Pairing: Minho & Felix
Genre: Fantasy AU
!!TW!! : slavery (kind of), implied racism, angst, disease, saying goodbye is sad
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Change was well on its way but, unfortunately, it would seem Fate wasn't on their side. Barely sixty years after the promise they made to themselves that night, Felix's condition only worsened, if possible. Minho was worried, of course, but Felix tried to act as if nothing was happening – and it worked, for a while.
Until it didn't anymore.
They were having a private dinner with their friends to discuss the advancements of Chan's equality project, and the wonderful evening was well under way. Laughter and cheerful chatter filled the room, glasses of wine were passed around, and none of the Demons were forced to wear their collars, seeing as it was only the eight of them.
"And then he refused to go with me, can you imagine? He—Lix?" Hyunjin paused in his tale, tilting his head in confusion. "Felix, you okay?"
"W- what?" Felix suddenly snapped out of his daze, offering the Angel a weak, sheepish laugh. "Ah, sorry, sorry. I got... a little spaced out. You were saying?"
But Hyunjin simply frowned. "You look a little pale. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I..."
Felix was caught off abruptly by an unexpected wave of dizziness, and he jumped to his feet. The loud noise of his chair scrapping the floor was enough to earn the attention of the others, but Felix paid them no mind as he stumbled backward, a flash of pain going through his heart as if someone was repeatedly stabbing it with a needle. Then, without any warning, he collapsed, Minho barely managing to catch him in time.
"Felix? Felix!!!"
Felix's eyes rolled back, and darkness took over.
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"This is the worst case of core atrophy I've ever witnessed. Usually, the disease would simply stop over time, but with the constant strain put on him magic by the collar, I'm afraid it only worsened his condition."
"What are you saying, doctor?" Felix asked, his voice a little raspy.
The Demon had been unconscious for three whole days, and Minho had never felt so weak and helpless in his entire life. He'd just learned from the doctor that they didn't even know if Felix was going to wake up at first, which was worrying enough in and of itself, but it would seem they weren't done with the bad news.
"Master Felix... I'm sorry to say, but you're dying," informed bluntly the Vampire doctor, and one of Chan's most trusted advisors. His expression softened into pity. "I truly am sorry. I wish there was something I could do, but no amount of magic or medicine can help counter this kind of disease now that it's so far gone."
"You can't be serious," gritted out Minho, holding tightly Felix's hand. "Surely there's something that we can do."
"His magic core is now competing with his heart, so to speak. Usually, for Dark and Light creatures, both evolve in complete balance, hence why it prolongs our longevity way beyond that of Humans. However, Master Felix's case is the opposite: his magic core and his heart are completely imbalanced, so they're trying to compensate by encroaching on each other's duties." He pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache growing. "Instead of prolonging his longevity, it reduces it. His body can't handle this type of strain."
"This is bullshit!" finally snapped Minho, jumping to his feet. "You're just a quack who doesn't know what he's saying! Get out of here this instant and don't return unless you've found someone competent enough to make up for your idiocy!"
"Master Minho—"
"GET OUT!"
The Vampire sighed, shooting one last apologizing look to Felix, before taking his leave. As soon as the door closed, Minho slumped back into the chair and hid his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking pretty badly. Soon enough, his tears were falling, and heavy sobs filled the room.
"I'm sorry Lix... I'm so sorry..."
"Shh, my love, it's going to be alright," Felix murmured, reaching out to cradle Minho's head against his chest. "It's okay, it's not your fault, none of this is your fault..."
Minho simply gripped his hand even tighter, his sobs the only sound breaking the now heavy silence.
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"He's going to die."
Chan paled. "You can't—"
"The doctors say that, at the rate it's going, he only has thirty years, maybe forty at best – and his state will only worsen until he can't wake up anymore. There- there's nothing that can be done. No cure exists, and no treatment can help."
Changbin grabbed Chan's hand, lowering his head as the news brought by Minho slowly sunk in for the both of them. Felix was a very good friend, practically their little brother, and he was an amazingly sweet and kind person. He didn't deserve such a cruel fate, and Minho certainly didn't deserve losing the one person he loved more than anything.
If I ever lost Chan that way... No, Changbin didn't even want to think about it.
"I'm sorry," finally whispered Chan, visibly fighting back the urge to burst into tears. "I- I wish there was something I could do—"
"There is."
Minho's expression was grim, but determined, and it was enough to cut through the blanket of pain that had fallen over his two friends just before. At first startled, Chan then straightened up, serious.
"Anything. What is it?"
"We want you to marry us. We understand it can't be made public, but we don't care – we just want to be together, no matter what the law says." He exhaled deeply, before meeting Chan's eyes directly. "And then we want you to send us to the Human Realm."
"The Human Realm?" choked Changbin, taken aback. "You're saying—"
"Felix and I have already talked about this. We were planning on waiting to see if Chan's project could come to fruition... but he doesn't have that kind of time anymore." The seriousness was replaced by sheer, indescribable pain. "I already know I'm going to lose him eventually... so I want what little time we have left to be lived freely and without care for traditions and laws and social constricts."
"You will lose your magic, Minho. Your wings."
"I don't care."
"You won't be able to return once you've crossed to the Human Realm!"
"So long as I'm with him, the rest doesn't matter."
"... you'll die too."
"If I can die with him, then I'll die happy."
Chan was out of arguments. It was obvious Minho had already thought it over and over again, and that there would be no convincing him otherwise. If Chan refused, then his fellow Angel would simply find another way to leave, and that was that. But Chan had promised him his help, and Minho was his friend – as much as it pained him to lose Minho and Felix like this, he'd rather know them forever out of reach, but happy.
Changbin simply squeezed his shoulder in silent support, and Chan offered a somewhat watery smile at the Angel before him.
"Okay. I'll do it – both the union and the crossing."
At that, Minho's shoulders slumped, as if a heavy weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. "Thank you, Chan. And... I'm sorry. Felix and I love you and the others so much, and leaving you behind hurts, but—"
"You don't have to explain," assured gently Changbin. "We understand. Even if it pains us to lose you... Well, at least we will know you to be happy and safe and together, and that is what matters."
"When do you want to do it?" then asked Chan.
"In a month, on the start of the new lunar cycle. That's when it'll be easier to open a portal, and it'll give Felix enough time to recover from what happened a few days ago. And... it'll give us both enough time to settle things properly."
Chan simply nodded again. "In a month it is. Do you want us to contact the others?"
"I'll do it." Minho cringed a bit at that. "They'll... probably be a little harder to convince - you know how they are." His expression then softened as he rose back to his feet. "Thank you - for everything."
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Hyunjin was a crybaby by nature and, upon learning of the situation, he bawled his eyes out 'til Jisung had enough and lulled him to sleep with a demonic ballad. When the Angel woke up, however, he had steeled his resolve: to spend as much time as possible with Felix and Minho until their D-Day, and to make everlasting memories with them.
Jeongin and Seungmin took it a little better, having apparently discussed such a possibility for themselves as well, but having eventually decided that the hassles of the Human Realm were too much to bother with. They were both extremely saddened by the news, but also decided to make the most of the time they had left together.
The following month was spent in a bit of a frenzy. Felix recovered and took the time to hang out with his friends, but also write letters to his family, which Chan would send once they'd crossed over into the Human Realm. Minho had done the same thing, but was also reading up on the Human Realm and Human culture so that they wouldn't be too destabilized upon arriving.
Chan spent entire nights awake in order to prepare properly for the ritual, with Changbin ensuring he didn't mess up his health because of it. Finally, Seungmin, Jeongin, Hyunjin, and Jisung were kind enough to take care of the details regarding the private wedding ceremony, which only the eight of them would attend.
And, before they knew it, the day they were all waiting for but also dreading arrived.
"Nervous?"
Felix shot a small smile at Chan. "A bit. Not so much about the wedding, I already knew I was going to spend my life with Minho, but about what comes after. I'm so excited, Chan – and really, really terrified at the same time."
"Everything is going to be alright, Felix," he assured, pulling the younger into a hug. "You'll recover there, and then you two will build up the life you couldn't have here. You already have more than enough Human money to last for at least a decade, and you've familiarized yourselves with their customs – nothing will go wrong. As long as you two stay together, then everything will be fine."
"You're right. Thank you, Chan." Felix hugged him tightly, suddenly feeling the urge to cry as he realized this was probably the last time he would hug the Angel like this. "I love you, Chan. You've been so good to me... Thank you, for everything. I'm going to miss you."
"I'm going to miss you too, little brother." His voice was hoarse, and Felix knew Chan was doing his best not to burst out crying too, and he suddenly pulled away with a watery laugh, patting Felix's head. "Come on, now isn't the time for tears. You're getting married!"
Felix couldn't help but smile at that. "I am, aren't I? I never thought I could be so happy."
"Yet here you are." Chan extended his arm to him. "Ready?"
Exhaling deeply, the Demon slipped his own arm into his. "More than I'll ever be."
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"Nervous?"
"About the wedding? No. About the Human Realm? Terrified."
Changbin laughed at that, patting Minho's shoulder. "You'll be just fine. As long as Felix and you stick together, then everything will fall into place."
"I know that. It's just—"
The door of the room suddenly opened, and Minho's doubts were completely wiped from his mind as his eyes landed on Felix, who was now being slowly escorted down the aisle by Chan.
Felix was simply astounding in his white and gold attire, truly a vision, and Minho suddenly realized that not only was he the luckiest man alive, but also that if he could wake up with this wonderful person by his side for every single remaining day of his life, then the rest truly didn't matter. They exchanged a smile as Felix finally reached the altar and came to stand beside him, Chan sending him off with a small kiss to the forehead before he went to stand beside in front of them, while Changbin went to stand with the others.
Hyunjin was already stifling his sobs the best he could, while Jisung's eyes looked pretty swollen and red. Seungmin and Jeongin were smiling brightly, but they also looked like they'd had a good cry before coming. Minho took Felix's hands as the two of them stood before Chan, and the ceremony began. The King made the usual speech, and then the Angel and the Demon made their respective vows. Frankly, most of it went by in a flash because of how high their emotions were running, and Felix's heart was pounding as he repeated the words given, heavy with meaning and feelings.
"Until death do us part."
It would – one day.
But not today.
Chan smiled as brightly as he could as he finished tying their hands with the red string of Fate before stepping back.
"You may kiss, and seal your love for the world to see."
Minho didn't need to be asked twice. The others either cheered of clapped in the background as the two of them kissed, thus sealing their union, and the matching rings they were now sporting on their fingers glowed slightly with magic – the one officially expressing their love and binding them together, completely different from the bond they shared as Keeper and Kept.
Minho grinned, a tad smugly. "You're mine, now."
Felix simply laughed at that. "I've always been, my love."
"Felix, Minho..." They both turned to Chan, who now looked sad, but resigned. "It's time."
Time to leave.
Time to say goodbye.
Slowly, they both took the time to properly thank each of their friends, exchanging words and hugs and promises of happiness – but no tears. They had already cried enough, and today was a day for being happy – a day of love and of new beginnings.
And, once they were done saying their goodbyes, they went to stand in the magical circle that had been drawn in the middle of the aisle. Holding hands, looking at each other in the eyes and silently saying "it's going to be okay, I love you, we'll be together no matter what", they barely even noticed as Chan started chanting in a tongue neither of them could understand.
The circle started glowing underneath them, just as the clock struck midnight. And then, with a flash of light and a burst of sparkles, the Angel and the Demon completely vanished, and the entire room was suddenly plunged in semi-darkness. It took their friends a few seconds to realize that it had actually been done, that Minho and Felix were really gone now, that it was over.
They're gone.
Hyunjin burst out crying again, collapsing to his knees, but he wasn't the only one crying, and the others were quick to group together into a tight hug, shedding their tears as they grieved their precious friends' departure – but also wishing and praying for their future, and hoping with all of their hearts that Minho and Felix would find in the Human Realm what they could not find here: peace, and freedom.
Goodbye, Felix, Minho, silently thought Chan as sobs racked his body. May you be happy for what little time you have left together.
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"Well. That was a bit underwhelming." After a moment of silence, Minho smirked slightly. "I bet Hyunjin is bawling his eyes out already."
Felix snorted, intertwining their hands together. "You're too mean for an Angel, love."
"And you're too soft for a Demon, sweetheart."
"I suppose we're meant to make quite the pair, then."
Minho smiled brightly at that, pressing their foreheads together. "Until death do us part."
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Not gonna lie, I cried a bit while writing that one because goodbyes in any way, shape, or form always make me emotional for some weird reason. But anyway, that's it for this AU! Tomorrow's OT8 again, and there's some spice waiting for you, so look forward to that xD
ALSO! IMPORTANT!
I've officially finished writing all of the chapters/AUs for this book, meaning all that's left for me to do is post them. In other words, I am NOT taking requests anymore. So, if you intend to leave a comment - which I'd really appreciate because it's always great to read your thoughts on my stories - please don't ask for a pairing or a trope or whatever else.
I've worked really hard on all of my AUs so when the only thing people write is stuff like "but can you do more XXX pairing?", it makes me feel a bit discouraged and like I'm not doing good enough - a feeling I really don't like, I'm sure you can understand that.
Anyway, thank you for sticking with me this whole time, officially three AUs are left so I hope you'll enjoy what I have to offer 'til the end. Toddles~