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Jeongin woke up feeling like his whole body was on fire. He can’t even open his eyes properly. He tried to prop himself up on his bed and felt like a whale was on top of him with how heavy he felt. He was groaning at every move he made as he felt his sore muscles move.
He sounds like his father who gets up like an old man with an intense back pain. Even though he’s one of the fittest people he knows.
Once he was sitting up at the edge of his bed, he tried to open his eyes again. His lids were also heavy but he managed to open them a bit. The light almost blinded him but he continued opening them, anyway.
It took him a few seconds until the blurriness was completely gone.
The first thing he saw when he got his vision back were the strings of spider webs on his wardrobe. He followed the traces of the web and noticed the corners of his ceiling had a few spider webs hanging on them. He tilted his head in confusion because he just wiped them yesterday. He didn’t expect there to be no webs, at all. It was normal to have a few by now. Plus, it’s not like there are a lot of webs already.
But that’s not what makes him confused.
What he’s wondering about the most is why is he noticing them now? He never noticed seeing webs - not until his room was almost like a part of a haunted house.
After staring at the air for a while, he shook his head and thought it was not the time to worry about it. Especially when he has a splitting headache to nurse first.
Jeongin pushed himself off the bed, despite his muscles screaming, and his vision blurred. And he almost fell back to the bed. Fortunately, he managed to balance himself on his feet.
“I’ve never been sick all my life so why do I feel like shit on the day I turn 18?” Jeongin can’t help grumble, extremely confused by this weird phenomenon. He doesn’t remember ever being sick since he was six!
Once he had his vision back and he felt more stable, he dragged his feet towards the door. His body feels too heavy, especially his head and back. It’s like there was something there. He unconsciously tried to ruffle his hair when his hand was met by something hard instead of his soft wavy locks.
He stopped on his tracks.
He carefully moved his hand along the hard thing on his head. It was long and was kinda twisted at the end - it was rough, too. He almost pricked himself at its tip. But that’s not what he’s worried about right now.
Right now, he is standing in front of his full-length mirror, holding onto what looks like a horn that is growing out of his head.
He doesn’t have just one horn - he has two! Plus a pair of translucent purple wings?!
He suddenly feels dizzy again.
Then he hears a familiar voice outside his door.
“Good morning, my beautiful son who is finally an adult now! Papa’s coming in, okay?” And without waiting for an answer, Jeongin’s door opened wide and in came a beautiful man, carrying a 3-tier cake with cartoon characters on it.
The man looked like he hadn't seen his son just yet, by the way he entered the room with a wide grin before he started singing. “Happy Birthday, my Inni-”
The moment the other man saw Jeongin, he stopped on his tracks and his face turned from happy to shock to scared to angry that he didn’t realize he let go of the cake he was holding. All the happy cartoon characters were on the floor - squished into something unrecognizable.
Jeongin wanted to say something but he didn’t know what to say or think. He just looked at his father with confusion. And before he could let a word out, he suddenly heard his father scream loudly, enough to almost break the glasses around them and Jeongin to cover his ears tightly.
“That lying bastard! He told me you would grow up normal!” The man’s face was all red from screaming and when he calmed down enough, he saw his confused son looking at him for help and he instantly softened as he ran straight to him.
“Pa…” Jeongin’s voice was so small and his father couldn’t help but worry about his son, so he lead him carefully back to his bed and had him lean against the headboard.
“Innie, baby, sorry. Did Papa scare you? I know you’re confused right now but I need you to trust me when I say you will be fine, okay? Let’s cool you down first and then I’ll go call your Dad because we have a few things we need to tell you.” His gentle voice was soothing Jeongin and the young boy nodded, fully trusting what his father told him.
“Can you wait for me here as I get you water?” Jeongin nodded as best as he could, noticing the concern laced in his father’s voice. Between his two fathers, it was his Dad Chan that was the worrywart and his Papa Minho was almost the carefree one. People would say Minho is so indifferent towards him, but he knows full well that both his fathers love him the most - it’s almost disgusting, he would joke. Which was why, even though he rarely ever sees Minho worry like that, it was also not surprising.
Jeongin leaned back to the pillows Minho placed behind him. The ringing in his ears has stopped and his head doesn’t hurt as much as before but his body still hasn’t stopped burning up.
As far as Jeongin could remember, he has never gotten sick. Ever. His childhood friend, Jisung, even complained at how unfair it was. Even when all of his class got the flu, only Jeongin was fine and healthy!
However, now that he’s feeling the shittiest he has ever been, his mind wandered to a time when he was younger. He remembered his parents talking with his Uncle Binnie about how he used to be really sickly when he was a baby, and how they would spend almost every night worrying over him.
Jeongin doesn’t remember a thing about that time. His friends could remember a few things from when they were younger, so why can’t he? Was he just too young? He would suddenly get this realization every so often. But he’s also totally fine without knowing them. Because he knew his life started when he woke up the day he turned six.
It was when he opened his eyes and he was met with his fathers’ teary eyes and the widest smiles on their faces.
“Oh? Does my baby foxie feel better now?”
Jeongin open his eyes and saw Minho enter his room with a teasing look on his face. He also looked relieved, Jeongin noticed.
“Pa, I’m already 18 now. You should really stop calling me baby y’know?” He replied as he jokingly rolled his eyes at his father.
Minho sat at the edge of his bed. “And miss the chance to embarrass you in front of all your friends? Never.” Minho chuckled and then handed Jeongin the mug of what seemed like a water.
But normal waters do not sparkle like they have glitters floating in them, Jeongin thought to himself as he carefully held the mug.
“Drink slowly. This will make you feel better in no time.” Minho said as he looked carefully at his son as he drank the liquid in one swift gulp. “Good boy.” He ruffled his son’s hair, which earned him a grumble but Minho just laughed it off.
Minho took the mug from Jeongin and put it on the bedside table. He gently touched his son’s forehead with the back of his palm and asked, “How is it? Do you feel better now?”
Better was an understatement to what Jeongin was feeling. The moment the liquid touched his lips and tongue, he felt a wave of energy pass through his whole body and immediately got rid of the sores and the high temperature.
It was really magical - literally. The young man knows his father did something to the water by the way the same swirling glitters left traces on his father’s hands.
Jeongin looked at Minho and smiled. “I feel slightly tired but I feel a lot better now. Thanks, Pa.” Minho returned his smile and reached out to his hair and ruffled it before standing up from the bed.
“Since you’re feeling better now, I think it’s time we call your Dad and deal with the situation.” Jeongin saw the annoyed face his father had and he could already imagine the hell that was waiting for his dad that he couldn’t help but chuckle.
Minho pressed a few things on his phone and then they could hear the ringing, both waiting for Chan to pick up the call. It was taking Chan quite a while to pick up and Minho was already grumbling curses and threats, and Jeongin could only pray for his dad.
Just as the ringing was about to end, Chan finally picked up the call. “Hi, Kitty~ Why is my baby kitty calling me right now?”
Jeongin felt something crawl on his skin from the cringe of hearing the sickly sweet tone his dad was using to talk to Minho. It’s not something new for him but he still can’t get used to hearing such a big bulky man use a baby voice.
“It’s not the time to call me Baby Kitty, you lying demon! Come home right now!” Chan couldn’t even get a few words in because Minho kept on barraging him with questions. “Also, why are you still at work when it’s our son’s 18th birthday today?! Hurry your ass back right here now! Oh, you know what? I should just drag you back home right now.”
Jeongin couldn’t even hear his dad say a word in before Minho hang up the phone and put it in his pocket before closing his eyes and mumbled some words he couldn’t understand. Not long after that, he could see streaks of purple light enveloping Minho. The lights slowly moved in front of his father and formed something like a screen made of liquid. It slowly became clearer and Jeongin could finally make out Chan’s figure behind the screen.
Chan was staring at their direction with a face that was a mix of surprise and confusion. Beside him was his Uncle Binnie who was sighing. He must’ve expected something like this to happen, Jeongin thought.
“Min? What are you doing in front of Innie?” Chan was panicking and Minho ignored him as he walked towards the magical screen - which actually turned out to be a portal!
Minho grabbed Chan’s wrist and looked at Changbin. “You don’t mind me dragging my husband home right now, right? It’s not like Hell would collapse if their king doesn’t work overtime on his son’s birthday, anyway.”
It took a bit more time for Jeongin to process what he heard but he realized that his dad and Uncle Binnie were not in an office building. In fact, it looked like they were not anywhere in Korea. He could see his dad sitting on a very large and imposing throne that had carvings of dragons painted in gold.
He looked at Chan who was almost on the verge of kneeling down for mercy to Minho, and he couldn’t help but shake his head in disbelief. Chan, who was almost twice the size of Minho right now, was acting like a giant pup. His large wings and tail were drooped behind him as he let his husband drag him.
Changbin, who also did not look anything close to a human, waved them off. “Go now before someone else sees this pathetic side of the king.”
Once Chan and Minho crossed over to Jeongin’s room, Minho waved his hand and the portal slowly disappeared.
But before it disappeared completely, Changbin waved at Jeongin and shouted, "Happy birthday, kid! I didn't forget your birthday, by the way. I'll give you your gift soon! So have fun with your fathers today!"
Jeongin could only return a small wave at him before the portal closed completely.
Meanwhile, MINHO looked at Chan and told him, “Get changed right now. You’re too large for Innie’s room.”
They didn’t have to wait any longer before something black covered Chan and when he reappeared, he was back to his usual look. But his imaginary ears and tail are still drooping as he looked at Minho. “Miiin, can you tell me now what’s happening? You just dragged me out of nowhere and you’re mad. You didn’t even kiss me when you saw me! I was so happy when I saw you calling me after such a busy night but you didn’t even give me kisses or cuddles…”
Hearing his husband’s wronged voice, Minho couldn’t help but soften his face as he walked closer to Chan and clasped his cheeks. Chan was back to being centimeters shorter than his husband. Minho touched their foreheads and stared at Chan’s eyes with so much love.
“I’m sorry, Love. I was just panicking. I know you’ve been quite busy these days. I just miss you so much and I needed you. I’m not angry at you, ok?” Then Minho rubbed the tips of their noses together, earning a giggle from his husband.
“I love you, Kitty.”
“I love you, too, Baby.”
But before their lips could touch each other, they heard someone clearing their throat and that’s when they realized they were not alone right now. They had to move away from each other’s faces, but hands still intertwined together.
“Can you not do it in my room? And when I’m around?” Jeongin pleaded while looked away from them with his hand massaging his head. He was slightly surprised when he felt his horn again. He almost forgot about his situation because of the surprises his parents have pulled just now. “And I think you’re forgetting something important here.”
“Important? What impo-” Chan asked and stopped midsentence when he finally took a good look at his son. “JEONGIN, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!” Chan felt his blood drain when he saw the two large horns and translucent wings on his son. He looked back to Minho, waiting for him to explain what was going on.
“I don’t know, too. That’s why I panicked earlier and had to drag you back here immediately. When I came in to wake him up, he already had these and he was suffering from a really strong fever so I had to give him some elixir before calling you.”
Jeongin knew it wasn’t just a normal water like Minho said but to think it was an elixir was still pretty much surprising for him. He only ever heard about it from games and stories, after all.
Chan slid his arm on Minho’s waist and kissed his head. “You did well, Min.” Minho returned him a gentle smile before Chan walked closer to their son.
Chan sat on the edge of the bed. “Can I hold your hand for a sec, kiddo?” Jeongin immediately reached out his hand to his dad. Chan closed his eyes and Jeongin felt something warm move from Chan’s hand to his and then dispersed inside him. It didn’t feel like the kind of warm like his fever did earlier. It was a gentle heat that made him feel a lot more comfortable.
It took a couple of silent minutes before Chan opened his eyes and flashed a grin towards his son and ruffled his hair. “Congratulations on becoming an adult, kid. I know you still have a lot of questions right now but I’m sure you’re tired now. Don’t worry. Your Papa Min and I won't leave you until you get your answers so go ahead and get some sleep because we will have a long day today.”
Jeongin didn’t have the energy to do anything else as he closed his eyes and say, “Good night, Dad. Good night, Pa.”
“Good night, baby.”
Minho’s kiss on his forehead was the last thing he remembered before dreamland took ahold of him.
~o0o~
Jeongin woke up feeling extra refreshed like he has never felt so energized and healthy ever. He looked outside his windows and saw that the sky was turning orange. He must’ve slept so well that he didn’t even wake up once the whole day.
As he was getting up from his bed, he heard giggles from outside his room. His parents must be flirting with each other again and that put a wide smile on his face. Contrary to what he shows people, he loved seeing his parents flirt with each other, even after so many years of marriage!
The relationships of all the other parents he’s seen were just too boring compared to his parents. They would act like they were still newlyweds every single day, and he couldn’t ask a more perfect pair of parents.
When he finally got up, he realized how he slept on with the clothes that was full of his sweat that morning so he decided to freshen up first before coming out to greet his parents. He was somehow not surprised when he realized his shirt was ripped at the back where his wings came out from.
He took a pair of scissors and completely ripped the whole shirt off of his body. Once he was half naked in front of his bathroom mirror, he took a look at his horns and wings closer. It looked unusual but also looked like they have always belonged on his body all this time. Jeongin found this feeling weird but he accepted it quite immediately.
It didn’t take him a long time to finish taking a bath and putting on his pants. He was about to put on a shirt when he realized, he needed help so with his shirt on his hand, he walked out of his room and followed the giggling he could still hear, and found his parents slow - dancing in the kitchen. With icings and flour on their faces and body.
Jeongin admired them for a bit more before he said, “I didn’t know baking a cake needed dancing.”
Hearing their son’s teasing words, both Minho and Chan couldn’t help but laugh as they slowly got away from each other and beckoning him to come closer to them.
And he did. Jeongin walked towards his parents and let them both embrace him. He was so lucky to have them as his family.
“Happy birthday, son.”
“Happy birthday, kiddo.”
“Thanks, Dad. Pa.”
They stayed in the hug for a while and when Jeongin backed away from them, Minho held him at arm’s length and looked at him up and down.
“I know you have a great body like your dad but why are you naked on top?”
Jeongin’s face scrunched up in disgust before answering, “Pa, I didn’t need that info!”
Minho raised his right brow. “What? It’s true! You always see him naked, and I’m sure you know how to appreciate a good body. I brought you up well, after all.” He ended his sentence like the proudest father he could ever be.
“Pa! You make it sound like he walks around the house flashing his whole naked body for everyone! Even if he has a good body that’s still so disgusting to imagine.” Jeongin cringed at the thought.
“See?! You admit it, too!” Minho replied with a smug look on his face.
While the two were busy bickering, Chan, the subject of their argument, has become red as tomato. He was hiding his face behind his palms as he made incoherent noises in embarrassment.
“Ah! I don’t care anymore! I can’t wear a shirt with this huge pair of wings on my back! Jeongin exclaimed in frustration and this got his parents’ attention.
Minho and Chan paused and focused their eyes behind their son and there sure is a pair of translucent wings that couldn’t fit in a shirt attached on his back. Minho sighed and walked closer to his son and asked for his hands.
Jeongin reached his hands out to Minho, unsure why.
“We have to make you get used to controling your energy. I need you to close your eyes first and then follow what I say, ok?” Minho’s voice was so gentle, it felt like what he used to tease him earlier was a different person’s.
Jeongin closed his eyes, as instructed.
“I will inject my power in you and I want you to be familiar with it and follow its movement, ok?” Jeongin nodded and Minho smiled at how their son trusted them unconditionally.
Not long after that, Jeongin felt a familiar but also unfamiliar energy seep into his body. It was like what Chan did to him before he slept. But this time, the energy was colder,
It was cold but not freezing kind of cold. It was the kind of cold that you feel after drinking a cool water after a long day under the summer sun all day. It was refreshing. It was comfortable.
“Do you feel it?” He heard his father ask and he nodded, his focus following the cold energy pass through all his veins and muscles. It was the same sensation when he drank the elixir earlier. “This is my energy. This is the fairy energy flowing inside your body.”
Fairy. So his father is a fairy! He was surprised, but also not at the same time. He knew Minho couldn’t be just a normal human being with how unreal his beauty was. It’s like the gods took their time into creating such a fine man.
Then an image popped up on his mind. Minho had a tattoo on his back. It was a tattoo that looked almost exactly like the wings he saw in the mirror! Jeongin realized he wants to hear the story about the tattoo from Minho some time later. For now, he focused back on the energy in his body. That’s when he realized something.
“Pa, I can feel another energy inside me, too….” Jeongin trailed off, trying to put his finger on why it felt familiar, then it hit him. “It feels like the energy dad used this morning.”
Minho and Chan looked at each other in surprise - both of them did not expect their son to identify the different energies inside him, much less tell whose energy it was!
“You’re right, Innie. It is your father’s energy - the energy of a demon.” Minho paused and looked at his son’s face. “Does learning about having these two unfamiliar energies inside you scare you?”
Still with his eyes closed, Jeongin tilted his head in confusion and replied, “No? Why would I? Both energies makes me feel comfortable and safe. And after knowing it’s from both of you, I’m not the least bit afraid.” He paused a bit. “Curious, yes. But definitely not scared.”
Minho and Chan shared a relieved smile on their faces before Minho returned his focus to their son.
“Ok, since it looks like you’re familiar with them and ready to handle them, I need you to focus on both of them and imagine locking them both in the pit of your stomach. Lock them in there for now. Can you do it?”
Jeongin nodded and tried to concentrate on his energies. Minho has stopped injecting energy into him a while ago but Minho didn’t let go of his hands and held him as he tried to control his energies by himself.
It took Jeongin almost 10 minutes to completely lock in his energies and he only needed to hear his parents congratulate him to know he succeeded.
“I think our son is a genius!” Chan exclaimed, hugging Jeongin who was chuckling in his arms.
“Of course he is! He took after you, the best Demon King to ever exist.” Minho answered. The smug look on his face has returned. “Did you see the way his horns twisted majestically? He definitely got it from you!”
With the sudden compliment coming from his husband, Chan couldn’t help but turn red again. He really can’t take a compliment, Jeongin snickered as Chan let him go.
“But I’m sure he took after you, too! Have you seen how pretty and huge his wings were? Those looked so much like your pretty wings, too! Though Innie’s wings looked a lot redder than your purple wings. But still! They’re both so gorgeous!” Chan threw the compliment back at his husband whose ears and neck were totally red despite the cocky look on his face.
“Of course! He’s my son. Who do you expect him to take after from?”
Seeing both his parents getting red after the compliment relay made the warm bubbly feeling in his stomach to burst out and ended up laughing. Seeing their son laughing with no care, the two men couldn’t help but feel happy, too and ended up laughing a lot with their son.
They did explain to him why he woke up not human on the day he turned into an adult. They also might have told him about how he was not blood-related to them and only found him when he was on the verge of dying. Or how they gave up their most important things in order to save him. Or that his parents were never humans to begin with.
But those are for another day.
Tonight, Jeongin is more than satisfied knowing that his parents are the most loving demon and fairy, and that they also wouldn’t trade him for anything else in the world.
He may have to start living while hiding a part of his identity from everyone, including his best friend, but he will be fine.
He has Chan and Minho ready to have his back any time.