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“Mother, do I truly have to do this again?”
“Get up from there,” his mother hisses, tugging on Taehyung’s hand while the boy is still rubbing away the dream he was having from the corners of his eyes.
“But I don’t understand why,” he whines petulantly, pout forming on his lips as he wraps a small hand around his mother’s wrist.
The suns just rose, hues of orange and yellow streaming through the cracks in the wood of his hut. He stumbles after his mother, hair disheveled and bare feet pattering against the planks of wood as he goes outside, squinting at the shining sun. He wraps a firmer hold around his mother’s arm, head only reaching her elbow and his small legs try to catch up to the quick pace she’s walking. “The gods are to be honored every morning, Taehyung. You know this.”
He tries suppressing the yawn building in his mouth. “Can’t we just do it before we go to sleep?”
His mother swivels on the spot, face turned cold as she crouches down to be Taehyung’s height, one stern finger wagging in the air as she speaks, brown hair flowing around her face as the wind howls for them to hurry to the altar. “We never pray after the sun sets, do you hear me?”
Taehyung’s eyes widened at his mother’s seriousness, nodding automatically in response. “Yes mother. But why?”
“You ask too many questions,” she sighs as she stands back up, grabbing Taehyung’s hand as they continue walking again. Taehyung pouts once more, he can’t help asking, can’t help being curious and the lingering thought of what happens if he prays for the gods at night stays in his mind for the whole prayer.
Their whole village scatters after the prayers, and Taehyung’s father joins them before their day of work at the village farm begins. He ruffles Taehyung’s hair, a kind smile on his face and it makes Taehyung smile in response, nose scrunching up. He grabs hold of the side of his father’s pants, not minding the dirt or shabbiness of the material which is a result from hours of work to pull their weight for the village.
“Shall you pick strawberries today, Taehyung?”
Taehyung eagerly nods, hands stretched out, waiting for his father to pick him up.
He rests his head against his father’s shoulder when he’s in his arms, relaxing in the comforting touch of his mother stroking his hair. “You need to teach him to be more stern so he will survive in this village once we’re gone,” his mother whispers with a sigh, fingers now lingering on Taehyung’s cheek.
“We've taught him well, Hayoon, do not worry so much about him.”
Taehyung never ends up picking the strawberries, waking up instead in his bed a few hours later just to find out his father had already finished all of the chores. He runs around their village, waving at a few other residents in search of his parents, finding his father sitting at the shore of the lake which streams by their small village.
“We’re getting old, Taehyungie.” It’s said with a sigh, a small yawn as Taehyung clambers into his father’s lap, leaning against his chest.
His father wraps an arm around him, resting his chin on top of Taehyung’s head. “No you’re not,” Taehyung responds simply. “If you were old, you wouldn’t be able to carry me anymore.”
His father chuckles, huffs into Taehyung’s hair and Taehyung squirms from the tickling sensation. “Tomorrow I’ll really teach you everything you need to know around here, okay?”
“And we’ll do all the chores together until I’m old too?”
His father is quiet for a moment before pressing a kiss against Taehyung’s hair. “Yeah.”
♡
A year later Taehyung finds himself kicking stones after sunset. It’s been another exhausting day, his small muscles still not used to all of the work he has to do around the village. His father has slowly started doing less and less work, leaving more of it to Taehyung.
And he doesn’t mind, well maybe a bit, but the larger part of him doesn’t mind other than the fact that his father had promised they’d keep working together.
His parents are already asleep, just like most of the village is, a few flaming pillars left on for the night for guidance in the dark for the restless souls. He needs to be up early for their morning prayers for the gods, and everyday Taehyung prays for the same thing, but his wish is never granted. No matter how hard he prays, how deep the frown etches on his face, nothing changes.
He walks far, ducking under trees and dodging bushes in the darkness until the shine of the altar glimmers in the moonlight in front of him. Taehyung walks closer, sitting down on the edge of the wooden step.
He’s never been here alone, and it’s awfully peaceful compared to when the whole crowded village pushes in for their morning prayers. He stares up at the full moon, taking in a deep, comforting breath as the wind howls around him.
A silver beam of moonlight shines upon him, upon the altar where bells quietly clink against each other. Taehyung closes his eyes as he lays down in the comfort of his surroundings, bathing in the moonlight, and slowly, Taehyung feels as the worries of his day slowly begin to dissapear, his mind enveloping in serenity instead.
Soon, Taehyung finds himself coming to the altar every night.
♡
He’s 23 when he seriously thinks about it.
Leaving the village.
There’s not much left for him here, other than a few acquaintances but aside from that Taehyung lives his life in a lonely routine, his only source of comfort being the bells that softly chime at the altar.
He believes it’s the gods he prays to everyday giving warmth into his soul.
Taehyung plucks a strand of grass from the ground as he leans against one of the wooden pillars of the altar, threading the length of it around his fingers. “Should I?” he asks.
The sky is clear again, moonlight pouring from the sky like the milk of a god and the stars shine brighter than what Taehyung has seen in awhile.
“What is out there for me?”
There’s no response, but Taehyung feels a presence surrounding him, almost eerie in the way it causes him to shiver. “Is that a god?” he asks out loud, scanning the trees in the distance as if he were able to see any movement. The bells above him chime and it makes Taehyung jump, staring incredulously at the altar, at the signs he has received.
“Gods, I wish to leave this place.”
His hand flies to his mouth as a gust of wind flows through him, his mothers warning from when he was young echoing in his ears.
The bells chime louder and Taehyung feels a panic settle deep within him.
“Gods?” someone laughs from behind him incredulously.
Taehyung turns around, scrambling a step back as he sees black eyes staring at him. A male stands in front of him, dressed in black with horns curling from dark hair, pointed teeth poking past the lips of his pale skin. “W-Who are you?”
“The one you prayed to.”
“You are not a god,” Taehyung whispers, horrified as the male, beast, takes a step closer.
“Indeed I am not, little one,” comes the response. Taehyung flinches as black nails take hold of his chin to keep him in place. “Gods are from the sun. You prayed to the moon.”
Taehyung lets out a stuttered breath, eyes squeezing shut as he wishes it to be a dream, to wake up in his warm bed a moment later.
The being tuts, taking a firmer grip of Taehyung so that the brunette opens his eyes again. “Your wish was foolish,” the being growls. Taehyung stares into the black eyes, and truly wishes he had not prayed to the beings of the underworld. “You foolish human. You could have anything. Anything. And I will give you something which shows you true power.”
“No— no I don’t want anything,” Taehyung stutters, trying to back away.
“But you already prayed,” the being says with a laugh. “And since we don’t really follow the rules underground and you seem quite undecided, I shall decide your fate for you.”
Taehyung rips the hand away from his chin, scrambling up from the altar’s stairs and pointing a finger at the being. “You are not killing me.”
“Killing you?” the being asks with a raised brow. “Quite the opposite, little one. I will make your powerless self feel powerful. You want to leave this place? Fine. But you will leave every other place you step foot on. Enjoy immortality.”
Taehyung gasps as the demon touches his chest. The feeling zaps through his whole body, heart rate picking up until everything slows down and Taehyung sees only black eyes staring back at him before he collapses onto the ground.
♡
Taehyung grips the hot cocoa in his hand as he squeezes into a seat in the subway. It’s rush hour in Seoul, everyone eager to get back home from work. Taehyung had had a long day at the office, drowning in paperwork and now, after being working at a publishing company for two years, has decided that it very much is not the occupation for him.
The longest he had lasted in the past was as a painter, working as one for 40 years before retiring from it, only keeping painting as a hobby instead.
The shortest job he had kept lasted only for a week as a surgeon’s assistant, and he thinks that week had given him a new lifetime of stress.
See, the thing about being immortal was that Taehyung, quite literally, had all the time in the world.
He could study everything there is to study, travel the world and experience everything humanly possible.
Of course there was the downside of crippling loneliness as Taehyung refuses to attach to anyone since he would be forced to leave them before they would figure out he doesn’t age.
He had to move cities, sometimes even countries, every ten years, and as a precaution took at least 50 years away before he moved back.
Seoul has always been his favourite.
An office job at a publishing company though, not so much.
His boss, Seokjin, is the only reason he still hangs around the place, since Seokjin is one of the favourite bosses he’s ever had. He always makes Taehyung smile when frown lines start appearing on his face, and his fiancee Jimin sometimes pops around to bring cupcakes for the whole office.
Taehyung has never tasted better cupcakes in his whole 400 years of existence.
When it’s his stop, Taehyung gets off the subway, taking a sip of his hot cocoa. Even after living for so long, he still isn't accustomed to the hype over coffee and much rather prefers a steaming hot chocolate after a long day’s work.
Taehyung’s taking another sip as he walks up the stairs from the subway station. His house isn’t a far walk, and during the journey Taehyung thinks about what sort of job he should study for next.
As he stopped aging at 23, he usually takes college courses and now has amassed over 54 diplomas. Those are safely tucked in one of his closets. No one would believe he has that many degrees, and Taehyung is not fond of the idea of going to prison for fraud.
He had been there once, just to test it out.
Not a fan.
He keys in the keycode of his apartment building, waiting for the door to beep before he opens it. Someone is already waiting for the elevator and Taehyung smiles, since he sees the doors open just in time for him to step inside next to the other figure.
“Which floor?”
Taehyung turns to look at the male with a black hood over his head, shielding his face away which is a bit peculiar in his opinion, but he’s long past the stage of judging people. “Third, please.”
The hooded boy nods and presses the floor, and Taehyung tilts his head as he figures out the male must live on the same floor.
“Oh, are we neighbours?”
“No.”
Taehyung huffs, taking another sip of his drink and leans against the elevator wall instead of continuing any sort of polite conversation.
Once they reach the third floor, Taehyung steps out, giving the other a small wave and the male does not reciprocate, ducking his head down instead.
Taehyung walks to the end of the hallway, unlocking the door and glancing towards the elevators again, just to see the whole hallway empty. He figures the boy must live at one of the closest apartments to the elevator.
The weird encounter leaves his mind by the next day.
♡
“Taehyung”
“Jimin, hey,” Taehyung greets, smiling warmly as Jimin leans against his desk, coming closer.
“I brought two just for you. And a hot chocolate because I know it’s your fave.”
Taehyung’s heart melts as two cupcakes are placed in front of him with a drink. “Jimin, you really didn’t have to.”
“Think of it more as a bribe.”
“A bribe?” Taehyung asks, brow rising in question.
Jimin smiles sheepishly. “Hyung and I are hosting a party on Friday. We’d really want you to come.”
Taehyung’s soaring heart sinks instead. A grimace floods his face and Jimin’s smile slowly starts to drop. “Jimin— I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“You’ve said that ever since you joined the company,” Jimin whines, eyes wide and Taehyung feels really guilty because he can tell how much Jimin wants to be his friend, and he really, really would want to be Jimin’s friend too.
“I’m busy.”
“Saturday, then,” Jimin responds. “I’ll move the whole party back a whole day if that means that you’d come.”
Taehyung sighs, and the hopeful look on Jimin’s face has him finally relenting. “Okay.”
Jimin gasps, bouncing up on his heels and clapping his hands once. “Splendid! Oh absolutely amazing, I can’t wait! It’ll be the best party you’ve ever been to!”
Taehyung grins, lets himself be happy and warm for a while as he smiles back. Jimin leans closer, pinching Taehyung’s cheek once before spinning on his heel, running towards Seokjin’s office. “Hyung! Taehyung finally said yes!”
“Why do you sound more excited about that yes than what you were when I said yes to marrying you?” Seokjin’s voice booms and Taehyung snorts before taking a bite of one of the cupcakes Jimin left at his desk.
♡
Taehyung hasn’t really been to many parties. Not this century, at least.
He stares at himself through the full-body mirror in his apartment, carefully eyeing the black button-up shirt and plaid pants he had decided on. His grey hair flows in soft waves around his head, and silver chains drape from his ears prettily. It’s probably one of his favourite hairstyles on himself, and throughout the centuries, Taehyung has had a lot of hairstyles.
He takes one final glance at himself before nodding, satisfied with his appearance. He takes the wine bottle he had bought for Seokjin and Jimin into one hand, and his other hand grabs his phone and wallet.
The trip to Seokjin and Jimin’s house isn’t that far away, and Taehyung feels a bit bad that he’s been rejecting all of Jimin’s requests for so long. Hopefully he can make up for that today, but he’s not planning on staying longer than just a few hours.
He really, really, can’t get attached any more than what he already is.
Jimin greets him with a squeal as he arrives, arms wrapping around his shoulder and Taehyung can smell a bit of alcohol on his breath as Jimin breathes a welcome into his ear.
Sometimes he forgets that he’s stuck at 23, and that Jimin is the same age as him, and drinking and partying is very much normal at this age.
Seokjin comes to meet them at the door a few moments later, wrapping an arm around Jimin’s waist to pull him away from the clinging grip he had on Taehyung.
“Welcome, Taehyung.”
“Thank you for the invite,” Taehyung bows, handing over the wine to Seokjin who takes it with a grateful smile and nod. Jimin gives him an excited wave as Seokjin drags him away to greet more guests, and Taehyung feels a bit awkward as he steps further into the apartment.
People are huddled in small groups with drinks in hand, laughing loud and familiar, and Taehyung thankfully recognises a few of the faces as people who work at the office.
He recognises a male called Hoseok who cheerfully waves him over, and Taehyung gives a small smile as he joins the circle. “Hey man!” Hoseok greets, throwing an arm over Taehyung’s shoulder. “Never seen you at one of these before!”
“Yeah,” Taehyung laughs, accepting the drink Jimin brings over to him with a smile. “I’m here now though.”
Hoseok squeezes his shoulder as Taehyung takes a sip of the cocktail Jimin made for him. He’s introduced to the people in the circle, and Taehyung tries his best to remember some of the names just out of politeness.
He doesn’t talk much, more of a listener because he has to be so careful always with what he says. He has a lot of stories to tell, but none of which he actually can tell.
He’s never told anyone he’s immortal.
People probably wouldn’t believe him anyways.
And it’s fine, Taehyung thinks it’s absolutely fine and he’s long ago gotten over the fact that he can’t have any friends or lovers or anyone really who can be close to him.
When he had first gotten cursed, Taehyung visited the altar every night to try and find the demon that he had prayed to, but no one ever showed up. He prayed for the gods every morning for someone to reverse the curse, but no one ever responded.
Taehyung just had to live with it.
For eternity.
And if he ever sees the demon again, Taehyung will not hesitate to strangle it.
An hour later, Jimin is pulling Taehyung into a slow dance, arms wrapping around Taehyung’s shoulders and Taehyung sighs with a fond huff as he wraps his own around Jimin’s waist.
“Is it as bad as you imagined?” Jimin asks, words a bit slurred from the shots he had been taking.
“Of course not. I never thought it would be bad.”
“But you’ve never come before,” Jimin frowns.
“I really just have been busy in the past.”
“Promise?” Jimin asks.
Taehyung rests his chin on top of Jimin’s hair, letting out a small breath. “Yeah.”
“You’re my best friend now then.”
Taehyung smiles with a shake of his head, slowly moving with Jimin as the bass plays an edm song for a minute longer before another worker called Yoongi yells out that he can’t take it anymore, and something lower-tempo starts playing.
♡
Taehyung stayed for an hour longer than what he intended, and is now sitting on the steps of his apartment complex after realising he had left his keys at home.
He lights a cigarette with a sigh, tapping his lighter against his thigh as he considers his options on what to do.
Someone walks out of their apartment complex’s door, hopping down the steps before stilling, probably upon noticing Taehyung.
Taehyung doesn’t bother to turn around and look at who it is, continuing to mind his own business as he takes a drag of the cigarette.
The male he now recognises as the hooded figure from the elevator sits down next to him, lighting up his own cigarette. “Smoking is bad for you, you know? You should quit.”
Taehyung blinks at him before letting out an incredulous huff, pointing at the male’s cigarette with his own. “Take your own advice.”
“I’m immortal,” the male responds and Taehyung blinks again. He knows it’s just a joke, but it hits a bit too close to home.
He tries to get a proper look at the male’s face, but he keeps shielding it away for some reason. Taehyung presumes maybe he’s just a bit shy. “Same,” he responds simply.
The male nods before bringing the cigarette to his lips, and Taehyung narrows his eyes, leaning a bit closer as he spots the mole underneath the man’s lips. “Have I seen you before?” he blurts out, feeling a faint tug in his heart.
The male stops taking a puff, seems almost frozen before he composes himself with a shake of his head. “Doubt it. I’m not from around here.”
“I haven’t always been from around here either” Taehyung murmurs, staring peculiarly at the male who seems more familiar each second he sits next to him.
His confusion only grows as the male hums in return, shrugging. Taehyung scans his face the best he can. Brown eyes, handsome brows that frame his face and a sharp jaw he kind of wants to touch.
A face he would easily remember.
“I could have sworn I know you,” he mutters, taking another drag, until there’s only the butt of the cigarette left. He fishes out his phone, sees it’s currently 2 am and the landlord won’t be awake for another five hours to open his apartment door. He lets out a sigh as the other male finishes his cigarette, both of them sitting in silence on the stairs.
Taehyung briefly wonders if the other male is interested in him and that’s why he’s still sitting here in his company.
“Waiting for someone?”
“Landlord.”
“At two in the morning?” The male asks with a raised brow.
“Left my keys inside.”
“That’s shitty,” the man answers after a moment.
Taehyung clicks his tongue in annoyance. Considers if maybe he should just go to a hotel for the night.
The male stands up, brushing his jeans before pausing for a moment. “Well I wish you a good night, little one.”
Taehyung freezes.
Even after 400 years, he recognises that pet name.
He scrambles up as footsteps start walking away from him to go back inside. Taehyung pushes the figure against the solid brick wall of their apartment building before he can get past the door. “What did you just call me?”
Brown eyes stare back at him in fear, wide and they aren’t that familiar but the mole underneath his lips are and Taehyung shoves the body harder against the brick.
“Nothing?”
“No,” Taehyung growls. “You called me something.”
“I don’t remember calling you something.”
Taehyung grips the grey sweater the male is wearing. “Don’t be a fucking wise-ass.”
The brown eyes stare at him for a second longer before the figure disappears right from in front of his eyes and Taehyung is left gasping in shock, fist that had fabric balled between his knuckles now clutching at thin air. “What the fuck, what the fuck.”
Taehyung keys in his apartment code, smashing the button for the elevator as if it would make it move any faster. Once inside, Taehyung presses for the third floor.
He feels his whole body jittering in a way which it hasn’t before, nerves causing him to fidget and he isn’t quite sure what he’s going to do if he ever sees the male again.
Because he knows now who it is.
And a part of Taehyung is scared that he just missed his final chance to talk to the demon.
Once outside the elevator, Taehyung skims the names on the apartment doors. He doesn’t want to be seen as a lunatic and bang on every apartment, tipsy, at two in the morning and eventually get kicked out, but he is really, really tempted to do just that.
He’s been waiting for this moment for 400 years.
He can’t see any name that would give him some sort of indication though, and Taehyung stubbornly sits down on the hallway with his arms crossed and a frown covering his face.
Jimin messages him if he got home safely and Taehyung responds to him while thinking about why the demon had decided to show himself now.
Demons, at least in the past, did not have the slightest ounce of care towards humans or their suffering, and he highly doubts that beings so ancient would ever change their ways.
Taehyung stands up, walks to the end of the hallway, to the window, frowning up at the moon. “I hate you.”
“Well that’s not nice.”
Taehyung spins around in disbelief, staring at black eyes that long ago haunted his dreams.
“You,” Taehyung growls, charging a step forward only to have the demon still wearing the same grey sweater disappear from in front of him. Taehyung huffs in frustration, turning back towards the moon. “Get back here.”
“Where?”
It’s whispered right by his ear, warm breath on his skin and Taehyung stops breathing for a moment before he focuses again. Fingers brush against his shoulder and Taehyung swivels to try and catch the being but it disappears again.
Taehyung stomps his foot against the floor. “Stop being annoying.”
“After all these years, I presumed you would have gathered a bit more patience,” the demon murmurs in thin air before appearing in front of Taehyung. A black tail whips behind him and the horns on top of his head have seemed to grow a bit larger, but Taehyung is far from scared.
“What’s your name?”
The demon smirks, stepping closer. “Will you curse my name to the gods?”
“ No,” Taehyung huffs. “I’ll curse your name to the moon.”
The demon tuts, flicking Taehyung’s chin once. Taehyung’s heart does not flutter, okay? “That would actually make my parents very happy to know I have granted someone eternal suffering. My name is Jeongguk. Please, scream and curse away.”
Taehyung stares at him in disbelief. “Well, I’m not going to curse you now if it would just help you out. You suck.”
“400 years and still such a limited vocabulary. I thought that degree in Korean literature would have helped you out a bit more.”
“Have you been keeping tabs on me?”
“And if I have?” Jeongguk asks, tucking a strand of grey hair behind Taehyung’s ear. Taehyung scowls at him, folding his arms across his chest which causes Jeongguk’s lips to twitch.
Jeongguk disappears and Taehyung rolls his eyes before he hears the click of his door, Jeongguk opening it for him from the inside. “Here you go.”
Taehyung storms past him. “Don’t expect a thank you.”
Jeongguk lets out a fond laugh before closing the door behind them, flopping down onto Taehyung’s couch as if he owns the place. His eyes are back to brown, but the horns on his head and tail still remain. “I was kind of expecting a thank you.”
Taehyung scoffs as he takes off his shoes, pausing for a moment before taking one into his hand and chucking it towards Jeongguk’s head.
Jeongguk disappears the moment he notices, appearing right next to Taehyung with a small pout on his face. “That would have hurt.”
“You’re a demon of the underworld. A shoe hitting you would do nothing.”
“It would have hurt my feelings,” Jeongguk reiterates.
“Feelings?” Taehyung barks out with a laugh. “I’ve had to live centuries of misery and you think I care if your feelings hurt?”
“Well it can’t have all been that bad,” Jeongguk shrugs. “You won the lottery once, remember?”
Taehyung narrows his eyes. “And half the money mysteriously disappeared. Now I’m thinking you had something to do with that.”
“Well, it was me who manipulated those lottery numbers in your favour so I thought it would only be fair to receive half the prize.”
“Fair? Fair?”
Jeongguk nods, letting out a small sniff before looking around Taehyung’s apartment. “This is a nice place. Homely. Staying for long?”
Taehyung shoves Jeongguk’s chest, and though he doubts the demon even felt it, Jeongguk still rubs at the spot with a hurt expression.
“Un-immortalize me,” Taehyung orders.
Jeongguk blinks at him twice, stunned in silence. “What?”
“You heard me,” Taehyung snaps, pushing against Jeongguk’s chest once more. “Your fun little act with those scary eyes when you cursed me.”
“Cursed you?” Jeongguk frowns.
“I don’t want to be like this,” Taehyung yells, throwing his hands up in the air. “Do you know how much it sucks to not be allowed to have any friends? Anyone to love? To be with?”
Jeongguk’s quiet for longer, frown still prominent on his face. “I’m a demon, Taehyung. It’s my job to make you miserable.”
Taehyung’s brows shoot up, and he steps so close in Jeongguk’s space that their chests touch. Their noses almost bump and Taehyung can feel Jeongguk’s breath on his skin. “That’s your job?”
Jeongguk nods and it causes his nose to skim across Taehyung’s cheek.
Taehyung tries to ignore the spark it sends through him.
“So then you checking up on me and helping me win the lottery and opening my apartment door so I could get in is you what— slacking on your job? You’re a pretty shitty demon then.”
“Hey,” Jeongguk complains. The gust of breath he lets out mingles with Taehyung’s.
“Why did you show yourself to me?”
Jeongguk looks away, and Taehyung does what Jeongguk did to him those 400 years ago, grabbing hold of his chin to keep his gaze. “Why did you show yourself to me, then?” he whispers.
Jeongguk stares at him, gaze dropping down to Taehyung’s lips before looking back into his eyes. “I felt bad.”
Taehyung lets go of his chin, and he’s pretty sure the expression of shock is now engraved on his face. “Excuse me?”
Jeongguk ducks his head down, tugs at the ends of his sweater while Taehyung stares at the large horns on his head. “You made a friend,” Jeongguk whispers.
Taehyung takes a step back in confusion. “And you— almighty feelingless demon who only cares about making people miserable, cares about that?”
Jeongguk pouts. “Caring is maybe too strong of a word.”
Taehyung rolls his eyes.
“You care about me,” Taehyung says.
“Untrue,” Jeongguk responds with a shake of his head.
“Then leave and never check up on me or make my immortal life easier again,” Taehyung dares.
Jeongguk stares at Taehyung for a long moment, and Taehyung starts feeling warmth flush in his cheeks from the intense look Jeongguk watches him with. He gulps from nervousness and is just about to say something before Jeongguk nods. “Fine.”
Taehyung’s jaw drops as Jeongguk disappears from in front of him. He hadn’t meant what he had said, not really, because his top priority had been to remove the immortality from himself but he had just said the words in the heat of the moment.
And maybe if Taehyung hadn’t been so desperate to have his immortality removed he would have focused more on how easy it had been to talk with Jeongguk.
Taehyung slumps down onto his couch, picks up the shoe that’s lying there as a reminder that what had just happened with Jeongguk had been real. “Jeongguk?” he asks, waits for a few seconds but nothing happens.
Taehyung stands up, walks over to his window, frowning once more at the moon. “I know you’re good, Jeongguk.”
♡
Taehyung spends the next day at work stacking papers and sighing, almost longingly. He feels bitter, sad, and a small part of him is even anxious now that he doesn’t have Jeongguk watching over him anymore. Seokjin peers from his office room a few times in worry but otherwise doesn’t comment on it. A potential client who introduces himself as Namjoon also glances over at him a few times while walking towards Seokjin’s office, but no one says a word to him.
Until Jimin arrives.
“Hey bestie.”
Taehyung looks up. “Hey bestie.”
Jimin sits down on top of Taehyung’s desk, pointing at the pile of post-it notes Taehyung has torn into pieces to form the image of a middle-finger. “Impressive,” Jimin comments. “And who are we cursing today?”
“The moon.”
“That sounds poetic,” Jimin responds, feet dangling off the side of the desk as he silently starts rearranging the shape of the ripped shreds of paper to form a pink heart instead. “Did you get dumped?”
“Dumped?” Taehyung snorts. “I wasn’t dating anyone.”
“Well, you’re being awfully melodramatic and acting exactly like someone bitter about love.”
Taehyung huffs, accepting the hot chocolate Jimin hands to him. “It’s not romantic , I think— uh, but someone I was talking to left me and I don’t know how to reach out to him again.
Jimin listens, thinks about it for a while. “Can’t you call them?”
“They don’t have a phone.”
Jimin’s face scrunches. “Um, well— e-mail them?”
Taehyung leans back with a sigh against his chair. “Don’t know it.”
Jimin pouts. “I hope they’ll show up again. Maybe if you really wish it, it could happen.”
“Yeah,” Taehyung says, tries to smile at Jimin who warmly reciprocated it. “Thanks, Jimin.”
“Anytime bestie,” Jimin says with a wave of his hand. “Don’t come knocking,” he hollers after him as he walks towards Seokjin’s office, flashing a grin in Taehyung’s direction before the lock clicks behind him.
♡
Taehyung decides to take the long way home, just for a bit of change since walking helps lift his mood. He steals a few glances behind him though, just because of a feeling he’s having, and not long after that, rain starts pouring down.
Taehyung shivers, runs the next block until he reaches an alleyway which is a shortcut for him. He jumps at the thunder that rumbles in the air as he takes a turn down the alley, hurriedly walking through it.
He lets out a yelp as someone shoves him, pushing him against the brick.
It’s a breath in relief he lets out as he sees the black eyes. Jeongguk presses their noses against each other, one thigh pushed between Taehyung’s legs to stop any chance of escape. “Why would you do that.”
Taehyung breathes out heavily, still trying to catch his breath from the shock. “Do what?”
“Say I’m good to the moon,” Jeongguk growls.
“Aren’t you?”
“No,” Jeongguk huffs. “And now thanks to you, I’m banished from my home.”
Taehyung’s mouth parts. “What?” he asks breathlessly.
“With you screaming out how good I am at the moon, of course my parents will hear. They did some digging and found out how I had taken care of you and that doesn’t really fit demon protocol , so here I am now, banished onto earth.”
Taehyung’s words are genuine. “I’m sorry.”
Jeongguk stares at him intently, gaze flitting all over Taehyung’s face. They listen to the rain pour around them, and Taehyung focuses on how the lightning has stopped and the rain soon turns into just a drizzle.
He takes hold of Jeongguk’s hands that are placed on both sides of his head. “I didn’t mean to have you banished. I’m sorry, Jeongguk.”
Jeongguk frowns, taking in deep breaths and lets Taehyung pull his hands down, intertwining their fingers and Taehyung listens as the rain fully stops.
“Guess I deserved it. And you were right, I’m a bad demon.”
A soft smile plays on Taehyung’s lips. “You mean you’re a good demon.”
Jeongguk looks up, and slowly the black in his eyes wisp away until just brown remains. “Are you happy here?” Jeongguk asks.
Taehyung takes a moment before nodding.
Jeongguk bites down on his bottom lip, contemplating. Taehyung stares at the mole he can see more clearly now, holding his breath. “I can already feel my powers leaving me, and soon I’ll be human just like you since I’ve been banished from the source of my powers.” Jeongguk is quiet for a moment and Taehyung waits for him to continue. “So, before that fully happens, I’ll use the last of what I have to do what’s right for you.”
Taehyung sucks in a breath as he feels lips press against his cheek. Jeongguk stays still for a few seconds before pulling away and releasing his hands from Taehyung’s. “You’re free from immortality. Please live a full life, Taehyung. It’s the only one you have left.”
Taehyung blinks back tears from the sudden wave of emotions that hit him as Jeongguk turns away towards the main street.
“You can’t leave me now,” he yells after the demon.
Jeongguk pauses, and Taehyung isn’t fully sure what makes him so drawn to the demon. Maybe it’s the fact that Jeongguk seems to have gone against his whole nature to make sure Taehyung was okay throughout so many lifetimes. Maybe it’s because of the soft, gentle press he can still feel lingering on his cheek from Jeongguk’s lips. Or maybe it's from how Taehyung never really has opened up to anyone, but it’s easy with Jeongguk. Easy with someone who understands what he’s gone through. Someone he doesn’t have to lie to about his experiences with immortality. “I’ve thought about it a lot since I fully met you,” Taehyung says, hoping Jeongguk doesn’t do that disappearing act again. “Since I was immortal I never needed a guardian angel. Doubt I ever even had one. But you can’t argue that I didn’t have a guardian demon.”
Taehyung walks closer to Jeongguk, watches in awe as flecks of black slowly start chipping off Jeongguk’s horns. “Tell me. When I got into deep trouble during my 400 years of life, it was always you who got me out of it, wasn’t it?”
Jeongguk is silent as Taehyung comes to stand in front of him. His face is still shadowy from the dimness of the alley, but Taehyung sees his expression clear enough. “What do you feel now, the more human you become?”
Jeongguk stays quiet, and Taehyung takes matters into his own hands as he places a hand over Jeongguk’s chest, feeling as his heartbeat picks up. It thrums beneath his ribcage, going faster the closer Taehyung moves to him. “400 years is an awful long time to long for someone you can’t have.”
“Longing, please,” Jeongguk scoffs, but it comes out quietly. Taehyung grins at the other’s hesitation, dropping his hand to intertwine it with Jeongguk’s instead.
“What should I call it then?” Taehyung asks. “Love?”
Jeongguk looks up, and there’s a glimmer of fear in his eyes.
“The moon always brought me comfort,” Taehyung confesses. “When I was young. I always sat by the altar, you know. Funnily during the day I felt nothing. Sure after that there was like 200 years of when I’d stare up at the moon with a frown, but those are minor details.”
Jeongguk’s mouth breaks into a small smile and it makes Taehyung’s heart soar.
“Do you like hot chocolate?”
“I’ve never tasted it,” Jeongguk confesses.
“It’s my favourite,” Taehyung says with a smile. “Are you free right now?”
Jeongguk stares at him for a long moment before nodding.
“Good,” Taehyung whispers, pulling Jeongguk along as Jeongguk conceals the final pieces of his horns before they fully disappear from his head.
♡
It’s a year later that Taehyung finds himself sitting next to the window, chin resting against his knees with his legs pulled up as he stares at the moon. He hides a smile from all the clattering he hears from the kitchen as Jeongguk is still learning how to cook without Taehyung’s assistance.
A few minutes later the ex-demon-now-fully-human sighs, pushing Taehyung’s legs down so he can sit down onto his lap. Jeongguk’s brown hair has grown longer, and his arm has started collecting tattoo’s Taehyung loves tracing late at night. “Good?”
“Me?” Jeongguk huffs. “Yeah, I’m good. Can’t say the same for our dinner though.”
Taehyung grins, arms wrapping around Jeongguk’s waist and he hooks his head over the brunette’s shoulder. “My expectations weren’t high anyways.”
Jeongguk pouts and Taehyung taps at Jeongguk’s chin once. “Seokjin and Jimin invited us to dinner on Wednesday. I told them we’re going.”
“Anything to get me out of kitchen duty,” Jeongguk nods.
Taehyung lets out a giggle before kissing Jeongguk’s shoulder. “Good.”
Jeongguk leans further into Taehyung’s hold, stares out the window too, looking at the moon with a soft smile. “You’re so stupid for praying at the moon.”
“Will you ever let that go?” Taehyung murmurs.
“Nope,” Jeongguk responds with a shake of his head. “What if another demon instead of me had heard your prayer? You’d have been screwed.”
“And you lecture me about demon safety every day,” Taehyung says with a fond roll of his eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m not going altar praying anymore ever in my life. I’m happiest with my life right now.”
Jeongguk twists in Taehyung’s lap until he’s straddling his boyfriend, looking down into Taehyung’s expectant eyes. “Truly?”
“Truly,” Taehyung responds easily.
Jeongguk moves closer, slotting their lips together like they’ve done hundreds of times but it never stops Taehyung’s heartbeat from picking up as Jeongguk licks into his mouth. Taehyung kisses him back, holds him close before Jeongguk leans back, pink dusting both of their cheeks and it’s not long before Jeongguk is ducking in again, catching Taehyung’s lips with his teeth.
And neither Jeongguk nor Taehyung have to voice what their thoughts are. Both of them coming from a long lasting immortality back to humanity.
Maybe they will only have a short lifetime left with each other compared to what they’re used to, but they’ll make sure it’s the best lifetime the other has ever lived.