Chapter Text
Baek Saheon had a lot of things in his life that he absolutely despised. Most of them were things that threatened his very existence, and for a self serving bastard like him whose only goal is to survive to see the day after, you could probably picture the kind of hatred he held in his heart.
There was only one mundane thing that Saheon had allowed himself to despise, despite it not being life threatening in any way… that being: mornings.
From a young age he's always struggled to wake up in the morning. It's not uncommon for teenagers to struggle with the kind of schedule living in a village requires.
A luckier Baek Saheon may have envied the children in the city for getting to wake up at 7, but the him in this world was unlucky enough to envy everyone who wasn't born in his damned village.
Even still, a darkness village is still a village, and Baek Saheon wasn't able to wake up at 7 just because he had seen the neighbour’s kid who he grew up playing with be sacrificed to some god for some fortune none of the people in his village could even comprehend.
This hatred for mornings followed him all the way into Daydream Inc., even if he could sleep in until 8 and still get to work at 9 am sharp, Saheon was still the same pitifully unfortunate guy-
Thus, he ended up with a roommate with a few... screws loose to say the least…
Not that Saheon has any right to judge.
His roommate wakes up at 6 every morning, and Baek Saheon can not trust this guy enough to sleep in.
Why? you may ask, to put simply, if Kim Soleum’s coffee machine breaks, who knows what else he'll seek to wake up in the morning? Perhaps the blood of a young man named Baek Saheon will do!
Baek Saheon shivered at the thought while exiting the bathroom. Living with an adrenaline addict who has a particular grudge against you isn't fun.
Saheon walked over to the kitchen, Soleum had already left, so he felt free to walk around the apartment while getting ready for work.
His only saving grace is that while this psychopath willingly wakes up 2 hours earlier than he needs to- he also heads to work one hour earlier than he needs to, thereby allowing Baek Saheon the leisure to get ready for work without fearing for his very life.
He had already tried to switch rooms, but the company housing unit was full already, and the second nearest unit was almost completely out of town, making it hell to commute to work.
A sigh resounded in the empty apartment, neither he nor Soleum had ever bothered to decorate.
He placed a ceramic cup filled with tea on the kitchen island, and a plate with a grilled cheese he had just made next to it.
With barely any appetite, he finished the food in front of him, downed his tea and got up from his seat, preparing mentally for the darkness he would face today.
He hates mornings.
But at least, he has one mundane thing he can afford to hate-
—
Baek Saheon spent his evenings hiding in his room, as far away from Kim Soleum as he could possibly be within their small, workplace-issued, apartment.
The walls were thin enough that you could hear breathing through them, so he knew that Soleum knew he was there, and he similarly could hear the sound of cartoons coming from the living room. Soleum never bothered to turn them down or hide that he was watching something like that.
Saheon had judged him at first, thinking how creepy it is for a grown adult to watch cartoons every night- but then he realised that the sound of the light hearted voices, exploring forests, lakes and oceans, coming from the living room, actually helped him fall asleep faster.
He hypothesized that Kim Soleum also watched them for that reason. Being psychotic doesn't mean you don't experience things like insomnia.
In fact, Saheon would even get chills trying to imagine how Kim Soleum's sleep paralysis demon would look like.
Baek Saheon sighed again as he put his book down, opting to lay down and sleep. The sound of laughter and silly melodies came from the living room, dulled enough by the wooden door that it would sound almost far away, nostalgic-
Nostalgic to someone other than him, he supposed, for he didn't have a tv in the village when he was a child.
Baek Saheon thought back to his first interaction with a tv as he drifted off into the gentlest of sleeps.
—
3:02 AM
A large thud woke Baek Saheon.
The man basically leapt up from his bed and grabbed the knife he kept at his bedside, holding it in front of himself with both hands.
He very quietly walked towards his bedroom door that led to the open living space. There were faint sounds coming from the other side of the room, occasional thuds, things falling off, a crash and-
That's not right…
Heaving?
If that was indeed his roommate making a ruckus at this hour… then what could he have seen to wake up and cause such a ruckus at this ungodly hour?
Saheon took a deep breath in. He put one hand on the door handle, holding the knife in his dominant hand.
The door very quickly opened.
A broken vase was on the floor, below the small console table it had once sat on. The shards of the purple vase were scattered-
Ah! so that's the crash he had heard earlier.
As for the source of the other sounds, there, on the floor, stood- no no, the word “stood” would give far too much leniency to the current state of Kim Soleum.
Perhaps “sprawled” would be a more accurate term? hm, yes, indeed.
There, on the floor, laid sprawling a wild Kim Soleum, with his pajamas soaked with sweat and hair flying in every direction it shouldn't fly in.
Saheon took a second to relish this moment where he gets to see Soleum look miserable, especially since he knows this is his last-
Soleum's eyes had sharply focused on him the moment he had opened the door and stepped out.
Saheon did his best to hide the satisfaction on his face.
“What are you doing at this hour?” The voice that came out from Kim Soleum's mouth was raw, and raspy, as if he hadn't had a drink in more than a century.
(Baek Saheon supposes a vampire looking man such as Soleum could very well have been over a century old, have you seen how pale the man is?)
Baek Saheon put on the most corporate shoe licking voice he could muster, the kind he used in daydream to suck up to superiors so he wouldn't get thrown in B grade darknesses with a guaranteed death rate of 70% once a week. “Why sir, I came out after hearing a loud crash, I was worried someone broke in!”.
Tilting his head as if to look confused, he continued looking straight at Soleum who was now slowly, and very unsteadily getting up.
“May I ask what happened?”
Kim Soleum's lips were pressed into a thin line. He looked down, as if embarrassed- ‘good’ thought Saheon, he hoped this damn psycho that's ruining his sleep once more feels every bit of shame that comes with ruining Baek Saheon’s precious resting time.
“I… fell.” No shit “You can go back to bed, it was just dark and I slipped.” Kim Soleum said in that same raspy voice from before. He had managed to get up but he looked unsteady. The only reason he was even standing right now was because he was holding on to the same console table he had previously crashed into hard enough to cause the vase on it to fall.
Baek Saheon took one good look at how fragile Kim Soleum looked at that moment. He still had his knife in hand he could-
Saheon was a smart man. Smart enough to know that Soleum had some source for acquiring items. What items he had, how they worked, or how many he even had? Saheon couldn't tell you.
Saheon was a cunning man, he knew right now, currying favour would probably help him out more than being killed by a random item, in his own apartment, at 3 am on a work night.
Baek Saheon briefly glanced at the clock on the wall. 3:13 AM… he would be exhausted tomorrow morning, but if it meant possibly securing an item or even being at less of a risk of death in his own damn house… then so be it.
He set the knife down on the floor before approaching the clearly apprehensive Kim Soleum.
“Let me help, it looks like you hurt your legs when you fell” Saheon had half a mind to drop the sickeningly sweet fake tone he usually used. He knew Kim Soleum wouldn't care regardless.
“Im fine-” He didn't allow Soleum to finish, instead taking Soleum’s arm and placing it over his shoulder, allowing his roommate to lean on him and leading him to the couch.
“Aren't you too gutsy? I said I was fine.” Soleum looked at him like an idiot, as usual, but Saheon could not care less about it at this hour. Who knows, maybe the darkness he had been in today contaminated him somehow- maybe just enough for him to not instantly fear the consequences of manhandling his thrill loving roommate.
He walked towards the kitchen, ignoring the glare coming from the living room couch. He left the lights in the living room off, turning on just the kitchen lights.
He had observed the way Kim Soleum treats people, on what basis he chooses who deserves his kindness and who doesn't. Saheon hated it, it reminded him too much of the god he had been raised to worship all his life.
He grabbed a mug from the cupboard, one he had seen Soleum use before, and he placed a teabag in it.
Saheon knew Kim Soleum always repaid kindness, and that he wouldn't actually kill someone indiscriminately. He'd also noticed he'd much prefer wasting items than seeing the people around him die or suffer.
He set the water to boil.
Soleum used to feel like quite a paradox to him. Someone who enacted evil on people whom he'd judged were evil, and yet at the same time someone who couldn't bring himself to properly let the final blow hit.
He poured the hot water into the mug, the wild berries flavoured teabag had started infusing the water, red seeped out of the paper bag, looking similar to blood.
Saheon had been carefully analysing his behaviour. His conclusion? Soleum was a yes sayer, and it's likely that that's where his psychotic tendencies come from. Past trauma, or perhaps just a coping mechanism for stress.
“Clink” A steaming mug was placed in front of Soleum on the small coffee table.
“I added a spoonful of honey, you seem to like sweet things, and it should help with your throat too” Saheon sat down, with his own mug sitting on the coffee table.
Soleum eyed the cup suspiciously, as if Saheon would have poisoned it.
He couldn't help but snort.
His final judgement? Kim Soleum is an empathetic man, who values his own life.
Saaheon had enough conscience to not compare himself to Soleum. They both wanted to survive, sure, but they were two very different people.
“Enjoy.” he said lightly, taking his mug off the table and blowing on it gently to cool it down.
“I won't give you an item for this” it felt like entire hours had passed before Soleum actually spoke.
He had not touched the tea in front of him, his voice still sounded awful. Saheon was starting to realise that Soleum had probably cried, he couldn't explain the horrible rasp otherwise.
“I know”
Normally, he would look at his eyes, and he would surely be able to tell, but he'd chosen to only leave the kitchen light on, thus, he could not see Soleum’s eyes properly.
Instead, a faint glow wrapped behind Kim Soleum's head, giving him an almost saintly aura.
Baek Saheon briefly considered taking off his eyepatch. How dangerous would his eye judge Kim Soleum to be?
Alas, he didn't wanna wake up any psycho instinct in Soleum, so he opted to keep blowing on his tea instead.
“What are you after?” Soleum was on edge, Saheon didn't need the lights on to be able to tell this much.
“I want you to drink your tea so you can talk without sounding like a chain smoker.” Saheon could almost imagine the disbelief on Soleum's face, he could imagine that tone he usually used when he tried to intimidate Saheon into using formalities with him regardless of them being from the same batch of new hires.
But what he imagined stayed in the land of imagination, for Soleum didn't make some shocked, outraged face, nor did he threaten Baek Saheon into addressing him formally.
Instead he took the tea on the coffee table, and took a very small sip.
“Ack!”
He recoiled back, almost spilling tea onto his lap.
“You should blow on it a little, the electric kettle always makes the water hotter than it needs to be” Saheon spoke calmly.
He didn't know if Soleum could hear the impatience in his voice.
“Thanks…”
Kim Soleum started blowing on the tea, just as Saheon had done mere minutes ago.
“You should go back to bed, it's late and you have work tomorrow, I'll be fine” Soleum's voice now finally sounded the way it's supposed to.
Clear, intimidating, and decisive. As if the world would obey his every command just because he spoke that way-
“With all due respect," Saheon said matter of factly “you can barely stand, and I’d rather stay awake now, than to be awoken by another household item shattering on the floor later.”
Soleum finally seemed to muster the energy to look slightly offended.
“You-”
Saheon cut him off.
“And, not to mention that there's no guarantee that whatever brought you here at this hour, and caused you this state won't happen again after you go back.”
Saheon looked at the eyes of the man in front of him. He could not see much, but what he could see was the red irises in Kim Soleum’s eyes as they shrunk.
A sign of fear. Saheon supposes that just like himself who hates mornings, perhaps there are people who hate the night.
Was Soleum one of those people? He thinks he might never find out.
Thinking about this mental hospital patient worthy man being afraid of the dark almost made him laugh out loud.
Soleum’s head dropped. Saheon didn't keep insisting, he let Soleum sit in the silence.
He was half waiting for Soleum to demand Saheon to bring him back to his room, or to tell him to fuck off to his own-
What he wasn't quite expecting was for Soleum to talk. Well… that's contradictory to his previous statement.
Saheon didn't expect Soleum to talk… nicely, without putting on that crazy act.
“I had a nightmare.” The words fell into the silence, disappearing and taking along nearly half of the composure Saheon had had previously.
He was suddenly alert…
Well, that was before he realised just how pathetic this is.
It reminded him of…
“I used to have nightmares too, but I don't anymore.” of days long lost. Days that sounded with crickets and smelled of mirabelle plums.
“How did you get rid of them…?” For the first time since he had met this troublesome roommate of his, Saheon saw a sort of hesitance you only meet in scared prey animals. It was off putting how much Soleum seemed to now fit his daydream mask.
“I was quite young when I had them, every night constantly-" he cleared his throat "Back then, my sister would come lay down with me, and she'd tell me stories.” Saheon felt his own voice drop, and in a much gentler voice he continued “She’d talk about folklore, fairytales, passed down stories that were told through word of mouth and so on.”
Soleum listened intently, looking at Saheon with a lot less weariness than he usually did.
“And did the stories fix it?” Soleum asked in an expectant voice.
Saheon laughed. He wasn't sure if he laughed at how absurd his current circumstances were or at the memory.
“No, it didn't. I only truly stopped having nightmares once I moved away from my village”
Soleum's shoulders dropped in disappointment.
“But, while my sister told me stories, the nights were always a wee bit more bearable." Saheon pinched his fingers together in front of his face. "The nightmares... they stop feeling so scary when you have someone there with you, I guess?”
That was a lie, his sister's presence had made his nightmares worse, because her stories always ended in death. But leaving Soleum looking so dejected felt wrong.
Why was he even talking about this? Saheon couldn't tell you. But he felt an odd sense of joy when he saw Soleum perk back up after hearing that.
What does he even gain from giving hope to the guy who finds meaning in tormenting him?
He was starting to regret his decision, would Soleum kidnap someone and force them to tell him stories every night? He hoped he would move away if he wanted to do that…
A long string of silence slowly weaved between them as they both sipped their respective teas.
The ticking of the clock continued, Baek Saheon did not want to look at it and confirm just how little sleep he would still get for the night before being woken up by Kim Soleum's alarm at 6 am.
He set his cup down, he had no more tea to drink.
“Good night.” Saheon said as he got up from his seat on the sofa, but a hand grabbed his wrist before he could even turn around properly.
“Wait-!”
Ah… that's right, Kim Soleum’s injuries were probably still hurting. But did he need to grab on so tight? it's not like he was stranded in the middle of nowhere!
“Sorry, I forgot you probably can't get to your room, I'll help y-” Saheon finally turned around to see Soleum…
That's not right. That's surely not Kim Soleum, the Roe Deer, the rookie employee who got promoted in less than 6 months. Is Kim Soleum contaminated? Is Baek Saheon contaminated?
What other explanation could there be for Kim Soleum, the Kim Soleum, to make-
...
Such a face…
The only word Saheon could even register in that brief moment where he looked at Soleum’s face in the dark was “fear”.
And yet… this time, he wasn't the one who felt fear.
Kim Soleum very quickly adjusted his expression, so quick in fact, that Saheon could almost believe what he had seen was nothing more than a trick of the light.
Soleum's grip on his wrist loosened, although he still held on without letting go.
Clearing his throat, Soleum looked almost lost, as if he forgot what he was planning to say.
“I meant that- I-” Saheon raised an eyebrow, was Kim Soleum trying to thank him? Although rare for Baek Saheon to be on the receiving end, Kim Soleum was the type to always repay kindness. He supposed that words are best repayed in words.
“I was wondering if you would be…” Soleum murmured the last part, and Saheon moved in closer to hear.
“Pardon? You're gonna have to speak a bit louder I'm too tired to actually hear properly right now.”
Soleum turned his head sideway, took a deep breath in and started again.
“I-”
Saheon wondered if Soleum's ego was holding him back from apologising to scum such as Baek Saheon. Part of him wanted to laugh while the other wanted to punch a wall.
“If you can't say it then don't bother-” Saheon really couldn't care less about Soleum's words of gratitude. If he wanted to show he was thankful he better stop haunting the halls at three in the morning so that Saheon could sleep.
But Soleum didn't seem to register that he had said anything, continuing what he was saying regardless.
“I was wondering… if I could… youknow- sleep in the same room with you for tonight?...”
Baek Saheon felt the ground under him disappear. Perhaps he was actually dreaming! This whole experience didn't feel real in the first place so-
He felt Soleum's hand tighten against his wrist again- he tightened his grip to the point Saheon felt his circulation stop. No! this was definitely real, he was grateful for the reminder!
He looked down at Kim Soleum who was gazing expectantly at him. Saheon wondered if there was any way to profit off of this or if he was putting himself in danger in any way.
Perhaps had he been more awake he would've judged the pros and cons more rationally… but in the current circumstances he was glad he didn't just run out the front door.
“If it's just for tonight…” Saheon sighed in defeat, there were probably only a few more hours left before Soleum would head out for work anyway, he could survive one or two hours laying down next to Kim Soleum… he hoped.
“Then alright...”
Saheon had decided that, while he would rather not invite Soleum into his room, his safe haven, he also did not want to see what satanic ritual equipment Soleum had on the shelves of his room; and so, the same way he had done before, he picked Soleum’s arm up, letting him lean on his shoulder as they walked side by side.
—
Baek Saheon hated mornings. Waking up was hell. He always felt cold, and having to get up to go to work, leaving the safety and comfort of his blankets just to jump head first into another possibly deadly darkness, sucked.
Today in particular he hated the morning a little less, he wasn't cold, and because he had been in a darkness the day before, he would only be assigned paperwork today.
Today was a relatively safe and comfortable day, he hadn't even been awoken by that bastard's extra early alarm for once-
Now that he thought about it, his alarm hadn't rung yet either. Still with his eyes closed, Saheon decided that he must've woken up early on instinct, and that he could lay with his eyes closed for a little while longer as he waited for the alarm to finally ring and bring him out of dreamland.
That was the plan, at least until his blanket moved.
Baek Saheon's eyes shot open, and with the sudden awareness, he realised there was something heavy on his chest, restricting him from getting up.
Before he had the chance to panic he noticed the top of a head laying on his chest, their body laying down next to him, arms wrapped tightly around his waist, legs wrapping around his-
Hold on a moment.
Baek Sabeon didn't get the chance to panic normally, no- he got to feel a taste of a heart attack.
—
It was 9:30, he was late for work, but he didn't dare disturb the sleeping Soleum on him. He had been unable to move even an inch, and Saheon was starting to feel sore from not moving all this time.
Curse himself for accepting whatever weird favour Soleum had asked of him!
He felt pity for Soleum because of the face he had made last night and because of how, in his obvious exhaustion and delirium, he had seen a part of himself in Soleum.
How could he ever be stupid enough to empathise with Kim Soleum of all people?
The hands around his waist sometimes tightened, and in those moments, Kim Soleum would nuzzle further into Baek Saheon's chest, and each time, Baek Saheon felt his heart leap out of his chest in what could only possibly be fear.
How did this bastard Kim Soleum find new ways to torture him everyday? Was this part of his plan? To force him into an uncomfortable position and watch him squirm for hours?
Was this guy truly this dedicated to his suffering???
Kim Soleum did it again. He once again somehow pressed himself further into Baek Saheon.
Baek Saheon had at one point tried to turn around, to move, to do anything, but Kim Soleum would press him down again each time while murmuring in his sleep angrily.
Saheon did not dare question what chanting he was saying. He did not want to have some curse placed on himself.
After a few more mini heart attacks, Baek Saheon finally managed to squirm out of Kim Soleum's snake like sleeping posture.
He expected to open his phone to missed calls from his Chief or squad mates asking where he is and cursing him out for being late, what he didn't expect was to receive “get well” wishes… was this some insult?
Is this some new form of cyber bullying? Calling him unwell?
He had looked through the multiple different messages, noting the one from his Chief that read:
“D squad’s chief came over and told me you and your roommate are both sick, if the sickness doesn't get better in 3 days you're allowed to request a D grade recovery potion for free from the company since you just exited a darkness, get well soon.”
Ah… how unpredictable. He figured that Kim Soleum had probably been conscious enough at one point to message his chief that the two of them were sick.
Was he that sleep deprived?
Baek Saheon sighed, he started cooking some noodles, because he had gotten to sleep in the morning and not go to work… he decided to make Kim Soleum a share too.
Hopefully Kim Soleum enjoys spicy cup noodles, otherwise he'll have to throw it out.
As he was leaning against the counter on his left hand, looking at his phone, replying to all the “get well soon” messages, he felt a pair of hands snake back around his waist.
He almost dropped his phone from the surprise, “Why'd you leave, I woke up from another nightmare because you left” Saheon now really regretted last night's decision.
“Fuck off, what am I? your personal anti stress plushie?” Saheon was very reasonably angry.
While it's not as if he didn't enjoy the day off… But Kim Soleum acted on his own accord, without caring about Baek Saheon's actual feelings on the matter.
What were his feelings on the matter, you ask? Pissed and confused.
He really didn't know how to properly feel, he mostly just felt angry at Kim Soleum over forcing this day of rest on him.
“I made it so you'd even get a free recovery potion and 3 days off, why are you so angry…? tsk, if you're so unhappy I'll just call them and tell them it was a fluke and you'll clock in in an hour yeah?”
Baek Saheon couldn't even look behind him, but he could perfectly imagine Soleum's smug face. It was a very punchable face.
Even if he saw it and decided that somehow punching him wouldn't get him killed… in this moment with Soleum clinging to him from behind… he couldn't move.
He didn't know if it was fear, embarrassment or just shock, but he was frozen like a statue.
“Well?” Soleum asked impatiently “Which one do you pick, going back to work or going back to sleep? hm?”
Saheon's brain worked quick, he knew that from now on he would probably not get rid of Soleum that easily…
Baek Saheon sighed again, his shoulders slumping. He had been sighing a lot ever since he met Kim Soleum.
Soleum seemed to take this as an invitation to snuggle closer to him. Saheon was not happy.
He pointed to the noodles “At least eat first,” Soleum propped his head on his shoulder “I wanna eat too” Saheon ended in a strained voice.
“Oh woah, you actually made me one too? how unexpectedly kind of you,” Soleum snuggled his head in the crook of Saheon's neck, who was desperately trying to ignore the fact that he was probably redder than the noodle sauces he had mixed into his breakfast earlier.
“buuuut… you know I'm not giving you an item over breakfast right?”
Saheon pushed Soleum off. Turned around and fixed him a glare.
“Who do you think I am? begging for items with breakfast?” Saheon was even angrier this time, he was quite a self serving guy, but not to the point he'd play housewife for an item.
Is this what he gets for trying to be kind to someone like Kim Soleum??
“Hm…” Soleum seemed to be confused, did he really think that's what Saheon wanted?
“Then what do you want?” Soleum finally asked after staring at Baek Saheon's face for long enough that Saheon was starting to feel heat creeping onto his face again. “No matter how I look at it I can't tell what you're expecting here… are you trying to find a weakness?” Soleum smiled the way he usually did when saying something unhinged.
“I wanted to repay the free day you gave me- is it that hard to understand?” He avoided looking at the person in front of him.
Regardless of whether or not he looked, he could still feel the prying gaze staring into him.
“Let's just eat!” Isn't that what they say you should do on dates too when you don't know what to say? Just stuff your face right?
This isn't a date, but it sure is the most uncomfortable and incapable of words Baek Saheon has ever felt.
“Yea… let's. Thank you for the meal” Soleum propped himself up on the counter after taking one of the cup noodle bowls.
He once again burned his tongue and recoiled back.
He couldn't understand how a person as capable as Kim Soleum could act so childish when off the clock. Perhaps his capabilities were limited to clearing darknesses only?
What a perfect career choice then!
Saheon came up to where Kim Soleum was sitting on the kitchen counter and grabbed his arm that was holding the eating utensils, gently pulling them closer to himself, and blowing on the noodles.
Long ago, Baek Saheon remembers that he as a kid also had this bad habit of burning his tongue every time he sat down to eat or drink anything hot. He used to be impatient.
Back then, no one would tell him to be more careful, or to blow on his food before eating it, so he'd just gotten used to it being a part of life. He's sure he must've burnt off quite a few of his taste buds.
Kim Soleum seemed to enjoy sweets and strong flavours, so it'd be a shame for him if he couldn't taste them properly anymore.
—
Kim Soleum's gaze was not focused on the noodles. He looked at his terrifying roommate as he walked up close to him, basically caging him in on the counter.
He hadn't expected for Baek Saheon to agree to what he asked of him early in the morning, let alone not blow up after having a free day forced onto him.
At first he thought Baek Saheon was expecting an item, but it seems he really wasn't…
Kim Soleum couldn't grasp what was going on.
And it seemed like his crazy act wasn't working anymore- not that he thought it would, considering the state Saheon saw him in last night.
Even so, he at least spared him the consideration to keep the lights off.
He had originally been more scared than embarrassed, then as the situation kept escalating a mix between fear of what Viper was planning and how he must view him now kept swirling in his head.
The only reassurance he had left was how Baek Saheon froze when he approached him from behind. At least he wasn't entirely exposed as a not-that-scary-and-actually-really-quite-scared-roommate…