase in strength. But he didn't want to accept the fact that his former friend was- he shook his head violently and David- no, the skinwalker growled at the motion.

Looking up, past Minghao's tense frame, Jisoo met the gaze of orange eyes, almost hidden by dark brown fur. The Being was several inches shorter than David had been and his clothes looked almost comically big on the wiry body. Long, sharp claws peeked out from David's sleeves and suddenly the mysterious cut on Jisoo's temple wasn't all that mysterious anymore. He was lucky that the creature hadn't slashed his neck.

"What the fuck?!" Shinji's voice sounded much higher than usual, unadulterated fear was distorting his face. When the skinwalker turned towards him and snarled, he released another terrified scream before he whirled around and ran as fast as he could.

Shocked by his reaction, Jisoo stared after him before he glanced at Wonseok, who looked incredibly tense but made no attempt to flee.

The skinwalker had turned back to Minghao and Jisoo admired the Chinese male for not backing off. He was still standing in front of the monk and seemed determined not to move away – an unexpected switch of roles compared to when they were younger.

The gratefulness Jisoo felt got almost drowned out by concern. The thought of Minghao getting hurt in order to help him was even more terrifying than the Being itself. He wouldn't allow that.

The monk forced himself to get up, forced his shaking knees to carry him. Light-headedness hit him and he stumbled slightly but Minghao's comfortingly warm hand wrapped around his arm to steady him.

They were both staring at the Being, caught in its orange gaze, when rustling to their right drew everyone's attention.

Out of the bushes stepped Chan, half-hidden eyes fixed on the skinwalker. The flashing locator in his outstretched hand illuminated the empty expression on his face in an eerie, glowing red.

The relief Jisoo had felt after seeing the Being got replaced by dread when the skinwalker snarled at the appearance of yet another enemy. A warning growl came over its lips when Chan walked towards it without the slightest hesitation or any sign of fear. It was difficult to watch.

Jisoo shifted uneasily and Minghao's hand tightened around his arm. Whether it was out of concern for the newcomer or to hold him back, the monk didn't know - and quite frankly, he didn't care.

"Be careful!" He knew that it was a ridiculous thing to tell the Being - someone who was probably much older and much more experienced - but seeing the way Chan carelessly walked into danger made his heart hurt.

The Being didn't stop, his eyes never leaving the skinwalker - but the corners of his mouth lifted into a tiny smile as if to say that everything would be alright. At the sight, Jisoo allowed himself to relax slightly even though the skinwalker once again growled in warning.

With a steady hand, Chan tucked away the locator, only a few meters separating him from the hostile Being.

The Skinwalker bared its sharp teeth before it finally attacked with lethal speed.

Chan simply stood there, watched it tearing towards him, and Jisoo's scream got drowned out by the triumphant shriek the skinwalker released when its claws sunk deep into Chan's stomach. The Being staggered at the force of the attack while the skinwalker kept swiping at him. With growing horror, Jisoo watched as more and more cuts opened on Chan's thin body, blood soaking through his clothes. Although the Being's face was distorted with pain, he released no sound at the continuous assault.

"Chan!" The monk fought against Minghao's grip but it only tightened further while Jisoo's teammate got torn apart in front of their eyes.

Why wasn't he fighting back?! He wasn't even attempting to protect himself!

Jisoo drew in a sharp breath when Chan sank to his knees, the ground around him glistening in the dim light of the street lamps. His clothes were almost completely shredded, revealing pale skin slick with blood.

"Do something!" The monk wasn't sure who he meant - the Being? Minghao? Himself? - and his heart almost shattered when Chan lifted his head at the sound of his voice and smiled. Finally, he managed to free his arm of Minghao's grip, not at all caring that he had ripped the sweater Jihoon had given him, but he was too late.

It happened too fast for him to stop it.

Chan's eyes turned wide and glassy when claws pierced his chest. And then he slowly slumped forward, against the body of the skinwalker.

"No! Chan!" Jisoo's voice cracked. A lump in his throat made breathing a chore.

The two Beings remained close to each other in an almost intimate hug before the skinwalker started shaking. Small shudders raked up and down its body. With a pained howl, it staggered backwards and fell to the ground, convulsing. Chan's limp body hit the grass almost at the same time. The locator rolled out of his pocket, its flashing red light making the gruesome scene look all the more surreal. The skinwalker screeched one last time before it stopped moving entirely and deafening silence wrapped around them.

Jisoo felt numb. They were supposed to be a team and he had simply stood by and watched his colleague get mauled. On unstable legs, he stepped forward, ignoring the body of the skinwalker, determined to get to his teammate when Chan suddenly visibly shuddered and gasped for air.

Jisoo's heart jumped at the sound - if they could get him back to Tao, maybe the Being wouldn't die, maybe he would be okay-

"Stand back!" Chan's voice was weak but still loud enough to be heard over the wind in the leaves. For the first time, Jisoo heard something akin to fear in his tone. It made him freeze on the spot.

He looked around, trying to determine what was going on, but the scene illuminated by the locator was the same as just seconds before. The skinwalker had not moved, neither had anyone else apart from him.

Maybe the Being was worried about his injuries worsening if Jisoo attempted to move him? Maybe he was worried about hurting Jisoo? It didn't matter.

The monk tried to sound as reassuring as he possibly could when he addressed him. "Chan, you'll be alright, but we need to get you back to Ta-"

"Run!" Blood splattered on the ground when the Being coughed. Talking put a visible strain on him and his entire body was shaking.

Jisoo stared at Chan, unsure what to do. He didn't want to leave him behind but the Being sounded urgent. But if he left, Chan would die.

The decision was taken from his hands when Wonseok stepped closer. His face was as cold as ever but his voice was surprisingly soft. "We should get out of here before that thing wakes up."

Struggling to say something, Chan coughed again but the blood seemed to block his airways and Jisoo quickly kneeled next to him to help as much as he could. His hands got soaked when he tried to block the blood flowing from Chan's chest wound but the other was bleeding too heavily from too many injuries to stop it all. Tears gathered in the monk's eyes. He pressed a little harder when Chan began to tremble. From the corner of his eyes, he could make out Minghao slowly creeping closer to the skinwalker, examining the Being with thinly veiled disgust on his face.

"J-Jisoo." Chan's weak voice drew his attention back at once.

He leaned closer. "Shhh, it'll be alright. Don't speak. Try to stay awake, okay?"

"...Seungcheol..."

"Seungcheol is on his way, I'm sure, don't worry." Was he? He hadn't heard anything from the leader ever since he had told Jihoon about finding the skinwalker. He needed to report what was going on but he didn't want to stop pressing down on Chan's wound – even though deep down he knew that it was pointless.

"Leave... go..."

"We'll leave as soon as the others are here, okay? Hyung, could you use the radio in my pocket to call the rest of my team?"

Without a word, Wonseok reached around him to get to the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out the little device. A strange sort of relief flooded Jisoo at the thought that the others would be here soon. This situation was something he couldn't handle alone.

"...skinwa-" The Being's breath rattled in his chest and Jisoo bit his lip in concern. Chan's eyes were closed but he seemed absolutely determined to keep talking.

"It's not moving, don't worry."

Blood bubbled on Chan's lips and Jisoo recoiled when his glassy eyes flew open. His back arched and he suddenly started screaming: "MORE! RUN!"

His last breath left him and the Being stilled, empty gaze directed at the trees above him. Jisoo stared at him in horror, realization of Chan's death slowly sinking in, when a strange sound from beside him caused him to look up from the motionless body.

Several pieces of the crushed radio fell to the ground and a devilish grin lit up Wonseok's face before his skin began to droop.

Chapter Text

Crying out in shock and fear, Jisoo used his legs to push himself backwards, away from Chan's body and the Being. His palms ripped open while he dug his fingers into the sharp gravel for leverage but he only stopped when the back of his head met the trunk of a tree. Small dots were swirling in his vision.

An odd noise pulled his focus away from the pain, back to the skinwalker.

The Being was staring at him, dark lips pulled back to reveal sharp teeth, light grey fur reflecting the flashing red light of the locator. The deep, guttural sounds it made in the back of its throat almost sounded like laughter and Jisoo felt the hairs on his skin rise.

It was smaller than the first one, thinner too, but its yellowish eyes held a very human glimmer of intelligence - it had imitated Wonseok convincingly enough to fool his long-time friends after all. Based on what Jihoon had said earlier, Jisoo assumed that this skinwalker was older than the other one. Not that it made the situation any better; even if it was weaker, the Being still had sharp fangs and claws.

To the monk's relief, it finally turned its eyes away from him.

The feeling only lasted until Jisoo had figured out what had caught the Being's attention. He jumped when the remains of the mangled radio hit the ground and the skinwalker took a step towards Chan's dead body. A long, wet tongue ran over dark lips and an undeniably hungry look crossed its features. Jisoo's stomach clenched.

There was no way he would let that thing anywhere near Chan. His teammate had died fighting the other skinwalker; he would not let his body get defiled. He owed him that much.

Jisoo's fingers wrapped around one of the many small stones on the ground - a rather flat one that fit snugly into his hand - the sting of the scratches on his palm not even registering in his brain.

The skinwalker snarled and looked up when the stone hit its shoulder. It growled even louder when a second stone hit it square in the face.

Using the trunk of the tree, Jisoo had pulled himself up - and even though his heart was almost jumping out of his chest, he was determined to get the undivided attention of the Being.

Maybe he could constrain it somehow. Or at least distract it. Maybe Minghao could use Chan's radio to call Seungcheol and Jihoon. Maybe then this ordeal would come to an end.

The skinwalker took a step towards him, away from Chan's body, and crouched; a predator ready to pounce.

The monk froze momentarily. There weren't many options to choose from. He could try to run and lure the Being away from Minghao and Chan. Or he could try to fight it - although, seeing how the other skinwalker had overpowered him so easily, maybe that wasn't the brightest idea. If he managed to use his ability, his chances would be a lot better - but that was a very big 'if'. He still didn't know how to trigger and control it and by now he wasn't quite sure whether he even had an ability in the first place. Shouldn't it have activated when he almost got choked to death earlier?

Maybe this whole Aegis thing had been a mistake.

Another low growl was all he got as a warning and he barely managed to duck when sharp claws embedded themselves into the tree behind him.

Jisoo's stomach sank. This skinwalker was fast. Much faster than the first one.

The monk used the chance while the Being tried to free its claws and landed a solid punch to its gut before he threw himself to the side and crawled out from under its arms. The skinwalker grunted and a shiver ran down Jisoo's spine when his eyes met its burning gaze.

With a violent yank, the Being freed itself, causing the tree to creak. Leaves rained down on them.

Jisoo had barely taken three steps when the skinwalker reached him and forced him to duck once again. This time, he wasn't as lucky: A shallow cut opened on his shoulder and more blood soaked into his already badly stained sweater. Clenching his teeth, he breathed through the pain while blocking another blow.

He wouldn't get anywhere just by running; he was too slow. Engaging the Being was the only way left. But how could he win against something that had freaking razorblades attached to its fingers?

Attempting a leg sweep, the monk faked an attack from the left but the Being seemed to read his movements and counter-attacked, its eyes focused on Jisoo's chest.

"Watch out!"

The monk couldn't suppress a surprised squeak when all of a sudden he got pulled backwards and landed in Minghao's arms. With no time to dwell on it, his eyes widened when the other male blocked the incoming blow with his forearm, the sharp claws of the Being tearing through his flesh.

Minghao cursed next to his ear.

Stumbling backwards, they almost fell but Jisoo managed to find his balance and held onto the younger while the Being kept its distance, examining the new threat.

"You okay?" the monk hissed out of the corner of his mouth, his eyes never leaving the skinwalker.

"Never felt better."

Jisoo couldn't help but chuckle at the sarcastic tone. Minghao's sense of humour hadn't changed at all - somehow, that was a relief. He was still worried about the wound though. Since the younger was standing behind him, he couldn't see it but he was sure that it was bleeding heavily. All because of him.

Guilt crept into his heart but he managed to push it away. This definitely wasn't the time to get distracted.

They jumped apart when the Being pounced and Jisoo found himself almost tripping over Chan's body. His chest tightened at the sad sight but he tore his eyes away from it, just in time to dodge the skinwalker. He stumbled backwards as fast as he could, expecting another attack, but the Being only screeched in annoyance before it pulled back and looked around for Minghao.

Compared to the first skinwalker, this one seemed a lot more deliberate in its actions.

It proved the thought true almost immediately by changing its tactic. Once it had spotted Minghao several meters away, it moved closer to Chan's body, gaze focused back on the monk. Staring at him as if gauging his reaction, its lips once again pulled back into a deformed version of a grin before it slowly leaned towards Chan's unmoving face. A string of saliva dripped onto his blood-smeared cheek and Jisoo clenched his fists, knuckles turning white.

"Keep your filthy hands off," the monk growled, barely containing his anger.

The Being moved forward even further, its teeth getting dangerously close to Chan's nose. Jisoo could make out the reflection of the skinwalker in Chan's sightless eyes.

"Don't you fucking dare!"

It was taunting him. And the monk had to admit that it was working.

"I'll kill you if you touch him!"

All reasoning flew out the window the moment the skinwalker licked Chan's cheek. Without another word, Jisoo dashed forward, uncaring that the Being was waiting for him, triumph shimmering in its much too intelligent eyes.

Fury was burning through the monk, accelerating his movements, much faster than it should be humanly possible. But he didn't notice, too focused on the Being whose eyes had widened in the second it had taken him to get on top of it. Punch after punch rained down on it and Jisoo felt the skin on his knuckles split open. Wet teeth reflected the light when it opened its mouth in an attempt to bite him but its movements seemed sluggish and the monk used the chance to ram his elbow in its face.

Time snapped back into place when searing pain flooded his body.

Sharp claws had pierced his thigh and with an anguished shout, Jisoo pushed himself off the Being, away from its deadly grip.

His leg was bleeding heavily and he couldn't put weight on it without wanting to scream. Limping, he tried to put some distance between them but he could already hear the skinwalker snarling behind him. He probably only had seconds until it had recovered enough to go after him. Face distorted in pain, he forced himself to move faster, ignoring the protests of his leg. He wasn't ready to die just yet.

"Hyung! Duck!"

Without a second thought, Jisoo followed the order and threw himself onto the ground. Something heavy landed on top of him, driving the air out of his lungs and pain flashed through his leg but he was too breathless to make a sound.

In a few seconds, everything would be over anyway. The skinwalker would pierce his heart or bite his throat or something equally gruesome and then he'd be dead. He should probably start praying now.

"Fuck. That thing's indestructible."

A very familiar voice close to his ear made him lift his head abruptly, causing Minghao to tumble backwards with a curse.

"Are you trying to break my nose?!"

"I thought the skinwalker got me," Jisoo sputtered. Looking around, he could make out the Being looming in the darker shadows between the trees. It was standing there motionlessly, staring at them and the monk had the unsettling feeling that it was trying to figure out what to do next.

"Nah, I got it good but I couldn't stop in time." Minghao sounded apologetic while offering him a hand. "It's hella strong though; it's still standing. And most people would've scrammed by now; why's it still here?" he mused, returning the stare of the Being.

Jisoo took the offered hand and got up, grimacing in pain. His leg was shaking below him. "Maybe it wants its buddy back."

"Maybe. Don't think the other one's still alive, though."

As soon as the words had left Minghao's lips, the skinwalker shrieked. The cry pierced through the quiet night and Jisoo's heart sank at the amount of agony that laced its voice.

He didn't have time to mull over the implications because the Being stormed forward and he had no way to get away from it with his wounded leg. Next to him, Minghao cursed once again.

The monk felt his mouth go dry while he focused all his attention on summoning his ability; their only chance of survival. His skin began to itch, an uncomfortable dryness enveloping him - and then an ominous cracking sound filled the air when one of the trees started to fall, forcing the skinwalker to stop. The tree hit the ground between them with a deafening crash and everyone whirled around.

Next to the splintered remains of the tree stump stood Seungcheol and Jisoo had never felt more relieved in the presence of a Being.

His partner seemed unfazed by the sight in front of him. He looked oddly out of place between the blood-smeared Humans and the dishevelled skinwalker; his hair was still meticulously slicked back and his clothes were just as pristine as they had been during the earlier car ride. And somehow, he seemed to look even better than during the afternoon. His prominent dark circles were less pronounced and his skin was less pale than the monk remembered it to be.

But maybe that was just a trick of the light.

Seungcheol looked him over for a moment and Jisoo figured by the way his eyebrows furrowed slightly that he wasn't all too pleased with what he was seeing. Whether it was because the monk looked like he had walked straight out of hell or because Seungcheol was worried about his partner - haha, as if - Jisoo couldn't tell.

Then Seungcheol focused on the skinwalker and his face became emotionless once again. When he spoke, his voice was calm and filled with authority: "We're arresting you on charges of voluntary manslaughter and murder. Cooperate and we won't harm you any further."

Hesitating, the skinwalker stared at Seungcheol, seemingly trying to process what he was saying. For a few glorious seconds, the monk thought it would surrender and his first assignment would finally come to an end.

But then it bared its teeth and snarled, and Jisoo's hope dwindled at once.

Seemingly unimpressed by the display of resistance, the leader of Unit S remained silent for a moment and anxiety stirred in Jisoo's chest when Seungcheol's eyes began to glow deep crimson red, live coals in the darkness. "Tranquillize her."

The monk stared at his partner, clueless what he meant, but Seungcheol wasn't looking at him. He followed his line of sight just in time to see the skinwalker staggering, muzzle opened for a silent scream, before it fell face-first to the ground. A small syringe was sticking out of its nape.

Jisoo's eyes widened at the sight of the person standing behind the fallen body, their usual apathetic expression on display.

"Chan?! What-? How?!" Jisoo's voice died in his throat. Tears were threatening to fall. Hastily, he tried to swallow them: He didn't want to look any weaker than he already did in front of his teammates.

Chan looked horrible; his clothes were completely cut up and dried blood was caked all over his skin, but he was undeniably alive. The monk simply stared, unable to process what was happening, and the Being sent him one of his rare smiles. He had been awfully smiley throughout the last hour, hadn't he?

"Why did you kill that one?" Seungcheol's voice shook Jisoo out of his daze, causing Chan to turn away from him.

"He was feral," the Being simply replied but the leader didn't seem quite satisfied with that answer.

"Do you know how much paperwork I'll have to fill out because of you?"

For the first time since meeting him this morning, Jisoo heard Seungcheol sound anything other than cold or annoyed.

He sounded grumpy.

The monk gaped but the Beings completely disregarded him.

"Please." Jihoon's amused voice made Jisoo jump and turn around. The shapeshifter was standing behind Minghao, who was eyeing him warily. "You ate the one you were supposed to capture; don't you think that's even harder to explain?"

Seungcheol remained silent after his words, a rather sullen expression on his handsome face.

The headlights of several cars were illuminating the park, casting harsh shadows.

Jisoo was trying his best to keep away from the people cleaning up the area but somehow, regardless where he went, he still ended up being in the way.

Tao had arrived with them, healing injuries and making sure everyone was alright. Jisoo had itched to talk to him but it had only taken the shaman a few minutes before he had turned his attention to Minghao's arm and the monk knew better than to bother him while he was working. Therefore he had wandered out of the van, watching while several men had carried the dead body of the skinwalker as well as the unconscious one to another car, all under the watchful eyes of Seungcheol.

He gazed at his partner for a moment. The expression on his face was once again unreadable, his eyes dark and sharp. Maybe the earlier banter had simply been a joke between colleagues? The monk really couldn't imagine the leader of Unit S doing anything but a perfect job during an assignment.

A woman wearing a facemask shooed Jisoo away from where he was standing, disrupting his thoughts. Shrugging, he slowly walked towards a bench, determined not to spend another thought on Seungcheol and how odd he was. Instead, he looked around for Chan but couldn't find him anywhere. Maybe the Being was getting healed by Tao.

With a tired sigh, he sat down on the damp wood. He had so many questions and the lack of answers made his head hurt.

How could Chan possibly be alive? He had seen him die. He had seen the way his eyes had looked and how his body had been absolutely still; there was no way he had been alive back then. The injuries had been too severe to survive anyway.

What would Minghao do now? And what had happened to the real David and Wonseok?

Jisoo pushed the last question away. Somehow he was pretty sure that he was better off not knowing that.

What would happen to the captured skinwalker? A trial? Was there something like a prison for Beings? He had often heard about Beings harming others but he had never spent a thought on what happened to them after they got detained. Would they get killed?

Somehow, he didn't like that idea. It seemed... wrong.

And why had that skinwalker kept attacking instead of fleeing? Was it really because it wanted to help the other one? Maybe they had been friends? Siblings? Maybe lovers? Was there something like relationships when it came to feral Beings? Was the reaction of the older one maybe even justified?

The thought made Jisoo feel even worse. With a groan, he buried his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes. The dried blood from his now healed head wound felt sticky on his skin. This had been a horrible first day. Hopefully it wasn't an indicator of what the next three years would bring, otherwise he could start shovelling his grave right here, right now.

"Yo."

He lifted his head at the sound of Minghao's voice. The younger looked healthier than before but Jisoo could make out his tension in the way he hunched his shoulders slightly. He patted the bench next to him and Minghao sat down without a word. The monk knew what was coming and he dreaded it. "How's the arm?" he asked; a poor attempt to buy time.

"All healed. Jacket's ruined though."

Unsure what to say, Jisoo only nodded and silence descended between them while they watched the people of Aegis running around. Inwardly, Jisoo steeled himself for the inevitable question.

"Hyung."

He forced himself to relax, gaze fixed on a bush a few meters in front of them. "Mh?"

"Are you a mutant?"

That wasn't what he had expected. At all.

Jisoo turned to Minghao, eyes wide. "W-what?" he squeaked.

The younger returned his stare head-on. He looked completely calm, his usual cold facade in place - but after spending several years together, Jisoo could still read him like an open book: Minghao was upset.

"Well, I don't think you're a Being but the way you moved earlier clearly wasn't anything a regular Human could do. I'm not an idiot. So?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Is that why you left?"

There it was. The question he had dreaded the whole time.

Jisoo's stomach clenched. The younger had managed to ban almost all emotion out of his voice but a tiny bit of reproach had remained. It was tearing on Jisoo's heartstrings.

"You figured out you were a mutant and left because you knew Shinji and Wonseok wouldn't accept it, right?"

It would be so easy to say yes, to blame it on them. It was tempting. But he didn't want to be a coward again. "That's not it. It was just- you know-" The monk stopped. It was hard to pinpoint a reason.

Minghao raised his brows and Jisoo took a deep breath.

"Alright, look. My life was a mess." Not that Minghao's had been any better. "You know how it went. I flunked out of high school, no degree, no future, getting into fights, trouble with the police and whatnot. I enjoyed myself back then, of course." Indeed, he had. "But then my mom got hospitalized and all of a sudden my families' earnings went into medical fees and I couldn't contribute a damn thing." Jisoo's throat had grown tight but he forced himself to keep speaking. "I felt like shit. I took some odd jobs here and there, nothing really legal, and got into even more trouble. I also got into trouble with Wonseok for not showing up as often but I'm sure you remember that." Minghao nodded, eyes following Jisoo's every movement. "I talked to my brother, properly, without screaming at him, for the first time in years. I talked to my mom and my dad and my sister. Shinji didn't like that so we fought and I said fuck it, punched him in the face and left." The monk chuckled, no humour in his laugh. "And that's it, pretty much."

The younger remained silent for several long seconds and Jisoo shuffled uneasily. "So, what did you do afterwards?" Minghao finally asked, the accusatory tone in his voice completely gone.

Sweet relief washed through the monk at the thought that his former best friend had forgiven him before he scratched his nape, red tinting his cheeks. "Uh, well, I kinda got accepted into a monastery and trained to become a monk?"

For a moment, Minghao only stared at him in utter disbelief before he burst out laughing. "A monk?! You?! What the fuck!"

"Oy! Show some damn respect for your seniors." Jisoo elbowed the younger playfully and Minghao hiccuped before he tried to calm himself down. The monk shook his head at the wide grin on his face. "I didn't have much choice, you know? Nobody wants to hire a dropout and I didn't want to burden my family financially so stuff like going back to school was out of the question. Also, I thought it would be a good way to better myself, right? Following some sort of holy teachings, leaving everything else behind. It worked quite well before those guys showed up today." Jisoo couldn't suppress the bitterness in his voice and Minghao immediately sobered. "Anyway, I got hired by one of the Human Protection Organisations recently and-"

"And that's all top secret, sorry." The unexpected sound of Jihoon's voice behind them made them both jump. The Being leaned over the backrest of the bench, examining Minghao like an interesting specimen. "Hi there. We're good to go; want me to drop off your friend?"

The younger answered before Jisoo could even open his mouth, cold facade immediately back in place. "I'm good. How can I get in touch with you, hyung?"

After Jisoo had written down his brand new address on a piece of paper he had fetched from one of the vans, Minghao vanished between the trees.

Jisoo stared after him, a weird kind of longing filling his chest. Meeting the younger had reminded him of all the good times they had shared. Not that everything had been perfect, they had gotten in trouble constantly, but he had definitely been more carefree back then.

Flinching when something hit his shoulder, Jisoo turned around and was met with Jihoon's smile. It lit up the youthful face of the shapeshifter in a way Jisoo had never seen before. "That Chinese guy said you tried to stop the skinwalker from eating Chan?"

"Uuh yeah, I guess? I didn't know he was still alive..." The monk's voice died and Jihoon's smile dimmed for a second before it came back in full force.

"Well, now you do. Thanks for looking out for my partner. I owe you one." Jisoo blushed at the feeling of the Being tousling his hair. It was oddly cute how Jihoon had to stretch to reach his head.

Before he could think of a good reply, the shapeshifter had already walked past him, towards the cars which were leaving one after another. Without turning around, he motioned him to follow and when the monk had caught up to him, Jihoon glanced up, dark eyes sparkling in the lights of the headlamps. "For a Human, you're surprisingly decent."

Chapter Text

When Jisoo stepped out of the elevator - dead tired and still rather dirty even though he had tried to wash away the blood - he wasn't expecting to be greeted by a neon pink post-it stuck to the door of his apartment. Warily he approached it, looking around for the culprit, but the hallway was empty and every door was closed. Not surprising, given that it was already quite late on a workday. With a jittery feeling in the pit of his stomach, he reached for the note, inwardly praying that it wasn't bad news - his day had been stressful enough already and he really didn't need any more surprises.

The handwriting was neat but sort of old-timey; not one he recognized. His brows immediately furrowed when his eyes fell on the signature.

I got you a little something to help you sleep in peace.
Unfortunately, I don't have time to give it to you in person but your next-door neighbour is kind enough to keep it safe until you pick it up. (Pay me back once I return from my assignment.)
Love from your tutor,
Chen

"What the-," Jisoo mumbled. "What does he mean 'pay me back'? And I haven't even met my neighbours yet."

The monk's eyes flitted to the door a few meters down the corridor.

He wasn't exactly keen to meet whoever was living behind it. To be completely honest, he was sure he could lead a very content life without ever meeting them at all. He just really sucked at forced interactions and neighbours could turn into an absolute pain after a bad first impression.

Grimacing, he read the note once again.

He didn't want to meet his neighbour but his curiosity was stronger than his aversion towards another awkward encounter. What could 'a little something to help you sleep in peace' possibly be?

"If he got me chamomile tea, I swear I'm going to kick his ass," Jisoo grumbled while he trudged down the corridor until he came to a stop in front of the flat of his next-door neighbour. Eyeing the door, he hesitated.

It probably wouldn't leave a great first impression to introduce himself while he was wearing torn, bloodied clothes. He didn't look exactly presentable right now. Maybe he should come by tomorrow instead.

Jisoo took a step back but stopped when he remembered that everyone in the apartment complex was working for Aegis. It probably wasn't that unusual to walk around like fresh out of a war zone.

But then again, he had no idea who was living in that flat. What if it was a Being? Maybe the smell of blood would agitate them?

The monk took another step back, the note crinkling between his fingers.

But they were probably expecting him since Chen had told them that Jisoo would pick up whatever gift he had left there.

He glanced at his own front door. Maybe he should take a quick shower and change into fresh clothes? That seemed like the most sensible thing to do.

But it was already quite late and if he did that, it would be even later. Wouldn't it be rude to bother his neighbour after eleven pm?

Slowly, Jisoo stepped forward again and scanned the door. The nameplate - a fancy metal plate, not a shoddy paper like Jisoo's - below the doorbell read "Kim".

Wow.

What kind of person wouldn't add their first name when their last name was something as generic as Kim? There were probably twenty Kims in this building alone.

Jisoo glared at the offending plate, well aware that he was tired and hungry and that his poor neighbour had done absolutely nothing to deserve the unreasonable anger he felt towards them.

It probably really wasn't a good idea to meet them now. He would come back tomorrow and apologize for taking his time and he would somehow manage to fall asleep without Chen's remedy.

Breathing a quiet sigh, the monk had just turned towards his flat when his neighbour's door opened. Hastily he turned back, ready to explain why he was loitering in the hallway, but he froze when he was met with a familiar face.

Mingyu looked just as aloof as he had back in the meeting room. The only difference was that now his gold blond hair was damp and he was wearing light-grey sweatpants and a white shirt. "Yes?"

Had his voice been that deep yesterday as well? Jisoo swallowed dryly. "H-hi. Uh. Sorry, I just came home and I saw the note on my door - you know, the one Chen left - but then I decided that it's kinda late already so I wanted to go back and ask you about it tomorrow but then you opened the door and yeah."

He was making a fool out of himself in front of his teammate. Great.

For a few seconds, he contemplated to simply flee into his flat and hide there but his rational side won and he remained standing, trying hard to look not as nervous as he felt.

After he had processed the garbled mess Jisoo had spewed at him, Mingyu nodded slowly. "Yes, he left something for you; it's in my kitchen. Do you want to come in?" he offered and opened the door a bit wider.

Jisoo caught a glimpse of crème coloured walls and an ornamented mirror. Although his curiosity was once again piqued - he had never been in the flat of a Being before -, he had learned from his past mistakes. "Uh... my shoes are really muddy right now; it's probably better if I stay outside. But thanks!"

"Of course. One moment."

The Being left and Jisoo discreetly examined what little he could see of the flat. Based on his white and grey jackets, Mingyu seemed to like light colours. Also, everything looked quite expensive.

Somewhat disappointed that he couldn't make out anything out of the ordinary, the monk pouted, although he himself didn't know what he had expected to find. When Mingyu returned with an envelope in his hands, he straightened and forced a smile.

"Here." The Being offered the envelope to Jisoo who took it with a word of gratitude. They remained standing in front of each other, the monk waiting for Mingyu to return to his flat so he could leave as well. Like it was the polite thing to do. The normal thing to do.

After a long moment, he shuffled awkwardly. Mingyu seemed completely unfazed, still leaning against the door frame. "Uhm. I'll go then? Thanks again for-"

"He said I should wait and answer your questions," the Being cut him off and Jisoo frowned in response. Chen really was going too far with his meddling.

"Oh. Yeah, sure. Sorry about that," he apologized with a stiff little bow before he examined the envelope. It was slightly bigger than normal with nothing written on it.

"I usually stay up late."

Jisoo looked up and was met with a smile. It made Mingyu's handsome face look softer and much less intimidating. The monk relaxed at the sight. It was a relief that the Being didn't seem bothered and it was even more of a relief that he wasn't openly hostile towards him.

With a silent sigh, he opened the envelope and pulled out several sheets of paper. They looked new and felt rather thick and the monk could make out different Chinese characters written in black ink. What they said was beyond him though, his knowledge of Chinese started and ended with the word for "toilet". For a moment he regretted not attending one of the Chinese classes offered in the monastery. But how could random pieces of paper possibly help him sleep? Was this another one of Chen's tricks? "Uhm... What am I supposed to do with this?" he finally asked, after examining each of the sheets for a possible explanation and not finding anything.

Mingyu chuckled, obviously amused by his cluelessness, and heat crawled over Jisoo's face. "Those are talismans; they are used to ban certain Beings. I'm assuming they are for your flat."

Talismans? He had heard of those before but had never seen one in person. One of the elder monks at the monastery had been able to create them but he had died during Jisoo's aspirant year. "Wow. How does it work? Do I have to activate them?" He wouldn't have to sacrifice something, right?

Mingyu chuckled again and the monk felt a small pang of annoyance. Somehow he got the impression that the Being was looking down on him. "They are already activated," Mingyu explained. "Pin them to your walls; that should be enough."

"Oh alright, thanks!" Time to leave. As nice as the other acted, his close proximity and the lack of knowledge about Mingyu made Jisoo nervous - but the Being wasn't finished.

"He seems to really like you. Those talismans are powerful and he usually doesn't hand out gifts," he said, sharp eyes trailing up and down the monk's frame as if to see why anyone would like a Human. Goosebumps immediately rose on Jisoo's skin. It reminded him of the way Soonyoung had examined him the day before and he felt the strong urge to run. He took a step back and Mingyu's lips twitched into a smile. It was lacking the warmth of the one before.

"He wrote that I should pay him," the monk squeaked and Mingyu's smile widened.

"Oh? Well, that's Chen for you."

It took a while for the unsettling feeling to vanish after Jisoo had bid his farewell to his neighbour. It also didn't help that it had been quite hard for him to step back into his flat's hallway where everything had happened the night before. He had almost chickened out after mistaking the shadow of his coat rack for Kai.

After he had taped the talismans to his hallway wall, Jisoo remained in front of them, studying them for a second time. They looked like regular calligraphy to him; nothing about them seemed powerful enough to stop a Being from entering his flat. Maybe it was all an elaborate ruse by Chen to boost his spirits?

Whatever it was, he appreciated the gesture. He couldn't help but feel a little bit safer with the talismans on his wall, ruse or not.

When Jisoo walked into Seungcheol's office - well, it was his office as well now but his partner would probably beg to differ - he was once again greeted by a scowl and dark circles. Seungcheol looked just as tired as the morning before and for a moment, Jisoo wondered if the events of last evening had cost him sleep - but that didn't seem likely.

"What?" his partner snapped and Jisoo quickly averted his eyes. Apparently, he was back to his antisocial self and his mood was even worse than yesterday.

"Nothing. Good morning."

"Morning," the other grumbled before he once again buried himself in his papers.

Jisoo was itching to ask about what had happened yesterday but he knew better than to disturb him. Instead, he made his way to his desk but stopped when he noticed a small box of chocolates sitting innocently on the scratched surface.

He glanced at Seungcheol but the other was still ignoring his existence. Why would he get him chocolates? For surviving his first assignment?

Jisoo's chair screeched when he pulled it back, still focused on the box. He could feel Seungcheol's glare drilling into the side of his head and mumbled a quick apology while he sat down. When the other didn't attempt to explain the situation, he decided to break the silence. It took quite a bit of courage. "Thanks, uh, for the chocolates?"

"They're not from me," Seungcheol replied without looking up.

"Oh." Awkward. Jisoo swallowed before he tried again: "Do you know who left them?"

This time Seungcheol actually lifted his head and shot him a long look before he answered. "Chan."

Jisoo wasn't sure who he had expected but it certainly hadn't been Chan. They had barely exchanged a word so far and he hadn't seen him again after the assignment. "Huh? But why?"

Seungcheol only shrugged and turned back to his papers. The monk looked at the little box of chocolates before he opened it and popped one into his mouth. He smiled. It tasted great, sweet with a hint of something fruity.

His bliss got disrupted by the voice of his partner. He was watching him over the top of the folder he was holding. "Don't get too close to him."

Was that a warning or was it a threat? The Being's expression didn't provide an answer and Jisoo immediately felt his defences go up but he took a deep breath to calm himself. Somehow, Seungcheol always managed to push his buttons. "...why?"

"It's unhealthy and, moreover, it's dangerous."

Unhealthy? What an odd choice of words. Was Chan going to harm him? Somehow, that didn't seem likely. But then again, Soonyoung hadn't seemed dangerous either.

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much," Jisoo huffed nonetheless but blushed when his partner smiled dryly. They both knew that he was bluffing.

"I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about Chan."

That caught the monk off-guard. How could he, a Human, possibly be a danger to a Being? That sounded completely absurd. "What do you mean?"

"You should let Chan decide whether he wants to tell you," Seungcheol dismissed and Jisoo's brows furrowed immediately. Why was everyone in Aegis so damn secretive?

"How can I possibly work with a team when I have absolutely no clue about the members?!" That had come out louder than he had intended but Jisoo felt no need to apologize. On the contrary. "If you had simply told me that Chan can revive himself or whatever, I wouldn't have gone through so much freaking angst yesterday!"

Loaded silence filled the room. They stared each other down, dark brown meeting crimson, until Seungcheol heaved a sigh and looked away. "I suppose you're right. And as the leader, I do owe you an apology for yesterday," he said slowly, voice low.

The monk felt something akin to grim satisfaction at those words. For the first time, the power imbalance between them had shifted slightly.

"However, I'm not comfortable disclosing this kind of private information without the consent of the others. I'll talk to them about it tomorrow at our meeting. Although I would still prefer if you'd ask them yourself."

Seungcheol looked even more tired while he spoke, deep shadows adorning his face, moving with every word. For some reason, it made Jisoo uncomfortable to see him this way. He tried to ignore the nagging feeling by turning back to his table but the uneasiness remained. He didn't want to meddle with Seungcheol's affairs; he was sure it wouldn't end well. They were basically strangers after all. And the other hadn't given him much reason for showing kindness so far... but he was still his partner.

After a moment of contemplation, he forced himself to speak, eyes fixed on the box of chocolates. "Are you okay?"

"Hm?"

"You look tired. You're not getting sick, are you?" Jisoo asked, eyes still glued to the box. Looking up would be way too embarrassing.

"No," the Being sounded amused, "I always look like this." He paused and Jisoo fiddled with the packaging of the box, assuming that his question had been dismissed with those words. But when Seungcheol continued, he looked up, puzzled by the sudden honesty. "The preparations for the next meeting are stressing me out."

The Being had leaned back and was pinching the bridge of his nose, his face scrunched up as if he was having a headache. The sight didn't exactly alleviate Jisoo's concern. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked. Maybe if he could lower the workload, the other would be able to relax? They could split it, or maybe he could-

"No." Jisoo's hope crumbled and he looked down again. "Maybe later." The monk glanced up at the surprising words and was met with a small smile. It was the first genuine one he had seen on Seungcheol's face. He had to admit that it suited him. "How about you go look for Chan? I'm sure you'll get your answers from him if you ask the right questions."

With a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jisoo opened the door to the break room of the unit since he considered it the best place to start. Only one person was seated on one of the armchairs and, unfortunately, it wasn't Chan. The monk cleared his throat to get the attention of the Being. "Hi, uh, Dokyeom, right?"

The Being looked up and Jisoo could watch the colour drain from his face.

Was he sick? Could Beings even get sick?

Worried, he took a step closer but stopped when the male visibly stiffened. "Are you alright?" he asked, trying to keep his voice low to not startle him any further.

The Being only nodded curtly, his eyes moving from the door behind Jisoo to the windows as if he was searching for a way to escape.

"Uhm. I'm looking for Chan. Have you seen him by any chance?"

"No." Dokyeom's voice was hushed and he avoided Jisoo's gaze at all cost.

What a weirdo. "Alright then." Jisoo prepared to leave, one hand at the door handle, already contemplating where to look next. The meeting room, maybe? The cafeteria? Tao's lab?

"Try room 302."

Jisoo turned back at Dokyeom's words but the Being was staring at the wall. "Uh, thanks?"

He didn't receive a reply and with a shrug, he left the room.

Jisoo knocked at the door of 302, unsure what he would find behind it. The other doors lining the hallway didn't hold any indication either, apart from numbers in brass letters.

"Yes?"

His hand shook slightly when he pressed down the handle.

Chan looked up from the book he had been reading on a worn-out couch in the corner when the monk peered into the room. This office looked a lot more comfortable than Seungcheol's, although a lot less expensive. At least it had two normal desks, Jisoo noted sourly. "Hi. Sorry to interrupt."

The Being beckoned him in. "It's fine." It was Jisoo's first time to see him without a turtleneck. With his chin uncovered, he looked a lot less gloomy although his fringe was still hiding almost half of his face.

"Uh..." Awkwardly, the monk tried to think of a way to get the conversation started. "I met Dokyeom just now. What's wrong with him? He looked like he saw a ghost when I tried to talk to him."

Chan placed his book on the armrest and ran his fingers through his hair, revealing his eyes and parts of his forehead. "He's scared of Humans," he said after a short pause, his aloof expression devoid of sympathy for his colleague.

"What? Why?!" The Being only looked at him in silence until Jisoo rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, I got it. I'll ask him myself someday. Unless he drops dead from a heart attack first."

Chan's lips twitched. "Unlikely." His voice was as flat as always but his eyes were twinkling. "Just as unlikely as me dropping dead from one. That's what you're here for, right?"

Spot on. "Well. Yeah. Kinda," the monk admitted and scratched his nape. It was scary how good the Being was at reading people. "But I mainly wanted to say thanks for the chocolates! Seungcheol said they were from you?"

This time, Chan actually smiled. It brightened his lifeless face and although it reminded Jisoo eerily of the moment before the Being had gotten mauled by the skinwalker, he couldn't help but return it. "I'm glad you like them." Before Jisoo could ask what he had done to deserve the gift, Chan kept talking. "I wanted to apologize for worrying you. But I'm not going to lie and say I didn't enjoy it."

The monk stared at him, slightly dumbfounded by the statement. "Uh, I don't get it. You enjoyed it? Like, you enjoyed me being worried?"

What was wrong with him? Did he like seeing people suffer? Was he a psychopath or something?

"Yes," the Being confirmed with a nod. "It was very refreshing. Why don't you have a seat?" Chan patted the cushion next to him and after a second of hesitation, Jisoo followed the suggestion while making sure to leave a sizeable gap between them.

"Why do you enjoy something like that?" He tried hard to make it sound less like the accusation it was but the Being didn't seem offended.

"Well, as you probably have figured out by now: I can't die. Or, to be more precise: I don't remain dead." Jisoo stared at him wide-eyed while Chan looked out of the window, an expression of longing on his face. He had figured that the Being had somehow revived but hearing first hand that he had actually died the day before was unnerving. "But that's only one part. My greatest asset is that I can take people with me."

The monk recoiled when Chan's eyes suddenly met his. A bitter smile curled the lips of the Being.

Jisoo tried to gloss over his blunder and cleared his throat. "Take- take them with you? What do you mean?"

"When I die, I can take the soul of whoever I'm touching with me into the void. On the other hand, I can also bring a soul back while returning. It's an ability unique to my species."

That explained the events of last evening but it didn't make Jisoo feel any more comfortable. "Is that what happened to the first skinwalker?" he asked, his voice low.

"Indeed."

So he had died while fighting the skinwalker. But that meant- "You actually died twice yesterday?!"

"It takes me a while to resurrect since my body needs time to recover first. It regenerates quickly while I'm dead but when I'm alive it only heals at a very slow rate. Yesterday I died twice because I came back early to warn you." Chan sounded completely unaffected as if he was talking about the weather. It was a disturbing contrast to the morbid topic. Jisoo shivered. He opened his mouth to apologize but the Being cut him off. "No need, I'm used to it. I've been weaponizing my death for years. Thanks to that, it's seen as a necessity and nobody worries about me because they all know I'll return. It felt surprisingly good to have someone care about my life even though it was only out of a lack of knowledge."

Although the Being smiled once again, this time the monk couldn't return it. He was trying to wrap his head around the idea of willingly dying just for something as mundane as a job. It sounded completely unreasonable. And something else was bothering him even more: "But- but doesn't it hurt?"

Chan's eyes darkened and moved back to the window while Jisoo's heart sank. "Of course it hurts. I feel pain just like you," he said after a short pause, his voice once again cold and distant.

It surprised Jisoo how much the empty expression on the Being's face pained him. "That's horrible! Why are you doing this to yourself?!"

The look Chan shot him was filled with something the monk couldn't put into words. The eyes in his young face looked ancient. "I've been walking this earth for so long, Jisoo. Civilizations come and go. Everything around me crumbles to dust and then gets rebuilt while I'm the only thing that remains static. If killing myself over and over again can give me a sense of accomplishment and the feeling of actually having a reason to exist, I will happily do it for the rest of my existence."

Silence hung over them after he had spoken those words, the atmosphere heavy in the small room. Jisoo didn't know what to say. Even Beings who were blessed with long lives eventually died of old age or got killed by someone stronger. Not being able to die, having to experience loss over and over again, sounded crushing. He had never imagined an existence as forlorn as Chan's.

How did he bear it? How did he manage not to despair?

The monk watched him while the Being kept looking out of the window with empty eyes. Chan seemed so lonely in the way he hid from the world and kept to himself. It hurt to look at, now that Jisoo knew what was going on behind that long fringe of his.

But at least now he somewhat understood what Seungcheol had meant earlier: It would harm Chan to care too much about someone since that someone would inevitably die someday. It was probably better to heed his partner's warning and stay away from him.

Chapter Text

When Jisoo returned to his office, still somewhat depressed after his chat with Chan, he found Seungcheol already waiting for him in front of the door. His eyes were narrowed, expression tense, much tenser than in the morning, his pale lips forming a thin line. A twinge of fear ran through the monk.

Was his partner angry because they had taken their sweet time? But he had told him to talk to Chan; he couldn’t blame him for that, could he?

"What's the matter?" he asked as soon as he was within earshot, hand already clutched around his prayer beads. It took effort to not hunch his shoulders.

Instead of answering, Seungcheol nodded towards the door and entered, not waiting for Jisoo to follow. While the monk hurried to keep up, the Being strode through the room and grabbed a grey folder from his desk. S438 was written on it in bold, black letters.

"A new assignment. It's urgent."

Jisoo's stomach immediately plummeted at Seungcheol's words. He had known that it would happen again but he had still hoped to have at least some time to process the last assignment and its outcome. And it being urgent didn't help to make him feel any less anxious. Didn't that mean that human lives were at stake? A slight tremor ran through his fingers when he reached for the file but his partner seemed hesitant to give it to him, the folder still tightly clasped by his hands.

"I'll be very honest with you," Seungcheol said after a short pause, his voice reverberating in the silence of the room. The monk raised a sceptical eyebrow: That was a first. "I don't want you involved in this. But if I go alone, I’ll face suspension and that's not an option. Therefore, I'll leave you in the van while I handle the problem." His scowl deepened as soon as the monk frowned, ready to protest. Blood red seeped into his dark brown irises. "Don't test my patience right now, Hong Jisoo."

His tone was biting, nothing left of the calm leader from yesterday, and all of a sudden, Jisoo felt very small in front of him. The ferocious look in his red eyes made Seungcheol look positively mental and the monk had absolutely no desire to find out what he could do in this state. He didn't understand why the Being was so worked up about this particular assignment but he was pretty sure that his partner wouldn't provide him with an answer even if he had the gall to ask.

"Can I at least read the file?" he requested meekly.

After taking a deep breath, Seungcheol nodded and handed him the folder. The fear in Jisoo's stomach got joined by a bubble of curiosity when he opened it. The text written on the first page was very short:

Assignment S438

Category: Undead
Species: Vampire (Class 1)
Last seen: -
Confirmed no. of victims: 11
Assumed no. of victims: 16
First victim found: April 5th
Location: Mapo-gu, Seoul
Additional Information:
Seven dead bodies found. Human, blood drained, bite marks on necks and arms, no defensive wounds. Five Humans still missing.
Four Class 3 Vampires sighted. Newly created, rabid. Unit N is dispatched.
Goal: Elimination of Class 1 Vampire.

A map of Mapo district dotted with red marks followed but Jisoo only spared it a glance. The marks seemed to accumulate in certain places; residential areas, as far as the monk could tell. He flipped to the next page. Several pictures of the victims greeted him, their skin deathly pale in the flash of the camera. Wide, empty eyes, frozen faces, small splotches of blood on their necks and bare arms. Men, women, children.

Dizziness washed over Jisoo and he closed the file at once. It took him several deep breaths to somewhat regain his composure. Suddenly, he was grateful that Seungcheol had spared him the sight of the skinwalkers' victims.

"Do you understand why I don't want you involved?"

Seungcheol's voice seemed to come from far away and the monk had to force himself to focus back on his partner. "Was that- was that really only a single vampire? Sixteen people in three days?" he asked weakly.

The Being examined his pale face for a long moment. "We don't know if it's only one but based on the state of the victims, it seems likely," he replied, his expression unreadable. "Also, they haven't included the Humans killed by the class three vampires. But those are not our problem; Unit N is more than able to handle them."

"All four?" Four freshly turned vampires sounded like an absolute nightmare. Jisoo had heard enough about the species to know that the remaining blood in their bodies made them especially deadly. "Isn't it dangerous for only one unit?"

"Unit N is Aegis' biggest unit and Taeyong is a capable leader. Worry about yourself instead," Seungcheol reprimanded. He still looked tense but the angry lines on his face had softened a little. "And you didn't answer my question: Do you understand why I don't want you, a Human, involved in a fight against a vampire?"

Jisoo’s brows had once again furrowed at his words. It wasn't like the monk wanted to face a vampire - of course not, he knew that he'd stand no chance - but he hated feeling useless. And just sitting around, doing nothing, while his partner was risking his life was a bit... "Can't we set up a trap? I could lure the vampire out and then you-"

A muscle on Seungcheol’s jaw twitched. He didn't give Jisoo the chance to finish his sentence before cutting him off. "Absolutely not. You're going to stay in the van and if I see you anywhere but in the van, you're going to be in trouble. Are we clear?"

"But-"

"You would turn into another victim."

"I survived the skinwalkers and a horde of zombies," Jisoo pointed out, a dissatisfied frown marring his features. His partner made it sound as if he was a helpless newborn. "If I get some good equipment, I could-"

"The power of these species is limited. A class one vampire has extraordinary speed, incredible hearing, enough strength to lift a truck with one arm - do you really think you're standing even the slightest chance?"

"But you do?!"

Seungcheol only shot him a long look, his crimson eyes sparkling in the ceiling lights, before he turned towards the door. "Get ready. We're leaving in forty-five minutes."

Brightly lit apartment buildings towered over a side street where an inconspicuous grey van was parked. Inside, the atmosphere was frigid.

"This is for self-defence. Pray that you won't need it."

Jisoo clenched his teeth, his hands still balled into stubborn fists, but Seungcheol didn't seem to notice his constipated expression. They had argued all the way to Mapo - or Jisoo had, while his partner had skillfully ignored him -, to no avail. The leader of Unit S remained firm in his decision to not get the only Human involved in the vampire assignment - and Jisoo had no choice but to obey. That was what Seungcheol had helpfully reminded him of after the third round of complaints from the monk, shutting him right up.

"At least tell me what to do with that stuff," he huffed, gesturing at the backpack Seungcheol had placed in front of him. "I don't know how to use those things."

The Being raised an eyebrow, a calculating expression on his face, before he nodded and picked up one of several identical glass bottles. "This is wormwood essence. Most Undead don't like the smell; you can use it to repel some of the weaker species." A corner of Seungcheol’s mouth twitched, barely visible. "It's completely useless against class one vampires though — don't get your hopes up."

Jisoo's face fell. Apparently, his partner was a mind reader.

Seungcheol held up a sharp-looking silver dagger next. "If you fight a vampire head-on, use this and aim for the heart. Vampires regenerate but silver slows the ability down. A silver stake or dagger in the heart makes it almost impossible for them to recover quickly. That's the moment where you should use another weapon to cut-off or destroy the head. Or use fire to burn them."

The gory image his mind had conjured caused Jisoo to pale. Seungcheol, however, seemed completely unaffected. Just how many Beings had he fought to get such a thick skin in the face of death and gore? With clammy hands, Jisoo accepted the dagger.

"You'll find a crossbow and silver stakes in that case over there. But since you're not yet trained with it, I don't think it'll be an effective weapon."

"A crossbow?" Jisoo’s curiosity was immediately piqued. "Why not a gun?" Wasn't that too old-school? As far as he knew, they were difficult to use and took ages to reload.

"Bullets are small and fast. Chances are that they'll leave the body after piercing the heart. But for silver to be truly effective, you need a certain amount - preferably applied over a longer time span." Seungcheol's reply sounded almost mechanic. "The stakes are designed to get stuck in place once they enter flesh. Be careful with this, the force behind a crossbow blow is deadly for most species, Humans included. It's not something to play around with."

Jisoo nodded, intimidated. The thought to use it to go after the vampire had flashed through his head at Seungcheol's explanation but his partner had successfully extinguished his desire to help.

"One last thing: Most Undead try to avoid fire. Keep that in mind when you fight undead Beings, especially weaker ones."

"Y-yes."

The Being examined him, his dark eyes intense. Under the strong gaze, the monk couldn't help but shrink back into his seat. "Don't think just because you have this, you can fight a class one vampire. They are the strongest species in the undead category for a reason. One bite and you die. Or worse: you turn. They are the origins of the entire vampire race and almost all of them are clever and experienced - otherwise, they wouldn't have survived for so long. There are not many Beings who are on par with them in a fight and almost no Humans." He pierced the monk with another long stare and Jisoo’s fist tightened around his payer beads in response.

"Humans are prey to them." Seungcheol enunciated every word with utmost deliberation. "You wouldn't feel threatened by your dinner either, would you?"

Tension was running through him but Jisoo heeded Seungcheol's warnings. Based on what he had seen during his first assignment, his partner was quite strong - he had to be as the leader of their unit - so he would probably be able to arrest the vampire. Right?

Right.

But Jisoo couldn't help but worry. The Being had been awfully serious when he had ordered him to stay in the van... what if something happened to Seungcheol? What if he got caught off-guard? Or got surrounded? Maybe there was more than one vampire after all...

Jisoo fidgeted and peeked through the windscreen.

Everything looked deceptively peaceful outside. The van was parked in a mixed residential area and while there had been people passing by earlier - Humans and Beings - by now the surroundings had quieted down. It was normal for Humans to stay inside during the evening and night hours when many of the more dangerous Beings went out to hunt, but it was obvious that even Beings were avoiding the outside right now, after everything that had happened during the past few days. The streets were completely deserted. Which was good, Jisoo mused, less chance for anyone to get hurt.

He peeked out of the window once again but saw nothing out of the ordinary. A nervous pinch in his stomach made him grimace.

The strong urge to pee woke him up. Jisoo groaned. Wincing at a painful twinge in his neck, he sat up straight in his seat and stretched. How long would this freaking assignment last? He had gone through the stages of fear, anxiety and uneasiness, and had been in the middle of horrible boredom when he had fallen asleep after finishing the snacks he had brought - but now, with his bladder filled to the max, sleeping until his partner returned was out of the question.

Seungcheol's words about not leaving the van for any reason rang through his mind. But this was urgent. An emergency.

The monk eyed the door for a while, listening for any unusual sounds, but it was just as quiet as it had been throughout the last few hours. His bladder was killing him.

He suppressed another groan when he reached for the backpack Seungcheol had left behind. If he had to break his promise, the least he could do was bringing some weapons along. The glass bottles in the backpack were surprisingly heavy. It had looked light when Seungcheol had carried it but Jisoo had a hard time even lifting the backpack. He would be completely incapacitated if he brought it along. After a few seconds of thinking it over, Jisoo turned to his own, smaller backpack, which he had used to carry snacks and water.

After discarding the trash, he picked a random bottle of wormwood essence and took the silver dagger. The radios they had used during the skinwalker assignment were mounted to the wall of the van and he took the one he had used back then and threw it into the backpack as well, grateful that Seungcheol had brought along his radio as a means to contact him in an emergency. Then he turned to the stack of black clothes on the back-seat.

He would only get out of the car for a few seconds anyway. Nothing would happen.

His heart was beating out of his chest by the time he pulled open the door of the van. The dagger was fastened to the belt of the black jeans he had changed into but the weapon didn't really give him a feeling of security after Seungcheol's demoralizing speech earlier. But he couldn't wait any longer without peeing himself, so he crept out of the car anyway, holding his breath in the process to not miss even the slightest sound.

He looked around for a good spot to relieve himself. At least he wouldn't have to go far since nobody was around, he consoled himself. About twenty meters off, a dark corner between two buildings looked promising and it took all of Jisoo's willpower to not sprint there.

His head filled with Seungcheol's warnings, he sneaked towards it, grimacing at the pain in his neither regions. This was the worst. How did the other unit members manage during long assignments without a toilet? But maybe they didn't need to go, they were Beings after all. What would they know about having a human body.

After reaching his destination, he couldn't help but sigh in bliss when he was finally able to let it all out. Now he just had to hope that he hadn't gotten caught on CCTV; he had no money to pay any fines.

It took him a moment to finish but as soon as he was done, the severity of the situation hit him. Seungcheol would probably throw a fit if he knew that he had defied his orders. Or, even worse, he would be disappointed. That wasn't something the monk wanted to risk.

Hastily, Jisoo made his way back to the van. Although only a few meters separated him from the car, it felt much farther. His nerves were once again pulled taut while he crept forward, careful not to make any unnecessary noise.

He had almost reached the van when a shrill cry rang through the evening air. Jisoo froze, his hand only inches apart from the door handle.

"No! Please, no!" The voice was clearly female. "Stop, please! Don't hurt me!"

Wide-eyed, Jisoo turned in the direction of the screams. He couldn't see anything, his view was blocked by another building, but based on the volume of the voice, she was close, maybe just around the corner.

Everything in Jisoo told him to return to the van, to lock it, to curl up and to pretend that he hadn't heard a thing. But the pleading continued and the tone of her voice plucked at his heartstrings. It was clear that the woman was begging for her life right now.

Even before becoming a monk, Jisoo had never been particularly good at minding his own business. And now that the higher monks of the monastery had instilled the principles to do good and live a good life in him, he couldn't just ignore someone who was clearly in distress, could he? Also, he was getting paid to help people now. Maybe it wasn't the vampire who was attacking her. Surely, she would already be dead if it was the undead Being. But if the attacker was a Human or a weaker Being, he had a chance to help.

Determination hardened the monk's face.

Jisoo crept along the backside of the apartment building while street lamps were illuminating his pale face. He was clutching the loaded crossbow, praying that it would be of use even for an amateur like him. He had shot one bolt into the ground to test it and the recoil hadn't been as strong as he had anticipated, but shooting a solid object and shooting a living, breathing, moving person were two entirely different matters.

The pleas had gotten replaced by muffled crying. It wouldn't even be audible if he wasn't so close already. Strengthening his resolve and tightening his grip around the weapon, Jisoo tiptoed to the corner of the building and took a peek. A cold shudder immediately ran down his spine at the sight in front of him.

The woman he kept hearing was sprawled on the ground, moving weakly. It seemed like she had been on her way home from work, based on the expensive ladies' suit she was wearing. One of her high heels was lying forgotten in the middle of the street. The upper half of her body was hidden behind the slim back of a man. His clothes were undoubtedly expensive as well, a tailored business suit and loafers, but they were sullied with dark stains. It seemed like he was holding her.

Jisoo stared for a long moment, trying to figure out what was going on. Was the man her attacker? Or was he helping her after she had gotten attacked? Would it be wise to show himself?

The monk hesitated.

Another quiet whimper ended his uncertainty. If the man was hurting her, he needed to help the woman. And if the man was helping her, he would probably be grateful for another helping hand.

Clearing his throat to announce his presence, Jisoo stepped forward, his hands still tightly wrapped around the crossbow. "Excuse me. Do you need help?" His heart was beating double time in his chest.

The back directed at him stiffened before the man turned around. The collar of his white shirt was stained with rust-coloured spots but Jisoo barely noticed them, too distracted by the blood smeared around the man's mouth and his glowing red eyes.

Vampire flashed through the monk's brain. His face paled. What class was this? Third? First? But it didn't really matter - he was screwed anyway: If the vampire didn’t kill him, Seungcheol would definitely finish the job.

Species: Vampire

Vampyr; There are several possible origins of the word Vampyr (and all it's variant spellings) but etymologists believe the first reference to Vampyrs in recorded history to be Ubyr, a misuse of an ancient Turkish word for Witch. As more became known about these creatures, the word eventually evolved into the modern Vampire to differentiate it from the original Ubyr.

As the rulers of the Undead category, Vampires are divided into three Classes:

Class One (also known as Pure-blood or Origin): The original Vampires. They are able to create both Class Two and Three Vampires. They usually stay with one partner and build a coven throughout their lifetime. Pure-blood Vampires are extremely rare because they reproduce slowly and take several decades to mature. The majority are killed by Hunters before they can reach adulthood.

Class Two: The most common type of Vampires. Class Two Vampires were once human and can remember their previous lives. Their personalities usually don’t change throughout their transformation, although the constant thirst for blood can drive them into insanity. They feel a strong sense of loyalty towards the Class One who transformed them and usually become a member of their coven. Older Class Two Vampires are able to drink from Humans without turning them into Class Three's.

Class Three (also known as Ferals): A highly dangerous subspecies, especially during the first five days after their transformation due to the remaining human blood in their bodies. If created by a Class One, they are very obedient. But if abandoned, they will follow their instincts without care for the consequences. The Codex of Vampire Law prohibits Class Three Vampires from being created.

Unlike Upirs, Vampires are nocturnal and enter a sleep-like state to rest throughout the day.

Excerpt from “A Beginner’s Guide to Beings”, page 20.

Chapter Text

The man’s shadow danced over the asphalt when he got up, the movement fluid and faster than Jisoo had expected. Recoiling, the monk lifted his crossbow, its weight not as reassuring as he wanted it to be. "Stay where you are!" It was embarrassing how much his voice was shaking.

The vampire seemed to have the same thought; his chuckles rang through the street as he straightened out his jacket. Cold sweat began to accumulate on Jisoo's hairline; that was definitely not a class three vampire.

It was too late to regret the choices that had led him into this situation - but the monk cursed himself anyway. If he had listened to Seungcheol and had ignored the woman, he wouldn't be in trouble now.

Where was his partner anyway? Some help would be greatly appreciated.

Unsettling long canines got revealed when the vampire smiled at him. Despite his eerie, bright-red eyes and the blood caked around his mouth, he was not bad-looking; high cheekbones and a sharp jawline gave his otherwise average face a certain appeal.

"You smell pretty good," he stated in a surprisingly normal voice - Jisoo had secretly expected some sort of manic cackling. "Are you a hunter?"

Swallowing his saliva, the monk pondered what to answer. Would the vampire attack if he said yes? Or would he search for an easier victim? "I am," he finally said after weighing his options for a few seconds. To support his claim, he waved his crossbow. "You're surrounded, don't try anything funny!" The monk was praying that his voice had sounded confident enough.

His hopes got shattered instantly by another low chuckle. "You think I wouldn't be able to smell them? What do you take me for. And what's with that scared expression? Are you some sort of hobby hunter?"

Jisoo forced himself not to falter. If he showed his fear, the Being would attack for sure. Before he could think of a good response, a growl permeated the air, drawing his attention. The woman was writhing on the dirty ground behind the vampire, her hands clawing at the asphalt. Several of her nails had already broken, leaving her fingers bloody, while her stockings tore more and more with each kick of her legs. She didn't seem to notice. Or maybe she was in too much pain to stop.

The impulse to run to her side hit the monk but ultimately, his rationality won. This wasn’t simply a reaction to getting injured. No. This was the birth of a class three vampire. He needed to get away before the transformation was complete, otherwise he would stand not even the ghost of a chance.

"Go on. Run. It's more fun that way." The smirk of the male vampire had widened and a perverse glimmer of mirth was sparkling in his red eyes. The growls behind him were rising in volume.

Jisoo's brain was working frantically to come up with a plan. Something. Anything to survive. There were three bolts currently cocked in the crossbow. After that, he would have to reload which would take time he didn't have. He also carried wormwood essence and the dagger with him, but Seungcheol had said that wormwood was useless against class one vampires and using the dagger required him to get close to the Being - which was something he definitely wanted to avoid. The van was armoured but it probably wasn't strong enough to withstand a frontal assault. And even if it did, what stopped the vampire from picking it up and shaking the living daylights out of him? The apartment buildings all had security doors that only opened with key cards but hiding outside was risky since his natural human scent seemed to attract the undead Being. His only chance of survival was to contact Seungcheol - but how could he do that with a vampire hot on his heels?

He needed to buy time. And if his partner didn't decide to pay him a surprise visit - which, unfortunately, was unlikely - he would almost certainly die.

A sickening feeling rose in his stomach when he reached that conclusion.

Silence suddenly settled over the street. The screams and growls of the woman had subsided, her defiled body had stopped convulsing. An overwhelming sense of dread gripped Jisoo at the sight of the man’s sneer. The transformation was over.

The monk took a step back. He couldn't panic now; it would only make everything worse. His hands tightened around the crossbow. If he managed to shoot them, they would get slowed down due to the pain of the silver. But how big was the chance to hit two vampires with a weapon he knew basically nothing about? And he only had three shots.

But it was his only way out.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, a lame attempt to divert the man's attention.

The vampire looked completely relaxed, his bright red eyes sparkling in the otherwise human face, because, really, what was there to fear? Certainly not the shaking Human with his flimsy crossbow. "I'm hungry, obviously. Isn't it normal to get something to eat when you're starving?" he asked back, a mocking lilt in his voice.

Jisoo took another step back. One more step until he reached the corner of the house. "How can you possibly be hungry after killing so many people?" He almost added 'you sick fuck' but stopped himself just in time. Insulting an origin vampire probably wasn't a smart move.

To his surprise, the vampire’s forehead furrowed. "What are you ta-" His words got cut off by a loud snarl. Out of nowhere, the woman jumped to her feet, her red irises even brighter than the eyes of her creator. Strands of hair had slipped out of her formerly tight bun and tears had ruined her makeup; it was smeared over her face in dark streaks. A crazed expression was painting her features, a hint of confusion in her wide eyes. The gruesome bitemark on her neck stood in stark contrast to her overly pale skin.

The man turned to look at his creation and Jisoo took the chance.

A quiet hiss filled the air when the silver bolt cut through it with lightning speed - and then a sharp twack followed when it burrowed into the wall behind the two vampires.

Jisoo's heart skipped a beat.

He had missed.

Both Beings had focused their attention back on him. The man wasn't smiling anymore while the woman seemed unable to comprehend what was happening. She was clearly still overwhelmed by the sudden transformation, her movements shaky and uncertain, but Jisoo wasn't planning to give her the chance to come to her senses.

Another hiss filled the air, the bolt this time directly on target. It had almost reached her body when the male vampire pulled her aside, his movement so fast, Jisoo could barely see it.

The second bolt was gone and both vampires were still completely unharmed. Terror rushed through the monk.

"You little...," the man growled with flashing eyes. "I thought you'd be fun to play with but now I just want to rip you apart."

It took all of Jisoo's willpower to keep his hands from shaking. Running wasn't an option, they would catch him in a heartbeat, but he would be damned if he couldn't strike at least once. "Try it, I won't make it easy," he hissed through clenched teeth and the vampire snarled in response.

Then the Being threw itself forward, leaving the woman behind.

Jisoo watched him draw nearer.

Closer.

Closer.

A little bit more.

If he had to die, the least he could do was plant that fucking stake right through the vampire's brain.

Adrenaline pushed any other thought away.

Jisoo was so focused on the approaching Being that he didn't feel the hum of power running through his veins like electricity. Neither did he notice that everything had slowed down.

The wooden handle of the crossbow was pressed against his cheek; his eyes were intently focused on the man's distorted face.

A little bit closer.

Seconds stretched, longer and longer, but he paid it no mind. It was probably the adrenaline.

A little bit closer.

Now.

He pulled the trigger.

The last bolt left the crossbow and Jisoo closed his eyes to pray.

Thump.

The muffled sound was different from the sharp twack of before. He expected a howl of pain or a screech to follow but everything remained unnaturally silent. Therefore, he braced himself for the coming attack, his grip on the weapon tightening enough to be painful.

One second passed.

Two.

Five.

Ten.

The silence persisted and Jisoo grew restless. Something was wrong. He dared to take a peek and his stomach immediately clenched.

The sharp clack of the crossbow hitting the ground cut through the silence like a whiplash but Jisoo didn't register the sudden sound in the otherwise deathly still world. One hand pressed against his belly, he turned on his heel and used the only chance he would get to flee.

The skin of the male vampire had turned grey. Dark lines were accumulating around the deep hole in his forehead while he weighed the silver stake in his hand, indescribable fury painting his distorted features.

The female vampire had crept closer to her creator, jittery, with jerky movements. Shrieking, she recoiled when he threw the stake at her, hitting her in the shoulder.

"What the hell are you waiting for?!" he bellowed. "Find him!"

Snarling at the agitation in his voice, she sniffed the ground where the Human had stood before he had vanished. It didn’t take her long to pick up a trace of his sweet scent. Saliva dripped down her chin, onto her formerly white blouse, and she left to give chase.

It took the male vampire two attempts to finally climb to his feet. His limbs were shaking and he had trouble keeping his balance. His unfocused gaze fell on the silver stake that was lying innocently on the ground. A murderous gleam made his bright red eyes sparkle, his ashen face turning even paler, before he followed his creation.

Thanks to his training in the monastery, Jisoo's stamina was quite well developed but fear was coiling around his body like a snake, making it hard to breathe. It was a miracle that the vampires hadn't caught him yet but he knew that it was only a matter of time.

His hurried steps were drowning out the other sounds around him. He couldn't tell whether someone was following him. He needed to call Seungcheol.

With that thought filling every little crevice of his brain, Jisoo finally stopped and burrowed into the hedge that lined the tall, dark walls of one of the many apartment complexes. Small branches snagged his clothes and for a few horrible seconds, he thought that they would tear his skin – every damn vampire in the neighbourhood would sniff him out then - but somehow he managed to get through without any scratches. The bushes were dense enough to hide him once he crouched, the smell of earth and nature surrounding him like a blanket.

It was dark and his hands were shaking while he fumbled with the clasp of his backpack. After several attempts, he finally managed to open it but he jumped and dropped it when his fingers touched something unexpectedly cold. A shaky breath escaped him. He had gotten scared by the bottle of wormwood essence he had packed earlier. "Get a grip, Hong Jisoo," he hissed before he picked it up again, diving for the radio for the second time. Why he hadn't fastened it to his belt was a complete mystery to him.

Finally, after another moment of frantically rummaging through the bag, he found what he had been searching for. His hand was still shaking when he pressed the button and lifted the little device to his mouth. "Seungcheol." His voice cracked. After clearing his throat, he continued. "Can you hear me?"

For a few, long seconds, silence reigned - and then: "What's wrong?"

A surge of relief flooded the monk at the sound of his partner’s deep voice. With no time to dwell on it, he hastily replied, "There are two vampires here. Class one and class three. I think they're following me." He had tried not to let it show how much the situation was scaring him but he wasn't sure whether he had managed to sound convincing. Probably not.

"You left the car. Where are you?"

A shiver ran down Jisoo's spine at the suppressed anger in Seungcheol's voice. He had known that the leader wouldn't be pleased but he had still hoped that he would somehow manage to get by unscathed. But based on his tone, Jisoo would face some serious consequences - given that he survived the whole vampire-matter. The monk swallowed the excuses that were waiting to pour out of his mouth and focused on the essentials. "Uh... I think the building to my left is apartment building 17."

"Don’t move."

The device beeped before Jisoo had the chance to reply and if it hadn't been a life-or-death situation, he would have thrown it against the wall. "Arrogant bastard," he muttered but couldn't bring himself to let go of the radio, his only hope of survival. Now he could only pray that his partner's arrogance wasn't unfounded.

A minute passed in which Jisoo jumped at even the smallest sound. His nerves were frayed, pulled taut like piano wires, and the constant rustling of leaves around him made him all the more tense. "Calm down," he mumbled, his fingers aching to wrap around his prayer beads but he had left them in the car and now he regretted it.

"I know you're here, little mutant..."

Jisoo froze once his brain had registered the voice. His hands immediately started shaking again. He clamped them over his mouth to muffle his ragged breathing and prayed that the undead Beings wouldn't be able to sniff him out. Peering through the leaves, the monk was faced with the sight of the two vampires standing in the middle of the deserted street, the streetlamps casting a yellow glow onto them.

"No need to hide. I can smell the cold sweat on your skin."

The woman growled. Her body was rigid, as if she was ready to attack, but his hand around her nape was holding her back. It was painfully obvious that they were playing with Jisoo, their glowing eyes already shining in his direction.

"Do you want to come out by yourself or do we need to drag you out of the bushes?" the man asked, his tone overly casual. His stance was oozing self-confidence.

Both choices didn't sound particularly tempting, therefore the monk remained silent, one hand still tightly wrapped around the radio. The other hand ever-so-slowly inched towards the silver knife fastened to his belt.

"You want to play hide-and-seek, huh? That’s fine by me." The thinly veiled excitement in the vampire's voice made Jisoo grimace. He wanted to run but turning his back to them would be his death sentence. His hand tightened even further around the dagger, his knuckles turning white.

A bloodthirsty smile lit up the male Being's face, his fangs peeking out from his lips, before he took a step towards the hedge Jisoo was hiding in.

The monk lifted his dagger. Only a few meters were separating them. Fifteen steps at most. A distance the man was able to cross in a heartbeat.

The vampire took another slow step, revelling in the fear he was evoking, while the monk tried to somehow calm his increasingly erratic breathing. There was no way to defeat two vampires with one flimsy dagger – but he wouldn’t allow himself to dwell on the hopelessness of the situation.

Before the Being could take the third step, a voice rang through the street and Jisoo's heart jumped into his throat at the familiar sound.

"And where do you think you're going?"

As if he was appearing out of thin air, Seungcheol stepped out of the shadows in all his pale glory. The black clothes he was wearing only emphasized the contrast to his skin. His expression was aloof, almost arrogant, but danger was lurking in his dark eyes.

Relief rushed through the monk with dizzying strength. He had no idea what his partner was capable of but just the fact that he wasn't alone anymore took an enormous weight off his shoulders. He peered through the leaves at Seungcheol, who was calmly facing his opponents, and courage welled up in his chest. Biting his lip, he contemplated joining him. Two against two seemed fairer than two against one - but, as much as it hurt his pride, he knew that he would only be a hindrance in a fight between Beings. Also, Seungcheol probably wouldn’t appreciate his attempt to support him; he was mad at him anyway for leaving the van.

"Ha? Who're you?" the male vampire drawled. Although his stance was still relaxed, he had stopped his advance. It was obvious that he deemed himself the strongest on this street - and Jisoo had to admit that he shared that belief. A class one vampire was nothing to scoff at; regardless of how strong he was, even Seungcheol would have trouble fighting him. And the additional threat of the young class three only made everything worse. It was a miracle that Jisoo had managed to survive until his partner had arrived.

Instead of answering, the leader of Unit S looked the man over as if he was a particularly nasty bug. The vampire's forehead immediately furrowed. "You got a problem?!" he ground through clenched teeth, his bright red eyes flashing.

Seungcheol's pale lips twitched into a tiny, humourless smile. "I don't usually talk to class two scum who can't even drink without transforming a Human."

The vampire's ashen face visibly darkened while Jisoo paled behind his shrub.

Class two? That wasn't the vampire they were supposed to hunt?

"But I'll make an exception today since your creator certainly knows how to hide."

The male vampire snarled, teeth bared, before he dashed towards Seungcheol, almost too quickly for the monk's eyes to follow.

Jisoo's shout died on his lips as soon as he had taken in the situation: Seungcheol's hand had closed around the vampire's throat. He held him in place with effortless elegance and didn't seem to notice the furious struggle of his opponent when he asked, "Are you going to tell me where your creator is?"

"Never," the man rasped out, fury distorting his features.

"That's unfortunate ."

An inhuman screech filled the air. Jisoo couldn't make out what exactly had happened but the scene in front of him made his bile rise. The headless torso of the male vampire slumped to the ground, blood covering the asphalt. For a long moment, Seungcheol weighed the head of the man in his hand, before he unfurled his bloodstained fingers and dropped it next to the body, the dull sound sickening. The female vampire screeched once again, panic written all over her face, seemingly torn between the urge to attack and the urge to flee.

Seungcheol's frigid expression thawed a little at the pained sound. He turned to her with a dim smile. "I'm sorry for what has happened to you." His voice was low and soothing, as if he was speaking to a small child, and, to Jisoo's surprise, the female vampire relaxed her aggressive stance. Slowly, she moved a few uncertain steps towards the leader of Unit S, her brows furrowed.

For some reason, Jisoo's heart clenched at the sight of her vulnerable expression. This was a Human who had gotten violently ripped out of her life. She had just been on her way home and now she was a snarling, growling, feral monster. Maybe she had a partner who was waiting for her? Parents? Children?

Was there no way to turn her back to normal? She seemed better now, in front of Seungcheol. Her face even held something akin to contentment...

Jisoo bit his lip and took a step forward, out of the bushes that had served as his hiding spot, but his foot had not even touched the ground when blood splattered on asphalt for the second time. Its stench permeated the air, thick and disgusting; strong enough for even Jisoo to smell it as his eyes widened.

"WHY?! Why the hell did you kill her?!" The monk's voice shrilled through the cool evening air.

Unlike with the male vampire, Seungcheol took his time to lay down the body in an almost gentle manner. Once she was stretched out on the ground, he folded her abused hands on her chest. Finally, Seungcheol straightened up, pulled out a handkerchief and began to clean his fingers, all while remaining silent.

Already furious because of what had happened, the feeling of being disregarded only made his anger worse. Jisoo had just made up his mind to punch some sense into his partner – who cared that he had just killed two vampires? - when his low voice broke the silence of the night. "You're not very good at following orders, are you?" Seungcheol asked offhandedly while he placed the bloodied handkerchief over the face of the female vampire.

A flush crawled up Jisoo's neck, his fists tightened. "Don't change the topic! Why did you kill her?"

"She was a threat. Only her creator can fully control her."

"But- but-" She had been human only half an hour ago. How could life be this cruel? Jisoo stared at the body of the woman, at her torn clothes and her naked feet. Tears welled up in his eyes. But he could feel Seungcheol's cold gaze on him so he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Are you upset because she was a Human? What if she had been a Being from the beginning?"

The questions felt like a slap to his face. "I- I- no! I don't-"

Before Jisoo could stammer an explanation, Seungcheol's body suddenly turned rigid. His upper lip drew back into a snarl. The monk's heart plummeted at the sight and he stopped speaking at once. Was his partner finally showing his true colours? His expression was murderous; would he kill him for a bit of insubordination and talking back?

Those thoughts barely had the time to flit through the monk's head when all of a sudden the air shifted around him and hissing filled his ears. Gravity didn't exist anymore, he couldn't tell which way was up or down. Something hard hit his side and suddenly everything was quiet.

Disoriented, he sat up and looked around, taking in his surroundings. He was once again hidden in the hedge but this time his body was wrapped in Seungcheol's black coat. His partner was standing in the middle of the street, in front of the two vampire corpses, his face once again a mask of indifference.

A rich, slightly musky fragrance tickled his nose and Jisoo tightened his grip on Seungcheol's coat. The monk wasn't an idiot. There had to be a reason why Seungcheol was pretending that he didn't exist - and why he was masking his human scent with his coat. Jisoo craned his neck to be able to see but he immediately shrunk back when Seungcheol spoke.

"It’s been a while, Isaiah."

Only now Jisoo realized that his partner wasn't addressing him.

"Seungcheol." Another voice drifted through the crisp evening air, slightly higher than Seungcheol's, its timbre pleasant but completely unfamiliar to the monk. "What a pleasure to meet you again."

Nothing changed in Seungcheol's aloof expression but the air around him seemed to shiver when he said, "Stop pretending. Using Humans as bait - why did you lure me here?"

A man stepped out of the shadows, a foreigner. Short, light brown hair, modern clothes, his pale skin not quite as pale as Seungcheol's. His thin lips were rosy and a healthy glow was painting his cheeks. It was impossible to estimate how old he was. His face was free of wrinkles but the gauntness of it took away its youthfulness. Blue eyes shimmered like marbles in the yellow glow of the street lamps, just as cold, just as hard.

Jisoo stiffened behind his shrub. Something about the stranger gave him a strong urge to hide. He burrowed even further into Seungcheol's coat, reassured by its soothing scent.

"'Luring you'... what an unfortunate way to put it," the man said, his lips pulling into a smile. "I merely wanted to see my little brother again."

The monk's eyes had widened at his words and flitted over the stranger's face once again, trying to find any similarity with Seungcheol - he couldn't find any. They looked completely different.

Seungcheol's body remained utterly still, his expression unreadable, only one corner of his mouth curled into a tiny, lopsided smirk. "I see," he said. "Very touching." He took a step forward, towards the stranger who claimed to be his brother, over the corpses of the vampires he had slain. Blood-red began to bleed into dark brown, his irises glowing like smouldering coals. "I’ve been assigned to get rid of you."

The man chuckled, completely unimpressed. Jisoo clamped his hands over his mouth to stop a gasp from escaping when his blue eyes flashed blood-red, the colour eerily familiar. His gaze flitted from one Being to another, got caught by overly pale skin and crimson eyes. Now it wasn't as difficult to believe that they were actually related.

"You can try your luck but we both know what happened last time," Isaiah drawled and Seungcheol's face hardened in response. Visibly pleased with his reaction, Isaiah grinned, showing off frighteningly long canines - the same type of canines, Jisoo had faced earlier this evening already.

All blood drained out of his face when two revelations hit him: First and foremost, they had finally found the class one vampire - or, to be more precise, the Being had found them - and secondly, Isaiah wasn't the only vampire left on this street.

And based on how effortlessly Seungcheol had killed the other Beings, he certainly wasn't a class two.

Chapter Text

His partner was an origin vampire.

Jisoo wasn't quite sure what to make of that. Of course, he had known that Seungcheol was a strong Being. He was the leader of a unit and he had killed other Beings without breaking a sweat. But having a strong Being that preyed on Humans for a partner was somewhat unsettling. No, maybe even more than only somewhat; it was downright unsettling.

The monk chewed on his lip, his chest constricting painfully. Would his future consist of him having to be scared whenever he faced his partner?

Peeking through the leaves, he examined the stoic face of the leader of Unit S. Seungcheol seemed to be a perfectionist, a stickler for rules. It was highly unlikely that he would go rogue and kill a member of his unit – even if that member was a species he considered prey. But then again, according to Jihoon, the leader had killed the third skinwalker instead of capturing it... The monk decided not to dwell on that thought; it wasn't good for his mental health. In any case, they were lucky that Seungcheol was on par with the Being he was fighting against; otherwise, they both would be having a rather serious problem with their assignment right now.

Outside his hiding place, nothing was happening and the quiet tension put Jisoo on edge. The two vampires kept standing a few meters apart from each other, staring each other down. Seungcheol's face was still expressionless while Isaiah's eyes twinkled with barely concealed mockery. It felt like the calm before the storm.

He didn’t know what to expect. The fight with the other vampires had been over so quickly, it basically didn’t count as a fight – but these were two class one vampires. A different league. And based on what Isaiah had said, it wasn’t the first time they were clashing.

A sudden crack rang through the darkening street like a gunshot. The monk jumped, a yelp smothered by his hands. The two opponents stood in the same place, unmoving, and Jisoo couldn't figure out where the sound had come from. Looking around also brought no explanation so he focused back on the Beings.

He flinched when another crack filled the air but while the vampires still stood motionless, seemingly composed, Seungcheol's dark eyes had narrowed.

"You're too slow." Isaiah's gleeful grin once again revealed his long canines. "Isn’t that nostalgic? Just like the old times. Does it hurt?"

"Shut up."

Red flickered through Isaiah's eyes but his smile only widened while he drawled, "Is that a way to talk to your big brother? Maybe I should break your legs next."

The monk's heart skipped a beat. So the sound he had heard was the snapping of bones? A sick feeling rose in his stomach and he carefully examined his partner, who wasn't showing any signs of pain, but what Jisoo had taken as a somewhat relaxed stance - arms loosely hanging at his sides, feet slightly apart - looked terrifying all of a sudden. Was Seungcheol unable to use his arms because his brother had broken them? Had he broken anything else? Didn't that mean that his partner was completely defenceless now?

Jisoo had personally witnessed how Seungcheol had easily decapitated two vampires and he had not the shadow of a doubt that Isaiah was able to do the same just as easily. Whether he would kill his own brother was a different story but right now, it didn't seem like there was much brotherly love between them.

Jisoo's whole body began to shake when Isaiah strode towards his brother, turning his back to the monk. Seungcheol's stiff expression scared him more than anything. It wasn't one he had seen on his partner's face before but he knew it all too well from the monks that had been prepared to give it their all in their fight against the ghouls.

He had to help. He couldn't just sit by and watch as his partner got torn to shreds. If he could distract Isaiah, even if it was only for a few seconds, it should be enough to give Seungcheol an opening to attack - or flee, but that wasn't something Jisoo wanted to think about right now. His brain was working frantically to come up with a plan while Isaiah kept taunting his brother without getting any reaction in return. Based on the way his voice turned sharper with every word, he wasn't pleased with the lack of response.

Jisoo closed his eyes in order to concentrate. Seungcheol had said that vampires saw Humans as prey. As dinner. The other two vampires had easily made out his scent between all the scents lingering in the area. They were fine-tuned on Humans, on hunting their prey. If he could use that instinct to his advantage, it should be enough to distract the undead Beings. And how would he get them to notice him the most? Probably by spilling human blood.

As soon as Jisoo had come to that conclusion, he looked up and reached for the silver dagger strapped to his belt. But before he was able to touch it, his gaze got caught by blood-red eyes.

Seungcheol was staring straight at him, over the shoulder of his brother, his crimson irises reflecting the light and the monk felt himself get sucked into the colour, a sea of red engulfing him, drowning him. He tried to struggle against it but his body grew heavy and cold, his limbs stiffened. Regardless how much he tried, it was impossible to move.

"Are you done?"

Isaiah's voice rang through the silence and Jisoo focused back on Seungcheol, whose gaze had returned to the face of his brother.

"I was planning to simply ignore his presence but now that you went through the effort of hypnotizing him, I'm curious. What is that Human to you?"

The monk immediately ceased his futile struggle and tensed. What had given him away? Had Seungcheol's coat not masked his scent as well as he had thought?

Coldness engulfed his chest. It was one thing to willingly decide to do something as reckless as getting the attention of a class one vampire - he was very much aware that it was a stupid thing to do; hell, he hadn't even been able to see how Isaiah had broken Seungcheol's arms - but it was something else entirely to get noticed while he was unable to move. Sweat was trickling down his chin, cooling uncomfortably in the cold air, while fear spread its tendrils further and further through his body.

Was Seungcheol going to sacrifice him? He wouldn't, would he? They were partners. And he was the unit leader...

"To think I wouldn't notice him - aren't you underestimating me a bit too much, dear brother?" Isaiah purred, his voice like sugar syrup, sticky and sickly-sweet.

Another crack rang through the air and although Jisoo wanted to turn away, he was unable to do so.

They had changed positions in the milliseconds it had taken them to attack. Seungcheol was crouching in front of the bushes Jisoo was hiding in, his back turned towards the monk, while Isaiah was standing upright a few meters away, holding his wrist. His face was distorted into a grimace. "So he's important enough to harm your own kin?" he snarled, the saliva on his fangs glistening.

"He's certainly more important than you. Don’t try to attack him again." Seungcheol's voice held enough suppressed anger to make Jisoo shiver.

Realization dawned that he had very closely escaped death just now, thanks to his partner, and adrenalin flooded him while his heart picked up speed at once.

It fastened even further when Isaiah stared at the bushes he was hiding in, a horrifying smirk pulling at his lips. "Can you hear his heartbeat? Your Human is scared."

He could hear his heartbeat?! From several meters away? How was something like that even possible? That guy was a monster.

Jisoo felt faint. But he wouldn't lose consciousness now, not here, not in front of these Beings. Still unable to move, he began to pray.

"Leave," Seungcheol ordered after a few beats of silence.

"Or what, Seungcheol? You can't even stop me from breaking your bones and now you're trying to threaten me? I'll get rid of this Human just like I got rid of-"

"I’ll kill you if you dare to say her name," Seungcheol growled, all muscles in his back tensing. He sounded enraged, a complete 180 to his former cold self.

Isaiah sneered and his eyes began to glow dimly while he taunted, "Give it a try. Let's see who dies first: you or the Human."

Every cell in Jisoo's body screamed at him to move but regardless how much he struggled, his body remained frozen in the crouched position it had been in when he had met Seungcheol's eyes. Well hidden in the bushes and utterly helpless. The monk stared at the two Beings, waiting for them to start fighting, as despair began to join his fear. Would Seungcheol be able to defend him despite his broken arms? Wouldn't he be focused on defending himself first and foremost?

He had just finished that thought when the vampires began to move. Isaiah took a step to the left, and then a second one, but Seungcheol didn't follow. He remained firmly in front of the bushes, only his head moving to keep an eye on his opponent. Isaiah took another step, a downright dirty grin stretching his lips, and-

Once again, everything happened too fast for Jisoo to follow. The only thing that reached him were the sounds. Something hard clashed multiple times, the ripping of fabric got followed by a wail of pain that almost made his heart stop. Something hit the ground with a dull thud and his stomach turned once he made out a pale hand lying innocently in the middle of the street, torn off at the wrist. He couldn't tell who it belonged to but he prayed that it wasn't Seungcheol's. The fight was continuing, the bushes moving in the breeze of the battling vampires.

And then, not even half a minute after it had started, it was over.

Seungcheol's body was littered with deep gashes, his black clothes in shreds. Ashen skin was shimmering in the light of the streetlamps as well as glistening flesh where it had gotten torn apart. But, surprisingly, very little blood was visible. Jisoo's heart squeezed painfully at the sight of the deep wounds.

In comparison, Isaiah's body looked a lot more unharmed. His clothes were completely intact; pristine if it hadn't been for the blood that was slowly but surely soaking his shirt and coat. He was missing a hand.

They both stood motionless for a moment, much like during the beginning of their encounter, until Isaiah staggered forward a few steps, his red, crazed eyes fixed on Seungcheol. Jisoo's eyes widened when the Being opened his mouth as if to speak and blood dripped down his chin, onto his clothes.

He convulsed, once, twice, and then Isaiah's body burst into dust. Only a pile of clothes remained under the monk's stunned stare.

Before he could make sense of what had happened, Seungcheol started swaying. The thought that maybe his partner would also suddenly turn to dust was just as scary as the fight had been and the monk couldn't help but try to reach out. His body, of course, didn't move. "Seungcheol!" The sound of his voice surprised him - he hadn't expected to be able to speak although he didn't dwell on it. "Are you okay?!"

The vampire didn't answer, didn't react, but his body had stopped swaying. Instead, it had tensed once again in what seemed like an attempt to gather strength. Scared to disturb him, Jisoo could only watch and wait.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Seungcheol relaxed his stance and took a step back. Seeing this, the monk dared to take a deep breath.

His relieved sigh got cut short by his partner's crimson glare. He looked livid. The blood that was painting his features made him look even more intimidating. If Jisoo had been able to run, he would have fled at once - but now he had to helplessly face whatever Seungcheol was planning to do to him. He gulped, trying to prepare himself for the tirade that would undoubtedly rain down on him.

But instead of the loud scolding he had expected, Seungcheol's voice was deathly calm once he started speaking. "You will stay here and think long and hard about what it means to follow an order."

Jisoo's eyes widened at the prospect of staying outside the whole night, stuck in his own body, unable to defend himself against whatever else was lurking in the neighbourhood. "You're kidding!" His partner certainly didn't look like it. "Come on, don't leave me here! Please? I'm sorry, I'll listen to you from now on! I promise!" Ignoring his words, the leader turned away from him. Jisoo winced when he stepped on the corpse of the male vampire. "I know you can hear me! Stop pretending! Choi Seungcheol!"

Under Jisoo's incredulous stare, his partner vanished into the darkness.

After a very uncomfortable but fortunately uneventful night, Jisoo had gotten picked up by Jihoon, who couldn't quite hide the grin on his face. The first sun-rays had already brightened his apartment building when the shapeshifter had dropped him off at his flat. After the monk had taken a hot shower, he had dropped half-dead into his bed. It only had taken a few seconds for him to fall asleep and not even the gory events of the evening had been able to disturb his slumber.

The first ringing of his alarm clock got answered with a low, tired groan and a hit of the snooze button. So did the second. And the third.

At exactly 10:52 am, almost 3 hours after the official start of his shift, Jisoo got woken up by a call. He blinked into the dim light of his room and felt for the phone on his nightstand. Without sparing it a glance, he lifted the receiver and got smacked in the face by the tangled cord. "Ow! Fuck!" he grumbled, fumbling for the cord to keep it away from his nose, vowing to get a cellphone as soon as possible.

"Good morning to you too." Seungcheol's icy voice woke him up like a sudden cold shower. "I want you in the office by 11:30."

Before Jisoo had a chance to reply (or apologize), his partner had already hung up on him. The monk stared at the phone for a few seconds, trying to process what had just happened, before his eyes fell on his alarm clock.

"Fuck!"

At 11:26, Jisoo arrived at his office, sweating, out of breath and completely dishevelled. The leader of Unit S looked up when he flew through the door, his face a mask of indifference. It was as flawless as always, except for the usual dark circles; no signs of the gruesome injuries he had sported only a few hours prior. A surprising amount of relief hit the monk until he registered the words, Seungcheol had greeted him with: "You won't be going on any assignments for the time being."

"Huh? Why?"

His heart jumped when Seungcheol's eyes narrowed. He immediately regretted asking. The Being walked up to him and for some reason, Jisoo felt very small all of a sudden.

"Because you defied my direct orders, got into trouble and almost got yourself killed. I may be your partner but I am also your leader. If I can't trust you to follow my orders, you are a liability to this unit."

"But- but-" The monk stopped. Everything Seungcheol had said just now was the truth and even though he didn't like it and it hurt his pride more than anything, he couldn't refute it. If his partner hadn't shown up, he would have gotten killed by the first two vampires - which weren't even the targets of their assignment. Needing to pee wasn't his fault but following the screams without notifying his partner first had been a dangerously stupid lapse of judgement. Jisoo's shoulders drooped along with his head.

Before he could bring himself to apologize, Seungcheol continued talking. "You got into Aegis due to your time manipulation ability. It shouldn't have been difficult for you to at least incapacitate the class two and three vampires. So tell me: Why didn't you use it?"

Red crept up the monk's neck. His face began to burn. If he admitted to having no control over his ability, wasn't it the same as confirming what everyone in his unit was already thinking? That he was useless; a weak Human who stood in the way of much stronger Beings. The difference between Seungcheol and himself in a fight was borderline painful. It took a moment for Jisoo to be able to answer and it took quite a lot of courage to look into his partner's eyes while doing so. "I- I don't know how to use it," he mumbled.

Nothing changed in Seungcheol's stony expression but the monk could have sworn that he saw his eyes flash. Silence reigned for a few long seconds until the vampire broke it. "You don't know how to use it." It wasn't a question but a statement. "And you didn't think that this information was somehow necessary to share."

Something stirred in the depths of Seungcheol's dark brown eyes, sucking Jisoo in. Goosebumps rose all over his body. Nothing betrayed Seungcheol's anger but the monk could feel it with every fibre of his being: His partner was furious. Absolutely livid. His anger was different from the anger he had shown during the last assignment, and the fact that it was directed at Jisoo made him want to hide in a hole. Adrenalin flooded his body, his fight-or-flight instinct kicking in. He was prey in front of a predator. The monk stood frozen in front of his partner, eyes wide and his whole body shaking. Not even Isaiah had been able to scare him as much as Seungcheol was scaring him right now.

And then it was over.

Seungcheol turned around and sat down at his desk, stacking some of the folders littering it into a neat pile. "Leave."

A weak "huh?" was the only thing Jisoo was able to bring over his trembling lips.

"For the time being, you'll be working in the archives. Until you get a grasp on your ability, you won't be needed here. I'll find someone to teach you and I'll make sure to follow your progress. Now get out of my sight."

For some reason, Jisoo's unstable legs ended up carrying him to Chan's office. Maybe it was because he needed someone to talk to and the Being had proven to be a good listener. Or maybe because for some reason, he felt a certain sense of closeness towards him.

But to his not necessarily positive surprise, it was Jihoon who opened the door after his tentative knocks; he had conveniently forgotten that those two were partners and therefore shared an office.

The shapeshifter opened his mouth to greet him before he stopped himself and gave him a once over. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked after taking in the monk's dishevelled and pale appearance. His eyebrows drew together. "Did someone attack you?!"

Chan appeared behind Jihoon, peering over the top of his head. His half-hidden face was holding genuine concern.

Jisoo tried to smile, he really did, but a tear nonetheless trickled down his cheek.

It had taken almost an hour to retell everything that had happened after Chan and Jisoo had parted ways yesterday. They sat in silence for a moment, only the clock on the wall ticking away, before Jihoon took the word. "I don't think he hates you, especially not just because you're human. He might hate your guts but he's pretty good at judging peoples' characters. I'm sure he knows that you were only trying to help. And that you can't help that you're an idiot," he finished with a small smirk.

"But he was so angry... it was even worse than yesterday..." Jisoo mumbled into the tissue the Beings had provided, too upset to react to Jihoon's quip.

"Of course he was angry." Chan's quiet voice sounded surprisingly stern. "We all assumed that you can defend yourself with your ability but hearing that you are basically helpless was probably a shock to Seungcheol. Not only is he your partner but he was also the one who decided to bring you along on assignments. He’d be responsible if you had died."

Jisoo's shoulders slumped even more. That wasn't a point of view he had considered so far. He had assumed that his partner's anger was rooted in displeasure over being practically lied to, not in regret.

"Death is kind of a taboo topic anyway when it comes to him, so that probably hit him even harder," Jihoon added, his youthful face thoughtful.

"Urgh, now I feel even worse. You should've just left me on that street to get eaten," the monk muttered and curled up even further on the sofa, burying his face in his knees.

Next to him, Jihoon laughed; a bright sound that cut through the depressing atmosphere. "Nobody in their right mind would've eaten you wrapped in the coat of an origin vampire; Seungcheol knows that just as well as I do. Also he was watching over you the whole night." The shapeshifter patted Jisoo's shoulder, who had lifted his head to stare at him. "He just wanted to scare you a bit. He even let you sleep in today, didn't he?"

"Oh god, I'm a real dick, aren't I?" the monk groaned, his face once again buried while he swore to himself that he was going to get through his time in the archive without uttering a single complaint.

Chapter Text

"That shitty vampire."

It had been almost a week since Jisoo had gotten banned into the archives. On top of the incredibly boring job of sorting thousands of dusty files in alphabetical order (without being able to open them to satisfy his burning curiosity), Seungcheol had ordered the other Unit S members not to talk to him. Therefore the only people who had visited him in the windowless room had been Chen, who had taken his sweet time to rub in that the monk was currently earning less since he wasn't doing any assignments, and Seungcheol himself, who had told him that his first training session would be on Friday before he had disappeared without another word.

There was also a Human – or at least Jisoo assumed that she was human - who brought new files from time to time, only to silently dump them onto a table and leave.

It was absolutely maddening. That wasn't a simple punishment anymore; that was clearly workplace bullying.

"Why’s he such an asshole, seriously," Jisoo whined and swallowed another shot. The strong alcohol burned in his throat.

His attempt to find someone to rant to had brought him to Tao's lab. The shaman had been on his way home when Jisoo had grabbed and bribed him to get dinner together.

"Well, you went against his orders." Tao flipped the sizzling meat on the small grill in the middle of the table while the monk clutched his glass as if he was drowning. "You're lucky that he went easy on you."

Loud voices and laughter rang through the stuffy air. Smoke tickled their noses.

"Urgh, I only wanted to help that poor woman! Can’t blame me for that, no?" Jisoo reached past the side-dishes for the next bottle of soju and opened it with an expertly flick of his wrist. For a few seconds, he stared at the bottle cap in his hand before he sent it flying over his shoulder. The alcoholic haze made it easy to ignore the disapproving frown in front of him.

"Don't you think you've had enough? That's the third bottle."

"Hah? You taking me for a lightweight?" Such an attack on his masculinity couldn’t be tolerated. "In ma best days, I drank five bottles alone!" The monk puffed out his chest and downed another shot. A drop of soju ran down his chin.

"Impressive," Tao said drily. "And why do I have to watch you destroying your liver?"

Jisoo blinked at him after setting down the glass, his eyes already quite heavy-lidded. "Eeh, you're my only friend here; 'course we gotta drink together." Tao raised an eyebrow. "And you don't try to eat me," the monk added as an afterthought. He giggled. "You're a nice guy. Come on, one more." Jisoo poured the reluctant Human a second shot who accepted his fate without another word.

It took the monk half an hour to finish the third bottle while his complaints got louder and his speech more and more slurred. At one point, the shaman excused himself to go to the toilet while Jisoo remained hunched over the table, playing absentmindedly with their left-over kimchi.

Thanks to his shitty partner, he hadn’t been able to attend any meetings and he still hadn’t been able to get closer to his other unit members. Not that he necessarily wanted to; the thought of seeing Soonyoung again was still terrifying and most of the other guys hadn’t seemed too happy about his presence – but he still wanted to be at least on neutral terms with them. Additionally, he still wanted to know what kind of Beings they were. It had been two weeks since he had joined and he was still clueless. Wasn’t that unfair?

He dropped a small piece of kimchi onto the grill and watched it shrivel.

Neither Chan nor Jihoon had come to see him in the archive. It had been Seungcheol’s order not to visit him but who would listen to such a thing anyway? It was probably all fun and games for them to make him feel lonely. They were probably laughing at his misfortune together. Stupid Beings. Stupid Seungcheol and his stupid punishment.

The sharp smell of burning food permeated the air and Jisoo glared at the kimchi that was slowly turning black.

Fine. He wouldn’t be the one to make the first step! They could stay away forever for all he cared. Screw them.

He reached for the soju bottle, knocking it over in the process.

It was empty. Why was it empty already? He needed more. It had been so long since he last had alcohol. Three years? Maybe more. And now he was craving a cigarette.

Jisoo licked his dry lips. Where was Tao? They had to celebrate his freedom. No more prayers at 5 am in the morning. No more teachers who whacked him over the head when he fell asleep during meditation. The only thing he missed were his roommates.

No. He wouldn’t let himself get depressed.

He looked around, swaying on his seat, until his unfocused eyes made out the mop of Tao’s black hair a few tables down the room. He was talking on the phone while walking towards him.

Enthusiastically, Jisoo waved and gesticulated towards the bottle. "Taaaaao! More soju! C’mon!"

The shaman stopped walking and grimaced before he turned towards the bar.

Jisoo sighed in content and focused back on the piece of charcoal that had once been kimchi. At least one person had his back. Humans were better after all. Tao’s only flaw was that he wasn’t drinking enough. He needed Minghao here.

Hanging out, getting drunk out of their minds, hitting on girls and then making fun of each other after they had failed. Good times.

The craving for a cigarette grew stronger.

The monk almost fell off his stool when something cold and wet suddenly touched his cheek. "What the fu-!"

"Here," Tao said and placed a beer bottle in front of him before he sat down.

"I wanned soju," the monk whined but stopped once Tao shot him an annoyed look. He didn’t want his new best friend to hate him.

They stayed silent, both absorbed in their thoughts, while Jisoo sipped his beer, spilling some from time to time, and Tao ate the remaining meat. The silence between them persisted until the shaman spoke up. "Oh look, you’ve got a guest."

It took a moment for Jisoo to comprehend the words through the haze that was clouding his senses.

Why was someone disturbing them now? They were enjoying themselves. Letting loose. Having a good time.

While the shaman got up from his seat, Jisoo frowned, attempting to turn without toppling off the stool, and-

An unpleasant mixture of frying fat, cooked meat, smoke, alcohol and sweat assaulted Seungcheol as soon as he stepped into the restaurant. His nose wrinkled in response without him being able to stop it. He'd never been fond of places where many people gathered; unlike the rest of his species, he liked being alone.

It took him a moment to filter out the familiar scents of Tao and Jisoo. He walked in their direction, weaving through tables, Beings and Humans, until he could make out the familiar grey monk robe and Tao's relieved expression. It seemed that the shaman had been on the look-out.

"Oh look, you’ve got a guest."

He made it sound as if this 'guest' was here out of his own free will. As if he hadn't called him ten minutes ago, telling him to come and take care of his unit member.

The monk turned - not without swaying on his stool. Tao had not exaggerated when he had said that Jisoo was completely wasted; once Seungcheol focused on him, he could smell the alcohol in his blood.

This Human was so utterly different from his former partner that it was almost laughable. Almost.

His face was flushed and Seungcheol tried not to focus too much on it while the corners of Jisoo's mouth immediately turned downward at the sight of his leader.

Amusing, really. As if he were happy about having to babysit him.

"Whatta you doin' here?" the Human slurred. "Go away."

The robe he was always wearing so proudly was hanging loosely on his thin frame, a few wet spots darkening the front. Spilt beer, by the smell of it. Non-alcoholic. Seungcheol once again wrinkled his nose in disgust.

It took less than a second to grab some napkins from a table nearby before he sat down across the Human on Tao's now empty stool and offered them to him.

Jisoo only stared at him dumbly. The irritation that always welled up while they interacted started to boil somewhere deep down in Seungcheol's stomach.

"Eh? How...?" Jisoo finally muttered, his heavy-lidded eyes still directed at the napkins.

"Are you going to take them?" Seungcheol asked, poker face firmly in place.

"Uh, yeah," the monk said - but after he had accepted them, he simply kept staring.

Seungcheol felt his eye twitch. It took the accumulated patience of several decades to not simply swipe the napkins out of his hand and do it himself. "Clean yourself up. You reek."

Jisoo's reddened face fell at his words. A pout puckered his lips - it only made Seungcheol more impatient. Based on the profile he had read, Jisoo was twenty-two. Humans officially matured at eighteen. How could someone who was supposed to be an adult behave like this?

It wasn't the first time he had asked himself that question when it came to his partner.

"Why're you always so mean?" Jisoo whined. "You're only nice to the others! Issit 'cause I'm human?"

Tao chuckled next to them, too quiet for Jisoo to hear, and it made Seungcheol wonder what his face looked like right now. Annoyed, most likely, although he was trying not to show it. This whole situation was giving him a headache. Jisoo's whining was like a drill boring into his ears.

It was time to get him home and be done with it. "You're drunk. We're leaving."

"That's my cue." The relief in Tao's voice was obvious. "Gotta go, Jisoo. Drink some water and sleep off the alc, alright?"

He nodded at the leader of Unit S before he fled the scene. For a Human, Tao sure was quick when it came to getting out of uncomfortable situations; it surprised Seungcheol that he had managed to stay with Jisoo for so long.

"Nooo, don't leave me!"

Alcohol was making Jisoo even slower than usual and the vampire had a hard time not rolling his eyes. As if Tao could still hear him. And even if he could, he was pretty certain that the shaman wouldn’t turn back.

Now the drunk monk was officially his problem. Great.

"Come on, get up," Seungcheol commanded. If possible, he wanted to leave without creating a fuss.

The eyes of the Human in front of him narrowed before he slurred, "You can't force me."

Christ.

The urge to pick him up and throw him out of the window grew stronger but he resisted the temptation. The vampire had plenty of ways to force him - from mind-control to brute strength - but he was a member of his unit. And fragile.

Patience, Choi Seungcheol.

Shifting on the cheap plastic stool, the Being tried to find a more comfortable position. The top of the table was sticky. The air was heavy with smoke and other unpleasant odours. He hated everything about this place. "I guess, I can't," he agreed after releasing a low sigh. "Now what?"

Surprise flickered over Jisoo's flushed face before his lips parted in a wide, gummy grin.

For some reason, most of Seungcheol's annoyance evaporated at the sight. The expression was oddly unguarded, almost vulnerable - with his glassy eyes, Jisoo reminded him of a small animal.

"More beer then!"

He suppressed another sigh. Had that Human no sense of self-preservation? It looked as if he would keel over as soon as he drank one more sip. "No. You've had enough."

The excited grin got replaced by a pout in an instant. "Aw, come oooon. Don't be a party-pooper."

In over 300 years, nobody had ever called Seungcheol a party-pooper. He wasn't sure whether he should feel insulted or amused - for the sake of his once again dwindling patience, he decided on the latter and allowed him one last beer. The Being also made sure to get a pitcher of water - Tao was quite reliable when it came to medical advice for Humans.

Jisoo’s hands were grasping the bottle as if he was scared Seungcheol would take it away from him and his eyes were boring holes in the vampire's forehead while he sipped his non-alcoholic beer. The Being tried to ignore it but after a few minutes, he couldn't help but feel irritated. "What?" he finally asked.

"Aren’t you sad?"

Did he look sad? Sadness wasn't an emotion Seungcheol felt often and he couldn't think of an appropriate reason to feel it right now. "Why would I be?"

The Human continued to stare at him as if he was searching for something. Jisoo's already burning face reddened even more when the vampire returned his stare - his flushed skin looked quite tempting. Soft. Inviting. Seungcheol's eyes wandered downward, fell on fragile collar bones, prayer beads that were resting on delicate shoulders only hidden by a thin layer of clothing, a slender neck. The throbbing artery that was supplying hot, sweet blood. He focused back on the monk's face and willed the redness away that was invading his vision. Despite Jisoo's current sweaty, intoxicated state, he still smelled as delectable as always. Thirst was burning in the back of his throat and Seungcheol decided to get something to drink once this ordeal was over.

"Isaiah was your brother, no?"

The question pulled the vampire back to the current situation. To the loud and smelly surroundings. To their antipathy towards each other. It had been almost a week since the assignment and Seungcheol hadn't bothered talking to the monk ever since; it was no wonder that questions had festered in his mind but it annoyed the Being nonetheless. His family situation was absolutely none of Jisoo's business - but he didn't seem like he would let Seungcheol off if he didn't answer. After all, this Human was one of the most pig-headed people the vampire had ever had the displeasure of meeting and he was probably even worse now that he was drunk.

"My step-brother," Seungcheol said, determined to not give any more unnecessary explanations.

Jisoo leaned forward, the beer bottle in his hand tilting dangerously, and cocked his head. The wooden beads around his neck clinked, the quiet sound almost drowned out by the noise in the restaurant. Of course, he couldn’t let it go. Seungcheol had expected nothing less from him. "He’s family but you killed him like it's nothin'."

The gaze of his hazy eyes made the Being uncomfortable. What did he want him to say now? Yes, he had killed Isaiah. But he wasn't sad about it - and he was even less sorry. Jisoo was simply assuming that what he would be feeling in this situation would also apply to the vampire. This kind of human thinking was the worst.

"And you?" Seungcheol asked instead of giving him the answer he wanted. "You knew those guys that got killed by the skinwalkers."

It hadn't been difficult to figure out that they had been acquaintances. Maybe friends even. And after doing some research, the vampire couldn't say that he was impressed with Jisoo's choice. Seungcheol had met Humans like them more times than he could count. The clothes, the shoes, the attitude. Anything that wasn't human was a threat to them - even other Humans with abilities. Their hatred was rooted deeply in their insecurities and in their wish to be powerful themselves. Funny enough, many of these Humans ended up joining groups like Aegis - not out of a desire to protect but out of a desire to destroy. Most of them got killed once they got approved for assignments; a good way to keep the company clean of filth.

Jisoo wasn't like them - Seungcheol could tell that his desire to help was genuine, otherwise the monk wouldn't have risked his life for a stranger - but he still held some underlying beliefs he probably wasn't aware of himself. All thanks to them. "Were they your friends?"

The topic didn't seem to sit well with the Human. His eyes dimmed before they focused on his bottle and his fingers began to pluck at its label. "Mh, ah, yeah."

The way his head drooped made him look pitiful. He had no business getting depressed over scum like them; they would have left him behind as soon as they found out that he was a mutant – although he would probably disagree if Seungcheol told him that.

Or maybe not. The Being had to admit: Most of the time, he couldn't tell what was going on in the head of his partner. For example, when he decided to face vampires although he had absolutely no abilities to back him up. And if Seungcheol hadn’t hypnotized him during the fight with Isaiah, he was certain that the monk would have done something even dumber.

Even if he meant well, his recklessness bothered the Being; it was a serious threat to the stability of his unit.

"Are you sad that they died?" Seungcheol threw the monk's question back at him. It didn't matter whether he was but it was a good way to divert the attention away from Seungcheol's family. Humans loved talking about themselves.

Jisoo's grip on the bottle tightened before he mumbled, "Maybe."

That wasn't an answer Seungcheol had expected. If they had been friends, shouldn't he be devastated?

"But I'm happy Minghao's okay."

A slim face with single-lidded eyes emerged from the vampire's memories. A lithe body dressed in the same dark clothes as the dead Humans. He had only seen him for a few minutes but something about that young man had bothered him. "Minghao?" he asked even though he already knew who Jisoo meant.

"Mhm, my lil bro," the monk mumbled, a spaced-out look clouding over his eyes. He took another long sip.

Seungcheol's eyebrows rose. He was pretty sure that Jisoo only had one brother and that his name wasn't Minghao. A stepbrother? But nowhere in his profile had it said that his parents had been married before. "Is he your real brother?" the Being probed - despite knowing that it didn’t concern him in any way. Where was this sudden curiosity coming from?

"'Course not. I adopted him," the monk slurred and Seungcheol's brows rose even higher. They had looked about the same age. "We'd always get shitfaced together. Hah, fun times." Jisoo buried his face in his arms while the vampire caught his half-empty bottle before it could topple over. "Fuck. I miss him."

Is that how a monk should talk? he thought but didn't say it out loud. Jisoo was becoming less and less like a monk with every passing day, wasn't he? He had never been exactly level-headed but he was even more loud-mouthed now, more vulgar too.

But weirdly enough, it didn't bother the vampire all that much. For some reason, he preferred a more honest Jisoo over a Jisoo who pretended to be someone he wasn't.

The monk's voice got muffled by his robe but the Being understood him with perfect clarity. "Urgh. You suck at drinkin'. You dinn't even drink one glass. Dun't work like that, 'cheol."

A muscle in Seungcheol's jaw twitched. Maybe he didn't prefer a more honest Jisoo after all.

Getting up from the uncomfortable stool was pure bliss. The vampire wanted to leave as fast as possible because he had better things to do than listening to the rambling of this man-child in front of him. Finding out what his stepbrother had wanted in his territory, for example. Or getting something to drink.

He glanced at the tables surrounding them, took in the people seated there. Most of them avoided his eyes.

A quiet snore reached Seungcheol's ears and, dumbfounded, he turned back. The sight of Jisoo’s peaceful sleeping-face greeted him, half-hidden by his arms.

How was it possible that this Human had absolutely no sense when it came to dangerous situations? Seungcheol was itching to simply let him sleep here, defenceless between drunk Humans and hungry Beings, to maybe learn a lesson or two. But Tao was right: As the leader, he held a certain amount of responsibility.

With a silent sigh, the vampire picked up Jisoo's limp body and placed him over his shoulder. Then he went to pay the tab.

Chapter Text

"Urgh." His head was killing him. Pain was coursing through his body. He curled up even more, trying to shield himself as much as possible from the cold drops. "Fuck. Fucking rain."

Why did it have to rain today, of all days? It had been dry for weeks and now, out of all the times it could have rained, it had to rain while he had no place to stay the night.

"This sucks. Life sucks. Everything sucks." He punched the ground but immediately regretted it. "Ow."

Joshua blankly watched as blood dripped down his knuckles. The skin had split open where it had met the surprisingly hard jaw of one of the assholes who had beaten him up. The wound had only stopped bleeding a few minutes ago but now, thanks to his own stupidity, it had reopened.

"Revenge my ass. Fucking wimps." Too scared to fight him fair and square. Five against one unsuspecting victim.

The smell of wet soil and rain began to penetrate the cool air as the soft pitter-patter of drops hitting the ground slowly increased in volume. Water dripped onto his face from the branches he was hiding under. He hissed in annoyance.

This sucked. He wanted to go home. But his limbs were too heavy to move and his parents would throw a massive fit once he came home like that. It wasn't the first time after all.

Therefore it was better to just stay away, sleep outside or find a place to spend the night.

Pain flickered through his chest when he pushed himself backwards, towards the trunk of the tree, in an attempt to get further away from the rain.

Should he call someone to pick him up? Wonseok-hyung, maybe? But if he told him about the fight, Shinji-hyung would hear about it too - and then he'd get his ass beat for losing face. It was probably better to try to get to their hideout alone. He’d be able to stay there for a few days...

Almost masked by the sound of rain, the crunching of gravel on the nearby trail alerted him of someone's presence. Joshua tensed.

Had they returned to finish their business? But they had left on their own earlier, after beating him to a pulp; it didn't make sense. But nobody would take a stroll through the park in this weather unless-

Joshua pressed himself against the rough bark of the tree trunk in an attempt to blend in with the hues of brown and green surrounding him, to be as unnoticeable as possible. His bruised back was screaming in protest.

No Human would take a stroll now. But this was a rather secluded area and the heavy clouds were hiding the sun; the light was dim despite it only being early afternoon. Perfect for Beings who wanted to hunt.

Besides, this wasn't one of the safe-zones. Nobody would help him here.

Sweat began to mix with rainwater. The way he was right now - injured, helpless – made him the perfect prey and he could only hope that the weather would hide his presence as much as possible.

When the footsteps neared his hiding spot, he wrapped his dirtied leather jacket tighter around him, grimacing at the pain from his cuts and bruises.

The smell of rain grew stronger. The crunching of gravel stopped.

"Uhm... Are you alright?" a voice asked.

The stranger turned out to be a teenager around Joshua's age, maybe a bit younger. The coat he was wearing looked expensive, even though it was already completely soaked, just like his brand-name sneakers and jeans. His dark-brown hair was parted in the middle and the rain made it stick to his forehead. It was long enough to poke his brown, mono-lidded eyes.

Mama's boy was the first thing that shot through Joshua's head. To his relief, he couldn't make out any fangs, claws or otherwise unsettling features.

They eyed each other warily, taking in their similarities and differences. Two Humans at completely opposite ends of the social spectrum.

"You're bleeding," the boy pointed out, his voice shaking slightly.

Joshua grunted. The brat probably thought he was some sort of homeless piece of trash - which, if he had to be completely honest, wasn't too far off right now. Not that it bothered him. "None of your fucking business."

The stranger startled at his hostile tone and for a split second, Joshua felt bad. But then his defences went up again. Who knew what that guy was planning. And why was he still here? "Piss off," he growled, his face distorted while he tried to sit up straight.

Something was seriously wrong with his chest. Maybe a broken rib?

Hands wrapped around his arm and pulled him upwards but before Joshua could slap them away, the boy had already released him and taken a step back, seemingly surprised by his own courage. Silence reigned for a moment, only broken by the increasingly loud sound of rain.

The boy wasn't leaving despite the bad weather and his unfriendly attitude - what was his problem?

"Thanks," Joshua finally muttered, unsure what else to do. He eyed the other male again, noting the pale complexion under the soaked-through mop of hair. He looked like he had spent hours in the rain although it had only started to drizzle a few minutes ago. He also looked like he was about to collapse. "Uh... want some chocolate?"

The boy looked up from his shoes, his eyes wide, and Joshua had to suppress a snort at his baffled expression. He was just like a kid.

Joshua patted his dirty leather jacket until he found the squashed chocolate bar he had bought before his day had gone downhill. He held the crinkled wrapper with two fingers, careful not to get any blood on it, and offered it to the boy. "Sorry, got a bit smashed up earlier but it should still taste okay."

"You don't want it?" The voice of the boy was shaking even more now and Joshua's brows furrowed. Of course, he wanted it. He had bought it with what little allowance he had left and he was freaking starving. "Nah, you take it. You look like shit."

Redness took over the pale cheeks. "You're one to talk," the boy mumbled, reaching for the chocolate bar, and Joshua flashed him a grin. His split lip twinged.

"Yo, 's that how you thank people?"

The boy's flush deepened but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth nonetheless. "Thank you."

"That's right," Joshua drawled while he watched his lunch getting devoured. That guy was eating as if he had starved for three days.

With another grimace, he once again leaned back against the tree, trying to avoid touching the forming bruises on his back. Then he patted the semi-dry ground next to him. "Sit. You're making me nervous standing there." And it probably wouldn't do the boy any good to get even wetter - if that was even possible, given his drenched state.

He followed the order without a word, his mouth filled to the brim. His puffy cheeks made him look like a hamster. Joshua bit back another grin before he asked, "What's your name? And slow down; if you choke to death, I'm gonna be the one in trouble."

Chocolate-smeared lips twitched into another sweet smile and Joshua decided that this guy was entirely too pure to hang out with him.

"I'm Minghao," the boy replied after swallowing the massive bite. "And you?"

The smell of chocolate hit Joshua's nose and his stomach clenched in hunger but he tried to ignore it and patted the pockets of his jacket until he found what he had been searching for. "Fuck, they're all messed up. Those bastards." He lit one of the crooked cigarettes anyway and held the biting smoke in his lungs for a few seconds before he blew it into the humid air, watching as the see-through wisps dissipated. The familiar smell of tobacco soothed his nerves. His stomach relaxed a little. Finally, he said, "I'm Joshua. Want one?"

The sight of the offered cigarettes seemed to intimidate the boy but after a moment of hesitation, he nodded nonetheless and reached for the pack with a shaking hand.

Joshua raised an eyebrow at the reaction before he pulled away, Minghao's cold fingers grazing his bloody knuckles. "Changed my mind. I gotta save some, I'm too broke to buy another pack." He wouldn't be the reason why that kid started smoking.

Relief got overshadowed by disappointment on the young face.

"How old are you anyway?" Joshua asked while he slid the remaining cigarettes back into his pocket, ignoring the boy's longing stare.

"I'm turning fifteen soon."

Two years younger. Joshua eyed him again, his eyes once again drawn to the expensive designer clothes Minghao was wearing. Was it really okay for a rich kid like him to hang out with a beat-up delinquent? Not likely. "You gotta go home, kiddo. You're outside the safe-zone." There were worse things out here than human thugs.

Minghao's face visibly fell at his words before he looked down and mumbled, "I can't. I ran away."

That caught Joshua off-guard. "Why?" He didn't seem like a troublemaker or someone who'd rebel against his parents but the very real despair in his eyes was strong enough to make Joshua uncomfortable. It didn't match the chocolate still stuck to the corners of his mouth.

"I- uh, I don't really get along with my family..." The boy was still avoiding his gaze, redness once again creeping over his pale face. It seemed like he would start crying any minute now and it was obvious that he didn't want to talk about his current situation.

Joshua rubbed his temples, trying to ease the headache that was slowly spreading.

What a day. He had fought with his parents, he had gotten his ass handed to him and he had picked up a stray even though he was completely broke. And he was almost out of cigarettes.

After another glance at Minghao's drenched, depressed form, he sighed. "Ah, shit. Alright, help me up. I know a place where you can at least dry off."

When they arrived at the old garage, they were both soaked from head to toe. Joshua unlocked the rusty door and held it open for Minghao, whose fingers tightened around the bag of groceries he had bought at a convenience store, before he stepped into the dark room with a quiet "thanks".

The ceiling lights flickered on and revealed shabby chairs, a worn-out sofa half-hidden behind a scratched up coffee table that was overflowing with magazines and empty cans, a small, dirty stove next to an equally small fridge as well as several cupboards and cabinets. The grey, unplastered walls were dotted with pictures of the gang and posters, ranging from half-naked girls to motorcycles. A door led to another room, the handle almost completely torn off. The smell of cold cigarette smoke hung in the air.

"Not pretty but it beats sleeping outside," Joshua said with a shrug while peeling off his dripping leather jacket. Even his shirt was sticking to him like a second skin, cold and uncomfortable. He nodded towards the door. "Over there's the bathroom if you wanna take a shower. Might take a while until our stuff dries but we got some blankets somewhere."

"Uhm..." Minghao was fiddling with the handle of his plastic bag, clearly intimidated by his surroundings, while drops were running out of his hair over his face. For some reason, he reminded Joshua of a wet cat. "You should shower first. You're injured."

Joshua rolled his eyes before he shoved the younger male in the direction of the bathroom. "I've been through worse."

Dust raised in the air once Joshua pulled two old blankets from one of the cupboards and he couldn't help but sneeze a few times. He wasn't a clean-freak - far from it - but even he wrinkled his nose at the state of the first blanket. It ended up in the corner of the room.

He had just taken off his shirt when Minghao peeked out of the bathroom, a towel pressed against his bare chest. He still looked nervous. Joshua wordlessly handed him the second blanket before he pushed past the younger into the bathroom. To his surprise, a hand wrapped around his arm, stopping him halfway.

"Let me help with your cuts."

Joshua froze for a split second before he tried to wrench his arm out of Minghao's grip. "No need." He had looked pitiful enough in front of the younger already.

"Please."

"No. Fuck off," he growled and this time, Minghao recoiled and let go. The hurt expression on his face made him look young and vulnerable.

Joshua clenched his teeth. One deep breath. Another one.

"Fuck. Fine. Get the first aid kit from the cupboard."

His heart jumped a little at the sight of Minghao's beaming smile.

The smell of instant noodles and microwaved dumplings was still lingering in the small room when Joshua inspected the couch. The cushions were littered with unidentifiable stains and small burn holes but it looked good enough to sleep on. His ribs pinched angrily when he leaned forward and he swallowed a groan. Minghao had helped patch him up but it didn't take away from the pain he was still in.

Bastards. He'd get them for this.

"Are they your friends?"

He turned around to find Minghao examining one of the selfies Hojoon had pinned to the wall of the garage. It was an ugly picture, taken after one of their usual brawls with another gang. Most of them were sporting scratches and bruises but they were grinning nonetheless.

"Yeah. Those two in the right corner are the guys in charge here, Shinji and Wonseok."

Minghao eyed the picture with visible interest before he turned to the next one, a picture of Wonseok and Joshua swinging baseball bats in a batting cage. "How did you meet them?"

Joshua spread the blanket on the sofa. He replied, "I went to middle school with Wonseok. Shinji’s his buddy."

"You didn't go to the same high school?"

"We did but I dropped out a few months ago." When he looked up, Joshua caught sight of the younger's flushed face. He was probably embarrassed that he had brought it up - but it didn't matter much. That he was a dropout was a fact Joshua couldn't and wouldn't deny.

"Oh. Uhm. Sorry, I didn't mean to-" Minghao stammered, his hands fiddling with the hem of his shirt. Their clothes had dried much faster than Joshua had anticipated after the younger had spread them out on the cleanest part of the floor he had been able to find.

He shrugged and said, "Don't sweat it." In an attempt to disperse the awkward atmosphere, he plunked down onto the sofa and placed his arms on the backrest. "That's gonna be a tight fit. Thank god, you're such a scrawny lil' thing."

Minghao's brows furrowed in confusion before he seemed to grasp what the other male was implying. His eyes widened immediately. "Wha- no! No, it's alright! I'll sleep on the floor! You can have the sofa!"

Cherry-red once again painted his ears and cheeks and Joshua grinned at the predictable reaction. In the few hours they had spent together, it had become obvious that Minghao was almost painfully self-conscious. If Joshua hadn't had stopped him earlier, he would have put on his wet clothes as soon as they stepped out of the bathroom.

"There's no heater here. You wanna freeze to death?" he asked with as much nonchalance as he could muster. When Minghao shook his head, eyes fixed on the floor, he smirked. Teasing the younger was quite fun. He stretched out on the sofa and patted what little space was left next to him, between the backrest and his body. "Seriously. Come on."

White teeth began to gnaw on pink lips while Minghao eyed their sleeping arrangement before he dared to voice a question. "But this is- Can I at least sleep on the outside?"

Joshua immediately shot him down. "Nah. I move around a lot so you gonna end up on the floor."

He once again patted the cushion and, after another long moment of hesitation, Minghao plodded towards the sofa as if the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders.

Once Minghao had settled down and had closed his eyes – after several apologies -, Joshua spread the remaining half of the blanket over them before he turned to the younger and inspected his tense face. It was a lot less pale than earlier, fortunately, but it still looked a little unhealthy.

With a low sigh, he laid down as well. His muscles were aching almost as much as his cuts and bruises, and the more he thought about it, the worse it got. This was going to be a rough night.

To take his mind off the pain, he tried to focus on the quiet breathing next to him and the sound of rain on the roof. Minghao smelled of shampoo, the one in the pink bottle Haemin had nicked from his sister, and still faintly of rain. The heat of his thin body was seeping through their clothes - it was a surprisingly comforting feeling. Joshua couldn't remember the last time he had shared a bed with someone. Maybe back when he was in kindergarten. He had often crawled into his brother's bed whenever he was having a nightmare. Back when they had been inseparable. Now, they barely even talked to each other.

An almost inaudible sigh left Minghao's lips and Joshua jumped when the boy suddenly burrowed into his side. The pain only lasted a few seconds but he still had to suppress a curse at its intensity. As soon as it had ebbed away, a smile curled the corners of his mouth; the younger would probably burst into flames once he told him that he had unconsciously cuddled with him. And he would definitely add a few incriminating details.

Another satisfied sigh rang through the silence while Minghao nuzzled against Joshua's shoulder. Right now and for the first time this day, the younger looked completely relaxed, his lips parted while his dark bangs hid his forehead.

He looked innocent. Too innocent to spend the night on a dirty couch in the hideout of a group of delinquents. Joshua's smile faded. The boy's parents were probably worried sick.

"You better go home tomorrow, kiddo. You're taking up too much space," he whispered before he turned away from Minghao's warmth and once again attempted to fall asleep.

A splitting headache woke him up, his mouth as dry as a desert. Even through his closed lids, the light stung. "Ah. Fucking hell," Jisoo groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. He couldn't remember ever feeling that hungover before. "I'm never drinking again."

He curled up, relishing in the softness of the mattress, the darkness and warmth surrounding him. Beds were so much better than park benches or-

Wait. Where was he?

His eyes sprang open and he sat up abruptly, his head throbbing in protest, - only to be greeted by the sight of his bedroom. A relieved sigh escaped him. At least he hadn't ended up in some random woman's bed. Tao had probably brought him home; he really needed to thank the shaman for taking care of him.

Looking down, he discovered that he was still dressed in his monk robe although it was stained and wrinkled. The smell of grease and smoke clung heavily to the grey fabric and he couldn't help but grimace. He would have to change the sheets later.

With another low groan, Jisoo stretched in an attempt to rouse his numb body. Even though it hurt, the sluggish feeling of his hangover held a tinge of nostalgia. It had been years since he had felt it but it brought back memories of lazy mornings, bitter coffees and cheap convenience store breakfasts he had shared with Minghao. The younger had always insisted that drinking black coffee was the best way to get rid of a hangover and Jisoo had never had the heart to tell him that his coffee-brewing skills sucked.

The monk smiled.

It hadn't taken long for Minghao's innocence to fade back then even though Jisoo had worked hard to preserve it. But that was probably a part of growing up. The person Minghao had become - gruff, quiet and dangerous when angered - stood in stark contrast to the innocent and shy boy that had shown up in his dream. Only in front of Jisoo, he had sometimes let his former self shine through.

They had spent most of their teenage years together and it had been painful to leave him behind. Even in the monastery, he had still worried about the younger – although, over time, those thoughts had faded to the back of his mind.

The monk was unsure why he had dreamed of Minghao now, of all times, but maybe it was simply because he missed him.

When Jisoo arrived at the archive, the dusty room wasn't as empty as he had expected it to be. A blond, very pretty stranger smiled at him once he stepped through the door and next to him - Jisoo's stomach plummeted - stood Seungcheol in all his undead glory.

They hadn't talked since the day where Seungcheol had come to tell him that he had found a teacher and Jisoo was still highly uncomfortable in the presence of his partner. And based on the frown marring his pale features, his partner wasn't too happy about seeing him either. "You're late," were the words he greeted him with.

The monk jumped and immediately ducked his head. "It took some time to get ready," he mumbled, his ears burning, "sorry." He couldn't really tell the leader that his hangover had made taking a shower a difficult task, now, could he?

The blond male next to Seungcheol's stoic form chuckled, a dimple appearing on his flawless cheek. His small face and doe eyes made him look quite young but thanks to Chan, Jisoo had learned that this impression could be deceiving. He was probably five hundred years old or something.

"Hi, I'm Luhan! A member of Unit E," the stranger greeted with a happy little wave of his hands. His voice was deeper than Jisoo had expected but quite melodious.

The monk had to blink a few times, blinded by the bright smile, before he could answer. "Uhm. Nice to meet you. I'm Jisoo."

"The newest Unit S member, right? Chen keeps talking about you." Luhan giggled, a surprisingly girlish sound.

A blush spread over Jisoo's face. What was that irritating Being telling other people about him? He wouldn't be that concerned if it was anyone else – but this was Chen they were talking about...

Seungcheol cut the monk off before he could ask. "Luhan will be your teacher starting today. He's a mutant too, although an artificial one, and he can help you gain a better understanding of your ability."

That guy was human? Jisoo eyed him sceptically. He certainly didn't look like it. Wasn't he too pretty with his cute face and sparkling eyes?

And why did it feel as if he knew more about the Unit E members than about his own unit by now? The thought was depressing.

"I'm looking forward to it." There it was again, Luhan's blinding, dimpled smile. "Let's work hard together, hm?"

Chapter Text

Seungcheol's eyes were burning as if someone had rubbed salt into them and the words in front of him blurred more and more the longer he stared. When he finally gave up and looked away, he could make out the deep purple shadows below his eyes in the reflection on the polished surface of his desk.

It wasn't unusual for the vampire to go sleepless for several days but it had been almost three weeks now. Concentrating alone was becoming a chore. With a low sigh, he leaned back into the cool leather of his chair, blinking a few times to force his eyes to refocus.

With each passing day, fatigue was weighing more heavily on his body - but there was no time to rest. Wonwoo and Mingyu had been scheduled to return from their latest assignment two days ago but they still hadn't been able to locate the spectre. Chan and Jihoon had been more successful with their assignment on Jeju island but a storm was stopping them from returning home, and Dokyeom had yet to fully recover from his recent head injury - Soonyoung and Seungkwan had refused to go on assignments without him. Therefore, new assignments were piling up in front of the leader.

Seungcheol pushed the files aside, tired of looking at them. Most of them had been specifically picked for the members of his unit; redistributing them to other units didn't make much sense. And even worse: it would affect their reputation in Aegis. Gossip was a force to reckon with after all.

A headache was beginning to form somewhere behind his furrowed forehead at the thought of handling these assignments himself on top of his regular workload.

Too many problems.

Not to speak of his very own, personal problem which came in the form of one stubborn Human.

The Being glanced at the wall-mounted clock. Jisoo's practice with Luhan was set to begin soon and Seungcheol needed to be there because, well. It was Luhan after all.

He ran a hand through his dishevelled hair in an attempt to recreate a semblance of normality and wiped a speck of dust off his jacket. Unfortunately, there was no way to hide the bags under his eyes.

The sound of footsteps became audible in the distance just when he had gotten up to leave and he paused, listening.

Three people. None of them Human. Neither of them in a hurry.

One pair of feet was harder to make out compared to the other two - that was clearly Hansol's light-footed gait. And where ever Hansol was, Jeonghan wasn't far. The third person was trailing behind the duo, their steps measured but careful - Jun.

It made sense for them to visit him. Jeonghan's and Hansol's suspension was ending on Monday and they had probably been told to talk it over with their leader. Jun usually came as a mediator.

But right now, their timing was everything but ideal. Seungcheol's eyes focused back on the clock. He probably wouldn't be able to handle the matter within ten minutes.

The long, grey corridor didn't look any more inviting than it had during Jisoo's first day at Aegis, almost two weeks prior. The sight of the gym door filled him with an undeniable feeling of dread - understandable, given the fact that he had almost died the last time he had stepped through it.

He hadn't thought much about his trial since he had been busy with processing all the new impressions, meeting new people and going on assignments - but now, the short but violent ordeal was coming back to haunt him.

Hesitating, he stood in front of the double doors. He was scared. But it would be alright. It was just simple training - he was used to that - and Luhan was human. A mutant, just like him. There weren't any Beings involved this time, no werewolves, no skinwalkers, no vampires.

It would be alright.

His hand wrapped around the handle before he pulled the door open without a sound.

The sight of the brightly lit gym greeted him, the neon ceiling lights reflecting in the dark green floor. Luhan's lone figure was seated on one of multiple stacks of wooden crates, his feet dangling at least one meter off the ground.

At Jisoo's arrival, his pretty face lit up and with the agility of a cat, he jumped down, his sneakers squeaking on the rubber floor. "I've read up on you," he said with a grin. "Time-manipulation, huh? That's pretty awesome!"

Unsure what to make of Luhan's overly enthusiastic demeanour, Jisoo nodded. "Uh, yeah, I guess." The chipper way in which the blond mutant was approaching him reminded him of Soonyoung and it immediately made the hair at the back of his neck rise.

Luhan didn't seem to care about his clipped answer. "You know, that ability could easily get you into level four, maybe even five if you're able to use it to its full potential!" he gushed while pulling Jisoo towards the other end of the gym, away from the crates. "But you're only level one, right? You don't have any control over your ability - why's that?"

Heat burned Jisoo's face. Nothing in Luhan's tone had been unpleasant but his words still stung - even though he was right. Right now, Jisoo was like any other average, powerless Human. "Uh, well, I never learned to control-"

Luhan cut him off at once, his doe eyes narrowing ever so slightly while his smile remained unchanged. "That's a shitty excuse. You're a natural mutant so controlling your ability should come naturally as well. It's like an invisible limb. So? Why can't you control it?"

His voice had gotten noticeably colder and somehow, the combination of his frigid tone and his kind smile unnerved the monk. The urge to wrench his arm free grew.

"I-I don't know," he stammered after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence in which he had tried to come up with a reason. He had no idea what the mutant wanted to hear. Hell, until three weeks ago, he had had no clue that he even had an ability in the first place and now he was suddenly supposed to be an expert just because he was born with it? That didn't make any sense.

Another uncomfortable pause followed until Luhan chuckled. "Fine. We'll find out eventually."

Seungcheol was used to the acrid smell of carnivore that werewolves emanated but that didn't mean that he liked it - especially not in his office.

Based on his scrunched up nose, Hansol was having similar thoughts but he knew better than to voice them in front of the leader. Instead, he kept silent watch, a few feet between him and his master's chair.

The vampire felt Jeonghan's gaze on him and turned his eyes away from the werewolf, returning the stare. Pink began to take over Jeonghan's ivory cheeks, a pretty contrast to his white-blond hair.

He looked good. Healthy. Well-rested. Unlike Seungcheol.

The vampire was sure that the Being was thinking the same while his coal-black eyes drilled into Seungcheol's dark brown ones, the questions behind them all too clear. His familiar scent filled the vampire's nose, drowning out Hansol's stench.

"Let's begin." Jun's voice broke the silence and Seungcheol took the chance to end the eye-contact, focusing on the other blond Being instead.

As usual, Jun's eyes were unfocused and his expression was calm. Even after knowing him since he had joined Aegis almost five years ago, the vampire still couldn't tell what he was thinking.

The two blond deities got up, facing each other. They were only inches apart, Jeonghan's face tilted up slightly since Jun was taller. The latter reached up, his long fingers finding Jeonghan's temples with a precision that astonished Seungcheol every time he witnessed it; it was as if Jun's blindness got cured whenever he used his ability.

The vampire heard Hansol shift slightly but he spared him no glance. It had always been difficult for the werewolf to let anyone else touch his master, regardless of the situation.

Not that this had ever stopped Jeonghan from doing whatever he wanted.

"Okay," Seungcheol said after Jun had nodded.

The pale blue of his sightless eyes began to fade into silver-grey while Jeonghan kept his eyes closed, his face small between Jun's hands.

"Three weeks ago, you released Hansol despite knowing that it was full-moon and despite knowing that you were testing a Human. What was the reason?"

"I dislike the thought of you having a new partner," Jeonghan replied without a second of hesitation. The vampire hadn't missed that he had used the present tense.

Jun remained silent.

"And why is that?" Seungcheol asked, already fully aware of the 'why' and all its implications. This whole spiel was just a formality.

Once again, Jeonghan answered swiftly. "He's not a good fit."

A frown crossed Jun's face but he once again remained silent. Seungcheol knew that this was a half-truth, not a lie. Jisoo wasn't fit to be his partner in Jeonghan's eyes - but nobody else was either, apart from Jeonghan himself.

The vampire remained stone-faced. They had held that conversation one too many times.

After a few beats of silence had passed, he focused on the main reason why they were here. "Are you planning to injure your fellow unit member, Hong Jisoo, in the future?"

This time, Jeonghan took noticeably longer to answer and when he did, his words sounded like he was choosing them carefully. "I don't plan to inflict bodily harm on Hong Jisoo."

A smile curled Jun's lips before he caressed Jeonghan's face once and sat down.

Seungcheol couldn't suppress a twitch of his lips either. When it came to being crafty with words, Jeonghan was almost on par with Chen.

The vampire was well aware of the implications, of the unsaid words lingering in the air - but as long as Jeonghan wasn't planning to maim the Human, he wasn't too concerned with letting the deity and his watchdog return to the unit. Jisoo would only fully join them once he had mastered his ability anyway.

"Too slow! Too slow! Too slow!"

Jisoo screamed when sharp splinters pierced his skin. He had no time to dwell on the pain since the next crate already came flying his way.

"Come on! Use your ability!" Luhan roared, his widened eyes holding a maniacal sparkle.

The pretty blond had seemed friendly enough when he had offered to start Jisoo's training - how could the monk have known that behind the bright smile lurked absolute madness? The first crate had crashed against the wall behind him without as much as a warning and the assault had only gotten stronger since then.

Jisoo eyed the crates floating behind the mutant in an attempt to figure out which one he would hurl next. There were seven of them - and two more stacks on the ground. The ones floating were rocking ever so slightly as if submerged in water - it was a surreal sight.

Luhan's ability was like something straight out of a movie. Even when it came to Beings, telekinesis was incredibly rare - Jisoo couldn't think of a single Being with that ability on the top of his head. And considering that Luhan was an artificial mutant, it was even more impressive. Usually, natural mutants were stronger since their body had adapted to their ability but the monk couldn't remember ever meeting a mutant as powerful as the doe-eyed blond.

His musings got cut short when another crate came flying his way. He managed to dodge - barely. Once again, splinters hit his back.

"You know what I hate the most?" Luhan drawled, his lips drawn into a lazy smirk. He didn't give the monk time to answer his rhetorical question. "Mutants who didn't have to go through hell to get their ability but keep bitching about it anyway."

"I'm not bitching, though," Jisoo mumbled almost inaudibly. "Crazy bastard." Another crate flew in his direction, shattering on the wall behind him when he ducked.

Luhan's eyes were glimmering in the neon lights, his long lashes casting shadows. "What was that?"

Much to the visible displeasure of the werewolf, Jeonghan had ordered Hansol to wait outside once Jun had left the office. Seungcheol knew what was coming and had already braced himself.

The deity closed in on him, his white-blond hair shimmering in the light. His spotless, white clothes contrasted beautifully with the vampire's dark outfit when he wrapped his arms around Seungcheol's waist and pressed his face into the crook of Seungcheol's neck.

"Cheol," he whispered. His breath was tickling Seungcheol's throat. "You look awful. He's hurting you; I knew it."

"It's not his fault," the vampire said, voice steady, face blank.

It was, indirectly. But it would have happened with anyone, it wasn't specifically Jisoo's fault. Although, him being Human probably exacerbated the problem.

"Why are you torturing yourself?!" Jeonghan sounded angry now, his lips moving against Seungcheol's skin while the arms around his waist were tightening. The vampire didn't like the feeling but shaking him off would only anger him more. "Just tell them to assign him to another unit or something. I can do it if you don't want to."

Seungcheol sighed inaudibly, Jeonghan's silky hair moving with his breath, before he ran a hand over the deity's back. "It'll be okay," he said, not really believing his own words. It was unlikely that he would ever be able to sleep peacefully.

"I'm worried, Seungcheol. You can't go on like that; it's unhealthy even for you."

"It's not like I'll die," he replied dryly and Jeonghan pulled back to glare at him. Seungcheol suppressed a smile at the annoyance in his expression. It felt good that the deity still worried about him but it also unnecessarily complicated matters. Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do right now to change the situation.

Seungcheol's eyes wandered back to the clock on the wall. It had been almost fifteen minutes since Jisoo had started training under Luhan.

"I need to go."

At his words, Jeonghan immediately burrowed his face into the vampire's shoulder. "Go where?"

"Jisoo is training with Luhan." While speaking the words, Seungcheol already knew that he had made a mistake. He had been honest without giving it much thought beforehand.

He felt his ribs bend at the tightening of Jeonghan's arms and pain jolted through his body. The deity's voice was nothing but a hiss when he spat, "Don't leave me behind for a Human."

Here it was, out in the open for everyone to see. The reason Jeonghan had given Hansol permission to attack. The reason Seungcheol had used Jun to check whether the deity had any further plans to harm the Human. The reason they had broken up four years ago after over three decades together.

Jeonghan's burning, violent jealousy.

The edge of one of the benches screwed to the floor of the gym dug into his back and Jisoo couldn't suppress a pained gasp. With a curse on his lips, he slowly climbed back to his feet, holding his side. After enduring several minutes of abuse, he now felt like a truck had run him over.

A truck with a deceptively friendly smile.

"Oh, still able to stand? You're more resilient than you look, aren't you?" Luhan's voice was dripping honey and the monk clenched his teeth. "Let's try this again then."

Jisoo's eyes widened when three crates flew towards him without leaving him any time to prepare.

"Slow them down! Come on!"

Luhan's manic laughter rang through the air.

The crates drew closer, trapping the monk between the bench and the wall. There was no way to escape a head-on collision.

Come on! he told himself, Work!

But he had no idea how to activate his ability. Why couldn't Luhan simply tell him what to do?!

He screamed and tried to protect his head with his arms before the impact, but the air still got driven out of his lungs when something hard hit him and hurled him across the room. Disoriented, he clung to the fabric under his fingers, wrinkling it, his heart skipping several beats while a familiar musky smell invaded his nose.

"Are you trying to kill him?"

His partner's deep voice rang above him and when Jisoo lifted his head from Seungcheol's chest, he was greeted by the sight of the vampire's Adam's apple and his sharp jawline.

Suddenly, the arm wrapped around his shoulders seemed to burn through his clothes.

Embarrassing.

The urge to push his partner away was strong but Jisoo wasn't quite sure whether his wobbly legs would carry him without Seungcheol's additional support - and the last thing he wanted was to make a fool out of himself by falling flat on his face in front of these two.

Luhan clicked his tongue. "I would've gotten him to use his ability if you hadn't interfered."

"That's not what I had in mind when I asked you to teach him."

Seungcheol's voice sounded frosty and Jisoo couldn't suppress a shudder. This time, he pushed against his partner's chest who let go of him in an instant. Although still somewhat unstable, the monk managed to bring some distance between them before he turned to glare at Luhan who looked perfectly innocent.

"Oh, loosen up a little, Seungcheol; I had everything under control. I know that I'm not allowed to hurt him too much." He winked at Jisoo who flushed red at once - not out of embarrassment but out of anger.

That shitty mutant dared to be all buddy-buddy now, after almost killing him.

Seungcheol didn't look too happy either but apparently chose to remain silent. After a short pause, Luhan continued speaking. "Look, at least I managed to find the problem."

The monk's heart jumped at his declaration. Maybe there was something wrong with his ability after all? "What problem?" he immediately probed.

Luhan's grin widened in a way that made Jisoo want to smack him - but if he had learned anything today, it was not to provoke the blond.

"The problem is..." He made a long and dramatic pause. Jisoo's fists clenched in annoyance. "...you're scared. As simple as that."

...

He couldn't be serious.

Jisoo had expected anything from a genetic defect to a serious problem with his body but that certainly wasn't something he had been expecting. Heat bubbled in his chest. "Are you for fucking real?! That's your explanation?!"

While Seungcheol didn't move a muscle at his outburst, Luhan looked genuinely surprised, his brows pulled into a confused frown. "What's wrong with my explanation?" he asked and if Jisoo hadn't gone through hell during the last ten minutes, he would have felt bad after seeing his puzzled face. But right now, he simply thought that the mutant deserved an Oscar for his acting skills.

"You almost kill me while you try to scare my ability out of me and now you're blaming me?!" he snarled, hands clenched into tight fists at his side.

Luhan rolled his eyes and the monk's temper flared even higher. Right at that moment, he deeply regretted not having a more destructive ability; he was sure that he would have absolutely no problem using it on the blond mutant.

But before he could explode into Luhan's face - and possibly lose his head for it - a cold hand wrapped around his arm and squeezed. Suppressing the shout of pain that threatened to escape sufficiently distracted the monk from his anger.

"That's not what I meant," Luhan said and leaned back against the stack of crates, arms crossed in front of his chest and an almost bored expression on his face. "I'm just saying that you'll never be able to control your ability if you're scared of using it."

"I'm not scared!" The words had burst out of him before Jisoo even had the chance to think them over.

He wasn't, right?

Of course not.

But a prickling sense of unease made him stop to reconsider while he tried to ignore the more or less sceptical gazes of his partner and the other mutant.

He wasn't scared - but he couldn't deny that it kind of freaked him out whenever his ability acted up. With him having no control, what if he got stuck? Forever alone in a world filled with silence. Helpless.

A shiver ran down his spine.

"I'm not scared," he repeated, more for himself than for anyone else. He was the one using his ability and he would be the one to master it. Not the other way around.

Saturday began with a meagre breakfast in the form of coffee and a two-day-old cupcake. It had taken Jisoo a while to get moving since his body felt sluggish after yesterday's involuntary work-out with Luhan but he couldn't postpone his chores any longer because a) there was almost no food left in his flat and b) his brother would finally pay him a visit today to hand over his old cellphone.

The monk wasn't quite sure what to expect of the upcoming reunion. Jihwan had made an effort to support his decision and keep him updated with his letters but it was undeniable that their relationship had been more than just a little strained before Jisoo had moved to the monastery. In fact, they hadn't talked face to face in over three years and the monk had no idea what would happen once he was standing in front of him. The thought alone was enough to make him jittery.

To release some of the tension, he busied himself with cleaning and tidying up his flat until every surface was gleaming. After that, he bought groceries and other necessities. Then he sat on the rug in front of his bed and tried to meditate for almost an hour until he gave up with an annoyed growl.

He had never been particularly good at freeing his head from ‘worldly concerns’.

Leaning back against his mattress, he decided to do some breathing exercises instead.

Luhan had told him that something in his past was blocking him from freely using his ability - but Jisoo had yet to come up with anything that could have had that sort of effect on him. He couldn't remember ever using his ability before that particular day at the monastery but Luhan had insisted that it was normal for natural mutants to use their abilities as soon as they were able to crawl.

All throughout their exchange, Seungcheol had not spoken a single word. Maybe he was still mad at Jisoo for the whole vampire fiasco. Or maybe he simply had nothing to say to him, his partner.

Jisoo sighed and opened his eyes. He'd ask his brother later, maybe Jihwan could shed some light on the mystery of his ability. And maybe he also had some tips about getting along with work colleagues since, clearly, Jisoo was failing at it.

The doorbell rang while the monk was attempting to place the teacups on his kitchen table in a way that looked homely as well as coincidental. His brother would think he had gone completely nuts if he invited him in for tea - but the monk figured that if the cups were coincidentally already on the table, it wouldn't be weird to offer some. At least they would have something to do then instead of just sitting in silence.

"Yeeees," he exclaimed, making sure that his grey robe was clean and his prayer beads not crooked, before he sauntered towards the front door in a pointedly relaxed manner. His heart was beating in his throat but at least his hands weren't shaking.

This was it. The first real contact with his family in years.

He couldn't fuck it up again. He wouldn't fuck it up again.

Jisoo took a deep breath before he pulled the front door open, a forced smile plastered on his face - only to stop dead in his tracks.

Soonyoung's eyes turned into pretty crescents at the sight of the monk's alarmed expression.

Category: Spectre

Although Spectres could also be included in the Undead category, their lack of a physical body is a distinct feature all Spectres share. Spectre-type Beings are most well known for their ability to turn invisible at will. With a few exceptions, Humans are unable to see Spectres which makes them their preferred targets.

Category: Deity

Deity-type Beings are or were formerly considered divine or sacred. They are often seen as bringers of luck and happiness, in favour of gods or as gods themselves.

Their appearances vary, from the beast-like Phoenixes to the spectre-like Paras, however, at the use of their abilities or during periods of heightened emotions, many species in the Deity category display eye colours ranging from dark grey to silver.

Deity-type Beings are often drawn to bright colours and most of them are aloof but benevolent, especially towards their followers.

Chapter Text

"Hi Jisoo!"

Soonyoung's voice was as chipper as the monk remembered it to be and cold fear gripped his heart. His first impulse was to close the door - but, of course, the Being was both faster and stronger. They scuffled for a few seconds, Jisoo pulling at the doorknob while Soonyoung was preventing the door from closing by holding onto it, until the Being took two steps forward and simply stood in the doorframe - foiling the attempt to lock him out.

Tensing even more, the monk let go as if he had burned himself.

The hallway outside his flat was deserted, no sign of his neighbours. His flat was small, without much room to hide. They were on the fifth floor. He didn't have a weapon.

And if he was really unlucky, Kai was already waiting somewhere.

Jisoo took a step back and lifted his fists. He wouldn't fall into their trap again.

At his threatening stance, Soonyoung raised his hands. "Woah, calm down. I'm not gonna do anything," he said, eyes wide and innocent. "I'm just here to talk."

"Yeah? Like last time?" the monk snarled, not an ounce less distrustful.

"I know that was shitty but I was really hungry back then and sometimes it's hard to control the urges."

A pout played on the Being's downturned lips but Jisoo only snorted. That seemed to be the standard excuse whenever Beings did something they were not supposed to do. How convenient.

"I made sure to eat something beforehand this time," Soonyoung hastily added. A sick feeling rose in Jisoo's stomach and apparently it reflected in his expression because the Being looked even more defensive. "I didn't harm anyone! I'm not a monster, you know?"

"Could've fooled me," Jisoo muttered before he raised his voice. "Where's Kai?"

The question seemed to catch Soonyoung off-guard. "How would I know?"

"What? You're not tag-teaming this time?"

Soonyoung's confused frown morphed into a scowl and Jisoo took another step back.

Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to provoke the Being who was blocking the only exit - but now it was too late. Why could he never keep his comments to himself?

"I have absolutely nothing to do with that scumbag," Soonyoung declared heatedly and his offended tone alone was enough to make Jisoo's temper flare once again.

"Oh yeah?! Why the fuck were you two ganging up on me then?!"

They stared each other down for a long moment before Soonyoung's shoulders sank and his tense expression softened a little while he searched Jisoo's eyes. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened, okay? I didn't realize it was that traumatic for you."

The monk's frown deepened even further. "What, you thought it's fun getting preyed on? And in my own damn flat," he added bitterly.

Unbothered by his biting tone, Soonyoung rubbed his nape, a boyish grin stretching his lips. "Well, the people I feast on are usually pretty into it too. I don't hurt them after all- but of course, it's not okay without consent!"

Silence reigned while the Being grew more and more fidgety with each passing second, nailed to the floor by Jisoo's doubtful stare.

Where was that sudden apology coming from? Had he reflected on his mistake? And was he really not in cahoots with Kai? Well, they hadn't seemed to get along very well, now that he thought back to it. Kai had come to his flat to deliver his luggage that day, maybe it really had been a coincidence... or was he being too naive again? Were they playing with him?

Why was everything so god damn complicated? He just wanted to stay out of trouble and at least somewhat get along with his group mates - was that really too much to ask?

Breaking the silence with a heavy sigh, Jisoo finally lowered his fists. "Why are you apologizing now, all of a sudden? It's been almost two weeks."

Soonyoung had perked up as soon as he had spoken and the already familiar eye-smile was brightening his face when he sheepishly admitted, "Jihoon chewed me out."

Jisoo flinched. Chan, that sneaky bastard, had ratted him out to his partner; he'd never tell him anything in confidence ever again. But despite that, he had to admit that it was nice to have someone stand up for him. Jihoon was really kind below his prickly exterior.

Soonyoung didn't seem to notice his conflicted expression. "I didn't give it much thought back then but that really got me thinking and now I'm really sorry about it."

Puppy-eyes were directed at the monk and he was almost certain that he could see a metaphorical tail wagging when he softened slightly at the sight.

"I'll make it up to you, okay? I'll do whatever you want for uh... an hour? Okay, one day! I'll even buy you food! Yes? Please say yes!"

Jisoo stared at the Being for a moment, unable to comprehend that the man with the pleading pout in front of him was the same person who had assaulted him two weeks prior. He looked sincere. He sounded it too. Would a Being really degrade themself so much if they didn't mean it?

"Okay," he finally agreed, still somewhat reluctant. Soonyoung's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "But don't treat me like food. We're colleagues."

"Of course! Let's shake on it!" The Being giddily stretched out his hand but before he could reach Jisoo, a sizzling sound filled the air and he immediately jumped backwards, out of the door. The skin of his formerly unharmed right hand was reddening as if he had poured boiling water over it. "Ow! What the-"

The monk looked just as dumbfounded as the Being. He had not moved when Soonyoung had reached for him and he had absolutely no clue what had happened.

"Are you okay?" He stepped forward to take a closer look but the Being immediately retreated.

"Woah, woah! Don't come closer; that was freaking painful!"

"But I didn't even do anything?"

They stared at each other, both at a loss for what to do next. Soonyoung seemed torn between fleeing the scene or staying and mending their relationship further while Jisoo was still pondering over what had happened. Something was bothering the monk, a thought buried somewhere in his memory where it wiggled but refused to surface - until his eyes fell on the door of his neighbour's apartment.

"Ah!" Soonyoung jumped at his sudden exclamation. "Wait, I know what's going on!"

Turning on his heel, it only took a few steps until the monk had reached the pieces of paper stuck to the wall of his small hallway. The black ink strokes still looked as pristine as they had when Mingyu had given them to him in Chen's name - but Jisoo would have never thought that the talismans were actually working. A lot more carefully than he had been when he had pinned them to the wall, he took them down and brought them to the door where Soonyoung was still waiting, nursing his sore hand.

As soon as the talismans came into view, the Being's eyes widened. "Wow. Those are expensive as hell; where did you get them?" His face suddenly changed and he eyed Jisoo with suspicion. "You're secretly rich, aren't you?"

The monk snorted. "I wish. Chen gave them to me after you and Kai- you know? I guess they're fulfilling their purpose now." He grinned and Soonyoung followed suit, although a bit reluctantly. "Do they only work against you and Kai?" Jisoo asked after a moment, his curiosity piqued. It was a bit awkward to talk while Soonyoung was standing in the hallway but the monk wasn't ready yet to leave the safety of his flat.

"Probably against all categories. The one on top is against spectre-type Beings."

"Wait, you can read them? And spectre-type? Like ghosts and stuff?"

"Yeah and yeah."

Interesting. Jisoo shuffled through the talismans as if it was a deck of cards before he held up another one. "What about this one?"

"Beast category."

"And this?"

"Are you going to do that with every single one of them now?" Soonyoung sounded exasperated but a grin had spread over his face.

Jisoo was grinning too when he asked, "How do you know so much about this kind of stuff? Is that, like, common knowledge amongst Beings?"

"Nah, but most Beings in my category are into things like that; talismans, protective amulets, trinkets, you name it. I don't really care much about it though."

Jisoo was itching to ask what category he belonged to but he held himself back - apparently, he wasn't very successful at hiding his inner struggle.

"I'll tell you more about my species if you want - take it as part of the apology - but I don't wanna do it out here where everyone can listen in," Soonyoung proposed, leaning against the hallway wall.

A tempting offer. Of course, Jisoo's curiosity was burning like a wildfire but he still remembered very vividly what had happened the last time they had been alone in private. But he really, really wanted to know more about his fellow unit members...

"Where do you want to go?" he asked cautiously. If it sounded too sketchy, he would decline. "I don't have much time." His brother was bound to arrive any minute after all.

"Well, we could talk in your flat?" Soonyoung offered but the monk shook his head at once.

"You're just gonna get hurt again." And there was no way he would give him the chance to repeat their last encounter.

"Not if you deactivate the talisman."

"How do I do that?"

"You pin it with the writing facing the wall."

Jisoo hesitated. He wanted to know more about the Being and his flat was the most convenient place – but he would be helpless if anything were to happen. Just like last time.

Groaning, Soonyoung rubbed his temples before he gesticulated towards the paper in the monk’s hand. "Look, I know you're suspicious after what happened but if you feel safer that way, you can bring the talisman and activate it as soon as you feel threatened. You just have to turn it around and I'll be in serious trouble."

The talisman that Soonyoung had pointed out to be the one against his category - to the monk it looked like illegible scribbles - was pinned face down next to Jisoo's chair against the kitchen wall while the Being happily stirred his tea, seated at the far end of the kitchen table.

It was surreal to once again have him in the flat. The monk had spent so many hours thinking about what had happened between them that it almost felt like a miracle – or a nightmare. But right now, the Being only exuded happiness, no trace left of the overwhelming sensuality he had oozed back then in the hallway. Jisoo watched as Soonyoung licked his lips after taking a sip of tea and tried not to think about how those lips had felt against his own. "So. Uhm. What's your category then?" he awkwardly broke the silence and Soonyoung paused to grin at him.

"I'm a fae-type."

"A fae? Don't they usually stay away from Humans?" As far as he knew, fae-type Beings were usually rather reclusive and traditional. They stayed in their own small communities close to nature and meeting them in cities was rare since they only ventured there for trading.

"Well, yeah. Usually. My species doesn't though," Soonyoung said, his eyes glimmering with mirth. "Oh and Seungkwan's in the same category but don't tell him I said that."

Another fae. Surprisingly, there seemed to be quite a lot in Aegis. "Is that why you're partners?"

The Being nodded. "Mhm, probably."

"So Dokyeom is a fae-type Being too?"

Something seemed to close behind Soonyoung's otherwise sincere eyes and Jisoo knew immediately that he had picked the wrong topic. "Never mind!" he hastily back-pedalled. "I gotta ask him directly, I know."

The Being nodded again, slowly this time, his hands playing with the teacup. "But I think it would be best to just leave him alone. He's scared of Humans and gets really distressed when he has to interact with them."

"How can a Being be scared of Humans?" Jisoo mused aloud. "I mean, almost all of you are much stronger, right?"

Soonyoung's face darkened, his eyes directed at the cup, and the monk tensed next to the talisman. He'd be able to flip it in less than a second if the Being decided to attack - but Soonyoung simply kept staring at his tea, expression more sombre than upset. "Humans can do plenty of damage if they want to. Especially to Beings who are at their mercy," he said, his voice quiet. Straightening in his seat, he looked up before he continued talking, his eyes boring into Jisoo's. "Dokyeom is like a brother to Seungkwan and me. Please don't damage him any more than he already is."

The conversation had taken an odd turn and Jisoo didn't know what to say to lighten the stifling atmosphere. He had no idea what had happened to Dokyeom and he wasn't sure whether he actually wanted to know, because based on Soonyoung's expression, Dokyeom's backstory was either heart-wrenching or terrifying. Maybe both. It surprised him that Dokyeom was still working for Aegis despite being afraid of Humans.

"Anyway." Soonyoung's voice cut through the heavy silence. "We were supposed to talk about me!" The forced grin on his face looked almost like a grimace. He took a long sip from his cup before he set it down with a satisfied hum, his smile more genuine this time around. "That's some bomb-ass tea."

"It's peppermint," Jisoo pointed out drily. The cheapest brand he had been able to find - he was poor after all. At least until his first-ever paycheck arrived.

"Whatever. It warms my cold, black heart."

The monk couldn't suppress a chuckle and Soonyoung flashed him another one of his charming eye-smiles. It seemed like he had relaxed once again, no trace left of the darkness that had distorted his features just minutes earlier. Without any warning, he said, "Anyway, I'm a gancanagh.“

Jisoo stared at him, flabbergasted by the sudden honesty. "A- a what now?" This was his first time hearing of the species.

"A gancanagh. We're originally from Ireland, that's why the name's kinda hard."

"Oh. Uh, okay." It took a moment to come up with a question that didn't sound plain rude. "And, uh, what does it mean to be a, uhm, gancanna?"

Soonyoung grimaced but didn't bother to correct his horrible pronunciation. "Well, my species is pretty rare so I can't really blame you for not knowing anything about it. You've probably heard of incubi and succubi, haven't you?"

Jisoo immediately shrank back against the wall at the mention, fingers once again nearing the talisman. "The sex demons?!"

"Yeah - and would you please move your hand; you're making me real nervous here."

"Sorry." Taking a deep breath, the monk tried to relax and settled back into his seat. The topic made him rather uncomfortable, especially after what had happened with the Being before, but he had promised himself to try and keep an open mind about his colleagues. "Uhm, so, what's this about sex demons?" he asked after a moment of hesitation. Did he really want to know?

"Well, as much as I hate to say it, incubi and gancanaghs are similar in a way: We both need physical touch to survive. But," Soonyoung put strong emphasis on that word, "an incubus is a demon-type; he consumes the life-force of his partner. I feed on sexual energy and physical affection instead."

"Ah. Uhm. Okay?" That sounded, well, more than just a little odd to the monk. How was that supposed to work? How did Soonyoung eat sexual energy? Did he only eat from one partner? That didn't make any sense, given that he had attacked Jisoo. Also, they were both men; shouldn't the Being go for women instead?

Bashfulness stopped the monk from actually asking the questions burning on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he decided to move away from the dangerous topic of Soonyoung's questionable sexuality. "So, is Kai a gancanna too?"

Distaste made Soonyoung's face twitch. "Nah." He seemed to struggle for a moment before he leaned forward and lowered his voice.

Jisoo leaned forward as well in an attempt to hear him over the distance of his kitchen table, all caution replaced by a feeling equal parts curiosity and triumph. Finally, someone was answering his questions.

"I'm only telling you this because I think it could be dangerous if you don't know - especially since he seems interested in you. Kai's the real deal. He's an incubus and he doesn't give a damn about the feelings of his partners."

Jisoo's stomach had dropped at Soonyoung's words. Well, that explained the oddly sexual aura, the tantalizing sound of Kai's voice and the unusual attraction the monk had felt towards him during their first meeting.

Watching the monk's reaction, Soonyoung slumped against the backrest of his chair and took another sip from his cup before he continued speaking. "He's a dick. We can't stand each other so don't lump me in with him."

It sort of made sense for them to not get along, Jisoo pondered, since they were pretty much rivals when it came to their... uh... food. And if Kai really was as ruthless as Soonyoung had said - and that seemed highly likely given his own experiences - he probably was giving the fae a hard time finding someone to feed on.

The monk stirred his tea, his thoughts miles away, going over everything he knew about Aegis and his unit so far, pondering which question to ask next until, suddenly, the shrill sound of the doorbell interrupted him.

His heart immediately sank. Jihwan was here - while a 'man-eating' Being was sitting in his kitchen. What if he jumped his brother as well?

But Soonyoung had said that he regretted making a move on him against his will. And Jihwan was one of the most straight-laced, conservative people Jisoo knew. He could only pray that nothing awkward would happen.

"I'll get the door," he said after a few seconds of silent panic. "Please don't do anything weird, okay? Promise?"

The Being grinned, obviously aware of what the monk was thinking, and gave a thumbs up. "Sure thing. Hey, can I have more tea?"

"Yeah." Jisoo was already halfway out of the door, hands sweaty with anticipation. The conversation with Soonyoung had completely distracted him from the actual main event of the day: his reunion with his brother. And now the monk felt even less prepared than before.

The door was looming in front of him, intimidating in its stillness. What would happen if he opened it? Would it just be the same old story again, over and over? Maybe it would be better to keep his past behind closed doors, to not invite it back into his life...

The bell rang again and Jisoo jumped at the sudden sound. "Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck. Okay. I got this." It was too late to second guess his decisions anyway. He licked his dry lips and opened the door, revealing the young man waiting in front of it.

For a few seconds, they eyed each other in silence, taking in the changes three years had brought. Jihwan looked thinner than before, his cheekbones sharper than Jisoo remembered them to be. His hair was neatly cut, just like back then, but his clothes were wrinkled in a few places, less immaculate than Jisoo was used to. He was still wearing his usual outfit of polo shirt and blue jeans though; somehow, that was a relief.

A faint smile lifted the corners Jihwan's lips and Jisoo wondered what he was seeing right now. A monk in his traditional robe but with hair that was falling into his face? Or the delinquent that was hiding under the robe? Or maybe, just maybe, he was actually seeing him, Hong Jisoo, his little brother. The boy from their childhood.

Jisoo returned the smile as nonchalantly as he could - his face felt oddly stiff - before he stepped aside and motioned for his brother to come in. He had no idea what to say but a greeting seemed appropriate. "Hi."

Jihwan's smile widened while he stepped over the threshold, a noticeable gap still between them. The last time they had touched had been four and a half years ago, when Jihwan's fist had almost broken Jisoo's nose. Admittedly, he had deserved it.

"It's been a while. How are you doing?" Jihwan asked.

"Not bad," Jisoo muttered. "I'm having one of my colleagues over. If that's a problem, I can make him leave." It would be nice if they would both leave together, Soonyoung and Jihwan. Despite still having questions, Jisoo felt as if the day had already been stressful enough to last him at least a lifetime.

His brother's smile faltered for a split second before it was back in place. "Ah, no, I don't mind. Is he your friend?"

They both knew what the word 'friend' was implying: Is he someone from that gang of yours? Did you already get in touch again?

The monk had no intention to tell him that, indeed, he had already gotten back in touch with his old friends - albeit by accident and against his will. "No. We work in the same unit. Come on, he's waiting in the kitchen."

As soon as they entered, Soonyoung's eyes widened. "Woah, a shapeshifter?" he blurted. "How did he get through the talismans?!"

Jihwan looked amused and Jisoo snorted. "My twin brother. He's human." Out of pure habit, he almost added an affectionate you blockhead but he managed to swallow it. Jihwan's presence certainly had its effects.

"Hello, I'm Hong Jihwan. Nice to meet you."

"Oh, yeah, I'm Kwon Soonyoung, Jisoo's colleague. Hi!" They bowed in greeting. Soonyoung's eyes were jumping from one face to another as if he was trying to find all the little differences between them and the monk felt annoyance rear its ugly head. Getting compared to his brother was something he hated.

Jihwan had always been the good boy, the one with the perfect grades, the one with a talent for music and art, the one with the bright future. And then there had been him. The second one. The unremarkable one. His grades had been fine but they couldn't compare to Jihwan's. He had learned to play the guitar and even won a few competitions but Jihwan's piano skills were considered more sophisticated. He had worked hard to keep up with the mounting pressure - but in the end, after years and years of trying, he had given up. Had left it all behind. Jihwan could have it all; he didn't care any more. Who needed a family that only supported one son anyway?

He had built his own family after meeting Wonseok at a music club in middle school. And while his life had gone downhill from an outsider's point of view - alcohol, nicotine, violence and dropping out of school - it had been the most freeing experience in Jisoo's life at that time.

And now they were back to square one. A blank slate. Well, mostly blank at least; it was difficult to fully free himself of the lingering resentment he felt towards his older brother.

The air had noticeably cooled when Jisoo and Jihwan stepped out of the apartment building, followed by Soonyoung. The old phone his brother had brought was safely tucked away in the monk's pocket and he was well informed about his families' health and current affairs. It wasn’t looking good: His mother was still in the hospital with no signs of change, his father had started working additional jobs and Jihwan was still recovering from the injury he had gotten from his run-in with a hellhound. It had taken quite a bit of persuasion until he had reluctantly shown them the vicious scars running over his back. At least Jimin seemed to enjoy going to elementary school but Jihwan had reported that she kept asking about their parents almost every night.

The monk had silently vowed to visit her soon and to transfer half of his paycheck to his brother's bank account.

All in all, their conversation had worked out much better than he had expected. They had neither screamed at each other nor exchanged blows - although he had to admit that he was grateful that Soonyoung had been there to fill the awkward pauses with his chatter.

The Being knew a lot about him now, more than anyone else in Aegis, but for some reason, Jisoo felt as if the information was in good hands. Despite not really trusting Soonyoung's intentions, he at least had some trust in the sincerity of his colleague. The fae had been quite outspoken about his interests after all, without any apparent intention to hide anything from him. Whether this trust would be rewarded, remained to be seen.

"Jisoo." Jihwan's voice shook him out of his thoughts. The man with the identical face was standing in front of him like a mirror image of what could have been if the monk had followed the same, conventional path. "I'm glad you're doing okay now."

What was he supposed to answer? In his opinion, he had never not done okay while he was with his friends. The time he had been overwhelmed and sick of living had been before that. He had only left the gang because of his mother's collapse and following illness; the thought of burdening her even more had been the decisive factor.

In hindsight, it had been good that he had left. The group had gotten more and more radical over time, dabbling in harder drugs and weapons, but back then it had been a horrible decision to make. And he couldn't exactly tell his brother that his current profession was probably even more dangerous.

Jisoo forced a smile. "Yeah, no worries," he said. "I'm gonna send some money soon for mom's treatment."

It pained him how proud Jihwan looked at his words. As if he was thinking that finally, finally his brother had matured into an actual adult.

"Thank you, Jisoo. Really, I mean it." Jihwan's voice trembled but after he had taken a deep breath, he continued. "For joining the monastery to help, for joining this company here to help as well." Jisoo immediately opened his mouth to protest but his brother didn't give him the time to speak. "Yes, yes, you didn't do it for us." He rolled his eyes and the monk flushed. "Anyway, if anything's the matter, please call me, alright?"

They nodded at each other and then his brother left, just like that. Jisoo stared after his retreating form until it vanished between the apartment buildings, feelings of relief, sadness and hope mixing somewhere deep in his chest.

He jumped when Soonyoung blew his nose behind him. "Aaah, so touching. I almost cried when he thanked you, like, I've never seen anything like that in real life." The fae slung an arm around Jisoo's shoulders, completely disregarding his stiffening body. "Human drama is the best, seriously; everything is so emotional. I'm a sucker for that."

A smile tugged at Jisoo's lips, one he couldn't suppress regardless how hard he tried. Soonyoung was such a weirdo but it was really difficult to not like his light-heartedness. As soon as he had thought that far, a familiar warm flush ran over his body.

"Ow! Why did you punch me?" the Being whined, holding his arm, while Jisoo brought several feet of distance between them.

"You did your thing! That attraction thingy you did in my flat last time!" Jisoo accused, eyes narrowed, and the Being puffed out his cheeks.

"Attraction thingy - it's pheromones; I can't just turn them off! Don't be mad, come on; I'm not going to do anything and it really wasn't on purpose."

Jisoo still looked suspicious when he inched closer once again, the warm tingles in his body slowly dying down, but they had no time to argue further because Soonyoung's phone rang, disrupting them.

While the fae answered, Jisoo turned back to his apartment building, wondering if it would be rude if he simply left. Probably, he decided after a moment of contemplation, and since they had only started getting along, it seemed like a bad idea. But he felt somewhat drained and the wind was surprisingly cold with only his robe on. Maybe he could at least retreat into the lobby until Soonyoung had fin-

"What?!"

The sharp exclamation cut through the air like a whiplash and Jisoo froze, eyes directed at the Being. The warm energy he had emanated while happily talking earlier had made way for an eerie darkness that was slowly distorting his features. His eyes had narrowed. His brows were drawing closer together, a wrinkle between them deepening. His teeth were bared when he hissed, "What the hell do you mean: Dokyeom's gone?"

Category: Demon

Beings in the Demon category are characterized by their innate need to take the life-force of other Beings and Humans to survive. While most of them are highly intelligent, they are also often extremely ruthless and malevolent.

Although they differ in size and shape, most demon-type Beings resemble Humans, making it easy to prey on them. However, at the use of their abilities or during periods of heightened emotions, many species in the Demon category display eye colours ranging from violet to purple.

Category: Fae

Beings in the Fae category live in mutualism with nature since they are reliant on it when it comes to procreation. Therefore many fae species live in traditional communities away from bigger cities and tend to avoid contact with other Beings and Humans.

Fae-type Beings are often either shy or quite mischievous but almost never truly malicious.

Species: Incubus/Succubus

Incubus; From Latin incubare, "to lie upon”.

Succubus; From Latin subcubare, "to lie beneath"

Most commonly known as Sex Demons, Incubi (male) and Succubi (female) are Beings in the Demon category who use dreams and hallucinations to suck energy during sexual intercourse. While a single sexual encounter usually has no lasting ill-effects, repeated encounters can lead to the death of the victim due to their loss of life-force. Apart from feeding purposes, sexual partners are also used for breeding.

While Incubi and Succubi are generally good-looking and charming, they have little interest in the well-being of others and tend to stay alone throughout their lives.

Excerpt from "A Beginner's Guide to Beings", Page 33

Species: Gancanagh

F rom Irish gean cánach, meaning "love talker".

Gancanaghs are fae-type Beings most well known for their ability to use pheromones to seduce Humans and other Beings. While they feed on sexual energy, they don't use their sexual partners to procreate.

Gancanaghs are exclusively male. They tend to live in small groups near human settlements and are closely related to Leprechauns.

Excerpt from "A Beginner's Guide to Beings", Pag e 68

Chapter Text

For the third time during the past thirty minutes, Jisoo asked himself why he was here. He could have stayed home, eaten the can of soup he had bought earlier and made himself comfortable with a nice book and some more tea. It could have been such a nice, relaxed ending to the stressful day.

Could have.

But instead, he was in the backseat of a taxi, jammed between two arguing fae on their way to find a missing guy Jisoo basically knew nothing about. Well, apart from the fact that said guy almost fainted every time he laid eyes on him.

Everything had happened very quickly. Soonyoung had ordered the person at the other end of the line to pick him up before he had disconnected, his forehead deeply furrowed. "We need help," he had declared. "Wait here." And then he had left and only had re-emerged once the taxi had stopped next to Jisoo, carrying a massive bag.

The monk winced when Seungkwan screeched into his right ear, his round face beet-red, "I told you: It's not my fault!"

"Oh yeah?! You were the one keeping an eye on him," Soonyoung hollered to his left, just as loudly.

"I went to get something to eat; do you want me to starve?!"

"You could've called me to take over!"

"But you-"

"You are bothering the driver." Mingyu's voice from the front seat wasn't loud but it held a certain authority that immediately silenced the two fae. "Please turn left at the next intersection," he said to the taxi driver, a heavy-set man nearing his fifties, who nodded wordlessly. "We have almost reached him."

In an attempt to relax between the two sullen Beings, Jisoo leaned back, ignoring the uncomfortable sting of Seungkwan's elbow poking his rips and how Soonyoung's thigh pressed against his. A question had been plaguing him ever since they had embarked on their rescue mission - apart from the question why he had been forced to join in the first place - but he wasn't sure whether it was a good time to ask, given the current atmosphere.

After about a minute of uncomfortable silence, he decided to try his luck anyway. "So, uhm, I don't really get it. Why would Dokyeom run away? Tao was taking care of him, right?"

Next to him, Soonyoung sighed. "Remember that I told you that he doesn't like humans?" he asked, indirectly answering the question. "He has a pretty severe head injury right now. He probably woke up, was confused, saw Tao and got scared." The Being sighed again. "At least that's what I hope."

"Stop being so negative. We'll find him and he'll be fine," Seungkwan grumbled but his shaky voice gave away that he wasn't as confident as he pretended to be.

Silence once again filled the car.

Jisoo was itching to know what exactly they were so afraid of but it wasn't his place to ask and he was sure that they wouldn't answer anyway. Both fae seemed highly protective of Dokyeom - he wondered whether it was only because they were partners or if it had some sort of underlying reason.

"Please stop the car," Mingyu suddenly said. "We've arrived."

Curious, the monk peered out of the windshield but to his surprise, he was met with the sight of plants. A meadow, thick with grass and weeds, stretched along the right side of the street while the other side was littered with dilapidated and overgrown houses. They had left Seoul behind without him noticing.

As soon as Seungkwan opened the car door, the smell of wildflowers hit the monk. The air was much cleaner than in the city and Jisoo drank it in; he had missed clear, unpolluted air ever since he had left the monastery.

"Alright," Soonyoung said after the taxi had left, rubbing his hands. "Can you locate him, Mingyu?"

Blond hair glistening in the late afternoon sun, the tall Being shook his head. "This is as far as I can trace him. He should be around here somewhere." He looked serious but not concerned, unlike the two fae.

"Hiding, probably. Oy! Dokyeom!" Seungkwan's voice rang over the meadow but only silence answered. He shrugged. "Worth a try. I'll cover this side, you go and search those huts over there."

The monk looked at him as if he had lost his mind - one person searching an area bigger than a football field? - but to his astonishment, the other Beings nodded without complaint. While Mingyu and Soonyoung moved towards the overgrown buildings, Jisoo lingered at the edge of the meadow, watching as Seungkwan sat down between the weeds, his back turned towards him.

What was he doing? Wasn't he supposed to search for his friend?

"Are you waiting for something?" the fae suddenly asked and Jisoo jumped in surprise.

How did he know? Could he smell him or something?

"Uh... I thought maybe you need some help?" he stuttered before he flushed, secretly grateful that Seungkwan wasn't looking at him.

A chuckle reached him and when the fae replied, his voice held a mocking lilt. "I'm faster without you."

The monk's hands tightened into fists. So much for helping his teammate. "Asshole," he muttered before he raised his voice. "Alright then." He wouldn't bother the Being any longer with his presence.

As soon as he turned to leave, his foot got caught in a bramble and he stumbled, almost falling flat on his face. At his surprised yelp, Seungkwan snickered and when the monk turned back to him, the plants surrounding the fae were swaying in an entirely unnatural way, given that the air was still, without a sign of wind.

That had definitely been the Being's doing. As far as Jisoo could remember, there hadn't been any brambles or any other similar shrubs near him earlier. The monk shot daggers at Seungkwan's back but the fae ignored him, much to his chagrin. Most fae species were widely regarded as troublemakers, they liked to play pranks, and, apparently, Seungkwan was part of that group as well.

"Jisoo, are you coming?!"

Soonyoung's voice reached his ears and with a last glare at Seungkwan's back, the monk disentangled his leg and made his way towards the old buildings.

"Okay, so I think it would be easiest to split up. You need to search everything but especially cellars and stuff underground, alright? He likes to hide there."

Soonyoung looked as if he was ready to go to war: armed to the teeth with a shovel, a massive flashlight, coils of rope and - to make matters completely ridiculous - a hard hat.

"Are you, by any chance, planning to bury someone?" Jisoo asked, still staring at the bright blue helmet.

"You're joking now but you never know when you'll actually need this kinda stuff." The fae's face was dead serious while a barely visible smile played on Mingyu's lips. The latter was dressed in his usual white and light grey clothes and looked like he had simply decided to take a lazy stroll in the park, not go on a rescue mission. Although, to be fair, he had had even less time to prepare than Jisoo since Soonyoung had simply marched up to the Being's flat and had ordered him to help - which, to Jisoo's surprise, he had immediately complied with. The monk wondered whether it had been because Soonyoung had been the one asking or because a member of the unit was missing. Would they do the same for him?

Probably not. Dokyeom was an established member of the group after all - unlike him, the human newcomer.

He could feel Mingyu's eyes on him and for a split second, he wondered whether the Being had heard his self-deprecating thoughts somehow. Who knew? Maybe he could read minds.

But after mulling it over for a moment, the monk disregarded the thought. There weren't many species who were able to use telepathy - and even if they were, most of them at least needed some sort of body contact.

Jisoo glimpsed at the Being, unsure what he wanted, and flinched when dark eyes caught his. But then the Being shifted his gaze to Soonyoung, who clapped twice.

"Okay, let's get going, guys! We'll meet back here in an hour."

Nodding, the monk turned to the building Soonyoung had chosen for him to search. It looked like an old farmhouse, two stories tall, grey walls overgrown with ivy, the empty, dark windows staring at him like eyes. Additionally, next to the house there was a wooden building that could've been a barn once as well as a small tool shed that had almost completely fallen apart.

Uneasily, the monk rubbed his arm.

Those buildings looked exactly like places where spectres would live and those incorporeal, often invisible Beings had always creeped him out. Why would Dokyeom choose to voluntarily stay in a place like that? Wasn't it much more likely that he was hiding somewhere in the bushes around the meadow while enjoying the sun and wildflowers?

Jisoo swallowed the lump in his throat and inched closer to the main building. The door was gone and the hole it had left revealed a dim entrance hall, filled with trash and debris. The stench of rot and mould hung heavily in the air when he leaned forward to peer inside. Hesitating, he remained rooted to the spot on the front porch, attempting to gather his courage - his attempt failed.

"Okay. Let's take a look first," he muttered and crept towards the closest window instead. The glass was broken and dusty, obscuring his view. He grimaced.

The next window was in even worse condition but the third, in a gap between the house wall and the wall of the barn, had been protected from the weather and was therefore still intact. With bated breath, the monk took a peek - and recoiled.

Something had definitely taken refuge in the house: The floor of the room - a former kitchen, he assumed - was littered with bones and the decomposing bodies of animals; rats, birds, mice, even a small cat.

"Oh hell no. No way I'm going in there."

The bodies were too decayed to be fresh so it definitely wasn't Dokyeom who had brought them and the monk had absolutely no desire to meet whoever it had been.

Every sense on high alert, he snuck along the wooden, windowless barn wall. The building looked less intimidating than the main house but after what he had seen just now, he would rather take a look first before heading in.

The gap between the buildings opened up into an untended, overgrown garden and he had just turned to the barn door when something caught his eye: The tall grass was thinner in one area, creating a path that led away from the buildings.

The barn first? Or the pathway?

Jisoo hesitated for a moment. Somehow, simply based on the impression he had gotten of his colleague so far, it seemed unlikely that Dokyeom would stay in a place where another Being was dwelling. Ultimately, fae were peace-loving and since Dokyeom was close friends with two of them, he probably wasn't one to seek conflict. And whatever was living in this house didn't seem very friendly. The monk shivered when his eyes got drawn towards the dark windows. He could always come back to take a look at the barn later.

Carefully, he passed through grass and bushes, every nerve in his body prickling. The trail went on for a while, out of the garden and towards an unused field that probably was part of the farm. As soon as he stepped onto the dry soil, another building caught his attention: A small cottage blended into the trees surrounding it, its stone walls almost invisible due to the vines covering them. It looked less dilapidated than the other buildings, more like a place where someone would want to hide. The two windows he could see were still intact and the door was closed. The only thing that looked seriously damaged was the roof. On the left side, only beams remained; a dark skeleton against the clear, blue sky.

Slowly, he approached. The front door was intact although its hinges looked somewhat untrustworthy. When he looked into the windows, he found empty rooms. Dust was glittering in the rays of sunshine filtering through the glass, in the air and on every visible surface, like snow.

The sight was a lot less frightening than the bone-riddled kitchen of the other building.

"Alright. Let's start here," he mumbled and returned to the door - only to find it locked.

After several futile attempts to open it – the hinges were much less corroded than he had anticipated – the monk decided to look for a backdoor instead. If he wasn't able to open that either, he would smash one of the windows. Rounding the corner of the house, he was met with the sight of a garden almost as overgrown as the one behind the main building, but his face immediately lit up when his eyes fell on a dark square on the ground: the opened hatch to a cellar. Now he just had to pray that he'd find Dokyeom down there and not an unpleasant surprise.

"Dokyeom? Are you here?"

Silence once again answered him but his grip tightened regardless. The monk cursed Soonyoung for not telling him to bring a proper weapon and he cursed himself for not thinking of it on his own. His only weapon now was a thick branch he had picked up in the garden and that would hardly help him against any Beings.

The wooden boards creaked with each of his steps but despite the unpleasant noise, it gave him a certain sense of safety; at least nobody would be able to sneak up on him with a floor like that. Unless it was a spectre.

He hastily banished that thought.

"Hello? Dokyeom?"

This was useless.

The light falling through the small windows high up on the walls was barely enough to illuminate the room he was standing in but the rooms without windows were filled with impenetrable darkness. Not that the light had revealed anything of interest so far; all rooms he had checked had been empty, apart from dust and some cobwebs, and nobody had reacted regardless how loud he had called. Even if Dokyeom was down here - and Jisoo really doubted it by now -, he obviously didn't want to be found.

The monk eyed the doorframe he was standing in front of and the looming darkness behind it. The next room was one without windows, pitch black. To get to the stairs that would lead into the house, he would have to walk through it even though the thought made his skin crawl.

Taking a deep breath, he shuffled a step forward, the floorboards squeaking in protest, but his eyes couldn't make out any shapes. "Night vision goggles would be helpful now," he grumbled before grinning weakly when he imagined how excited Jihoon would be if he got his hands on a toy like that.

"Dokyeom?"

As expected, no response came and he moved forward a few more steps, his arms stretched out so he wouldn’t run into any obstacles. And then, all of a sudden, his foot stepped into empty space where the floor should have been and with a scream that reverberated throughout the cellar, he plummeted into the darkness.

A horrible crack rang through the air when Jisoo's leg bore the brunt of his fall and got buried beneath his body. Red hot pain shot through him and for a moment, his senses dimmed. Only pain existed. It ran through him like electricity, surging through his nerves, spreading in waves into every little part of his body - and then, a drop of cold water on his cheek brought him back and with it the reality of the situation: He had just fallen through the floor of an old building into a rather deep... cave, maybe?

The air was chilly and humid, the strong smell of wet soil surrounding him. His leg was definitely broken and his whole body hurt from the impact on the ground. Surprisingly high up, he could faintly make out the hole he had fallen through - but around him was only darkness. Impenetrable darkness.

A tremor ran through the monk. He needed to get out.

"Fuck," he groaned while he tried to sit up, flinching when his shaking hands came in contact with the ground. It felt like hardened dirt, cold and a little slimy.

"Hello?! Soonyoung? Mingyu? Can anyone hear me? Help!"

Although he tried for several minutes, his screams went unanswered and slowly but surely, pain got overshadowed by crippling fear. The darkness around him seemed to accumulate, to darken even more. It was smothering him. Breathing became more and more difficult when his chest tightened. He clamped his hands over his mouth in an attempt to stop the building panic - the taste of soil on his lips helped little to calm him; everything was overwhelming: the smell, the taste, the coldness, the darkness and the pain. Dizziness made his head spin.

Suddenly, the eerie feeling of being watched, of not being alone rushed through him.

He tensed. Goosebumps prickled on his skin as his widened eyes tried to penetrate the darkness – to no avail. Holding his breath, he listened for anything out of the ordinary but apart from his hammering heartbeat reverberating in his ears and the occasional soft drip of water, everything was deathly still.

He remained that way until his lungs began to scream before he allowed himself to suck in a shuddering breath, nails digging into the palms of his hands.

The feeling had vanished as quickly as it had come.

"Okay," he whispered, his voice his only anchor in the darkness. "Okay, calm down, Hong Jisoo. It's just your imagination." His nerves were playing tricks on him, obviously; it wasn't unusual given the high-stress situation. If he panicked now, chances were that he would die. "Don't panic. It'll be alright." He needed a plan.

Feeling around for anything to help him, he could make out some pieces of the wooden floorboards scattered on the ground but apart from that, he couldn't feel anything else. No rocks. No plants. No walls. How big was this place? Did it have an entry apart from the hole above?

He yelped when pain shot through his leg at his attempt to stretch further. "Fuck. Okay, bad idea," he ground through clenched teeth, tears prickling in his eyes. It hurt. Everything hurt. But would anyone find him if he simply stayed in one place? Logically thinking, Soonyoung and Mingyu both knew that he had searched the farmhouse. But would they also find the cottage? And if they did, would they notice the hole in the floor? It had been quite dark in the cellar and once the sunlight faded outside, it would be even darker. Maybe if he continued to call out-

A thought struck him. Call. His phone!

"Oh my god, Hong Jisoo, you massive dumbass," he muttered, his voice almost shaking as much as his hands while he patted his robe in search for the little device. And there it was: a rectangular shape in his left pocket where he had placed it after Jihwan had handed it to him earlier.

"Please work. Please work, come on." The dim light of the screen was blinding in the darkness when he switched it on. "Yes!" Relief made his eyes water for the second time but he wiped them with his sleeve, impatient, smearing dirt all over his cheeks. But his face immediately fell when he noticed that the phone had no signal. He had not yet purchased a SIM card.

"Ah, damn it! Fuck. Okay." He took a deep breath before he mumbled, "At least I can see now."

Switching on the flashlight, he was finally able to look around.

As he had already suspected, he was indeed in a cave, the ceiling too high for his light to reach. The wall he was able to see consisted of wet soil, a few roots peeking out here and there, and it vanished into the darkness after a few feet. He couldn't make out how big the cave was but it seemed quite massive and it was empty as far as he could tell.

Next, he checked his leg. It was twisted at a weird, unnatural angle that made Jisoo's bile rise just by looking at it. "Yep. That's bad," he muttered before he eyed the pieces of half-rotten wood surrounding him. "And of course there's no way to splint it. Shit."

What now? He wasn't able to move, to get out by himself even if there was an exit somewhere. It had been several hours since he had eaten lunch and he could feel hunger gnawing at his insides. Combined with the pain, the shock and the coldness, it wouldn't take long for him to pass out.

He wouldn't be able to call for help then but if someone came to search for him, maybe they would notice the light of his phone - but for that, he needed to conserve the battery. It was already dangerously low after not having been used for several years.

A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of sitting in the darkness again but he didn't have much choice. It was the most logical thing to do – even if he didn't want to. But he didn't want to die in a hole in the ground either.

With a broken sigh, he turned off the flashlight and screen, plunging him back into darkness. The quiet trickling of water along the walls mixed with his ragged breaths made his skin crawl. The coldness of the ground and the air was seeping through his clothes. He could only wait until someone came to save him.

Shivering, he curled into a small ball, his injured leg outstretched, in an attempt to keep himself warm, and remained that way for what felt like an eternity.

Chapter Text

Only the quiet dripping of water broke the silence that enveloped him while he drifted in and out of consciousness. His limbs were stiff, the biting coldness had long since settled into them.

With difficulty, Jisoo opened his tired eyes to glimpse at the hole above him. It was almost impossible to make out by now. His lips stretched into a self-deprecating smile: Of course, nobody had bothered to look for him. It was way past the time they had set to meet again, the last time he had dared to turn on the phone it had been almost six pm, and he refused to believe that a bunch of Beings would be unable to find a single Human - unless they didn't want to. Because unlike Dokyeom, he had no way to conceal himself.

His hand, limply resting on the cold ground, curled into a fist. But what use was it to blame them? It had been his own carelessness that had lead to this unfavourable situation and they weren't close after all, despite being part of the same unit. They would probably be happy to get rid of him.

He once again rested his cheek on the knee of his healthy leg, his body curled up as much as his injury allowed.

After surviving all those encounters with dangerous Beings, would he really die from falling into a hole? The situation was so stupid, it was almost funny.

His lifeless chuckle sounded hollow in the width of the cave.

All of a sudden, something crawled down his back.

A shrill scream escaped him while he spun around to hit whatever had touched him - but the darkness was too impenetrable to make out anything and his hands met no resistance.

An insect? Soil? Water?

What was going on?!

A shudder ran through him and everything seemed to waver, the pain in his leg almost unbearable after the involuntary movement. His fingers dug into the hard soil of the ground in an attempt to keep him from toppling over as the world spun around him and cold sweat formed on his forehead.

"You're hurt."

The faint voice was muffled and distorted; it seemed to come from everywhere at once, surrounding him just like the darkness.

The monk blanched even more; his body stiffened while fear held his heart in a vice-like grip. Despite the quietness of his surroundings, he hadn't heard anyone getting closer.

A Being. There was no doubt. Would this be his end?

His voice left him in a strangled whisper. "Who-? Where-?"

Without warning, something cold and wet wrapped around his broken leg, forcing it straight against the ground. The pain was excruciating, blinding, and Jisoo couldn't stop his screams. Tears began to trickle down his cheeks while he writhed in agony. He reached for whatever was holding onto him but his hands only met a hard, clay-like substance that seemed to cover his whole leg. All of his frantic attempts to remove it failed.

"It hurts! Please! Stop!" he begged whoever was torturing him as he clawed helplessly at his leg but the pressure on it remained unchanged.

"You're human," the distorted voice interrupted his pleading before it suddenly grew in volume. "Why are you here? Are you following me? What do you WANT?!" The last word was almost a scream.

Terrified, Jisoo pressed his hands over his ears, his whole body shaking uncontrollably while tears kept running down his face.

"Are you here to hurt me again?!"

"No! No, please! I don't know-" The monk choked on his frantic sobs.

What did that thing want from him?! Why did it hate Humans so much? It was almost as if- A sudden thought popped up, almost smothered by the terror creeping through his body.

"Dokyeom?" he whispered, doubtful and scared, his heart beating double-time as his voice shook with fear.

Please. Please let it be him. He had no strength to deal with anyone who was out to kill him right now. If it was a feral Being, he'd be done for.

Silence filled the cave until-

"You know my name?"

The golden sunrays twinkling on the surface of the river next to Seungcheol weren't enough to lift his mood. On the contrary. He was fighting the constant urge to curse because that idiot was in trouble again.

Jisoo had joined Aegis only three weeks ago but it seemed like misfortune was his constant companion wherever he went.

Cold wind whipped the vampire's face and ruffled his hair but he ignored it for the sake of speeding up. Seungcheol preferred cars – they were comfortable and usually more convenient - but during rush hour it was much faster to run.

It had been exactly seven minutes since he had gotten the call from Soonyoung. The call that had informed him that not only Dokyeom was missing but Jisoo as well.

He clenched his teeth as he sped along the Han river, through parks which were teeming with Humans and Beings alike. It was a sunny and cloudless spring day; perfect weather for a stroll outside, apparently.

Seungcheol didn't share the sentiment. The evening sun wasn't as strong but it was still strong enough to burn on his skin and if he had to choose, he could think of a myriad of things he'd rather do than walk around in a park.

Saving Jisoo was not one of these things.

He dodged a bicycle, the female Human riding it not even noticing his presence while Seungcheol only registered her appetizing smell. Although the sun was blinding him, it was easy enough to avoid collisions - but it was still a nuisance that his body weakened throughout the day. Not substantially but enough to be bothersome.

He squinted into the sun, opting to follow a street lined with cherry trees to get out of the burning light. It was even more crowded than the other walkway. In front of him, a small human girl was playing with a young nymph, both dressed in matching green shirts. Without slowing down, Seungcheol leapt over them. One of the girl's knees was scratched up; the fragrant smell of her blood faintly reminded Seungcheol of his partner.

Soonyoung had said that Jisoo had gone out to search for Dokyeom and that they weren't able to locate either of the two now. If it was Dokyeom who had gotten his hands on the Human, it would be almost impossible to find Jisoo, even for someone as experienced as Seungcheol himself. Usually, the vampire wouldn't worry too much about it since the Being was quite friendly and placid but he had acted up a few times in front of Humans and he was currently still recovering from his head wound. Dokyeom's behaviour throughout the past few days had been somewhat unsettling.

The trees whizzed past Seungcheol as he sped up even more. Fifteen more minutes, he estimated, until he arrived.

He couldn't let his partner die. Not again. And especially not at the hands of a unit member.

He had finally found him: His colleague, the Being they had been searching for. But, for some reason, Dokyeom didn't seem to recognize him.

"I'm Jisoo!" he screamed into the silence left behind by another bout of anger, deathly afraid that the Being would hurt him again in his rage. "Hong Jisoo, your teammate! I'm helping Soonyoung and Seungkwan search for you! Your partners, don't you remember?!"

"Soonyoung... Seungkwan..."

Hope began to swell in Jisoo's chest once the Being grew silent. Everything was better than another outburst.

If Dokyeom was here, there had to be an exit. And even if there wasn't, maybe the Being could tell the others of his broken leg. He just needed to calm him down somehow.

"Yes. Soonyoung and Seungkwan. They're searching for you because they're really worried," Jisoo emphasized in an attempt to pacify the Being. His heart was still beating out of his chest. "And they'll worry even more if they don't hear from us... Hey, do you think you could help me get out of here, Doky-"

"No! Don't call me that! DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

The monk jumped in fright and pain shot through the leg that was still stuck to the ground. His hands once again dug into the cold soil while he bit his lip to suppress a groan. Dokyeom had sounded absolutely mental just now and he had no idea what the Being was capable of. His injury was rendering him utterly helpless; he was completely at Dokyeom's mercy. Closing his eyes, he hastily reassured him, "Okay! Okay, it's alright! Don't worry, I won't."

His priority was to get out of the cave alive and if he had to play along with the Being to do so, so be it. His fists tightened in determination.

"I hate it. I hate it so much." Dokyeom's voice was an erratic mumble somewhere in the darkness.

"Okay. Deep breaths, alright?"

The Being seemed completely trapped in his own thoughts and if the mention of his partners had not managed to get through, would any of his words even matter? Jisoo's brain was working frantically to come up with a plan. Outright asking for help hadn't worked but maybe if he humoured the Being...

"Let's think of another name then, okay? A nice one that you like. Do you have a name you like?" he coaxed, his voice as soothing as he could manage given the dire situation while his hands were still curled into tight fists, nails biting into his palms.

"I- I don't know... I never thought about it..." Dokyeom sounded unsure but at least he wasn't screaming again.

The monk released a quiet breath. "Okay. You need a last name first, right? Like Kim or Park or Lee."

Silence filled the darkness and Jisoo grew more and more concerned the longer it lasted. The Being wouldn't just leave without him, would he? Should he turn on his phone to check?

"I like Lee. It sounds nice."

Slumping against the floor, Jisoo suppressed a relieved groan before he forced himself to speak once again. "Ah. Right... uh. What about a first name? Do you have one that sounds nice? Or how about a character from a book or a series?"

What kind of fucked up conversation was that?! His leg was killing him while he was busy renaming his colleague who would or would not end up wiping him out anyway. Inwardly, the monk was screaming bloody murder.

This time, the response came a lot faster: "There's an artist that I like... Ko Seokmin."

"Lee Seokmin sounds like a great name!" the monk blurted with as much enthusiasm as he could muster - which, admittedly, wasn't all that much. But now came the most crucial part. Jisoo's voice turned soft, gentle, every word a warm caress. "I think you should leave Dokyeom buried here and leave this cave as Lee Seokmin. A fresh start, you know. What do you think, mh?"

He held his breath, waiting for an answer. If this attempt failed as well, he was completely out of ideas. The only thing he had left then was begging.

Dokyeom's reluctant reply came after several excruciating seconds: "But my master gave me that name..."

Jisoo almost rolled his eyes. Why was he worried about it now, after freaking out earlier? It wasn't like he held any sort of fondness towards it. And what master? Where was that shitty master when Dokyeom had gone missing, huh?

"I see... Do you miss your master?" he probed carefully, unsure why the Being was still hesitating. Maybe his master had died or something and that was why he was reluctant to let go of his name?

"No! I hate him."

Uh, well. That was a different scenario from what the monk had imagined. "Isn't it okay then?" Jisoo coaxed him further. "At least you won't get reminded of him every time someone calls your name."

"Seungcheol! Over here!" Soonyoung, Mingyu and Wonwoo were standing in the long shadow of one of the dilapidated houses. The sun was close to setting, casting everything in a golden glow.

Nimbly, Seungcheol moved from shadow to shadow until he arrived at the trio.

Soonyoung looked distressed, he noted, an unusual expression for someone as easy-going as the fae. It was hard enough to keep him focused on his assignments usually but now he was pouring his everything into finding Dokyeom - and Jisoo?

It was difficult to tell who Soonyoung really was concerned about.

Mingyu, in comparison, seemed rather unruffled but his eyes held a sombre look. Had he already given up on the Human? He wasn't a persistent person to begin with, too detached from most worldly things to care, so it would fit his character to do so.

Seungcheol's brows furrowed when his eyes fell on Wonwoo. The Being was standing next to Mingyu, completely silent, but his expression betrayed his thoughts: He was livid.

Seungcheol didn't need to ask why; he had worked long enough with Wonwoo to know of his hatred for Humans. That Mingyu had voluntarily decided to help one - and had even called him to help out as well - was a blow to his ego. But Wonwoo had always been weak when it came to his partner.

The vampire suppressed a grin.

"Found anything?" he asked, his stern expression revealing none of his thoughts.

"We checked out the house he was supposed to search but apart from an imp, we didn't find anything," Soonyoung reported, his face solemn. "He probably went somewhere else afterwards but we don't know where."

"And the imp?" Imps weren't dangerous compared to other Beings but a Human could have some trouble facing them. Had Jisoo fallen prey to it?

"Harmless. Too young to eat anything but small animals and we found no traces of human blood," Mingyu said and Seungcheol relaxed his stiff stance a little.

So Dokyeom was the most likely culprit.

"Dokyeom might have killed him by accident. If he buried him, it'll be difficult even for Seungkwan to find him," Mingyu added, voicing the leader's thoughts.

A smirk spread over Wonwoo's face while Soonyoung's fists clenched at his sides.

Seungcheol's eyes hardened. It was the most likely scenario - but he didn't want to believe in Jisoo's death just yet.

"Let's talk to Seungkwan first; maybe he found something. And if he didn't, I'll get Jeonghan to bring Hansol."

The werewolf's sense of smell was even better than his own and even though Jeonghan was even less enthused than Wonwoo when it came to helping Jisoo, he wouldn't dare to disobey Seungcheol's direct order.

Silence prevailed in the cave, both people inside dwelling on their own thoughts.

Jisoo was contemplating his next move. He had sweet-talked the Being into leaving the cave but he had yet to make sure that Do- no, Seokmin would bring him along. Was the Being even strong enough to carry him? He always looked like a gust of wind would blow him away, given how lanky he was.

Shifting a little, Jisoo tried to relieve his aching butt but his trapped leg prevented him from finding a more comfortable position to sit in.

Should he ask the Being to release him? Or would that trigger another outburst? He still remembered the pain vividly enough to not want to relive that experience. But if his leg remained stuck, he wouldn't be able to leave either.

The monk chewed on his lip for a moment, brows knitted tightly, before he dared to speak: "Uhm... D- erm, Seokmin... are you still here?"

"Yes?"

The voice sounded much closer than he had anticipated and Jisoo jumped in fright, a flash of pain shooting through his body. He clenched his teeth until he was able to continue. "Could you please let go of my leg? It really hurts." His volume had decreased the longer he had spoken, the last word was only a quiet mumble. Bracing himself for whatever the Being would do next, he stiffened and closed his eyes, fear once again seeping through his veins like poison.

"Oh, but..." Seokmin sounded hesitant and the monk's heart immediately sank. "It's broken, isn't it? Don't people need a cast when they have a broken bone? I read it in a book."

A cast? Jisoo's eyes immediately flew open in disbelief - although it made no difference in the darkness of the cave. Seokmin hadn't tried to torture him; he had tried to splint his fractured bone?

A somewhat hysterical laugh bubbled in Jisoo's belly until he couldn't hold it in any longer. The situation was too absurd. He had been scared to death, convinced that he would die at the hands of the Being to forever remain in this dark grave while Seokmin had only tried to help. And now that he thought about it, the Being hadn't touched him at all apart from the first contact, not even after finding out that he was human. He could have easily killed him without anyone ever finding out.

After his burst of hysterics had finally ebbed away, Jisoo wiped his face with his sleeves before he once again chuckled. The cave was deathly silent but the monk wasn't afraid anymore. Seokmin probably thought that he had gone completely nuts now. His heart lightened even more and he had to suppress another round of giggles.

And really, as if to confirm his thoughts, the Being's voice sounded rather doubtful when it rang to his left. "Are you okay? I can get rid of it if it's too painful."

"No, no, it's alright. Thanks." Jisoo had to admit that the 'cast' really did help. The only problem was that it was fused to the ground - but at least now he didn't have to worry anymore whether the Being would kill him or leave him behind. "But I can't really move; uh, can you tell the others that they need to get me outta here?"

"Oh, don't worry. Keep your injured leg stretched like that."

Jisoo jumped once again. Seokmin's voice had been incredibly close to his ear - and while he was still recovering from the fright, the ground beneath him suddenly shifted upwards. He gasped, fearfully reaching for anything that could provide a firm hold until his hands met a clothed chest. Cool arms snaked around his waist and under his knees, almost warm in the biting cold of the cave, and the comforting smell of sunlit earth filled his nose when he got lifted from the ground with ease. His leg was still in its cast but if he wasn't mistaken, the cast had bent slightly at his knee.

Seokmin's body felt a lot more sturdy than Jisoo had expected and despite his reluctance, he couldn't help but huddle a bit closer against the Being's chest. He felt as if his body had turned to ice throughout the whole ordeal.

"Is my grip too tight? I'm sorry, I don't know how to carry Humans." Seokmin sounded worried above him. His cool breath caressed Jisoo's damp forehead while the arms around him loosened sightly but the monk shook his head, certain that the Being could see it despite the darkness. "Okay. Hold onto me; we're leaving."

A jolt shook Seokmin's body before a deafening rumbling began to spread through the cave. Small clumps of soil hit Jisoo's face until a cool hand tucked his head against what he could only presume was the crook of Seokmin's neck. It was as hard as a rock, the skin smooth like it had been polished, and regardless how much Jisoo concentrated, he couldn't feel even the slightest hint of a pulse.

What kind of Being was Seokmin? Unlike what the monk had assumed, he definitely wasn't a fae. Maybe he was undead, like Seungcheol.

Another jolt shook them, ripping the monk out of his thoughts, and then, all of a sudden, they shot forward with rapid speed. But although Jisoo could feel cold air hitting his back, whistling past his ears, the Being's body remained completely motionless, as if they weren't moving at all.

Disturbed, Jisoo dared to turn his head away from Seokmin's neck to take a peek but, of course, he couldn't see anything.

Apparently, the Being knew where to go since they moved forward without the slightest hesitation. Jisoo briefly wondered why they hadn't collided with any walls yet when another deep rumble filled the air and dirt once again rained down on them. They stopped. With a dull groan, the earth in front of them split open and golden sunlight flooded in as a sweet smell penetrated the air.

Blinded by the sudden brightness, the monk closed his eyes and once again hid his face against Seokmin's neck while the Being slowly walked into the open.

Jisoo's heart felt as light and warm as the air around him. He had left the cold, damp darkness behind. He had survived. Tears sprung to his eyes but he managed to hold them back.

"Let's try to find the others," he mumbled weakly against Seokmin's skin before he lifted his head and took a look around. He gasped at the sight of wildflowers and weeds. They were on the meadow Seungkwan had offered to search; he was even able to make out the old buildings in the distance.

He turned to check where they had come out from, expecting to see some sort of cave entrance or crevice - but the meadow looked the same, regardless where he looked: Perfectly flat and undisturbed, dotted with colourful flowers.

Confused, he stared until Seokmin readjusted him in his arms. The monk immediately flushed beet-red.

"I can walk by myself!" he blurted and turned towards his saviour but what he saw caused the next words to get stuck in his throat: While the clothes of the Being looked pristine - very much unlike Jisoo's rumpled, mud-covered robe - a fist-sized chunk of Seokmin's head was missing right where his left temple should have been. A gauze pad was hiding the more gory details from view.

The monk gaped, a sick feeling rising in his stomach.

How could that guy smile like nothing was wrong when half his head was gone?! And how had he still been able to worry about Jisoo's leg when he was in this state?

"Oh my god, Seokmin!" he exclaimed. "What happened?! Are you okay?"

The smile on the Being's face widened and his eyes curved into crescents. It was a stark contrast to the terrified expression he had usually displayed whenever they had met and the sight immediately warmed Jisoo's heart.

"You're very kind," the Being stated without answering his question, his voice just as warm as his smile. "Don't worry, it's nothing major."

Jisoo's brows immediately furrowed. How could this be 'nothing major'?

Seeing his obvious doubt, Seokmin chuckled. "Without my master's help, I'm slow at regenerating. But it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Well, that's good then," the monk said, still not fully convinced. "Why didn't you get Tao to heal you?"

At once, Seokmin's eyes dimmed and Jisoo stiffened. Had he scared him by talking about another human? The Being had run away from Tao, of course he was scared. Why did he have to bring it up?! The urge to slap himself was strong. "Ah, sorry! I'm an idiot, don't listen-"

"Tao's ability would destroy me," Seokmin cut him off, the smile not leaving his face although it held more sadness than before.

Silence hung between them while Jisoo's brain rushed through the possibilities this new revelation had brought.

Someone who manipulated time could kill the Being while a fatal head wound could not. He had shifted the ground earlier and the cast he had made was made out of clay. He could clearly control earth, maybe even stone, but he still feared Humans more than anything, especially that 'master' of his.

Just what was Seokmin?

And then it clicked.

"You- are you a golem?"

The Being's eyes twinkled in the light of the setting sun before he patted Jisoo's back and started walking towards the houses, the monk still securely held in his arms.

Pouting, Jisoo tugged on Seokmin's shirt, uncaring that he was staining it with his muddy fingers. If Seokmin really was a golem, he would have a way to get rid of the dirt. "Are you?"

"We prefer the name 'elementals'."

At the indirect confirmation, the monk's lips stretched into a wide grin. What a satisfying feeling to finally find out more about his teammates.

"Looks like Seungkwan noticed us," the Being suddenly said and nodded towards the ground. When Jisoo followed his gaze, he saw that the plants around them were shivering strangely. "Let's wait here."

It took less than a minute until they could make out people approaching in the distance and another minute until the group had reached them. To Jisoo's surprise, Seungcheol was present as well as Wonwoo, who remained half-hidden behind Mingyu. A shiver ran down Jisoo's spine when he felt the Being's ferocious glare crawl over his body and he hastily looked towards his partner instead, intimidated by Wonwoo's stare.

A flash of warmth brightened Seungcheol's face for a split second when their eyes met, his brows relaxing before they knitted together once again as his dark eyes came to rest on Jisoo's injured leg. The emotion had been so fleeting that the monk wasn't sure whether he had simply imagined things.

"Jisoo! Are you okay?! What did you do, Kyeommi?! You're not allowed to hurt Humans, you know that!"

Soonyoung had started shouting before anyone else had had the chance to speak and he immediately sped over to their side and attempted to wrestle the monk out of Seokmin's arms while the elemental held onto Jisoo with a gentle but unrelenting grip.

"He's hurt. Don't pull at him."

"I can see that he's hurt! How did he get hurt, huh?!"

"He was like this when I found him."

"Where did you find him?" Seungcheol cut in, stopping Soonyoung's impending lecture.

"In a cave under one of the fields."

The looks aimed at Seokmin were filled with unspoken accusations, causing the sudden need to protect the Being to blossom in the monk. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention while he struggled to get out of Seokmin's arms. "I fell through the floorboards of an old cabin. Seokmin found me afterwards, fortunately, otherwise I probably would've died there. And you can let go now, I'm fine."

But the elemental held onto him without moving a muscle.

This time it was Seungkwan's turn to cut in: "Seokmin? What's that about?"

"We chose a new name for me because I don't like Dokyeom," the elemental chirped and squeezed the monk against his chest.

Breathing became somewhat difficult.

"Careful."

"You're squashing him!"

Jisoo hadn't expected anyone to speak up on behalf of his safety therefore Soonyoung's exclamation had already surprised him. But what really had shocked him was Seungcheol's one-word reminder that had come even faster than Soonyoung's shout.

Wide-eyed, he stared at the leader who was still looking askance at the elemental even though his grip had already loosened. Was this concern for him as Seungcheol's partner? Concern for him as part of Seungcheol's unit? Concern for him as a person?

The monk immediately disregarded the last thought. How could that possibly be? They were acquaintances at most, despite being partners for a few weeks now.

"Or do us all a favour and squeeze a bit harder - then we have one problem less," a deep voice spoke up.

Jisoo's surprised expression fell at the cold words. What had he ever done to Wonwoo to get treated like this?

Face flushed with anger and a hint of shame, the monk glared at the Being and Wonwoo returned his stare, a sneer narrowing his eyes.

"Shut up," Soonyoung snapped on Jisoo's behalf, his usually bright features twisted into a scowl. "He's part of the group!"

The others remained silent but Seungcheol nodded while Seokmin's arms were still protectively wrapped around the monk. It didn't seem like he had any intention to let go anytime soon.

Something tingled in Jisoo's chest. He bit back a smile, no longer bothered by Wonwoo's scathing remark. If stuff like that was able to show him that at least some of the Beings in his unit had started to accept him then he would happily endure it for the next three years.

Wonwoo looked ready to argue but a single look from Seungcheol was enough to keep him silent. With a glare towards the monk, he shrugged and turned to leave. Everyone watched his retreating form in silence until Mingyu ran a hand through his gold-blond hair and smiled. "We should go home as well."

The days became repetitive afterwards. Jisoo was stuck in a rut of working in the archive and training with Luhan. The only distraction he got from time to time were visits from Chan, Jihoon, Soonyoung and - to his surprise and secret delight - Seokmin.

After his head wound had healed, the elemental had regained his friendly albeit somewhat timid character. The only difference was that he didn't seem afraid of Jisoo anymore; instead, they got along increasingly well.

In a flash, four months had passed.

Species: Imp

From old English impa, meaning "scion of a plant". Later on, the meaning of the word changed to "child".

Imps are low ranked Beings in the Demon category and comparatively weaker than most other Demon-type species. They are known to disguise as children to play pranks and lure Humans to their death. For the purpose of protection, they tend to live close to stronger Demons and often get used as servants or messengers due to their ability to fly.

Excerpt from “A Beginner’s Guide to Beings”, page 35.

Category: Unliving

Beings in the Unliving category are not born by natural means but created from inanimate matter. Almost all species in this category have a creator who usually exerts a certain amount of influence over them. Typical masters of Beings in this category are Occultists but in some rare cases, other categories of Humans and even Beings with strong spiritual energy are able to create unliving creatures.

Species: Elemental

More commonly known as Golems. The name of Hebrew origin refers to raw, unformed material.

Like most Beings of the Unliving category, Elementals are created by a master whose orders they have to follow. As the name suggests, they have control over their respective element (fire, water, air, earth) but their strength depends on the ability of the master and the quality of the materials used to create them.
Elementals only remain conscious as long as their master is alive. Once the master dies, they revert into their element since they need the spiritual power of their master as nourishment.

Excerpt from “A Beginner’s Guide to Beings”, page 28.

Chapter Text

From: Do Kyungsoo [[email protected]]
To: Choi Seungcheol [[email protected]]
Subject: Hong Jisoo progress report

Hi,
I'm writing this on behalf of Luhan because, apparently, I have nothing better to do.
Anyway, Jisoo is doing okay so far, not great but for a beginner, he's showing potential.
- He can keep a conscious grasp on his ability for up to six seconds.
- While he's using his ability, he's able to freely use objects (as long as he doesn't think too hard about it). Those objects are not influenced by the slowed-down timeflow which makes them quite dangerous even for higher-level Beings.
- Currently he's still unable to exclude other living creatures from his ability but they're working on it.
Luhan thinks that Jisoo is ready to participate in assignments.
That's it.
D.O

~

Jisoo propped himself up on his arms, mind foggy and his body unbearably heavy. He blinked once, twice until his eyes fell on his torn shirt on the ground in the corner.

Fuck. He'd definitely kill that damn Being this time.

Without looking, he reached out and slapped the back of the unresponsive body next to him.

"You're too much, you fucking asshole."

When no reaction came, he sighed, his expression tinged with helplessness, and prepared to get up.

An arm snaked around his bare waist and stopped him, the skin scorching hot. Jisoo's brows immediately furrowed but he didn't turn around. "Stop pretending to be asleep, bastard!"

"So grumpy so early in the morning," a husky voice mumbled.

The monk felt heat spread over his back when the Being draped himself over him. A kiss landed on his shoulder as soft hair tickled his cheek and Jisoo couldn't quite suppress the blush that warmed his face.

"One day you're going to get high blood pressure and then you'll die."

Pinching the arm that was wrapped around his waist, a grin stretched Jisoo's lips. "Are you jinxing me?" he joked but immediately jumped when hot air got blown into his ear in retaliation.

"I'm just saying that you gotta take care of that fragile human body of yours," the Being purred but the voice held a surprisingly serious undertone.

The monk rolled his eyes. Worrying about his health had become the favourite past-time of his friends as soon as he had gotten his first cold of the year; even Jihoon had visited to make sure that he wasn't actually dying. "Then leave that fragile human body of mine alone if you're so worried."

Another peck landed on his earlobe. "Sorry but nope. It's my favourite body after all."

"Selfish dick." Jisoo chuckled while his blush spread. Even though it had been over a month, he still wasn't used to the sudden intimate attacks of the Being.

Playful laughter rang next to his ear. "That's me. Why were you angry?"

The monk scoffed, once again pinching the arm that still hadn't retreated, "Kwon Soonyoung, are you pretending to be clueless now? You ripped my shirt AND you kept me awake until 4. Unlike you, I need sleep to function; Seungcheol will eat me alive if I nod off during the meeting later."

"Eh, just ignore that grumpy old man," Soonyoung drawled, completely disregarding the matter of Jisoo's torn shirt and his general dissatisfaction with the Being's behaviour. Instead, he nuzzled against the monk's neck and trailed soft kisses from his shoulder to his ear.

Jisoo squirmed in his arms. "Stop that. The no-kissing rule still applies," he grumbled, his cheeks flushing brighter with each peck.

"No kissing on the lips," Soonyoung retorted cheekily but stopped nonetheless and only rested his chin on the monk's shoulder. "Wanna go out for breakfast?"

"Nah, I'm broke."

"Already?! It's barely been a week since we got paid!"

Jisoo remained silent under Soonyoung's incredulous stare.

His mother's medical fees were increasing with each passing month and since he wasn't doing any assignments, he had no extra money to spare. Maybe he should consider getting a second job? The monk's mood sank at the thought.

After a short pause, the fae sighed. "Fine, my treat then."

"...fourth incident in three weeks. The police is still searching for suspects and the motive behind the attacks that seem to indiscriminately target the lives of Humans and Beings alike. So far, 72 victims have..."

Jisoo's eyes left the television once Soonyoung placed a massive plate filled with breakfast goodies on the table. Eggs, toast, pancakes, bacon, waffles - the monk couldn't quite tell what else was hidden in the mountain of food. They were seated at the opened sliding glass door of a coffee shop, the warm summer breeze wafting through it carrying the smell of flowers and coffee.

"Wow. Do you have too much money or something?" he asked, eyeing the food Soonyoung had gathered at the buffet but the fae grinned and took a seat.

"Unlike you, I know how to save money so I'm allowed to splurge sometimes. And most of it is for you anyway."

Jisoo had a hard time not rolling his eyes. Soonyoung taking his 'energy' - as he called it - didn't harm him in the slightest (apart from when the Being was too persistent and wouldn't let him sleep); there was no need to spoil him afterwards. They were only hugging a little after all. In bed. Half-naked. With the lights out since Jisoo was still rather uncomfortable at the prospect of hugging a guy - but cuddles and attention were nice so by now he didn't decline anymore when Soonyoung showed up at his flat. Somehow, it just had turned out that way. Although, the Being had gotten a bit too daring recently, ripping his shirt and kissing his neck...

The monk hastily forced his thoughts in a different direction. His eyes once again fell on the television before he asked, "Did you see the news?"

Soonyoung looked up from the pancake he had been cutting into bite-sized pieces. "About the bombing?"

"Yeah. I wonder if the meeting today is related..." Jisoo mumbled and accepted the piece of pancake the fae was waving in front of his face.

Soonyoung ate one as well, seemingly unaware that he was using the same fork he had fed the monk with. "Why would it? They suspect human terrorists and the police is already involved; those attacks have nothing to do with Aegis."

The monk chewed thoughtfully, eyes not leaving the screen that showed destroyed shops and a massive crater in one of Myeongdong's main shopping streets. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"To what do I owe the honour?" Jisoo asked after he had somewhat recovered from the surprise of finding Jihoon seated at his desk in the archive.

"I'm accompanying Chan. There's no way I'd visit this place out of my own free will," the shapeshifter grumbled but his smile betrayed his biting words.

As if on cue, Chan poked his head out from between the shelves, several folders in his arms, and nodded in greeting before he said, "There's still some time until the meeting so we decided to help out." His quiet voice was barely loud enough to reach them and he immediately vanished in the depths of the archive once he had finished speaking. Eyebrows raised, the monk stared after him. It was rare for Chan to visit and even rarer for Jihoon to tag along.

"He decided that by himself," Jihoon muttered once he noticed Jisoo's sceptical expression, "but Tao's busy and I have nothing better to do anyway."

As if Jihoon would ever admit that he was doing something out of the goodness of his heart. Jisoo grinned and deliberately raised his voice so Chan would hear him as well, "Thanks, guys." It would be a lot less boring with them around.

The monk pulled another chair to his desk and sat down next to the shapeshifter who was already sorting the files Chan had placed on the table. He estimated that with their help, he'd easily be able to fulfil his quota before their meeting at 3 pm.

"You seem to be getting along with the fae," Jihoon said out of the blue after a few minutes of concentrated silence had passed.

"Huh?" When the monk looked up, he was met with Jihoon's amused smile.

"You got a hickey."

Heat immediately flooded Jisoo's face and his hands flew to his neck, his prayer beads tinkling at the abrupt motion. "We- no! It's not like that!" he stammered. "He just needs someone to feed on. It's just hugging, we're not doing anything... dirty. I'm not g-gay or something..." His voice was barely audible during the last words.

Straightening up, Jihoon's brows furrowed and the monk squirmed under his darkening gaze.

Why was he angry? Was he worried that Jisoo was gay and would make a move on him? His hands immediately turned clammy at the thought.

"Don't tell me you really believe that he has no other choice but to feed on you? Are you an idiot?" Jihoon's voice was as sharp as a knife but Jisoo still felt a twinge of relief: He wasn't suspecting him.

"N-no, but-"

"Seriously. You're too easy to take advantage off. Ow!" With a growl, the shapeshifter turned towards his partner who had hit him over the head with a thick stack of files.

Chan smiled thinly before he set the files down on the desk and patted Jisoo's drooping shoulder. "He's worried about you; don't take it to heart." He eyed the shapeshifter afterwards. "Stop being so overprotective. Jisoo is old enough and everything Soonyoung does is based on mutual affection; he won't harm him."

A warm feeling suffused Jisoo's chest, dispelling the embarrassment and fear. The Beings were concerned about his safety.

Of course, he was aware that Soonyoung could easily find someone else to satisfy his cravings - he probably had multiple partners anyway since he only came by twice a week. But that was completely fine with Jisoo. They weren't in any sort of relationship and the monk had set the clear rule that anything more than cuddling was an absolute no-go, even though he was aware that Soonyoung needed it. While the fact that the fae had agreed to the condition without a second of hesitation showed that he valued him, Jisoo wasn't delusional enough to believe that Soonyoung wasn't getting what he needed elsewhere.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Wonwoo's dark eyes were overflowing with contempt while he stared Jisoo down.

Jihoon had left the archive early to find Tao after receiving a message from him, and Chan was already in the meeting room. Only the monk had stayed behind to buy coffee in a futile attempt to dispel the after-effects of his almost sleepless night.

But now, met with Wonwoo's contemptuous expression, he regretted his decision. As his heart began to speed up, his fists tightened but his pride didn't allow him to show his fear. They were inside Aegis anyway, what could the Being possibly do to him?

Before Jisoo could think of a snarky retort, a voice sounded behind them. "I told him to join the meeting."

Two pairs of eyes turned towards the newcomer, one startled, the other filled with disbelief and anger.

It had been almost five weeks since Jisoo had last seen his partner in person. Seungcheol looked tired, he noted, even more tired than usual. The dark circles below his eyes had turned an alarming purple colour and his face was more haggard and even paler than before. His body, almost hidden in his dark, expensive suit, looked thinner as well. But although his eyes held a restless look, his expression and voice were calm and filled with authority. If it hadn't been for his fatigued appearance, the monk wouldn't have noticed that something wasn't right.

Had something happened? But none of the other Beings had said anything... was it a secret? Another assignment, maybe?

Torn between curiosity and concern, Jisoo tried to meet his gaze but the vampire paid him no mind and walked past him, closely followed by Wonwoo whose glare was poisonous enough to sufficiently distract the monk from the mystery of Seungcheol's unusual appearance.

Asshole.

They had never even properly spoken to each other and the Being was still behaving as if Jisoo had killed his cat. The monk grimaced towards Wonwoo's back; the desire to slap some sense into him repressed by the knowledge that he would most likely regret it if he started a fight with a Being. After all, he still had no clue what Wonwoo was capable of.

Staring at the door that had fallen shut behind the Beings, he sighed inaudibly.

For the first time in over four months, he would attend a meeting of Unit S. While he had grown closer to some of his teammates, he still had barely talked to about half of them - and he wasn't exactly eager to change that, given their attitudes towards him. Especially Wonwoo, Jeonghan and Hansol worried him.

After a few seconds, he had managed to pluck up his courage and followed the Beings into the meeting room.

A wrecking ball hit him as soon as he had taken the first two steps through the door and his body got flung through the air before a bone-crushing force enveloped him.

"Seokmin, you're killing him..." Seungkwan's lazy drawl didn't sound as if he was objecting to Jisoo's death but Seokmin's hug immediately loosened in response.

The monk took a shaky breath, his dizzy head only slowly adjusting to the situation. "Haha. Very funny," he croaked against Seokmin's rock-hard chest that was rumbling with suppressed laughter. "You promised not to do that anymore."

"But your expression is always so good."

Jisoo shot a glare at the deceivingly innocent face above him before he fought his way out of the elemental's hold and turned - only to be met with more or less baffled faces. The only ones looking normal, albeit disapproving, were Soonyoung and Seungkwan, who had been witnesses to that kind of scene a few times already, as well as Seungcheol. Even Jihoon and Chan, who had known about the budding friendship, seemed surprised by the drastic change in the elemental's attitude.

But Seokmin remained completely unbothered by the questioning looks of his teammates and pulled Jisoo along to sit next to him on the only available chair. The chair to the left of the monk was occupied by Soonyoung who winked at him with a bright grin while Seungkwan next to him looked rather sullen.

Although Jisoo had gotten quite close to Seokmin and Soonyoung, Seungkwan was a different matter entirely. The monk had the vague suspicion that the Being was jealous of their friendship, therefore they usually kept their distance from each other.

Looking up, Jisoo almost choked on air when his eyes met the burning gaze of Jeonghan sitting directly across him but the unwanted attention was diverted once the leader of Unit S cleared his throat at the head of the table. Releasing a silent breath, the monk forced himself to focus on his partner.

"Unfortunately, our current assignments are put on hold for now. Instead, we as well as Unit E, Unit T and Unit N were chosen to support the arrest of the people responsible for the four terrorist attacks."

Jisoo gaped at his partner. Wasn't that something the FBI should be dealing with?! What was his group supposed to do against an alleged terrorist network? They weren't trained for stuff like that! And even worse: Those terrorists had used bombs for their attacks; bombs that were strong enough to kill Beings. They would all die!

Wonwoo broke the uncomfortable silence that had followed the leader's words, a sneer playing on his lips. "Those are human affairs. Why do we have to help?"

Abruptly pulled out of his increasingly hysteric thoughts, the monk stared at the Being in disbelief. That was what Wonwoo was worried about? Not about their safety and their lives but about the fact that they would support in a human matter?

But although nobody openly agreed, the expressions on most faces around the table made it glaringly obvious that most Beings thought something along the same lines as Wonwoo. Discontent permeated the air.

Seungcheol looked unruffled by the question but his gaze stopped on Jisoo for a split second before it moved back to Wonwoo and he answered, "They suspect artificial mutants and those fall into our field of duty."

Even though Wonwoo still looked displeased, he remained silent and fixed his angry stare on Jisoo who had a hard time not returning a rude gesture. Was he blaming him for also being a mutant or something?

"What are we going to do? Do we have a plan?" Mingyu asked instead, his usually aloof expression foiled by his tightly knit eyebrows. Whether it was because he was annoyed or because he was unsettled, Jisoo couldn't tell.

"We will work in our usual teams. There are several places that had suspicious activities recorded throughout the last weeks. Our current task is to observe those places for the night. Once we confirm that there really is something going on, we will call reinforcements and support the police to capture them."

Seungcheol's dark eyes moved back to Jisoo and the monk felt himself shrink under the stare. He was certain that what his partner would say next was specifically directed at him - and that he wouldn't like hearing it.

"The number one rule for tonight is to be careful. Don't take any risks; don't play the hero. We might be stronger than most Humans but we don't know what we're dealing with."

Chapter Text

The cold hallway stretched endlessly in front of him as the dim light of a torch reflected in dark-brown wood and grey stone. It flickered over large golden frames, pale faces and lifeless eyes. A dreary sight, but one he was used to. Thick, blood-red carpet muffled his steps. The air tasted stale, unfitting of the glamorous surroundings. Before, there had been the sounds of conversation, occasional laughter, the smell of flowers and people, but now there was only silence and dust.

After walking further, he arrived at a dead-end. A portrait hung there, far away from the others. This woman looked different from the ones in the portraits down the corridor – instead of blond or light-brown, her hair was as black as the night sky and so were her slanted, mono-lidded eyes. Her dress was comparatively simple, although made of silk, and only a single piece of jewellery adorned her pale neck, sitting prominently between delicate collarbones: a teardrop-shaped ruby on a silver necklace.

He stared at the empty face and tried to imagine it holding a hint of her usual smile.

"It’s been a while."

Gently, he wiped away the dust from the frame that had gathered over the years. He wanted to do the same for the portrait itself but he was worried that he would damage the only remaining picture of his mother.

“Unfortunately, Annette has passed away two years ago but Marie is doing well. She married a young man from a neighbouring village some time ago and is living a quiet life. You can already see that she’s pregnant, her belly has grown so big… three more months, I’m guessing.”

Subin. Giselle. Aaron and Annette. Marie.

Subin, his half-sister, had been entrusted to him by his mother before her death and he had made it his mission to keep her family safe. So far, he had been able to protect them from harm due to the money and influence of his own family; and although Subin had been dead for long decades by now, he found solace in taking care of her ancestors – from the shadows.

After all, Humans feared vampires.

It had been difficult to keep his father’s clan away. Subin had been considered a ‘loose end’, a Human who knew too much. Seungcheol’s father had held no interest in the human child, the last remnant of his wife’s first marriage; he had only tolerated her because Seungcheol’s mother had pled for Subin’s life. But his conditions of keeping her alive had been harsh: Keep her away, don’t let her know anything, don’t meddle. Therefore Subin had gotten sent away at the tender age of three, one year before Seungcheol had been born.

His mother had brought him whenever she had secretly visited his sister at her foster home. Unlike with the half-siblings from his father’s side, Seungcheol had bonded quickly with Subin, who looked similar to their mother and him, with coal-black hair and dark eyes. But after his eighth birthday, when Subin had already turned twelve, she had started to question why her brother was different from other children. He looked young, younger than eight, maybe four or five at most, but his way of speaking and thinking was far more eloquent than hers. His reflexes and strength were superior too, although, after a scolding from his mother, he had tried to reign himself in. But despite everything, he had only been a child back then so sometimes, while playing with his sister, he had done things that were unusual. Unnatural for Humans.

Afterwards, his mother had never once brought him along again, regardless of how much he had whined and begged, but she had continued visiting his sister until her early death a few years later. And, as far as Seungcheol knew, Subin had never found out that their mother had been turned into a vampire shortly after she had gotten sent to the foster home.

Subin had been nineteen when she had married and Seungcheol had been there, hiding in the shadow of an old oak tree, and had watched from afar. She had been twenty when she had given birth to her only child, Giselle, who had shared her dark hair but had inherited the blue eyes of her father. Seungcheol had been in the hospital, in the room next door, his hands curled into anxious fists after enduring her pained screams. He had blocked Beings from getting too close, had taken care of matters for her, had supported her small business with investments and had made sure she was living a peaceful and undisturbed life. He had been there during the death of her husband, the birth of her grandchildren, her quiet death at the age of 81 and her solemn burial but he had never once shown himself regardless how much he wanted to. The knowledge would only endanger them.

Afterwards, he had watched over Giselle, over the twin siblings Aaron and Annette and now, seven years after Aaron's and two years after Annette's death, over Marie. And he planned to continue this tradition because nothing gave him more pleasure than seeing his Human relatives live the fulfilled life he couldn’t have.

While he had watched three generations of his family come and go, he had matured into a young adult. He had learned to ignore the derogatory remarks of his vampire relatives; had fought with his father, who was cruel and unforgiving towards Humans despite having taken a human wife himself; he had handed over his position as the potential heir to his half-brothers who had been born from pure-blood mistresses. And once every five years, he returned to the abandoned wing of the villa where his mother had lived to report back to her.

After spending some time with his mother's portrait, he left towards the village Marie had moved to. He had no desire to meet his father or the rest of his father's arrogant clan – it never ended well. They held contempt because he was the son of a class two vampire but he loved his mother more than anything else in the world; while he was indifferent towards their insults directed at him, a single insult towards his mother was enough to make him lose all reason.

It takes at least a day to return to the village. Why does it feel like no time has passed at all?

Seungcheol stood in the shadow of a tall pine tree, eyes focused on the one-story house in front of him. It looked simple but clean, with white walls and a small vegetable garden. No different from the other houses in the distance. And no different from usual. But something wasn't right; his instincts were stirring.

No.

Narrowing his eyes, he crept closer to the door, careful not to make a sound. He didn't want to be seen by Marie or her husband. But to his surprise, he found the door unlocked and the house empty.

Why? It was unlike her to leave the house since she was pregnant.

He stalked through the rooms, his gaze gliding over furniture and small decorations until it stopped on the kitchen unit. On the food that was lying half-prepared next to the stove. On the water in the pot, waiting to be boiled.

It looked like Marie had gotten interrupted during her preparations for lunch but it was almost four pm now.

Where was she? Was something wrong with the baby?!

No! Not this day!

Seungcheol’s fists clenched and he stormed towards the backdoor. If she was out, she was probably in town, at the hospital. Or if it was urgent, at the church in the village centre; they had some nuns there that knew basic medicine. He would check the village first and the town afterwards.

Although he was worried, he still made sure to keep himself out of sight - which proved to be difficult since, for some reason, the village was bustling with people. Their excited chatter buzzed in his sensitive ears, making it difficult to think straight.

“-demon-“

“-plaza at four-“

I don’t want to see it again! Please!

He ducked into a side street and hid his face under the hood of his dark-grey cloak. Although it was difficult to distinguish him from Humans when his eyes were their usual dark-brown colour, his asian features stood out too much. Occasionally, people were hurrying past him, in the direction of the village centre where the church was located. He had almost reached his destination but the buzz of people only grew louder the closer he came and the overwhelming smell of Humans permeated the air. Thirst itched in his throat but he forced himself to ignore it.

Hidden in the shadows of the side street, he peered at the mass of people on the plaza while piercing pain spread through his temples at the sensory overload. There were at least 300 Humans, men and women, young and old. It looked like the whole village had gathered.

Why? It wasn’t a market day. Was there some sort of announcement?

I can’t watch this! Let me go! PLEASE!

The church was just across the plaza but how could he reach it with so many people blocking the way? What if they noticed him? Or had Marie also left her house to see what was happening? Maybe the baby was okay and he was worrying needlessly…

Plagued by doubts, he froze for a moment but then he steeled his heart. It was safer to check the church after all and then maybe comb through the crowd afterwards if he couldn’t find her. For the sake of Marie and her unborn child, he would even risk walking through hell.

“-succubus-“

“The demon is-“

“-execution-“

Seungcheol stopped dead in his tracks.

They had caught a demon? No way. Ordinary farmers and merchants weren’t strong enough to catch a Being. Did the hunters come? They would kill him if they found him; his whole clan was on their Wanted-list. Should he still go?

He took a few steps back, further into the shadows of the houses, completely out of sight from the plaza. His head felt as if it was close to splitting.

Someone was rushing towards him, a Human based on the heavy, irregular steps, probably eager to get to the event. Another farmer came into sight, his clothes dirty with soil and sweat. Without hesitation, Seungcheol grabbed the arm of the middle-aged man. “What’s going on?” he inquired, ignoring the struggles of the Human. He needed more information first.

The man glared at him but as soon as their eyes met, his body stiffened. Then he relaxed, his gruff face blank.

The church bell started ringing in the distance and Seungcheol faintly registered that the excitement of the crowd seemed to have peaked. He was still focused on suppressing the mind of the Human in front of him, gnashing his teeth at the additional pain it brought.

I need to leave!

The toneless voice of the farmer rang in front of him. “They caught a demon, Sir.”

“‘They’?” If they were hunters, he would have to think of another way to search for Marie.

“Young Mullock and his family.”

Seungcheol relaxed slightly. Timothy Mullock was a farmer, an unpleasant guy who had tried several times to win the favour of Marie even after she had gotten married. Although he was annoying, he wasn’t strong enough to subdue a demon. There was no way that the demon they had caught was real. Were they going to execute a Human for prestige?

“They’re going to kill her anytime now.” The man had said it without a hint of emotion.

NO!

Her?

An ominous feeling clawed its way through Seungcheol’s chest. He thought of the unlocked door, of the unfinished food and of the unhealthy obsession Timothy Mullock had been harbouring for years.

It couldn’t be.

His fist closed around the farmer’s throat but the hypnotized Human was completely unaffected by his blazing red eyes. “Who are they going to kill?!”

A burning smell was starting to fill the air, drifting towards them along with the cheers of the crowd.

“She’s the Miller family’s Marie, Sir.”

Crack.

Seungcheol barely felt it when the neck of the man snapped beneath his fingers. The body slumped to the ground but Seungcheol was already gone. It only took a few steps until he was back on the plaza, behind the thick mass of Humans that had formed in the middle. Smoke was billowing in the air from somewhere ahead, smoke carrying the nauseating smell of burning flesh.

It’s just an illusion!

“No, no, no, no,” Seungcheol chanted while he frantically pushed through the crowd. It cost every ounce of his willpower to not simply tear through the Human’s blocking his way. But he couldn’t! He had sworn himself not to harm them, to be different from his father and the sickening members of his clan.

“Burn, demon!” someone screamed behind him.

“Succubus! Succubus!

“How dare you steal our men!”

And then he arrived.

Don't look! I don’t want to see it again!

In front of him was a stake with wood piled beneath it and bound to this stake was an almost completely burned human body. He recognized the long, black hair – a remnant of his mother that all of her descendants had shared.

Buzzing filled his ears. His eyes stung. His chest felt like it was getting torn apart.

It's not real!

When he finally managed to avert his eyes from the gruesome sight of what was once his only remaining human relative, they fell on the curled up, bloodied form of her husband next to the stake. He probably had tried to stop them and had paid with his life.

At least she had married a good man.

A wry smile stretched Seungcheol’s lips as he turned to the cheerful Humans that were surrounding him. Their jeering words and dirty faces stoked the burning hatred in his heart. Their smell drove him insane. Blood-red seeped into his vision.

He wouldn't eat them. But he would tear them apart.

He was a hunter and they were his prey.

God, why can’t I stop this?!

Although deep inside he was dimly aware that this was all an illusion, a replica of one of the worst days in his long life, he still couldn’t extract himself from the feelings the scene evoked. This was the evening where he had single-handedly killed over 300 Humans, wiping out more than two-thirds of the village population – but of course, there had been no way to revive the woman or her unborn child, his sole purpose for living.

Jisoo snuck along the brightly lit corridors that stretched in front of him, careful not to make too much noise since he had no idea what exactly he was dealing with.

Seungcheol and he had been staying close to the emergency exit of the hotel they were supposed to observe, according to plan, when all of a sudden the door had gotten pushed open and a man had stumbled out. The bulletproof vest and helmet had made it clear that he was part of the unit dispatched to raid the building. After falling to the ground, he had not gotten up again. "Dead," Seungcheol had said without showing any sort of emotion. "Something went wrong. Let’s call-"

And that was where Jisoo’s memory ended.

When he had come to, he had found himself in a park. Chan had just walked out of the bushes to face a skinwalker that was threatening Minghao and Jisoo while Wonseok stood close by.

An odd sense of Deja-Vu had washed over the monk. For some reason, he had been able to predict that the skinwalker would attack Chan and that the Being would not fight back – so before the long claws could tear through Chan’s clothes, Jisoo had used his ability to stop it.

And then the dream-? Illusion-? Whatever it was had shattered and had released him unharmed into the empty hallway of the hotel.

Rubbing his arms to get rid of the goosebumps, Jisoo continued his search for either the exit or his partner. Technically speaking, it shouldn’t be that hard to get out of a building but regardless how many times he had taken the stairs, regardless whether he had descended or ascended them, the room numbers had stayed the same, indicating that he was stuck on the ninth floor.

Spooky.

"This has to be a spectre," he grumbled uneasily, hands tightly wrapped around the fire extinguisher he had picked up along the way. "Where the hell is Seungcheol?!"

He felt absolutely no desire to open the doors lining the walls – who knew what kind of creepy stuff he would find? He could handle a lot but Horror movies had taught him that spectres were on a whole different level when it came to scaring people. He hated that he was alone right now. Where was his partner when he needed him?!

For the approximately 20th time, he raised his radio to his ear – but once again, only static answered. And another glimpse at his phone showed that he still had no connection despite being in the middle of Seoul. Witchcraft, clearly.

With a grimace, he crept forward until he reached the next corner in the hallway and took a peek – only to abruptly straighten up with a curse. “Oh come on! Are you fucking kidding me?!”

Once again, he was back where he had started despite making sure to walk down a different hallway this time.

Chapter Text

"Now what?" Jisoo grumbled, his back and thighs protesting after he had remained in a crouched position for too long. Apparently, it didn't matter whether he was trying to be inconspicuous or not. Maybe the Being, whatever it was, already knew that he was here and had cast some sort of spell on him?

He walked into the middle of the hallway, to the spot where he had woken up earlier, and examined his surroundings. Everything looked exactly like back then. He hesitated. Should he try calling for Seungcheol? No, that would attract a bit too much attention. Walk down the hallway again? That didn't seem helpful either; he'd probably once again end up in the same loop.

Jisoo eyed the doors lining the walls. By now, it made sense to take a look at the rooms behind them even if it was only to find a window... but what if he found something super creepy in there?

In the movies he had watched, spectres had usually hidden under beds, in mirrors, in the bathtub, behind curtains......

"Urgh." Grimacing, he rubbed his temples. "Okay. I'll try to find an exit one more time and if I can't, I'll take a look. Sounds like a plan, right? Right."

Speaking to himself relieved some of the pressure on his chest.

"No!" The fire extinguisher hit the ground with a deafening sound after Jisoo had hurled it through the hallway. He had once again ended up in front of room 913. For the fourth time.

"Are you having fun, asshole?!" The monk was so angry that by now, he didn't care whether anyone heard him or not - on the contrary. "Fine! I'll do it! I'll play your little game and if I find you, I'll beat the shit out of you!"

Irate, he stomped to door 913 and flung it open without any hesitation. It crashed against the wall with a satisfying wham before he strode into the room.

Spectres, Beings, whatever. He just wanted to find his partner and leave this infuriating place.

The room that had come into view was the poster child of middle-class hotel rooms: A slightly dingy carpet, wallpapers in boring colours, a sturdy double bed framed by two bedside cabinets as well as a wall-mounted TV and a wardrobe in the corner next to a single, somewhat small window. A digital alarm clock on the left bedside cabinet read 00:00:00. The room was devoid of life and Jisoo wasn't quite sure whether he was relieved or disappointed.

He remained motionless for a few seconds, taking in the unimpressive sight, before he hurried to the window. Even though he was trapped on the ninth floor and wouldn't be able to leave through it, maybe he would be able to attract a passer-by's attention.

But surprisingly, once he looked outside he saw - absolutely nothing. A black void greeted him where the neighbouring buildings should have been and neither the ground nor the sky was visible. It was as if everything apart from the hotel had ceased to exist.

"What the hell." Jisoo's breath had fogged up the glass and he hastily stumbled a few steps back. Goosebumps prickled on his skin.

What kind of god-like monster could simply erase the world? What had happened to all the people? Would he be stuck here forever? Until he died of hunger or thirst? Until he died of old age?

No.

He'd rather kill himself.

"Seungcheol," he whimpered. The name had slipped out of his mouth without him thinking about it.

His partner had been there when the skinwalker had almost killed Minghao and him. He had been there when the vampires had hunted him down. He had even stepped in between the monk and his own step-brother at the risk of his life. And when Jisoo had gone missing during the search for Seokmin, his partner had joined in as well.

Even though Seungcheol was usually cold and unsociable and even though Jisoo really didn't want to admit it, he had begun to rely on the vampire.

So where was he now? Was he not inside the building?

Another cold shudder ran down his spine.

He needed Seungcheol. The Being would definitely know what to do. He had to find him, no matter what.

With this resolution, Jisoo sprinted to the door of the bathroom to take a look inside. Once he had confirmed that it was empty, he returned to the hallway and ran to the next door. The room was just as devoid of life as the first one.

The next one looked exactly the same; up to the alarm clock that was also stuck at 00:00:00.

The next room - surprise - wasn't any different but Jisoo wasn't ready to give up. If he had to choose between searching rooms for the rest of his life or despairing in a corner, he would rather keep running around - at least then he had a chance of finding either his partner or some sort of escape route.

And finally, after searching about fifteen rooms, he found something.

As soon as he opened the door, he heard quiet sobs. They sounded like music to his ears after the silence of the empty hallways; it didn't matter who was crying as long as he wasn't alone.

Carefully, he stepped into the room but jumped when something crunched under the soles of his sneakers. Splinters of wood were littering the floor mixed with glass shards and other materials. The room itself looked like a tornado had rampaged through it: all kinds of items were strewn across the ground, the wooden frame of the bed broken and the bedsheets shredded to pieces; and in the middle of it all, on top of the bare, badly torn mattress, laid a curled-up figure. A very familiar figure in a very familiar black outfit.

Coldness engulfed Jisoo's chest.

"Seungcheol! Are you okay?!"

The monk dashed forward but stopped once he got a closer look at the sight in front of him. Seungcheol's originally pale face was frighteningly white, the shadows under his closed eyes like dark-purple bruises. Blood caked his lips where he had bitten them and below strands of his dishevelled hair, his face was distorted in an expression of anguish Jisoo had never seen on him before. Words were spilling from his trembling, bloodied lips, broken apart by dry sobs, and the monk leaned closer in an attempt to hear but all he could make out was something that sounded like unfamiliar, foreign names.

Was he having a nightmare?

"Seungcheol?" Jisoo tried again, unsure whether he should wake him.

The only response he got was a pained groan.

Brows furrowed tightly, the monk reached out to shake him awake - but once again hesitated. Wouldn't he lose his hand if he touched the vampire while he was in that kind of state?

He jumped when Seungcheol groaned once again and curled even further into himself as several tears ran down his cheeks. His vulnerable state made Jisoo's heart clench.

Was that why he always looked so tired? Because he had nightmares once he slept? Or was this also the doing of the Being that had trapped them here?

Ultimately, it didn't matter. He needed his partner to wake up and he needed it now.

"Seungcheol! Come on, wake up!" The monk grasped his shoulder and shook but Seungcheol's eyes remained tightly shut. "Seungcheol!"

Shaking didn't seem to work but Jisoo had the distinct feeling that his life would end if he dared to slap his partner or pour cold water on him. Maybe if he slapped him really, really gently?

"Don't hurt me, okay? I'm doing this for your own good," he muttered while reaching for the vampire's face. With bated breath, he attempted to pat Seungcheol's cheek - but as soon as his fingers came in contact with his partner's cool skin, dizziness overcame him and his surroundings got swallowed by white mist.

He didn't feel his body slump onto Seungcheol's curled up form.

The first thing Jisoo saw when the fog lifted was what seemed to be a warehouse. Rows and rows of empty steel shelves stretched below a high metal ceiling, reflecting the cold neon light. Only a few lonely packages dotted them, their colourful packaging a stark contrast to the grey surroundings.

Confused, Jisoo took a step forward but then he sucked in a breath. His movement had revealed a new scene that had been hidden behind the shelves: Seungcheol was kneeling on the grey concrete floor, wearing Aegis' usual attire. For some reason, he was swaying as if he was having trouble sitting upright. Behind him stood two average looking men, clad in inconspicuous everyday wear, each of them pointing a gun at the vampire.

Jisoo paled. What kind of fucked up situation was his partner in? And who were those guys? Cops? Nah, they were clearly threatening Seungcheol. Some sort of mafia, maybe? But why would Aegis ever have anything to do with the human mafia? Maybe, if they were Beings instead-

The monk's wild conjectures got cut short by the sound of heavy footsteps and he hid behind the closest shelf, in his haste completely forgetting that this was Seungcheol's illusion and therefore nobody would be able to see him anyway.

Seungcheol's drooping head lifted slightly and Jisoo could see him snarl. An actual, beast-like snarl; all teeth and saliva and very much unbefitting his usual image.

With clammy palms, the monk focused on the small group that had entered the scene. A young man had been brought in, stuck between two people that looked a lot less inconspicuous than the two that were guarding Seungcheol. Jisoo had met plenty of that type during his brawls with the gang: all muscle and anger but no brains. The longer he watched, the more he became convinced that there was some sort of organized crime thing going on.

The one that stood - well, hung was probably the more appropriate word - between the two thugs was wearing the same outfit Jisoo and Seungcheol were wearing and looked heavily beat up. Several cuts adorned his face and one of his eyes was almost swollen shut. He seemed to be only standing upright because the two men were holding onto his arms.

"Minsik!" Seungcheol's voice was muffled as if his lips and tongue were refusing to form words.

The name rang a bell - wasn't that the name of Seungcheol's former partner? The one who was- oh. Considering the situation, it didn't take a genius to figure out that this was probably how Minsik had died.

Pity welled up in Jisoo's chest. Not pity for Minsik - he didn't know the guy after all - but pity for Seungcheol who, apparently, had watched his partner die without being able to do anything about it. No wonder he had been against getting a new partner assigned.

The people behind Seungcheol were talking now but only static reached Jisoo's ears. It startled him for a second before he understood what was happening: This was a clear indicator that this was one of Seungcheol's memories - since the vampire hadn't paid attention to the men, he didn't remember what they had said - and whatever Being was playing with them right now hadn't bothered to fill in the hole.

Jisoo tensed when Seungcheol started struggling and shouting. He needed to stop the illusion - preferably before anyone got harmed since he neither wanted to see a Human get killed nor find out what would happen if an undead Being got shot. Also, he didn't want Seungcheol to go through this kind of torture for a second time.

How had he stopped his own illusion earlier? Right, he had used his ability - something that hadn't happened in his actual memory. Maybe that was the key: doing something that would disrupt the flow. But how could he force Seungcheol to do something when the Being couldn't even see him? Although... what if his partner didn't have to do anything? What if he managed to disrupt the illusion instead?

But for it to work, he needed to make sure that Seungcheol wouldn't be affected by his ability, which, unfortunately, was a feat he hadn't managed so far regardless how much Luhan had tortured him during their training.

Cold sweat was forming on Jisoo's temples.

Seungcheol screamed. Screamed and screamed until his head felt like it was about to burst and his throat was sore but he was unable to change the past no matter how much he struggled. Despite knowing that outside of this memory he wasn't drugged, his body still refused to obey and he was unable to fight off two measly Humans. Despite knowing what was going to happen, he was unable to protect his partner.

One of the guns behind the vampire got cocked, a deafening sound in his sensitive ears, and, just like back then, Minsik lifted his head.

His eyes widened.

He struggled to free his hands.

Seungcheol's chest burst into flaming pain.

A bang. A flash.

Seungcheol's eyes were trained on his partner's terrified face which would now turn into a lifeless mask that would haunt him whenever he closed his eyes.

The bullet shot forward and, once again, Seungcheol saw everything with disturbing clarity.

And then, just before the inevitable could happen, the scene froze and hands appeared in front of his eyes, blocking his sight, while his surroundings had become deathly silent. The only sound were his wretched sobs. A familiar scent invaded his nose, not overly sweet but still sweeter than average, as a warm body pressed itself against his back.

All those sensations got registered by his frazzled brain without inciting much of a response. Silence was good. Darkness was good. Warmth was good.

He leaned into the body behind him, searching for solace while craving the heat it provided.

A voice rang next to his ear: "It's okay. It's just an illusion. It's not real, alright? You gotta snap out of it, Seungcheol, 'cause we really need to get out of the hotel and I have no idea how."

The words reached him but he couldn't process them. It was soothing to listen to the voice - despite the tinge of impatience it held - and therefore he turned around and snuggled into the body, inhaling the reassuring scent of a living, breathing person.

A sudden crack echoed around them and before he could comprehend where it had come from, the warehouse of his nightmares shattered into a myriad of pieces and all that remained was comfortable warmth and a feeling of weightlessness. Utterly exhausted, Seungcheol allowed himself to drift along.

When Jisoo came back to his senses, he found himself sprawled on top of Seungcheol's outstretched body in a more than compromising position.

For a split second, he froze, all senses on high alert, but it seemed like the hotel room was the same as before and based on the slow and regular breathing of the Being below him, Seungcheol wasn't dead either. Apparently he had managed to break the illusion, although it had taken him a considerable effort.

Jisoo carefully lifted his head to steal a peek at his partner's face - and to his relief, he found him in a much better condition than before. Seungcheol's skin was once again pale instead of ashen white and his expression was completely relaxed. Almost as if he were sleeping... he wouldn't actually sleep in a situation like this, now, would he? Not after everything Jisoo had gone through to get him out of the illusion. He wouldn't dare!

"Seungcheol! Hey! Wake up!"

The monk's face immediately flushed when the Being didn't move a muscle. He was fast approaching the limit of his generally not very vast patience.

"Wake up before I really smack you!" he threatened but, in the end, didn't have enough guts to follow through. Instead, he decided to do something about their current, somewhat awkward position - and maybe stab the vampire with his knee or elbow while he was at it. At least then he could pretend that it had been an accident.

Just as he had pushed himself up and away from the cool body below him, arms snaked around his waist and pulled him back down. With a quiet "oof", Jisoo tumbled onto Seungcheol but the Being didn't seem bothered by the sudden weight. Instead, he buried his face in Jisoo's hair.

"Hey! I'm not your freaking blanket!"

The difference in strength became glaringly obvious when Jisoo tried to struggle against Seungcheol's arms while the Being kept sleeping peacefully without as much as a twitch and without loosening his hold in the slightest. The only thing the monk had managed to accomplish was to move up a few centimeters - but now they would be lying cheek to cheek once Jisoo lowered his head and that position was even more unacceptable than the one before.

"Are you fucking kidding me," the monk muttered, frantically trying to keep his face away from his partner, even though his back muscles were already protesting. He wouldn't mind this whole situation so much if it was someone else - Soonyoung, Chan, Seokmin; hell, even Jihoon - but this was Seungcheol. The leader with the stone face who was always looking down on him with a disdainful expression. The one whose eyebrows furrowed when Jisoo dared so much as breathe too loud in their office.

Urgh.

He couldn't hold his head up any longer without risking some serious cramps and after a final struggle, he had to accept his fate. Flinching when his burning ear made contact with Seungcheol's cold cheek, he attempted to turn his face as far away from the Being as he possibly could - unwilling to acknowledge how fast his heart was beating.

"I'm really gonna punch you, you ass."

Seungcheol's soft, black hair was tickling his neck and the monk tried everything not to think about how good the Being smelled.

How was that even possible? He was undead, for Christ's sake!

And yet... It was different from Soonyoung's somewhat flowery scent and it reminded Jisoo of the time he had hidden in the bushes, wrapped in Seungcheol's coat while the vampire had defended him...

The angry flush on his cheeks had long since gotten replaced by a bashful one and he once again tried to push himself away from Seungcheol's chest.

In response, he got a quiet groan, uncomfortably close to his ear, and he immediately stiffened at the sudden heat in his lower abdomen. That was a feeling he usually associated with Soonyoung when the fae was feeling frisky - certainly not with the moody leader.

"Oh hell no! Get a grip, Hong Jisoo!"

Once again he struggled with all his might but it only caused Seungcheol's embrace to tighten - and the monk froze when a very sensitive part of his body suddenly rubbed against the hip of the vampire during the ordeal. All plans of resisting evaporated in an instant.

This- this was all because he hadn't gotten laid in ages! It was completely normal to pop a boner when some friction was applied! A completely normal reaction. He was a healthy man in his twenties after all. There was no way he was attracted to a man, much less to a Being.... and even if he were - Soonyoung's lascivious smile had flashed before his eyes - he would never ever be attracted to the likes of Choi Seungcheol! Not in a thousand years.

Jisoo puffed up his cheeks and turned his head to glare at his sleeping partner - recoiling slightly at the close proximity between their faces - before he groaned in defeat. Why was this man still so handsome? Even now, after struggling through a nightmare and with sweat dotting his face? So unfair.

Jisoo's fist weakly connected with Seungcheol's chest. Twice, for good measure.

There was no way for him to escape right now: His ability was of no use in this situation - he certainly wasn't keen on prolonging this torture - and since the vampire hadn't woken up while he had gone all-out to break free, he couldn't think of any other method to get him to move.

"I don't wanna stay like thiiiiis...," the monk whined, "So freaking embarrassing!"

He could already imagine Seungcheol's disgust once he woke up. How would he ever be able to face him afterwards?

"Let me go, you bastard."

But, of course, the vampire remained unmoved, his pale hands still tightly holding on to Jisoo's black sweater.