Chapter Text
Baby wasn’t superstitious. Even as an ex-demon with very real knowledge of the after life, cryptids, and things that lurked between the veils, he took it all with a grain of salt. He paid little attention to old wives tales or the back handed advice from elders manning street stands. Their warnings and rituals seemed redundant to him, but who was he to mock their traditions? To each their own.
But one particular phrase popped into the forefront of his mind as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. The sun crested in the eastern sky, sending pale light through the arched windows of his room. The glass fogged, humidity causing the morning dew to melt off the surface of the penthouse, dripping down each window like a slow parade of tears. He blinked, yawned, and stared vacantly at the world beyond the glass. The early sun casted a pink shadow against the clouds, almost red in the early morning light.
Red in the morning, sailor’s warning.
He wasn’t a sailor. He’d never been a sailor. Never been on a boat, either. His prior life cut short didn’t allow it. It was just some phrase - some silly superstition weaved as an omen for bad weather. It was meant to be a warning. It was just one of those sayings he had heard at some point during his existence that buried itself into his brain, only to pop up like some persistent parasite. An ear worm.
Baby opened his weather app, dismissing his “snooze” alarm with a grumble. Chance of thunderstorms. Great. Hardly any cause for warning. He’d grab a umbrella when he headed out the door, or maybe grab a complimentary poncho from the company’s lobby. Still, the phrase repeated in his head like a stuck song. Like a bad commercial jingle that had no right to be catchy.
He tossed his phone onto his bed with a huff and flopped back, glaring up at the ceiling. He could hear the muffled voices of the others as they moved through the apartment, and he breathed in the scent of freshly brewed coffee. A knock rattled his door and he sighed.
“Hey, B! Hope you’re up! Leaving in 15!”
After all this time Jinu still didn’t trust him to set an alarm. Baby rolled his eyes.
“Coming, dad!”
He pushed himself off the bed with a resigned grunt and shuffled towards the on-suite for a quick shower. Wardrobe and makeup could do the rest.
Maybe the thunderstorms would pass. Maybe it wouldn’t rain at all. Either way, the red tint of the morning sun slunk through the windows, casting an eerie glow on his poorly lit room. It warmed the floorboards and reflected off the steam that billowed from his bathroom. Baby paid it no mind as he brushed his teeth and threw on a casual but trendy outfit, stuffing both his phone and wallet into the back pockets of his jeans.
He’d make sure to grab an umbrella.
The morning had been long. An early photo shoot followed by a talk show. The photo shoot was a concept shoot for their newest album, while the show, although pre-recorded, had to be shot in such a way that it took longer than an hour. By lunch, Baby felt ornery and exhausted. He felt stretched thin - like a tanning hide - and his cheeks were starting to ache from having to hold a fake smile for so long. He hated days like this. Baby loved being an idol, but all the side work that came with appeasing their company, the media, the fans, it could be exhausting. Pointless and exhausting.
At least they had the day off tomorrow. He could do fuck-all then. No rehearsals, no schedules, no nothing. Maybe he’d binge a Netflix show or pester one of the guys into downloading a new game onto their console. He was even free the rest of the afternoon, but to his knowledge he was the only one without plans. Jinu and Mystery had a meeting to attend following lunch, and Romance had a solo shoot for one of the name-brand clothing lines he was ambassador for. Abby had scheduled back to back workout sessions with his personal trainer and wouldn’t be back in their shared penthouse for a few more hours yet. That left Baby to himself, which he wasn’t too disappointed about. It just meant he could raid the kitchen without getting scolded.
No one to remind him to watch his sugar intake, or lecture him about the dangers of too much caffeine. As if he couldn't take care of himself.
“Ready to go?”
The voice startled Baby. He craned his neck to glance up at Abby as the muscular ex-demon flexed in front of him. He looked obnoxiously cheery.
Baby tried to contain his annoyance. He managed something between a smirk and a scowl, but a headache was building behind his eyes.
“Yup” Baby replied, over enunciating the “p.” He pinched the skin between his eyes, massaging the bone with a huff.
“What’s wrong with you?” Abby asked, poking at the younger. His smile crinkled his eyes as he wiggled his fingers against Baby’s ribcage, causing Baby to yelp and kick his leg out defensively.
“Abby…Jesus! Abby, stop!” Baby barked, teeth snapping together in a snarl.
"Damn dude, okay,” Abby said, raising his hands in a peace offering. His smile faded, though it didn’t completely disappear. “What crawled up your ass this morning, huh? You’ve been in a mood all day.”
“M’just tired,” Baby murmured, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. Subconsciously, he knew he was being difficult, but a bad mood couldn’t be reasoned with. He was an ex-demon after all. If anything, he embraced it.
Abby’s brow creased in concern. “Are you feeling okay? Need me to cancel my afternoon? I don’t mind.”
Baby shook his head, shoulders dropping. He couldn’t help the guilt that crept up his spine at Abby’s concern. He hadn’t meant to be a dick, and he definitely didn’t want Abby to cancel his plans. He was tired, but not tired in the way that would trigger alarm.
“No, don’t do that,” Baby replied, sinking back into the chair. “I’m fine, really.”
Abby gave the smaller boy a quick glance over, mentally taking stock of the dark circles under his eyes that were poorly hidden by concealer. “You sure? Did you take your meds?”
“Yeah, of course.” He said it as if it was a given - that Abby should know better than to ask such a silly question. He was epileptic, not an invalid. He always remembered to take his meds.
Abby didn’t look convinced. Baby sighed and reached out, lightly squeezing the other man’s fingers reassuringly.
“Seriously, I’m good. I promise. I’m tired, but I feel fine. Really! You know I wouldn’t lie about that.”
“Yeah, but -"
“Abby, I’m fine.”
Baby had always been truthful when it came to physical health. Ever since his diagnosis, Baby let them know when he felt off, or when he felt a seizure coming on. He had never masked his discomfort or pushed himself when his body sent out red flags. He was stubborn, but he knew his limits.
Still, Abby continued to analyze him, looking for any signs of deceit. Finding none, he sighed and squeezed Baby’s hand back, smiling softly.
“Okay, okay. But please keep your phone on you. Call me if anything changes,” Abby says, throwing an arm around the smaller boy’s shoulders. “I’ll only be a few floors down in the company gym. I can come back up anytime.”
“I know,” Baby said, tucking himself into Abby’s side as the other ushered him towards the door. “But I’m good. I’m probably just going to take a nap and then we can all go out for dinner or order take out, yeah? I don’t think any of us have plans tonight.”
Abby shook his head, pushing the glass paneled door open. “Nah, not to my knowledge. Takeout sounds good.” After the week they had, he didn’t much feel like making the effort to eat out.
They stepped onto the sidewalk, immediately consumed by the sound of the city and the sticky summer heat. Thunder clouds loomed in the distance, though the air remained still. Maybe if the storm came, it would bring a cold front - something to soothe the heat that swamped the city. Cars honked, sirens wailed, and people hustled about, all adding to the bustling existence that was Seoul. Baby immediately felt sweat bead at his temple, and he quickly scampered to the company car that waited for them, eager to settle into air conditioned comfort and muffled peace. Abby scooted in after him and shut the door, sighing and leaning back into the leather upholstery.
“Just back to the apartment, please,” he said to the driver, while Baby settled into a comfortable silence.
In the corner of his eye Baby saw Romance, Jinu, and Mystery pile into the car behind them. Baby pressed his nose to the glass, watching as they pulled away with a casual wave. Despite the heat outdoors, his breath fogged the glass and he carefully traced shapes into the window. He blinked up as the car rumbled to life, taking note of the thickening clouds. They were no longer pink, but rather baleful as they hung low in the sky; a fitting reflection of his mood. He’d be fine by dinnertime, he told himself. He needed a quiet reset to refresh himself, and then they could end the day all together.
Baby had gotten comfortable. As soon as they made it home, Baby had changed into lounge pants and an oversized hoodie, most likely stolen from one of his hyungs. None of them cared to have it back. In fact, he had acquired quite the large collection of clothing from his hyungs, all of whom rarely commented but smiled to themselves when they saw him in their clothing. Sometimes Baby would go to his room only to find clothing laid out on his bed like offerings. He never questioned it, but would rather shout out a quick “thanks” and stash the clothing away as if it had always belonged to him. It was a form of their love language - a way they could show their affection for him without being overbearing.
If he had to guess, the hoodie he wore must have belonged to Romance. It was an obnoxious shade of pink, and had a faint floral smell to it. Romance always wore cologne that seemed to seep into whatever fabric he was wearing, so much so that even after multiple washes, it still lingered.
Baby sniffed the collar of the hoodie and smirked. Definitely Romance.
He shuffled towards the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, ducking down to rummage for a snack. Abby had turned on the television prior to leaving for his workout sessions, and whatever show that played in the living area was like white noise. He paid little attention to it, but subconsciously enjoyed the ambience it created, making him feel less alone when the others were out.
Baby grabbed a can of flavored sparkling water and a strawberry pastry Jinu had brought home the day prior, before flopping down on the couch with a huff. He didn’t care to change the channel, but rather pulled out his phone to flip through social media. He responded to Mystery’s “check in” texts and simultaneously took an obnoxiously large bite of the pastry, paying no mind to the crumbs that gathered on his shirt.
He remained a permanent fixture on the couch until boredom ate away at his resolve, and his thumb cramped up from scrolling. Baby tossed the phone away, closing his eyes with a sigh. The others would come home soon.
Baby turned his face towards the large glass windows when the rumble of thunder rattled the walls. He watched the darkening sky light up. Lightening crawled across the clouds like an expansion of webs, followed by another rumble, and Baby found himself suddenly standing near the glass, toes curling against the soft carpet.
He wished the window could open. He ached to feel the breeze - the gentle flow of wind before the storm broke. He could go to the rooftop, or maybe sneak into Jinu’s room and stand out on the balcony, but Baby found himself rooted in place, too lazy to make the effort. He watched a flock of birds flutter past in haste to find shelter before the rain came, and then a beetle as it rapped against the glass, drawn to the light of the apartment. Baby smirked at it, tapping a finger against the cool surface opposite of its spindly legs, admiring the inky iridescence of its shell.
A flash of lightening caused the beetle to scatter, and Baby sighed. He supposed even insects knew when to make themselves scarce in the face of an impending storm. Survival instincts and all. Maybe his hyungs would be back before the storm. Their schedules should be wrapping up by now.
Baby moved to turn back to the couch, when his head suddenly felt heavy on his shoulders. He blinked, puffing out his cheeks in confusion. How odd.
He took another step, and this time his vision blurred. Fuck. He couldn't help but blink rapidly in an attempt to clear the fog settling between his eyes, and his mouth suddenly felt dry.
Something wasn’t right.
The room abruptly tilted and Baby scrambled to grab hold of the nearby armrest. Something cold slithered down his spine and he sucked in a shaky breath. His knees felt weak. He felt clammy. He felt numb.
He needed to find his phone. Where was his phone?
Baby patted down the couch cushions, quickly remembering that he had tossed it earlier, though he could hardly focus his eyes on a singular object. He was like a blind man, looking for something out of place in a world he had memorized. It was all wrong, and he felt fear curl in his gut.
Finally, his fingers curled around the familiar rectangular shape of his cell and he drew it up to his face. Face recognition opened the home screen and he shakily held the home button, trying to find his voice. He managed a garbled “call Abby” before his knees gave out.
There was no warning. His body had given him no signs or indications of an on-coming seizure. He had taken is medicine, and he hadn’t had any exposure to any known triggers. He had done everything right, so why? Why now? What was this?
The phone picked up on the third ring, and Baby found himself on the floor, cheek pressed to the carpet while he held the phone as close to his face as possible. He was almost gone.
“Hey B, I’m almost done, I’ll -“
“Abby…”
Baby’s voice sounded like sandpaper, rough and unnatural. He panted through his mouth, his breath coming short and quick, and he heard Abby still on the other end of the line. A deafening quiet settled over them like an omen, thick and heavy. Baby couldn’t breathe.
“Baby, talk to me,” Abby demanded, voice low. His tone quivered with worry. He scrambled to grab his belongings - Baby could hear the familiar zip of nylon and the murmur of a voice behind him. “Whats going on?”
Baby tried to work his jaw, but his body wasn’t cooperating. He felt rigid, like each joint was locking unnaturally, and something hot slid down the bridge of his nose. When did he start crying?
He tried to speak again, but all that he managed was a broken sob and a desperate “please” that sounded more like a keen than a word.
“Help…help,” he croaked. He didn’t know how he managed to form the word, but Abby must have understood. Abby cursed under his breath and began moving. Baby could vaguely hear him panting - he must be running.
“I’m on my way, you hear? Stay on the line, can you do that? B? Stay with me!”
Baby couldn’t answer. The phone slipped from his hand, bouncing against the floor, and Baby could only stair blankly at screen - proof that Abby was still on the line. He shook, small tremors began in his hands and worked their way up his arms. His shoulders curled in unnaturally, and his head thumped against the floor. Baby sucked in a shallow breath, lips parting like a fish out of water, and his vision grew dull.
Someone screamed his name through the phone, raw and desperate. Begging.
Baby couldn’t respond. He wasn’t aware.
He felt floaty, like he hovered somewhere beyond his body, and everything faded into nothing.
Just dark.
Something red on the horizon.
~ If you get sleep or if you get none
The cock’s gonna call in the morning, baby
Check the cupboard for your daddy’s gun
Red sun rises like an early warning -