Chapter 64: Heart lay naked, for your eyes to see.
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Hiii!!! Sorry for the late update, I fell into my annual slump and was not in a great mental space to carry out any of my hobbies. But Aha I'm back! And with 10k!
Happy new year♡ hopefully I'll finish this book by this year (lol. Jk I will)
Recommended music:
• Maybe I was boring - Wilbur Soot [for first whole half]
• Shape of Lies [from marked]
• dancer of the Boreal Valley- Yuka Kitamura
• deacons of the deep - Nobuyushi Suzuki
WARNING: the following chapter consists triggering themes, for the last half so tread with caution!
▪︎ Animal cruelty/death
▪︎ stampedes/accidental death
▪︎gore
▪︎mentions of blood/mutilation
▪︎implication of physical violence
▪︎violence
▪︎death by fire
▪︎more gore.
I hope I ain't miss nothin— but uh yeah, happy reading♡
Whatsoever DO NOT SKIP THIS CHAPTER
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Life, although a beauty isn’t serene at all times. There are moments of regret and pain, which overwhelms any desire to hope, to thrive and Taehyung remains a witness to those cruel emotions that cling at him, sneaking in when he’s in despair. But when his feet touch the ground, a tipped sole to the soft grass, he flinches- unsure at first, his entirety rattled. His hands remain clutched around the strong shoulders, that supports his weight silent and patient, all the way.
Taehyung lowers himself to the ground and as if struck conscious, the softness under his shoes moves- breathing. The Detective furrows his brows and almost instinctively removes his shoes, his idle hand gripping onto a firm, milky wrist.
Taehyung feels the grass under his bare feet, the way they slip between his toes when he wiggles them. A gust of wind follows and the mortal, finally lifts his gaze to the sky of orange and pink hues, letting go of the man behind him. He takes few steps ahead, enchanted. His mouth hangs a little ajar as he takes in the whole place in his mind, standing on a beautiful meadow that stretched to the ends with a stunning sunset caressing the edges. The lavender hedges and the dewy haze accompanied with golden streams of light, blinds his vision for which he simply finds himself failing to close his eyes, fearing he’ll miss a moment.
Taehyung feels something crumble within his chest that he has to clutch onto it, exhaling out loud.
“do you like it?” a warm voice asks him and Taehyung has to physically restrain himself from releasing a choked sound.
He swallows instead, unable to lift his eyes from the surreal sight before him and even more so ashamed, thinking he had seen it all before when he was a clueless mortal. There was not one hint of human infrastructure, no sky-high buildings or the concrete jungles. Even the air seemed unlike any other- it was just air… but, so much different, cleaner. Surrounded by an abundance of greenery, that seemed to never end and the sky overhead where in one side the sun set, the other had millions of stars peeking out from the veil. It didn’t matter if it was still bright on the other end, spirals of million little clusters seemed to glow in their own right.
Having lived in the heart of an ever-lit city for so long, Taehyung doesn’t remember the last time he saw stars or even for the matter of fact, putting efforts to search for them.
Life was exhausting- no… life was beautiful, it was just that there really is no time to pause and appreciate all the wonders. But was it time, really? Perhaps, it is easier to blame time, to accuse something that wouldn’t indefinitely bare its teeth at the accuser.
Taehyung shakes his head, licking his bottom lip “its…” he pauses, feeling Jungkook’s presence much closer now, his warmth enveloping him in a gentle caress “its… beautiful.” He answers, turning to look at the man who smiles widely, chuckling in delight and hearing the response- oh…
No garden of Eden would amount to the sight of him.
Taehyung stares, unabashedly.
Jungkook, was afterall the most stunning of his kind… it was only natural that a mortal like him would fall so deep and under for this regal beauty. Bathed in sunlight, the golden haze kissed along his sharp features, his face appearing softer same as his naked chest- his shirt, long discarded. Milky-grey shields rise above his shoulders, the copper-gold tresses folded behind delicately. Taehyung knows they are sturdy to his touch, a little rough with sharp edges but the under feathers hidden within layers are shy and soft.
Taehyung has long realized he was only a weak man.
The Devil takes his hand by his elbow and guides him down the meadow. Taehyung relishes in each gentle touch granted to him. His face was warm and tinted red, he still clutches onto the arm.
And if Jungkook notices how exceptionally adorable his Detective Kim was being, staving off all of his touches, trying to be discreet about it- then jungkook doesn’t mention it. Instead he actively indulges it, pressing himself more to the mortal man.
Silence descents, except for the occasional howl in the wind carrying scented petals along with it that dance around their forms. Taehyung, takes everything in- what he sees, feels, smells- like a newly born child whose curiosity knows no end. The ground, was warm to his skin, like a hearth of flames no different than the body beside his own.
The two walk until they come across a cliff with a drop no less than a 100ft. Without another word, the Devil wraps his arms around the mortal and swoops below and Taehyung who is startled, stares in a daze as copper-gold invades his vision, time slowing around him. The wings were massive, their wing-span larger than its own master and with sunlight glinting off of it, they seemed ever more beautiful. Taehyung curls his fingers to himself, resisting the urge to reach out to the golden blades so as to not orchestrate a crash landing.
It works and they glide down to safety, amidst taller trees.
Taehyung watches as the wings, fold behind the broad back just as the task is done.
It is not something to be impressed about, but Taehyung is. He is fascinated! It is only by finding Jungkook’s watchful but amused stare, does he feel slightly embarrassed about it. To taehyung, it might be something out-worldly but for Jungkook, the wings were a part of him as any other normal anatomical feature and it would seem no different than gushing about one’s hand.
Thankfully, for Taehyung’s own sanity, the man doesn’t comment on it and instead takes his hand and proceeds to walk ahead on the little stone path. Taehyung listens and registers the sounds of critters and birds that resonate around them as they stroll into the woods
A large boulder covered with vines finally comes to view and Taehyung stops to look at it, tilting his neck to trail his gaze upwards. The boulder of stone was as tall as the trees, wrapped in blooming vines.
Jungkook outstretches his idle palm and black mist pours from his skin. The mystique sand flows up and over to the stone boulder, pushing the vines away revealing a huge stained-glass door.
“Detective Kim?” he calls out and Taehyung snaps his gaze back to the man, his eyes glimmering bright. Taehyung smiles and is rewarded with a gentle squeeze to his palm. The doors open and the Devil guides him in.
“welcome, to my Garden… Detective Kim.” Jungkook speaks and Taehyung, once more finds himself falling speechless.
Taehyung isn’t much of a botanical enthusiast. He could keep a potted plant alive, if he really put his mind to it but again, he's not the type of guy who’d have a potted plant in the first place.
The realm itself, was splendid to his mortal eyes but the gardens surpassed whatever he had seen earlier. There were many flowering pants, some which he could name correctly. The fragrance in the air was strong, but not pungent to his senses. Taehyung walks ahead, his feet sinking into the soft pearlescent sand that made up the path. Sunlight peered in through the tall windows in clear streams, dust dancing in them.
He pauses to look at familiar red flowers, taking up the entire stem- their name at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t quite remember. His fingers drew closer to the flower that was half the size of his palm only to stop, unsure if hes allowed to touch.
“what are these called?” he asks and Jungkook walks over to him, leaning over his shoulder.
The man hums thoughtfully and then takes the mortal’s hand in his own, drawing it over to caress the flower. He then withdraws his own hand letting the Detective touch the flower.
“they’re orchids.” He replies to the man, watching eagerly as those red petals shyly wrap around his mortal’s slender fingers.
Jungkook smiles at the focus and concentration the Detective was pooling in to handle the flower, as if fearing it’d wither and die if he’d move too fast.
“oh…” the Detective mumbles and then turns to look at him “does this one have a cryptic meaning too?”
Jungkook merely grins and leans in close to the mortal’s ears, while clipping off an orchid flower from its stem.
“it means passion and desire.” The Devil whispers, his lips faintly touching the mortal’s ear shell. “something, we have shared that is common, hm?” he teases and senses the blood rush and the way the Detective’s heartbeat quickens, concealed by nothing but a full-body shudder.
Jungkook resists his urge to bite and kiss the man silly.
He leans away with an ill-concealed smile and then tucks in the red orchid behind the Detective’s ear, the flower complimenting his face.
The mortal doesn’t meet his gaze, his face tinted red and shy, he simply pushes his way out and proceeds to walk down the aisle. Jungkook can only stare and chuckle to himself.
Taehyung was just so precious.
“how long it took for you to get all of this together?” the Detective asks, peering down a row of carnations
Jungkook hums, his hands shoved into his pockets “mm… I’m not really sure…. I guess around eight to nine years?”
The Detective nods, assessing the place by himself. He hums in satisfaction and then proceeds to walk further in, the path curving along different coloured vegetation of fruits and flowers. The illusionary housing, seemed narrow from the outside but stepping inside and walking further in, there just seemed to be no walls- the haven stretching far and beyond.
Spotting a pond, Taehyung beelined towards it and as expected, the water was crystal clear; its surface decorated with fully bloomed white lotuses. Taehyung walked close enough to dip his toes into the water and then stepped behind, the pebbles cool under his feet.
“hm.. the weather doesn’t affect other flora here?” Taehyung asked, gesturing at the pond and then back at where he had just passed through few early-winter plants.
“the weather is neutral here, nullifying special requirements and caters for all, including varying weather systems for its growth. Quite interesting, is it not?” the Devil asks, the grin in his tone evident.
“yeah… its really something….” Taehyung replies, honest “how did you manage to do something like this?”
The Devil smiles at that “mm… I don’t know Detective Kim, it’s a trade secret which I stole from my Father’s house… are you sure you wanna know it?”
Taehyung stares at the Devil, baffled and then rolls his eyes, scoffing he turns away “keep your secrets.”
Jungkook laughs and steps in line, to follow the mortal into the Garden.
They walk, led by the mortal whose hands freely graze over each leaf and flower that surrounds the path. They sway back and forth, tugging at him seemingly desiring more of the warm caress.
Taehyung asks questions of about anything and almost everything he sees and Jungkook who is more than glad answers swifly, preening when the mortal praises him about his uncanny botanical knowledge and hobby.
At one point, Taehyung pauses spotting a lone tree down the path to his left. The tree was vast and the sunlight warmly swept over it. Enquiring, why it was set apart from the rest, the Devil mockingly joked about the tree being a replica of why human civilizations began to fuck- Taehyung promptly speed walked after that- sure, he had long left behind his religion but that didn’t mean he had forgotten what he had studied. Not this alternate version indefinitely.
The Devil however, continued to laugh to his fill at the mortal’s expense with it echoing like a clear bell around the garden, the plants too- seemed to sigh in contentment, hearing it. The garden, ironic for who put it together, was infact heavenly- in all of its aspects. It was something that couldn’t be conjured up by the most talented artists, should they want to give it a soul and lay it on a paper. No amount of praise would possibly be enough for this landscape, Taehyung thinks to himself.
And it is true.
Winding down the trail, Taehyung discovers more than his eyes could have ever seen before and Jungkook who accompanied him all along, was a constant gounding presence. Jungkook would relay his thoughts, unsolicited they may be but Taehyung like many carnations and daffodils alike is not one to deny that Jungkook’s voice was pleasant to hear.
Minutes that significantly seemed like hours crossing by, Taehyung finally feels his mortal strength wane. He pauses for a bit, catching his breath but his vigor once more jolts awake when he spots familiar black-tip dipped deep crimson roses on the first glance. Jungkook, shameless as he was towers over the mortal man and politely asks, if he’d once more want the Black Baccara roses to take home- to which, Taehyung vehemently denies, only for the other to teasingly remind him of the flowers behind his ear. Taehyung flushes having completely forgotten about it, he snatches it away and jams them into his pockets; out of sight, but not out of mind.
Amused, Jungkook runs up to the man and holds him from venturing any further, deciding to call it a day from having noticed the man’s tired puffs of breath.
“it’s alright, I’m fine.” Taehyung mutters, hands secured on his waist.
Jungkook smiles knowingly, “oh there’s no lie in that, Detective Kim you’re truly fine as hell. But I insist, we go some place else- infact I just have the place in my mind, I think you’ll love it.”
Taehyung stiffens at the compliment snuck in, but decides to show no response it and covers it with a sigh. He takes the Devil’s outstretched palm once more and with a blink of an eye they’re once more ascending, out and above. Taehyung feels the cool air brush his face and the sunlight isn’t any less warmer than the bare chest, he hides his face in.
“look, Detective Kim-“ the man speaks and Taehyung feels his chest rumble.
And so, the mortal slowly opens his eyes, anxious at first only for his hands to tighten around the other, fear gripping him from the inside.
“Jungkook!” Taehyung gasps, squeezing his eyes shut again “down! Down now!”
The mischief maker laughs spinning around on his axis with the mortal protectively wrapped in his arms. His wings flap on the sides, keeping him airborne and perfectly in control. Jungkook peers down at the tuft of deep oak hair, which under the sunlight seemed to appear more brownish-red.
Smiling, he buries his face into the soft hair, his lips pecking the mortal’s scalp. His idle hand gently caresses the Detective at his nape, trying to coax him “it is alright, Detective Kim… I’ll not let you fall.”
Taehyung ends up giving in, his hands clutching over the Devil’s own and takes the courage to peer down at amidst the clouds. He turns to face the setting sun, halfway swallowed by the ground beneath. The wind blows in their direction, his bangs sweeping up under its ministrations.
“whoa…” he whispers to himself, turning his gaze down at the meadows “this… this is.. whoa- we’re so high up above.”
“I promise you, we can go even higher but I’m not sure it’ll do any good on your stomach Detective Kim.” The Devil chuckles, tilting his head.
“uh- this is fine.. yeah. Not any higher… please” Taehyung quickly adds, trying not to imagine it. “wow…this is… Jungkook, is this what you’ve been seeing this whole time?” he asks, amazed.
The Devil outstretches the mortal’s arm and securely holds him by the waist, so that they face each other once more.
Jungkook smiles, pulling the man closer by his waist. Eyes full of mischief, he leans in close to Taehyung’s face “what can I say Detective Kim… it just seems like it is in my luck to be wholly and completely entangled with beautiful sights” he muses teasingly, twirling around once more holding the Detective’s arm steadily.
Taehyung yelps at the sudden movement, clasping jungkook’s palm tighter.
“do you dance, Detective Kim?” the Devil enquires and Taehyung dreads it almost immediately, sweating beneath his collars. Waiting for no response, Jungkook sways and dips, towing the Detective along to dance with him.
They dance in each other’s embrace for long until Taehyung’s distressed yelps turn to airy laughter, joining the other man’s. Twirling and swaying in air, with all of his doubtful inhibitions reduced to dust Taehyung, clings onto the other and just when he lets go, he lets himself fall freely knowing fully well that Jungkook would catch him.
The sun, too dips behind the veils of the horizon and the nightsky grows broader overhead, the two slowly descending to the land beneath. The sit beside each other, on a grassy hill that overlooks the stretch of meadows; the landscape illuminated by the millennia of stars above, they bathe under the light.
“thankyou.. for today.” Taehyung begins, his voice soft as he does. He fiddles with a grass shoot he randomly plucked from the ground. He then looks up to face Jungkook “it was really fun.”
The Devil grins at that “well I’m glad…” he pauses, averting his gaze feeling a little flustered under the honesty in the mortal’s voice. He rubs his nape, his blood warm “uh… I’ve been racking my brains on how to make up for the disaster dinner we had that other night.”
Taehyung withholds the groan of embarrassment from escaping his lips. He looks away, trying to numb away the memories where he had coincidentally shot himself in the back with demanding Jungkook to speak truth.
“Detective Kim…” Jungkook calls out to him “you know… I haven’t had so much fun in centuries either.”
Taehyung turns to face the man, who lays down on the grass with his wrist under his head and his gaze fixated on the sky.
“for something as ancient as me, days have always gone by a blur. Some peculiar and fascinating things may have happened along the way, but now as I try to recollect it, my memory fails to display it before my eyes. So I’d think, maybe it wasn’t all that important afterall-“ he pauses and exhales, shifting his eyes at the mortal “but you… Detective Kim, after meeting you- I simply cannot imagine a world where I don’t recognize you.”
Taehyung scoffs at that and follows suit, resting beside Jungkook’s own frame.
“what’s that supposed to be? A confession?” Taehyung remarks before he could hold his tongue. His chest fills with anxiety, dreading the response, yet none comes his way– not at first. He looks at Jungkook, only to find the raventte already staring at him.
Taehyung feels his throat constrict when Jungkook looks away, sighing he sits upright.
“you know my answer.”
“don’t-“ Taehyung cuts in, his heart squeezing in his chest. He sighs, swallowing the lump in his throat “its not a big deal.”
Taehyung doesn’t dare to look at Jungkook’s face, letting himself be consumed by the constellations instead. He hears the man beside him, rustle around “Detective Kim…” he pleads, but it stings all the more.
“its not a big deal…” Taehyung repeats, with a hollow chuckle “and… I understand.”
Taehyung isn’t sure if he does, so he lies.
He rests his wrist over his eyes and focuses to douse the burn in his lungs. It clawed at him, expanding even more as he desperately tried to erase it. Taehyung forces out an exhale, hiding away from the all-seeing eyes who feels pain just as same
Silence once more succumbbs over them, heavier this time.
“I… I have been difficult…”Jungkook confesses, eyes lowered
Taehyung snorts at that, a hint of smile on his lips “no… its me.. I, I just never know when to quit.”
Jungkook picks at his nail. A strange sort of discomfort arises in his chest.
The mortal beside him chuckles dryly and then rises to sit upright. “can I tell you a secret?”
Jungkook nods once, glancing at the man.
“hm… what do you think I’m afraid of?” Taehyung asks and Jungkook finds himself unable to answer it. He knows Detective Kim is by no means weak. He is smart and strong, his determination always brimming no matter what. Jungkook knows, if it not were for his mortal flaws- Taehyung is not someone who can be subdued easily; but to imagine something that exists to terrorize the man- Jungkook falls in a deep thought.
He cannot pry into the mortal’s thoughts, but again he has never tried asking either.
Jungkook has no answer to give. He sighs, “I don’t know.”
Taehyung plucks another grass shoot and fiddles between his pinched fingers. He scoffs, his lips tugging a smile.
“you’ll think of me as a real crazy bastard.” Taehyung looks up at the man beside him.
Jungkook waits.
Taehyung exhales and with the same faux smile, he goes “guns.”
“I’m scared of guns…” he admits shaking, averting his gaze “silly isn’t it? How could somebody be terrified of guns but take up a profession that fights crime and has everything and more to do with guns?”
He puts away the grass shoot.
“even to this day I have to take a count in my head to stop my hands from shaking… I… its never gone away” Taehyung exhales, lifting his gaze up to the sky. "I keep thinking of ways to not use it, seeking alternatives– but my work doesn't really allow me...and I.. am too stubborn to quit my job for good... or just cowardly to live a life that holds no purpose for me."
Wind blows in silent waves, the tree overhead gently swaying to its tune.
"Why?" The Devil asks, his voice almost of a whisper.
Taehyung swallows a lump in his throat, he clenches his fingers "I am living someone else's dream afterall." He pauses, relaxing his fingers "my brother's."
He smiles at the faint memory "he wanted to become a police officer... Hyunwoo he– if he was here today, he... he would have been a good officer that punk–he.. would have been real good man... better than me"
Taehyung bit his bottom lip, a grappling burn crawling up his throat "but he... he died because of me. It shouldn't have been... it was my fault and he..."
That's right.
It was his fault.
If only... if only he hadn't. If only he was obedient. If only he had tolerated in silence. If only he had listened. If only he had believed. If only he was good. Good. Good. Good. Not curious. Not infatuated. Not broken.
"Detective Kim..."
He calls out to him, like light in darkness. Blazing, bright... warm.
Warm.
Taehyung looks down at their clasped hands and then at the man.
Oh... this expression.
What's this expression? Sorrow? Pity? Sadness? Melancholy?
Taehyung looks away, pulling away his hand from the warmth retreating to his own cold embrace.
"There's no use pitying me Jungkook... I told you, I am a stubborn man." He speaks, drawing his knees close to his chest "I have made peace with the fact my brother died from my mistakes when he breathed his last in my arms." He props his arms around his knees and then looks up at the sky once more "and I... I don't really hold you over anything... my stubbornness is my own burden."
"Everything goes in the end..." he exhales forcefully, an attempt to remind himself of the harsh reality. He turns to look at Jungkook "I am only a mortal afterall.."
Taehyung watches, but doesn't understand– the expression on Jungkook’s face just as he said it. Wrath... no.
Sadness.... no.
Despair
Despair.
The Devil looks away and up to the sky, he chuckles humorless "it is cruel of you to shove the fate of mortality into my face like that, Detective Kim..." he turns to look at the mortal once more "for my greatest fear is not facing Father, but your mortality Detective Kim."
The words seize up Taehyung's heart, breath hitching his throat.
"I may be molded by the Silver Gates, but I am a creature of the Infinite hells... Detective Kim. And as everything that ends up in Infinite Hells, is for the ultimate punishment and not even I, as the King is free from it..." he tilts his head, the light from the stars washing over him. His features unremarkable soft.
"That being said... I'm not something that can be rewarded with such... purity of that as such honest affections." He pauses, looking down at his own fingers "I... me reciprocating in any way... comes with a price Detective Kim."
He lifts his gaze and carefully takes hold of the cold wrist of the man who listens to him in am earnest, with such honest and open eyes.
Jungkook feels a stab of pain in his chest.
What a bunch of lies.
For something that is set into stone, his cruel prophecy is tied to this mortal’s death.
Jungkook purses his lips, pressing his thumb into the cool skin, feeling the warmth of blood gush underneath the Detective's skin. He preserves the feeling in his mind, the warmth underneath, the deafening heart beat, the scents.
"Price that will have to be paid with surpassing wicked trials and eventual blood when time comes." The Devil speaks, his tone low. A hint of faux smile on his lips looms over "and I cannot ever dare to let you face the inherent chaos that I am... I am afraid, Detective Kim." He whispers, lifting the Detective's wrist to his lips.
The Detective tenses at the touch of lips and relaxes immediately after
"You... fear my death..?"
Jungkook presses his cheek into the Detective’s hand, leaning into it.
"My throne is my shackles... my crown is heavy, but so is the price for the empty seat beside me." Jungkook lowers the mortal's hand and lays down on the grass once more, tugging at the Detective's arm to follow the same, who dazedly complies resting his head over Jungkook’s outstretched arm.
"I am selfish... I suppose Detective Kim. But I simply adore you too much to give you up to that gnarly fate, tied to mine" the Devil shuffles to face the mortal in his arms. "So I hope you forgive me for my insolence of playing the deliberate fool here."
Taehyung doesn't respond, stunned to silence. He keeps his eyes fixated on the man's collarbone, refusing to meet his gaze.
Somehow... this felt worse than rejection.
He knew that Jungkook knew of his affections.. yet something about his whole thing seemed even more unfair. What trials. What blood. What price.
Knowing all of this, Taehyung can't help but feel more miserable and he curls in on himself, only to be stopped by the warmth that encompasses him wholly first.
"I can feel your brain pounding Detective Kim... you're thinking again."
He hears a click of tongue above him and Taehyung feels even more agitated to a brink of tears.
A grappling sense of anger washes over him but before he could retort and pry his way out of the humiliating embrace, that seemed no different than trying to placate a child, Jungkook speaks.
"I am sorry."
Taehyung stops struggling entirely.
"For everything... Detective Kim. You do not deserve this... you deserve to be happy... with someone who.. who is.... not me."
Taehyung grits his teeth, feeling helpless.
Is this it?
Is it over?
He feels Jungkook's embrace grow tighter around him, albeit a little painful but Taehyung doesn't voice it out.
"But I am selfish." He says, resolute and firm his voice deep switching to his native tongue.
"There is no way I could ever let you go. I could never let you go. I'd go mad. I'd completely go mad. And I know what this means.. you're in trouble Detective Kim. A Deal with the Devil, how unfortunate truly— Even when I devoured your soul you returned to me. You're nothing but foolish and I'm stupid in... in..."
"Jungkook...?!" Taehyung squeaks, startled
Jungkook snaps his eyes opens and loosens his hold.
He looks down at the fragile mortal wrapped in his arms, clutching onto him.
"...Jungkook.."
The Devil blinks, eyes blurry. He smiles, burying his face into the mortal's hair.
"Just as you once said, I am indeed gum stuck to your shoe Precious Cargo. I hope you do not condemn me for refusing to let you go... I... I simply cannot. I need you."
Taehyung purses his lips lips, chewing on it. He feels warm all over. Anxious... nervous... warm.
Warm.
Warm.
Warm.
He snuggles into the naked chest, holding the Devil even more closer to his heart unafraid of his clamoring heart that was loud to his own ears.
"I need you too." He mumbles, shyly and feels Jungkook's chest reverberate at the words.
He must be chuckling, Taehyung thinks but it no longer feels humiliating, rather... warm and lighter.
"You're just precious, Detective Kim... what ever would I do without you?"
Taehyung smiles to himself.
************
"Wow… this is some top notch of a shithole" Jimin whistles, the sound resonating down the abandoned factory.
"How long has it been now?" The Demon asks, glancing back at the See-er who was accompanying him.
"Several months…" Yoongi responds, taking in the surrounding that seemed to be almost falling apart, it's walls corroded as if having been smelted off.
"Mmm… say Dr. Min–" Jimin chirped "did you ask me of Demians on the New Year's eve because you suspected your own?"
"I do not know of what you speak." Yoongi dodges, keeping a look out.
The Demon laughs at that "that's right, you cannot physically see them can you? You're a cripple after all…"
The See-er doesn't let the words get to him and merely turns his face away, rolling his eyes.
"True… there's a moving scent of rot that lingered in the Department that would turn up and disappear. I had my suspicions, but that too was blundered when I tested him only to find him mortal…"
"Him huh?" Jimin grins "he's surely a curious little thing with pretty eyes…"
Yoomgi exhales, shaking his head "I am convinced there is somebody in the Department who has turned into a Demian… and what happened to my colleague was not his moment of madness rather orchestrated by a Demon—"
The red haired Demon clicks his tongue "now don't be so crass as to pining those shallow undead with my blood."
Yoongi glares, seemingly hung on a thought like 'how are either of you different?' but dared not voice it out for the sake of his own throat.
"Right." The See-er clears his throat "anyway, it was purely in his luck to escape alive that day, should a Demon truly be playing behind the scenes, Jin would have died."
Jimin hums and kicks away a piece of concrete debri, flinging it to the wall to smash it into smithereens.
"But he survived." Jimin points.
"Yes, he was to unintentionally discover a possible new DNA from the samples he collected… if he was left alive, then he wasn't deemed so much of a threat by the perpetrator."
Jimin hops onto a huge, bullet riddled metallic cylinder and turns to look at the man behind him "lemme tell you something, Dr. Min… even under the purest of the snow lies filth."
"What?" Yoongi looks up in confusion as the man grabs onto the chains that hung down from the ceiling.
"Your colleague was left alive, because the perpetrator's conscience didn't allow them to finish the job—"
Yoongi stills.
So it means… it truly means…
The Demon pulls the chains for a good measure and then looks down at the See-er "Invisibility is something not akin to my kind Dr.Min… rather it is the bread and milk of the Silver Gates. "
"Get over here and help me." Jimin orders, proceeding to sit on the chains, like a makeshift swing.
Yoongi narrows his eyes in annoyance, but gives in, climbing onto the rickety metal.
"Help me push." The Demon presses and Yoongi bites back his groan of exhaustion, yet when he reaches out to the man— he stills.
He has seen this before. Colors burst in his eyes.
A meadow of flowers. And a swing.
The Demon of his nightmares, perched on a swing asking him to push.
Help me.
Help me. Help me.
Help me.
Why won't you help me?
The skies darken, brewing to form thunderstorms and the false innocence on the Demon's face erodes away giving light to the features of Hell itself—
This is—
"Are you done?" Jimin snaps his finger and the See-er clicks back to the present. "We don't got all day. So quit day dreaming."
Yoongi lowers his gaze blinking rapidly, firmly pressing his hands against the Demon's back and pushing him ahead to carry on with the task.
And as the Demon swings forward, he grabs onto a broken off pipe and swiftly scurries over, climbing onto the only 3rd-floor section in the factory.
"Check down below. I'll be up here!" The Demon calls out, resuming to shuffle around the control room leaving the See-er to his own devices.
Yoongi doesn't move, stunned.
The future he had seen for the Demon had finally clicked in its place— surely there was no flower beds or sunsets, yet the metaphor for a swing and the demand of help is very much present.
Yoongi looks at the palms of his shaking hands and then looks up to where the Demon had disappeared off to.
Yoongi knows the future he sees is only a sequence of peculiar details, much harder to discern if not for the fact that no one would bat even an eye to. He is not strong enough to conjure up complete contexts and as for this case, Yoongi remembers—
That mischievous face of Hell fire, to combust, giving way for something unequivocally terrifying. A broadened scarred chest and overturned horns…. That was the unbecoming of the Demon, Jimin at the end of his unintentional seeking.
The delay of the proceedings had given him some false sense of security, a faint hope that perhaps his crippled sights has crumbled even more to will a future of another. He stares at his fist, an uncomfortable sensation of turmoil and fear rising up his throat.
His eyes have seen the dawn of the Judgement day, to which now Yoongi knows there is no stopping.
The cerulean of his eyes, were a curse to begin with. To watch the end, before the end would even commence… how cruel.
He purses his lips, the cogs in his mind turning as the inherent wickedness in his blood sloshes through his veins, turbulent.
Jimin unbeknownst to the works of the See-er's mind, pitters around the control center in curious struggle, pulling off the command box with his bare hands.
He heaves and then crouches to sniff it.
Unmistakable.
He hops to his feet and peers down through the shattered window, spotting the See-er looking around.
"Hey! I found it!" Jimin yells his voice echoing to which the See-er looks up, meeting his gaze.
Yoongi watches as the male jump out of the window and lands perfectly on his two feet, onto the ground. The dust rises, dancing to tunes.
"Tell me what the case file spoke about this den." The Demon chirps.
"Uh.. Han Sojoong ran the front. The department raided this whole site with the coalition of two units, all heavy duty. Surprisingly enough, Han Sojoong had stayed back during the raid and was caught sitting duck." Yoongi gestured with his hands, recalling from the file he had once briefly looked through before they were all confiscated by the Government Specialist Agency.
"There was no other?" Jimin cross questioned, his eyebrows propped up.
"Han Sojoong claimed they had ran away— and since the raid was carried out in the night, the Department thought it likely to be for the cause that the workers saw what happened in the news and eventually disappeared. Since there was no proper registry of the workers, the Department couldn't pinpoint each of the people and went with whatever they had on their hands…"
Jimin grinned at that "what if I tell you, this Han Sojoong was right, for his workers weren't human to begin with?"
Yoongi's eyes widened, startled "what?!"
"Do you know how unnerving it is to see a cretin infested shit hole and not smell any cretin?" Jimin pranced, walking ahead "I had my suspicions ever since I stepped foot in here— it is unmistakable truly. Somebody or something had walked in here long after the raid had taken place to erase every nook and cranny, of the scent of whatever was in here— human flesh and a most possible hell creature too. They have done an amateur job of cleaning up like dousing bleach and leaving it to ferment only to forget other stations and the air entrapped between them…" Jimin pauses, gesturing at the control room above "and even in the control room, there is only one human scent— that being, Han Sojoong."
Yoongi rocks on his feet back and forth "so the workers… was a Demon?"
[A/N: play Shape of Lies- Eternal Eclipse from this point for feels.]
"Most likely…." Jimin pauses, furrowing his eyebrows recalling the Esurinoium he had fought.
Esurinoiums were not solitary creatures. They traveled in packs. And even if there was a pack, they cannot survive earth temperates for long, caving to find warmth. And to find a constant source of heat what they would need is—
His gaze snaps up only to meet the See-er's startled expression.
They slowly take a look around them, the large metal cylinders that remained at large, its insides charred to bone.
"Count that side!" Jimin orders running to the west aisle whilst Yoongi rushes towards the East.
Jimin counts with his heart in his throat.
Five on either side so that makes it ten..
Twenty.
Thirty…
Forty…
He races back to the See-er when he reaches the end.
"Fifty in the east!" Yoongi heaves.
"Forty on mine."
"This site was supposedly run day and night as said by the locals— a coal site was it? what temperature would it cater to then if we remove mortals from this equation holding no regards to preserving the equipments?"
Yoongi clutched his head "80 degrees… 82 to 85 at the most seeing the condition of this whole place"
Jimin purses his lip then digs his feet in, sensing the hollow underneath.
"Han Sojoong was not a sitting duck." He growls taking a step behind "he resolutely believed he was made for greater things… because this place wasn't made to manufacture metal— rather breed an army."
And without warning he springs to his feet, jumping as his hands darken over with red flesh and claws, he plummets to the ground with a bang with the floor giving in, opening up and he lands straight into a hollowed tunnel.
Yoongi wipes the blood off his cheek, caused from a debri that scraped off of him during the unannounced collision.
A rancid stench reaches his nostrils, to which the See-er's fight or flight instincts set in. Heart beating widely in his chest he peers down into the hollowed tunnel where the Demon stood.
"The portal to hell was opened here." The Demon says in calm, his face downturned in the pitch black of rotting remains of human flesh and even more of a beastly stench gives in—
Yoongi steps behind alarmed, his arms goose flesh.
He cannot fathom— to know how long had hell infested its way right under their feet, living as they are, plotting. Scheming.
"Where does this tunnel lead to?" Jimin asks, still not looking up.
Yoongi steals a worried glance and then switches to his cerulean blue, focusing on the tunnel and then imaging the path it runs along. They branch and divide further, further and much complex— all but to meet at a single destination, where the dark clouds had assembled the most.
His throat dries up at the realization dawning him.
He turns his gaze back at the Demon, only to find two bright red orbs looking at him amidst the dark.
Yoongi gulps "...the city."
*********
Taehyung turns away, a little awkward as Jungkook pulls on a shirt over his bare chest.
It's not anything Taehyung hadn't seen before, yet for some reason watching the man button up his dress shirt made Taehyung feel like a creep.
"Mmhmm Detective Kim. What would you like to have for dinner?" The Devil asks and Taehyung turns to face the man.
"Uh… anything that you'd want." Taehyung mumbles, not wanting to think too deep into it knowing he wouldn't be able to gather an answer without overthinking eitherway
The Devil snickers and closes in towards the mortal, placing his hand on the Detective's back.
"You give me too much credit" he chuckles mischievously "I'd like to have you."
Taehyung scowls, and turns away.
The red on his nape doesn't.
The Devil leans to kiss the mortal’s head "you're too adorable Precious Cargo." He laughs, content with the way feeling the bubble of embarrassment within the Detective.
"True that my appetite for you in Infinite, but I must cast it aside for the moment so that you can nourish first and save up stamina for later—"
"Jungkook!—" Taehyung hisses elbowing the man, nervously eyeing the pedestrians that come to view as they walk out of the alley.
"Alright. Alright. As you wish. Korean? Western? Or maybe something continental hm?" Jungkook asks, stepping a foot away but not retracting his hand.
"Korean– uh… I know this place where they make nice buckwheat noodles and spicy beef. That is, if you don't mind?" Taehyung looks at the man.
"Sounds delicious. Lead the way, Detective!" Jungkook grins with a skip to his step.
They walk about the block, chatting away comfortably. Jungkook does most of the talking and Taehyung indulges in adding his own thoughts to it. Jungkook’s hand remains on the small of his back, a constant reminder but Taehyung makes no attempt to detach himself from it.
"And I told him, there's no way in hell I could ever—" Taehyung pauses, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket. He fetches it quickly, only then having realized it's existence and frowns when he sees the amount of missed calls.
Majority of them being from Hoseok's.
Jimin too?
"Oh uh wait a moment– I need to call Hoseok." Taehyung tells to the latter, who nods along.
Taehyung quickly calls back and the line rings through but Hoseok does not pick it. Taehyung calls back again, a little worried when the line goes answered for two more times.
"What's wrong?" Jungkook asks, tilting his head
"Uh– it's Hoseok, hes not picking any of my calls. Jimin called me too and he—"
A shrill voice breaks through and Taehyung stiffens, stopping mid sentence.
Taehyung squints his eyes in the direction of the voice. A small group of people crowding over. Naturally he steps ahead, only to stopped by Jungkook.
"Wait here." He instructs, with no humor attached to his tone and eyes hooked onto the crowd of people. Before the Detective could enquire any further, Jungkook leaves him be, jogging over to the gathered people.
Taehyung huffs but does not walk over, heeding to the man's words. He clutches onto his arms and crosses them over his chest, eyes peeled at the crowd.
So he jumps when something slams right against the sidewalk, next to him. The other people who were standing idle beside him watching the commotion same as him, yelp in surprise completely startled.
They push apart and step backwards, wary of the dead raven that fell from the heights above, it's neck over turned.
No ravens would fly about the dark of the night— in a city of all places.
Taehyjng feels a little unnerved.
"What an ominous sign…" an old lady mumbles, shaking her head and clutches her bag even tighter to her chest. A couple of high-school girls nearby shift uncomfortably, talking in hushed whispers and face full of distress.
Taehyung, too steps away after hearing that. He turns to call Jungkook but ceases when a cool hand grips his arm.
Taehyung snaps his gaze down and feels as if doused with a bucket of water.
"Jihyo?!" He shouts out, startled at the way she looked. Her eyes sunken deep and cheeks hollowed out, to a point where her skin sank. Her lips were chapped like a drought and her hair was messed up, all over the place.
"Wha— what are you– What happened to you?!" He grips her by the shoulder, searching her eyes.
"They're coming." She whispers, chest heaving. Her frame— looked much smaller than Taehyung remembered it to be.
Taehyung shakes his head in confusion "What?"
"They're coming. I don't have much time. You need to go!" She hisses, gritting her teeth and another shrill scream breaks out into the chaos, people quickly stepping away from yet another dead bird, it's head missing. The crowd in the street grow agitated with the unnatural occurrences.
"What? What? What are you talking about?" Taehyung shakes Jihyo by the shoulders and she begins to convulse in his arms. Her eyes rapidly blink, her body too cold to be normal, setting in heavy like a deadweight and her jaw goes rigid, chattering as blood pools out of her mouth.
Horrified, Taehyung stills as screams follow around him "somebody call an ambulance!" He yells, fear constricting his throat "Jungkook!"
"Jihyo! Please someone! Hurry—" Taehyung pauses when two cold hands grip his own. He stares down at Jihyo's cold hands that clamp him tight at his elbows.
Her head snaps up with a crackle. Her eyelids flinging open, with only the whites of her eyes in his view.
She opens her blood stained mouth, dark liquid dripping down onto her clothes and Taehyung's hands. A deep gurgling sound reverberates from the woman and her jaw crackles.
"You are all gonna die." she says.
Taehyung feels his blood freeze when he hears the words from his friend's mouth, but nothing prepares him when Jihyo twists his hand, breaking his and possibly her own arm in the process.
There are people running about now, yelling and crying out. Tripping over each other and scrambling to safety, on the expense of many right underneath their feet who were not so lucky.
A car loses its control, ramming into others, one which explodes into flames at the spot whilst the other climbs over the curb, running over people.
Taehyung drops to his knees with one limp arm on his side, a voiceless scream leaving his throat.
Or was he screaming too? He doesn't know anymore with his pitiful, agonizing scream of pain getting drowned amidst the cries of the crowd.
His mind, fueled by paranoia and confusion— he tries to understand what happened to Jihyo — why she out of all the people— he looks up at the woman, to find her standing with her face upturned to the sky, her shoulders shaking as she chokes on her own blood.
The temperature drops for a moment, the dark brooding spills out from the chasms and the temperature spikes, as flames combust in the street— flickering in sparks from orange to blue.
People shriek and tumble out of their shops and little restaurants, running about to safety as the clouds rain dead birds. The fire moves quickly, swallowing up everything in its path, all living and dead— there was no beauty to it, just pure carnage.
And as the flames fully burst to blue, Taehyung watches as a figure steps out from it.
An ominous sign.
He stares at those hauntingly crimson eyes.
And then crawls towards it, shakily standing to his feet whilst biting back his own pain. His hand hangs limp, torn apart from his shoulder joint and only held together by a mere excuse of his muscles and skin, that was quickly turning purple black.
The Devil too, fastens his pace to reach out to the mortal in the delirious haze of fear and wrath in the moment.
And it is just so then, Jungkook senses a fine sound pierce through the clouds, familiar. A flash of golden darts past his eyes once more and there is no second thought this time when he sends forth his own shield with all of his might, yelling the Detective’s name.
The crimson of his eyes, shakes in despair watching the Divine arrow close in at his mortal, the shield he casted out, a mere step behind. A battle of speed and in His eyes, the time excruciatingly slows down. He's too late.
He's too late.
Red explodes, shielding the Detective just in time and the Divine golden arrow collides with it. A rumble rises above and the ground shakes at its impact, lifting dust to the air.
And somewhere hidden in the shadows, a grin gleams wide.
"Your misled affection shall be your unbecoming….My Lord…" Hyunho remarks, snickering in the dark whilst watching the predetermined outcome unfold before his own eyes. He grins when a thoroughly masked Divine arrow strikes through the clouds and pierces straight through the Devil’s chest.
Jungkook falls to his knees, his vision blurring. Shock comes first. Pain next. He doesn't know where he's been hit and what he's been hit with, in his state of delirium. His hands scramble around to pull away at the burning hot glimmering gold, through his chest and when he grabs at it, it scalds his skin, blood bursting out.
The Devil pulls his hands away, a frustrated groan leaving his lips accompanied by blood.
The muscles in his chest tear open, repelled by the Divinity of the arrow; only to stitch back itself again, given his regeneration ability. Stuck in an endless loop of not being able to do nothing but bite back the sizzling burn that ate him away.
He looks up blearily, eyes frantically searching for the Detective who was on the ground, stirring awake from the impact.
His eyes briefly meet Jungkook’s and a thousand emotions zip past the mortal.
"JUNGKOOK—!" He shrieks, jaw strained and tear stricken. He immediately climbs back to his feet, attempting to run towards him. However, his path is blocked when a cloaked figure steps in, seeing which the Detective anxiously backs away.
"Greetings…" he pauses, turning to face the kneeling King. "My Lord.." He smiles toothily.
Jungkook stares up at the Demon with pure unadulterated wrath "Hyunho…" he growls out. "You… dare?"
Hyunho smiles, shrugging. "Yes, My Lord… I do dare."
Jungkook shakes from the anger simmering inside him and razor sharp black mist pours out of his hands, aimed at the Traitor. To which, having spotted it, Hyunho swiftly jumps back clutching the only other mortal by his neck and presses his sharp scythe around the curve of his throat.
"Don't." Hyunho warns and the black mist stills "you know how fragile mortals are…" he reasons, pressing the sharp blade tighter against Taehyung's neck "easy to break."
Jungkook doesn't withdraw his mist, but is ultimately forced to when another Divine arrow strikes through his abdomen, effectively pinning him to the ground.
He grunts in pain but doesn't cry out, shaking in wrath. He looks at Taehyung. The fear in his red rimmed eyes. The tremble in his fingers.
"How weak have you become… my Lord" Hyunho chides with faux empathy, patting the soft silky hair of the mortal at his mercy "your flames burn blue, but your heart has gone too soft… too… human" The demon clicks his tongue in disgust "to forget where you belong. To forget, a mere mortal’s throat doesn't come before yours..."
Hyunho smiles deviously "and so, you have fallen into this predicament. I'd thought, perhaps you won't be so foolish to give away your own shield to save this ugly creature's life, oh but how wrong I was—"
"You think… you'll escape unscathed from this?!" Jungkook spits venomously, feeling the strength in his body rapidly drain away from the effects of the admittedly fatal weapon lodged into his torso. "Divine arrows are not Caelesti… they will neither rid away my wrath nor my flame, should this be my last." Jungkook bares his teeth in promise "and when I return with vengeance, do you really think you can handle it?"
Hyunho steps aside, his hand firmly gripping the mortal by his scalp who yelps in pain. The Demon smiles, bowing at its Master "Oh but you will return, My Lord…"
Jungkook’s eyes widens by a fraction, horror dawning on him.
Hyunho begins to cackle out loud relishing in the rare expression that was granted to him, exciting him with his certified victory. He sways, laughing menacingly and the rag doll of a mortal in his hands begins to struggle.
"Jungkook!" The thing calls out.
"JUNGKOOK PLEASE! JUNGKOOK—" He cries out, watching the King on his knees go limp, head hanging low as he slowly succumbs to his eternal slumber, no different than Death itself.
Rage washes over Hyunho with an intensity, he begins to shake.
How dare this Puny wretch dare to speak of His Lord's name—
He yanks at the mortal’s hair harshly, ripping away a patch of its dark locks.
"AAARGHHHHH!— ARGHH AHHH!" The thing screams out loud falling flat on its back, a faint trail of blood running down its face.
The Demon rubs his fingers together, the blood soaked hair slipping away into the air. He then walks over, blocking away the path of sight from which the pathetic mortal watched His Master in eyes full of grief and despair.
Hyunho holds back no mercy when he presses his foot into the shredded arm and the mortal lets out another agonizing shriek. It's cries, a tune to his ears. He grins even more, digging his heels in to feel the flesh move around his boot.
The screaming doesn't stop.
"Don't you dare speak of my Lord's name in such shameless squeals you pathetic pig." Hyunho taunts, pressing his boot even tighter feeling the bones crumble under its weight. "Do you understand?"
He lifts his leg and the mortal heaves, the screams ceasing momentarily.
Taehyung breathes harshly through his nose, his mouth pursed tight and teeth gritted, to hold the excruciating pain in his arm at bay. He stares hard at the darkened skies, his vision blurring with tears that made it seem like there was no end.
He doesn't struggle when the Demon grips his by his hair again and Taehyung, feels fear cradle his chest when he's pulled up to his knees again. He shakily raises his gaze to where Jungkook had not moved an inch ever since he was struck by the second arrow.
His throat burns, the pain in his chest churned away at his bones more strongly than when the Demon dug his heel into his broken arm.
There are no words that slip past his lips as he watches Jungkook’s slumped frame, still kneeling and bloodied, amidst the blazing blue flames.
Taehyung clamps his eyes shut, shaking with tears, praying for it all to be false. For this to be just another world as that of the Garden of Edens. Taehyung prays.
"Peel your eyes open and watch chaos burn!" The hand tugs him harshly, forcing the man to open his eyes to the reality.
Taehyung break into sobs, unable to hold back anymore.
The Demon tosses a mere glance at the mortal at his feet and then shifts his gaze back at his Master.
"The Infinite Hells needs no King that doesn't take His rightful throne..." He speaks, the red in his irises swirls ominously reflecting the blue flames that consumes all, closing on its own Master.
"No! No please! No!" The mortal cries out like a broken machine, as the blue flames engulf its maker.
Hyunho lifts his scythe, making the mortal face him.
The Demon grins, relishing in the fear that makes him salivate through his teeth.
"...It only ever needs a King that will return to it!" He declares, bringing down his scythe, pummeling the mortal to a bloody fate with the strike of his hand.
_________________
_________________
Author's Note:
Um… yeah. So that happened.
Heart went pitter patter to completely shatter. I love writing Rollercoaster ride chapters.
To the people who thought Jimin's future didn't get played out and I forgot about it… I didn't hahahah! Yoongi saw so little about the guy's future and only half(?) Of it got played out in this chapter…so of the rest … everything is already laid out in crumbs so best of luck finding it (!) you've got only until next update to find it… cause reveal—
AND HYUNHO HO HO!!!! I like him a lil insane so…. Anyway who wants an invite for the crowning of a NEW King hm???
Lol sorry rip Jungkook. You were good. Fly high. Or low. Or whatever fits your palate ig.
Do not forget the last chapter, this and the next two happens simultaneously, or in more or less the same night, so— yall in for a mfing ride.
*********
Author: Welcome back to the TwoBraincells Talkshow and today we have the star, the one and only, His gracious, Jeon Jungkook before us today. Let's give him a round of applause!!!
Jungkook, grinning wide : thankyou everyone!!
Author: Jungkook, I'm sorry to cut my professionality but the whole world is dying to know one singular question ever since the last episode came out.
Jungkook: o… Kay?
Author: are you dead?
Jungkook: oh.. that yeah. I died. I died dead and now I'm dead in the ground. Rest in peace. RIP me. Hashtag RIPME
*audience cries*
Author: oh no— they crying—!
Jungkook: I swear I saw the nun in the back cheer—
*Audience bawls*
**********
Pls I love that Taylor Clip.
Oh and there was supposed to be Tae's backstory here but I couldn't fit it in right without making it sound like trauma dumping— so stashing this batch of angst for later purposes :D
I know my inconsistent updates are the main source of missing out details BUT GUYS DEM DETAILS ARE IMPORTANT HAHAHAH— Ahem.
I'm starting to love this story again, since I finally crossed this threshold and oh, the pure happiness of watching everything I had conjured up 2 years ago as a shitpost falling into the right place, with all of its clues and contexts and the build up is JUST SOMETHING ELSE…. fellow writers, I know ya feel me.
Anyway, more to come so stay tuned.
Take care yall♡
Love,
J