A/N: Just a quick note that incubi are included, and thus there is implied/referenced dubcon. There is nothing explicit or described in detail. 

 

~~

Wonpil felt extremely uncomfortable.

The music was too loud, the lights too flashy, and by his fifth drink he was only feeling nauseous rather than relaxed. He tried to tell Jae as much, but the guy was too busy throwing down shots with Brian to pay him any attention.

Wonpil pressed a hand to his head, wincing at a particularly loud shriek of laughter that managed to penetrate through the usual clamor of the club. Hazily, he fumbled for his wallet, laying down a couple of bills before pushing himself to his feet.

He’d wanted to go home right after work to be honest, but Jae had insisted on a “boy’s night out,” looping an arm around his shoulder to drag him along when he’d attempted to refuse. Wonpil knew Jae meant well, he’d been overworking himself lately and was stressed beyond words, but drinking and partying had never been his preferred way to unwind.

But what was done was done, and all Wonpil was planning on for the rest of this night was crashing in his own bed. If he was reading his watch correctly, it was only around midnight, and if he left now he’d be able to get enough sleep before he had to get up early the next day.

It was when he almost reached the door that he saw him .

A young man, decked out in black with dark, styled hair and deep, midnight eyes to match. His getup was quite typical for the club, a form fitting tee with ripped black jeans.

Wonpil’s breath caught in his throat, eyes traveling up to the man’s face and found himself unable to tear his eyes away.

He was handsome - bold brows framing almond shaped eyes, a strong jaw and surprisingly pretty lips. But not so handsome that it justified why Wonpil was suddenly frozen in place, mind growing foggy, blood rushing up to his face as well as down south.

There was something dangerously alluring about the man, and the way the darkness clung to his shadows should’ve been a warning sign. But Wonpil was already caught, and it was too late.

Luckily, the danger was only relative. Wonpil would wake up the next morning with all parts of his body safe and intact, not a single new mark on his skin. He wouldn’t even have any sign of a hangover, the only thing awry being his patchy memory from the night before.

Well, that, and the sticky mess between his sheets.

~~

Jinyoung inhaled deeply when he stepped into the bar, relishing in the musky scent of lust that was essentially woven into the air. He didn’t pursue any particular strand, however, having already taken his fill just barely an hour before. He sauntered towards the front, taking his time to enjoy the sensual atmosphere. Moonshine was the most highly attended, magicfolk-exclusive bar in the city, so no one ever held back in pursuing their pleasures and vices.

For its reputation, one might've expected a bigger space and classier decor. But at first glance it appeared quite typical; a central bar where drinks were served occupied the front, a raised stage surrounded by a dancefloor sensibly situated in the center. Other tables and chairs littered the outside perimeter, though by the end of the night almost nothing would be left where it'd been originally placed.

But upon closer inspection, it was possible to notice a few things that set Moonshine apart. First, despite the massive crowd of customers and the sheer number of orders, there was only one bartender. Incredibly renowned, his concoctions were unrivalled in the area, be it in regards to quality or creativity. Many would come solely for the alcoholic experience, for the extra punch packed in the magic-infused beverages. So even if orders took longer than usual no one ever complained, though that was hardly ever a problem to begin with.

The other highlight of Moonshine was much less subtle, taking place on the raised stage in the center of the dancefloor. Almost every night some unique performance start promptly at midnight, ranging from succubi seduction, to fairy dances, to even the rarest siren songs.

Tonight was no exception. Jinyoung wasn’t one to be easily impressed by hat tricks and charming smiles, but the fae “magician” currently occupying the stage wasn’t dallying with party tricks. A water dragon - a massive, shimmering body of translucent liquid spanning from the ground to the heightened ceiling - held the rapture of every audience member, each sway of its torso spraying water droplets down on the excited clubbers.

A mere illusion, animated spectacularly by the performer, the only giveaway being the lack of sensation upon contact with the sparkling droplets that rained down.

Moonshine wasn’t considered the best magicfolk bar in the area for nothing, after all.

Upon reaching the bar, Jinyoung barely managed to take a seat before he was greeted by a very familiar teasing voice.

“Well, someone fed well tonight.”

It was the bartender who spoke - Jackson, a stocky shapeshifter who couldn’t help but shoot Jinyoung a dirty grin as he looked him up and down. There wasn’t anything too obvious from Jinyoung’s appearance in particular, but the glow in his eyes and the flush of his cheeks were symptoms all too recognizable to this old friend.

“So what if I did?” Jinyoung responded lazily, shifting in his seat just as Jackson slid a drink in front of him. “The guy looked so vanilla, but he actually had quite a number of interesting fantasies. And kinks,” he added, almost like an afterthought.

“Did he really?” Jackson’s grin widened, setting his elbows down on the bartop as he leaned in conspiratorially. “Do tell.”

Jinyoung considered for a moment, only to shake his head, his lips. “No, can’t be doing that. That’d be a breach of confidentiality.”

Jackson scoffed, standing back upright. “As if. You’re basically a e except you don’t actually sleep with your clients, and you don’t ask for consent. What do you know about confidentiality?”

“Hey,” Jinyoung finally took a sip of his drink, swirling it slightly so the ice clinked against the inside of the glass, “If I haven’t actually slept with any of them, then is consent really needed? Besides, it’s not like vamps go around asking for consent before they their victims dry. Would you call them blood es?”

Jackson rolled his eyes, not bothering to respond to the ridiculous question as he grabbed a new glass and bottle for his next order. “Some incubus you are, when’s even the last time you’ve gotten yourself off? Like actually with a human, and not just in a dream you weave?”

Jinyoung shrugged as he took another gulp of his drink, unperturbed by Jackson’s not-so-subtle jab, “I get high off on their high, that’s all I need. Besides, if I can accomplish everything within a dream, why do more work?”

“Showoff,” Jackson muttered petulantly, shaking his head as he finally moved away to serve his other customers.

Jinyoung only smirked, counting this conversation as a victory despite the fact that Jackson never saw it as a competition to begin with. But Jinyoung was competitive by nature, yet somehow also lazy, which made for quite the interesting combination.

Jackson was right about one thing, at least. It was rare for incubi to not have physical contact with their victims, since it was the raw, ual pleasure they fed on to survive. The older and more powerful of their kind often used dream manipulation to their advantage, but using exclusively dreams was nearly unheard of.

There was no guarantee, after all, that the fruition of dreams would carry over to the physical realm.

Jinyoung, however, had long since mastered this particular art, and now relied on them almost exclusively. He’d always been rather skilled at picking up on his victims’ most secret and intense desires, so the dreams he wove possessed an added personal touch, each nearly entirely unique.

Jinyoung relished in these challenges, and the rush of satisfaction when he succeeded was a delicious bonus he wasn’t planning on relinquishing anytime soon.

Nearly finished with his drink, Jinyoung was already starting to feel a bit buzzed, casting his gaze out idly towards the dancefloor. He’d always been more susceptible to the effects of alcohol right after feeding, not to mention the alcohol served here was no mere mortal brew.

Jinyoung’s eyes didn’t linger on anyone in particular, simply drifting over the crowd. If anyone was to peer into his eyes at this moment, they’d see the haze settled in his orbs, the post-feeding rush of contentment taking over his body as he worked to digest what he reaped earlier in the night.

When his gaze landed on two familiar figures, however, the trance was suddenly broken. Jinyoung’s eyes widened, attention snapping to focus as he confirmed the identity of the two beings huddled in the corner of the room; a familiar pixie, as well as a golem Jinyoung was absolutely not expecting to see.

“Jackson!” Jinyoung slammed a hand down on the bartop, sending his nearly empty glass skidding across the ebony surface.

“What?” Jackson appeared at just the right moment to deftly steady the glass before it managed to tip over the edge of the counter. “Need another drink?”

Jinyoung’s eyes flashed in response, crossing his arms as he jerked his chin towards the corner of room. Jackson followed his gaze, confused, only to blanch when he realized what had set the incubus off.

“I thought I told you to have that golem blacklisted!” Jinyoung’s voice was uncharacteristically shrill, uncrossing his arms to grab Jackson’s collar, even standing up to emphasize his point. “What the hell is he doing here? And with Bambam?”

“Jinyoung, Jinyoung, I’m just a bartender, I can’t watch for everyone who walks in through that door,” Jackson forcibly pried Jinyoung’s fingers off his shirt, but his voice was pleading. “And you know how Bam is… it’s not like I can control him…”

The second sentence was said slightly bitterly, clearly a sore spot for the usually optimistic shapeshifter. Jinyoung’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t back down.

“Are you kidding me, just a bartender my . You own this goddamn place. Get the two of them over here.”

Jinyoung settled back down in his seat with a huff, shoulders stiff and expression stony. Jackson sighed, lifting his fingers to his mouth.

The whistle was shrill, beyond the frequencies of what humans were capable of hearing. For most magicfolk, on the other hand, the pitch remained well within the comfortable range, so no one in the vicinity even bothered to react. Bambam, however, immediately took note, nudging his companion to look towards its source.

It took a few moments for the duo to approach, during which Jackson’s eyes started to flit nervously between the three of them.

“Hyung, what’s up? I already told you, Yugyeom and I aren’t drinking tonight so you don’t - ” Bambam broke off with a choked noise when he finally realized who was sitting in front of Jackson, and the taller boy behind him also stiffened. “J-Jinyoung-hyung?”

“Oh, so you still see me as your hyung?” Jinyoung said icily, “Then what in the world are you doing with him again?” He jabbed a finger towards the golem behind Bambam, but pointedly refused to look him in the eye.

Bambam had started to look guilty, but with Jinyoung’s second sentence he quickly turned defiant, firmly shielding the much taller boy behind him. The sight would’ve been comical, if not for the fiercely protective look on the pixie’s face.

“Hyung! That’s unfair! It’s not Yugyeom’s fault you and Jaebum-hyung are so screwed up!” Feeling threatened, Bambam went straight for the kill, paling at his own words but still standing his ground. Jackson had immediately winced, gesturing frantically behind Jinyoung’s back for the impulsive pixie to stop, but the damage was already done.

“Yugyeom’s magically bound to never betray Jaebum, and you think I’m supposed to trust him?” Jinyoung hissed, standing up again to look Bambam in the eye. “So you’re on their side now?”

“Hyung!” Bambam was thoroughly exasperated, struggling to take on a more pleading tone. “It’s not about sides! Yugyeom wants to see you two fix things just as much as the rest of us!”

At these words, Jinyoung finally allowed his eyes to drift to Yugyeom, taking in his conflicted expression and uncertain posture as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. When Yugyeom finally realized Jinyoung was looking at him, he jerked, mouth opening as if to say something, but Jinyoung didn’t give him the opportunity.

“Fine, do whatever you want. I’m done here,” Jinyoung said spitefully, spinning on his heel to stalk out of the bar. He didn’t spare a single look backwards, proceeding onwards with his head held high, leaving the other three to stare after him helplessly.

When the door swung shut, Jackson sighed, lifting a hand to rub his brow tiredly.

“That jerk, he didn’t even pay.”

~~

After their rather unhappy confrontation with Jinyoung, Bambam’s mood for clubbing had been completely spoiled. So it wasn’t long after Jinyoung departed that the two of them also took their leave, bidding Jackson good night slightly sheepishly for causing such a disturbance.

As of current, they were wandering rather aimlessly around the streets, Bambam taking his residual frustration out on anything within kicking distance.

There was more activity on the streets than one might expect at 2AM in the morning, and certain hotspot areas could almost be described as bustling. A rowdy group of vamps could be heard from around the block, and just as many tipsy fairies floated around the streetlamps, giggling and crashing into passerby’s.

Every once in awhile they’d spot a human, too, but they almost always took care to stay close to the lamp-lit sidewalk, eyeing their surroundings warily as they hurried along. One would be hard pressed to find a human drunk at night in this part of town.

To say the city was completely segregated would be ridiculous, as many magicfolk even lead human-like lives during the day. But humans knew better than to cross into southside once the sun went down, especially not inhibited and alone.

After watching the pixie send his nth empty beer can flying through the air with a well-aimed kick, Yugyeom finally spoke up.

“Bam, aren’t those new shoes?” Yugyeom asked tentatively, hopeful when Bambam finally paused in his step.

“Yeah, I suppose,” Bambam said thoughtfully, bending down to rub at a leathered tip, “I just filched these off a businessman last week. He was talking smack about his wife behind her back.”

“Ah.” Yugyeom nodded, not the least bit questioning.

Bambam always seemed to need to justify his actions, but Yugyeom never found the explanations to be necessary. Pixies were mischievous by nature and Bambam could be an absolute menace, but the fact of the matter was they weren’t malicious. For every trick he played and every item he stole, he almost always gave back in some way to those who were deserving.

Take yesterday, when the two of them happened upon a young human couple, both quite frantic because they’d dropped one of their wedding rings down into the sewers. The woman had been quite inconsolable, and while the man had looked quite stricken himself, he directed all his attention towards comforting his wife, assuring her it’d be okay and that he wasn’t angry.

Bambam had simply watched on for a few minutes, contemplative, before smiling softly and assuming his true form. The glamour prevented the humans from seeing the transformation, so Yugyeom wasn’t sure exactly what it was they saw, but he himself had quite a fondness for Bambam’s original body. The pixie stood only about four inches high, indigo irises occasionally flashing with gold as he blinked. Violet gossamer wings fluttered delicately behind him, never ceasing their movement even when he stood still.

In the end, it only took Bambam a minute to flit down in between the bars of the drain, easily retrieving the very muddy but overall unharmed golden ring.

It reminded Yugyeom of a job Jaebum had been commissioned for just a few months ago. It’d been a similar situation, a married human couple who’d lost their wedding bands, mustering up the courage to ask the powerful mage for assistance. Except Jaebum had charged them astronomically for the favor, four times the value of the missing rings, to be exact. He’d put on a whole show, too, for the summoning of the lost jewels, when in reality the charm had been completed in seconds.

Yugyeom had to concede, however, that that particular couple had been filthy rich. If Jaebum had no problem ripping them off, then Yugyeom held no qualms, either.

Regardless, he still found Bambam to be somewhat morally superior to Jaebum, not that he’d ever tell either of them that.

They walked on in silence for a while longer, Bambam no longer kicking everything that came conveniently within his foot’s reach. Yugyeom knew he wouldn’t be able to stay quiet for long, though, and was quickly proven correct.

“What really happened? Between Jinyoung-hyung and Jaebum-hyung?” Bambam finally asked, sighing as he looked up at Yugyeom. Yugyeom fidgeted, thrown off slightly by the question.

“I can’t...I can’t say,” Yugyeom bit his lip, eyes apologetic. “I’m not supposed to say.”

“Did Jaebum forbid you?” Bambam frowned, concern heavy in his gaze. “Did he make you swear?”

Bambam’s second question was asked with more forcefulness than the first, something dark flashing across his face for just a fraction of a second before being suppressed. It was an expression Yugyeom recognized, though, his heart dropping as he couldn’t find it in himself to make eye contact.

So Bambam took Yugyeom’s silence as a yes.

Almost immediately Bambam’s anger returned in a hot rush, further fueled by Jinyoung’s words back at the bar. He took two quick steps towards Yugyeom so they were nearly touching chest to chest, huffing and glaring as he craned his neck upwards.

“If you had to choose between Jaebum and I, you’d choose Jaebum, wouldn’t you?” Bambam’s tone was accusatory, leaving no room for Yugyeom to defend himself. His eyes flashed with gold in a rare slip of control, and Yugyeom felt his mouth go dry.

“Bam…” Yugyeom said weakly, as imploring as he could. He didn’t know what else to say, or what else he could say, for that matter. He could only stare back at Bambam beseechingly, hoping he’d understand.

Slowly, Bambam’s aggressive stance softened, shoulders sagging as he took in a shaky breath. He swallowed, the gold in his eyes receding as they moistened instead.

“I know, I know it’s not fair to ask something like that. I’m sorry.” Bambam scrunched his eyes shut, pressing the palms of his hands against them. “I just, I hate it. I know you don’t mind it, but that just makes me hate it more.”

“I’m sorry,” Yugyeom said softly, reaching out to pull Bambam’s hands away from his face.

But before he could make contact, Bambam had sprung away, defensive once again.

“Why are you apologizing, you have nothing to be sorry for!” Bambam glared, spitting out his words fiercely. “I’m selfish, okay, I know that! You don’t need to remind me, alright? I -”

Bambam broke off, breathing uneven, but it wasn’t because he’d run out of breath that he’d stopped. It was the stricken look on Yugyeom’s face, the guilt and worry that wasn’t supposed to be there that had snapped him out of it, and suddenly his own guilt was back again, along with a desperate need to flee the situation.

“I-I’m sorry,” Bambam stammered, eyes wide and panicked. “I-I think I should go, I’ll -”

Bambam didn’t manage to finish his sentence, already transforming the next second in a swirl of dark blues and purple. Transformation complete, he spared one last look at Yugyeom, apologetic, before turning and bolting.

A bittersweet taste spread in Yugyeom’s mouth as he watched Bambam fly off. The hint of sweetness was because he knew Bambam was only reacting this way because he cared, and there wasn’t a feeling he could cherish more.

But the bitterness was a bit stronger this night. With his silence, he knew he’d confirmed Bambam’s suspicions of Jaebum restricting him somehow. But the truth couldn’t be further from those assumptions. If anything, Jaebum had only ever given him freedom.

Yugyeom was a golem, molded from earth, clay, and mud, raised from inanimate materials by magic to form a semi-living creature. To be more accurate, an anthropomorphic being whose sole living purpose was to serve his creator. A giant, mindless puppet, if you will.

He eventually came into Jaebum’s possession after Jaebum had defeated his original creator, another powerful mage, but evidently not as powerful as Jaebum.

And it was Jaebum who gave him true life. Not just the ability to move or obey, but the ability to think, to possess an identity, a concept of self. Jaebum had given him sentience , a priceless gift, and it was at that moment that Yugyeom had been truly born.

Jaebum, despite his various moral faults and selfish ways, would never and had never treated Yugyeom any lesser than an equal living being. The only other magic binding them together was an oath he’d asked Yugyeom to take, ensuring Yugyeom would never betray him. It was a magical pledge Yugyeom had taken willingly, already surprised by how little was being asked of him. Betrayal itself was a word up for interpretation, and Jaebum was by no means careless, making it clear just how much he was leaving up to Yugyeom’s discretion. Besides, the oath had seemed like such a small price to pay in exchange for a free will.

So no, he didn’t tell Bambam the truth for another reason entirely. The truth was Yugyeom himself had a hand in the mess between Jinyoung and Jaebum. Jinyoung knew everything about his involvement, thus his current hostility towards him.

It’d been for Jaebum’s sake and at Jaebum’s request, yes, but Yugyeom hadn’t been forced into it. Bambam wouldn’t see it that way, though, and the severity of the incident would surely only exacerbate his hatred for the mage.

And while the pixie had willingly stood up to Jinyoung for Yugyeom’s sake, Yugyeom wasn’t sure that’d still be the case if the truth was known. So with that additional selfish reason, Yugyeom could only stay silent for now.

Yugyeom sighed, looking up to see the waxing moon, the distant stars appearing even fainter under the bright moonlight.

Now, he just had to go home and deal with Jaebum.

~~

It was just past 3AM that Jackson managed to close up shop, shooing the last of his drunken customers out. He yawned as he reached to lock the front door, but not before a gust of wind managed to escape inside, the force of it making Jackson’s eyes water.

“You’re back?” Jackson somehow managed to get out mid-yawn, fumbling with his keys. His sleep schedule was completely off at this point, thanks to the fact that Moonshine reopened as a coffee shop during the day. They didn’t operate early morning, though, allowing him to sleep in till around eleven before opening back up to catch the afternoon crowd. Magicfolk tended to be creatures of habit, and certain species were quite picky about the time of day they were out and about. Jackson had found it was much more profitable to catch both sides of the spectrum, and where profit was involved, you could always count him in.

“Mmhmm.” A man materialized from the air, translucent at first before solidifying, landing lightly on the ground. His tousled blonde hair should’ve looked messy, yet the windswept style only exuded a carefree feel. He was rather slim, but his movements displayed a powerful grace that suggested anything but fragility.

“Why am I friends with a bunch of showoffs, man,” Jackson complained, but his smile gave his true sentiments away, pulling the other man in for a hug. “Mornin’, Mark.”

“It’s still dark out, you know,” Mark replied mildly, but returned the gesture fondly. “Also, you can’t lump me into the same category as Jinyoung, he’s an outlier even among his own species. I’m just a normal sylph.”

Jackson rolled his eyes as he pulled back from the hug. “How did you know I was talking about Jinyoung? And yeah, sure, as normal as an invisible air spirit can be.”

This managed to pull a laugh out of Mark, elbowing Jackson in the ribs lightly.

“You should go to bed,” Mark reminded him. “Otherwise you’re going to be a mess again in the morning.”

“What do you I’m going to be a mess again ?” Jackson spluttered, shooting Mark an exaggerated, reproachful look. “Seriously, this is so unfair! You save my life once and I have to put up with all this bullying forever, even my money dry with free room and board, and -”

“Okay, okay,” Mark laughed, shoving Jackson away and towards the back stairs. “As if you really want me gone, who’d make sure this place doesn’t burn down in the morning when you’re serving coffees still half asleep? And besides, it’s only one room that I share with Youngjae, no board involved. I’m fine on my own, but you’re really going to kick the only dryad in the entire city out?”

Jackson had been joking to begin with, yet Mark had dismantled his complaints so mercilessly anyways. Jackson’s lip curled petulantly, mumbling his next words, “You’re still a show off, it’s not my fault I’m not an air spirit who doesn’t need sleep.”

“So you should go sleep,” Mark countered and Jackson groaned, tossing his hands up.

“I can never win against you, fine, fine, I’m off to bed,” Jackson grumbled, muttering under his breath as he turned to walk away. He made it to the base of the stairs before he finally stopped, turning to look at Mark over his shoulder, expression unusually serious. “By the way, have you heard about the human deaths recently?”

Mark had been ready shut Jackson down again, to tell him to stop stalling and just go to bed already, but paused at the solemness of Jackson’s tone. Mark shifted his weight as he tried to recall, frowning slightly. “Yeah, I’ve heard some stuff. I think it was the fourth killing of the month today or something, done by some magicfolk? I didn’t pay too much attention though, why?”

Jackson shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “I heard a couple of people mention it tonight is all, thought you’d know more. Even though they know it’s one of us who’s responsible, apparently they’ve been struggling to determine which species exactly. Whoever’s doing it is taking care to clean up.”

Mark’s frown deepened slightly at the new information. Usually, magical signatures were fairly easy to pick up.

“Really? That’s weird, I didn’t pay much attention to it since it didn’t really pertain to us. Maybe I should.”

“Eh, it probably still won’t affect us, was just curious,” Jackson waved it off. “On the other hand, something that does pertain to us is Jinyoung and Jaebum.” Although his tone had lightened at the shift in topic, there was an undeniable worry in Jackson’s eyes.

“Really? Didn’t they already breakup?” Mark raised an eyebrow, confused. “Are they back together again or something?”

“I wish,” Jackson snorted. “Even if they never got back together again I’d be okay with it, if they just moved on already. But Jinyoung’s not letting go of it and even wanted me to blacklist Yugyeom for whatever reason, and you can guess how that went over with Bambam…”

“Yikes,” Mark could definitely imagine, he’d had quite a few of his own run-ins with the stubborn pixie. “What’s Jaebum’s stance?”

Jackson shook his head, “No idea, he hasn’t been doing anything, I don’t think. It’s really just Bambam and Yugyeom thaaahhhh-” Jackson’s words were interrupted by a yawn, his body pitching sideways to lean against the banister as his eyes slipped shut.

“Go to sleep, we can finish talking in the morning.” It was now Mark’s turn to shake his head fondly as Jackson tried to nod in response, caught up in a second yawn as he waved once before finally giving up and trudged up the stairs.

Mark had a soft smile on his face as he watched Jackson’s back slowly disappear on the second floor landing. His eyes narrowed slightly once Jackson was out of view, thinking back to what the shapeshifter had said. But his expression cleared the next second, brushing off the concerns to worry about later.

Instead, he padded over to one of the backrooms, swinging open the first black door he came to. It was lushly decorated, a thick blue carpet covering the floor and a black leather couch pushed up against the wall. Other furniture included tables and chairs, and even an upright piano on the opposite end.

Contrary to one’s intuition, these rooms were not for lustful who wandered towards the back in search of a place to find release. Rather, they were only reservable by those willing to pay up a nice additional sum, usually the so-called elite who wished to drink in a less chaotic environment. A good number of secret meetings were held in these rooms as well, but Jackson was always rather tightlipped about those.

But for now, Mark was the one who had the luxury of occupying this space, sinking down onto the couch to wait for dawn.

~~

Just as Mark anticipated, Youngjae awoke promptly at sunrise, his familiar footfalls rousing Mark from the trance he’d slipped into. While it was true that sylphs didn’t need to sleep, they could still slip into sleep-like trances if they wished, if anything to help pass the time.

“Hyung!” Youngjae beamed at him, plopping down on the couch beside him. “Ready to go?”

“Whenever you are,” Mark ruffled the tree nymph’s hair fondly, “You’re quite perky this morning.”

With only the two of them here, Youngjae hadn’t bothered with a human form, fully at ease in all his dryad glory. His hair was bristly under Mark’s touch, but it wasn’t an unpleasant texture, his brown eyes bright behind his green lashes. Frankly, nearly all of him was some shade of green or brown, his body a combination of flexible greenery and sturdy brown wood. An array of leaves and vines wove together to form some semblance to clothing, an added touch to keep up with the modern mode of decency.

“You noticed?” Youngjae scratched behind his ear shyly. “I was planning on visiting the northern woods today, it’s been so long!”

“It has been a while, hasn’t it?” Mark mused, trying to think back. Almost half a year, probably. Which wasn’t that long for magicfolk, nearly all of whom were essentially immortal, but Mark knew how much that stretch of land meant to Youngjae. The forest nymph used to live near the northern woods, so it was no wonder he was so excited to go back and visit.

Dryads almost always lived in groups, working together as a community to nurture whatever woodland or forest they called their home. Youngjae, too, had belonged to such a community, living just a ways out from a little town. Except over time, this small town had grown to be the second largest city on the continent.

It was only natural for the dryads to migrate deeper into the woodlands as a result, but Youngjae alone had chosen to stay, to protect the remaining patches of green scattered throughout the city. No dryad would ever be doubted for their dedication to the natural world, but Youngjae had always gone above and beyond.

Fellow dryads had attempted to persuade him otherwise, but Youngjae remained unmoved, determined to guard the greenery now surrounded by concrete, metal, and plastic. Forest nymphs were far from weak on their own, but still drew most their power from the very nature they protected. Youngjae was undoubtedly weakened in the city, constantly surrounded by the stench of fuel and scorching asphalt.

Luckily for him, or maybe it was fate, through the interference of three trolls and an injured birch tree, he managed to make the acquaintance of the only sylph in the city. The only one in this province, in actuality. And ever since then he hadn’t had to worry about his own well-being, but that was a story for a different time.

And here they were today.

“I need to get back before Moonshine opens for the day, so we better get going,” Mark pushed himself to his feet and Youngjae quickly followed suit. “You okay with taking the train? It should only take a little over an hour.”

Youngjae grimaced, nose scrunching up as a few of his leaves shuddered. Mark patted his hand apologetically, moving past him to open the door.

“I’ll be fine,” Youngjae finally conceded with a sigh as they both stepped out of the room. “It’d be unrealistic for me to walk the whole way, wouldn’t it?”

“Yep,” Mark smiled sympathetically. He, too, absolutely abhorred riding in the bulky, smelly, inefficient vehicles constructed from tons of metal. For that matter, he despised being trapped in any sort of enclosed, man-made space for any stretch of time. But Youngjae couldn’t move very fast in the city given all the concrete, and it’d be pointless if Mark just travelled there on his own.

“At least we’ll be there sooner,” Youngjae smiled, his usual optimism surfacing. “And maybe the train will pass by that new arboretum the city is building!”

~~

Jaebum’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, attention focused carefully on the figure situated in his periphery while easily maintaining the impression that he was entirely focused on the task at hand.

But even from only observing out of the corner of his eye, it was still very clear that something was bothering Yugyeom. From the way he was biting his lip guiltily, to the way he almost mistook werewolf hairs for werecat whiskers, it was quite obvious the golem had something pressing on his mind.

Whatever it was, Jaebum was certain it had something to do with himself as well. Yugyeom had returned home extremely early in the morning, and the slight ripple in the wards was enough to wake Jaebum from his dreams. Irritated by the disruption, he’d asked Yugyeom to rearrange his shelf of ingredients, which the golem had agreed to surprisingly willingly. But in the hour that had lapsed so far he’d barely made any progress, often sneaking glances at Jaebum instead when he thought the mage wouldn’t notice.

But of course Jaebum had noticed. He just didn’t particularly care at the moment, too busy giving his full attention to Nora, his little princess. She was currently sprawled across his lap, purring contentedly as he meticulously brushed her down with her favorite bristled brush.

Nora was his siamese cat, one of fifteen cats total he kept in his impressively luxurious loft. It was a prime piece of real estate, and even to this day he still received offers from magicfolk and humans alike who wished to buy it off his hands. They were all given the same rejection, though; Jaebum had originally moved in right after building had been constructed, proceeding to carefully plan and furnish every room personally. Everything was already laid out to fit his tastes and suit his comforts, so there was absolutely no way he’d be moving elsewhere.

Though frankly, it was the comfort of his feline companions that had been held precedent above all else in the decorating of his home. Coarse beige carpet covered all the walls, serving as a giant scratching post for the many sharp claws. Ledges, boxes, and other toys littered every corner of the 2,000 square foot home, providing the cats with more than enough space and entertainment when Jaebum himself was too busy to give them attention.

Everything had also been carefully cat-proofed, but not in the traditional manner. Wards had been set on all potentially dangerous areas and substances to keep the cats away, so Jaebum always felt at ease letting his “children” roam free.

The rest of the decor was quite simple, in comparison. Everything was either black, white, or gray, and besides all the cat toys not a single thing was ever out of place. Jaebum had always been a stickler for organization and tidiness, which could also be seen by his frequent impulses to rearrange everything.

Exhibit A, Yugyeom relabeling all of his exotic ingredients, for really no reason at all.

Nora, finally having had enough of the special spa treatment, meowed once as she wriggled away from Jaebum’s lap. She landed nimbly on the floor, not sparing a single glance backwards as she darted off to a different room.

Jaebum only smiled, stretching lazily in the gray armchair he was currently situated in. His eyes swept the room carelessly, before finally coming to a rest on Yugyeom.

“Hyung?” Yugyeom questioned tentatively, setting a glass vial carefully back in its place on the shelf.

“Don’t ask me, you’re the one who keeps peeking at me,” Jaebum raised an eyebrow, gaze piercing. “What trouble did you get into this time? What do you need from me?”

“I, nothing!” Yugyeom jumped to deny it instinctively, but the way he ducked his head and avoided eye contact was all too telling of the truth.

“Right, nothing,” Jaebum drawled, stretching his neck so that it cracked twice in succession,”That’s definitely why you went from calling me an idiot just yesterday to suddenly using honorifics again.”

“Jaebum-hyung…” Yugyeom couldn’t stop his face from flaming up with any embarrassment, and for one crazy moment he thought about transforming to hide it. Except he’d probably destroy half of Jaebum’s exotic ingredients in the process, and then he’d really be in trouble.

But it was true; while Yugyeom revered Jaebum above everyone and everything, he’d long since stopped seeing him as just his master and creator. The two of them now bickered almost constantly and teased each other even more relentlessly, though Jaebum did usually put a stop to things once they started getting too out of hand.

“Just say it.” A hint of impatience had finally crept into Jaebum’s voice and Yugyeom swallowed, brushing his hands off on his pants nervously before pushing himself to his feet.

“Um, I might’ve...made Bambam really upset with you? Like, he’s never liked you but I kinda went along with a misunderstanding he already had and purposefully didn’t clarify it…” Yugyeom spoke slowly, eyes flitting around nervously but always landed back on Jaebum.

“What did you say to him? Or rather, what didn’t you say?” Jaebum asked casually, finger tapping lightly against the armrest of the chair. Yugyeom swallowed again.

“He... thinks you forced me to do something I didn’t want to, or at least didn’t have to do. Relating to Jinyoung.” Yugyeom chose his words carefully, fingers toying with the hem of his shirt again. “I didn’t correct his thinking.”

“Ahh.” Jaebum stopped his tapping, and a small smile quirked his lips instead. He reached out a hand, a small glass vial flying straight into his grasp. Jaebum caught it deftly, his tight fist slowly uncurling to reveal the object. “You mean, relating to this?”

Yugyeom in a breath, focusing on the vial that lay in Jaebum’s palm. Even though Yugyeom was across the room, he had no problem identifying exactly what it was. It was even his own writing on the sticky label that declared its contents.

Park Jinyoung - Incubus - 3ml Blood Sample

Yugyeom stayed silent, shoulders sagging as his eyes found the floor.

“It’s fine, I don’t care,” Jaebum said lightly, fist closing again while Yugyeom’s head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Wait why?” Yugyeom pressed, uncomprehending.

“Because it’s not my problem,” Jaebum shrugged. “Bambam can hate me or think whatever he wants of me, I don’t mind. It’s not like he can hurt me, and his opinions are based on preconceived notions anyways. On the contrary, I think you’re the one who minds the most. Am I not right?”

Jaebum looked at Yugyeom knowingly, eyes softening just a fraction when Yugyeom’s expression fell.

“Why don’t you just tell him? About how you feel and what you really think about everything. Not for my sake, but for your own sake,” Jaebum advised gently. “Let him know you feel the same way he does.”

“But I can’t!” Yugyeom blurted out, looking torn. “He defended me against Jinyoung-hyung last night, but I know if I told him everything he’d definitely side against me. I know you’d never, ever use that blood against Jinyoung-hyung, but they won’t believe that! I know it, but that doesn’t mean they know!”

Yugyeom’s eyes were shining with conviction but a flash of desperation couldn’t quite be hidden. Jaebum was taken slightly aback by Yugyeom’s sudden outburst, a slightly conflicted look appearing on his face as he glanced down at the vial in his hand.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Jaebum said softly, eyes unreadable. He didn’t elaborate on what exactly he was referring to, though, and Yugyeom suddenly didn’t look so certain. The two of them lapsed into a temporary silence, each caught up in his own thoughts.

“Either way,” Jaebum suddenly straightened, snapping both of them out of it, “Just do what you want to do. And don’t regret it. That’s all you can do, you don’t need to consider anything on my end.”

Jaebum’s words were brisk, businesslike, setting Yugyeom’s heart slightly more at ease but he couldn’t help but ask one last question.

“Hyung, do you regret anything?”

Jaebum appraised Yugyeom for a moment, gauging the weight of the question to see how seriously he should respond. Unfortunately for him, Yugyeom appeared completely solemn, causing Jaebum to finally release a resigned sigh. He opened his mouth, about to reply, when their landline suddenly started to ring.

Jaebum immediately picked up the phone, shooting Yugyeom an apologetic look that was not at all sincere. And Yugyeom knew it, sticking his tongue out at Jaebum in response, secretly lamenting the broken moment and lost opportunity to gain more insight into the mage’s thoughts.

“Hello, Im Jaebum speaking.” Jaebum leaned back in his armchair again, a pen and notepad materializing in his free hand. This landline was used exclusively for business, meaning it was a potential new client on the phone. “How may I help you today?”

“Im Jaebum? This is Officer Park Sungjin, with the police department. Er, the human police department. I’m calling to ask for your help.” The officer’s voice was serious, almost grave in tone.

“The human police department is asking for my help?” Jaebum looked surprised, but didn’t let it reflect in his voice. Upon hearing Jaebum’s words Yugyeom perked up as well, interest immediately piqued. “And what help would you be needing?”

There was a slight pause on the other line.

“What have you heard about the recent human killings?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: Please do leave me a comment if you've enjoyed this thus far~ while I do start all y fics with every intention to finish them eventually, I'm less than stellar when it comes to long fics xDD Getting feedback is incredibly motivating <3