TW: Race Slur and Homophobic language used!!
When Jin Woo first saw Yuki, he was only nine years old. Their new neighbors had just moved in, and the Sungs took it upon themselves to greet them to the complex. His father, tall and strong, knocked on the door with his mother next to him and Jin Ah and Jin Woo right besides them.
The door opened slowly, creaking open and exposing a dark entry way. It is only because Jin Woo was at his eye level that he saw him. His father, having to look around for a minute before his sharp eyes looked down and saw the small body peaking through the crack.
"Ah, hello. We are the Sungs, you're neighbors. Who might you be?" The door opened further, and Jin Woo's young eyes met red. Large and dull, taking them all in before looking up to meet his father's. Jin Woo has never seen skin more pale and hair as white as his.
"Min Matsuno Yuki, it's nice to meet you." His voice soft like Jin Woo's blanket, and Jin Woo had momentarily wondered if they were a girl.
"Ah, Yuki-a, is there an adult we can–"
"Yuki, what are you doing?" A woman, thin and haggard looking stumbled into the doorway. Her skin reeking of cigarettes, and it was only because Jin Woo had good manners that he didn't cover his nose. Her eyes, wide and frantic, took in their family and with clenched teeth she grabbed Yuki's thin arm and yanked.
"I'm so sorry! I hope he hasn't offended you in anyway!" Her bow was at the hips and one of her hands was pushing Yuki's head down in a low bow as well. Jin Woo's mother waved her hands, "No no, we were just introducing ourselves. We are your neighbors." The woman, looking up from between greasy strands of hair released Yuki, and slowly straightened herself. Her lips chapped and eyes still unfocused, "Ah, I-I am sorry. My-my son ca-can be quite reckless, so I wa-was worried he offended you."
Jin Woo met red eyes again.
"No, he just opened the door."
He's seen those eyes on the old dog he passes by everyday to school.
"I-I see."
Eyes that looked exhausted with life. They looked exhausted about living.
"Do you want to play?" The adults stopped talking. All eyes were on the two boys. Jin Woo's were only focused on Yuki's. Watching and waiting for some form of light.
"I have a new game, but it's not fun when I'm the only player and Jin Ah doesn't know how to play–"
"Hey!"
"–so do you want to play with me?" Jin Woo waited patiently for his answer. He watched how those red eyes flickered to his mother, and then back to him. Cutting the woman off when she opened her mouth, "Yes please." Jin Woo couldn't stop the smile from blooming on his face.
Jin Woo's mind focused back to the present, leaving him wondering when his mind wandered. He's sitting in the large bath tub, Yuki's to be specific, and the other had on only his underwear as he stood in front of the mirror. Taking out his earrings and cleaning his piercings with salt water. His hair now out of it's updo touching his shoulders, looking like silk spider threads. Catching and illuminating the bathroom light.
"Ara, back to the present?" Red eyes met his in the mirror, and Jin Woo could only see amusement. Yuki had on a pleased smile, "You looked like you were trying to think of a way to end world hunger for a minute." Jin Woo chuckled, removing an arm from the hot water and leaning his cheek on his knuckles. His elbow resting against the lip of the tub.
"And if I was?" Yuki smiled, quirking an eyebrow, "Care to share?" Jin Woo beckoned him over, to which Yuki answered. The other man, who was mostly legs and had clear skin besides a few scars here an there, stood next to Jin Woo. He was staring down at Jin Woo with a smile that had Jin Woo wanting to seer the image into his mind forever.
The hand was resting his cheek on grabbed Yuki's hand and brought it to his lips. Kissing each knuckle and the pads of his fingertips. He chuckled when Yuki's face became crimson. Steam escaping his ears and the blush creeping to his chest.
Jin Woo pulled on the arm and Yuki went tumbling into the bathtub with Jin Woo. The S Rank taking care to not hurt Yuki, and to ensure he didn't bump his head when he fell in. Yuki's sudden splash had some water escaping the tub, and the face he made had Jin Woo laughing.
"Agh! Jin Woo!" The S Rank continued to laugh, admiring how the wet hair clung to Yuki's face and neck, sild spider threads now looking like woven silk fabric. Red eyes, bright like maraschino cherries, stared at him with no anger or irritation. Only bafflement and some giddiness.
"I just wanted you to join me." Yuki splashed him, "Then say that. Use your words Jin Woo, you're not three." Yet, Jin Woo pouted at him like he was. Yuki clicked his tongue, "Geez, Jin Woo my underwear is soaked now."
"Who bathes in their underwear?"
"Well maybe if you asked, I would have taken it off!" Jin Woo wasn't ashamed to say he watched Yuki throw the now soaking fabric on the ground outside the tub, and he wasn't ashamed to say he may have made it so that Yuki had to lean on him for them to sit comfortably in that tub. The both of them being more leg that upper body, but Jin Woo had a larger frame and broader shoulders. With Yuki's back pressed to his chest, Jin Woo really did look like a blanket. His larger shoulders huddling over Yuki's smaller frame, acting as a shield from the world.
Jin Woo buried his nose in the nape of Yuki's neck, nipping the pale flesh with his teeth and effectively shutting up Yuki. His hand still holding Yuki's interlaced their fingers, and his larger hand almost swallowing Yuki's.
Yuki's other hand emerged from the water to reach around and scratch the back of Jin Woo's neck. Playing with freshly cut hair and intertwining the longer locks between thin fingers. Similar to what Jin Woo had done, Yuki brought Jin Woo's hand to his lips and kissed the tanned and callused skin. He kissed each knuckle, knowing they have punched monsters, walls, and people. He kissed the fingers that have held dangerous weapons and have also held Jin Ah's gentle hands.
Jin Woo bit down a bit harder and Yuki kissed longer. A beast and a beauty. A monster and a saint.
A hunter and a human.
"Go Gun Hee said you are planning to open you're own Guild." Jin Woo licked the spot he just bit, his teeth leaving indents in the already purpling skin. He nuzzled once more into Yuki, arms wrapping around him and bringin him close.
"I am." Yuki smiled, his free hands now gripping the muscular arms and holding him. He leaned his cheek into those arms, feeling the heat that raidated off of Jin Woo warm his his skin as the water began to cool.
"You're going to be a great Guild Master." Jin Woo chuckled, "Is that so?" Yuki nodded, eyes focused on drops of water that fell from the faucet, "Yeah. You'll be the best, no doubt about it." Jin Woo's face lit aflame and he turned his face to the ceiling, trying to hide the blush.
It wasn't like Yuki could see it. His own thoughts getting lost as he continued to watch the water drip into the tub.
'Then, something happens. Something crucial. Something with Jin Ho, and Il Wan.' Yuki just can't remember what. His memory was fading, and it was fading fast. Details were being erased and large events were becoming hazy dreams. The more he remembers Lillian's life, the less he can remember of this life's future.
Biting back a sigh, he returns his attention to the man holding him. Jin Woo was also staring at nothing, but Yuki could see the man's thoughts running a thousand miles a minute. He wondered briefly what had Jin Woo's face so dangerous like that.
"Jin Woo." Snapping him out his thoughts, Yuki smiled when grey eyes landed on him again.
"Can you wash my back?"
++++
Yuki has faced many disappointments in his life. They ranged from people, to grades, to even himself. He's tasted the bitterness that disappointment can leave on the tongue, and the weird dull pang in the chest whenever it decides to come creeping up. Sometimes, disappointment was laced with ither emotions like anger, sadness, furstration, or even pain.
Red eyes stared at the shattered windows of his shop, the inside completely recked and spray painted. Disgusting words, threats, and things that should not be on walls for the public to see sprayed and dripping from his no longer clean walls. All the machinery was broken, and they didn't even bother taking the cash register. They didn't steal shit. They just came in to break it.
"Yuki-ssi, I... I'm sorry." Baram rested her hand on her boss shoulder, and tears were racing down her cheeks. The morning air, cold and biting, making their cheeks flush and this situation all the more worse. She was in shock from what she is witnessing. How could someone, or people, do this to such a staple within the community? The cafe was a hotspot for Hunters, college students, the elderly, and hell parents sometimes left their kids here to do errands because it was just that type of place. It was a safe space, a place with no judgement, and just "How can someone do this?"
Yuki should be crying. He knew that if it were anybody else, seeing their hard work be shattered like this, would be in tears. Sobbing and cursing the people for such a thing. The glass shards on the ground were momentarily replaced with ceramic shards from a thrown plate. For a second, and only a second because any more time and he would be struggling to come back, Yuki was back in a broken home.
He wanted to scream. He should scream. Yuki has every right to feel angry and upset and sad, and God he just wanted to hit someone right now.
"Is it true?" Baram's head snapped to the voice when all Yuki could so was move his eyes. Standing only a few feet away was Yeon Ha-halmoni. A regular patron for years and a kind soul. Her cane held tightly in aged hands as she stared at Yuki with beady eyes.
"That I am Japanese? Yes, it is true." Yuki knows thats not what she is asking, but he wants her to say it. Yeon Ha's mouth pursed and the wrinkles now looking like canyons on her skin.
"No, that you, that you and..." She couldn't even say it. The years of shared smiles and shared cups of tea and coffee now being washed away from a simple thing. A small thing really. He could see the way those old eyes no longer stared at him like the grandson she had always wanted. How years of gossip, laughs, and smiles have been forgotten. Swept under the sofa to be forgotten like that one sock.
Yuki felt disappointed.
"Yeon Ha-ssi, I have work that needs to be done. Unfortunately I do not have time to talk today." He walked away, not wanting to see that expression crumble anymore.
"Baram-ssi, if you want, you can take today off." It'd be best if she doesn'y get associated with things like this. God knows how past mistakes can haunt your future.
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm going to help, I love this place." Granted, it wasn't like Baram was the type to care either. Yuki gave her an exhausted smile, one that showed his disappointment in the situation. The man looked exhausted.
Baram followed after her boss, being carefully where she stepped because of the glass and paint that littered the floor. Tables were broken and chairs smashes, the glass case that would have been holding today's pastries and cakes was shattered. The TV broken, not even stolen, and the counters had what looked like red paint dripping it off of it. It wasn't until Yuki turned on the light, which thankfully still worked, that Baram had to hold back a scream. Both hands covering her mouth and her large brown eyes focusing solely on what was on the counter.
Blood. A lot of it. The dark color staining the white counters and dripping onto the floor. It was smeared all over the counters, dumped on the machines, and on the plates that held the food.
Yuki could already see the price going up.
Turning his attention to the wall that held all the photos of his friends, family, regular customers, and worker, spray painted on all those photos with large bold letters, "Demonic Fag!" and other deragatory terms. Terms that attacked his ethnicity, his sexuality, his appearance, almost everything they could critique there it was. All of it written on the walls. His insecurities out in the open for the world to see.
"Isn't thay the man who was photoed with Sung Jin Woo?"
"And the other Hunters."
"What a whore."
"I never liked him."
"I always thought he was creepy."
"It makes sense, he's a Jap. No wonder he's like that." Naturally, there's a crowd. A fucking crowd outside his fucking shop because no one can seem to mind their own fucking business. As if they all haven't been fucking regulars here.
'You must calm down.' Ellowyn's voice did nothing to soothe the rage he felt on his chest. Long gone was the feeling of disappointment, and instead it had morphed into something else. Something hotter.
"Yuki-nim?" Red eyes met worried brown, and Yuki had to remind himself that right now, he was a boss. He was a role model for his younger worker, and he has to keep it together. Set a good example. Cry in the bathroom later.
"Tell the others not to come in. Tell them what happened, and then go home Baram. This mess is too big for us." Baram bit her lip, staring at the crowd forming and how they had their phones out. Like the heartless monsters they are, because how can you video someone breaking over their loss of their life's work?
"Yu-Yuki-nim."
"Baram-ssi, you must go." 'Do not get caught up in this.' Yuki had gently pushed her, and Baram began her slow walk back home. Pulling the hood over her face as she hid from the phones and continuously looked back at her boss who turned and faced the crowd.
Yuki fished out his phone, and did something he felt should have been his first step, he called for the police. He ignored the stares on his back, and the not so quiet whispers as he explained what had happened.
'Will the police judge him?' His shadow shivered, and Yuki had wondered not for the first time, if Igris could feel his terror. Can the shadow feel how nervous Yuki was, and was he responding to it. Red eyes looked down at the shadow beneath his feet, getting darker as the morning sun rose higher.
Blue eyes blinked back.
Yuki could feel a burn in his eyes, and he wanted to cuss himself out. He's been crying too much lately, and he's tired of it. Tired of spilling tears over the smallest things.
'But this isn't small, Yuki. This was your life.' And he wants to strangle Ellowyn. He actually, honest to God, wanted to strangle them. Even if that means he gets cursed, it already felt like he was so what would the difference be.
Ellowyn said nothing to that train of thought.
"God... I'm tired." It felt weird admitting it out loud. Letting the confession float and dance in the open air as he stood in front of his shop. He knew today would be a piece of work the moment he woke up to Jin Ah sending him an article with him and Jin Woo in it. Jin Woo had his arm around his waist as they huddled close to a window where kittens were napping in the sun.
He didn't read the comments. He didn't want to.
Hunters may accept it, because Hunters lived by the whole 'live today die tomorrow' kind of spiel. Civilians though, did not. Then there were those weird people who got obsessed with someone, saying and doing everything in their power to ruin it for others. Only caring about themselves.
No one will say anything to Jin Woo, because no one was that stupid. Yuki however, was a civilian. A weak one too. One that was already, physically and ethnically, different.
'When you are ready, just call.' He didn't want to call, because Yuki knew what that meant. The moment he did, he will no longer be a regular person. Yuki will become exactly what he was terrified of.
But Dear Lord, he just felt exhausted. Yuki wanted to crawl into bed, and just sleep. He wanted to sleep forever and be awoken only when Jin Woo needed/wanted him to be.
"I'm so tired." The words echoes throughout his mind all day. They echoed in his mind when talking to the police, who looked at him with disgust in their eyes and Yuki knew they would be of little to no help. They echoed in his mind when he started talking to insurance, a long process that had him repeating the story over and over again. Solidifying it in his mind that it actually happened to him. Something like this, it was something you would see online.
Yuki had hoped to think in this day and age, even a country as conservative as South Korea, would be a bit more open to homosexuality. For fucks sake there are literal Dungeons and monsters.
'Guess it was just wishful thinking.' If he were a Hunter, it wouldn't be a problem but because he wasn't all of sudden he was exempt from that. Yuki was sitting the bathtub again. It was only midday but Yuki had enough of it. He just wants today to end.
Cujo sat next to him, minding the water but wanting to be there. Yuki couldn't bring himself to smile.
Staring down at his reflection, his face was replaced with Ellowyn's. Wise eyes showing their sadness for him as they said nothing. Yuki slapped the water, distorting the reflection and Ellowyn's face melted back to his own. Red eyes meeting diluted red. The anger on his face, the sadness, the pain, all of it staring back at him.
He grabbed white locks, long and now able to be put up in a claw clip. Lillian's hair was about as long as his when she died.
Wavy dark brown hair momentarily replaced the straight white strands and Yuki almost screamed. Those strands then got replaced with longer white hair, still wavy, only now those strands reached the bottom of the bathtub from how long it was.
Yuki had almost slipped when he rushed out of the bathtub, not bothering to dry himself off as he rummnaged through his drawers. Smiling when he finally found the silver scissors. They were the scissors he used to trim Jin Ah's hair, Jin Woo's hair, and now his.
Only, he wasn't trimming it.
Grabbing a fistful of hair, he brought the open scissors to the strands and snipped. White strands fell into the sink and floor as he kept cutting his hair, and his reflection proceeded to get blurrier the more he cut off the strands.
When he was done, he threw the silver scissors into the sink, where the majority of his hair laid. The strands blending in with the white porcelain sink and Yuki stared down at his shaking hands. No longer able to feel the strands on touching his back or shoulders, his bangs the only piece of hair he didn't touch with the scissors.
Yuki closed his eyes, not wanting to see himself anymore and the strength in his legs giving out. The tile cold against his still wet skin and the frigid air in the bathroom promised a trip to the hospital if he starts coughing. If it wasn't himself walking there, it would be Jin Woo carrying him and Jin Ah helping him.
Burying his head into his knees, Yuki took deep breaths to ease the burn in his chest. Cujo, the beloved dog he is, sat next to him. Offering companionable silence as Yuki tried to regain some form of control he felt he had. Lately, he's been feeling as he is a losing a lot of control of his life. It no longer feels like a second chance he once thought it was.
It felt like this wasn't really even his own to life anymore either. No longer he is just living and doing things for himself, but the past hauntings of Lillian's life have added a new perspective to his actions and desires. Is he just doing this because he couldn't in the past? Like a child getting piercing after their parents have continuously told the no.
Ellowyn is a new factor to consider too. Yuki's soul is not even his soul anymore.
"What am I?" Cujo's wet nose nuzzled his cheek, and Yuki wrapped his arms around his dog. The dog he got when he was 18 with his won money. His first ever pet.
"Good boy."
____________________________________________________________________________________
So... I got a job!! Yay!!
Um, I am thinking about writing a smut scene for Jin Woo and Yuki.... just thinking not too sure yet. But just to give you guys a heads up so I don't just smack you in the face with it. I think I might make it its own one shot instead and it would be on ao3 and not Wattpad. Which I would like you guys this is crossposted on Wattpad and Ao3.
We'll see. I hope you guys are doing well!