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Hongjoong is having a hellish day.
Ironically enough, Have a Hellish Day! , is the official slogan of his department. He knows because the words have been haunting him, painted above the office door on a cheerful little banner decorated with cartoonish doodles of cute devils sporting red horns and pitchforks.
When Wooyoung presented his craft to them, he explained in great detail how each character had been drawn with distinct features to represent each of them. Mingi’s devil is two heads taller than the others, Jongho’s has overblown biceps, San’s has giant pink heart eyes, “Because he’s my boyfriend and he’s in love with me,” Wooyoung reasoned (fucking Cupids), and Hongjoong’s devil has angry little eyebrows, drawn in a harsh V.
He detests the characterization.
He’s tried to rid their office of the banner on five separate occasions, even going as far as to incinerate it (that time San cried, and Hongjoong promised he would leave it be, meticulously un-charring the crispy paper with his glowing hands all night). So there it sits. Above his head. Reminding him to Have a Hellish Day!
Like he needs a reminder.
He likes his job, really, he does. He was quite literally born for it, being a Spawn of Satan and all that, but that doesn’t mean that sometimes being a demon can’t get a guy down.
In the morning, he arrives to a thick stack of files on his desk. At least twenty humans that are weeks overdue for punishment, lying there for him to review, all because Mingi ‘lost’ them behind his desk and, ‘just came across them this morning.’
Likely story. If Mingi spent half as much time on his work as he does up in Heaven futzing around fawning over that Angel, Yunho, then maybe he wouldn’t lose anything.
Next, he got a scolding from the big woman herself (no, not the Devil, she’s way too busy doing actually important shit to be hanging around in the Underworld), his boss, Sooyoung. Apparently, the guy he’d cursed to ‘always get stuck in long lines’ has figured out that he can just cut the lines, so now he needs another punishment as a result of his bad behavior from the first. Ugh.
He goes out to try to fix the problem before lunch, hoping to charm the son of a bitch to ‘have horrible luck with weather’ for a year or two, but who knew humans love to jog so much? Hongjoong literally could not catch up to the guy to get close enough to charm him.
By the time he drags himself back to Headquarters, he’s beat. His mom always made it seem like being a licensed demon would be all fun and games, a little torture here, a little jesting there, but then again, she worked in the ‘Pranks and Tricks’ Division, while he headed up ‘Curses and Charms.’
When they turn eighteen, each Spawn of Satan is given the choice to work towards license, to a career at Headquarters, maintaining their abilities for demon work, or, they can opt to give up their abilities and work beside humans. It’s not like the choice is completely binding, but it’s a lot harder to get re-accepted to Headquarters if you give up your abilities at eighteen.
Hongjoong doesn’t often wish that he shirked his Devil-given abilities to live a mundane and normal life instead of being licensed, but today is one of those days he does. How nice would it be to be sitting in a quiet office, filled with humans, typing away doing some accounting, or something. Hell, he could even have been placed in the Accounting Division at Headquarters and seen more peace. If only he hadn’t failed math.
So, he’s having a hellish day, and not in the cute fun way that the Department of the Underworld’s slogan reads, but in the headache-inducing, he’s going to go crazy if he hears one more second of Jonho and San howling over car crash Youtube videos kind of way.
“I’m going to lunch,” he announces, standing up from his desk. He still has at least fifteen files to get to, but he needs a fucking break.
San’s head sticks up in interest, “Oh, Joongie, if you see Wooyoung can you tell him I’ll come see him after I finish up my torture rotation for the day?”
“Absolutely not,” Hongjoong huffs. “You tell him yourself.”
Jongho snickers, eyes still glued to the collisions on his screen.
“Don’t worry!” Yeosang, Jongho’s angel boyfriend chimes in from where he’s sitting in the corner, feet propped up on Jongho’s desk, filing his nails. Why does he even hang out down here? His aura is throwing off the entire ambiance of the room. “I already asked Yunho to tell him.” He smiles serenely. When San looks at him confused he adds, “Angel telepathy.”
“Thanks Yeosangie! No thanks to you Mr. Grumpy. Hey Joong, who’s pitchfork got your ass today?” San giggles.
Hongjoong doesn’t stick around to hear them giggle at the joke, already on his way out.
Headquarters is divided into the three big departments: the Department of the Underworld, in the seven story basement, each floor a round hallway with rooms and offices off the main strip (he works in the Fourth Circle). The top ten floors house the Department of Heaven, where all the Angels, Cupids, Holy Ones, et cetera work (Hongjoong hates it up there, the floor to ceiling windows make the light absolutely blinding). Finally, Limbo, the department on floors one through fifteen, which handles all things administrative and generally human, as well as hosting the Headquarters meeting areas like the gym, cafeteria, and all that bullshit.
Hongjoong doesn’t mind Limbo, it’s all kind of bland and boring (definitely a lot better than the glowing whites and pinks of Heaven), he just prefers the dim lighting in the Underworld. Much easier on the eyes.
He does, however, due to a momentary lapse in brain function from the struggles of his day, forget that he is actively avoiding Limbo for one specific reason.
“Oh! Hi, Hongjoong, I was hoping I’d bump into you! Your hair looks nice today. Have you been avoiding me?”
Park Seonghwa.
Twenty seven years old, born and bred Cupid, head of the Matchmaking Division, nauseatingly beautiful, and the bane of Hongjoong’s existence.
Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but he does have a specific vendetta against the man at the current moment, and he’s been doing a fantastic job of avoiding him all week long, until now.
Not that anyone cares, but the truth is, he’s avoiding Seonghwa because they used to date. Key words: used to.
A few months ago, Seonghwa asked Hongjoong out after an embarrassingly lengthy game of back and forth pining, secret smiles, footsy under cafeteria tables, and lingering glances. The thought makes him sick. He can’t believe he , Kim Hongjoong, a full-fledged card-carrying demon got so lovestruck over a Cupid. Not one of his finer moments.
His natural instincts came back to him fast enough, though, because after their third date, Seonghwa kissed him on the cheek, ever so sweetly, and then dropped the bomb. “I think I love you.”
Park Seonghwa, totally deranged and absolutely out of his mind, said I love you on the third date. They weren’t even official, for crying out loud!
At that moment, Hongjoong panicked. He said, “I don’t think this is going to work out.” And then slammed the door in Seonghwa’s face.
He didn’t have to worry about it for a couple of weeks, as Seonghwa didn’t even try to approach him, just staring longingly at him across Limbo looking like a kicked puppy. Hongjoong could deal with that. He makes people upset every day, it’s literally his job. But then, Seonghwa regained his light, and with it, a new vigor for convincing Hongjoong that they should give it another chance.
Seonghwa managed to ask Hongjoong out eight more times before Hongjoong quit visiting Limbo all together, just to avoid him. He doesn’t understand why the man is so insistent on being with him. Surely, there’s someone up in Heaven that’s just as pretty as Seonghwa who doesn’t stew with latent anger all day.
Sure, Hongjoong hasn’t outright told Seonghwa to stop with his propositions, he just tells him no. When Seonghwa promises he’ll come back with a better proposition next time, Hongjoong doesn't stop him and say something like ‘ hey, I’m not interested, so just quit it.’
Maybe he’s just a masochist. Many demons are.
Maybe he hoped that Seonghwa would get the memo when he stopped coming up to Limbo for two straight weeks. Apparently not.
“Yes, Seonghwa, I have been avoiding you, how did you know?” Hongjoong says with sarcastic cheer.
Seonghwa doesn’t pick up on his tone, grinning wider as he falls into step with Hongjoong walking towards the cafeteria. “Well, I think I’ve got something great planned for you this time, I really think you’ll consider this one.”
“Oh! Imagine that. Another proposal for me. Seonghwa, I told you–”
Seonghwa cuts him off, hands raised in defense as they enter the dining area. “I know! And I hear you, which is why–”
He gets no warning before something whizzes through the air and bounces off his chest with a loud thwack. “Ow! Jung Wooyoung what the fuck!” Hongjoong cries, rubbing at the spot he’s been attacked.
Wooyoung stands ten feet away from them, slowly lowering a comically large bow, the arrow he’s shot laying at Hongjoong’s feet. Hongjoong bends over, picking it up and inspecting it. It looks like Wooyoung has pried off the normal arrow head, replacing it with hard foam shaped into a heart. Fucking Cupids and their arts and crafts.
Cupids haven’t even used arrows since the eighteenth century, and when they did they surely did not look like this.
“Woo! I thought we agreed on no arrows!” Seonghwa whines (cutely).
“And I thought we agreed that you would have a boyfriend by now,” Wooyoung retorts, sticking his tongue out and dashing away before Seonghwa can respond. That boy is a demon at heart, Heongjoong knows it, there’s no way a Cupid should be so mischievous.
Hongjoong holds up the arrow in Seonghwa’s face, cocking an eyebrow. “An arrow? Really? Isn’t this a little too cliche, even for you, Hwa?”
“I told him we were dropping the arrow idea!” Seonghwa pouts, his deliciously plush lower lip poking out. “I told him I just wanted to talk to you, one on one.”
Hongjoong sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Okay, so talk.” It’ll be less painful for everyone if he just gets this over with.
Seonghwa’s face breaks into a glowing smile, stretching across his cheeks. Ugh, it sucks how attractive he is. “Really?”
“Yes, Seonghwa, please, spit it out,” he bites, lacking poison.
“Okay, here goes.” Seonghwa takes a deep breath like he’s steadying himself to give an important speech. His pink hair flutters a bit when he breathes out. “Joong, all I’m asking for is one more chance. Just one chance! I understand that I messed up, and even though I don’t know exactly what I did, I promise, if you give me a second chance I will stop bothering you. I’ll accept our destiny, no matter if it’s together or apart.”
“No more asking me out?” He’s not totally convinced Seonghwa isn’t bluffing, but then again, Heaven-ites don’t tend to lie.
“None. I promise! On God Jiwoo.” He kisses his fingertips and raises them upward, as they all do when they talk about their leader. Weirdos.
Hongjoong puffs out a big breath. If one little date is going to free him from Seonghwa’s shackles, he’s not really in a position to deny that, is he? The tiny Jongho on his shoulder tries to tell him he’s saying yes because he wants to, not because of convenience, but he shoos the image away.
“One more chance, Hwa. That’s it.” He holds out a finger, indicating one .
Seonghwa is so happy he actually starts levitating, cheeks bunching up and making his eyes crease shut. He scrambles to get his feet on the ground. “Oh, Joong, thank you! I’ll make sure you don’t regret it! I’ll pick you up on Saturday morning at eleven, kay?” he babbles before leaning in and pressing a warm kiss to Hongjoong’s forehead, waving and giggling as he skips away.
Hongjoong stands in the middle of the cafeteria, cheeks burning red for a full three minutes before he manages to move to buy his lunch.
👼
“Why are you calling me at nine am on a Saturday?” San groans through Hongjoong’s phone, voice thick with sleep.
Hongjoong only called him instead of the decidedly less obnoxious Jongho because he knows Jongho shuts his phone off until he wakes up (he needs his beauty sleep). San always answers.
“I gave a second chance to Cupid.”
Suddenly, it’s like San isn’t affected by sleepiness at all, a loud gasp ringing out through the receiver. “Are you serious?” He’s practically screaming. Hongjoong can hear Wooyoung grumbling complaints about the noise in the spaces between his yells.
“Unfortunately,” Hongjoong sighs.
“Say less.” And then San hangs up.
Hongjoong groans, flopping down onto his bed heavily. He may as well rest until San shows up. There’s no need to wait by the door, demons can just walk right through. He’ll only be momentarily hung up when he has to turn around and let his boyfriend in.
“Honey, we’re home!” San calls into the house, shortly followed by the sound of the door unlocking and Wooyoung’s telltale screeching.
“Mmmmph,” he groans into his pillow.
“Kim Hongjoong!” San scolds, voice now (ominously) coming from directly above him. “What are you doing laying here when you have an hour to make yourself pretty?”
Hongjoong rolls over, squinting his eyes open. San and Wooyoung are leaning over his bed, blinking down at him like freaky dolls. “How do you even know what time he’s going to be here?”
“Um… Cupid here! Perfect sense of time, duh!” Wooyoung taps at his forehead. “Also, Seonghwa wont shut the fuck up about it. Let’s go, I have a lot of work to do.” Wooyoung grimaces down at him, probably disgusted by his rats nest of a hair situation.
He lets Wooyoung pull him into the bathroom and sit him down on the toilet while San starts rummaging through his closet.
Wooyoung rubs at least ten products he pulls out of a suspicious looking pouch onto Hongjoong’s face, then applying makeup and doing his hair, humming along to some love song the entire time he works. Hongjoong doesn’t see his progress until he’s done, stepping away with a flourish. “Ta-Da!”
He stands to look in the mirror. Wooyoung is a miracle worker, he hates to admit. He’s made Hongjoongs skin look flawless, highlighting his best features while still making sure he looks like himself, his eyes are shadowed lightly, and lined in a way that makes them look sharp and dangerous instead of pretty, just as he prefers. His two toned hair, half black and half bleached, is tousled and naturally wavy. He looks hot.
“You look hot!” San croons, sticking his head through the door to check their progress.
Wooyoung preens. “Doesn’t he? Seonghwa isn’t going to be able to hold back from thinking devilish thoughts.”
Hongjoong rolls his eyes, but still finds himself smirking a bit at the praise. “Alright, alright. How much time do I have left, weirdo?”
“Fifteen minutes,” Wooyoung smiles. That really is a useful skill… never needing a watch.
“Good thing I’ve picked out your clothes already!” San cheers, dragging him into the bedroom by his arm.
San is good at putting outfits together, so long as everything is black. As soon as color gets thrown into the mix, he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Luckily, Hongjoong’s wardrobe, as most demon’s are, is overwhelmingly black and red. He dresses Hongjoong in his jeans that wrap tight around his ass but fall baggy around his legs and a cardigan buttoned up three buttons, nothing underneath, leaving a sinful portion of his chest exposed.
Well enough. Hongjoong doesn’t have any complaints.
Right as San finishes lacing up his combat boots for him (he insisted. The man has a weird thing for feet), the doorbell rings.
“OhmyJiwooOhmyJiwoo!” Wooyoung squeals, kissing his fingers and raising them to the sky each time. “He’s here!”
Hongjoong gulps, suddenly overwhelmingly nervous. It’s just Seonghwa. You’re only doing this to be nice . Absolutely nothing to worry about! The tiny Yeosang on his shoulder doesn’t even have to say anything, he just stares up at Hongjoong knowingly. Annoying.
The boys usher him to the door, shoving him in front of it before falling back to watch over the scene like proud parents. Hongjoong glares at them and then pulls it open.
Seonghwa’s nervous face breaks into a show-stopping grin the second he lays eyes on Hongjoong. He’s in a soft looking lilac sweater that gaps at the shoulders with lace, and a handkerchief artfully tied around his neck, his makeup is a pretty pink to match his hair, and his blush even shapes two little hearts on his cheek.
Hongjoong’s stomach twists unpleasantly. “ Butterflies,” whispers Shoulder Yeosang. Bastard.
“Hi, Joongie, you look…” Seonghwa pauses, his voice filled with genuine awe. “Magnificent!”
“Thanks, you look nice too.” Hongjoong looks at his feet, trying to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks.
“I brought flowers!” Seonghwa says, pulling a large bouquet from behind his back. “I wanted it to be extra special, you know, using flower language.” He starts pointing out each flower, explaining their meaning. “Yellow carnations, disdain, black dahlias, evil, lily of the valley, pain and death, and aconites, hatred.” Seonghwa smiles, his cheeks pressing into his sparkly eyes.
Hongjoong’s eyes prickle as he takes the bouquet. It’s the most thoughtful thing anyone’s ever done for him. “T-thank you, Hwa, they’re beautiful.” He sticks his nose in the flowers to smell, trying to mask his soft and gushy feelings.
“Awwwwwwww,” Wooyoung simpers from behind him. “That’s so sweet!”
Seonghwa blushes at the intrusion, but it only makes his face prettier. Shoulder Jongho cackles at Hongjoong’s embarrassing thoughts. He imagines flicking Jongho off his shoulder and stomping him into the carpet.
“We’ll take those and put them in a vase for you, Joongie!” San says, bustling forward to grab the bouquet from his hands. “You two lovebirds have fun!” He smiles deviously, shooing them out the door.
Traveling with Heaven-ites is always a pleasant experience. While all non-humans have powers of teleportation, Underworld travel leaves the passenger feeling dizzy and a bit ill, coming and going in puffs of dark black smoke. Heaven-ites come and go softly, and are always met with the chirping of birds.
Holding hands is a required part of teleportation, if you’re bringing someone with you, but Seonghwa doesn’t drop Hongjoong’s hand when they land, he just looks down at the shorter man, smile on his face and squeezes his hand comfortingly. They’re at an intricate shrine at the top of a mountain.
“I planned the perfect day for us,” Seonghwa gushes as they start meandering upwards. “First up, we’re going to go to the top of the shrine, where there’s a beautiful lookout, and have a picnic!”
Hongjoong nods, following Seonghwa’s lead. There’s not many people here, only a few stragglers. Probably due to the fact that humans can’t teleport, and this shrine is all the way up a mountain.
Even though it’s reaching autumn, far past cherry blossom season, the trees that curl above the pathway bloom into beautiful pink flowers as Seonghwa approaches, each unfurling as they move forward. When he looks back, the trees behind them are back in their normal state, like they’ve never changed at all.
“Does that ever get annoying?” Hongjoong asks of the trees.
“Mmm, no. I like beautiful things,” Seonghwa smiles softly. “That would be like me getting annoyed by you.”
Hongjoong turns his head away, blush furiously rising up his neck. Seonghwa is such a flirt.
“ He’s not a flirt, he really just means it,” Shoulder Yeosang sighs. Hongjoong flicks him off, making him meet the same fate as his boyfriend.
“Do you want to make a wish?” Seonghwa asks, squeezing his hand to pull him out of his thoughts and tugging him towards the shrine.
“Okay.” He doesn’t know what he should wish for, but Seonghwa seems so excited.
They each pick up plaques, Seonghwa easily writes his wish down, smiling cheekily as he does. Hongjoong hesitates. He ends up going simple, something that leaves room for open interpretation. I wish for it to all work out.
They hang their plaques side by side. Hongjoong diverts his eyes before he can read Seonghwa’s, afraid if he does his heartbeat will be sent into a frenzy.
Seonghwa easily laces their hands together again and they’re back on their way.
The lookout really is gorgeous, overlooking the entire city. The sky is clear and bright, the autumn sun shining down warmly on the clearing. Of course, there are two cherry blossoms positioned directly over the spot where Seonghwa lays out a pink checkered blanket. The trees flower and bloom magnificently in Seonghwa’s presence. The longer they sit, more petals begin to flutter around them, a shower of pink and white. It’s irritatingly perfect and romantic.
Seonghwa has prepared all of Hongjoong’s favorite foods. He looks shy when Hongjoong asks how he knew what to make, saying he bothered Mingi to tell him during one of his trips up to Heaven to see Yunho. Hongjoong can’t stop his lips from curling up at the admission. Seonghwa is very cute.
At one point during their meal, Hongjoong realizes that Seonghwa’s eyes have barely left him. “Hwa, why are you looking at me instead of this view? Seems like a waste,” he mumbles.
Seonghwa’s eyebrows furrow. “Hongjoong, looking at you could never be a waste. You’re prettier than any view,” he says seriously.
It’s so horribly cheesy. Hongjoong knows it is. But still, he can’t stop the way his mouth lifts, cheeks aching from smiling. If only the Devil could see him now.
Seonghwa takes him to get ice cream after they finish their lunch, and then they go to the art museum. They hold hands the whole time. Being with Seonghwa is aggravatingly easy, and the worst part about it is, Seonghwa makes him feel seen and special , he makes Hongjoong feel like the prettiest person in the room. It’s terrible!
“Wonderful.” Shut up, Yeosang.
They wander around a street market, and sit overlooking the river, eating food from a vendor as the sun sets.
The sunset glows in beautiful shades of pink and purple, shining over Seonghwa like it’s made specifically for him. Hongjoong thinks maybe Jiwoo is trying to tell him something with that color combination.
Seonghwa turns to him, linking their hands and running a thumb lazily over the back of Hongjoong’s in soft circles. “Joongie, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, sure,” he murmurs, bravely looking right into Seonghwa’s deep brown galaxy eyes.
“What did I do wrong? Last time?”
Argh. Hongjoong should have expected this. They’ve had the best day, and now he has to ruin it by admitting that he backed out and avoided Seonghwa for weeks because he’s a big gay chicken.
“Hwa,” he sighs heavily. The other man just looks at him intently, waiting for him to speak. “You told me you loved me on the third date. It was too serious, too fast… I got scared.”
Seonghwa’s pretty face twists up in confusion. “But I was just being honest? I didn’t expect anything from you, I would never put that burden on you!”
“I know, Hwa, but…” Why is this so hard? “I’m not like you. I’m a demon, I’m doom and gloom and you’re light and love. It’s scary for me,” he admits, looking away.
Seonghwa brings a hand up and tilts his chin right back to where it was, fingers resting on his jaw. Hongjoong shivers from the contact. “Joong, do you know why I’m so sure about you?” he asks.
“No, obviously not,” Hongjoong whispers.
Seonghwa smiles then, bright and open. “It’s quite literally my job, Hongjoong. To know who’s going to work out. Who’s endgame. I’m a Cupid.”
“So… you… we?” Hongjoong stutters.
“You’re my destiny, Joongie.” Seonghwa’s thumb tenderly slides across his cheekbone.
Hongjoong melts.
“Will you please kiss me now?” he manages, heart pounding in his chest.
You’re my destiny. You’re my destiny. Hongjoong’s brain repeats like a prayer (or maybe it’s just Jongho and Yeosang teasing him).
Seonghwa laughs gently, curling his hand around Hongjoong’s neck and breaking their hand-hold to lay the other at his waist. “It would be my pleasure, charmer.”
When Seonghwa kisses him it feels like fireworks, in the most cliche, foot-popping, cartoon-aoogah heart eyes way. Hongjoong makes a tiny noise of surprise, folding deeply into Seonghwa’s hold. The hand at his waist tightens, pressing into his flesh deliciously, and the hand at his neck strokes down the column of his throat. Seonghwa’s mouth is soft and pliant, and they move together so naturally he can practically hear the Angel Choir singing.
They’re both smiling when they break apart for air.
“I don’t have to say anything else now, I can wait until you’re ready to drop the words, Joong,” Seonghwa says, brushing Hongjoong’s hair away from his eyes lovingly. “But I’d really like it if you’d be my boyfriend.”
There goes that twist in his gut again, but this time it doesn’t feel so unwelcome. He licks over his lips, tasting the last bits of Seonghwa’s strawberry chapstick. “Okay.”
“Okay!?” Seonghwa’s aura glows three times brighter with his excitement.
Hongjoong giggles, he feels like a giddy teenager. “Okay!”
And then he’s being wrapped up in strong arms, kisses pressed all over his face.
They kiss lazily until the sun goes down completely, wrapped up in their own little world.
When Seonghwa delivers Hongjoong to his door, he doesn’t want the night to end. He’s never wanted someone as much as he wants Seonghwa, in every way, holding his hand, cuddling him while he sleeps, waking up next to him, all that disgusting cheesy shit. It’s overwhelming.
“Thank you, for everything,” he grins, pressing their bodies flush together along the front. “I’m glad I gave a second chance to Cupid.”
Seonghwa smiles right back, “I was afraid I’d be left here feeling stupid.”
“Oh my god, you have to stop rhyming,” Hongjoong laughs.
“I’m sorry! I can’t help it, it’s one of my abilities!”
Hongjoong captures his boyfriend into a searing kiss, injecting some Devil-ish longing into his lips. When a hand drifts down to grope at his ass, he knows he’s done his job.
“Come on, loverboy, let me show you how a demon date ends,” he smirks up at Seonghwa suggestively, dragging him into the house.
Shoulder Jongho and Shoulder Yeosang groan, putting on their noise canceling headphones and strongest sunglasses.
The Cupid afterglow is seriously blinding.
👼